Ismari

Ismari are a shapeshifting humanoid Infra race seemingly spread throughout the Kingdom of Akhet, the Principalities of Catti, the Low Eastern Empire, the Saffron Empire, the Kingdom of Taano Sago, and the Tohetecan Empire. Though they live in many different political systems they still share many cultural traits.

Physiology
Ismari are a curious race, having the ability to shift into great, tattoed versions of the natural fauna they live around. They live in groups of extended families, all having the ability to shift into different species within a single taxonomic family. For example, a man may be a gray wolf, but his brother's family might be coyotes.

In this same way, the taxonomic family is patrilineal. If a man is a gray wolf and his wife is a lynx, all of his children will be wolves. This does not, however, decide the heritage of coloring or human phenotypes. Those features tend to fall to random mixing and assignment.

Culture
Because they are spread throughout Sharuma, the Ismari have no single way of life and tend to blend in with whichever races they live alongside. Yet, they tend to have unifying traits as a result of their genetic heritage.

Ismari look to the men of their culture for leadership and decisionmaking. This aligns with most other racial cultures but can cause some clashes in equal-opportunity and matrilineal societies.

Tattooing is a large part of all Ismari society, probably stemming from prehistoric times. It takes great bravery to sit through the tattoos as they are tapped into the skin with a sharp needle and mallet. These tattoos represent an individual's family clan. The right side of the body is usually reserved for the mother's clan and the left side is for the father's. For example, a wolf girl's father was a wolf so the left side of her body is decorated in tattoos that depict wolves. Her mother is a lynx, so her right side is decorated in that way.

Tattoos are magical, though the Ismari are not necessarily magically inclined. The tattoos show up in Ismari animal forms as glowing and pulsing, though they can be "quieted" if the wearer needs to be subtle. They are believed to add an extra layer of spiritual (and thus magical) defense.

Political houses and positions held by the Ismari can be seen across Karae: the ruling house Tankh of Mephrahet in Akhet, the house Antar of Mephrahet, the house Swasemn of Azkak, the house Ahris of Nefridja, the ruling house of Petruccio of Vieto in Catti, the house of Kohati of Simhathra in the Low East, the house of Chao of Hangyi in the Saffron Empire, the house of Yuan in Hangyi, the ruling house of Kojo in Taano Sago, the house of Kesa of Nyama in Taano Sago, the ruling house of Meztli of Coateca in Tohetec, the house of Tlaloc in Hicoyote, the house of Andris in Hicoyote.

Religion
Ismari generally follow their goddess Morriganna, though they worship in different ways depending on the acceptable practices of races around them.

Notable Ismari

 * Queen Sanakht Tankh: ruler of the kingdom of Akhet
 * Noble Det Antar: vassal lord to Queen Tankh
 * Madam Aziza Antar: daughter of Det Antar, brothel madame in Ewsel
 * Sanura Rutledge: fence and armorer, daughter of Tau of the Rutledge and Aziza Antar
 * Noble Dhajefy Swasemn: ruling lord of Azkak in the kingdom of Akhet
 * Noble Horamu Ahris: ruling lord of Nefridja in the kingdom of Akhet
 * Prince Agostino Petruccio: one of two viable heirs to the Cattian throne
 * Princess Serafina Petruccio: one of two viable heirs to the Cattian throne
 * Chieftain Rowtag "Firejumper" Sidrik: ruling lord of Vallonde in Ewsel
 * Boardwoman Bhiti Kohati: ruling lord of Simhathra in the Low East
 * King Yan Mo Chao: ruler of Hanyi in the Saffron Empire
 * Noble De Hua Yuan: vassal lord to King Chao
 * Renegade Heir Gong Jian Yuan: son and heir of De Hue Yuan
 * Queen Kojo Taano Sago: ruler of the kingdom of Taano Sago
 * Holy Mother Obo Kesa Nyama: vassal lord to Queen Taano Sago
 * Mercenary Tau of the Rutledge: cousin of Queen Taano Sago, Aziza Antar's husband
 * Empress Oaxaca Meztli: ruler of the Empire of Tohetec
 * Chieftain Malapo Tlaloc: ruling lord of Hicoyote
 * General Quilla Tlaloc: daughter of Chieftain Tlaloc, right-hand to Chieftess Rose Sulola
 * Clive 'West O' the Woods': a renegade gunslinger
 * Retainer Flint Irvine: royal retainer to Lady Lenore Konig