Aurelian: Difference between revisions

   image = [[Image:Aurelian.jpg|alt=Image of an Aurelian]]|

They do not have a real central government. Each flock/tribe is governed by the oldest living female. Their are 239 of these flock/tribes, each with their own area. In many cases, the center of each flock/tribe area has a large city. Each leader controls and makes the rules for their own flock/tribe. When needed these matrons will meet and confer in order to reach a solution to the problem. Due to the advanced ages of these elders this is normally done by the use of their advanced communication devices.

Aurelians are a bipedal, avian race that stands taller than most humans. Generally, they have bright yellow or other slight variations of yellow, gold, and off-white feathers. Some gold-feathered Aurelians can be known to have touches of blue-green mixed in. It's also very common to see different shades of brown feathers mixed in. But other color variations while a lot rarer do live in specific flock lands. (i.e. The small tropical areas have a higher likelihood of flocks with bright feather coloration such as reds, oranges, bright greens, and blues, with multi-colored wings or feathers on their bodies. And in one area of the planet, there are flock lands with Aurelians who have tendencies toward melanistic, sleek, pure black traits including the feathers, skin under the feathers, feet, and eyes... or strangely, albino traits with pure white feathers, skin under the feathers, feet, and the red eyes typical in albinism.) Their eye colors are as diverse as humanoid eye colors; variations with and without visible pupils exist. Although resembling birds, the Aurelians do have humanoid arms and legs and are perfectly capable of using devices like a tricorder. Though, they have three fingers and a thumb on each hand, as opposed to the common five-digit setup. They also have large wings.

Since they are fully covered in feathers, they typically don't wear any form of clothing, and doing so for anything outside of necessity is seen as an odd habit for an Aurelian to practice. For the sake of practicality, they use belts and harnesses to hold and carry equipment instead. If they're particularly spiritual, some might wear small, unintrusive accessories like bracelets, gauntlets, or very simple necklaces.

Like birds, they have hollow bones but have evolved past the stage in which flight was possible to all of their species. However, gliding is still possible by all members of the species even the elderly.

This is partially due to their increased size due to evolution and the strain on the body to sustain flight. For the young and old of the species, it can be too physically draining to fly. However, most healthy adults can fly under their own power. Just not for extreme lengths of time as they use to do when they were still migratory people.

Aurelians are diverse in height possibilities. However, it is very common in most flocks for them to stand 7 feet (2.1m) tall or more, and that's without the addition of their head feather height. The women are usually a little bit taller than the men, if only by a little bit. This isn't the case for everyone, there are flocks that are naturally shorter, as well as Aurelians who just end up on the short side on occasion. But they are ridiculously tall and willowy generally.

There are two variations of eyes that Aurelians could have. The eyes with visible pupils, and the eyes without visible pupils. You're more likely to see the latter. Which appear to be all iris. But it's more like what are traditionally the whites of the eyes, and the pupils are very similar in color to the iris, but if you were to really look you'd notice the subtle differences in coloration. The ones with visible pupils have what is considered 'typical' eye appearance with the whites of the eyes and the black pupil in the center. Usually, the visibility of the pupil is used in certain nonverbal communications within the flocks that have them.

They do not have sweat glands, and cool down by fluffing up the feathers a bit, opening their wings to spread their feathers, and also what appears to be panting, but is really called "fluttering". Which is to say they flutter their neck muscles to promote heat loss. They do also stay hydrated which helps.

They are very close-knit people regardless of the flock/tribe that each of them belongs to. It is not unknown for members of a flock/tribe to know by sight every single member of their own flock/tribe even if they number in the hundreds of thousands.  This is because as a society they place a high value on love, compassion, forgiveness, and family; including one's chosen family through friendship bonds. They also encourage one's emotions to be expressed without a cultural reprimand, so long as harmful actions taken during moments of high negative emotions are held accountable after the fact, and they can grow and improve after reconciliation. Mindfulness and openness to admitting when you are wrong or at fault for something without excuses is a common practice. And that, alongside the practice of love and honesty, is how they've kept such a strong connection to each other the way they do even during moments of tension that might otherwise escalate in other cultures.

A very obvious benefit of this is that the Aurelians, in general, have never had issues with "queer" topics. All relationships regardless of the make of the individuals in them are simply seen as a love bond. Aurelians don't have to come out, their relationships with others are just accepted. It varies from flock to flock, but there aren't necessarily words for these things because of that view. And the flocks that do have those identifiers use them with complete respect and choice of the ones using them. (Since joining the federation there are also a number of Aurelians who just feel connections to off-world identifiers, and that is taken with equal respect, they'll just want clarification if they don't know a specific definition.) Similarly, polyamorous relations are fairly common. And transgender or nonbinary identities obviously have words to lovingly describe them, as well as unique Aurelian pronoun identifiers if it's less binary. There has also been a huge adoption of the Standard they/them among those groups. You would be hard-pressed to find an Aurelian who has a problem with any of it.

They do tend to easily love others who are not Aurelian in the same or similar ways if the bond is formed as well. In general, it is a deep, unconditional love for the people in question. But it is not a love that is inherently romantic unless it goes that way, it's just love. Like any group of individuals, the determination for what one Aurelian considers the basis for their ''personalized'' love differs between Aurelians and some flock sub-cultures. Some are more reserved and introverted and thus more selective with their intensity, while others only need a few interactions to feel immense love from their end for anyone they might interact with. This connection to love, family, and compassion is what makes it so easy for them to offer their help to others, and very easy to forgive a lot of things. (It's good to note that their forgiveness does not always mean their continued interaction with someone who has wronged or betrayed them deeply. Just that they forgive what happened, and genuinely hope for the best for the other side, but then they move on in the rare occurrences that happen past that point.) 

Something that's often misinterpreted with Aurelians is the idea that they are a monolithic society. This is incorrect. They do share some cultural traditions (such as the adulthood ceremony, and beak tattoos, matriarchal set-up), they tend to be very helpful and loving, they have a formal language to communicate with others of different flocks easier, and they do look similar to one another in many cases. However, there are also countless sub-cultures, languages, dialects, flock-specific traditions or greetings and behavioral norms, stories, art and music specialties, food preparations, etc. They are never truly offended if someone uses another flock's greeting or behavior toward them. The fact that someone knows an Aurelian and respects them enough to use their greeting means a lot and tells them that they will likely respect theirs the same, but they will explain how it works for them after the fact so that it is corrected and respected as unique to them.

Despite being matriarchal, their formal language is surprisingly non-gendered unless it needs to be for specific identifiers. (Though there are flocks that do have a more gendered layout for personal flock dialects.) A lot of their means of referencing things are based on intensity, or it is said directly if it has nothing to do with a feeling. And in a good number of languages across the planet, this sticks as a consistency even as grammar and vocabulary differ. Things they say also tend to have an interesting variety of meanings depending on the word or phrase, and the tone used to say that word or phrase. Something can go from essentially just meaning "family" to meaning of "the people who help create your soul with you" without adding more words to it because the tone and context do that for them. And while both mean similar things, the intensity changes those meanings. Both are important, and one is not "more meaningful" than another. It's just different intensity and context. This is so for a lot of their phrases and words. Having a simple meaning, but a more complex meaning in other emotional spaces.

They also have unique physically signed languages to help with the various degrees of hearing problems. Many of which are a little bit theatric in the way they are used. They're often very beautiful communication and language enhancers.  

They have a strong planet-wide trade system that is especially effective in times of drought or famine. Not much off world trade except for their export of A'urin crystals. A clear easily worked with crystal used to make amazing but small crystal statues. It's special ability is the refraction of light into rainbow colors.