Vitashna & Travel
An ancient story told to children by elders about the god Sitaarattva and the creation of Astradeva.
The story tells about how the oldest constellation in the sky, the god Sitaarattva died and in their death, Astradeva were born from the immeasurable amounts of divine mana left behind. It's believed the gems on their bodies are remnants of the stars which were told to have sparkled like brilliant gemstones; the source of their magic.
It is called the Mark of Sitaarattva.
Astradeva pride themselves on their ability to adapt to new environments, from potion sellers to hardened warriors. Some even want to spread the love of their deity Sitaarattva and bring happiness to other species. There are many types of Astradeva one could encounter.
Other species may often meet Astradeva as mercenaries, merchants or magical tutors however that's not the only way to encounter one. The gates of Amaravana are open to invited visitors, the citadel which Astradeva call home.
Astradeva travel to other planets and locations via their magic. Since Astradeva live on another plane of existence between reality (the reality shared by mortal beings) and cosmic reality (a reality that is above mortals, home to divines), the usage of portals is ideal for exploring other worlds in reality or cosmic reality. Their world is quite small in comparison to Earth though similar in geographic construction. However it is only formed of one large continent in the middle of its sea: Rashaara. Vitashna has many of the same animals, sealife, plants and other fauna that Earth does.
All Astradeva know how to create a portal (a basic spell taught to them from childhood) and can easily return home. To create a portal, one must "draw" the Astradevan portal symbol while focusing your magical energy. The symbol is a simple oval with a star shape in the middle.
Other worlds are discovered in Astradeva skies which consist of many "stars" that represent the universe's planets (Earth included). Vitashna has two kinds of stars in its sky: remnants of Sitaarattva (falling stars) and planetary stars (representations of other worlds and not real stars). With the help of Astrologers providing the right coordinates and amount of magic needed to charge, Astradeva are able to safely visit any world.
The capital of Vitashna is Amaravana where most Astradeva live and shop. There are smaller villages throughout Rashaara but a great portion live in Amaravana, the City of Merchants. The landscape is full of forests and mountains surrounding rivers and lakes throughout the land. Transportation between villages is different within their own world, preferring to trek the trails than use portals. With their high stamina, it really is no issue for them.
Many Astradeva choose to lead nomadic lives, sometimes even picking a home outside of their world when they travel. While it is encouraged they visit Amaravana every once in awhile, it is not looked down on when an Astradeva chooses to live somewhere else.