Aera

Born to roam, and never tame.

Great big ears and wings even more useless than the Malarai have.

Vital Statistics (At a Glance)

Pronounced ah-EER-ah. Singular is . Possessive is . Plural is .

• Species Type: Pelted
• Origin: Engineered
• Frame Type: Bipedal and Platigrade.
• Average Height: >5'8" (not counting ears)
• Average Lifespan:
• Gravity Preference: Homeworld gravity is medium/normal
• Homeworld: Aren
• Native Language: Aeran

Appearance and Physiology

Appearance

The Aera are tall: over 5’8” is usual before the ears, and the ears are enormous, tufted and shaped like a hare’s. Most Aera have muzzles or demimuzzles, short brush tails like a fox or wolf, and some number of them have winged ankles. The rationale behind the winged ankles was never fully discovered; the Pelted assumed it to either be decorative or a genetic experiment (“Who can graft on the most useless modification” is a common remark). As the Aera have reproduced naturally, fewer of them have the winged ankles (leading to “who can graft the most useless modification that also fails as a heritable trait” comments—the Pelted can be caustic about early Terran experiments). This has generated an endless range of fashion trends in shoes depending on who’s mimicking whom at the time. They stand plantigrade and have the five fingers/toes and nails of the humanoid stance. Coat patterns tend toward the canid, with a light ventral and dark dorsal, and many Aera have “points”. The colors are often more vivid than a Terran animal’s, and no one’s sure where those colorations stemmed from. (copy/pasted from The Peltedverse Guidebook)

Physiology

The ankle-wings sound like a recessive trait of some sort.

Society

• Nomadic
• female dominated
• A certain kind of thick earring marks an Aera as a person of import on Aren.

The Aera are nomads. Even on the planet they settled, they like to move from place to place, and like the Ciracaana (who modeled themselves loosely on the Aera), they have a faction that’s embraced a quasi-aboriginal lifestyle. Most of the population of the Aera homeworld is engaged in this lifestyle, which they take far less seriously than the Ciracaana do. It’s a bit of a game to them, but one they often take to deadly extremes: they can be prickly people, and proud, and quick-tempered. Aera who prefer a more modern lifestyle ply the interstellar waters of the Alliance as merchants, explorers, miners, and anything else that requires being on the go. There are some few Aera in the military, but most of them dislike authority, and even the loose discipline of the Alliance’s Fleet is often too much restriction for them. They are a vibrant and vigorous people, with broad experiences conveyed by their frequent travels, but it’s hard to get them pulling in tandem; even more than the felid Pelted, they prefer to work alone or in small family groups, and treat outsiders with some skepticism.

Religions

The religion developed on Aren--no one's quite sure if the Aera on planet take it seriously or not. Worship is not a significant part of their life, from observation. But they have developed a pantheon of gods, over which presides the Greater Master. (Few Aera swear by the Greater Master, but when mentioned it's considered serious business.) Other major gods and goddesses include The Wanderer (Zleayron), the Warrior Mother (Laera), the Warrior Wife (Taleyira), and the Warrior Maid (Seleya), who are partnered by the Peace Father (Luer), the Warrior Husband (Tasenear), and the Warrior 'Bachelor' (Yesier). There is also the Child Granter (Aura), and the Stiller (Zenoa), who stills the breath of all living things. Aera who espouse these gods don't seem to believe in no afterworld, nor in reincarnation.

More common to the travelers amid the Aera (and therefore, more widespread) is a belief in the goodness of the Wind, and a disgust of the stillness and lack of moving air (or anything at all).

Native or Common Dress

• hip wrap of various lengths, both male and female

Characters

Baerut Flait

Jae'en

Ku'ale

Na'er

Ra'aila Clan Flait