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<blockquote>''Alula, the nest of agriculture and music. We welcome all with open wings!'' </blockquote>'''''Alula''''' is a territory on Solaurum that can be considered the origin of [[Races#Featherfolk|Featherfolk]] and avian-like [[Races#Kindred|Kindred]]. It prides itself on a dual-monarchy system and what it calls its “songbird culture,” having deep roots ingrained in celebrating music alongside its other rare resources. 

== Location & Appearance ==
The territory of Alula consists of two tiers: the floating island in the sky, and the surface of Solaurum beneath it. The two tiers are connected by a large spiral-shaped plant, reminiscent of a beanstalk with gigantic roots spanning the base of the plant and the ground. There are large leaves growing from the base of this stalk. It is important to note that the stalk does not hold up the island, it is floating completely on its own.

The climate of Alula is very humid, but cold. The floating island is always covered in cumulus clouds, and the surface beneath the island is always very shady. It rains a lot, which assists with the forests and farmland on the floating island. While the territory does not see much sunlight, it is still a pleasant experience for the ones who love rainy seasons.

=== Lower Tier ===
The lower tier of Alula on the surface of Solaurum is home to many small municipalities that function both individually and as a group. While they are not big enough to be considered cities, Alulan residents call these '''''Feathers.''''' Feathers are the equivalent of large-scale sectors in the territory of Alula, each with unique civil setups and logistics. 

There is a vast amount of farmland on the lower tier, and Alulans use this space to farm '''''whisperwheat'''''. When approaching the territory of Alula, golden fields of whisperwheat will greet all travelers. Because of the shade, cold humidity, and constant rain, it is almost impossible to keep flower fields unless the flowers are native to Alula’s climate.

=== Upper Tier ===
The most notable landmark of Alula and its upper tier is the '''''Nest'''''—it’s exactly what it is. On the upper tier of Alula, there are many forests (albeit sparse) that are tall and branch out over the floating island. These branches are not clustered together enough to form a proper canopy, but in the middle of these forests is the Nest. There’s a legend that says that the first ever family of the monarchy was born in that nest, and a pair of twins (one columbidae, one corvid Featherfolk) decided to split the monarchy into two families to base the culture on partnerships. 

Beneath the shadowed area of the Nest is the largest outpost for the [[Environmental Division]] outside of [[Eversun City]]. 

== Culture ==

=== Naming Conventions ===
Major municipal traits of Alula are named after bird-relevant terms.

* The major businesses that hold strong ties to their provisions are called '''''Wings'''''. Example: '''''Willow & Reed Volary''''' would be a well-known Wing. 
* The major landmark of Alula is the '''''Nest'''''. 
* The diverse sectors on the lower tier of Alula are called '''''Feathers'''''. 
* The monarchy in its entirety is called the '''''Crown'''''.
* The noble families which make up the monarchy are called '''''Plumes'''''. 
* Other notable terms we can use: Eye, Talon, Beak, Tail. 

=== Partnerships ===
Alula operates on a dual-monarchy system thanks to the legend of the Nest families. Partnerships that mimic the dual-monarchy system are incredibly commonplace in businesses and are believed by the citizens to be the key to success. If you own an independent business, other independent business owners may try to approach you for a partnership. 

=== Legends ===
Alula is potentially the birthplace of '''''St. Noah and St. Morgan'''''. The holiday is especially celebrated here. There are some versions of their stories that claim they are the ones who birthed the mismatched twins of the first monarchical family in the Nest.

=== Celebrations ===
Music is taken very seriously in Alula. They pride themselves on what they call “songbird culture” within their territory. Festivals are a constant and they even have their own Theater District on the upper tier and lower tier. There are many native flora and fauna that feed into this musical culture, providing natural melodies. Whisperwheat abundance helps with providing natural “music” in the Alulan environment. 

“'''''Whisperween'''''” a holiday that’s similar to Earth’s Halloween. During this time of year, Alula is the region that hosts the grandest festivals for this holiday as its origin point. There is lots of music and dance, and whisperwheat is heavily celebrated during this holiday. Alula builds specialized wheat mazes prepped all year, the residents offer to teach how to play instruments, and the whisperwheat fields are a great natural environments to host scavenger hunts. 

== Exports ==
There are lots of farms and ranches for both flora and fauna on all ties of Alula. Irrigation for farmland is solved on the upper tier by lots of precipitation and rainy seasons, and lots of water-aspected farmers and employees.

=== Peerko ===
An avian creature that is very fluffy. Adults grow to the size of typical raptor birds. Fluffy manes, long crest decorations, three talons on each foot, powerful wings, and long feathery tails. They grow crystallites on their necks that can be visually obstructed by their fluffy manes. Depending on their diet, the crystallites are natural sweeteners. They need to be harvested or else they can pose health problems due to overgrowth. Peerko down can be sheared to provide cotton-like fabrics for clothing. They are very difficult and finicky to raise and require highly specific husbandry including certain altitude levels and temperatures. They are not good for beginner pets. There are a few different subspecies of domesticated peerko, and some wild versions as well. Wild peerko flying at high altitudes, if observed from below, can look like fluffy clouds.

=== Whisperwheat ===
3-stalk grains that function almost exactly like our real-world wheat. Their shape is reminiscent of chicken feet. The stalks are hollow with holes in them, giving them the appearance of flutes. When the wind blows through the stalks, it makes a whispering or whistling noise. Depending on the pitch of the noise, they can tell you when it’s close to harvest. You can also use the plant as a kudzu-adjacent weaving agent. Baskets, clothing, rope, etc. are common uses for this. All whisperwheat is wind-aspect. There is no influence on the plant according to the aether it is exposed to. 

== Trivia ==

* The appearance and climate of Alula is loosely based on the real-world United Kingdom. The Alulan accent can be roughly the same if you so choose. 
* Peerko are roughly based on the Swablu-Altaria line of Pokémon and parakeets. Their name comes from the Czech word ''pírko'', which means ''feather''. 

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