Ah, my race. My people...well not entirely. I am an Avian species of Faunus hehe. The history of Faunus is just as intriguing yet brutal as humanity itself. A history of bloodshed, slavery, and redemption.

To talk of the Faunus one must also discuss their kingdom of Vaccuo. Perhaps the oldest known recorded kingdom of Remnant, Vaccuo started out as multiple small tribes and villages all disconnected due to race. You see, humans weren't the only ones who saw the faunus as less than equal. These separate race of faunus can be put into four separate categories.

Mammal: faunus who take the appearance and characteristics of mammals such as deer, wolfs, and cats.

Reptilian: faunus who take the appearance and characteristics of reptiles such as snakes, alligators, and chameleons.

Avian: faunus who take the appearance and characteristics of avians such as hawks, cassowaries, and vultures.

Insect: faunus who take the appearance and characteristics of insects such as scorpions, wasps, and grasshoppers.

Aquatic: faunus who take the appearance and characteristics of aquatic species such as sharks, eels, and starfish.

In the early days of civilization these different species often hunted and attacked each other, seeing the other as less than equal. However, as the threat of damnation from grimm began to affect all tribes, the faunus decided to unite under the banner of survival. Trade routes connected to the tribes as armies who once fought each other united against the grimm hordes.

As their kingdom grew and expanded, these tribes would fall into separate classes and roles. Mammal carnivores and reptiles would turn to warriors, their carnal fury matching the grimm. Mammal herbivores would become scholars and politicians, often being the ones who would help invent and create their laws. Aquatic faunus would face the grimm of the water, but also would help with food and trade with the massive ocean. The avian faunus would never be warriors, due to their hallow bones most armor would weigh them down, so they turned to trade and fly over the mountains, far away from any grimm nests. Insects would take both warrior and politicians while maintaining their kingdom near the avian kingdom in the base of mountains.

The first time these faunus would meet humanity was when a band of Atlas pioneers would begin to farm on their land. Both sides, completely confused on the existence of the other, would immediately fall to discourse. It would only go downhill as a faunus warband would descend on the pioneers and slaughter them, minus one. The survivor would go back to Atlas and tell what would happen, the more advanced kingdom now marching to the kingdom of Vaccuo. Despite their tactics and fury, the faunus would fall to the more advanced weaponry of Atlas, at the time now starting to invent gunpowder and firearms.

More Atlas soldiers would pour into Vaccuo, pillaging the tribes and taking slaves. In order to stop a full on war, the leaders of the different tribes would gather with the Atlas king and forge a deal. Atlas would be given full freedom of Vaccuo's goods and resources and sadly, would be able to keep their slaves. In return Atlas would help forge trade routes with the other kingdom Mistral, for Vale would not have been created at this time.

After this, Vaccuo would form into a full united kingdom, but all connected by a set of smaller kingdoms of mammals, reptiles, avian, and aquatic. Mistral and Atlas would begin the Faunus Slave Trade, a terrible time where faunus would be treated as lesser beings and forced to serve in plantations and Dust mines. It would be so bad that many Faunus would never even think about leaving Vaccuo for fear they may be taken into slavery.

After one hundred years and the creating of Vale as a kingdom, the Great War would nearly shatter all kingdoms. Faunus took this event as an opportunity to attack the other kingdoms in hatred for the slave trade, with the main goal being the Dust mines. Their ferocity would come back to them as they showed a mastery in guerilla and hidden warfare. Many species night vision would make them masters of the night, many key battles being won with this ability being a clutch.

One such event that showed the brutality of the Faunus was the Red Beach Massacre. Atlas soldiers would attempt to attack Vaccuo from the beaches behind the kingdom. Sadly, their lack of knowledge on the geography would be their downfall as they landed on the kingdom of the reptiles. In an instant, massive crocodile and alligator faunus shot out from the sand and massacred the Atlas troops. So much blood was shed that day that it stained the beach red for an entire week. Some say you can still find the bones of the soldiers deep in the sand.

While Vaccuo faced discrimination from Mistral and Atlas, their relationship with Vale was less antagonistic. While still enemies in the war, Vale would become a sort of pseudo ally with Vaccuo. During a battle, both a faunus warband and mercenaries from Vale would come under siege from a grimm horde. Knowing that both would die if they continue, the two sides set aside their differences and fought against the horde. While many lives were lost that day, the survivors managed to drive the horde back. This event would be the start of a small bond between both kingdoms.

The Great War would end at the final battle of the Great Serpent Dust Mines, the largest Dust mine in Remnant. All forces of kingdoms would converge on this spot, creating the bloodiest conflict in history. This three day battle would end when a Green Knight and his legion of warriors and silver warriors subdued all armies in a matter of three hours. The Green Knight would end the conflict on the island of Vytal where a peace treaty was created. The ten year long war, that occurred a thousand years ago, finally came to a close.

The faunus slave problem wouldn't end at this however. The trade would continue even to early modern day. Vale would become a full ally of Vaccuo, becoming their main trade route and one of the few places outside of Vaccuo where faunus felt safe. Here Vaccuo would help create the first few hunters guild, warriors specifically made to hunt down the growing tide of grimm. This confidence would help Vaccuo stand up against the other kingdoms, sending politicians to Atlas and Mistral and try to end the slave trade. While they didn't completely stop it, they were able to slowly dampen the harsh and cruel methods. They passed the Freedom Bill where after a Faunus works for a certain amount of years they would be granted freedom.

The kingdoms would encounter the growth of technology, but Vaccuo was far from excited. They were known as a kingdom of culture and history. Their religion of the twin gods, a goddess of life and a god of death, was varied across the different tribes. For example, the mammals gods were depicted as a deer and a wolf, where as the avians were depicted as a hummingbird and a vulture. Many of their monuments are relics of ancient Vaccuo that are still around today.

However, they were forced to comply with the growing world after an increasing threat of grimm attacks nearly pushed Vaccuo into an economic crisis. They accepted the machines and the first wave of transformable weapons, but they still preserved their history above all. So much that they didn't allow much machinery to be present in their cities and main capital.

Nearing the modern age was when the Faunus Rights Movement, lead by the once peaceful White Fang, was successfully able to abolish Faunus slavery. The trade was disbanded entirely and all faunus slaves were free to go. Faunus sadly were still prosecuted by some, the sins of the past still etched in our world today. The most tragic of Vaccuo's modern day was the assassination of the White Fangs leader, Ghira Belladonna, around fifteen years ago. During a public speech Ghira was shot dead by a human. This sent waves of anger and sadness across Vaccuo and relations between faunus and humans entered a stalemate with neither side truly trusting the other anymore. The White Fang, once known for its peaceful solutions to end faunus racism, became more violent as members attacked Dust mines, many of whom were owned by the Schnee Foundation, the family name known for their lack of respect towards faunus workers rights. Soon enough, the White Fang became a terrorist group, working in the shadows.

I personally don't care much for the White Fang, they give my people a bad name. Sadly Vaccuo in modern day is still in an age of distrust with the other kingdoms and humans, only Vale being their true allies now.

Oh? It seems like the library is about to close for the night. Hmm? Alright I'll tell you a bit more about our history. Like others Vaccuo was home to some important figures throughout time. You already know Ghira Belladonna, but there are famous figures that spawned from Vaccuo.

     Sobek, a crocodile Faunus who was at the time, the leader of the reptile tribe. While many Faunus take the appearance of humans with animal characteristics, Sobek was an anomaly as his appearance was more crocodile than man. Rough green scales covered his entire body as his jaw was large enough to fit a human head. He was a brutal berserker, using two swords to mow down man and Grimm. He led his own band of warriors known as the Bloody Jaws of Death, a group of berserkers who tore through the battlefield and ending conflicts in mere moments. His teachings of combat would go down the line of history, even after his death of soloing an entire Grimm horde.

     Tomoe the One Eyed Fox was a war maiden in the Great War. Despite most Fox Faunus at the time being used as spies and assassins, Tomoe found herself on the front lines, tearing down enemies with her katana and naginata. Her most famous moment occurred in a battle against Mistral warriors, where an arrow pierced her eye. She laughed it off and ripped the arrow out, exclaiming "if you're arrows cannot pierce my head, they shall never pierce my will!" She would retire after the final battle, where she would work as a writer before dying of old age.

      Despite avian Faunus straying away from combat, Apollo was a dove Faunus who was renown across Remnant for his bow and arrow. Specially made for him, he was a warrior and a messenger, sending news and other important information to leaders. The bow was to defend himself against airborne Grimm, his aim so incredible that he shot all arrows through their eyes. He even used fire dust to coat his arrows, so that whenever they do miss they would burn the Grimm. Some say this was a key inspiration for transformable weapons.

     There's the bell, I'm terribly sorry but I have to leave. The library should be open tomorrow, so if you are interested in more history...I'll be here!