The largest island south of the main continent of Zige holds the metropolis Yalisi, source of the Vopa religion. Religion is a large part of a Yalisi life regardless of whether one adheres to the Vopa faith. Because of their relative isolation from the mainlands, they have not had contact with many other people and are just now meeting the Ildoar in Ghawle.
Yalisi people speak Ipabi, a language with three cases and a base six numbering system. The language has remained nearly unchanged for thousands of years due to their isolated nature and lack of visitors.
Among vubopaa, priests, of the Vopa religion, there exists a secret religious language, often called Zafu, lit. tongue. The language uses tone to express meaning, making it possible to hum conversationally.
The Yalisi value boldness, autonomy, self-respect, leadership, religion, and influence. They take pride in engaging with their religion and spreading their joy with others. Leadership is highly valued and having a rank or title is seen as a sign of a good person, and being a vubopa, or priest, is especially significant. Leaders are also influential people, and being able to captivate an audience is a well-regarded skill.
Because it is fairly common for Yalisi people to have eyes in places that are atypical for their species due to the effects of wormstone, eye contact is discouraged and people in conversation stand next to each other rather than face each other.
Members of the Vopa priesthood drape themselves with white cloth and little else, to keep themselves visible to their goddess Pemija. White is a common clothing color across the island, and the styles adopted by vubopa have a trickle-down effect to the rest of the inhabitants of the island. There are other colors of cloth used to create other garments.
A swimming garment called the mikupokupo has many flowing pieces of fabric that float and ribbon in the water when they swim. While these garments do slow them down, the point is for them to be displays. These can be white but are often light purple or yellow to be more visually exciting.
Yalisi cuisine features many fish and fruits. The mome fruit's brightly colored flesh and flavorful rind are common staples and eaten at any time of day. A common drink to start the day involves mincing mome rind with water. Fish is often served raw with peppers for extra flavor and nutrients.
While fish is often served raw, the most common method of cooking fish is baking it in clay ovens. Some ovens are purportedly better than others, and people will rent another's oven for a holiday meal if it's perceived as better. When asked to share an oven, it's rude to say no.
Yalisi people will often rattle their tails, if they have them, to agree with what something. Short bursts of rattling are akin to light laughter, whereas long stretches are closer to humming with contentment.
Disagreement is expressed by stomping. The harder the stomp, the more fervent the rejection. While small children often stomp more than one foot, adults only use one, and it is a sign of maturity in a child if they only stomp one foot instead of the two back limbs or all four ambulating limbs.
The Yalisi people, at this time, are all teronura, so they all reproduce the same way. Teronura triples form the basis of the birthing family. There is one egg-laying teronura and two non-egg-laying teronura involved in the basic reproductive rite, and the fertilized eggs are kept in a nest in the family home, often in the common room nearest the kitchen, so the egg is visible as often as possible. The three members of the triples take turns watching the egg in six hour cycles, each responsible for reading podevi dopeni, or "egg-books," to the egg so that it will retain the knowledge before birth.
When the egg hatches, only one teronura stays behind to raise the child alone. The other two are free to pursue other partners. It is not always the egg-laying teronura who stays behind.
Sumiga and Lope lived in Yalisi when the wormstone mine was exposed to the world before it was covered by the temple Najibu.
Sharp teeth and pierced body parts are considered beautiful by the Yalisi. Because of the many effects of the wormstone on bodies, it is common to have relatively ornamental appendages that can be pierced, such as membraned wings, webbed hands and feet, or additional ears. Sharp teeth can also be found in many places on the body, depending, but their sharpness is a measure of beauty. Many will actively sharpen their teeth routinely as part of basic hygiene.
Yalisi culture recognizes four genders. The genders are assigned at birth depending on the circumstances of their birth, such as time of day and how many siblings, but it is common in ari momiri, or Greatening, ceremonies to give the person the ability to "overwrite" their original gender. Others who do not participate in Greatening ceremonies, like those of the Libo faith, are still allowed to change their gender at any time, and there doesn't need to be a reason given.
Zakako is associated with the color white and the greater moon in the sky. For the Vopa, this gender has a special significance as it relates to their goddess Pemija, whose eye they believe is the greater moon in the sky.
Leju is associated with the color purple and the smaller moon in the sky. Like the zakako gender, this gender has a significance within the Vopa religion, but to a lesser extent.
Pabu is associated with the colors red and yellow along with the sun. While not especially significant to the major religions of Yalisi, this gender is respected for that reason, as they're seen as above the potential disagreements between the popular faiths.
Mazedi is associated with the colors blue and green and is associated with the world they live on. The followers of the Libo faith find this gender to be the most significant, as they worship their existing world and the lives they're able to lead because of it.