Matahouroa Worldbuilding: Aven

Matahouroa’s  islands are inhabited by various bird races, whose history extends to  immemorial times, thought to have flown in from faraway lands in the  global oceans. Most of these have quickly adapted to the spread of the  Empire, while others have become bitter enemies, or have preferred to  cut off their ties altogether. A few have also seemingly gone extinct, a  reminder that even the efforts in the memory of Sawaiki don’t always  prevent exploitation and wars. 

 Pouakai (Red and White)

The  Pouakai are Matahouroa’s enormous, robust eagle-like Aven, native to  Hinawahine. With wingspans reaching as much as 5 meters and robust  musculature and talons, they're naturally forces to be reconned with,  being able to overwhelm large prey physically, subsisting entirely on  wild game they hunt in the wilderness. Theirs is a rather simple  society, living in egalitarian groups that gather in their strongholds  like Kōmarumaunga, usually with no ranks stratifying their society.

In  bygone times, the Pouakai had affable relationships with Hinawahine’s  peoples, but they have become vicious enemies of the Empire. Immensely  destructive wars were waged in the past, the scars of these battles  still adorning the Plateau and its mountains. 2000 years ago, they  almost ended civilization, their armies at their peak and led by the  infamous figure known as Te Hokioi, ravaging the Plateau and laying  waste to Hiruhāramānia. Nonetheless, Ākala managed to defeat Te Hokioi,  and the Pouakai armies were driven off. For two millennia the eagle Aven  have remained fairly low key, mostly focused in their ancient residence  that is Kōmarumaunga, though wandering off across the Empire’s lands,  laying their vicious and destructive justice wherever they go. Generally  regarded as wandering monsters, the Pouakai have been gathering in  larger numbers in their ancient mountain, forming an army that is  steadily growing in number.

The Pouakai also have somewhat  strained relationships with other Aven. The most positive relationships  are with the Kākāriki and Hoiho, which they regard with a level of  overall indifference. They are partly hostile to the Parekareka,  regarding them with general disdain but still willing to ally themselves  with them opportunistically, sharing common enemies as they do. They  have no tolerance for the Kawau, Kākākea and Alalā, largely considering  them wicked pests and often resorting to genocidal extremes to deal with  them, the favored policy being to kill these Aven on sight.

Pouakai  are colored in golden or brown feathers, often with reddish head  crests and white and black wings, and are generally adorned with gold  armor that is made from Kōmarumaunga’s liquid metal lake. Without  social ranks but that of a common leader – thought to be unoccupied for  two millennia, since the defeat of Te Hokioi -, the Pouakai live in an  ordered society where coordination is basically instinctive, and largely  helped by its relative simplicity. Pouakai build immensely adorned and  elegant, but structurally simple buildings, housing individual pairings;  they are largely simply for the sake of resting and practicing  religious ceremonies, and are built to specifically never allow much  privacy, as secrecy is at best frowned upon by the Pouakai. Worship is  directed towards the celestial gods, with Rāo having particular  prominence outside of public ceremonies and festivities. Like humans,  Pouakai hold a strong sense of Tapu, though they believe that there is  always an urgent need to physically and brutally enforce the violation  of all Tapu, as opposed to the diverse and nuanced views humanity has on  the matter.

The Pouakai form pairs, established through  “marriages” out of common affection, that can potentially last for a  life time, but very often don’t: challenging an individual for their  mate is common in Pouakai society, and if accepted the challenger and  the challenged fight to the death. If the challenger wins, they replaces  the dead Pouakai as the new mate, and the former mate is given an  honorable funeral, their body deposited in Kōmarumaunga’s gold lake.  The one or two eggs and the subsequent chicks are raised by the couple,  regardless of whereas the biological parent has been replaced – the  Pouakai rarely consider blood relationships to be important for a family  -, and then by the community as soon as down begins to be replaced by  adult feathers. The same applies if one of the parents is dead, though  given the general tendency for the dead spouse to be replaced this is  not a necessarily common occurrence.

Nearly all Pouakai magic is  either oriented towards combat, empowering themselves or dealing severe  damage to the opponent, or oriented towards healing. The former is  inherent to the race as a whole, each individual Pouakai gradually  specializing in various different forms of battlemagic, while the latter  is learned by choice, often by consulting the gods during religious  ceremonies. Divine inspiration is considered to be the primary drive for  becoming a healer, and thus it’s considered a more refined type of  magic. 

 Parekareka (White and Blue)

The  Parekareka are cormorant-like Aven native to Hiriwa, distinguished from  their cousins, the Kawau, by their bright white feathers forming lines  from the head to the chest along the neck, as well as their bright blue  or green naked faces and their strange double crests. For the longest  time, they were Matahouroa’s most advanced race until the Empire  colonized Hiriwa, in which they freely surrendered and offered to share  their technology and knowledge. Currently, they are widespread across  Matahouroa’s archipelagos, though still favoring their homeland. Due to  the extreme hatred expressed by the mainland Pirita Kahuna, as well as  their own self-inflicted conflict with the Kawau, the Parekareka are  afforded extensive protection when in Hinawahine.

Originally  coastal fishers, most Parekareka nowadays prefer a more civilized  lifestyle, working as researchers and information managers, more often  than not in conjunction with the Karetai Kahuna. Many Parekareka inhabit  Karetai Kahuna temples, and basically live as higher ranking members of  the priestly class. It is generally thought that the Parekareka shaped  the order into its current state, influencing its politics, practices  and overall development. Even their emphasis on the reflection is an  aspect of Parekareka philosophy. Many consider the Karetai Kahuna the  attempt of the Parekareka to establish political control on the Empire, a  semi-successful attempt as the Karetai Kahuna basically run Hiriwa in  all but officiality. Regardless, the Parekareka are favorable towards  their Karetai Kahuna peers, enjoying the intellectual sympathy.  Gradually, several Parekareka came to favor the Pūhihi Kahuna instead,  admiring their moral zeal and community instinct. Some Karetai Kahuna,  in turn, have also turned to the Alalā, much to the general displeasure  of the Parekareka.

The Parekareka have a more stratified society  than most Aven, though these ranks mostly simply work to organize  procedures, more analogous to the rank and file within an hospital  rather than social castes. These ranks are flexible, disbanded and  [re]formed whenever the Parekareka as a whole feel that such is  necessary, being generally democratically discussed. Parekareka society  is generally meritocratic, rewarding innovators and diligent workers. The  top of the Parekareka hierarchy is currently occupied by Purūpī, which  has risen to the top through both several scientific discoveries as well  as his diplomatic work.

The Parekareka share a common ancestry  with the Kawau, a poorly understood origin that has been interpreted in a  variety of ways, the majority of the Parekareka believing the Kawau to  be a stray population that colonized Hinawahine long ago. At any rate,  the Parekareka have a common disdain of the Kawau, viewing them at best  as crude and degenerate, and as abominations worthy of murder at worst.  Parekareka have on occasion launched genocidal campaigns against their  Wairepomangu cousins, creating a perpetual atmosphere of distrust and  mutual hatred between both races. The Parekareka don't see the other  Aven that much better, usually baring a contempt that occasionally  manifests as bigoted murder. They have a special disdain for the Alalā,  whom they compete with for information and influence, though they are  more tolerant of them than of the Kawau. 

 Kawau (Black)

The  Kawau are another group of cormorant-like Aven, distinguished by their  black feathers, yellow face and throat patches and green/blue eyes. They  dwell almost exclusively on the Wairepomangu, though some sporadically  travel the world. Frequently assaulting naval vessels that pass through  the swamp, as well as the city of Koronitiwa, they are often considered a  nuisance, but the more skilled of the Kawau can be exceptionally  dangerous, surpassed only by the Ataata Kahuna in terms of skill with  the swamp’s darker magics. While a few do draw contracts with Pango in  order to have access to the Grieving Moai, many more draw quicker, but  more perilous contracts with other entities in the swamps. Kawau are as a  whole mostly specialized in necromancy, resurrecting the dead as their  armies and using body parts to power their magics, but millennia worth  different techniques have allowed a pretty diverse range of magical  practices, from umbramancy to potion brewing.

Compared to the  rest of Matahouroa’s Aven, the Kawau are generally pretty  individualistic, preferring a solitary existence when not forming bandit  gangs. They don’t have a solidified culture to speak off, pretty much  doing whatever they feel like doing. Many exploit abandoned houses or  wrecked ships to form their homes, though most construct tree houses on  Wairepomango’s canopy. Kawau originally fished on the murky waters, and  are still good swimmers and divers, but they now prefer to steal or buy  their food. A few also eat human carcasses, but most prefer to not do  so, as their stomachs are poorly equipped for rotten flesh, and many a  Kawau would rather prefer to apply it in necromantic work.

In  spite of their solitary tendencies, Kawau are, like all Aven, generally  monogamous, and seek a partner. The disconnect between their  self-centered tendencies and these romantic cravings is legendary,  having originated several local expressions for contradictions and  dichotomies, as well as euphemisms for domestic abuse. Alas, most Kawau  pairings are brief relationships, but some couples manage to last until  death departs them. A Kawau has no obligation towards his or her eggs  and chicks, and abandonment is not unknown. Regardless of whereas a  Kawau decides to raise the young, the siblings have instinctual hatred  towards each other, and will try to murder one another at any present  opportunity, and generally only one manages to survive to adulthood. 

 Kākākea (Red)

One  of the two parrot-like Aven races, Kākākea can be found across  Matahouroa's mountains, both on the Hinawahine Plateau and on other  islands; "wherever a mountain has naked rock, the Kākākea have  impregnated it". Curious and playful by nature, these Aven are the most  chaotic of their kin, sabotaging and inspecting everything against  other people's wills... and their own better judgement. Visiting  planeswalkers often refer to them as "bird goblins", and in all  fairness this isn't far from the truth, for their antics are reminiscent  of those of goblins elsewhere. For obvious reasons, conflicts between  them and the Empire are nothing short of common, though they are  officially in peaceful terms. They are allied with the Patupairehe, and  bear very positive relationships with the Tahepuia Kahuna, whom they  view as their brothers in artistry and passion. Relationships with other  Aven vary: the Kākāriki seem them as wild and unpredictable, though  still bond over their mutual playfulness; the Parekareka and Pouakai are  at best contemptuous and at worse launching the occasional genocidal  campaign; and the Hoiho, Alalā and Kawau are largely indifferent, the  former via rare contact and the latter two somewhere between legitimate  alliance and opportunistic use of Kākākea chaos and destruction.

Kākākea  gather themselves in massive colonies, with no leadership or structure  whatsoever, being rather like huge gangs. They do know some agricultural  techniques, and their expertise in craftmanship ensures a well  established trade with the Empire. However, a vast proportion of their  resources still comes from either hunting-gathering or from thief and  piracy, looting and pillaging villages whenever they see fit. More often  than not, this is just an excuse to satisfy their curiosity and/or love  for destruction. Kākākea do share a common love for aesthetics and  beauty, and much like corvids they like to steal "shiny" things. Their  houses - built in a variety of ways, from simple caves in the  mountainside to elaborate huts, more often than not prioritizing beauty  over practicality - are usually filled with the trophies of their  exploits, though whereas they are exhibited for all to see or hidden to  avoid theft depends on the individual. The latter only provokes Kākākea  curiosity and desire, however, so if anything possessions are safer on  the outside. Though not by much.

Like all Aven, Kākākea are  monogamous, and view romantic passion as a very serious business.  Marriage rituals performed by other peoples are often viewed with  contempt, seen as trivializing what only the heart can determine, and as  such they don't bother with any ceremonies to establish their families. 

 Kākāriki (Green and White)

The  Kākāriki are the smallest of the Aven, with a wingspan of around a  meter-and-a-half. They resemble parakeets with green feathers and a red  forehead, often with yellow areas sparsely across the body. Native to  Inanga and Hinawahine, they have since spread across Matahouroa’s  archipelagos; wherever there is a forest, a Kākāriki colony is almost  certain to be there as well. The Kākāriki form their homes on the forest  canopies, forming tree-house villages crafted carefully as to not  disrupt the trees’ growth. Some of the more experienced crafters build  tree houses from the trees themselves, creating shelters by intertwining  tree branches and by expanding natural tree holes into vast chambers. A  few groups also live in savannas and other plains, still building their  homes in trees: in these cases, individual trees are enlarged and have  their growth affected into forming formidable fortresses.

Largely  peaceful, the Kākāriki have a policy of neutrality, though they are  rather altruistic, and lend a hand to people lost in their territories.  They have a positive relationship with non-Hinawahine “Pirita Kahuna”  and the Tahepuia Kahuna, and they commune often with non-human races  like the Patupairehe and the Hoiho. In turn, the Empire as a whole turns  to them a blind eye, though their reputation and free spirited  tricksters is the subject of much cultural fascination and depictions  in storytelling. The mainland Pirita Kahuna have however an extreme  hatred for the Kākāriki, having a policy attacking and murdering them on  sight. The Aven take this threat rather lightly, though nonetheless all  Kākāriki go through extensive self-defense training in case of Pirita  Kahuna attacks.

The Kākāriki specialize mostly in plant magic,  their natural affinity for nectar and sap having converted into an  extensive knowledge of brewing potions, and their tree dwelling  lifestyle having converted into biomantic carpentry. They gladly share  this knowledge who whoever is friendly to them, and indeed the medicinal  knowledge acquired by non-mainland "Pirita Kahuna" has saved many  lives. 

 Hoiho (Green and Blue)

The  Hoiho are [naturally] flightless, yellow-eyed penguin like Aven native  to the island of Inanga, once widespread in Hinawahine’s coastal  forests, including Hiriwa, but now gone from these areas. A rather  secretive society, the Hoiho make their homes in the dense forests of  the island, only leaving to fish in the sea. They are thought to largely  live in small communities, raising the young communally and tending to  their ancient sacred groves. Inanga’s “Pirita Kahuna”, Pīngao Taika and  Kākāriki interact with them on a daily basis, forming a shared, trusting  community, and bridging the Hoiho's secretive ways with Inanga's local  society.

The Hoiho are known for their ancestral knowledge. Many  paint their plumage with distinctive tattoos, said to be Matahouroa's  history written in strange, unique characters. Knowing the meaning of  these designs is not a spoken or even taught affair, but rather the  result of years of extensive spiritual growth and epiphanies. The Hoiho  that bear these tattoos do not necessarily know the meaning behind them,  but hope to keep this lore alive, encouraging onlookers to develop  their prowess and come to understand their meaning. The Hoiho as a whole  do know extensive elemental and aether magic, having a special  connection with oceanic mists.

In recent years, Purūpī has  attempted to enlist their aid in his project, for reasons only he - and  some of the Hoiho - fully understand. Inanga's penguin Aven have  consistently refused his proposals, hiding themselves from passing  Parekareka. In turn, Purūpī has turned to more violent methods.

The  planeswalker Maramawhā is a Hoiho, and in recent times has returned to  her homeland of Inanga after a long period of absence. The island is now  her base of operations, and the Hoiho as a whole aid her in her plans  to bring peace to Matahouroa. 

 Alalā (Blue and Black)

The  Alalā are a mysterious race of raven or crow like Aven. Once ruling  through a chain of islands known as the Marutīni, their civilization  fell soon before the first invasions of the Empire some 600 years ago,  for rather unclear reasons. Now, the surviving Aven are scattered  throughout the Empire, with a sizeable population in Hiriwa, where they  associate themselves with the mercantile elite and, occasionally, with  the Karetai Kahuna. They are almost never present in Hinawahine, fearing  the influence of the Pirita Kahuna and competition with the Kawau, who  are hostile to them as well.

The Alalā are operate mostly as  mercenaries and spies, associating themselves primarily with the  mercantile class and non-Hinawahine Ataata Kahuna. In particular, they  share with the latter a spiritual connection with shades and the spirits  of the dead, but though some Alalā pay handsomely to acquire tears from  the Grieving Moai, they largely resort to stranger, more eldritch  magics with no parallel in the rest of Matahouroa. Many are associated  or even lead secret dark cults, leading to an overall distrust from the  Empire and even regional attempts at extermination. However, the Alalā  always remain one step ahead, rarely facing comeuppance.

In  Hiriwa, the Alalā have managed to infiltrate the mercantile class, and  compete directly with the Parekareka, leading a secret arms race against  the cormorant-like Aven, who despise them almost as much as the Kawau.  The official policy of the Karetai Kahuna is to stand alongside their  Parekareka allies against the Alalā, but some have taken to secretly  consult these Aven as well, particularly younger, more inexperienced  clerics seeking to gain an advantage in their circles. Thanks to a  combined effort on the part of the Karetai Kahuna and the Parekareka,  the Alalā haven't yet gained access to the Scolding Moai, but many feel  that it's just a matter of time.