Vaanti

The Vaanti were the native inhabitants of the Caribbean island of La Huerta, living at Elyys’tel and two other villages. They were a unique people and possibly a completely new species, as they do not possess "normal" traits and characteristics of human beings. The most obvious differences were the Vaanti's blue or green skin, matching hair, pointy ears, dramatically extended lifespans, and enhanced strength and speed. They are often seen wearing animal masks, a tradition passed down to them from their earliest ancestors. They were first seen in Book 1, Chapter 12.

Culture
The Vaanti maintain their own language, beliefs, judicial system, and hierarchy, and are led by a monarch who takes on the title of Elyyshar of the Vaanti. Until she sacrificed herself to defeat the sea monster Cetus, the Elyyshar was Ximaedra. Following her death, her son Varyyn became the Elyyshar, which he remains as today.

The Vaanti religion is a mix of indigenous shamanism and theism, with great reverence given to a deific figure, also known as The Endless. According to tradition, twelve Catalysts would eventually arrive on Vaanu, and would hold the fate of the island and all who dwelt there in their hands. The twelve Catalyst Idols were vital to their success, and must be kept safe for their eventual arrival. The Vaanti eventually split along ideological lines regarding their religion: one faction rejected their religion entirely, one sought slavish devotion to anything related to the Endless, and the third, the Vaanti of Elyss'tel, sought balance between faith and pragmatism. The three factions eventually descended into war over the Idols, with Elyss'tel emerging victorious.

A number of Vaanti traditions and festivals appear over the course of the story. During Book 3, the Vaanti celebrate Niala'rei, an annual festival in which romantic couples pledge to live together for a year and a day. Those who do so are considered joined as one soul.

The Vaanti's arch-enemy is Everett Rourke, who built a luxury resort on the island and has been conducting numerous illegal experiments. Rourke and his minions refer to the Vaanti as "Hostiles" due to their interactions with him, while Your Character's group briefly referred to them as "Watchers" due to the Vaanti's talent at watching them silently from the rainforest.

True History
If Your Character collects all of the Catalyst Idols, you will meet the Endless, the strange character in a red spacesuit who lies at the heart of the Vaanti religion. The Endless reveals that the biggest obstacle to the "twelve catalysts" on La Huerta was actually the Vaanti. No matter what other actions were taken, in all timelines, every initial encounter with the Vaanti ended in the death of most or all of the group. In subsequent loops, the Endless appeared to the Vaanti early in their history and assumed the role of a deific figure, prophesying the twelve Catalysts as messianic figures. This religious engineering provided heartache to the Vaanti when the time came for the Three Tribes War, but ultimately had the desired effect, and in subsequent timelines, the catalysts were able to befriend and even forge strong bonds with the Vaanti.

Notable Vaanti

 * Ximaedra (Elyyshar; formerly) †
 * Varyyn (Elyyshar)
 * Uqzhaal (Status unknown)
 * Seraxa (War Chief)
 * Taari
 * Paluan
 * Gurgi (Merchant)
 * The Anachronists
 * Clockmaker

Trivia

 * The Vaanti bear a clear physical resemblance to the Na'vi from the 2009 hit film Avatar; this is referenced briefly by Your Character's group in Book 1, Chapter 14, when Zahra asks if they are like the aliens from the film and Raj responds that the Na'vi are "blue catpeople", while the Vaanti are "blue and green plant people". It is also most clearly seen with Varyyn's skin tone and hairstyle. Culturally, however, they are not all that similar and overall behave more like stereotypical elves from the high fantasy genre, which is why Diego refers to them as "bunch of Lord of the Rings rejects" in the same chapter. Malatesta calls them "blue elves" in Book 3.
 * Because of their skin color, Jake also refers to them as the Blue Man Group in Book 2, Chapter 1.
 * The writing for the Vaanti is inspired by the song, Rakim by Dead Can Dance.
 * Moreover, the writing for The Clockmaker is inspired by the song, The Windmills of Your Mind by Dusty Springfield.
 * Additionally, the writing for the Anachronists is inspired by the song, Knights of Cydonia by Muse.