Jyoti

Jyotis are sometimes called "false phoenixes" (a term they find insulting) by the ignorant or willful. These avian humanoids are native to Creation's Forge, where they are the caretakers of the tree-sized, crystalline flowers within the Garden of Creation's Forge. These physical manifestations of mortal souls that ascended to divinity are protected and venerated by jyotis. They rarely leave this enigmatic realm and view visitors from other planes as stains on the purity of their home. Jyotis particularly distrust divine spellcasters and religious warriors, seeing them as inclined to take credit for manifesting a life force that, from a jyoti's perspective, is as plentiful and ubiquitous as water is to fish.

Despite their distrust of intruders, jyotis rarely attack unprovoked when their homes are not threatened. However, they don't tolerate intruders into their palace dwelling of crystallized light and captured flame. They often chase even those who come bearing gifts away; few visitors have anything they desire, for what they desire most is to be left alone. Jyotis' full wrath is reserved for natives of the Netherworld and the Void. Historically, the promise of battle with the gargoyle-like sceaduinars, whom they consider it their duty to oppose, has been the only thing to lure jyoti armies beyond Creation's Forge.