History of Kynara

 

A long time ago, the entire continent of Odakyn was one empire ruled by an imperial family that lorded over various kings with power, lands, and territories of their own. The system functioned well for quite a while but as with all power, it corrupts and those with the most of it became twisted, cruel and evil. Those at the top rose so far above those below, they were so disconnected, that they could no longer see them as people but rather pawns, toys, and things to use as they willed. Excess and debauchery became a way of life for the royals, taking everything from those beneath them until they ruled over masses of oppressed and slaves with nothing to lose. The royals began fighting each other, all the greatest families warring against each other unbalanced the entire empire and created just the right kind of conditions for change.

 

The oppressed had to be soldiers for the fights and thus became organized and the idea for rebellion spread, starting near the southern coast of what is now Kynara. The rebels fought well and managed to seize nearly half of all the land when their former masters finally managed to defend themselves. A deadly, ugly, and stalemated war waged for nearly 100 years until one hero, with the help of the heads of all the clans, sacrificed himself to create the barrier. Thus the two countries were created and the southern section of the continent with the former slaves and rebels became Kynara in the hero's honor.

 

In the days that followed the infant country had to come up with a system to sustain themselves which worked. They were no longer at war so they would be able to come up with something more stable. At first they were unsure how to proceed but they knew for sure that they didn't want to become the tyranny they had fought so hard to be free of. From there they established the Enclave and the governing structure of the elder councils so that they would never again create positions with too much power.

 

 

Why Raise An Army Now?

 

For centuries our lands have been at peace. Kyna, our greatest hero, sacrificed himself to erect a magical barrier to protect our lands from the raging warlords to the north. Now the barrier is fading, losing power, and will not long stand between us and them. Once it is gone there will be a war more devastating than any of our past.

 

Unlike us, safe behind the barrier, they have been gathering armies, conquering new territories, and training for battle so that when the time came we would fall. We can’t let that happen, we must not let that happen. Needless to say we never thought the day would come but it is fast approaching and we must be ready.

 

The Academy is meant strictly to train Sentinels and soldiers. Students were invited to attend based on their innate talents via personal recommendations from clans and other schools. As mentioned in the description, not all are capable to use their abilities for battle. Kynarai with lesser skill go to the other schools to learn how to use their abilities for normal or mundane things such as farming, transportation, fishing, construction, and things like that.

 

 

What Are Clans?

 

Clans are groups of people who hail from the same ancestral region which had bestowed them with elemental gifts. Not all clan members are from the same family, born in the same region, or even follow the same local clan customs though they do recognize that clan’s authority. For example: A clan in the southeastern part of a valley will have a different group of elders than the group in the northeastern part, like different mayors and city councils for different cities within the same province or state. As to which cultural customs a specific family chooses to follow is up to them but is usually determined by location or heritage.

 

Large individual or familial clans have their elder council, from that council they have a representative that is sent to the city council. From there an elder is chosen to go to the province elder council, and from that council they choose one from to go to the Enclave which is the governing body of the entire country. In the case of mixed cities, they have representatives made available from each ancestral clan (Aurai, Essara, Filaren, Haeyari, Shira) on the council and one representative from each moves upward, all the way to the Enclave. The Enclave can consist of 25 members (one from each ancestral clan from each region 5x5) with one elected member being called the Grand Elder who acts as a sort of spokesperson for the entire Enclave and thus the nation.

 

NOTE: The clans are not evil entities, though with minor corrupt groups like in any country or government. You can have a sad/rough backstory concerning your family, but do not imply that the whole clan is evil or the clan head is evil as that is false.

 

 

Who Are The Five Clans?

 

The five clans are the Aurai, Essara, Filaren, Haeyari, and Shira. Each of the 5 clans is uniquely gifted with both elemental powers and physical attributes as well as having similar personality traits. The personality traits are just general, there are outliers who resemble very little of their clan personality but then there are those who are the stereotype.

 

Clan Aurai: Hailing from the northeastern mountains of Kynara, this clan is considered the oldest and most reliable of all the clans. They are especially gifted in the element of earth. Not well known for offensive capabilities, they are incredibly skilled in defense and healing. They tend to be deeply thoughtful and stubborn in character, virtually nothing can shake a member of this clan. Aurai can manifest their power in the form of shifting into creatures of the forest such as rabbit, deer, and bears. Powers can be found here: Aurai

 

Clan Essara: From the coastline in the southeast of Kynara, this clan is considered the most adaptable and intuitive of all the clans. They are especially gifted in the element of water. Not particularly well known to be exceptional at either offense or defense. They are the jack-of-all trades as they are capable of offense, defense, and healing. They tend to be insightful and go with the flow. Essarai can manifest their power in the form of fins or even fully shifting into water creatures such as sharks, dolphins, turtles, and whales. Powers can be found here: Essara

 

Clan Filaren: Residing largely in the desserts in the southwest of Kynara, this clan is considered the most aggressive and chaotic of all the clans. They are especially gifted in the element of fire. Not particularly well known for defensive capabilities, they are incredibly skilled at offense and dealing massive amounts of damage although they do have some healing ability. They tend to be honest and quick to anger. Filarai can manifest their power in the form of shifting into snakes, horses, and lions. Powers can be found here: Filaren

 

Clan Haeyari: Born in the mountains in the northwest of Kynara, this clan is considered the wisest and most reclusive of all the clans. They are especially gifted in the element of air. Not particularly well known for defensive capabilities, they are incredibly skilled at offense and dealing massive amounts of damage although they are also capable of non-lethal capture and control over their enemies. They tend to be quiet, thoughtful and their matriarchal society often shrouds itself in mystery. Haeyarai can manifest their power in the form of wings or even fully shifting into large eagles, hawks, and condors. Powers can be found here: Haeyari

 

Clan Shira: Natives of the heartland in the center of Kynara, this clan is considered the most cunning and subtle of all the clans. They are especially gifted in the element of shadow. Not particularly well known to be exceptional at either offense or defense, they are the jack-of-all trades as they are capable of offense, defense, and healing. They tend to be personable and quick witted. Shirai can manifest their power in the form of shifting into creatures of the night such as bats, wolves, and panthers. Powers can be found here: Shira