The Reitori Codex

The Reitori

"Of all the races of the Spirit World, the Reitori are the most misunderstood. Though all contact with them is forbidden, they are the Honored Ones and should be spoken of with the highest respect. If not for them, the Spirit World would have been lost to the Darkness."
                                               ~  Malak, Master Librarian
                                                    From the Book of Seals
                                                    Tenth Turning, Summer

Overview

    The Reitori, or Spirit Birds, are one of the youngest of the Spirit World Races. At first glance, they can be mistaken for Angels but unlike that relatively peaceful and ancient people, the Reitori are war like in many aspects and have a very diverse civilization and culture.
    The origins of the Reitori are shrouded in mystery even to themselves, but archeological evidence dug up predominantly by the Momizuumi clan has pointed to there once having been a great war along the borders of the Spirit World, against creatures not of any kind found in all Three Worlds. These same lands are the ones the Reitori now call home. There are also veiled and brief references in some of the old texts of the Angelic Libraries, particularly in those written by Master Librarian, Malak, in which Reitori are referred to as Honored Ones, and saviors of the Spirit World. Thus it is suspected the Reitori are themselves a remnant of that half forgotten Great War, and the ones responsible for turning the tide in favor of the defenders. A fact the Reitori are only now starting to take great pride in.

Council of Elders

    Though there is a very loose unification under a Council of Elders, and certain beliefs and common knowledges that are universal for all Reitori, the Reitori are divided into five very different clans, each with their own traditions and culture.
    The Council of Elders, or Korou, is made up of a tribal leader and tribe representative from each clan. They meet only once or twice a year, but more so in times of great stress and dispute between the clans. The position or Elder is earned through trial and can also be passed down to an heir whom may or may not be blood related. At any time, some one may challenge an Elder's right to their position. The dispute is then settled through a contest of will, strength, and wits.

Warlords and The Champion

    There is also a group, almost a clan of its own, which is also represented in the Council. This would be the Gunryo, or Warlords, the Korou's personal military and enforcers. Each tribe has its own warriors, but it is common for young men and women to join the Warlords willingly. Orphans not claimed by another member of their clan or are of a mixed marriage between clans, are also given to the Gunryo to raise into fighters. The Gunryo are also the only Reitori besides the Waraitani that regularly have dealings with races outside of the Reitori and will even venture into the Demon World.
    A Reitori must be under the command of the Gunryo in order to compete for the title of Champion, or Hasha, the highest honor a Reitori can earn. Hasha is a position of great respect, honor, and responsibility. The Hasha is a symbol of the Reitori people as a whole and is first into battle and last to leave. A Hasha must be sound of blood, heart, and soul and display impeccable strength, honor, and integrity. Because of this, the trials to become a Hasha are extremely difficult and have become a major event and holiday for the Reitori. It is a time when the clans come together in peace, treaties are renewed or new ones forged, marriages arranged and bonds formed.
    In the arena though, the competitiveness is so high that friends, lovers, and family are pitted against each other and all bonds that tie tested as much blood is spilt and sometimes lives lost. It is said that if a friendship or bonded couple can survive the trials for Hasha, they will never be separated in life or death. Contestants that emerge alive from the trials often become Clan leaders, Elders, and Warlords. However, there has only been five Hashas ever chosen in Reitori history, Momizuumi Tamashii being the very last. Now, though some parts of the trials and tests are still used to determined leadership and the Holiday is still celebrated in great reverence, the actual trial for Hasha no longer takes place due to the atrocity committed on the last Hasha upon his receiveal of the title by the woman he offered his Shinju Shiro, or White Pearl, to.

Pearls and Mating Rituals

    Though it is known that a creature from the Spirit World can be caught, controlled, contained and even completely destroyed by capturing a piece of their soul inside an object of some sort, the Reitori are unique in the fact they willingly create such objects, making themselves vulnerable. By mixing their blood and tears together, they can create a white pearl, though it is sometimes tinted pink, silver, blue, yellow, ect depending on the circumstances under which the pearl was created, that contains a piece of their soul. These pearls are then exchanged between couples and bonded pairs, creating a link so strong that it is rare for one individual from the couple to be able to survive the death of the other. They feel each other's feelings and in rare cases, can hear each other's thoughts. They become soul fasted and what befalls and effects one, befalls and effects the other.
    It is because of this vulnerability that any malicious act committed to an individual using their Pearl is considered the most atrocious and heinous of crimes and is met with death or banishment. In the case of the last Hasha, the woman he offered his pearl to utterly destroyed it, and thus a piece of his soul, before him and the gathered clans in a fit of rage and jealousy. Such an act normally kills a Reitori out right, completely destroying their soul so they can't even be reborn or reincarnated some day. In rare cases, such as Tamashii's case, where the Reitori actually survives the attack, they are left Kizutsuku, or Soul Sick. They are left an incomplete, crippled, individual and with time and without healing, the body starts to reflect the damage done to the soul. Few Reitori live long after becoming Soul Sick.
    Sometimes, when a mate dies or the Reitori becomes Soul Sick, a second pearl is produced. This pearl is black and called a Shinju Kuro, or Shinju Anrui, which means Pearl of Silent Tears. Even if the Reitori was healthy and strong, fully healed from their ordeal, very few Reitori live longer then two years after creating such a pearl, often dieing violently. The creation of a black pearl is always the result of a bond forming without a pearl exchange. Black pearls also, unlike white ones, do not dissolve when the Reitori that created them dies. It is thought that black pearls contain all that is left of the Reitori's soul, the body just a husk that doesn't realize its dead yet. Thus black pearls are regarded with a mixture of fear and reverence, guarded carefully and passed down for countless generations within families in a form of ancestor worship.
    Bonding using pearls is not the most common form of marriage amongst the Reitori. The exchange of pearls guarantees the pair will be mated for life and never stray from each other. However, some marriages are arranged for political and social reasons and pearls are never exchanged in order to allow the pair to also find the one they truly love, and other marriages develop out of friendships or are initiated only for the purpose of obtaining an offspring.
    Reitori women tend to be highly aggressive, possessive, and protective. Courtship normally involves the would be suitor passing several trials and tests in order to earn the right, regardless if the woman was all ready fond of or in love with him first. Then she still reserves the right to refuse him. It is also not uncommon for a Reitori woman to pursue a man, though a Reitori man's right to refuse is not as strong or final since it is seen as an extremely high honor for a female to willingly wish to bare his offspring. The only exception to this rule is if the man is all ready bonded through the exchange of pearls or surviving the trials of Hasha.
    Young non-bonded men and women tend to live separately from each other in what equates to large communal buildings. However, amongst the Gunryo, they work and live side by side as equals.

Religion, Language and Holidays

    Besides the trials for Hasha, all the Reitori observe only one other major holiday and that's Kakeru, meaning simply 'to run'. Reitori are known for their extreme speeds when on foot, the Waraitani being the fastest, the Sabakuyama being the most durable, and the Tetsuhiyashi being the most agile. Several times a year a series of ceremonies are performed in which many races are held in order to celebrate the coming of a new season. The ones held on Solstices are the most important.
    Out side of this tradition and similar events, the Reitori exhibited no true religion as in a belief or faith in one or more gods. They lean more toward ancestor worship and a strict adherence to a basic, fundamental set of traditions, honor, and code as well as trying to maintain a balance within themselves and their surroundings. Individual clans or tribes may interpret these core fundamentals differently and/or expand on them.
    One of the other peculiarities common to all Reitori is the importance of names. Each individual Reitori possesses three names; their given name, clan name, and their title. Titles must be earned and are either bestowed by a clan leader, and Elder or the clan as a whole. A good deal of pride and social status is implied by one’s title. It is also believed that given names contain a certain amount of power over or power attributed to the individual they belong to.
    The Reitori language is very much like the language spoken by humans hailing from the small land mass known as Japan in the Human World, but it is far simpler, with a curious accent reminiscent of the Angelic language. Reitori tend to use descriptive nouns when naming things but a single word can carry any number of meanings and condintations depending on tone, usage, and circumstance. To some one that speaks perfect Japanese, the Reitori language sounds broken and incomplete but often spoken in a musical manner or has a musical quality to it.
    There is also a good deal of importance attributed to certain numbers and their derivatives such as the prime numbers three and five. These numbers are often found used in seals and blessings as well as much of their artwork and music. Five pointed stars representing the five clans, the five colors, or the five metals and six pointed stars representing the harmony between the future, past, and present, and the heart, blood and soul abound everywhere.
    Music itself plays another key role in both the Reitori as a whole and their individual clans. Reitori believe that "blood calls to blood, heart to heart, and soul to soul", and that music is the language used for this. All Reitori instinctively know a certain, closely guarded tune from birth and the knowledge of this particular song is kept hidden from outsiders. Other songs peculiar to individual clans and families are taught and learned. It is considered one of the highest honors for an outsider to be taught some of these songs.
    Reitori music is sung without words, the Reitori believing adding words would give the music far to much power and could change the nature of the song itself.


"Angel wings are made out of energy, a reflection of their souls. A Reitori's wings are flesh and blood.... but they still reflect their hearts. In addition, the wings of many Guardian Angels, who must spend long periods of times away from their Brethren, slowly become more solid... more like a Reitori's. I wonder if there is a connection?"
                                                ~ Nicholas, Assistant Librarian
                                                   From his Personal Journals
                                                   Six Hundred Twelfth Turning, Fall

Wings and Life Span

    Another unique feature of the Reitori's is their wings. Though color, type, and size varies between clans, all Reitori have feathered, bird like wings. The wings sprout from the shoulder blades close to the spine or along the outer edge of the shoulder blade. There are two extra bones that make up the shoulder blade and it is from these that the wings sprout. Reitori are capable of sprouting wings, then reabsorbing them at will.
    However, the material such as bone, blood, ect needed to form the wings comes from the Reitori's own body. Their bones loose density and they become lighter when they sprout their wings. The larger the wings, and smaller the Reitori, the harder it is on the body unfortunately. Thus no Reitori can maintain their wings long and must reabsorb them within a certain time frame depending on the individual. If pushed beyond this point, a Reitori can be severally weakened and loose the ability completely for some time. Wings also cannot be reabsorbed when injured, and if amputated, will severely and permanently cripple the individual.
    Once a white pearl is produced, a Reitori's wings turn white no matter what color they had been before hand. Thus it is easy to identify a bonded pair.
    Reitori are not immortal in any sense of the word. The can be injured, killed, and fall ill like any mortal. They do have longer life spans then most intelligent races of the Human World, but it is considered short by Spirit World standards. Reitori are capable of living to almost two hundred years of age, but due to the harshness of their lives, few make it past one hundred. Those that due are viewed with great respect.
    A Reitori is considered an adult once they have passed certain rites and undertook certain ceremonies, but they are not physically fully mature until they are in their late thirties or early forties. Despite this, a Reitori may bond and mate as young as twenty years.

Magic and Spiritual Powers

    According to the Reitori, music posses the power to create or destroy and is considered the lifeblood of the Spirit Word if not all of Three Worlds. Reitori song magic does posses similar qualities to the Angelic Choir and the oldest and most fundamental of all magics found only in the land itself. Though all Reitori poses the ability to create small magics with music, some are better then others. Also some, such as the Momizuumi and Kekkyo-umi, have found other sources for spiritual energies.
    Spiritual powers are common in all Reitori, being a creature of the Spirit World, but are strongest in the Kekkyo-umi who have taken spiritual oneness to an extreme, focusing on the mind and soul, and the Momizuumi who have both the blood of the Dragon of Dark and Dragon of Fire running in their veins. The spiritual powers of Dragon descendants tend to be elemental and primal in nature, and can just as easily corrupt as they can enhance and help the Reitori using them.
The Sabakuyama also have descendants of the Dragon of Fire in their ranks but the ability doesn't seem to manifest as strongly in them.

Momizuumi, Reitori of the Morning Lake or the White or Gold Clan

    The White Clan where known for being healers, historians, and archaeologists. Questioners of blood, heart, and the past; they were the only tribe to attempt to discover the origins of the Reitori species. Though this made them weak in the eyes of the Sabakuyama, it let them form a strong ally in the Kekkyo-umi, who thought going back to the beginning was the first step on the road to enlightenment. The Momizuumi had also been one of the Tetsuhiyashi's main sources of raw materials and ores, trading inventions that would aid the Momizuumi's archeological enterprises for it.
    Momizuumi hailed from the mountains around Morning Lake, a huge lake situated right in the center of the mountain range that forms the Spirit World's border. They were a stationary group with a small population, just three large villages or small towns and a scattering of family groups throughout their territory.
    The Momizuumi were an average size and build with slightly broader chests then other Reitori. They had black or dark hair with a white patch in the bangs called a Kuchidzuke Tenchi, or Angel's Kiss, in reference to an old legend concerning the Lake. Their skin is fair to a light tan with eyes ranging from yellow to dark green. Their wings are larger then those of most Reitori and are built for soaring and gliding. The feathers are normally a natural or earth tone with the occasional darker pattern or banding.
    Today there is only one pure blooded Momizuumi left thanks to a disease, similar to the human disease small pox, that was unwittingly unleashed from a sealed crypt discovered at one of the digs. Within only a few turnings of the seasons the entire clan except for the boy Tamashii, who later grew up to be the last Hasha, was decimated. Since then the Momizuumi lands have laid barren. Recently, however, any Reitori with Momizuumi blood in them has been moving into the area and work has begun on rebuilding the clan.

Kekkyo-umi, Reitori of the Cave Dwelling Sea, or the Blue or Silver Clan

    The Blue Clan is known for their seafaring and the Mystics and Soul Seekers they produce. Questioners of heart, soul and the present; they have taken the use of spiritual powers to an extreme. Though they do not have a religion, they do have a strong faith in balance and harmony, constantly questing to achieve it in every aspect of their lives. Dispute this, they are a strong people, living in one of the harsher areas of the Reitori lands and occasionally venturing into the Worlds Beyond.
    Kekkyo-umi are cave and cliff dwellers mostly; even their one large trading city is located in and around a huge underground lagoon fed by the sea spilling into a huge cavern in the cliff sides. The cliffs are located on the mountain border west of Morning Lake, the sea actually vanishing beyond the borders of the Spirit World. It is unknown if the sea comes out into a World Beyond, the Red Sea of the Demon World, or one of the Oceans of the Human World. The Kekkyo-umi that venture out that far and return do not share what they found with anyone except the clan leaders.
    The Kekkyo-umi tend to be either tall and lanky or short and stout, their bodies having adjusted to a life on the cliffs and at sea. They have black to light brown hair with a rare appearance of an Angel's Kiss, the white in the bangs, due to intermarriage with the Momizuumi. Their skin is tanned and often weather-beaten with eyes ranging from yellow to blue or green. Their wings range from small to medium and are used when flying or swimming, much like some ocean birds. The feathers are light gray or gray blue to black on top and much lighter tones underneath.
    Today the Kekkyo-umi have gained a much stronger foothold in the Council of Elders and are working to 'restore the balance' that was upset when the Momizuumi where wiped out.

Tetsuhiyashi, Reitori of the Iron Forest, or the Black or Iron Clan

    The Black Clan is known for their weapons and inventions. They are also viewed with a mixture of awe and fear by other clans due to their secretive and solitary ways and the 'Human-like' magics they employ. Questioners of Heart, Soul and the Future, the Tetsuhiyashi have taken it upon themselves to explore the workings of the forge and science, advancing the Reitori's technology weather they like it or not. They are not completely emotionless logical machines as they are sometimes painted however, being as concerned as the Kekkyu-umi about balance and strive to find a way for their technologies to coexist peacefully with nature, perhaps even become an integrated part of nature's cycle.
    Tetsuhiyashi inhabit the forested region north of the sea. They live solitary lives or in small family groups mostly, with two well hidden, closely guarded and fortified industrial cities in the deepest and thickest parts of the forest. They do not welcome intruders near these cities in the least and are leery of travelers through the outskirts of the forests as well. Entry into the cities is taboo to any one not a Tetsuhiyashi.
    The Tetsuhiyashi are the smallest of the Reitori clans, in size if not always in stature, and with a similar extra broadness to the chest as the Momizuumi had. Tetsuhiyashi hair ranges from black to light brown. An occasional red head can also be found in their ranks. Their skin is fair to heavily tanned and weathered, depending on how much time is spent near their forges and furnaces, while their eyes range from a pale green to an intense dark blue. Their wings are generally small but range from small to medium in size and are built for agility and acrobatics in flight. Their feathers are steel or silver in color with occasional darker tones and darker earth toned banding.
    Today, though still secretive, the Tetsuhiyashi are slowly opening up to the other clans and assisting with the rebuilding of the Momizuumi clan due to gentle urgings and persuasions from both the Waraitani clan and the current Ongaku Fu'un, a descendant of a legendary hero and member of both the Tetsuhiyashi and Momizuumi clans.

Waraitani, Reitori of the Laughing Valley, or the Yellow or Copper Clan

    The Yellow Clan is known for its traders, farmers, and merchants and for being the most friendly and open of the Reitori clans. Regarded as oddities by all the tribes, they regularly arrange for mixed marriages, making their blood line one of the most genetically diverse. Questioners of the Present, Future, and Heart, the Waraitani are a people focused on good times, good food, and good comradely. Their goal is to insure there are plenty of these staples for all Reitori now and for future generations. This focus on agriculture and commerce rather than fighting make them seem weak in some of the other Clan's eyes, but the Waraitani are diplomats, the ones pulling most of the political strings, and the glue that holds the other Clans together. They are completely neutral in disputes and provide many of the clans with grains and produce in exchange for services and goods.
    Waraitani inhabit the great valley midway between Morning Lake and the Western Sea. Though a good portion of the population lives on farmlands or in the small villages scattered through the valley, many are nomadic and travel freely between all the Reitori lands. There is also a large, sprawling and slowly growing city at the far end of the valley. Here is where the Council of Elders and the trials for Hasha are held. It is a neutral location, a place were all the clans can meet on equal terms.
    The Waraitani, being the most genetically diverse, display features from all the tribes but are by far the tallest of all the clans. Their hair color ranges from black to light brown with an occasional blonde and their eye color ranges from yellow to dark green or even brown. Blue eyes are rare but not unheard of. In general, they tend to be tall and long legged with skin lightly or heavily tanned depending on how much time is spent in the fields. Their wings tend to be small to medium, built for short distance flights. A few Waraitani are completely flightless, their wings to small to carry them. The feathers are brightly colored, almost every floral color found in nature represented, and sometimes two or three toned.
    Today the Waraitani are attempting to gain a stronger foothold within the Council of Elders and begin trade outside of the clans with other races of the Spirit World.

Sabakuyama, Reitori of the Desert Mountain, or the Red or Bronze Clan

    The Red Clan is known for their ferocity and courage in battle. They are a clan of proud warriors and strong leaders. All the clans respect them for their strength. Three of the five Hashas came from their clan. Questioners of the present, past and blood, they are the most tied to tradition and least forgiving of the clans. Some even take their purist views to a fanatical level. To the Sabakuyama, the other clans are lesser, not pure, and their to serve and support them as they keep the Reitori lands safe from outsiders. Highly competitive, they will be seen at any and all Holidays, Trials, and Ceremonies in which they can prove their prowess.
    Sabakuyama lands lay in the plains north of Morning Lake and east of the Iron Forest. The Sabakuyama are nomadic, roaming the plains in large family groups and caravans. They also will roam along the borders of the Reitori lands, keeping outsiders out. They've also taken up patrolling the borders of the Spirit World that the Momizuumi use to guard before their downfall.
    The Sabakuyama range from average to tall in size and are built for endurance with stout features and very little to no body fat. Their hair color is generally a shade of brown with an occasional blonde and their eyes are a shade of blue or green. They are always darkly tanned from constant exposure to the sun. Their wings are a medium size and built like a bird of prey's, designed for hunting and aerial attacks. The feathers are normally light, sandy tones with occasional darker or red patches and patterns.
    Today the Sabakuyama are paying penance for their pride. It was one of their own that committed the crime of destroying the Shinju Shiro of the Hasha, Tamashii, and was thus banished. So in order to regain their honor the Sabakuyama Elders have stepped down from their positions on the Council and decreed that the Sabakuyama will guard the boundaries of the Spirit World until the Momizuumi Clan is rebuilt and reestablished. They are also trying to be more tolerant of outsiders and strangers, often volunteering to travel with the Waraitani representatives traveling into the Spirit World proper.

Reitori of Note

    Though each clan has its own heroes and legends, there are only three Reitori you will find mentioned in the history books of the Spirit World.
    The first is Ongaku Fu'un, the hero of the Tetsuhiyashi. Believed to actually be a member of the Momizuumi clan, he came seemingly out of nowhere to the Tetsuhiyashi's aid when their forest was attacked by creatures from the Worlds Beyond that had managed to slip past the border patrols. Under his leadership, they were held off till the rest of the Momizuumi arrived and together both clans wiped the creatures out. Ongaku had possession of ancient secrets no Reitori had previously heard of and also assisted the Tetsuhiyashi's research into smelting and coexistence between technology and nature, greatly advancing their knowledge. To this day Ongaku Fu'un has been the only Reitori outside of the Tetsuhiyashi clan allowed into the inner workings of the their industrial cities.
    Though the original Ongaku lived and supposedly died nearly two hundred years ago, a Reitori of similar likeness and the same name and title appears every other generation. They all have performed amazing deeds both amongst the Reitori and other races of the Spirit World, further enhancing the legend. The current Ongaku was on the Council of Elders until the last Hasha, Tamashii, decided to leave the Reitori and join the Spirit Prince's elite soldiers, becoming a Spirit Guide. Ongaku renounced his position and joined the boy in his endeavors in order to keep an eye on him.
    The second and third Reitori of note are closely tied to each other. Momizuumi Tamashii was the only survivor of the plague that wiped out his clan. He was given to the Gunryo to raise. It was during a hunt after an infamous thief that led Tamashii's group into the Demon World that he met the human girl-child Ryuyujin. This meeting would set into motion great events much later, but until then, Tamashii's memories of the encounter were temporarily sealed by the legendary half demon Usagi Shinso, The Black Rabbit. Tamashii returned to his people to later meet and fall in love with the Reitori woman Sabakuyama Jimon. She refused his attempts at courtship time and time again even though he passed every test she placed before him. Finally she challenged him to enter the trials for Hasha. Tamashii managed to win the trials and become the fifth Hasha and first of the White Clan to bear the title. He then promptly offered his pearl to Jimon, who in a fit of jealousy and rage destroyed it.
    Jimon would have been put to death for the crime, but Tamashii some how survived the destruction of his Shinju Shiro, so she was only banished. Jimon is the only Reitori in their history to ever be banished before. She still travels threw out Three Worlds, sometimes performing deeds of great good, hoping to earn enough honor to be accepted back by her people. More often then not though, she is committing deeds of great evil in fits of rage and a need for revenge.
    Tamashii was extremely Soul Sick and not expected to live long after the destruction of his pearl, but the Angel Nicholas happened upon him and helped him heal. Nicholas had been a low ranked Librarian amongst his brethren, but quickly became disenchanted with the position and immensely curious about Reitori and why it was taboo to have contact with them. Tamashii and he quickly became close friends, practically brothers, and inseparable. Nicholas is the only Angel known to have been willingly accepted by the Reitori and even given a Reitori name, Kenko.
    Despite his healing, Tamashii felt disconnected from the others and soon left to join the Spirit Prince's elite. Today, along with Nicholas and Ongaku Fu'un, Tamashii is one of the Prince's best Spirit Guides and answers directly to the Head Deity of Death herself, the Prince's second in command, Hana Sora.