Kaimana

A small, peaceful clan led by the Fae Syrneas and advised by a casual council of Flight representatives. Residing at the foot of the Behemoth, the clan favours study and art over economics or combat, and tends to take a pacifist stance amongst others, including a Coexistence Alliance with the local Folk (the preferred name over 'Beastclans'). Otherwise, all are welcome here!

As a large clan, the Golden Canopy Clan has been granted a beautiful territory right at the feet and within the boughs of the Behemoth, close to the sea, able to catch the breezes.

The clan's territory is long and relatively narrow, extending straight from the trunk of the Behemoth itself, with parts of the lair actually within its extensive root system, all the way to the northern coast of the Viridian Labyrinth. Closest to the Behemoth, below it in the roots and above it in the branches, is the heart of the clan. In the branches is the golden Fae-constructed nest that gives the clan its name, constructed by clan founder Syrneas, primarily home to the smaller dragons (the Fae, of course, and Spirals, Nocturnes, Skydancers, and Tundras) and flight-capable Folk (Harpies and Raptorik).

Below it, out in the open air and in the roots, are more residences and the day-by-day parts of the clans - the kitchens, used primarily by the Fae Sorrel and Molly, the Tundra Strudel, and the Snapper Lia, the hoard, maintained by roster, the archives and library (run by Fae pair Sana and Tamir, and Wildclaw librarian Meade), and the healer’s rooms, run by the Fae Kamaria. This area, this close to the Behemoth, also houses the largest of the clan's shrines to the Gladekeeper, where Rowan, the Skydancer, practices.

Here, also, is the clan's meeting area, large enough for everyone. This open space divides the territory from the main residence in the Behemoth, and the external parts of the clan.

Extending outwards are more residences, particularly for larger dragons and for families or individuals who want their own space. Scattered amongst these are individual workspaces, studios, and laboratories - the Fae Rishi has his herbalist shop next to where he lives with his mate Meade (who travels to the library each day), close by to Wildclaws Rosie and Sahil, and Sahil's forge (while Rosie works with the herbalist shop). Here is a writing studio, there is a mage's laboratory. Here is a family home for three Nocturnes, there is an astronomer's post, high up in the trees. The Centaur, Serthis, and Longneck clan members also live in this area.

Here and there, there are the most extraordinary sights. A crystalline garden floating in the air, a combination of Arcane, Wind, and Nature magic. An alchemist's lab, strange-coloured smokes billowing forth. A Skydancer, deep in conversation with nothing at all. (A ghost, in fact, she'll gently inform you!)

Further out, where the trees begin to thin and patches of sunlight enable the growing of crops, are where the clan's food is grown. Tended to by the gardeners, fruits and vegetables are neatly arranged, a row of beehives (tended to by Tundra beekeeper Binke) close at hand for pollination. Even further out, where trees give way to grass, the clan has their training grounds run by the Fae Adelinde, wooden and straw dummies of all sizes stored in a wooden shed. This large open area also hosts the menagerie, where familiars are cared for.

Finally, the clan's territory drops down sharply to a white-sand beach, a small, sheltered, natural harbour, and then the expanse of the ocean. Here, lorekeeper and beach mage Kaimana spends time with oceanic ambassadors, the Guardian Malik, Undertide Meri, and Maren Bondi and Tilus, and the rest of the clan's resident Maren tend to stay here, too.

Beneath the clan proper is the Undercolony, a vast and winding underground space within the roots of the Behemoth. Mirielle, adopted daughter of clan leader Syrneas, coordinates things between the two branches of the clan, with the Undercolony largely inhabited by dragons preferring the cool and dark environments, perfect for everything to tending to the mushroom farms to writing gothic literature.

Throughout the length and depth of the clan are gardens, both wilder and more deliberate-looking, sometimes only a small boundary of stones indicating that this particular patch of forest or root system is tended to (by Wildclaw Ekain on the surface, and by fungi farmer Armillaria in the Undercolony). Amongst the trees and roots, ribbons and banners (especially in the clan's signature golden yellow!), charms, and chimes dangle in the breeze; the boundaries are marked with small cairns bearing the clan's crest, and shrines to the Gladekeeper are dotted throughout.

The Golden Canopy Clan uses a clan name. When clan founded Syrneas started the clan in the first place, they named it the Golden Canopy Clan and took the name Syrneas bet Zahkana ('bet' being a variation of 'beth', Hebrew for 'house of', and 'Zahkana' derived from the Hebrew words for gold, 'zahav', and a mutation of 'canopy').

Dragons who join the clan permanently adopt 'bet Zahkana' as their new last name, and if they want, they can also have their former clan as well. So, Rowan, who was already old when he joined the clan and wants to remember the clan he grew up in and raised a family in, is Rowan bet Zahkana bet Zakilan (playing with the Hebrew for 'old tree' there).

This is a local, clanbound practice; dragons from elsewhere would use different customs. For instance, Rowan in his youth may have introduced himself as Rowan Zakilan, or even translated it to Rowan Oldtree, when dealing with dragons from other parts of Sornieth. Leyla would have joined the clan as 'Leyla of Clan Scatterbolt', later changing it to Leyla bet Zahkana bet Scatterbolt, and so forth.

Taking the clan name is not compulsory, but a majority have opted to do so anyway, to indicate their affinity to the clan.

The Golden Canopy Clan is led, more or less, by a representative council made up of all the Flights and Folk (the name those previously known as 'Beastclans' prefer), with a new council leader elected each season. This usually ends up being Rowan, simply by dint of him being oldest, most experienced, and the most interested in that fiend, bureaucracy. Any member of the clan can approach their council member with their concerns and suggestions, and the council can then approach clan leader Syrneas for final decisions.

Current clan members are:

Flight representatives: Rowan (Nature), Iskra (Lightning), Xandra (Wind), Sorrel (Water), Dusk (Light), Tamir (Earth), Zaria (Fire), Ambre (Arcane), Haizea (Ice), Devienne (Shadow), Armillaria (Plague)

Folk representatives: Cinnamisia (Dryads), Amara (Maren), Centaur, Serthis, Talonok, Harpy, Longneck TBA

Special envoys: Mirielle (coordinator between the main branch of the clan and the Undercolony), Malik, Bondi, Meri, and Tilus (Flight and Folk ambassadors between the Shallow Seas and the Deep)

Rowan may be leader of the council, but his true passion is his role as the clan's Elder, its religious leader, and the Gladekeeper's greatest cheerleader. He is responsible for leading religious ceremonies during important times of the year, like the solstices and equinoxes, and for the more solemn side of the Greenskeeper Gathering celebrations (the more boisterous and fun parts are left to other clan members).

Not everyone in the clan, of course, is a part of Nature flight. While being a part of the clan has an unspoken rule against not acting against the Gladekeeper, there are many, especially the Flight representatives in the council, who also follow their own native deities. Along with the many shrines to the Gladekeeper dotted amongst the clan's territory, there are also decent-sized ones to the Windsinger, Arcanist, and Lightweaver, while others choose to keep smaller shrines in their own personal quarters.

Plague flight, sister to Nature, is a sometimes contentious issue. The majority of Plague-born (or, in Mirielle's case, Plague-hatched; she has been raised as part of Nature flight since she first came out of the egg) dragons don't have a great deal to do with their home flight; it's irrelevant to Leto and Malik, and Mirielle is almost as devoted to the Gladekeeper as her adopted grandfather Rowan. The exceptions here are Plague flight representative Armillaria and their mate Senescence; Armillaria has a genuine reverence for their flight and deity, and they and Senescence have a genuine desire to bridge the gaps between the two sister flights. They do sometimes butt heads against the stubborn, older Rowan, but with Armillaria's diplomacy and Senescence's neutrality, relations between the two flights have never been better.

Rowan is also in charge of teaching would-be exaltees what their new duties will be, and reassuring anyone who's decided to do it but may be a little nervous. Most of his own children have been exalted, and he is incredibly proud of all of them - he wouldn't mind serving the Lady Gladekeeper himself, but also sees his role in helping new exaltees prepare as serving her in a way as well, and so is content to continue doing that for now.

Exaltation is, within the clan, always voluntary and always seen as a joyous thing. There are warriors within the exaltees, absolutely, with Adelinde, Gabi, and Cosmic ensuring everyone is trained enough to be able to assist with holding back the Shade-touched forces. Still, there are roles for non-combatants too, with the most important being the planting and tending of trees and plants, spreading life throughout Sornieth. Many an aspiring gardener decides to be exalted to the Gladekeeper to carry out her mission!

Within the clan, the day of exaltation is a great one - would-be exaltees are adorned with flower crowns and garlands, are fed a delicious meal of their favourite foods, and solemnly discard or give away their belongings, especially to family members (Titania, the only one of her siblings to have not been exalted, has made out like an absolute bandit) and close friends. This is also when goodbyes are said - although exaltees can, in very rare circumstances ("Mods help me I accidentally exalted a dragon I didn’t want to exalt!!"), come home again, it's generally seen as a permanent choice, albeit a joyful and honourable one.