Regalia

Regalia (王立羽「レガリア」, Regaria, "Royal Feathers")  is a major race in Tales of Ylemia.

Background
Widely known in Sylphian as the Royal Family, the Regalia are the symbol of grace and hope of the Sylphian Kingdom. Blessed by the Spirit of the Wind, Sylph, the Royal Family have the responsibility to keep the peace within their Root.

Distinguished by their rainbow- or sunset-colored feathers, the Regalia is known as the most beautiful race.

Regalia have a very short life expectancy, only reaching to about 60 years at most. Their physical aging is the same as Humans, though they are already considered as adults by age 16.

As they are well-regarded in the modern times, the ancient Regalia were once worshiped as gods that controlled the weather. These ancient beings were the Xauzeye.

Xauzeye appeared far more different than the Regalia of today. Rather than taking a humanoid appearance, Xauzeye were feathered serpents who spend all their time floating in the sky, commanding the weather on their whims. It was rare to see a Xauzeye in the earlier times, but when they appeared, the weather changes in the area. These beings possessed the rainbow-colored feathers that the Regalia possess now. But they possessed a lifespan of only twenty-five years.

The Xauzeye assumed humanoid forms, with a lower half akin to a snake's with light colors and rainbow feathers. They became the Coatli. This reduced form of theirs reduced their need to use their ability unnecessarily, and extended their lifespans to forty years. They were also able to communicate and work with the Umano and Alfur, providing them protection in exchange for offerings.

It was when the Umano and Alfur decided to rebel against the Coatli and decide hunting the Draig, which reduced their numbers and forced them into hiding. During this period, they decided to assume Human and Eyra forms to blend in and survive, now becoming the Regalia. The Regalia in Sylphian, however, remained powerful and kept protecting the people of central Sylphian area. This cooperation between the races ultimately led to the expansion of their influence to the whole continent of Sylphian.

Appearance
Regalia appear similar to Aerial Dyrs, but lacking other animal-like parts aside from the feathers. They also have Human-like ears, unlike bird-like Dyrs. They can grow feathers around the ears to the crown of the head, though usually just behind the ears. They have their characteristic sunset-gradient feathers or rainbow-gradient feathers and light-colored hair. They are taller than the average Human and considered to be the most beautiful race.

Regalia are fair-skinned, slim people. Because of their muscle build, it is difficult for Regalia to gain a heavily built figure, and usually just remain slim even if they possess physical strength. They're taller than the average Human by 10-15 cm (4-6 inches), and can grow as tall as 210 cm (6'11) for males, and 208 cm (6'10) for females and other sexes.

The hair of Regalia are in light shades of gold and yellow, the purest Regalia possessing the rare golden yellow hair. The thinner the Regalia blood, the darker the shade of the hair, and can be as dark as dirty blonde or light brown. Their hair color is a recessive gene, and one can find Chimera with thin Regalia blood to have hair with darker shades or different colors.

The purity of a Regalia's blood is determined by the color of their feathers. If they possess feathers of a vibrant rainbow color, they're pure Regalia. The thinner the Regalia blood, the less colors their feathers would have, until at least it has the three-color gradient of a sunset. Any Chimera with Regalia blood have sunset-gradient feathers.

As they age or the more that their race ability is used, their feathers turn into a darker shade of blue with small white spots, imitating the appearance of a starry night sky.

By appearance, they are considered to be the most beautiful race.

Ability
The Regalia's race ability is Imperion (下知「インペリオン」, Inperion, "Command"), which allows control over a limited amount of certain people in a certain period of time. The effect of this control differs from each individual. To take impose control over another individual, the user uses speech, sometimes through other senses as well.

The strongest Imperion would only require subtle actions or sounds for it to take effect (e.g a simple glare that 'commands' the target to run away). Control varies from commanding trivial tasks to brainwashing, the latter consuming too much Luck and may result to instant death. It is nearly impossible for an individual to resist a Regalia's Imperion, and in cases that it was resisted, the target will be exhausted. Imperion can only be used at most twice on the same individual.

Imperion is usually used to halt the actions of one or more individuals, which is less taxing on the user than other more specific commands.

This ability works in a way that the user transfers part of their own Luck (their universal life force) to interfere with the Luck with other people, diminishing their own life bit by bit. The more Luck one puts into Imperion, the more potent the effect, and the more life the user loses. A small command may take away a day or two out of their life, but the stronger and more specific the command, it can take months or even years out of their Luck.

Regalia aren't born with a conscious control of their Imperion, which is one reason why they have a very short lifespan. They would unconsciously use it in their everyday life without understanding and awareness, until they can voluntarily control their Imperion in their adolescence.

Trivia

 * The history of the Regalian royal lineage dates back to the Age of Ryo-Fiaedzi, the period when the Regalian and Vidur (collectively referred as Naturae at the time) were worshiped as superior beings.
 * The Regalia are said to be the closest to the Spirits along with the Vidur, and are believed to ascend to "Spirithood" after death. Other than the history mentioned above, the reason for this belief is probably tied to the appearance of their native Root's Spirit, Sylph.
 * The transition of their feathers from bright, sunny colors to a midnight shade mimics the transition of the sky from day to night.