Change is going to come.
The Island of August is a grand country of natural beauty, a sylvan paradise for the people living there -- races tied to the land they live on in the most natural of ways. One such race is the Seasonal, an astonishing creature whose markings change appearance with each new turn of the cycle.


Seasonals, born into families known as Glades, are taught from a young age that change is inevitable and that all life is precious. They hold no formal surname, instead offering the name of their eldest family member (e.g. “My name is Fern, of Levenworth’s kin.”) to the new people they meet. Seasonals are among the fairest of races, their beauty, vivacity, and curiosity marking them as clearly as the symbols on their bodies. They embrace change with each season and, like their markings, take on new color with each cycle. As the seasons change, so do the elements, as is custom in the Null and its Aspects. For example, in Nadir, Seasonals take on a deathly pallor. When Origin comes around, the Seasonals seem to glow with a bright aura during the term of life.
Having lived fairly simple lives, Seasonals are only proficient in basic weaponry. They have had no need for wars and are generally peaceful people. Only when their Glades and the land surrounding are threatened, do the Seasonals ever choose to actively lash out at the offender. Having been peaceful for so long, it is often that you see them practice their magic for more simple and mundane purposes. If there are ever any Fighters, it is because they were moved by tales told by the Grove Elders. Seasonals choose to travel with their Souventis, mainly to seek out the mysteries of the world they live in. With their insatiable curiosity, Seasonals are prone to wanderlust. The five Grove Elders are on a Council that oversees the life of all Seasonals. Levenworth is a Defender, ready to protect the Seasonal-kin to his last breath. Taspum is an elderly Shaman, in tune with the breath of August. Berland is a Walker, proficient in striding through trees. Astere is a Druid, communing directly with nature. Haemodora is a Seer, gifted, or cursed, with visions from the Valerus.
“The world will always shift, dear children, and that is why we change. We are chosen to see the Valerus renewed in ourselves. We are the Chosen.”

Lineage and Profession:
Most Seasonals, after leaving their initial Glades, or families, travel with their Souventis until death. They are often powerful Mages and Healers, having been more in tune with their arcane powers from a young age than other races. Some, however, choose to be Fighters, taking after the stoic soldierly Souventis that serve as their draconic guardians. Others still go against the grain and use their natural habitats to be camouflaged Rogues. Seasonals are influenced by their Glades, often into choosing similar professions as their elders. Some of the most powerful Glades are skilled in the Seer, Druid, Walker, Defender, and Shaman professions. Ultimately, however, Seasonals choose on the matter of the heart and align whatever path they choose with their favourite form and season.

Advantages & Disadvantages of being Human:
Advantages- Due to your innate connection to nature and its magic, you begin with +1 Arcane and a personal link to a Souventi, who will offer you protection. As well as this arcane gift, the healing of nature makes you immune from Inflict Effects; a short lifetime is already pain enough, so nausea and other minor pains are inconsequential.
Disadvantage- As you only live to 40 Milestones, the need to live and thrive makes you a vivacious, if somewhat fickle person. You are acutely aware of the ticking of your personal clock, which may make you feel bitter when looking at other, longer-living races, who may merely pity you.

Common Knowledge:
This universe has been cruel to the Seasonals, cutting off their lives at 40 Milestones, and so you are very much aware of the turn of each day, set, cycle, and milestone. As each season changes you, you celebrate another of the Valerus- a natural god or goddess- who you take the element of. Curiosity comes naturally to you, and the world is your oyster. There is also an advantage to living on August and being close to the other races, who live in a passive-aggressive silence with one another. If a large enough threat nears August, these circumstances call together all the people of the Island to bond together for the protection of their homeland. There is access to many resources, mostly elemental and arcane, and as a Seasonal, the aftermath of such over use of the resources around you isn't much of a concern. The continuity of natural life, however, is ingrained in your mind as one of the chiefest of goals of your short lifetime thanks to the teachings of the Glade Elders. The family unit of the Glade is important and is where you learn most of what you know about the world until your seventh Milestone. After that, you meet with the Souventis and are paired with one in a bonding ceremony called the Salus. You travel with your Souventi and learn to appreciate, protect, and love one another as deeply as family until the last year before your death, when you return home. Even so, the question lingers- Do you live your life in fear of that final day, or do you live your life to the absolute fullest?

Theology:
The Seasonals, like the other races of August, venerate the Valerus. They are natural gods and goddesses, taking on the elements of the Null and its Aspects. For every god or goddess, there is an equal opposite, and the deities’ only pride is in keeping themselves and their domains, both physical and Null, in balance. It is common belief among the Glade Elders that the Seasonals are the chosen race of the Valerus, as they are given each aspect in turn with the cycles. They claim their shorter lifetime is a call back to the divine, the deities wanting their chosen people among them in the Null once more.

CYCLE	DEITY	REALM
Respite	Lukhno	god of Water
Nadir	Lallare	goddess of Light
Origin	Sawol	goddess of Earth
Crux	Rót	god of Life
Ascension	Klimben	god of Air
Apex	Neullus	god of Dark
Bridge	Topp	goddess of Fire
Null	Assant	goddess of Death

However, among the other races of August, the Seasonals were known to be derived from unions of diseased and “corrupted” Ancients, the great tree-people whose appearance changes once every century. These diseases sped up the life cycles of the Ancients, who were soon isolated from the “pure” Ancients, and as they continued to live and thrive with one another, they become a new race- the Seasonals. It is said that this “corruption” first appeared after a disagreement between the Valerus, within which Assant cried bitter tears that began to decay sacred groves of trees, and Rót turned it into something less lethal for the inhabitants of August with a ray of sunlight. However, after many many generations of both Ancients and Seasonals passing, the truth of the matter lies only with the Valerus.

Thoughts on the other races of August:
Though August is generally a harmonious land, arguments over centuries have brought up stereotypes and mistrusts. The Seasonals are no exception to the rule.

Their uptight Centennial Caste ways should be of no consequence to any true Seasonal, as the Upper Centennials treat everyone poorly, even their own people. Ancients are, however, quite wise in the ways of natural healing and are connected to the ebb and flow of the world a lot more than you can possibly understand as a Seasonal. Their ability to heal themselves and others is well revered and, unfortunately, a reason they are so standoffish.

Your people are very fond of these utilitarian draconic guardians and have had a bond since the beginning of August’s time. It is rumored that you are linked with your Souventis partner by more than just a pet relationship, but the nature of the union is so secretive that you seldom engage in conversation on this matter. There is no know telepathic link, but having lived among each other for so long there tends to be strong level of understanding between two well bonded Souventis and Seasonal.

Willows are cursed women, spirit-folk wandering between the space between the Null and August, no color on their translucent bodies. It is as if they weep for the sake of all life, breathing or silent, and they lose their Seasonal identities when they pass into this existence. This curse, as far as anyone knows, is unbreakable, and the source thereof is largely unknown, as it is taboo to mention them aloud. Seasonals feel pity for these fallen sisters.