Singular: Ruptour
Plural: Ruptours
Youth: Riftling (plural: riftlings)

Creation and Arrival

The ruptours were created by the deities to serve as guardians of the Archways. They were divided into serving groups, which would tend to the Archways in a rotational system. They took turns guarding the passages of the Archways, rotating through settlements until they reached Rosehaven. To communicate between settlements, ruptours befriended Messengers, who would travel to deliver the message. Their words were treated as truth.

The deities created “dive points” all across Faia for the ruptours, allowing them to easily travel between the land and sky islands. Ruptour ruins can be found all around these dive points, some of which have not been discovered by other Faians, as they cannot reach these areas.

Over time, ruptours grew restless, and created tension with other groups, partly influenced by unease over the Wither. As their beliefs were shaken, doubting groups fell slack to their responsibilities, which led other groups to fight over their input and devotion. When the tensions grew too high, and the groups were filled with distrust, and ultimately met at Rosehaven—and thus, began the Ruptour War.

Anatomy and Physiology

Ruptours are about the same size as Candle Noodles, and live to be around 40 years of age. They reach maturity at about six, and are socially respected as adults once they are around ten.

They are carnivorous, and have always enjoyed fish and the unfortunate critter (although this is a bit harder to get away with in present day, with Faians keeping them as pets).

Their connection to the Light are their sword tails. The tail is made of a unique body material, which is somewhere between muscle and bone; it contains blood vessels, can slowly heal over, and is to some degree, slightly flexible. While their tails are certainly a weapon, they also concrete the ruptours in their purpose.

Ruptours are known for their gliding and diving, and for that they have their gliding wings to thank. Channeled with magic, their gliding wings are tucked along their forearms to their sides, and can either expand or unfold to allow the ruptour to glide.

Ruptour historically chose to go through trials with Uvemora when they had need for more members in their group. Typically, ruptours who had prior success would attempt them, under the aid of other members. In current day, ruptours have chosen to attempt her trials in order to rejuvenate the population, after they reach the age of ten.

Accomodating with Others

After the ruptours were sealed away, a significant amount of time passed before they started being re-awakened. As such, most ruptours have a very hard time integrating into the new Faian society. Ruptours from before and during the war are referred to as “first-generation” ruptours, while ruptours born in modern day are called “new generation” ruptours.

The level of aggression the ruptours were used to is not acceptable in modern-day standards. While hunting still certainly exists, much of it is done by specific hunters for markets, and it does not appeal to all of the species, as all of them also have (or prefer) the option to eat plants and bugs. The economy is also completely new to ruptours, as they previously had no need for materialistic goods, much less a currency.

One thing that is still familiar to ruptours is their language. Faia still uses Vareka as their universal alphabet. It is slightly different, written with more rounded strokes, but completely recognizable.

Upon re-awakening, many ruptours returned to their old settlements, where they built them up to become livable again. As a species, ruptours still keep to their traditions and legends, but make sure to practice them in a way that does not disrupt the other species.

Cultural Principles

Ruptours existed long before any of the other Faian species and served a specific species-wide purpose: to protect the archways. Because of this, combat has always been an important aspect of their culture.

Ruptours keep to a communal lifestyle. Traditionally, the strongest warriors are the most respected in their society, right under the elders (of any group, not just the ones they belonged to), due to their wisdom. Aside from this hierarchy, all members of a community would work for the betterment of each other, by hunting, creating armour, tending to their settlements, and raising riftlings, all for and with the others in their group.

In lieu of this, Ruptours are not particularly materialistic. In the first generations, they had little to no possessions, as equipment was strictly communal, and they moved around so often that anything of a larger nature took up valuable space. They did not have a currency, so no need to purchase anything, either. If they did keep something, it was typically wearable, such as jewelry or cloaks. Ruptours have trouble keeping items and buying for luxury, instead focusing on current needs and typically preferring to handle creating or fetching items themselves, in their desire for self-sufficiency.

When raising young, ruptours preferred to take the “village” approach to their growth. Each member of the community played their part in raising riftlings, and riftlings found their purpose through that. riftlings were highly encouraged to play fight as preparation for combat training, and the idea of eventually guarding the archways was always harped upon. riftlings were also trained to dive, ensuring that they could also be taught to hunt, and were integrated into their group’s work system as soon as they were able.

In the current day, ruptours still believe that other adult ruptours (or other Faians, in the lack of ruptours available) should be present in a riftling’s development, as part of their enrichment to their environment and ability to learn. They make strong, intentional ties with others, intending to garner mutual benefit from these types of relationships.

Oral tradition was always a big part of passing legends, and as such, few ruptour texts exist detailing chronicles. The ruptours did develop the runic alphabet, Vareka, but it was not always taught to riftlings. For leisure, stories were invented, passed around, and retold. Additionally, ruptours take words very seriously, and truth is an important principle, as speech should be believed wholeheartedly. Spiritual service was almost always an oral and musical experience, which has carried on to their worship and spiritual experience today.

They like to keep busy, but historically did not have many extravagant pastimes. Traditionally, they value honest, down-and-dirty work, and find value in physical training and labor. Many modern-day, first-generation ruptours struggle to find their place in a profession that is not guarding or hunting, and although they push these principles and skills onto the new generation, those that did not know the old world are more open-minded to professions that are creative or thoughtful.