The Color Spyral

Clan Structure
Beach kaasht are found most commonly on the shores of oceans, lakes, and even rivers. Anywhere where water is to be found, very likely a Beach clan lives somewhere nearby, even to the extremes: some clans have adapted to living completely underwater. Some clans, generally the smaller ones, are also located on the outskirts of marshes, on islands close to the main continents, and in some of the cooler plains territories.

Beach kaasht clans tend to be mid-sized to large, with the smallest having around eighty members and the largest having over four hundred members. These clans are most often stationary, though a few of the water-adapted clans have taken to following the migratory patterns of their usual prey animals. Some clans do on occassion traverse a particular territory, moving about within that alloted space without a set central location but not moving outside of that territory.

The majority of Beach clans are entirely democratic in nature, holding meetings of every kaasht of eligible age in the clan to make the final decisions in important and sometimes even not-so-important matters. Issues of dispute or curiosity are offered up at these meetings and also in smaller gatherings that occur more frequently. These issues are discussed in open commitees and then an array of options are then voted on at clan gatherings. As one might guess, it takes a good while for Beach clans to come to final decisions, but rarely do Beaches mind.

Very little police action is necessary within Beach clans, for Beaches have a great distaste for inter-kaasht violence, whether it be for ideological reasons or more selfish ones, such as self-presevation. Disagreements in Beach kaasht clans are either worked out between individuals or brought before a neutral third party for decisions. Violence very rarely erupts.

In regards to outside kaasht, Beach kaasht clans vary widely in their opinions. Some clans are wholeheartedly welcoming of newcomers, making the more accessable ones seem more like a patchwork clan of many breeds than a primarily Beach clan. Others, usually the ones who keep to the water, approach xenophobia in their dislike of intruders. On the whole, however, Beach clans fall into a pleasant middle ground of acceptance but not adoption, much like their pleasant middle ground about everything.

Culture
Beach kaasht society is, as mentioned before, quite peaceful. Most of a kaasht's time is taken up with learning, artistic endeavors, and career. Most Beach kaasht fall into three major career categories: traders, diplomats, or advisors. A close fourth is healers. Beach kaasht usually spend at least a quater of their lives outside their home clan, usually in spurts of five years or so, either visiting other Beach kaasht clans or offering their neutral services to clans of other breeds.

Beach kaasht tend to be very liberal in their traditions and practices. Any view is given credit as being a solid opinion and very little is actually enforced in the way of lifestyle other than tolerance. The general rule for gender roles is that females are more often in positions of power than males, perhaps due to a traditional feminine penchant for tolerance, perhaps simply a genetic preference in Beach kaasht. This does not mean that females are more or less dominant than males, however. Beach kaasht can rarely be described as dominant, no matter what their gender.

Kits in Beach kaasht society are raised by more than one family at a time, on the whole, to more effectively instill the values of tolerance and sensibility. A kit will always be certain of who his or her real parents are, but will often have several "aunts" and "uncles" they consider family, as well.

Opinions on Other Species
(later)

Opinions on Other Kaasht Types
Mundanes: Beach kaasht regard mundanes with a kind of distant pity. They are treated as one might treat a cripple or one with limited intelligence, humored and cared for but often paid little attention to other than that.

Half-breeds: The view on half-breed kaasht tends to be mixed among Beach kaasht clans. Some clans wholeheartedly welcome half-breeds of peaceable nature while others tend to be more xenophobic and elitist.

Bi-colors: Bi-colored kaasht are respected among Beach kaasht for their extra power and, if they end up remaining safely within their clans, often rise to positions of political power, as well.

Protectors: Beach kaasht take the existance of the Protectors and the Guild in stride, like they take everything else. They neither approve of or disapprove of Protectors, though should a Protector happen to stand between a Beach and death by Guilder the Beach will be as grateful as any other kaasht.

Guilders: As with Protectors, Beach kaasht tend to ignore or care little about Guilders. They have little care for battle, however, so they might look upon Guilders with faint disapproval. This is, of course, dependent upon whether or not the kaasht knows about either organization, which is quite rare.

Opinions on Colours
Obviously, the most respected color among Beach kaasht is Purple, for it gives the kaasht control of a Beach's natural environment. Other colors are respected as follows:

Highly respected: Purple, Gold

Respected: Yellow, Silver, Transluscent

Indifferent: Black, Orange, Green, White

Not preferred: Blue, Red, Irridescent

Disliked: Copper


Back to Beach Kaasht	Clan Structure Beach kaasht are found most commonly on the shores of oceans, lakes, and even rivers. Anywhere where water is to be found, very likely a Beach clan lives somewhere nearby, even to the extremes: some clans have adapted to living completely underwater. Some clans, generally the smaller ones, are also located on the outskirts of marshes, on islands close to the main continents, and in some of the cooler plains territories. Beach kaasht clans tend to be mid-sized to large, with the smallest having around eighty members and the largest having over four hundred members. These clans are most often stationary, though a few of the water-adapted clans have taken to following the migratory patterns of their usual prey animals. Some clans do on occassion traverse a particular territory, moving about within that alloted space without a set central location but not moving outside of that territory. The majority of Beach clans are entirely democratic in nature, holding meetings of every kaasht of eligible age in the clan to make the final decisions in important and sometimes even not-so-important matters. Issues of dispute or curiosity are offered up at these meetings and also in smaller gatherings that occur more frequently. These issues are discussed in open commitees and then an array of options are then voted on at clan gatherings. As one might guess, it takes a good while for Beach clans to come to final decisions, but rarely do Beaches mind. Very little police action is necessary within Beach clans, for Beaches have a great distaste for inter-kaasht violence, whether it be for ideological reasons or more selfish ones, such as self-presevation. Disagreements in Beach kaasht clans are either worked out between individuals or brought before a neutral third party for decisions. Violence very rarely erupts. In regards to outside kaasht, Beach kaasht clans vary widely in their opinions. Some clans are wholeheartedly welcoming of newcomers, making the more accessable ones seem more like a patchwork clan of many breeds than a primarily Beach clan. Others, usually the ones who keep to the water, approach xenophobia in their dislike of intruders. On the whole, however, Beach clans fall into a pleasant middle ground of acceptance but not adoption, much like their pleasant middle ground about everything. Culture Beach kaasht society is, as mentioned before, quite peaceful. Most of a kaasht's time is taken up with learning, artistic endeavors, and career. Most Beach kaasht fall into three major career categories: traders, diplomats, or advisors. A close fourth is healers. Beach kaasht usually spend at least a quater of their lives outside their home clan, usually in spurts of five years or so, either visiting other Beach kaasht clans or offering their neutral services to clans of other breeds. Beach kaasht tend to be very liberal in their traditions and practices. Any view is given credit as being a solid opinion and very little is actually enforced in the way of lifestyle other than tolerance. The general rule for gender roles is that females are more often in positions of power than males, perhaps due to a traditional feminine penchant for tolerance, perhaps simply a genetic preference in Beach kaasht. This does not mean that females are more or less dominant than males, however. Beach kaasht can rarely be described as dominant, no matter what their gender. Kits in Beach kaasht society are raised by more than one family at a time, on the whole, to more effectively instill the values of tolerance and sensibility. A kit will always be certain of who his or her real parents are, but will often have several "aunts" and "uncles" they consider family, as well. Opinions on Other Species (later) Opinions on Other Kaasht Types Mundanes: Beach kaasht regard mundanes with a kind of distant pity. They are treated as one might treat a cripple or one with limited intelligence, humored and cared for but often paid little attention to other than that. Half-breeds: The view on half-breed kaasht tends to be mixed among Beach kaasht clans. Some clans wholeheartedly welcome half-breeds of peaceable nature while others tend to be more xenophobic and elitist. Bi-colors: Bi-colored kaasht are respected among Beach kaasht for their extra power and, if they end up remaining safely within their clans, often rise to positions of political power, as well. Protectors: Beach kaasht take the existance of the Protectors and the Guild in stride, like they take everything else. They neither approve of or disapprove of Protectors, though should a Protector happen to stand between a Beach and death by Guilder the Beach will be as grateful as any other kaasht. Guilders: As with Protectors, Beach kaasht tend to ignore or care little about Guilders. They have little care for battle, however, so they might look upon Guilders with faint disapproval. This is, of course, dependent upon whether or not the kaasht knows about either organization, which is quite rare. Opinions on Colours Obviously, the most respected color among Beach kaasht is Purple, for it gives the kaasht control of a Beach's natural environment. Other colors are respected as follows: Highly respected: Purple, Gold Respected: Yellow, Silver, Transluscent Indifferent: Black, Orange, Green, White Not preferred: Blue, Red, Irridescent Disliked: Copper