The people of Animus believe Kai is a substance of supreme metaphysical importance. Many even have a spiritual relationship with it that goes beyond practical use and veers into worship.
Strong believers that humanity must live in harmony with the cosmos, Animus is driven to use Kai energy to its fullest extent and are suspicious of the overly corporate and profit-driven approach taken by those in the Prisma region.
While they use technology widely, particularly Kai-infused innovations, they also prioritise a simpler life based on living closer to nature and being more connected with their surroundings.
Animus have a strongly held belief that Kai energy is central to how physical reality emerges out of chaos. They believe that it provides a driving motivation and purpose to everything in existence.
To them, Kai is sacred and worshipped as the primary animating force of the cosmos. This also leads them to have a deep affinity with Nature more broadly, every aspect of which they see as animated by Kai in a kaleidoscopic display of life and spirit. They are offended by anything which they feel seeks to enslave this animating force, rather than be in service to it.
Their spiritual practices revolve around attuning to Kai energy so that this driving purpose can be understood and acted upon, making Keepers particularly revered in the Animus region.
They have developed complex magical practices that allow them to bring elemental forms into existence, as well as enter into visions of realms beyond our day-to-day reality. They have also shown that it's possible for non-Keepers to become attuned to Kai with great amounts of discipline and devotion.
These proofs of their beliefs cause them to have a zealous outlook, often dogmatic and intensely focused on ritual and tradition. They are convinced that the misuse of Kai (by subjugating it to human greed, often under the guise of technological progress) led to the Vines virus and the downfall of humanity.
Because of this, and in spite of their tendency towards seeking harmony, their communities are often intolerant of alternative points of view and can become oppressive... which has led to numerous examples of conflict and violence over the course of the past century.