Blithe are one of the native peoples to the Coastal Region. They range from 4 to 5 feet tall and tend to be more on the petite side. But don’t let that fool you, Blithe have always been a mining and cave dwelling people and to do so they need to be small, compact, and very strong. Skin tones range from a warm light gray to nearly pitch black. Due to being a subterranean race, Blithe have developed large bat-like ears for superior hearing and big, almond shaped eyes to make use of the limited light. Hair colors range from medium brown to black and eyes from blue-gray to almost black.
For Blithe raised in a traditional Sa’ibaba setting, names for children act as a protecting ward or a spell blessing. It is only after they have come of age and discovered themselves do they get to choose a proper name. Traditional names will often honor the god of darkness, water, change, and death, Te Kai Omaulu.
Sa’itaas Blithe that did not grow up in a traditional setting or in another region, do not choose a proper name when they come of age. Instead, they keep the name given to them by their parents at birth; this often reflects the region that they were born in.
Traditional Male Blithe Names: Agwe, Akiaten, Amanikable, Bologan, Catig, Ligaya, Hanini, Kaiholo, Kawai, Konane, Kahawai, Pika
Traditional Female Blithe Names: Sirena, Aguyang, Bulandai, Dalisay, Dayea, Kilubansa, Anuhea, Kai, Moana, Luana, Kainalu, Keone
Most Blithe can speak, read, and write in the common language of Ausukomo’i. Blithe do have their own language, but much of it has been lost since the Malaki Pilhuia; a few words and phrases remain and are integrated into everyday speech as slang and becoming part of the regional dialect. Very few Sa’ibaba clans remain and even fewer retain anything more than simple sentences from their ancient native tongue, Ke’olelo.
The most common type of Blithe are the Sa’itaas. The Sa’itaas Blithe have lived above ground ever since the Malaki Pilhuia and adapted to the fishing and mercantile lifestyle exceptionally well. They are fantastic swimmers and fishermen and retain some of their familial traditions of stone-working and jewelry making. Most Sa’itaas Blithe must wear protective eye covering during daylight hours due to their light sensitive eyes.
Sa’ibaba Blithe are harder to come by. These clans are those that were able to remain underground for one reason or another and continue on with their ways of life mostly intact. Most Sa’ibaban clans can only speak common tongue, but there are very remote clans that still speak their traditional language. Keeping up with tradition, Sa’ibaban clans practice the intricate arts of stone carving and jewelry making exceeding their above ground counterparts.
Blithe view religion very differently from the other races. Instead of praying in temples or making offerings at alters, Blithe celebrate their gods. Depending on what they need or what festival it is, Blithe will “invite” the god to the party and make them the guest of honor. More often than not, Te Kai Omaulu or Omaulu, will be the deity invited to the celebration. In treating the god as a family member or close friend, the Blithe establish a personal relationship with that god and reinforce the idea of all things being related and deserving of love and respect.
Major Festivals: New Moons, Solstices, Solar Eclipses, Harvest Moons, Blue Moons, and Blood Moons