Aracci

The Aracci are a sea-dwelling race that is believed to have descended from the Ilthi and a now-extinct race of cave-dwellers. They appeared during the 2nd Age of the 3rd Era. Their languages are very musical sounding.

Appearance
The Aracci have blue-grey skin that is somewhat waxy to the touch, allowing them to shed water easily. They have wide eyes with large pupils, and long eyelashes, and small, vestigial eyes in the same place that their Ilthi ancestors had second eyes. Their eyes also feature a thin, second eyelid that they use when swimming. Like their Ilthi ancestors, their 'hair' is actually made up of long, tough fibres. They keep these braided in small, tight braids, which are then arranged in various ways. Another feature they have retained from the Ilthi are thin and pointy ears. However, the Aracci's ears also are slightly folded to keep water out. As they swim often, their fingers are slightly wider and thinner than their ancestors', and feature a small amount of webbing between them. Their feet are also slightly wider, and are webbed as well.

Area and Diet
The Aracci have many settlements along the coast. Villages typically are next to a meeting point of the Amer sea and a branch of the Siel river. The five main Araccian settlements are Cira, Mera, Onima, Avino, and Maraci. The Aracci eat mostly fish, shellfish, and seaweed, and are heavily dependent on the sea for their sustenance and resources.

Societal Structure
The Aracci have a very unique social order which revolves around unity and love, an ideal which springs from their religion. Instead of having a solely matriarchal or patriarchal society, the Aracci put emphasis on male and female pairs. They never have only one individual in a position. Every place of power is held by a pair of Araccians, who are usually either lovers or siblings. Their leaders are given the titles 'Matena' and 'Padel,' meaning mother and father. This position is always held by a pair of lovers. Their justices are a male/female pair that each take a different role. The female of the pair is the 'dimena,' meaning forgiver. Her job is to consider why the accused might not be guilty or why they should be pardoned, and to try to lessen their punishment accordingly. The male serves as the 'biani,' meaning accuser. His job is to show why the accused is guilty, and to determine the appropriate punishment.

Belief System
The lovers Innali and Cariin are the Aracci's two main deities. Innali is the female half, and she represents the caring, protective, sweeter side of love. Cariin is the male half, and he represents the passionate, wilder, possessive side of love. Both deities are associated with water- Innali with the Siel river, and Cariin with the Amer sea. Where these two bodies of water meet is representative of the joining of Innali and Cariin, and thus is sacred to the Aracci, which is why they typically build their villages there.

There are also many other pairs of deities in Araccian religion, including Aria and Suol (air and land), Azzitti and Vivae (death and life), Moll and Eto (spring and fall), and Esa and Civa (summer and winter).

Interaction with Other Races
The Aracci are very friendly to outsiders, though they do not see them often. However, in the Age of Dust and Famine, when the Amuit's crops failed due to the blotting out of the sun, the Aracci shared their fish with the tribe, effectively saving their lives. The Amuit are also trading partners with the Aracci.