CUlture and Civilization
How Ulivari society is structured, what technologies they have, what their social practices are... all kinds of information as to how they function culturally. While you're free to completely divorce your character from this lore with characters outside of Morveris (and within it this is more of a guideline), you're equally free to use it as a springboard for character and world-building for your Ulivari.
Societal Structure
Money exists in Ulivari society (in the form of copper, silver, gold, and platinum coins), though it's generally only used for commodities and services -- necessities like nutritious food, basic safe housing, and medical treatments are usually things that are handled communally and freely obtained provided how easily they're created thanks to the diversely applicable magics the Ulivari are capable of wielding. Though there are sure to be rich individuals and poor individuals with somewhat unequal access to the luxuries they may desire, and some Ulivari may fall through the cracks, most people are able to have their basic needs met.
While Ulivari society at large lacks a whole lot of hierarchy or social stratification, there's a certain degree of hierarchical organization within groups like the Sunguard, who are collectively directed by a governing group of captains, led at the top by General Calamire. The Sunguard collaborate with communities across Morveris, but are largely concentrated in and around the Citadel, protecting and assisting traders and travelers alike. Most of the guard have military training out of necessity due to the potential threat of Revenant or extra-planar incursion (as well as more mundane threats, like the beasts that roam the wilds), but largely deal in peaceful conflict resolution and generalized public safety, with their skills most often being employed in stopping fights from breaking out in public spaces, protecting unattended children from getting into trouble, or escorting people through more dangerous territories.
Beyond the Sunguard (and to a lesser degree, the Nel-Arcanis, who operate under senior archivists and head curators) the general populace is organize within small groups (generally villages or small towns), though there are larger cities like the Citadel that necessitate a bit more overarching structure, typically seen in a large city council. Each village, town, or city does have a few representatives (dubbed Spokespeople, or High Council Members) who occasionally travel to the Citadel in order to discuss the needs of the place and people they represent, but beyond this they hold no broad authority or elevated social ranking.
All of that said, there are a few odd places across Morveris that are organized differently! It's a plane of existence comparable to the size of Earth, and not everyone will hold the same ideas -- especially not those who've chosen to completely go their own way or leave society altogether. This also doesn't mean that groups of Ulivari or the individuals that comprise these groups will always get along, either! Naturally, there's always going to be infighting, rivalries, tribalism, and individual squabbling -- of course some groups and people might always just refuse to work with others... but very, very broadly, these concepts and structures encompass much of Morveris.
While Ulivari society at large lacks a whole lot of hierarchy or social stratification, there's a certain degree of hierarchical organization within groups like the Sunguard, who are collectively directed by a governing group of captains, led at the top by General Calamire. The Sunguard collaborate with communities across Morveris, but are largely concentrated in and around the Citadel, protecting and assisting traders and travelers alike. Most of the guard have military training out of necessity due to the potential threat of Revenant or extra-planar incursion (as well as more mundane threats, like the beasts that roam the wilds), but largely deal in peaceful conflict resolution and generalized public safety, with their skills most often being employed in stopping fights from breaking out in public spaces, protecting unattended children from getting into trouble, or escorting people through more dangerous territories.
Beyond the Sunguard (and to a lesser degree, the Nel-Arcanis, who operate under senior archivists and head curators) the general populace is organize within small groups (generally villages or small towns), though there are larger cities like the Citadel that necessitate a bit more overarching structure, typically seen in a large city council. Each village, town, or city does have a few representatives (dubbed Spokespeople, or High Council Members) who occasionally travel to the Citadel in order to discuss the needs of the place and people they represent, but beyond this they hold no broad authority or elevated social ranking.
All of that said, there are a few odd places across Morveris that are organized differently! It's a plane of existence comparable to the size of Earth, and not everyone will hold the same ideas -- especially not those who've chosen to completely go their own way or leave society altogether. This also doesn't mean that groups of Ulivari or the individuals that comprise these groups will always get along, either! Naturally, there's always going to be infighting, rivalries, tribalism, and individual squabbling -- of course some groups and people might always just refuse to work with others... but very, very broadly, these concepts and structures encompass much of Morveris.
Technology
All complex Ulivari technology is entirely magic-based -- large-scale production, construction, transportation, and long-distance communication are all facilitated through magic, with several domains often being used in tandem in order to accomplish goals. Their technology is in some ways much more limited than that of humanity, and in others, much more advanced for the significantly lower amount of work needed to keep their society running. While the species has been in contact with outlanders by means of the portals that connect Morveris to different planes of existence -- and as a result integrated some alien technology into their own world and lives -- they tend to supplement this new tech with magic, or attempt to reverse-engineer it to incorporate magic in some way.
Life and death domain users work the farms together, using the magic of water and earth to sow a city's worth of food in a few minutes. Life and heart domain users work together with the magic of water and fire to filter the drinking water and make it potable. Death's control over earth makes them rather talented in the building of any structures made of clay, stone, or any mineral. Mind and Heart can use air and fire respectively to make buildings cool in long, humid summers, and warm in frigid winters. Life domain users are capable of physically healing people, making them ideal medical professionals -- not all ailments can be solved purely through magic, though! Through a combination of life and mind magic (and thorough trial-and-error research), Ulivari have advanced their knowledge of practical, non-magical medicine, delving fairly far into the field regarding what bacteria, plants, and various treatments are beneficial and even crucial in treatment.
All four domains can be used to harvest and harness energy to power mechanical structures and appliances in various ways, and people have gotten rather creative over the years.
In terms of esoteric magic, mind's dictation of thought makes it possible to communicate messages and ideas over great distances -- powerful mind domain users can even cast small illusions over great distances, allowing them to project their own image to the message's receiver! Life's control over creation can aid in mass-production with a minimal amount of time, effort, and manpower. The heart domain has allowed advances in therapy and psychiatry, while the mind domain has allowed advances in anthropological and psychological study.
There are many ways in which magic allows the Ulivari to develop and thrive, and they're certainly not limited to these examples!
Life and death domain users work the farms together, using the magic of water and earth to sow a city's worth of food in a few minutes. Life and heart domain users work together with the magic of water and fire to filter the drinking water and make it potable. Death's control over earth makes them rather talented in the building of any structures made of clay, stone, or any mineral. Mind and Heart can use air and fire respectively to make buildings cool in long, humid summers, and warm in frigid winters. Life domain users are capable of physically healing people, making them ideal medical professionals -- not all ailments can be solved purely through magic, though! Through a combination of life and mind magic (and thorough trial-and-error research), Ulivari have advanced their knowledge of practical, non-magical medicine, delving fairly far into the field regarding what bacteria, plants, and various treatments are beneficial and even crucial in treatment.
All four domains can be used to harvest and harness energy to power mechanical structures and appliances in various ways, and people have gotten rather creative over the years.
In terms of esoteric magic, mind's dictation of thought makes it possible to communicate messages and ideas over great distances -- powerful mind domain users can even cast small illusions over great distances, allowing them to project their own image to the message's receiver! Life's control over creation can aid in mass-production with a minimal amount of time, effort, and manpower. The heart domain has allowed advances in therapy and psychiatry, while the mind domain has allowed advances in anthropological and psychological study.
There are many ways in which magic allows the Ulivari to develop and thrive, and they're certainly not limited to these examples!
Dietary Practices
Ulivari are omnivorous, though their diets tend to consist of white meat, fish, bugs, and all variety of plants. Those living separate from society will likely be much less discerning with their dietary choices! Simple processed foods appear in the Ulivari diet -- such as bread, rice, milk, cheese, preserved and salted meat, and things like home-made jams -- but what humans would consider highly processed or any kind of 'junk food' are rather hard to come by as Ulivari do not have traditional industrialized food practices. Hard alcohol isn't terribly difficult to find if you're searching for it, but wines made from various native fruit are much more commonly found in Uli households, and particularly common to share a very small amount of red wine at the dinner table each night.
Every major holiday sees communal feasts, made bountiful by their potluck format and the ease with which the Ulivari grow their own food! Given that every village, town, or city grows its own food with the help of life and death domain users, holidays are a time for the community to celebrate the year's harvest! Outside of holidays, it isn't terribly uncommon for feasts to happen sporadically, as Uli tend to be big on sharing meals together as a culmination of their collective efforts.
Every major holiday sees communal feasts, made bountiful by their potluck format and the ease with which the Ulivari grow their own food! Given that every village, town, or city grows its own food with the help of life and death domain users, holidays are a time for the community to celebrate the year's harvest! Outside of holidays, it isn't terribly uncommon for feasts to happen sporadically, as Uli tend to be big on sharing meals together as a culmination of their collective efforts.
Clothing And Accessories
Given the large vertical span of their wings, it can be difficult for Uli to fit into most tops that would typically be worn by humans unless they shrink or de-materialize their wings to fit, which can be inconvenient just for the sake of fashion. Often, they will either go topless, wear something with an open back, or wear loose, drapable tops that can be wrapped over and under the wings -- some may end up finding more creative solutions! They may also choose to wear regular tops with closed backs, but they'll have to be careful not to shift their wings out or risk completely ripping their shirt apart.
It's very common to see Uli in flowing, breathable fabrics, though many may prefer more form-fitted attire. There aren't any negative social connotations to upper-body nudity, but it's generally considered rude to have a naked lower half in public -- though Uli with a heavily furred or feathered bottom half are sometimes the exception to this social folkway. Dresses, skirts, and pants are all seen in just about everyone's wardrobe, and Uli society as a whole is very creative and artistic, so there's a great degree of artistry that goes into clothing! Even if nude, many Ulivari accessorize in all manner of ways. Little bits of jewelry here and there -- an earring, a small necklace, a ring -- or they may fully wreathe themselves in numerous necklaces, bracelets, anklets, patterned scarves, headdresses... anything the heart desires. Given the artistry of Uli society in general, it's easy even in small villages to find local tailors and craftspeople who can put together an exquisite wardrobe!
It's also possible for clothes and accessories to be enchanted with various beneficial or even harmful magics, though this is a much more specialized and somewhat obscure process that requires knowledge in how to bind magic permanently to an object -- most enchanters come from the Nel-Arcanis as a result, but can be found all over Morveris if you search for them!
Clothing can be made of just about any fabric, though synthetic fabrics are significantly harder to come by considering the chemical processes required to create them! Animal and plant based fiber is far easier to create and acquire, as they only require mechanical or manual processing instead of chemical processing. Accessories are generally made from metal, minerals, wood, glass, and bone. Those who leave their homeworld will often encounter strange and interesting new materials, clothing types, and styles to incorporate into their wardrobes, and might even bring them back to share with or show off to others. No small number of trends have been started by extra-planar explorers returning home...
It's very common to see Uli in flowing, breathable fabrics, though many may prefer more form-fitted attire. There aren't any negative social connotations to upper-body nudity, but it's generally considered rude to have a naked lower half in public -- though Uli with a heavily furred or feathered bottom half are sometimes the exception to this social folkway. Dresses, skirts, and pants are all seen in just about everyone's wardrobe, and Uli society as a whole is very creative and artistic, so there's a great degree of artistry that goes into clothing! Even if nude, many Ulivari accessorize in all manner of ways. Little bits of jewelry here and there -- an earring, a small necklace, a ring -- or they may fully wreathe themselves in numerous necklaces, bracelets, anklets, patterned scarves, headdresses... anything the heart desires. Given the artistry of Uli society in general, it's easy even in small villages to find local tailors and craftspeople who can put together an exquisite wardrobe!
It's also possible for clothes and accessories to be enchanted with various beneficial or even harmful magics, though this is a much more specialized and somewhat obscure process that requires knowledge in how to bind magic permanently to an object -- most enchanters come from the Nel-Arcanis as a result, but can be found all over Morveris if you search for them!
Clothing can be made of just about any fabric, though synthetic fabrics are significantly harder to come by considering the chemical processes required to create them! Animal and plant based fiber is far easier to create and acquire, as they only require mechanical or manual processing instead of chemical processing. Accessories are generally made from metal, minerals, wood, glass, and bone. Those who leave their homeworld will often encounter strange and interesting new materials, clothing types, and styles to incorporate into their wardrobes, and might even bring them back to share with or show off to others. No small number of trends have been started by extra-planar explorers returning home...
Family and Child-rearing
Ulivari children are raised somewhat communally, parents often grouping in numbers of six to ten and raising their young as a clutch -- it’s not uncommon for children sharing a household to build lifelong friendships with each other, for some to take to their housemates as siblings despite the lack of blood relation, or for unrelated same-house Uli to eventually partner together. Of course, the abodes of the Ulivari are tailored to the purpose of multi-family housing, and tend to be large multi-story structures meant to accommodate many younglings. When it comes to single Uli, parentless couples, or families who would otherwise prefer more privacy than this affords, there are a great number of abodes meant for one to four people, but they tend to be clustered together for the sake of community. It is, generally speaking, extremely uncommon and somewhat unusual -- though not unheard of -- for a family to take home in an isolated area, and generally those you'll find living alone and far away from others are the hermit types who've built their own little houses.
Children are given more autonomy at the age of 15, as this is when they undergo the ritualistic choosing of their domain and patron deity, but they're not considered adults until age 20 when their brains and bodies have developed fully. At 20 they have the choice of remaining with their clan or departing to go their own way, though it's possible for something to push them to leave before this point -- and naturally, it's also possible for them to choose to leave much later in life! 20 is simply the beginning of true adulthood and is therefore culturally considered the first point at which an Uli is faced with the responsibility of these kinds of decisions, even if they've already faced tougher ones.
Given that Ulivari are capable of shifting their sexual presentation and associated characteristics at will, any physically matured Uli can get pregnant. If one desires a child, it's possible to lose a developing fetus after just a month by shifting, so the body will lock itself into the child-bearing role to prevent this; this process is often an indicator that something is wrong if pregnancy is undesired, and those in need of medical assistance can access it freely. Pregnant individuals are given special treatment as a result of how grueling the 10-11 months of child-bearing can be, and how delicate babies are! Large households will band together to support and care for them and the child, partners will take care of and dote on their mate, and single parents living a more isolated life will find that people are generally more helpful and courteous to them when they go out.
Children are given more autonomy at the age of 15, as this is when they undergo the ritualistic choosing of their domain and patron deity, but they're not considered adults until age 20 when their brains and bodies have developed fully. At 20 they have the choice of remaining with their clan or departing to go their own way, though it's possible for something to push them to leave before this point -- and naturally, it's also possible for them to choose to leave much later in life! 20 is simply the beginning of true adulthood and is therefore culturally considered the first point at which an Uli is faced with the responsibility of these kinds of decisions, even if they've already faced tougher ones.
Given that Ulivari are capable of shifting their sexual presentation and associated characteristics at will, any physically matured Uli can get pregnant. If one desires a child, it's possible to lose a developing fetus after just a month by shifting, so the body will lock itself into the child-bearing role to prevent this; this process is often an indicator that something is wrong if pregnancy is undesired, and those in need of medical assistance can access it freely. Pregnant individuals are given special treatment as a result of how grueling the 10-11 months of child-bearing can be, and how delicate babies are! Large households will band together to support and care for them and the child, partners will take care of and dote on their mate, and single parents living a more isolated life will find that people are generally more helpful and courteous to them when they go out.
Religion And Spirituality
While the homeworld of the Ulivari is governed by the gods and the vast majority of its denizens follow them in some way, the gods ask very little of their followers and reject any sense that one must dedicate their life to worship (though they certainly won't turn away those who wish to do so). All the gods ask in return for the magic they grant is respect to the fundamental pillars of existence and consciousness -- respect for the cycle of life and death, respect for the proliferation of emotion and knowledge. If desired, it's possible to reject the traditional path of choosing a god to follow and taking a domain, but generally speaking this limits one to the very nebulous magic of the wilds, difficult to capture and hard to shape... or to things that have been enchanted to carry out a magical purpose without magical input from the user.
Most Ulivari are not particularly devoted in their worship, and typically spend a minimal amount of time actually thinking about the gods unless they'd like to thank them for something, pray to them, or share their troubles (to which the gods will not directly answer, but may imbue their supplicants with some sense of their presence -- a warmth to fill the loneliness, a whisper on the wind, a beloved scent).
Beyond the gods, there are other spiritual entities that inhabit the world (and the worlds beyond). Venturing into the wilderness and off the beaten path, it's not terribly uncommon to come across fey creatures (in many varied, sometimes even shifting, psychedelic forms), daemons (supernatural, nature-bound entities of various dispositions, typically mischievous or suggestive), benevolent or vengeful ghosts (who, with some unfinished business in undeath, require ritual cleansing to pass on), and all manner of other things. Many of these entities take physical forms and can be interacted with much in the same way Ulivari interact with each other. It's recommended one treat these beings with respect, lest they suffer some unfortunate fate at the hands of an angered spirit!
Most Ulivari are not particularly devoted in their worship, and typically spend a minimal amount of time actually thinking about the gods unless they'd like to thank them for something, pray to them, or share their troubles (to which the gods will not directly answer, but may imbue their supplicants with some sense of their presence -- a warmth to fill the loneliness, a whisper on the wind, a beloved scent).
Beyond the gods, there are other spiritual entities that inhabit the world (and the worlds beyond). Venturing into the wilderness and off the beaten path, it's not terribly uncommon to come across fey creatures (in many varied, sometimes even shifting, psychedelic forms), daemons (supernatural, nature-bound entities of various dispositions, typically mischievous or suggestive), benevolent or vengeful ghosts (who, with some unfinished business in undeath, require ritual cleansing to pass on), and all manner of other things. Many of these entities take physical forms and can be interacted with much in the same way Ulivari interact with each other. It's recommended one treat these beings with respect, lest they suffer some unfortunate fate at the hands of an angered spirit!
Language And Literature
There are a great number of languages the Ulivari people have developed over the many millenia they've been around, and it's not uncommon for the better traveled of the species to have two or three at least partially under their belt! No single common language unites them, but the magic of the mind domain makes it such that no knowledge of a used language is actually required to understand what's being said... provided one is actually of Celanesra's followers, that is. Those outside of their influence might have a bit of a tougher time, but among the select enchanters of the world it's a fairly common practice to imbue bits of jewelry with a particular fragment of thought magic, granting the wearer this translator's boon. While the magic doesn't actually confer real knowledge of the language, when active it does allow one to communicate clearly with people who do not share their language and comprehend spoken and written language! This doesn't mean that any spoken or written language will be literally changed into another... the magic is simply doing the legwork of making it universally understandable!
Most Ulivari are literate, at least to some degree, and there's plenty to read in terms of both fiction and non-fiction works within the world.
Most Ulivari are literate, at least to some degree, and there's plenty to read in terms of both fiction and non-fiction works within the world.