G is for Garuda

Common Representations of the Garuda

The Garuda is a creature that is half-man, half-eagle. Often identified as the King of the Birds, Garuda is sometimes referred to as a singular entity and at other times as a race of beings. The Garuda feature in both Hindu and Buddhist traditions all across south-east asia from Tibet, to India, to Thailand and beyond. The Garuda is the traditional enemy of the Naga.

In the Garden of Kama setting, the Garuda are a race. The intent is to produce miniatures with both male and female versions. They aid Solar Dynasty of the Kshatriya and war with the Serpent Dynasty.

A is for Aoa

The two Amazon nations in the Garden of Kama, Aoa and Ologog, are alike in many ways but are bitter rivals, often being found on opposite sides of any conflict. Both are ruled by a Rani of the Kshatriya warrior caste and both revere the Goddess Kali. The Kshatriya of Aoa are of the Fire Dynasty, however, while the Kshatriya of Ologog are of the Solar Dynasty and this is the source of their great rivalry.

More information about the Kshatriya can be found here.

The Kshatriya - the Warrior Caste

The Kshatriya are the warrior caste in the Garden of Kama, as they are in India of old. They are the ruling caste of all nations except Champakou, the Land of the Black Lotus, where the priest-kings hold sway, raising the priestly caste above that of the warrior.

There are several recognized dynasties within the Kshatriya, as the various clans claim descent from different deities or ancient heroes. The four most prominent are:

1) The Suryavanshi or Solar dynasty, claiming descent from Surya, the God of the Sun;

2) The Chandravanshi or Lunar dynasty, claiming descent from Chandra, the God of the Moon;

3) The Agnivanshi or Fire dynasty, claiming descent from Agni, the God of Fire;

4) The Nāgvanshi or Serpent dynasty is a sub-clan of Suryavanshi kshatriyas. These two dynasties are often friendly towards each other.

There are also several "lost" dynasties, so-called because they are rarely found or have thought to have died out completely. These are the dynasties of Water, Air, Earth and Darkness. The Water dynasty still exists in isolated pockets along the coasts or the southern islands. It is said that the only Air dynasty left are in the mountains to the north and on the Terrible Plateau. The Earth dynasty is said to exist in deep forests and the remote parts of the western desert. The Darkness dynasty is held by many to be extinct.