Girisen

The Girisen culture is a subculture of the Renalu heritage. Traditionally, the Girisen sport silvery coats and live high within the Tinggaksa Range, the mountains that separate Yaotlan from Setosia. Despite this, many have left to join other cultures, while others have joined their culture, creating a minor diversity among them.

The Girisen are most noted for their devout worship of Awalilahi, who they believe is the source of all light in the universe. They have a well-respected order of monks that live in temples throughout the mountains, most notably Tinggaksa Temple, the main location where their religion is practiced. While all Girisen follow the teachings of Awalilahi, most of them do not live in the temples but in mountain-side villages. They rarely leave their secluded villages except to trade with each other on rare occasions or to make pilgrimages to the temples.

Despite residing almost exclusively in secluded villages high in the mountains, they are not averse to tourists, visitors, or pilgrims from other cultures. They are considered to be the kindest and understanding of not just the Renalu as a whole, but of all cultures on Zyrkthraan. They willingly and gladly give food, shelter, and supplies to anyone who finds their way into their villages and will regularly allow outsiders to remain in their villages for extended periods, regardless of what reason that person is there.

The monks of the temples are also incredibly welcoming to outsiders and have no qualms about allowing them to shelter in their temples for however long they need. The monks are also noted for being the ones to leave the mountains to engage with others where they are, especially those within Nakaren cities where they believe Awalilahi's Light cannot reach on its own. Many monks will travel to other cities, primarily those boasting high crime rates, and reside there for as long as they deem necessary. While there, they perform acts of goodwill, such as taking care of orphans and those without homes, preparing large meals for entire sections of the community, and cleaning the streets as they pass through them. They believe that doing things such as these will help Awalilahi's Light reach these "dark" areas and result in more people understanding the strength of kindness and generosity.

The Nakaren typically see Girisen monks as busybodies who insert themselves into situations that they do not need to be in. Many of the Nakaren dislike the Girisen as a whole, but few will try to harm them. While the Nakaren have no issue with attacking outsiders, many know that attacking a Girisen monk is a very painful experience. The monks train every day in the art of Silat, a martial art form that, while used entirely for self-defense by them, is capable of easily breaking things like ribs, wrists, and arms. If attacked by a Nakaren, the monks retaliate with Silat and do not step away until their aggressor is on the ground and injured in a way that prevents them from pursuing them. Thus, the Nakaren developed a respect for the Girisen in general, as they are typically not able to determine if a visiting member of that culture is a highly-trained monk or an average person.

Girisen People