This is just some notes on my fire Na’vi/ ash people, it’s a long post but with more detailed notes on not only the physical traits of the ash people but their culture as well.
The ears of the ash people are the largest proportionally of any Na’vi, evolved to be incredibly sensitive to sub-sonic frequencies and infrasound wavelengths due to their unstable volcanic biome. Fire Na’vi are able to hear the deep sounds of shifting tectonics and volcanism before the activity above ground begins, giving them the precious moments of preparation before disaster strikes.
But the size is due to their ability to sense changes in air pressure and temperature, useful when crossing land filled with geysers that spur deadly volcanic gases and boiling water. This also enables them to cross lava flows by being able to sense where the lava has cooled enough that it is safe to walk across.
The children of the ash people possess almost comically large ears that they eventually grow into, though compared to most Na’vi sub-species these are still enormous. Mother’s warn that an eavesdropping child’s ears will remain that size if they spread gossip from home.
The fire Na’vi have evolved extremely tough skin upon the soles of there feet that makes walking through fields of sharp volcanic rock and burning hot earth a literal walk in the park. The skin is toughened even more over the life of a fire Na’vi, so much so that even obsidian blades have difficulty causing anything more than superficial/cosmetic damage, it would be very unlikely one would notice if they stepped on a pile of broken glass or Lego piece.
The feet can still sense pressure and temperature but the pain receptors within the sole of the foot are buried a ways beneath the skin, the pain would more likely be registered higher up the foot and ankle before that pain would register on the sole. This is how many Na’vi who are unfortunate enough to step into hot lava can withstand the pain long enough to make a break for safety, though there can be several disabled clan members at any time who are usually the eldest members.
The fire Na’vi are among the few Na’vi to evolve claws, though these ‘claws’ are naturally not as sharp as the ash people prefer them through usage of abrasive volcanic minerals to sharpen and file their nails, both a practical and aesthetic practice.
Their teeth share a similar origin, as the remote region that the ash people reside is sparser in edible vegetation than most of the biomes of Pandora. This encouraged a primarily carnivorous diet and a high dependence on hunting culture, though they have begun to develop agricultural practices similar to those of early humans maintaining and keeping groups of animals for various uses (though ultimately all to be eaten once any other value has been exhausted). These include their giant tortoise-like companions - the Ku’tarūn- that, much like the Yak’s of Himalayan communities, act as beasts of burden alongside smaller creatures including the - Víltabä - a goose/turkey-ish animal prized for their impressively coloured, soft plumages and delicate sweet flesh.
The Ash people have a dulled purple toned skin with dark sharp stripes that cover them completely, these stripes can also sometimes form crude spiral shapes which are considered very attractive and are used by the Tsahìk to interpret Eywa’s will/intentions for that person. For example: a Spiral over their heart signifies a strong and a deep loyalty to their clan & family, a spiral on their face signifies knowledge & desire for clarity, and finally a spiral on the hands or forearm signifies dexterity and a steady hand; this being the mark of master-craftsman and healers.
The tails of the ash people are evolved from the forest Na’vi tail tufts, the Keratin of the hair forming into hard plates that run along the length of the tail and cluster into a club-like structure at the end. This makes the end of the tail quite heavy but also makes it a very powerful weapon to stun and kill prey, as the muscles are well developed, as a result the tail is nearly 3-4 times thicker than an Omaticayan’s. Though this has made the tails less useful as emotive displays, as the tail is not dexterous enough to curl like a forest na’vi’s would, the stiffness more akin to the tails of the Metkayina and Ta’unui clans, but such limitations have been made up by their emotive display provided by their ears.
The fire Na’vi do not possess a Tsahìk the same way that other clans do. Instead there are 3 Na’vi who share the title in different levels of authority and responsibility; an ‘Elder’, an ‘Adult’ and a ‘Child’, these three individuals interpret the will of Eywa together, each adding a piece to determine the overall bigger picture. Primarily their roles are of a medicinal nature, keepers of knowledge and traditions of the community, often this role is more respected to have the final say over the clan’s Olo’Eyktan/Eykte who is expected to seek counsel with all 3 before any important decision such as relocation and rallying war cry. No Tsahìk is expected to be be the mate of the Olo’Eyktan, such only occurring once of twice in the ash people’s long history.
The volatile nature of their home has made having more than one Tsahìk a necessity as there have been catastrophic events wherein all but one of the three have died, leaving the clan’s well-being to one. Because of this all three Tsahìk being together at once is an uncommon occurrence, except during confluences with Eywa, consultations with the Olo’Eyktan and clan wide announcements such as a change of Olo’Eyktan. It is their responsibility to chose who the future Olo’Eyktan to be trained will be based upon the will of Eywa, but unforeseen challengers may come to defy/interrupt their decision.
The roles of the three Tsahìk are:
- the Elder is charged with passing on their knowledge to the next generation and ensure that the guidance of the other Tsahìk are being enacted correctly, when the Adult ascends to the position of elder they take a step back from the clan and frequently make more pilgrimages to the heart of Eywa (their tree of souls), but will also travel alone on a spiritual journey if needed for several months. The Elder is charged with teaching the Child everything they need to know about becoming the Adult when they pass. When this time grows near the Elder and Adult will take pilgrimages together to solidify the transfer of knowledge that the Adult needs to become the elder.
- the job of doctor and spiritual guide lies with the middle Tsahìk, they are the most hands on within the clan and are the one who is responsible for not only the physical but for the spiritual well-being of the clan. The Adult remains with the majority of the clan at all times but the pilgrimages to the heart of Eywa. They comfort and prepare the elderly, dying and sick to be ready to join Eywa, essentially becoming the mother figure within the clan (regardless of gender) who will care for and serve the tribe any way they can.
- their role is to become immersed in their environment and learn to listen to Eywa’s voice, often it is the child who offers the clearest view of Eywa’s will, at this time the youngest Tsahìk is there to listen and observe the world and the people. The Child will learn how to care for the bodies of the clan from the Adult (medicine) and the learn spiritual side from the Elder.
An important note is that many Tsahìk never have children of their own, especially the females, though it is not forbidden to take a mate and have a family. It is just extremely difficult as the Tsahìk’s entire purpose & duty is to the clan as a whole, they must never prioritise their own family over the clan who is ultimately the Tsahìk’s ‘true’ family. The Elder, Adult and Child are almost never related, even as cousins but they operate their relationships together like a grandparent, parent and child would despite this.
The Child will remain being called so until they ascend to the position of the Adult, even if they are physically an adult and have been recognised by the clan as one, due to the Elder refusing to kick the bucket and staying alive preventing the transfer of titles.
The role of Olo’Eyktan is determined by right of combat, the current head of the clan may be challenged at anytime for the position and the winner of the fight may decide the losers fate (often death if they have not perished already). The transfer of power is often more orderly however as a future Olo’Eyktan is often chosen for many years through the ruling of the 3 Tsahìk, wherein a trial of combat is performed more ceremonially but remains as a real fight for the new leader to prove their right to take the title.
Being the child of Olo’Eyktan does not mean the position is guaranteed, their children are often passed over for someone else so as not to create lineages of inherited power in the hands of those that may not be the best to handle it. There have been short lineages but no more than a 4 generation streak but, after many generations old lines may regain their authority again as they are called by Eywa to lead.
The Eyktan/Chief is the moral core and father (regardless of gender) of the clan, they are the protector and shoulders who bear the burdens and woes of the clan. Its up to them to keep the clan moving and safe, to ensure that they have enough food and that the 3 Tsahìk are well and performing their duties.
The fire Na’vi make a once a year pilgrimage to their tree of souls, which they call ‘the heart of Eywa’ which lies within ancient stone ruins in the most dangerously volcanic area of the region. This is why they visit very infrequently due to the risks associated, there is always at least one death either on the way or returning. Half of the clan will travel during the summer, this being the elderly and weakest of the clan as there is more light and food available to make the trip easier on them, being lead by the Elder Tsahìk. The other and larger half is lead in the winter by the adult, a harsher journey that ultimately is believed to incur a greater connection with Eywa, the harsher the trip the deeper the connection. The child may chose to accompany either party but is encouraged to travel with the winter group more as they draw closer to becoming ‘the adult’.
The ash people possess no ‘lesser’ site to connect with Eywa like the Omatikaya’s tree of voices, the tress are unable to grow to the size needed to have an established site before they are destroyed by the shifting flows of lava and shaking ground. It is considered a great sign of favour and blessing by Eywa to find even one of these trees that are old enough to establish Tsaheylu, often such things are tales from lone hunters separated from their hunting parties who claim to have been given sanctuary by Eywa, when on the verge of death.
Blacksmithing and glass work:
The fire Na’vi believe that the 3 laws of Eywa do not apply to them in the same way of other Na’vi. The mountains that spew forth the metals of the earth are interpreted as Eywa’s gifts to use and refining that metal into weapons & tools is their way of showing the great mother that her gifts are being used to enrich their lives.
They do not dig quarries or mine in any capacity but drift among many volcanic lava flows to harvest their materials, this includes metals, sands and glass that are found most commonly along the shorelines. The glass is melted into many shapes and most often into glass beads that the ash people wear alongside bones of hunts and war won by right of the victor, as well as the plentiful obsidian used for both weapons and decoration.
As such the ash people are in between their bronze and Iron Age, having fashion many tools and weapons, being among the few Na’vi to eat using a two pronged fork and spoon as opposed to just their hands (though they still do it plenty). They have basic long swords about the length of a tall human as well as several iterations of spears, halberds and pikes, though most importantly are their shields that combine wood, animal hide and metal that can even withstand gunfire from an AMP suit.
In the ash people’s territory there are several permanent structures made of stone, on the edges of volcanic faults with access to lava, which are the homes and workshops of the Ash clan Blacksmiths. These master craftsmen Na’vi live solitary and dangerous lives as they are located far from any one clan’s position for the majority of their time there, they are affiliated with no particular tribe and are regarded as having no allegiance but to the ash people as a whole. Na’vi children will make pilgrimages to these locations for one of their adulthood rites, which is to craft a weapon or object of their choice to aid them in their roles in the clan as adults. Because of their close proximity to the volcanoes these Na’vi are both the most knowledgable of and at the highest risk to them, that makes Na’vi who want to become Tsyokx’Layompin- ‘blackened hands’ a rarity but at least one pursues the path each generations and leaves their home tribe to become a clanless Na’vi who will provide their services to anyone with something to trade for it.
Disabilities and illness:
The dangers of their lifestyle as war-waging warriors and the innate dangers of the land they call home, leave many with disfiguring scars and altered bodies. Lost limbs, gas/ash burnt eyes and blown out eardrums are amongst the most common injuries seen in the clans. These Na’vi are seen as no lesser by their tribesmen, they are cared for; even if they cannot move much, they are given tasks that are manageable despite any handicap they may have. Some of their best weavers are among the blind who have lost their sight to hot ash and boiling geyser gases and many amputees still go on hunting parties from the backs of their mounts. Though many chose to become aids to the Tsahik, many become storytellers or singers/musicians finding new purpose in bringing joy to their clan.
Deafness is something the clans are most familiar with, the ear splitting eruptions all around them often leaves their elderly very hard of hearing, and entire clans have gone deaf from being too close to an eruption at the wrong time. So the ash people possess their own dialect of sign language, completely separate and distinct from the underwater hand signals of the reef people. If the two tried talking it would be like a French person speaking to a Japanese person, no linguistic similarities or cultural overlap to be found.
When a baby is born the parents will write and sing a song to them, acting as a guiding light for the rest of their lives to be sung in times of hardship or desiring comfort, it’s called their ‘soul song’. This process is a very private affair but the Child Tsahìk will be brought in to take a spiritual measure of the newborn which will aid in establishing their song’s theme. This could be a reading of a warrior, fighter, a guide, mischief-maker, healer or any number of things. This initial reading is also often used to help determine the child’s name which is announced at the end of their soul song, to be sung by both parents in front of the clan when officially introducing the baby.
The mother and father will be expected to remain in the family’s hut for a month to write the song and then introduce the baby at the end of that period, the clan is as such expected to provide for the new family by way of food, water and other gifts like materials to make baby clothes and beads for all of their songcords. Family may stay in the hut but non-related members of the clan are not allowed to linger in their space, only staying long enough to give their good wishes and drop off any offerings. The amount of goodwill a family receives will range from basic necessities like food and water to lavish offerings of many gifts depending upon how well liked and valued the parents are within the clan. For the ash people actions speak far louder than any words ever could.
When the Ash people die the body is bound in woven grass, decorated in the beads and any significant possessions of the person. The funeral ceremony is held within the centre of the village for the whole clan to gather and mourn, once the ceremony is over the family members or close friends will carry the body and lead by a Tsahìk to the nearest lake of lava, where the body will be returned to Eywa by laying them into the flow (if possible). Once the body is laid, the family will sing their song cord as the body is burned and returned to Eywa.
When the body can’t be recovered a ceremony will still take place within the village but a binding of their possessions wrapped around a block of obsidian will be carried to the lake in lieu of a body. The obsidian being used as it refers to the fire na’vi’s creation story, wherein Eywa placed a piece of her own fire inside a block of obsidian which she then carved into their form and sent it to the surface through the eruptions of the mountains.
Toruk Makto and the ruin of the ash people:
Amongst the first songs of the ash people that they were once a thriving and grand people, before their nomadic ways they possessed a village that surpassed all other upon Eywa’eveng, grand structures of stone erected by the people, the most important of which was the temple built around their spirit tree as a monument to Eywa. The land was lush and green with abundance, though not all natural, forged into shape by the ash people to feed their people. Unlike the clans of today, who number at 300 in a flux with the balance, the ash people numbered in the hundreds of thousands, their lives enriched by the land.
To give thanks to Eywa, they sacrificed the captured warriors of conflicts - their lives now forfeit - to the great mother, taking them to the temple and using their blood to water their tree of souls. The effect of communing with the tree during these rituals was said to give visions of immense clarity and provide a greater avenue to their speak with their ancestor’s at far greater length. This extended into raiding more and more villages, taking non-warriors and sacrificing them to Eywa, a relentless torrent of blood and death followed the fire clans and left nothing but ashes in their wake.
But then, as if hearing the call of the dead whose blood watered the tree, the first Toruk Makto arose and United all other clans to destroy the ash people, nearly all of whom were wiped from the world and their cities left in ruins to be reclaimed by the great mother in a long stretch of violent volcanic activity that goes on to this day. The ruins of the once grand city have been nearly all reclaimed by Eywa’s fire except for the temple and a few of its surrounding structures, including two enormous Na’vi statues around the entrance, though they have been immensely eroded in the millennia since their destruction.
The ash people of today still sing these songs and their contempt for the one who carries the mantle of Toruk Makto. Their songs singing of the one who will eventually get their revenge upon Toruk Makto as the ‘Bringer of Toruk’s Head’, though this has yet to have happened. The ash people still practice these ritual blood sacrifices & offerings with captured warriors, which is performed during the winter pilgrimage to the Heart of Eywa, though of course the scale pales in comparison to the height of the ash people’s power.
Other Na’vi clans remember the song of the first Toruk Makto as the uniting of the clans to stop a volcano from erupting, but fail to remember that it was not literal and was instead the clan of the volcanoes that was defeated. But the ash people never forgot.
