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Our father is, Kryquo’khalin , The Terror, The Dragon, Shaker of Worlds and Creator of the Sun; our mother, Khalikryst , The Phoenix, The Transforming Flame.
We worship the Great Dragon. It was he who cleansed our spirits with fire and made us into the superior beings we are today. The sundering of the world is the first signs of the waking of the Dragon. It is up to us to conquer the weak fir'khanim and finish what has already begun. The Great Dragon will awaken, and when it does the world shall burn with it's holy fire from which only the strong will emerge. We will be those survivors, for we have tested ourselves, culled the weak, and our veins pulse with the very breath of the Dragon, rich in power and ready to prove ourselves as worthy.
The khar'ika is the primal essence of the Dragon with which we have been imbued. The khar'ika burns bright in those who are strong, and such leaders are visible for all Irekei to see. Those who betray the Dragon or their brethren have their khar'ika dimmed. To extinguish an Irekei's khar'ika, is to extinguish their life. Those who are strong and fierce, with a khar'ika that flames brightly, will be absorbed by the Dragon at the World's End, and will burn forever.
On Religion:
Irekei religion is based around four tenets:
The Dragon that made us what we are and will one day awaken and devour the World.
The Fire that cleansed our spirits and burns within us still.
The Sun that burns as we do.
The Sands that continually test our resolve and fortitude.
"Words of Fire,
Words of Ash"
- Motivational sermon as spoken by Ahri before the great
battle of the Whispering Towers
On Sun Dancers:
"While most Irekei prefer to fight with wickedly curved blades, some
Warriors walk the Shining Way instead. These Warriors, called Sun
Dancers, fight without any weapons at all, harnessing their khar'ika
to turn their bare hands into deadly weapons."
These Holy Warriors are considered to be 'Touched by the Dragon' and are held in high esteem. Their khar'ika burns brightest of all, and they often lead asctetic lifestyles. Some choose to never speak while others shun material possessions. Their devotion to their virakt and to the Great Dragon, Terror of Terrors is legendary. The sight of The Sun Dancers on the battlefield has often sent lesser warriors fleeing for their lives.
On the Turning and the Trees of Life:
When the High King of the fir'khanim was slain beneath the
Great Tree, his blood stained the bark and seeped down through the
roots. The Dragon tasted the blood and turned restlessly in his
slumber, shattering the world into pieces. The Dragon's Flame consumed
the blood and imbued the Great Tree with its own khar'ika,
transforming the way of life for all the races. Now, noone may truly
die and a new test is upon us. All are now bound to the Great Tree
and its offspring, but it is to the ShadowClan that this honour
rightfully belongs. All others using the Trees of the Dragon without
permission are blasphemers. Some heretical Irekei have claimed that
the other races were now imbued with their own khar'ika and
had been elevated above thier previous mortality, deserving our
respect as servants of the Dragon. These heretics were flayed upon
the sands and their names forever erased from our history. Only
their treachery is remembered. The Trees of the Dragon are considered
sacred in Irekei culture and are always treated with great respect
and honour. At almost any time of day in any Irekei city you can
find one or another of its inhabitants making offerings to their
Tree and every coming of age ceremony includes the young Irekei
giving their own life blood to the Clan Tree as a sign of devotion.
On Other Races:
Irekei are very suspicious of other races, and often even leery
of their own. The fir'khanim concept of the handshake has
never been accepted in Irekei culture, as outsiders are cold and
clammy to the touch compared to their burning skin. A stiff bow
at the waist is the common method of acknowledging a respected leader,
elder or peer, but even this token of respect is given almost exclusively
within their own Clan. For an outsider to be afforded such an honor
is almost unheard of.
"I do not know much about the world outside the Burning Lands. However, my grandfather, who is well travelled and wise, told me this..."
Aelfborn - Unhealthy crossbreeds driven to madness by the conflicts within their tainted blood. They mar their skins with magical runes in an attempt to keep their broken bodies whole. Damaged, sterile and outcast from both of their parent races, these half-breeds have no place in our world and make poor jov'uus.
Aracoix - Since the Turning of the Dragon, these Bird-men have been seen in the skies. Strange creatures beyond words, are they not? Do you think because they soar in the sky, they are above the Irekei? Hah! Once their wings are clipped, they perish as quickly as any other fir'khanim.
Centaurs - Union of horse and human. The Horse-Men are a powerful fighting force in the Greenlands, but they wilt in the desert as quickly as the rest. Boastful slayers of Dragon-kin. This alone makes them the target of Irekei animosity.
Dwarves - These automatons of the mortal gods are odd beings indeed. Carved of stone but seemingly possessed of their own intelligence. Though they have no internal fire the Dwarves are crafters of fine weapons and slayers of the giants. This makes 'The Stone Men' somewhat more respected than the fir'khanim, and Dwarven traders are not unknown among some Irekei settlements. of course, the same qualities that make them worth trading with also often make them the target of Irekei raids. At least they don't bleed rain. Some say the Stone Men are the ones who have locked away The Dragon. If such is true, it is a futile attempt, for when the Dragon awakes, no cage shall hinder the fate that will befall the world.
Elves - Words cannot describe how Irekei despise our most ancient enemies, the Hateful Ones. Once they deemed themselves mighty, but they were proven to be weak and soft. We laughed as their Empire was torn down by the Humans and their peoples hunted like animals. Its unfortunate that their extermination was never completed. Want a sure death? Compare an Irekei to an Elf.
Half-Giants - Half-giants are freaks of nature wrought through decadent cross-breeding. They are no better than the humans they are born of, and their great size merely makes them an easier target, Unnaturally strong and dumb, they must be thoroughly beaten into submission if they are to be made into acceptable jov'uus.
Humans - Favorites of the Great Meddler. Though they claim to be many distinct peoples, they all look similar to these eyes of mine. And their blood flows in the same color. I know, for my blade has tasted them all. Devil-men, they call us, comparing us with old fears from their legends. They are right to fear us, for the Dragon has no place for them amongst his Chosen. As a whole they are weak, yet rarely you may find one who seems to have some inner fire of their own. Trust none of them. They are far too unpredictable. Do not expect anything more than a sharp knife in the back from a human. Better to take from them what you can and let the desert have the rest. Some make good jov'uus. Most do not.
Shades - Tainted by the Turning, humans have begun to give birth to these abominations. Pale as death and cold to the touch, these quasi-humans seem to lack even the puny heat a normal human generates. They are the weakest of the fir'khanim and do not even have enough of a spark within their beings to sire offspring. Their existence is the truest sign the Meddler has met his end in the claws and teeth of The Dragon.
Minotaur - Mishapen, brutal creatures born of the Elven folly. Though strong and savage, Minotaurs do not last long when they face the true test on the Burning Sands. Do not dirty your hands on any you might find dead. It is best to leave their bloated, diseased caracasses to the Skath. Let them roam in the Frozen North until The Dragon rises, burning them to ash where they stand.
Irekei - There are too many of our people who have forsaken themselves and the Dragon. These heretics must be shown their error of their ways. If they will not join us or bow down in homage, then they leave us no choice but to destroy them and extinguish their khar'ika.
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The Nkoth Wastes and Kharduun are considered sacred areas. These areas are off-limit to ALL fir'khanim. Any found in these spots are to give tribute to honor the Great Dragon and as an apology for poaching. They are then to leave the zone immediately. Failure to do so will result in death.