Garahl

The Garahl line is one of the seven bloodlines of the Bloodmoon clan and the eldest familial branch, with roots that reach as far back into living history as to yet recall the old ways practiced in Meracydia. Comprising much of the clan's population, the Garahl have built much of their home around the haven of Dalamud's Maw, the ruling seat from which the clan's first matriarch presided and the very heart of their clan. Their prolific line is due in part to the intrinsic importance placed on the defense of ancestral territory and the gradual absorption of smaller families that tread upon their sacred sanctuaries.

Originally pacifistic and spiritual, the Garahl came to serve in many capacities as fierce defenders of the wood and all that it encompassed, seeking war with those who desecrated the land and abiding by peace with those who respected the cautious distance they kept between themselves and others. Their veneration of the twelve spirits (colloquially referred to as ‘the Menagerie’) and the Divine Mother herself formed much of the backbone upon which their society was built, providing a means by which they could suitably hold themselves and others to a code for their actions.

The Garahl are premier hunters, shunning the garish light of cities and living exclusively in ancestral homelands as old as their time in the Shroud itself. As poachers and interlopers encroach on the wilderness, the Garahl have found their hunting grounds and their lands increasingly endangered by the callous and greedy spirit of Spokenkind. As such, their response to this base and disrespectful disregard for their territory’s border has been unequivocally violent, bringing longstanding allegiances with neighboring clans who slighted the supremacy of the ruling elements. Despite this, the ties of familial bonds have kept them loyal - to a point - to those respective lines that have thrived alongside them for generations.

The travels of a legendary huntress of yore, Rihza, mark the first appearance of those of the bloodline in the Eastern Shroud, but her daughter Gara the Bite was who established it with legitimate heirs. Both women have been raised to sainthood in Bloodmoon teachings, occupying a sacred space among other chosen heroines in a classical text referred to as the Sojourn, which details the establishment of their clan and a fantastic. Though relegated to religious fables by some, few are above pride in knowing that they are in some way descended from one of the heroines - particularly the Garahl, who seek to embody Gara's fierceness in all they do.

Appearance
Calling back to the clan’s earliest days in Meracydia, many of the Garahl still exhibit telltale traits oft associated with their isolationist cave-dwelling ancestors in vibrant eyes and pale skin, though interbreeding with families in the same area has produced clan members of varying appearance. In complete darkness, the eyes of a Garahl glow when in the midst of a hunt - much like all other nocturnal creatures, they have excellent night vision due to a second layer at the back of their retina. Their thick black claws and prominently large, durable fangs closely mirror an idealized feral depiction of the modern day miqo'te, and many have taken to fashioning other teeth into wicked points either as a statement or as a choice.

Due to a natural mutation, Garahl ears are rounder, smaller and more densely furred than a typical member of their race and marked by a prominent spot, which is thought to play an important role in intra-specific communication. Their long, slender tails mirror their ears in heavy fur, and the coloration of their striping and ventral areas vary between unique individuals. The clan markings that occur naturally in miqo'te are not merely particular to the face, but to the entire body - though this form of melanistic striation is more often than not lighter than the skin tone, the most extreme of individuals might be striped in pale blues, purples or grays. As adept hunters, the clan markings of a Garahl are advantageous for camouflage in vegetation, breaking the line of their silhouette and making them harder to perceive in low light conditions.

Culture
Few other families are above admitting that the Garahl have long memories. Where others have forgotten the old way, they recall rites, rituals and secrets that have otherwise remained lost to time, integrating ancient spiritual elementalism and natural practices in conjury as a natural part of their lives. An understanding of naturism is essential to the young Garahl’s education, as is the ability to survive in the company of many or as an individual - self-sufficient but ever generous at their core, those who earn the trust of a Garahl find themselves with an unexpected caretaker and selfless provider, if not an independent companion.

Ever seeking balance between the face they show their brothers and the face reserved for the night in which they meet their Goddess, the Garahl encourage subdued passions over mercurial whim and thoughtfulness over vociferation. These traditionalists believe that the isolated, austere life they have led since the very inception of their family to be the righteous path, taking only so much as they are given by the elements and eking out a basic and hard existence. Their perspective of the elementals and all they comprise is worshipful but rooted in fear, superstition and ritual, conducting their daily lives by habitual self-sacrifice and restraint.