Ikryn

Born of sand and born of stone; Born of moss and fertile loam; Each with beauty so diverse; Kesh did make to walk this Earth. -Excerpt from The Birth, ancient ikryn folk song

The ikryn people are a species of sapient, humanoid reptiles native to the middle eastern region of Rideen. The ikryn kingdoms are the most technologically advanced in Rideen, and exist on generally good terms with their neighbors. The ikryn people themselves are well-liked all across Rideen, regarded as generally welcoming and amiable folk.

Origins
The ikryn were created approximately 2000 years ago by a nature god named Kesh. Kesh is the god of scavengers, sandstorms, rot, and the cycle of life and death in the natural world. According to ikryn folklore, Kesh crafted each of the ikryn races out of the materials endemic to their homelands:


 * The rubies, with their coarse scales and rough horns, were made from the sands of the Grellain Badlands and the limestone of Godclaw Canyon.
 * The sapphires, covered in thick, bony plates, were made from the stones of the Hana Barr mountain range.
 * The emeralds, with smooth and shiny green scales, were made from the fertile soil of the Masic Delta.

Whether this is actually true or just intended to add a bit of color to the creation story is unclear.

Ikryn folklore holds that Kesh created them to act as a complement to the destructive ambition of the human species. While they worked tirelessly to build the ikryn kingdoms of Rideen, they have never lost sight of the importance of living in equilibrium with their surroundings. Many ikryn continue to worship Kesh as the patron deity of their species.

Anatomy
Ikryn tend to be slightly shorter than humans, and a bit more stout. They have reptilian, lizard-like faces with keratin horns and slitted pupils, though their exact features vary across ethnicities. They are cold-blooded and well-suited to the warm tropical regions of Rideen, with its mild winters and scorching summers.

Ethnicity
The ikryn self-identify as three different races: the rubies, the emeralds, and the sapphires. According to ikryn folktales, each race was crafted by Kesh from a different part of Rideen's natural landscape. While there has been little conflict between the ikryn races throughout their history, in the aftermath of the Winter Event, there has been growing animosity between the ruby people who lost their home in the disaster, and their emerald cousins who exploited their loss for their own gain.

The Rubies
The rubies are a race of ikryn characterized by coarse, sandpaper-like scales in shades of red, orange, yellow, and brown. They are usually covered in horns and sharp scales, and have strong, angled features. The rubies are native to Grellain, where they formed one of the most powerful and technologically advanced civilizations in Rideen. Unfortunately, they lost their homeland and nearly all its material wealth to the radioactive fallout caused by the Winter Event. In the aftermath, they have been relegated to the lowest rungs of emerald, yewen, and human society, often living in abject poverty and exploited by their neighbors. Despite this, the rubies have formed an identity around supporting one another through their people's troubled times.

The Emeralds
The emeralds are a race of ikryn characterized by smooth beaded scales in shades of green, yellow, blue, and white. Emeralds tend to have small horns, and some even have no horns at all. Additionally, some emeralds have partial feathering on their bodies, usually on their face and tail. While the purpose and origin of the feathers are unknown, feathered emeralds are admired in many ikryn cultures for their beauty. Emeralds tend to be slightly smaller than their ruby and sapphire cousins. They are native to Masia, a wealthy nation on the northern coast of Rideen.

The Sapphires
The sapphires are a race of ikryn characterized by tough, crocodile-like scales in shades of blue, gray, black, and indigo. With massive horns on their head and bony plates across much of their body, they are a bit larger than their emerald or ruby cousins. The sapphires are native to the Hana Barr mountain range and surrounding foothills, and live in relative peace with the koromein who also inhabit the mountains. In most sapphire communities, adults are required to adopt a strict code of nigh-absolute pacifism. Though the sapphire kingdoms are less powerful and technologically advanced as those of the rubies and emeralds, the sapphire people are respected by all as excellent diplomats, negotiators, and mediators. (They are able to maintain their code of pacifism partially because anyone foolish enough to attack them would make enemies out of nearly every country in the region.)

Culture
The ikryn are sometimes characterized as "laid back" or "relaxed." This isn't inaccurate, but their relaxed nature stems from a larger philosophy of sustainability and cycles. The ikryn believe they were created by Kesh to be stewards of the world and of one another. Their societies lean a little more mutualistic, and they always strive to live within the means of their environments.

Religion
Though ikryn society is fairly secular, Kesh, Farando, and Hanash are the three most widely worshiped deities in the ikryn kingdoms.


 * Kesh, their creator, is a god of scavengers, rot, storms, and renewal. The ikryn view Kesh as a balancing force of nature that they must strive to live in equilibrium with, avoiding reckless consumption. Kesh worship takes different forms in ruby, sapphire, and emerald culture, but most ikryn societies practice sky burials. Dead individuals are taken to pavilions in the wilderness where their bodies are left to be eaten by scavengers. Family and friends are encouraged to visit over the coming days to watch the body of the deceased feed the next stage of the natural cycle. Vultures and other scavengers are sacred animals in ikryn culture. Even more secular ikryn still practice sky burials, seeing it as a way to ensure their remains do some good.
 * Farando is a god of righteousness and justice. Though most widely worshiped by the yewen people, Farando worship is popular all across Rideen. Most courtrooms bear the symbol of Farando: an omniscient eye wreathed in a circle of flame. The ikryn version of Farando tends to be a being of impassive judgement.
 * Hanash is a goddess of prophecy and fate. Hanash holds a particular sway in Grellain, as it was her intervention that helped the rubies overthrow the Greskel Family. Oracular temples can be found all across the ikryn kingdoms, and people of all species will go there seeking guidance and prophetic insights.

Government
The ikryn kingdom of Masia exists as a constitutional monarchy and has for hundreds of years. The royal Masar family rules alongside an elected senate. However, only landowners are permitted to vote in Masia, and usually only the wealthier landlords stand a chance of being elected. The middle classes are kept appeased by the steady supply of wealth flowing through Masia due to its many natural resources.

The ikryn kingdom of Grellain has had a trouble history. Originally a monarchy ruled by the Khrisholm family, they were deposed in a coup by General Akazar Greskel. The Greskel regime ruled for a century before being overthrown in a rebellion. In its wake, Grellain established a short-lived democracy before it was destroyed by the Winter Event. One hundred years later, re-coloniation of Grellain has begun again, and the New Grellain Republic struggles to gain the legitimacy necessary to become the official government of Grellain. It has little influence over the lawless frontier beyond major cities.

The ikryn sapphire kingdoms exist as a collection called "The Fractal Delegation," in which small communes appoint a council of delegates to manage their affairs, while a few members of each council are appointed into a larger one that rules over multiple communes. Members of this larger council are chosen for an even larger one and so on. At the top, the Archal Delegation rules over the kingdoms with a (mostly) fair hand. Members of a specific layer of the Fractal Delegation can challenge the layer above them, but are generally beholden to higher layers.

Technology
The ikryn kingdoms are the most technologically advanced societies in Rideen. While Masia has mastered the tools of industry to build sprawling rail networks and huge factories, Grellain, both before and after the Winter Event, is renowned for its mastery of enchanting magic. Arcane automatons and some of the most powerful enchanted items in the continent flow from the Grellain Badlands. The Fractal Delegation is not the technological powerhouse of the other two, but values science and philosophy highly. Their physics and astronomy research is unparalleled.

Gender and Sexuality
The ikryn of all kingdoms have a very laissez faire attitude when it comes to expression of gender and sexuality. Strict gender roles for men and women are eschewed in favor of a larger philosophy of mutual support and respect. They take a very constructivist approach to gender.