Lakaloi (culture)
The origins of the Lakaloi are buried in the sands of time, with many schools of thought explaining their existence on Opakhasia's southern shore. According to some they are a creole culture, the result of Yaar'nami expansion in the area, to others they migrated from Sarradon and for some they represent the last holdover of ancient Opakhasian civilization. The Lakaloi display a remarkable degree of variety, with festivals and customs changing from one island to the next. One such ritual is the 'Firebird; where a recently wedded bride is clothed in a ceremonial straw dress and set on fire by her groom, the bride then jumps from a sea-cliff to extinguish the flames in order to bring in a prosperous marriage.