Editing Autia (section)

====Peaks of the Heavens====

Beneath the Upper Empire lie the vast Thandara mountains, known to outsiders are the Peaks of the Heavens. Within these mountains lie strange multi-tiered pagodas of many colors and an even stranger people residing inside them. The race of birdmen known as the Akasa-prabuharu in their home tongue call these buildings home however as their elders say they once ruled the entire continent, however a series of devastating losses in battle between the Upper Empire and the races of the South led to them being forced to flee into the mountains where they reside to this day. Many a bird perishes in the conditions found in these peaks as they were never meant to reside in this climate and it is clear the race is a dying one. However they simply wait, content to survive as long as possible seeking trade with nearby settlers.

Sky-Lords Military:

The Sky-Lords have lost the ability to field enough numbers to match a typical army for decades now, so they have adapted the philosophy of doing much from very little. Scattered in outposts and small towers across the Peaks of the Heavens gaze ever vigilant eyes belonging to keen eyed trappers and rangers. Their main advantage comes not from single warriors however, rather the mountains that they reside in. After all “the peaks may be our captors, but they remain our defenders” as a commonly spoken sky-lord proverb goes. A small group of rangers, given the right amount of preparation they constantly remain in set up deadly traps such as triggering an avalanche right on top of a marching army or luring them into a herd of furious ox-goats. Right during mating season where they remain their most aggressive. When forced into combat however the dexterity and marksmanship with a bow remains unparalleled among any other race leading to many a sky-lord to leave their home to seek fortune as a mercenary and send back the money earned to their home, in hopes of securing a better livelihood for their family with the appliances such as modern furnaces they purchase. Many a ranger bring with them the prized beasts they battle in the mountains and even in some cases tame, such as the aforementioned ox-goat or chillmane tiger, most likely a distant relative of the dread dire tiger the Maritime Khuluritai so love. Magic remains a possibility among the birdmen of Flickfowl as well, with these abilities being translated into a method to boost a rangers stealth even further. These mages commonly form the very peak of sky-lord warriors each being captains of a trapper squad as a group of rangers is called.