The Najada are a race of Atlanteans who live in the cold icy waters of the Arctic, far north of the world known to those that live and work in the port city of Haven. They know little of their southern brethren, and little is known of them, for they prefer the isolation afforded them in the world of almost constant ice and snow. Within the "known world" of Aether, they are referred to as the Salacians, and occupy portions of the North Atlantic, the Great Lakes, and the Arctic Ocean.

Appearance

Because of the cold waters they live in, very few Najada have thin skin constructed of shimmering fish scales. The vast majority of them have thicker exteriors, similar to seal or whale skin, smooth and sleek. Because they live in such a harsh environment, they have adapted to it, bearing a trait that is exclusive to them. While in the water, their skin is the shade of the water -- blues or greens or even black, but while on land in the snow and ice, they change, becoming white to blend into their environment. This is not an instant change, they do not step a foot on the ice and suddenly change. This process can take anywhere from 15 minutes to a half hour.

Men keep their heads clean-shaven for a couple reasons. First, if one has dark hair and attempts to hide in the snow, the dark hair will stand out sharply. Secondly, their hair could be used against them in close contact, allowing an enemy to grasp it and thus trap him or her. It's a small ritual when a boy's head is shaved by his father or another male in the family. He is also given his first knife and is considered to be a man, able to go to the surface. This usually happens around age ten. Girls are not asked to shave their heads, though most of the female vojak will do so.

Most Najadans, both women and men, wear some kind of weapon, though those women who do not become vojak use theirs for more mundane tasks, such as killing food. As was mentioned above, a young boy is given a knife as a symbol of becoming a man and thus able to serve as a vojak. Girls generally receive theirs at a later age, once their paths are determined. Clothing underwater is minimal to none, though women are known to decorate their hair with shells, and on special occasions, headdresses are worn, for example, at a wedding.

Pantheon and Worship

The Najada have a dual pantheon -- a male god and a female goddess. The female is similar to Pasiphae in that she represents the moon, but she is the lesser of the two gods, for the god of the seas is the more powerful and the more feared. The water god, Vodyanoi, is known to express his displeasure by creating dangerous storms that can even destroy the dwelling at the bottom of the sea.

There are a couple of ways to placate this fearsome god. One is a human sacrifice. This can come in two forms -- the sacrifice of a fellow Najadan or that of an enemy, though the former is a more formal affair, known as the Obeta od Miazga. There is at least one sacrifice a year, more if such is required. Only those who have fought bravely "earn" the right to be sacrificed, for in this belief, the vojak will be joining the sea god in his palace and live a glorious afterlife.

The second sacrifice, that of another race, has no ritual to it -- no sense of honor for the dead, who will more or less become a feast for the hungry god. Vodyanoi is fed well in times of war, where enemies are captured and dragged into the icy waters to their deaths. They are something of a gift to their god, thanking him for their victory of their foe.

The second way to placate the sea god is to appeal to his mistress, the moon, also known as Ursala, and ask that she soothe his temper. The Najada are aware of the effect the moon has on the water, and see her moonbeams as a lover's caress on the fierce waters. The moon is seen more of a woman's goddess; there are few men who would appeal to her for help, for they would rather offer a sacrifice to the god himself.

She is also a motherly figure and is called upon in more domestic situations, such as childbirth. The only time there is any true fear is when the moon is eclipsed, for legend has it that if the moon leaves forever, Vodyanoi will grow so angry that she has abandoned him that he will destroy anything and everything within his reach. So at this time, prayers are said to beg the moon to return so that the sea will not destroy their world.

There is no firmly established priesthood in this group of Najada, though they look to the Kurie for guidance, and those with that magic that have a bit more training in the ways of the god and his mistress; though they are not what anyone who call priests. Prayer is usually a solitary thing, or within a family, with the father or man of the household leading prayers. Women also hold their own prayers to Ursala when the need arises.

The god and goddess are each depicted differently, though the god has several forms. Just as the goddess changes her appearance in the sky each night, continually waxing and waning, so too does the god, as if to keep up with his mistress. Najada believe that when the moon is new, Vodyanoi appears as a strong, virile young man, and it is at this time that he mates with his lover. When the moon is full, it is with his child, and as she begins to wane, so does he, growing into an older man, more angry and bitter. Such times are when he must be appeased, and it is usually when the moon is but a sliver in the sky is the blood sacrifice made. But just as the moon becomes new again, so does Vodyanoi, and their lives are lived out over and over.

Some believe that the stars that surround the moon are the offspring of the gods coupling, while others claim they become the animals that live in the sea. Others claim that if a child is born when the moon is full, he or she will be greatly gifted with magic or will become a bogatyr among his or her people. However, a mother who is foolish enough to ask a Lekar to help her child along so that it may be born on a full moon may suffer a cursed child, for she has attempted to gain the god's favor, rather than have it bestowed on her family. It is rare, for this reason, that a Lekar will agree.

Magic

Sochar are used to create dwellings, as well as tools and weapons. Neuri can take on the forms of northern creatures, like the polar bear and walrus, as well as more traditional Atlantean animals, though those found in warmer waters are rarer.

Kurie are the most rare of the magics among these northern Atlanteans, but they do exist. They are generally used to help with those preparing to go into battle, sometimes they are considered the messengers of the gods, for they can see what others cannot. Kuzla Mocny are useful in determining the magic in a young child, so that his or her path in life can be set early, they can also be used against an enemy's magic if the mage is powerful enough.

Lekar are valued for their abilities, especially for a group that lives in such a harsh climate and enjoys the fight. Voda Mocny are probably the most prized because they are able control the very water and ice that they live in, a gift from the gods. They are trained vigorously, and again, mostly their talents are used for battle.

Najada are aware of the invasion of privacy that telepathy can allow, however, their views on it differ slightly from those of their southern brethren. If you are an enemy or suspected to be against them, they will not hesitate to probe your mind for information. This should prove interesting in two ways; most have only associated with other telepatiks and might find it frustrating that they cannot enter a non-telepath's mind. Also, if there are adepts in their ranks, it could be interesting RP for a Najada or two to be assaulting people's minds. (With OOC permission of course). People in Haven are mostly aware of how their Atlanteans behave, but what about those that don't know the niceties, or don't care?

Daily Life

The Najada are one of the more war-like groups of Atlanteans; both men and women participate in battle. It is expected of men, though women are given a choice. Only childless women may fight; as soon as a vojak woman is with child, she is sent to the home and expected to conduct herself as a mother. Families are pretty typical -- a man and woman marry and produce offspring. The woman does the raising of the children until they are old enough to be taught warfare by their father. The boy is almost certain to go into the life of a vojak, though a girl will do so if she seems to enjoy the training. She can refuse it, if she so desires. If she does, she goes back to her mother, to learn what she will need as a mother and wife, and if she has a second magic, a teacher is found for her. The only time a woman is forced to become a vojak is if she possesses the ability to direct water, for this is a powerful weapon for the Najada and no water elementals are wasted.

Families are joined together like a clan or tribe, a subset of the full Decemvirate known as the Salacians to other Atlanteans. They do not have a Decemvir as we know them, for they rarely communicate with their warmer water brethren, and have found ways of living more accommodating to their environment. Each clan or tribe is led by a Najskor, again, chosen by the guiding of a Kurie, though an impressive history aids in the selection. He is advised by the other bogatyr of the Najada. A Najskor can be removed if his followers believe he is no longer fit to lead, and a formal challenge is issued. If the Najskor declines, he steps down and allows the other to ascend, if he does not, there is a fight to the death, whoever wins claims leadership.

For the Najada, it's a world of survival of the fittest -- those too weak are left to die. One particular case of this is those born without telepathy. While rare, it does happen, and it is considered a weakness, for well-trained vojak fight with their hands, but work as a single group thanks to their telepathic ability, and those without it are left to die, or killed by a parent. This goes for both boys and girls, for they believe it is possible that a girl could pass on this trait to her offspring, if she is even married at all. They view it as a curse from the sea god, and those more fanatical in their beliefs would see it as a curse for something they did and take their own lives, lest their continued existence would further curse the rest of the Najada. This rarely happens and is not expected. In most cases, the mother of the untelepathic child is pitied by other women.

Dwellings are more functional than beautiful, for they serve as protection more than anything. They are constructed mostly of ice, for coral is rare to nonexistent in this region. Some stones are used, but in general, ice is the preferred dwelling. Weapons are made from stone or from animal bones, though the former is preferred.

Armor is almost nonexistent for these northern Atlanteans, for there is little they can wear as protection, though there have been some attempts with whale skin, similar to the more protective leather used by land-dwellers in the south. The Najada have little interaction with the other races, save the northern Empyreans, or Aesir, and from them they can sometimes get weapons of metal, though there are few of these used because metal does not last long in the salty ocean water.

On some occasions, Najada are seen, on land, to wear the skins of whales, seals and polar bears, more as ceremonial garb with which to meet with those that live above the water rather than as everyday attire.

Najada Names

The Najada culture is based on the folklore of countries of Eastern Europe, such as Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Russia. Their names, too, come from this region of the world. Female names run the gamut, from delicate names that reflect beauty, to those that are strong and warlike. Male names tend to reflect those strengths of mind and body that make a good vojak. The following list is an example of some names that are suitable for the Najada, you are welcome to seek out other names on the web; some excellent resources are: