Miqo'te

A feline race easily distinguished by their projecting ears and restless tails.

Culture

The Miqo'te have diverged into two ethnicities: the Diurnal Seekers of the Sun and the Nocturnal Keepers of the Moon. Comparatively few in number, Miqo'te maintain an insular mentality within their clans, tending to avoid contact with the other races. Many lead isolated lifestyles, even when living in the more populous cities.

The Seekers are diasporized across Eorzea, and can be found in every region. Limsa Lominsa boasts a substantial Seeker population, as they are drawn to La Noscea's warm-temperate climate and abundant sunlight. Many of the Seekers who have settled in Limsa have adopted most of its social mores, and do not follow the "traditional" clan hierarchy closely, if at all. The other notable population of Seekers is in Thanalan's Sagolii Desert. While there are, of course, Seekers in Ul'dah (including the infamous Ul'dahn "dancing girls"), a number of Seeker tribes inhabit the southern parts of Thanalan, extending into the Sagolii. These tribes, in contrast to their urbanized cousins, tend to be stridently traditional, maintaining the social structure the Seekers have lived under for millennia and with an economy focused on hunting. The most famous tribe among adventurers is the "U", or Drake, tribe whose home, Forgotten Springs, is a good stop-over point for anyone venturing out into the desert, and the village sees a good deal of traffic (to mixed feelings from the U). The G tribe lives in Corvos far to the east of Eorzea, on the continent of Ilsabard. There are also Seekers found in Dalmasca.

Keepers are generally found in the Black Shroud. They are divided between those who have made peace with the Gridanians and integrated into their culture (and can be found making up a not-insubstantial portion of groups like the Wood Wailers), and the other clans who still resist Gridanian "domination" and have carved out their own small domains in the forest, like the Coeurlclaws. The latter tend to engage in banditry to aid their survival, forcing them into further conflict with Gridanians, who worry their behavior will incite the wrath of the Twelveswood's elementals. There are also keepers in Thavnair.

Lineages

Keepers of the Moon

In contrast to the Seekers of the Sun, the family is the fundamental unit of Keeper of the Moon society. Keeper tribes are often made up of two or three families who hunt together. The males are prone to wandering and the females believe men to be best in small doses. Keepers are often raised without the father, growing up in a more matriarchal society. The Keepers of the Moon have a custom of applying war paint to their faces, a symbolic message to their god that they are prepared to serve as warriors in the afterlife should they fall. It is believed the vivid colors also grant lunar powers. The Keepers offer their piety to Menphina the Lover. The Keepers are known for their reticent and brooding personalities. They are respected and sometimes feared for their tenacity.

Due to their exposure to darkness, the pupils of a Keeper of the Moon Miqo'te are large and round with little iris exposure. They are distinguishable from their diurnal cousins by their darker fur, larger ears, rounder eyes, more pronounced canines, skin-tones that tend towards blue and grey, and longer, skinnier tails.

Seekers of the Sun

The Seekers of the Sun are a patriarchal culture, with each tribe centered around a breeding male or nunh whose duty is to form a harem and lead his people to glory and prosperity. Young males are born and raised as "tia", and must either assume the position of nunh by defeating the existing nunh in single combat, or leave the community to form a harem of their own. In larger tribes, multiple nunh may coexist in the same community, although such cases are rare. The majority of Seekers worship Azeyma the Warden. The Seekers are regarded as quick-witted and prone to action, and many bore easily.

Due to their exposure to light, the pupils of a Seeker of the Sun Miqo'te are vertically aligned slits with irises faintly colored. It is common for their eyes to be disparately colored from birth, a trait considered auspicious among their kind.