Galka

Galka are an immortal, humanoid race inhabiting Vana'diel, with origins on Zepwell Island.

Physiology
Galka are much like Humes and Elvaan, however they are large, normally muscular, and fairly ursine in appearance. Galka are physically very powerful and therefore are often seen as Warriors and Monks, rather than mages. There are no female Galka and they do not mate; instead, they reproduce via a form of resurrection.

History and Culture
The Creation Myth of Vana'diel details details the mythological birth of the race: "In the creation myth of Vana'diel the children of the gods, the Ancients, attempted to gain entry to Paradise, however the Gate Keeper of Paradise rejected them and destroyed their entire civilization. The goddess, Altana, having awoken from her slumber, wept over the destruction of the ancient race. Her tears cleaned away the wreckage and five divine tears gave rise to the five enlightened races (Elvaan, Galka, Hume, Mithra, Tarutaru). The God of Twilight, Promathia, however, was disgusted by Altana's weakness and so cursed the five races by bringing out their darkest emotions - the Elvaan's arrogance, the Hume's apathy, the envy of the Mithra, the cowardice of the Tarutaru, and the Galka's rage and curse them to constant internal conflict."

Galka were among the first races to form a civilization. 600 years ago, the Antica waged war with the Galka and won; their homes and temples were razed and they were forced to leave. They traveled west, and settled in what would become Bastok, the main capital of the Humes. Galka continue to thrive and maintain a social integration with the other races; however the majority of them feels they are exploited by the Humes for labor, and some are even racially scrutinized. Many have descriptive named much like the Native Americans of Earth: Names such as Flame Walker and Iron Eater are both honored and disliked by numerous Galka. Some of these names are considered honorific rites of passage in some cases.

Not much is known about the Galkas' method of resurrection, but it has been observed that elderly Galka will travel and go into hiding, and soon thereafter a young Galka will appear in town. Only the "Talekeeper" knows of this process; he is aware of both his lineage and the lineage of every Galka of the past 200 years.