Magic is as much inherent to the world as gravity is, existing in the form of an extra layer of reality, called the Veil. A form of energy called Mana permeates this layer, only interacting with physical reality and other forces in particular ways.

Mana is thought to behave much like a gas or liquid, having a tendency to spread evenly throughout space when attractors and repellents aren't present. However, a variety of experiments can demonstrate that the concentration of mana in a given location does not change instantly, and, in fact, occurs somewhat slowly, generally in the span of dozens of minutes.

Mana is naturally attracted to different substances, structures and patterns. It is theorized that it can also be repelled, though nothing has been found in nature so far that it is repelled by.

Generally, mana is attracted to highly ordered structures and patterns, such as crystals and pure metals, as well as living creatures and certain substances. The attraction effect of highly ordered structures is proportionate to how low its entropy is - how regular and predictable its patterns are, and how many patterns the structure forms. This effect also scales with physical size, but not linearly.

Living beings - animals, plants and even fungi - all seem to interact with the Veil in a particular way. Namely, it is thought that they form wells in the structure of the veil, which mana from the surrounding environment will naturally flow towards until filled. In the same manner, mana will spill from an overfilled well into the surrounding environment.

As a small side note, some respected scholars theorize that structures and objects that strongly attract mana - collectively called mana accumulators - also cause a similar, but much lesser effect, forming divots in the structure of the veil, rather than deep wells.

The capacity of a living thing's mana well depends on a variety of factors, among which the most important are complexity, species and race. Plants and fungi, which are generally considered to be the simplest forms of life, generally have less capacity than animals, while animals generally have less capacity than sapient beings.

This is not always true, however, as species of plants that have evolved to make more effective use of magic may have a larger capacity than some animals, and so on, and different species of animals and sapient beings may have wildly different capacities. Additionally, capacity also varies between individuals of the same species, and can also be naturally expanded, to a degree, through training.

While objects and materials that attract mana will form a small region of higher mana concentration around them, when one of such objects is in motion, the mana in its area of influence is often unable to keep up with it, left behind in the form of a trail. The faster the object is moved, the faster mana leeches off of it.

However, through rituals, it is possible to cause objects to form a dimple in the Veil - similar to the well a living thing forms, but much shallower. An object that has been altered in this manner is then called a mana accumulator, as the formation of this dimple alleviates much, though not all, of the aforementioned leeching effect, allowing it to hold onto mana.

Objects that do not naturally attract mana can also be turned into mana accumulators. However, they accumulate mana much more slowly, and are often only used for storage or as spell proxies.

Many cultures that make significant use of magic and have access to mana-attracting materials have independently developed rituals that can produce mana accumulators, though different rituals produce different qualities of mana accumulators.

Mana can be transferred to and from an accumulator with fairly little training, while the mana in mana-attracting objects cannot be tapped into. The reason for this is not yet fully understood, but the widely accepted theory is that such transference is only possible between depressions in the Veil - while mana can't be forced to flow between the environment and a depression, it can be forced to flow between depressions.

Through use of theorized materials or substances that repel mana, it would be possible to produce much more effective and efficient mana accumulators.

Mana can be coaxed into exerting influence upon the physical world, such as manifesting as other forms of energy. Different forms of mana-to-energy conversion vary wildly in efficiency, however - mana can be converted to heat or light quite readily in small to medium amounts, while converting mana into motion is incredibly difficult. It can also be made to manifest in physical form by highly adept scholars.

There are a few known methods through which one may draw on mana to perform magical effects or spells.

In the same manner that ordered structures can attract mana, they can be constructed, drawn, grown or formed in such a way that they passively produce magical effects. However, due to the exponentially increasing complexity required for anything beyond very simple effects, this is of limited usefulness.

Some of the most avant-garde scholars do theorize, however, that, with enough research and advancements, it may eventually be possible to construct massive, highly complex structures that overcome this limitation and supersede the capacity of individuals and groups of casters. Most of them fear the implications of this possibility.

Gestural casting is the production of magical effects through series of motions, while verbal casting is the production of magical effects through the production of series of sounds. While complexity is still a limiting factor, gestures and sounds can form patterns in time, as well as in space, which make these forms of spellcasting much more versatile and powerful.

Both gestural and verbal casting depend on the same principle. Patterns of motion can coax mana into exerting influence upon the physical world, such as manifesting as other forms of energy. Different forms of mana-to-energy conversion vary wildly in efficiency, however - mana can be converted to heat or light quite readily in small to medium amounts, while converting mana into motion is incredibly difficult.

While gestural and verbal casting function upon the same principles, they do differ from each other in ease and cost.

Gestures can be surprisingly complex and elaborate, with spells of higher complexity requiring high dexterity and, sometimes, flexibility, though simpler spells can still be produced quite quickly, and can often be adapted to be performed with one's tail or body.

Verbal casting, on the other hand, is much more flexible, as the same spell can be produced by different series of sounds, in the form of words, phrases, poems or even songs. This flexibility, however, is not without cost, as verbal casting requires a higher degree of mental focus, as well as generally taking longer.

Many cultures develop, at early stages of magic adoption, ritualistic dances that are performed in groups, usually during certain days of the year or in preparation for battle. These ritualistic performances are essentially a form of spellcasting akin to gestural and verbal casting, but performed by one's entire body.

The prevalence of this development is attributed to the idea that, by involving multiple casters in a spell, the detrimental effect of lack of practice or ability in some of the individuals is alleviated. In essence, a few bad dancers in a group may not impede the spellcasting process.

Will projection is regarded as the most powerful, and, paradoxically, perhaps the most simple form of spellcasting. However, it is strongly reliant on both the caster's mental acuity and their knowledge on the particulars of both the spell itself and its resulting effect, else the spell will either simply fail or produce the wrong effect, which is often undesired.

For example, for an appropriately adept scholar to cast a healing spell to close a wound through will projection, they must have sufficient knowledge of the wound in question, what tissues are affected and how, and the nature of the affected tissues, as well as, in some cases, what caused the wound.

Effects that are highly complex to cast in other ways may be trivial to cast by will projection, and many effects are complex enough in their simplest forms that one can only be reasonably expected to cast them in this form.

There is one limitation, however. Naturally, the more complex an effect is, the shorter the range at which it may be cast or projected. In will projection, however, this effect is much more pronounced, and many effects that can be cast at short to medium distances via gestural or verbal casting may only be cast in touch range or by direct touch.

Mana accumulators can be imprinted with a spell or magic effect, to be triggered in a given condition, in response to a given event, or at a given interval. The spell, along with instructions and necessary information, is imprinted upon the accumulator by performing something akin to a ritual. Upon completion of this process, the accumulator then becomes a spell proxy.

The amount of mana a proxy will spend when triggering a spell depends not only on the complexity of the spell, but also on the complexity of its instructions. It may also passively expend small amounts of mana to essentially check whether certain present conditions are met.

A proxy will draw mana from its own reserves to perform the spell imprinted upon it. If its reserves are insufficient, however, the spell may only trigger partially, cease midway through, or simply not trigger.

Mana itself can be forced to manifest in physical form. With few exceptions, this usually requires both a high degree of proficiency and a very intimate understanding of the nature of mana and the Veil. As such, it is understood that only sapient beings can conjure mana itself in this way, though some scholars challenge this idea.

Conjuring mana in this way has interesting effects. A person who touches an individual's mana may get impressions of their current emotions, or even feel them directly. In some cases, it is also possible to reach a more intimate understanding of the conjurer's being, if both persons involved already share a relationship that facilitates it.

Due to this effect, it is widely believed that the foxfire of Kitsunes is comprised, at least partially, by mana. Only a limited amount of study has been conducted in this matter, however.

The various forms of magic effects that may be achieved by manipulating mana can take may be divided into separate, distinct practices, often called schools of magic - 'school', in this case, referring to a style, approach, or method. Many scholars, and even some societies, make similar distinctions as they explore the multifaceted nature the art of spellcasting can take.

Unless mentioned otherwise, it is assumed that mental acuity and focus are a factor in one's ability to perform any school of magic. There may be other factors, however, which will be discussed.

Additionally, one is highly encouraged to read about this world's magic system before delving into the contents of this page.

Perhaps the broadest and most versatile school of magic, conjuration pertains to the act of making mana manifest itself in the world in the form of energy or matter. While it is possible to conjure mana itself, it is exceedingly difficult and rare, as it doesn't exist in nature as something that can be directly interacted with.

One's ability to manifest mana in the form of energy depends largely on the person's understanding of the characteristics and properties of said form of energy. For example, one seeking to learn how to conjure a small flame may need to study how fire consumes common materials to sufficiently understand it. One seeking to master flame conjuration, however, may need to study how it consumes a wide variety of materials, how different substances interact with it, and the shape and motion of its flames, and may even go through ritualistic self-immolation to more deeply familiarize themselves with and embrace the essence of what fire is.

The most common forms in which mana is conjured are heat, light, fire and wind, while less common forms include electricity and motion. Electricity is generally only present in nature in the form of lightning, which is either very hard or very deadly to familiarize oneself with. As for motion, while it may seem like a simple and ubiquitous subject matter, there are various forms of motion, which involve many concepts of physics, such as drag, lift and inertia, among many others.

Additionally, it is naturally harder to conjure mana into some forms. Conjuring matter is universally exceedingly difficult, many societies and cultures considering it impossible. It can be said that mana is more "willing" to be converted into certain forms than others, so to say.

In some cultures, conjurers often craft catalysts, usually in the form of wands, staves, orbs, bracelets, or otherwise easily carriable implements, which are intricately and artfully adorned with figures and patterns relating to a particular form of energy that they conjure the most. These catalysts are often culturally or personally significant, and, as such, tend to be meticulously crafted and ornamented, in addition to their characteristic patterns.

While the matter is a source of debate among scholars, there is merit to this practice, as these intricate patterns and decorations may allude to, and aid in the recollection of, the caster's understanding of that particular form of energy, consequently aiding them in the conjuration. However, while they haven't been discovered in the current era, intricate patterns do exist which may coax mana into more easily manifesting itself as a particular form of energy.

Known more commonly as sensory or sensorial magic to some societies, senseweaving pertains to the production (or creation, or generation) and impartation (or projection, or transmission) of sensory stimuli onto the mind of another sentient being nearby - which can be crudely described as a form of one-way telepathy. It's regarded by some as one of the least challenging forms of magic to learn the basics of, though mastering it can be quite difficult.

Casting a senseweaving spell, more commonly described as projecting a stimulus, occurs in two stages: creation and projection. The creation stage is where many struggle, as it requires the caster to create, within their own mind, the stimulus or stimuli that they wish to impart, and to understand, to some degree, the senses involved in their perception. Being able to create vivid mental representations of particular stimuli is important in this stage, and is an ability which many may struggle with or even completely lack, in the case of aphantasic individuals, creating a divide in proficiency. The projection stage, then, requires the caster to focus on the desired recipient and expend some amount of mana to project the created stimuli into their mind, and for the recipient to be within the caster's projection range, which, while varies based on both skill and cognitive ability, is generally within thirty meters (or a hundred feet), or double that if there is a direct line of sight.

There are some oddities involved in senseweaving. While the production of sensory stimuli is dependent on the caster's abilities, what affects the recipient's ability to receive and perceive the projected stimulus is unclear. For example, in some cases projecting auditory stimuli onto the mind of a deaf being succeeds in causing them to hear, while in others it fails. The same is true with other stimuli.

An object - typically small, such as a pendant or charm - inscribed or engraved with intricate patterns that interact with the Veil in such a way that it can be "addressed" by a senseweaver. This allows them to project sensory stimuli towards the person carrying or wearing it without knowing where they are, and from significantly farther, given they know of the focus's existence and are sufficiently familiar with its patterns.

The increase in effective range a sensory focus provides is dependent on its material and on the precision and craftsmanship involved in its patterns. A well crafted sensory focus can increase the range of projection by up to and beyond tenfold the senseweaver's range.

Being a difficult and elusive form of magic to grasp, the school of enchanting pertains to the ability of altering the physical properties of matter, while requiring constant mental focus on the caster's part to maintain said alterations, but no mana. One may alter an object's shape, size, density and even internal and surface structures, such as making it shinier or more porous.

The difficulty associated with enchanting comes largely from two important factors, one being the very deep understanding required of the material, or materials, composing the object one wishes to enchant, as well as the distinct qualities of the individual object itself. The other is the inherently high complexity involved in the process, which makes the use of will projection almost a requirement. This means that many races and individuals may face great difficulty in attempting to learn it, and may not be able to at all, while those from races that have a natural inclination towards understanding the particulars and mechanics of magic generally have much better success. It takes an almost instinctual understanding of certain aspects of magic to fully master enchanting however.

Another layer of difficulty lies in the particular inherent properties of the object to be enchanted. Inanimate matter is generally fairly simple to enchant, though composite and complex objects are more challenging. Living tissue is orders of magnitude more difficult to enchant, however, as they tend to involve multiple complex materials and low-scale structures, leading to a requirement of very good understanding of biology and medicine as well.

The intricate complexity and level of understanding required also reveals an interesting characteristic about reality itself and the mechanics of magic: no two complex objects are exactly the same. One may own two of the same type of sword, made the same way, from the same materials, even by the same person, and still be able to tell which is which, based on the individual qualities of each object and how they "behave" when being enchanted.

Being moreso an extension of enchanting than a school of magic of its own, attunement can be described as a process through which a particularly skilled enchanter may "imprint" certain qualities inherent to their well into the very structure of a particular object.

More than skilled, however, the caster is also required to be intimately familiar with the individual object in question, its innate qualities and individual properties, and how it behaves when being enchanted. The benefits of this process are direct and significant, however, as an object attuned to its caster is effectively primed to more easily and readily accept enchantments from them. As a result, the caster may apply alterations of significantly greater complexity and magnitude to said object.

A prevalent and versatile art of many faces and fames, illusion, sometimes also called illusionary magic, is the art of crafting perceptual distortions that manipulate the senses of outside observers, herding them into a false version of local reality.

Though it is difficult to describe, one possible description is that illusions are a set of instructions, suggestions or descriptions of what the perceived reality within the distortion field contains, or how it differs from true reality. Once the illusion is crafted, the caster expends an amount of mana, proportional to the complexity of the illusion, to apply it. Then, after the distortion field is cast, continuous mental focus is required to maintain it, as well as a small amount of mana. The complexity of the illusion dictates the necessary level of focus, and the scale dictates the amount of mana. If the caster's focus or mana supply is broken, so too is the illusion.

In all forms, a good understanding of perception and the senses involved, as well as varying degrees of abstraction and creativity, are required to create cohesive illusions. Knowledge of what the intended perception entails is also necessary, of course, on part of both the caster and the perceiver. This means that sapient creatures, especially those with high capacity for imagination and creativity, are particularly susceptible to illusions, while an animal can generally only perceive things it either has seen before, know exists, or can form by combining things it has seen before or know exists.

Miragecraft and illusory art are some of the most common among the various names illusion is known as in entertainment and performance circles, where it is used to inspire awe, mystique and joy in audiences. The term shadowplay is also used by some, though it is also used by criminals that cast illusions to conceal themselves, granting it a contentious fame. Veiling and guisecraft are other terms used by criminals, moreso referring to the usage of illusions as a form of disguise and manipulation.

Notably, illusion is also used by some as a form of self-defense and intimidation. Shapeshifting and formshaping are terms used by those who cast illusions upon themselves, often to appear larger and more intimidating or smaller and less noticeable, or to more easily blend in within a crowd, for example. Others may employ illusions more actively during confrontations, creating illusory animals and creatures to distract or deter attackers. Skilled illusionists may cast illusory creatures so convincing that they're mistaken as either real or as spirits, leading to some calling it invocation, spectral warding or spectral conjuration.

Drawing upon the natural interactions between living beings and the Veil, restoration, also known as healing, is a nearly universally useful form of magic pertaining to coaxing mana into accelerating the natural healing processes in a living being's body.

The caster first places a part of themselves - often a hand - directly on or near the wounded or affected area, channeling mana into the area to start the process. As at least one limb is usually occupied, verbal casting is preferred by many healers, though some can make do by using additional limbs or complex gestures in a single hand. While it is possible to draw on the patient's own mana, it is considered contentious in many circles, meaning it is preferred for the caster to expend their own mana. If life-threatening wounds and diseases are involved and the healer's mana has been exhausted, however, it is often excused.

It requires a solid understanding of the interactions between mana and living beings, but also relies heavily on the caster's understanding of anatomy, physiology and other aspects of biology and medicine. Knowledge of the specific wound or ailment, and how it was inflicted, is also a factor, making prior diagnosis and wound assessment crucial, as incorrect or incomplete information may lead to potential risks or undesirable side effects, from the formation of scar tissue and lingering pains to improper bone alignment and functional impairments.

While small, superficial wounds are generally quite simple to heal, taking most healers only a few minutes, the process of mending fractures, wide gashes and wounded organs is usually long, arduous and taxing, both mentally and magically. Such cases often involve multiple sessions and/or multiple healers. The effects, however, can never exceed the particular being's natural healing abilities - one can only regenerate a creature's lost limb if it would otherwise regrow on its own. Similarly, mental illnesses, genetic disorders and magical conditions cannot be healed through restoration.

An intricate and even artistic form of magic, wardweaving, also known as wardcraft or simply warding, is the art of creating barriers that protect from both physical and magical harm. Such barriers can vary in size and strength, and remain active until either it or the caster's focus is broken.

By channeling their mana through a small implement called a wardstone, a warder essentially draws patterns into the veil, which then manifest as a visible, physical barrier. The size of a barrier and the level of mental focus required to maintain it are dictated by the given pattern, while its strength and durability and the amount of mana that will be consumed are dictated by its complexity and structure. However, it is possible to create small, reasonably strong wards quickly by expending a significantly greater amount of mana.

Warding is divided into three aspects: theory, crafting and practice. Theory pertains to understanding the mechanics that allow and are involved in this art, and, of course, requires a good understanding of certain aspects of magic. Crafting pertains to creating, altering, choosing and combining different patterns based on how complex they are, how easy they are to draw, how much precision they require, and how much strength they contribute to the resulting barrier. Finally, practice pertains to training one's ability to draw these complex patterns in the air without being able to see them, and with reasonable precision. This usually involves improving coordination, developing a muscle memory for drawing certain patterns, and learning to mentally manipulate these patterns in a variety of ways.

Wardstones are small objects engraved with elaborate, symmetric patterns. They are shaped into a ditetragonal prism - a type of octagonal prism with eight side faces of two alternating widths - with one end forming a sharp tip. As the name alludes to, they were originally crafted from stone, and generally still are, though it is possible to make wardstones from other materials.

Wards appear as a transparent solid covered in patterns that often form distinct symbols and lines in radial patterns. The particular pattern on a ward directly correlates to the pattern from which it was cast, which can be identified by a skilled warder. They are also tinted, and the color is consistent for every individual, being the same color as their mana, if they're able to conjure it.

Alchemy is a branch of knowledge that pertains to the complex ways in which certain materials, substances and can be processed and made to interact, the products that may result from these interactions, properties both inherent to these ingredients and that these products may come to express, and the effects that these products may exhibit or achieve as a result of the combination of their physical qualities and these properties. It provides an array of principles and methodologies that may be employed by both scholars, engineers, craftsmen - and even healers - alike.

It is considered by many both a field of study, a craft, and an art, as its practice combines both skill, knowledge, creativity, and inventiveness. Alchemists endeavor to uncover the hidden truths behind the world's inner workings through the rigorous study of and (mostly) cautious experimentation with alchemical properties, while attempting to make the lives of others better along the way. It is, however, at its heart, a potentially powerful tool which can be used with both benign and malign intent, yielding medicines, tonics and useful devices, but also poisons, traps and bombs.

Being such a broad branch of knowledge, alchemy is separated into three branches: natural alchemy, biotic alchemy, and material alchemy.

Biotic alchemy is generally the first to develop in societies, in the form of herbalism. Natural alchemy is a far second, as its development usually requires a number of scientifically-inclined individuals - it is still in its early stages even in the most well developed societies. Material alchemy is still very much at an experimental stage, though some scholars devote much of their time to its study.

At the core of alchemy are what are called alchemical properties, often referred to as simply properties. The term refers to any of the many properties and effects an alchemical product, intermediary or final, may express or exhibit. These properties are directly correlated to the ingredients used and how they were processed and combined, as well as, in some cases, the physical qualities of the product itself and of any other materials used in its construction.

Many of these properties may be categorized as a relation between an aspect-interaction pair, where the aspect describes what the property pertains to, and the interaction, of course, describes how it interacts with said aspect. Take, for example, the property called Thermophagic. 'Thermo-' indicates that it pertains to heat, which is a form of energy, while '-phagic' indicates that the aspect is consumed. Therefore, a product with the Thermophagic property will have the effect of consuming heat, if there is some other effect that will use that energy or convert it into some other form.

While most properties are fairly straight forward, some are a bit more broad, being expressed in different ways. Certain properties vary so much, and in such complex ways, that they become an entire category of properties, rather than a single one.

Most ingredients cannot exist or have their effects persist in all circumstances. While some ingredients may be particularly stable in extreme levels of, for example, heat, most will eventually destabilize if exposed to temperatures outside a certain range, called the stability range. This causes some alchemical products to require special storage and usage methods, and limits the usability and availability of certain products in certain scenarios or places, sometimes even entire regions.

When near the boundary of its stability range, the ingredient's properties may behave erratically and unexpectedly, but will destabilize after some amount of time. Once it leaves this range, however, properties will cease to function entirely, and other aspects of the product may be affected as well. The branch of Natural Alchemy is tasked with researching ingredients' stability ranges.

While this isn't often an issue for simple alchemical products, such as potions, remedies and simple items, it poses a challenge for the prospect of increasingly complex alchemical products and devices that scholars of Material Alchemy often discuss. The discovery and employment of ingredients with wide stability ranges may be paramount to the advancement of alchemy as a whole.

Some ingredients possess properties that, when used in a product, may combine - or meld - two or more other properties together, resulting in a new, unique property that is more than the mere sum of its constituents. These ingredients are said to have Melding properties.

There are a number of different melding properties, which will meld different types of properties, or even specific combinations of properties. Knowledge on the specifics of how they work are rather muddy, so the applicability of these effects is quite limited. Many times, Melding ends up being somewhat of a liability, as, when unexpected, it can be quite problematic. However, they also hold an incredible potential if properly studied and applied, and some studies have already yielded results significant enough that it led to the creation of the Material Alchemy branch.

A branch of alchemy dedicated to the study, documentation and experimentation of properties and effects that interact with natural forces, both physical and magical. It shares a small but significant overlap with material alchemy, and some scholars consider themselves simultaneous practitioners of both.

It may considered the 'main' branch of alchemy, as, despite biotic alchemy usually being discovered by societies much earlier, natural alchemy is usually how the broader discipline is discovered.

The alchemical properties that fall under the studies of this branch of alchemy tend to pertain to the following aspects:

• Motion and magnetism, which are collectively referred to as physical forces.
• Light, heat and mana, which are collectively referred to as energies.
• The Sun, the Moon, and the stars, which are collectively referred to as celestial entities.

As for interactions that pertain to these aspects, those that apply to a significant number of aspects include:

• Resonance - Aspect will increase and/or expand associated effects, and may even trigger them.
• Dissonance - Aspect will decrease and/or hinder associated effects, and may even disable them.
• Stability - Aspect will, when outside a certain threshold, cause associated effects to malfunction, trigger and/or behave erratically, and may temporarily or permanently disable them, usually rendering the product useless.
• Consumption - Aspect will be consumed in order to fuel associated effects, when they are activated.
• Production - Aspect will, as an effect, be produced by converting other aspects, when activated.

For easy reference, what follows is a table displaying the aspect-interaction pairs that are well known to exist. Those that would fill empty spaces may yet be discovered to exist, or may not be possible at all.

However, there are properties that don't follow or fit this pattern, as well as some that do but would be alone in their rows or columns. As there are many awaiting further study and confirmation, and potentially many more that are only known in certain regions, it is quite difficult to properly document them to a sufficient capacity.

A branch of alchemy dedicated to the study, documentation and experimentation of properties and effects that interact with the biology and psychology of living beings, be they botanical, animal, or fungal in nature. It is often the first branch of alchemy to develop in societies, in the form of herbalism.

Briefly escaping the fourth wall, so to say, this is what most closely resembles chemistry and medicine in the real world, which is what it is also most likely to develop into in this world. However, it is at a stage where much is misinterpreted and/or extrapolated.

The alchemical properties that fall under the studies of this branch of alchemy tend to pertain to the following aspects:

• Vitalis, pertaining to life and vigor, and Chorda, pertaining to coordination and reflexes, which are collectively referred to as bodily or somatic aspects.
• Dianoia, pertaining to the mind, and Aisthesis, pertaining to perception, which are collectively referred to as mental or psychic aspects.
• Pathema, pertaining to emotions, and Metabole, pertaining to the exchange and transformation of energies, which are collectively referred to as energetic aspects.

As for interactions that pertain to these aspects, those that apply to a significant number of aspects include:

• Amplification - Natural expression of the aspect will be augmented, at the potential cost of its disruption.
• Attenuation - Natural expression of the aspect will be diminished, at the potential cost of it later being amplified.
• Induction - Aspect will be forcibly expressed in some form, at the potential cost of its exhaustion.
• Inhibition - Aspect will be forcibly repressed in some form, at the potential cost of it later surging.
• Harmonization - Aspect will be nudged towards its normal levels within the individual.
• Alteration - Aspect will be altered in some form.

Although there is much nuance to and variation within the effects of each aspect-interaction pair, it is still useful to categorize ingredients using this system. What follows is a table displaying the aspect-interaction pairs whose effects have been observed and attested.

More aspects and interactions may exist, however, both inside and outside of the aspect-interaction pair model.

There are certain combinations of ingredients, discovered independently by a small number of societies along history, that have the very notable property of providing visions that seem to peer into other realities. Those that have been studied invariably contain Dianoiasthenic, Aisthetropic and Melding properties, but most also contain ingredients whose properties have yet to be identified and studied.

Some of these combinations, however, are even more notable, in that those who consume them usually have visions that are remarkably, and eerily, cohesive and consistent, both across usages and across individuals. These visions are often hard to describe, and many aspects of them make little sense once the effects subside. During their effective period, however, those who consume it and are able to speak during it describe odd landscapes, plants and creatures, and even interactions with sapient beings, although they tend to fail in describing such beings. Scholars have taken to referring to the one world that these visions see into as the waking dream.

While many scholars attribute the consistency and cohesion of the visions these combinations provide to them interacting with the person's biology and cognition in specific ways, cultures that hold traditions relating to them believe these visions provide glimpses into other realities, such as afterlives and realms where gods and other superior entities reside, or even distant locations in the same reality.

An emerging branch of alchemy that has been growing in popularity among certain scholars and piquing the interest of engineers and artificers, pertaining to the application of alchemical principles and the use of alchemical properties and effects in the design, development, creation, and experimentation of devices, mechanisms and synthetic materials, as well as the alteration of existing mechanisms and natural materials - it is, essentially, applied alchemy.

Being an emerging branch, it is still very much in its infancy. However, a couple of unique properties have already been realized by some scholars: Kinetoklasic and Chromaparallaxic.

Kinetoklasic materials will actively react against up to a certain amount of kinetic energy that is imparted upon it, usually by reflecting, deflecting or nullifying the impactor, requiring the consumption of some other form of energy. It is quite difficult to successfully reproduce, albeit possible by melding other properties and certain structural qualities, and while it is attested to exist in nature, it is very rare. It is an alchemical marvel that is yet to be understood.

Chromaparallaxic materials, on the other hand, have yet to be discovered in nature, but have been produced by melding other properties in particular ways. This property alters the frequencies of light reflected or emitted by the product, causing it to either shift constantly or change in response to some factor.

Other properties are sure to be discovered and created as the field expands.

A field of study which investigates the intersection between alchemy and magic. Thaumatology posits that alchemy and magic are not separate facets of nature, but different manifestations of the same. This basis of argument is supported by the fact that experiments in both natural and material alchemy have attested that alchemy and magic can and do interact in various ways.

While not a branch of alchemy, it is an intriguing, albeit primitive, discipline, and one which understandably piques the interest of many scholars. It is, however, highly speculative, and thus not many devote themselves fully or significantly to it, serving instead, to many, mostly as an interesting subject to muse about and discuss.

A great variety of animals reside in different regions of the world, both familiar and unfamiliar. A wide variety of them inhabit many different regions and habitats, however, and, as such, they will all be documented here instead.

A species of freshwater fish characterized by its mutable small to medium size and the pale glow it emits, which is often compared to that of the moon - thus the name. Males display a slightly bluish, cold white glow, while females glow in a warm white. While they typically grow to 15-20 centimeters (6-8 inches) in most rivers, they may grow larger in lakes and large rivers, reaching sizes up to 25-30 centimeters (10-12 inches). They inhabit a decently wide variety of habitats, having variants that are more well adapted to both warmer and colder climates.

They are opportunistic carnivores, generally feeding on aquatic insects, crustaceans and smaller fish. They are rather fast and agile, capable of producing sudden bursts of speed to escape predators or catch prey. They are generally more active at dusk, night and early dawn, when light levels are low, being less active during the day, when they generally seek shelter among rocks and aquatic vegetation or under shade.

The glow it emits is a structurally-induced conjuration effect, caused by intricate internal structures in its scales. It is generally dim enough to be barely noticeable during the day, but much more noticeable at night, leading to the misconception that they only glow at night. This dim glow makes it harder for visually-oriented predators, such as birds and land animals, to see its outline beneath the water, especially during night time, as it makes them blend in with the reflections of the moon and the stars.

During breeding season, however, their glow intensifies significantly, as they divert nutrients and resources towards growing thicker scales. Though this makes them more noticeable and attractive to both potential mates and predators, the increased protection these thicker scales provide offset the increased risk. It is still possible for them to get injured and lose scales from being attacked, however, leaving gaps in their bodily glow that won't grow over until the next breeding season. Such gaps also heavily affect how attractive they are to mates.

A peculiar and visually striking species of deer that primarily inhabits the eastern and northern regions of the main continent, such as the Whisperwood Forest. It is generally slightly bigger than other species of deer, and is present in regions that they often avoid. They tend to live in small herds of three to six deer, usually from the same family.

Born with a fluffy, near-white coat of fur, it darkens into shades of medium and dark gray as it matures. It is also adorned with white spots along its back, akin to other species. Around its neck grows a thick, shaggy mane with furs that are a deep blue at the base and fade into deep black towards the tips, reminiscent of a starless night sky. This mane is more voluminous and pronounced on males than females, though they still possess it. Its antlers are their most distinctive characteristics, however, as they're never shed, and always grow in the same symmetric pattern of elegant, fluid arcs.

Its name comes from the fact that wolves, as well as other predators, are known to generally avoid them, as though scared to approach them. When detecting an approaching predator, the deer will emit warning vocalizations to its herd, which will then collectively turn to face it and tip their heads forward, displaying their antlers more prominently. While it isn't fully known why this tends to drive predators away, it is theorized that the elegant pattern of their antlers induces some form of illusion or sensory projection that confuses them, or makes the deer seem larger, more aggressive, or otherwise unlike desirable prey. Why the name implies that it "catches" them, however, is unknown, perhaps lost to history.

While they are sometimes still attacked, their thick manes protect them from the predators' bites, which hints that it was initially a form of defense. In their present form, however, it serves mostly as a display of sexual fitness.

Like other deer, they are herbivores, but sometimes also consume fruits and berries. They've sometimes been seen acting in a discoordinated or funny fashion, indicating that they may occasionally eat fermented fruit on purpose.

An intelligent and highly social, medium-sized mammal, with an average body length of 50 centimeters (or 20 inches) and average weight of 2 to 3 kilograms (or approximately 4.5 to 6.5 pounds). They are noticeably related to hares and rabbits, despite being quite distinct. They have somewhat intricate patterns in their fur, and a small horn atop their head. They originated from the meadows and grasslands near the center of the main continent, but quickly spread to other regions and biomes, such as savannas, shrublands, and various forests throughout the continent, including the Whisperwood Forest. They are most active outside their burrows under daylight, when they can better see potential predators and food sources, as well as their surroundings in general.

Their furs display a variety of earthy tones, from tan and beige to dark brown, in contrast with the intriguing patterns of lines and curves that cover their body, which are white, and are also present on the coloration of their skin. These patterns probably take part in their unique form of communication. The horn atop their head, a bit forward from their ears, is usually a tan or light brown color, shaped like a straight cone, and tends to be around 7 to 10 centimeters (or around 2.6 to 4 inches). With a lean body and long, powerful hind legs, they are quite fast and agile, able to move from a standstill to a full gallop in a mere moment, allowing them to flee most predators and navigate through vegetation with ease. Most of the time, they move by simply hopping, however, as while they can walk, it's much less efficient. Their ears are usually half the length of their body, and the tail is also long, measuring around 20 centimeters (or almost 8 inches).

Their most important and fascinating characteristic, however, is a unique and greatly effective form of communication that they employ, which takes advantage of a rare and unusual ability they've evolved: a form of mana conjuration. At day's end, all members of a group of harmonares - called a burrow - congregate and arrange themselves in particular patterns. They then focus and gesture, in unison, with their ears and tails, each harmonare conjuring a small amount of mana from their horn in the form of very thick, slightly luminous smoke, which is mixed with that of the next, and so on. This mix is then passed around again, carrying with it the collective knowledge, experiences, emotions, and thoughts of all members. Through this, they essentially form a very rudimentary form of a hive mind, wherein all members of a burrow have much of the same knowledge, experiences and skills. Outside their burrows, however, they communicate through gestures, using the position and/or movements of their ears and tail, and through vocalizations, ranging from coos and chitters to screeches and whistle-like calls.

As either a cause or result of this ability, they are highly social and intelligent, as previously mentioned. A burrow of harmonares can reach populations of over fifty individuals, though this number can vary wildly between different populations and in different regions, based on factors such as the availability of food and the depth and quality of the soil. They dig complex burrow networks, with individual chambers for each member, shared living spaces, a large chamber - dug for their congregations and sized accordingly - and tunnels with exits at different foraging sites. They are adept burrow builders, compacting dirt and utilizing arched and domed tops to ensure the weight of the ground above is well distributed and minimize cave-ins. This is thanks to their flexible hands, with which they can perform reasonably delicate and precise works.

A wide diversity of plants and fungi make their home in the many habitats that comprise this world, ranging from common and ordinary to magical and weird. As many spread wide across different regions, however, they will all be documented here.

A marcescent species of oak known to grow only in the Whisperwood Forest. While structurally similar to other oaks, it has a tendency to exhibit various forms of symmetry in the way its branches and leaves grow. Its leaves are green during spring and summer, and progressively turn light yellow, orange, and then red during fall, to then turn a dark crimson come winter. It maintains those leaves throughout winter, only shedding them once temperatures begin to rise as spring nears.

During winter, dormant buds form along its branches, some even growing directly from its trunks. At the beginning of spring, these delicate white buds start to develop and flower over the course of four to five weeks, progressively turning pale pink, rosy orange and then bright red as it matures, some developing purple streaks as they turn red. The flowers themselves are actinomorphic, displaying radial symmetry, with two rows of five notched ovate petals in a stellate pattern. Its stamens are elongated and have spherical tips, facilitating the dispersal of pollen through the breeze generated by the tree.

Its most interesting trait, however, is the growth of thin, stem-like modified leaves along its branches that are able to perform elaborate gestures. Though other types of trees and plants are known to have flowers or leaves that move, the mechanism through which these gestures are activated is unknown, and only a small number of different gestures have been recorded and studied.

During spring and early summer, when its flowers blossom, these modified leaves perform a series of gestures throughout the day that generate winds in an upward and outward direction, which spreads pollen towards neighboring trees and up into stronger natural air currents. Other series have been recorded, though their patterns or objectives have so far been elusive. Some of them have been known to generate winds as well, but also whistling, howling and murmuring sounds, which give the region its name.

A very common berry, found in most temperate and cold regions in the main continent. It is yellow when unripe and amber when ripe, and of lobular, lumpy shape, which, together with the fuzz that covers its exterior, lends it the colloquial name of cloudberry. They grow from shrubs that range in size from that of a bush to the size of a small tree, though they are generally about the height of a person.

The reason for its proper name, and another reason for its colloquial name, is the fact that it is quite airy on the inside, with many vacuoles, or bubbles, of air within the structure of its flesh. This makes it rather light, lending well to its dispersal mechanism: once the berries have grown and matured, they can be easily detached from the plant by a light breeze, allowing it to be carried a fair distance away by winds, which helps it spread further. Failing that, however, they may still be eaten by birds and herbivores.

This form of seed dispersal is surprisingly effective in the right conditions, leading to it being considered an invasive species in some regions, though it is also farmed in some places. Despite being fairly dry, it is still fairly sweet, and is often used to brew liquor.

The Whisperwood Forest is a large mixed temperate forest region in the northeast of the main continent, comprised of a mix of evergreen and deciduous trees, as well as some marcescent trees. It is named after the Whisperwood Oak, a rather intriguing species endemic to it. It adds a breathtaking beauty to the region during winter, as its leaves turn into a vivid crimson hue and remain on the trees, adorning them. This phenomenon is locally referred to as winterblush, a term present even in the names of some places, such as the Winterblush Peaks.

Due to local superstitions about the murmuring whispers and soft whistling sounds often present in the region, it was hardly inhabited by much of history. However, as the Everreach Guild expanded its influence to the region, most of these superstitions were refuted or diminished, and research excursions concluded that the region had ample potential for expansion, as well as of potential strategic value. In light of these discoveries, the Guild, with support from the [empire], took control of the region and founded a settlement at the coastal bend named Tel'tamnen, which has since been popularly named Crestbend Harbor. In the meantime people started to form villages around the forest, indulging in its intriguing atmosphere and exploiting its newfound resources.

While Crestbend Harbor has been growing rapidly ever since, other settlements in the region are still growing, especially those along the routes that bring people from other regions to Crestbend.

Aside from native populations of harpies, which tend to live along the mountainsides, a number of settlements, villages and small towns dot the region, with populations mostly ranging from little over ten to a few dozen, though some have hundreds. Their foundation and survival are predominantly due to activities such as forestry, herb farming, foraging, clay extraction and mining, as well as animal husbandry, hunting and beekeeping, to a lesser extent. Humans and beastkins make up the majority of their population, in most cases, though elves are also common and some lizans have been moving in from Tel'ere.

Trade and services play a large role in the growth of these settlements, as well. People from a much wider variety of races, places and cultures pass through the region, most coming and going from Crestbend Harbor at the coastal bend.

Situated on the coastal bend, west of the Winterblush Peaks, Crestbend Harbor is a large city, housing thousands of permanent and temporary residents of various races, cultures and backgrounds. Being the largest city in the region, and having one of the largest harbors along the main continent's east coast, it is a major hub of trade and exploration, drawing hundreds of passersby moving to, from and through every week during most of the year.

It is also the only chapter of the Everreach Guild in the region, which adds greatly to its local importance. The guild hall is an important local point of interest, where adventurers, researchers and mercenaries alike convene, seek jobs for coin, and share tales, advice and tips.

Dark alleyways and unsavory folk are ever present in such bustling places, however, and Crestbend Harbor is no different. In certain areas of the city, if one knows where to look, they may find shady activities such as black markets, where forbidden goods, exotic substances, and even rare animals are dealt, and slave trade, wherein money is traded for people.

See: Crestbend Harbor

As a mixed temperate forest, a transitional biome, its climate is cold, but not boreal. Summers and springs are fairly temperate, but falls are quite cold, and winters can be fairly harsh. Coastal areas see a fair bit of rain during summer and spring, while some areas deeper inland may only see rain during summer. Its soil is composed of alfisols, being very fertile and, in some areas, abundant in clay deposits.

Along the eastern shore, the coast bends eastward at a point before continuing north. A chain of mountains, collectively named Winterblush Peaks, follow the coast north starting from the bend.

A number of rivers and streams weave their way through the region, some making way to the coast, while others continuing on towards neighboring regions. While the waters tend to be quite cold, a variety of animals and insects still reside within and around these rivers, especially the larger ones. They're also often used for transport in some areas, moving goods and people between settlements.

A chain of mountains that starts at a coastal bend and follows the coast northward. It is named after the phenomenon known as winterblush, which merely consists of the change in coloration that the leaves of the marcescent Whisperwood Oak go through when winter nears, becoming a dark crimson and remaining on the trees until spring.

It seems to have been formed by volcanic activity, as its mountains seem primarily composed of igneous rock, such as andesite and basalt. There are inactive volcanoes among the mountains, and even calderas, some of which support life. Many of these inactive volcanoes have lava tubes that surface along their slopes, some of which have formed hot springs within.

The mountains also house a few tribes of harpies, which hold the locations of these hot springs a secret, only sharing it with those they consider allies. These harpies often cause trouble for residents of settlements near the mountain chain, especially during breeding season, though they're much calmer and more friendly during winter.

The mountain chain also separates a small strip of land along the eastern shore from the west, though a mountain pass joins the two sides further north.

Hares and deer, as well as small arboreal mammals and some species of rodents, are the most prevalent, being seen in nearly all areas of the region. A variety of amphibians like frogs and salamanders can be seen in wetter regions and near lakes and rivers, where insects are more often seen as well.

Its predatory population is fairly small, but still present, and mostly comes down to boars, which appear in the entire region, some species of wolves, which only appear in certain areas, bears and foxes, which will wander in from surrounding regions at certain times of the year, and some birds of prey. As such, herbivores and omnivores seem to thrive particularly well in most areas of the region. Popular local belief attributes it partly to the gestures and sounds that whisperwood oaks produce, though the presence of certain animal species, such as the Wolfcatcher Deer, certainly plays a part as well.

Its size and fertile soil, among other factors, contribute to a fairly large diversity of plants and fungi, while its climate allows for a significant variety of types and species of trees, as well, being home to both deciduous and evergreens, as well as some marcescents. Its namesake, and most notable species, however, as previously mentioned, is the Whisperwood Oak.

See:

• Whisperwood Oak
• Fluffberry
• Moonlight Perch
• Wolfcatcher Deer

Known by the Everreach Guild as Tel'tamnen, it is a sprawling coastal city in the northeast of the main continent, within the Whisperwood Forest. It is situated to the west of the Winterblush Peaks, at the coastal bend, and spans much of it, its eastern end practically nestled against the base of the mountain chain while the west end spreads past a river that ends at the sea in two points.

Somewhere between 15.000 and 20.000 people of various races, cultures and backgrounds call it home, while many more spend only parts of the year there. Dozens, sometimes hundreds of people pass by as well, from peasants and adventurers to merchants and nobles. Most of the buildings are built from stone and wood, though fired clay bricks can be seen as well, given the prevalence of clay extraction activity in the region.

The city was founded by the Everreach Guild, with support from the [empire], soon after it took control of the region. As such, its history is basically that of the Whisperwood Forest. Within the area the city currently spans, there were two small fishing villages populated by humans, most of which were quite happy to become part of a growing community, while others moved southward to, again, form small fishing villages, which still exist to this day.

Ever since its founding, it has been growing steadily and quite quickly, its large and well-developed harbor - now one of the biggest in the entire east coast - and the oodles of merchants and passersby it attracts being the greatest contributors to this growth. It being the only Guild chapter in quite some distance is another big factor, of course, with many researchers and adventurers alike constantly passing by to visit the Guild Hall and exchange experiences.

Given its strategic coastal location and its large, bustling harbor, a majority of its economy is driven by trade, commerce and tourism, as it serves as a gateway to distant lands. The constant flow of merchants and passersby moving through the city contribute greatly to the city's prosperity and diversity. For this aspect, the Merchant Square is considered by many the heart of the city.

Being a center of activity for the Everreach Guild, and its only chapter in the region as a whole, also impacts the city's economy. Among the daily hundreds of passersby, many seek to exchange knowledge and undertake quests, contributing to the local economy through their patronage of the various inns, taverns and other establishments throughout the city.

Smaller but still quite significant factors include the nearby quarry and the local businesses. Stones from the quarry are not only used in local construction, but also exported to nearby regions. Additionally, being such a large city, it inevitably accrued a number of skilled tradesmen that offer their goods and services in the city, including healers, artists and craftsmen, some of which attract clientele from far lands.

The city is divided into five districts: the Market District, the Tradesmen Enclave, the Wharf, the Noble Quarter and the Residential District. However, colloquially, the outermost landward side of the Residential District is called the Slums, and is informally treated as a sixth district.

One may enter the city by land through one of three guarded gates: the main, central gate, through which one enters the Market District; the east gate, which enters into the Slums; and the west gate, which leads directly into the Noble Quarter.

Entering through the main gate leads directly into the Market District, which comprises a variety of shops and service and entertainment establishments, as well as the Merchant Square. Though there are no proper homes in the district, many shops have living quarters where the owners live.

It is perhaps the most visually diverse district in the city, as the owners of each establishment are given free reign of what its architecture and visual style should be, within regulations. As such, it displays a striking variety of different architectures, styles, colors and even materials, in some cases.

Undoubtedly the most active district in the city, most passersby may spend most or all of their time here, before going back home or traveling elsewhere.

Taking up the west end of the city, it is where rich, influential or powerful figures, such as nobles, successful merchants and officials from the [empire] and the Everreach Guild, reside and mingle. It is open to the public, however, though it is more heavily guarded and watched.

While the architecture here is more uniform - uniformly elegant and opulent, that is - it still features some diversity, especially in the finer details, such as decorations and ornamental flora.

Aside from mansions, one may also find parks, venues and classier entertainment venues, such as restaurants and theaters, especially near the Market District. A river also cuts through the city in this area, parting midway through to end at the shore in two points.

Passing southward through the Market District, immediately past the Merchant Square, one arrives at the west end of the Wharf, the district that encompasses all maritime activities in the city. It spans the majority of the city's shore, and is comprised mostly of piers, docks, shipyards and storage buildings. Considered one of the largest harbors in the entire east coast of the main continent, a myriad of ships of all sizes and designs are constantly moving through - it is truly a sight to behold. Near the Merchant Square, however, one will also often see stalls selling fresh fish and other catch, as well as extra cargo.

Walking east along the harbor, a number of piers extend into the sea, providing ample space for the many ships that pass by to dock and moor. Further east, a number of shipyard

Walking east along the harbor, a few shipyards may be sighted as well, often worked by craftsmen from the nearby enclave. These shipyards offer a valuable service

Nestled between the Merchant Square, the Wharf and the Residential District, it is an area dedicated to tradesmen, where they live and offer their services. It is also where they form guilds, which facilitate apprenticeships, advocate the members' interests, regulate standards and foster a sense of community.

Tradesmen are highly regarded by others, as much of their lives depend on their work. These include craftsmen, such as carpenters, masons, sculptors and tailors, but also doctors, surgeons, cooks and apothecaries, among other practitioners of various skilled trades.

Spanning the east and northeast of the city, it is where the largest part of its population - commoners - live. The architecture here is simpler and more pragmatic, with jetties - floors that jut out and hang over the streets - being much more common.

Some notable landmarks, establishments and activities. Of course there are many places within Crestbend Harbor that are worth visiting and seeing, and those listed here may not necessarily be of great importance, though many are.

The heart of all things commerce in the city, the Merchant Square is a fairly large area dedicated solely to it. It is filled with merchant stalls, food vendors and street performers - as well as pickpockets and silver-tongued flirts.

Merchants from the local area and distant lands alike can be found here, selling a variety of items and products, common and exotic. Produce, herbs and spices, gems and jewels, fabrics, alchemical components - one may even find stalls set up by blacksmithing bands and companies to sell their finest arms and armor.

Street performers such as bards, acrobats and performing spellcasters are a staple as well, ever present to draw in crowds, tell tales, provide experiences and lift the mood of passersby.

The Everreach Guild also tend to keep recruitment stalls at the corner of the square, near the Guild Hall. There their most socially adept members will try and entice adventurers into joining them or completing quests.

Symbolizing the control and strong presence of the Everreach Guild, the Elinvaal Athral, in the city and the region, it is a fairly imposing structure, built out of andesite and basalt from the nearby quarry. It serves as both a gathering hall and an office.

At its entrance is a large gathering place for current and prospective members, as well as those that work with the guild. Adventurers, explorers and researchers alike can be seen here, sharing tales, experiences, advice and tips, as well as forming parties and planning future excursions or jobs. It is quite a lively place, being that it also serves food and drink, ever since other taverns in the city started complaining about particularly boastful and boisterous guild members causing trouble and damaging property.

Within its walls, there are also a number of dedicated spaces for use by members, such as libraries and study rooms, areas for research into various sciences and schools of magic - small but reasonably well-equipped - and chambers for practice and training in both martial arts and archery.

There are also dedicated administrative areas, comprised of offices, meeting rooms and archives. It is here that administrators and high-rank officials manage guild affairs, and where messengers, scribes and recordkeepers attend their duties.

Somewhere within the Residential District, among its dark and narrow alleyways covered by jetties, beneath the shadows of the densely-packed multi-story buildings, lies an illegal market, run by merchants that are less concerned with morality and ethics. One seeking rare, exotic substances and animals and forbidden, potentially dangerous materials and substances may well find what they are looking for, for the right amount of coin. Even slavers may be found at times, buying and selling all manner of unfortunate people from various places.

Despite this black market being reasonably well known to most savvy individuals, authorities turn a blind eye to it, as, beyond layers of bribes and favors, the wealthy and even the Everreach Guild stand to benefit from the availability of goods that may be more difficult to find through other means.

A stone quarry that digs into the side of the mountain chain, near the city. It was established alongside the city, to provide stone - mainly basalt and andesite - for city infrastructure, such as the streets and the quay. It is still quite active, however, offering plenty of job opportunities, as well as continuing to contribute to the growth and expansion of not only the city, but also other settlements in the region.

As it doesn't have a proper name, most call it simply "the quarry", though some call it the Crestbend Quarry, given its proximity to the city.

Among the thousands of permanent and temporary residents, and the many frequent passersby that move through the city each day, there are some notable, well-known, or simply interesting people, some of which will be documented below.

A disgraced wolfkin, banished from his tribe due to excessive greed and aggressiveness, Dohan ascended into nobility by marrying the recently-widowed wife of a prominent noble of Crestbend Harbor, who's no longer seen as often since then. Dohan himself is also seldom seen, only leaving his home in the Noble Quarter for necessities, chores, and sometimes for entertainment of various forms.

He was banished at a young age, before even acquiring the right to perform the Call of the Hunt. As such, the name Dohan is not one he earned, and isn't recognized by his tribe or any wolfkin that knows of his past. The names by which he is recognized by wolfkin society are, translated, Whelp-who-Gnaws, the descriptor used by his tribe when he was a child, and Dreadvice, the name he earned during The Weathering.

He has amassed an infamous reputation due to "rumors" of him regularly purchases slaves, from the black market and from traveling merchants that come from other lands. According to such rumors, such regular purchases are due to his harsh, barbaric and violent treatment of slaves, especially women.

A dark-skinned elf, owner of a shop near the Market Square that sells plants, such as herbs, flowers, and decorative plants, some common herbal remedies, and an assortment of small decorative trinkets that he crafts. The shop is somewhat small, quaint and rustic-looking, built using a mix of brick and mortar and wood. He has lived in the city for a few years now, and is well liked by his customers and critics, being known as a calm, gentle man with fairly simple and mundane aspirations and interests.

He left his community in the Elven Empire due to the prejudice he suffered after a number of members prejudiced against dark-skinned elves rose to the council. Despite longing to see his friends and family again, he feels much too bitter to return.

Others have noticed recently that he has been opening his shop increasingly late, and closing it increasingly early, some days not opening it at all. Some worry, with reason, that he may be ill in some way. The truth is that he has been suffering for years from a disease that afflicts only his kin, and that only elves know how to treat. However, despite the increasing pain and disabilities he suffers, he refuses to return to his community and ask for their help.

A felikin woman who owns and runs a small herbs and tea shop that also functions as a café. It is quite brightly decorated, in a distinct combination of orange, yellow, and light pink. A number of small statues of cats in various poses decorate the front of her shop, contrasting with her somewhat serious and impatient personality. She doesn't speak much, usually replying in a curt manner when spoken to.

She is somewhat mysterious, but not at all in a threatening way. Although it is known that she used to be a traveling merchant from some distant land to the East before settling down in Crestbend Harbor, no one knows much else about her.

A powerful, decentralized empire formed by a pre-existing group of allied races, the central constituent being the Ley'iyish, or the Elves, which lends its name. Though it is multiracial in nature, it is bound by a strong kinship, which the Ley'iyish have fostered over their history, which, along with the expansion of their territory and influence, led to the empire's formation.

The empire is loosely-structured, with no single individual or entity in power. Instead, its power is distributed over a number of communities, each governed by a council consisting of some of the most intellectual and politically-inclined residents, one of which is appointed, by merit, head of the council. This structure allows for a great deal of autonomy and flexibility in decision-making, with each council tending to its own community's goals and interests.

Decisions and disputes in a community are discussed in gatherings where members are usually allowed to participate, though more delicate matters are tended to in privacy. This allows for all members of the community to have their words heard in matters that affect them, and for councilors to draw from different opinions and perspectives to base their decisions.

Congregations are regularly held between the head councilors of communities near each other, where information is shared, matters of mutual interest are discussed and actions are coordinated, everything being documented by scribes. With each community taking part of multiple of these congregations, this sort of information is propagated throughout the entire empire in a matter of only weeks, up to a couple of months.

Information of more urgent and critical nature, such as notifications of enemy encroachment and significant environmental changes, requests for medical assistance in disease outbreaks or natural disasters, and requests for military backup against enemy attacks, among others, are relayed through a network of messengers. These messengers are usually chosen based on both physical fitness and knowledge of the surrounding terrain, as well as trustworthiness, to an extent - a recently-joined outsider or someone prone to distraction or injury are ill-fitted for the role.

Where the distance between communities is too great for a single messenger to span in timely fashion, messenger posts are built and maintained, either by the community with most resources or by multiple nearby communities that share the upkeep and occupation of such posts. This ensures that such important messages are relayed as effectively as possible

To members of the empire, one's gender and race are irrelevant to their worth, and every individual's contribution is valued regardless. Family units are not strictly defined, most individuals following what their own racial traditions dictate, though the prominence of Elves in the society means some adopt their family structure. In either case, however, the community as a whole still generally takes part in raising and educating the children of its constituting families.

Despite this egalitarian attitude, the strong kinship between its constituent races and the Elves does impact the values and views of the empire's society, especially regarding races, communities and individuals that exploit and endanger natural environments and the flora and fauna therein. Such outsiders are usually met with distrust and apprehension, and communities that encroach on the empire's territory are often met with resistance.

Though there are a fair share of disputes and conflicts with outsiders, some communities bordering the empire's territory do have neutral, and even friendly relations with the empire, usually in the form of trade, diplomatic relations and treaties regarding the use and extraction of natural resources.

The decentralized nature of the empire is reflected on its military, with groups of nearby communities along the empire's borders coordinating their resources and manpower together to defend themselves against encroachment and small enemy parties. Against larger and more organized forces, however, they are able to quickly amass a considerable number of troops from communities further away in relatively short time by employing their messenger network. To an attacker, this makes it difficult to accurately assess and quantify the military power available to any single community, which in itself is a deterrent.

Differently than councils, which preside over a single community, military leaders have a number of communities under their jurisdiction and command, though soldiers themselves are trained locally or at the nearest community with appropriately skilled trainers. They are appointed by the collective opinions of the councils in the area, based on their knowledge of tactics and experience in battle.

They employ guerrilla tactics to great effect in both defensive and offensive positions, capitalizing on their knowledge of the terrain and their ease of movement through a variety of natural terrains to create traps and hidden pits, which serve well in deterring encroaching parties and slowing down and demoralizing enemy forces. Ambushes are also employed heavily, especially in wooded areas and where they meet lower terrain, where Elves especially, pure or hybrid, can make use of their longsight launch surprise attacks from great distances.

Arguably being part of the empire's military, scouts serve non-military purposes as well, though communities along the empire's borders tend to have more scouts. In such cases, additional manpower is necessary for duties such as identifying enemy movements, territorial encroachment and other threats, monitoring outsider communities near the border and enforcing active treaties between the empire and them.

Each community has at least one party of scouts that regularly survey its surroundings. Their duties include, but are not limited to, monitoring local fauna and flora, for behavioral changes and signs of spreading disease, and keeping track of environmental changes and important resources and locations.

Another duty, which they sometimes share with messengers, is maintaining roads and paths that run through the empire's territory.

Despite limited availability of metal, nearly all of it coming from trade and consisting of goods, the Elves' woodforming abilities and their intimate knowledge of wood as a material allow for the creation of very effective and precisely crafted weapons, especially bows and blunt weapons. Particularly skilled woodformers are even able to craft effective bladed weapons and arrowheads out of wood, though bone and stone is more widely used for those purposes.

Perhaps the staple of the empire's arsenal, however, is the core staff, a weapon-tool "hybrid" similar to a quarterstaff, though thicker, and fitted with a chunk of crystalline material from the core of a Silverwood tree at one end. As well as being used in a traditional form of spellcasting that combines gestural and verbal components, these can be easily adapted by woodformers to serve as a variety of weapons or tools, from spears and scythes to hoes and axes. For this purpose, military troops are always appointed at least one properly skilled woodformer.

— "Mm? Ah, greetings!"

Ras is a male, three-tailed Kitsune with elven ancestry, a "gentle giant" standing at a towering height of roughly two meters (or 6'8"). Though he looks to be in his mid to late twenties, in reality, he's in his mid thirties.

Though saying he is heterosexual would be mostly true, it is not strictly so. It is fairer to say he is attracted to femininity; to soft, graceful forms, whether curvaceous or diminute.

— "Why restrict oneself based on arbitrary definitions?"

His given name is Ras, some people use the extended form Rasu, which is also acceptable. Phonetically, the 'R' in his name is a tap /ɾ/, not a proximant /ɹ/, as it is in English.

His life thus far can be divided into three chapters: his early life, his time spent passing as a human in a village, and his current chapter as a scholar and guardian of the whisperwoods. However, his familial background is also important and relevant.

Note, also, that the following sections do not offer a complete view of his life, and some facts and events may not be expressly recounted.

He was born into the Silverleaf family, whose familial specialization is in the smithing of arms, armor, various crafts, and magical manipulation, such as enchanting, woodforming and conjuration. His family group has blacksmithing and enchanting as its chosen crafts, and consists of his parents, his maternal grandparents - which, being the oldest pair, are the heads of the group - a maternal aunt and her mate (an intrafamilial pairing), and their two daughters, totaling 8 family members, excluding him.

His parents, grandparents and aunt are part of an independent, and famously talented, band of blacksmiths - albeit not publicly, as they'd rather avoid being bothered. They are very well respected by other members of this band, known by the various unique techniques their talent in enchanting has afforded them. The band generally works by contract, but they also sell their products to merchants, individuals and authorities alike.

— "I still hear praise of their work echoing all the way here."

The family name, Silverleaf, harkens back to the family's origin in elven territory, where Silverwood trees grow. Due to their proximity and relations with Elves and other races under the elven empire, they tend to have closer ties with nature, and most have some woodforming ability, though they may not be trained in it. Intermingling with Elves also resulted in them generally having paler skin and lighter hairs, as well as slightly longer ears, in comparison to other Kitsunes.

He was a fairly calm child, but impressively curious, almost to the point of lacking common sense. To say he was foolish would be a lie, however - he was a fairly intelligent child, and displayed a peculiar ease in grasping both abstract and natural concepts when as young as six. This led him to be the sort of child who would sometimes chase animals and climb trees for fun, and sometimes patiently observe and study different animals and plants. Or... sometimes... eat them, out of curiosity.

— "In my defense, I was... only a wee lad! And some butterflies taste oddly sweet."

He was also the sort of child who would often learn things by himself, often in surprising or inventive ways, first in order to play some sort of trick on a friend or peer, and afterwards to appease them. This is, in part, what sparked his interest in crafting trinkets and accessories.

He had a fairly rich social life as well; groups of friends and acquaintances for various occasions, from playing pranks and chasing animals to playfighting and practicing spellcasting. The social and familial gatherings common in his kin's culture were big opportunities for him. He liked seeing the arts and crafts that other families made and experiencing new kinds of food, drinks, herbs and recreational substances, as well as meeting new people and making friends, though he tended to stay away from the thick of it, as too many people and too much noise always bothered him. Though he also had a few love interests, it was in one of these gatherings, at about ten years of age, that he met his first love, which was partially responsible for his first splitting.

— "I've gotten better at enjoying such gatherings, though I'm still not a fan of all the noise."

His grandparents were quick to pick up on his potential, and encouraged his parents to share as much as they could from their knowledge of spellcasting with him, especially enchanting and illusions, from the age of eight. They also indulged his requests to spend time within different family groups and learn skills outside their group's chosen crafts, such as weaving, wood- and bone-carving and cultivation.

— "Some find the idea of a studious child quite odd, somehow. It's not as though I was a saint..."

By his early teens, he'd learned much from his and nearby family groups, and his curiosity could no longer be sated by staying with his kin, and thus, with his parents' and grandparents' blessings, and the well-wishes of his few close friends and many acquaintances, he departed.

During an interfamilial social gathering when he was about ten years of age, amidst joyous songs and laughter, he was introduced to a soft, delicate beauty of a girl, belonging to a family of artisans. Wavy locks of hair cascaded over her shoulders down to her chest, in a near-white light blue, and adorned with a pair of white flowers as delicate as her. Her sweet visage held a round nose and seafoam green eyes atop soft, blushed cheeks. He was enchanted, even awestruck, by her charm, and his composure faltered like it never had before, but not enough to dissuade him from being with her.

— "I can still recall my first sight of her, and the beating in my chest... I fell quite hard, then."

As they conversed, they quickly discovered a shared interest in craftsmanship; she showed him the fine fabrics and elaborate garments that her gentle hands helped create, and he showed her the whimsical baubles and intricate pendants he'd crafted himself. As together they indulged in the diverse array of food and drinks, marveled at the displays of craftsmanship, and reveled in the melodies and dances of their kin - which seemed less bothersome in her company - they grew closer and closer, a bond forming between them.

On the last night of the celebration, this bond blossomed into affection, and then romance, as they shared their feelings and emotions through their foxfire, and discovered they were mutual. It was then that Ras had his first kiss, under moonlit skies and amidst distant sounds of joy and mirth.

— "And my stomach was aflutter, as though all the butterflies I'd eaten had come back to life within me."

Though they seldom met, only able to in these gatherings, they cherished the times they could spend together, and enjoyed sharing their progress in their respective crafts, as well as other interests. At the age of sixteen, however, he started preparing to split from his family in search of new experiences, skills and knowledge.

Only days before he departed, he received a gift from her family: a fine silk obi, in a vibrant dark blue - a pigment that only her family knew how to make. He recognized, however, that it was her work, as it was as soft, delicate and thoughtful as her; a simple yet tangible reminder of her affection for him to carry in his journey.

— "I still wear it everyday. 'Tis the one of the first things I touch in the morn, and one of the last things I see before sleep."

He split from his family group at the age of sixteen, and traveled eastward over the course of a few months, living essentially as a hermit, spending time in different places, meeting new people and accruing new experiences and knowledge. During his travels, to avoid potential discrimination from people who might feel negatively towards his kin, he relied on clever use of clothing to conceal his features, pass as a human with elf lineage. This self-imposed necessity to disguise himself also led him to begin learning how to enchant living tissue, using this ability to shorten his ears and the fur of his tails to better conceal them. In this, he unwittingly became one of the first in history to attain this ability.

— "It always made sense to me that it should be possible, but I'm still uncertain what exactly made me succeed then. It just... clicked."

The experiences and knowledge he sought during this journey also included, naturally, new forms of pleasure and a deeper understanding of intimacy and what diverse desires people from different races and cultures had to offer. Despite his disguises, the innate charisma of his kin still lent itself well to such endeavors, leading to a number of brief romances, flings and encounters, with locals and passersby alike.

Eventually, as he delved into the Whisperwood Forest he decided to settle at a village there, through which passed a road that connected more northern regions to Crestbend Harbor. This promised a near-constant stream of new people, commoners and merchants alike, passing by the village, including people of races he'd never seen before. The charm and mystique of the surrounding environment was another reason for his decision to stay there, as he was eager to study what different and unique animals and plants he could find there.

— "It was a charming place, with charming people, and a charming ambiance."

He was quick make friends with locals, especially the village apothecary and the smith/carpenter, from which he sought apprenticeships, and Riella, a fellow apothecary apprentice who had arrived there about a year prior to him. Though he had to be more discrete in his intimate relations, he still sought after passersby, especially those he found attractive, interesting or peculiar. Balancing his time between learning different things and mingling with villagers and passersby alike, he still made time to journey out in secret to explore the surrounding areas, often taking notes. It was in one of these surveys that he found the lake near which he'd later move to, and during which he began to commune with the whisperwoods themselves.

By the time he was nearing his mid twenties, he was fairly well liked and respected in the village, seen by acquaintances as a scholarly man, and by friends as a witty, playful and caring person. The village grew as traffic through the road increased, however, and merchant stalls and shops began to appear along it. For him, it was getting much too lively for comfort, so he planned ahead and picked a spot nearby in the woods to build himself a home.

— "It was time for 'Nilas' the half-elf to travel back to his family... put to rest the rumors that he had a tail."

At about the age of twenty six was when he started cutting a clearing, near a gentle slope that led down towards the western side of the lake. Using the wood, he started building a comfortably-sized (for one) wooden cabin, and picked stones from a nearby river to build a fireplace, as harsh winters did come in the region. It took him about two and a half years, working whenever the weather allowed, to get to a point where he could finally move in. He has continually worked on it since, however, making additions and improvements.

In his outings into the woods surrounding the village, he did hear the odd whistle- and whisper-like sounds of the whisperwood oaks, as the locals said he should. As the months passed, however, they progressively became more different than what had been described to him, however, as these sounds didn't always seem to originate from the gestures of the modified leaves of these trees; he began to hear them within his mind, as though the trees themselves were attempting to speak to him.

— "They felt - feel - eerily similar to sensory projections."

Over his years in the village, amidst work, mentorships and relationships, this always remained in the back of his mind, but nothing changed, even as he continued to explore the region. Things only started to change once he began preparing to move into the forest, as such he spent more time amidst the whisperwood oaks, this effect started to become more pronounced again. From his observations over the years, he could conclude that many of these sounds were probably messages, or warnings, of disturbances and significant activity throughout the forest, which were being passed along from tree to tree. However, the whispers in his mind were becoming more coherent, and he began to feel drawn by this phenomenon.

As his understanding improved, and the construction of his home progressed, so too did this communion grow stronger, and he eventually assumed his current role as Guardian of the Whisperwoods, his newfound purpose and sense of belonging causing his second splitting, and earning him his third tail.

— "And thus I learned how to talk to trees. Or, uhm, well, to whisperwood oaks, at least."

His personality is marked by contrast, both inside and outside, as can be fairly common in Kitsunes, given their predatory nature and their focus on family. Him being a particularly gentle and caring individual, however, intensifies this contrast, as he treats even his prey with tenderness, relying much more on charm and manipulation rather than force. He himself finds the effect of this contrast on others amusing, often intentionally displaying a disarmingly calm and gentle demeanor, especially around those who may feel frightened or discomforted under the gaze of his slit pupils, to play with their expectations and exacerbate the resulting confusion, though not maliciously.

— "It is fun to treat others well when they expect the opposite. The larger the gap, the more delightful their confusion is."

His playful, curious nature and humorous wit tend to show only with closer acquaintances, though it depends on his mood and on the particular stranger. With those he knows well and cares for, however, his care and affection show much more strongly, especially in the forms of physical contact, small acts of service and gifts. He behaves almost paternally towards those he feels close to, which is a prime example of his caring and affectionate nature, though some may find being treated inferiorly, or even childishly, disconcerting. Most tend to accept and cherish the guidance and sense of security he provides, however.

— "Anyone can use a shoulder or lap to lay their head on and be lavished with head scratches sometimes, no? 'Tis a matter of having the opportunity, and lacking the pride."

His natural curiosity exacerbates the pleasure- and novel-seeking behaviors of his kin, often leading him to be seduced by, and impulsively pursue, offers of new experiences and opportunities to learn. This can sometimes lead to awkward, even humorous situations, but also potentially dangerous ones, wherein his resourcefulness and adaptability come to use.

He sometimes struggles to say "no" to those he's close to or interested in, sometimes giving rise to situations where he'll allow himself to be taken advantage of, if in small ways. Though this can sometimes heighten to more complicated and uncomfortable situations for him, he will, at some point, tactfully draw a line somewhere.

— "A trickster that allows himself to be tricked. 'Tis somewhat fair, in some poetic sense, is it not?"

On the other side of the same coin, in his affectionate nature and desire for deeper bonds, he'll often test and/or press the boundaries of those he wishes to grow closer to, intentionally or not. For example, he may act particularly playful and insistent towards someone he's interested in for one reason or another, or be affectionate and paternal towards someone who may initially feel uncomfortable with such displays, which may sometimes come off as brash or pushy.

— "Sometimes embarrassment is merely a lack of honesty, I find. And I can usually tell when it is not. Usually."

While he is kind, warmhearted and empathetic, he finds that not all are deserving of such considerations. Though, generally, he'd rather avoid conflicts and confrontations, he will readily stand up for and defend victims of those he may consider immoral, malevolent or dangerous - especially unambiguously or excessively so - when in the position to do so, especially when he stands to benefit from it. He is not above harming, blackmailing, extorting, manipulating or taking advantage of those he finds deserving, either, taking full advantage of his skills and abilities in such endeavors. He is compassionate, however, and may be merciful or lenient depending on the context and factors surrounding such persons, much preferring the role of mediator, rehabilitator, or even therapist, if he's able.

— "How wrong is it to buy a slave when the second highest bidder is Dohan?"

He is also not above taking advantage of others in small ways, especially if he stands to attain something particularly desirable at the cost of inconveniencing an innocent person, or if it's only detrimental to those who can afford it or may deserve it. He will happily steal fruits from others' property, blackmail cheating merchants, or deal in contraband and illegal trades, for example. One particular example of this is his small habit of purchasing, nurturing and then releasing illegally traded slaves whenever he amasses the small fortune required.

— "Some rare herbs sell for quite a sum, being illegal."

He is quite tall, reaching a height of around two meters (or six feet and seven inches), excluding the length of his ears. Despite the intimidating height, however, his build is wiry, lean and vaguely androgynous, resulting in a graceful appearance that still reflects the agility and dexterity he inherits from his kitsune physiology. His svelte form is misleading, however, as his apprenticeship with the village's smith and his years spent building his home in the Whisperwoods by himself left him more than fit, though his muscles are dense and solid, rather than bulky.

— "Oh, please, I'm only moderately fit."

Along with this physique, his soft facial features, V-shaped face and long, wavy hair - white as snow, like his fur, and reaching down to his lower back - add much to his androgynous appearance, as well. His claws are mostly charcoal black, but fade into a clear, translucent appearance towards the base, where they join his fingertips. Perhaps his most striking feature, however, are his bright amber eyes, which, under firelight, shimmer like the flames themselves.

Though he isn't vain by any means, he does care about his appearance somewhat, and regularly spends time brushing and applying oils and other substances to his hair and furs. Though his claws generally don't require much maintenance, he does have to periodically dull or cut those on his feet, as he doesn't enjoy having to repair his boots too often. He also tries to keep the claws on his fingers nice and sharp, as they serve as tools for many purposes. Being part of his body, of course, he's always able to be gentle when touching others with them, however - his head scratches are notoriously good among his friends and acquaintances.

— "I'm uncertain whether it's me or the claws, to be frank."

His choice of garments, as is common for his kin, revolves around comfort and practicality, though simplicity, suitability and ease of repair are also important considerations. However, on special occasions, or when the mood strikes, he does enjoy wearing more elaborate and intricately crafted apparel.

— "I simply enjoy looking my best, at times."

In his waking hours, he wears simple kimonos in shades of white and near-white grey, accompanied by a royal blue obi that he always wears, and with the occasional addition of a haori, a short jacket, when it's cold or breezy outside. Though the light hues of his kimonos make smudges of dirt show much more prominently, he sees them as marks of the work that he has done and activities that he enjoyed throughout the day. At day's end, however, he always changes into a softer and more delicate robe before going to bed.

When at or near his home, he usually goes barefoot, enjoying the freedom and the feeling of the soft earth and vegetation beneath his feet, though he'll sometimes wear sandals. He always has at least one pair of sturdy leather boots for venturing farther from home or into populated areas, however, particularly places with rocky and uneven terrain.

— "Walking barefoot upon the soft forest soil is quite pleasant... Unless it is raining."

A compiled list of traits, skills and abilities that are either innate to him, that he developed or learned, or otherwise attained through some means, along with how he came to possess them and how he uses them.

See also:
Kitsunes - Traits & Abilities
Elves - Traits & Abilities

A small collection of some of his more notable personal belongings, and the story behind them.

A fittingly-named, finely-crafted sword forged by a wolfkin blacksmith who also lives in the Whisperwoods, closer to the mountain range. It is similar to an estoc, having a long, straight and somewhat thin double-edged blade that tapers to a fine thrusting point, a cruciform cross-guard with ring guards on either side, and a hand-and-a-half hilt.

— "It's a bit of an odd design, but it feels nigh perfect to me. He read my tastes surprisingly well."

It given to him as a gift in return for his assistance in a personal matter involving a tribe of bothersome harpies.

An obi made of fine silk, in a vibrant royal blue, which he always wears. It was a gift from his first love, handed to him through their parents under the guise of a parting gift for his journey; a token of her affection and tangible reminder of their bond and the moments they shared.

An elaborately tailored kimono in the purest, brightest white, with a pattern of leaves embroidered in lustrous white thread. The white on white results in a subtle but elegant look. The hems on the sleeves, neck and bottom are wide and dyed in the same vibrant royal blue as his obi - a pigment only one kitsune family knows how to produce.

— "It looks truly beautiful. I feel like royalty wearing it."

After splitting from his family, he built a small fortune and returned years later to visit the family of his first love to see her, under the guise of wanting to order an elaborate kimono. However, by then she had also split from her family and moved to live elsewhere.

While it's mostly reserved for celebrations, gatherings and special occasions, he'll sometimes wear it at home as well, while smoking or indulging on sweets, drinks or other substances.

A pure white, hip-length haori - essentially a jacket with loose, wide sleeves - hemmed in black. Its lining is dyed black, and painted in an elaborate bamboo leaf pattern, symbolizing calmness and tranquility.

— "I look quite nice in it, I find. I only don't wear it more often out of laziness."

It isn't used often, generally reserved for colder days in which he can't be bothered to enchant his clothes for warmth, though he does wear it to go out at times. How he came into possession of it is unclear, though, given its style, either he had it tailored for him as well, or it was a fairly lucky find.

His current home in the forest consists of a lush garden, in which he cultivates a variety of both plants and fungi, and a cozy wooden cabin situated uphill from a lake. It was built out of wood from the trees he cut to open the clearing, which is now consists the garden.

What he considers his home spans more than just his cabin, however. Aside from his garden, he considers the lake to the near-east part of his home too, as well as the surrounding forest, in a certain radius.

In an attempt to keep nosy passersby from simply wandering into his home, he employs a spell proxy that casts a discreet illusion spell that drives wanderers away from his home.

— "A relatively simple and inexpensive one, given how effective it is, frankly."

— "Behold, my sanctuary!"

A clearing carved into the woods and made into a garden, which his cabin sits at the east-southeastern edge of. Its shape is roughly elliptical, though it also extends towards the sides of the cabin, somewhat.

Gently curving paths of river stones cut and weave through it like veins, dividing it into sections where different kinds of plants and fungi are grown. Some of these sections have been altered to mimic different environments, which, while requiring more maintenance, also allows for the cultivation of a wider variety of species, some of which are difficult to find, or are only naturally available in difficult to reach places.

— "It doesn't always work, but I've had surprising success in recreating some soils and conditions."

The garden is home to a diversity of types and species of plants, from grasses and shrubs to some small trees, as well as some lichens and fungi. Flowers of different shapes and colors, berries sweet and tart, herbs, fruits, and even tubers are harvested throughout much of the year. While much of what he cultivates consists of edible and medicinal plants - especially berries, teas and plants that have some form of recreative use or psychoactive component - many are also alchemical ingredients, some of which may be sold for a significant amount of coin.

— "Tea, incense and smoking herbs are certainly my favorites."

There is a central section, which mostly consists of moss- and lichen-covered rocks and boulders. Among them is a large geode, roughly 1.5 meters (or 5 feet) in diameter at its widest point. It is whole, so what's inside the geode isn't known, though its relatively low weight and the resonant sound it makes when struck hint that it is. The geode was found on the surface, within the forest, and rolled into its current place - with... a significant amount of effort, over the span of a few days.

— "Can you picture how surprised I was to find it? I would've missed it, had I not whacked a tail against it on accident. The process of me rolling it must've looked quite comical, I'm sure."

Ras will sometimes sit or lay upon these boulders to enjoy a light breeze, observe passing animals, meditate, or gaze at the clouds or stars - the heat they retain from bathing in sunlight can make them fairly cozy, if somewhat spartan, seating.

— "My den, if you will."

A reasonably sized wooden cabin, roughly square in shape. Notably, it lacks inner walls, the open space lending it a fairly spacious feel, despite the small footprint. Instead, the fireplace, support beams, and furniture divide the indoor space. Adding to its cozy feel are its wooden floors - except immediately near the fireplace and stove, where stone tiles take their place - and a small variety of rugs placed here and there.

The space is divided into four sections: a quaint kitchen at the far left, a busy storage area in the far right, a living room at the near left, and a cozy space for activities immediately to the left, which is subdivided into a workshop toward the front, and a study, or den, near the fireplace - which is double-sided, and shared with the kitchen.

A loft spans over the back half of the cabin, where he sleeps. Being closer to the ceiling, where warm air accumulates, makes for quite a cozy and reserved sleeping space, especially during winter. An u-shaped set of stairs, between the storage area and the living room, leads to it.

— "A den within a den!"

A small porch extends across the front of the cabin, covered by a shallow sloping roof. While there it is adorned with a rocking chair and a bench, its purpose is mostly to prevent dirt from being tracked indoors - though it still is, and he doesn't really mind it much. A small woodshed was built near the northeastern side of the cabin.

A small but sufficiently well-equipped kitchen, placed in the far left corner of the cabin. The fireplace it shares with the den has a larger opening on this side, allowing for the use of cauldrons and larger pots. A stone brick stove is built into the side wall as well, with the back exposed to the outside - a post-construction addition. Together, they allow for a variety of dishes to be prepared, which serves his novel-seeking tendencies.

— "I was quite happy to finally be able to bake, though it ended up being... a bit more work than I'd hoped. I still dabble in it, however, when the mood strikes."

Against the back wall, a counter with drawers and cabinets sits under a window, which is framed by shelves filled with bowls and jars of spices, teas (which he loves), and other herbs and ingredients. The window provides a nice view of the nearby lake and its northern bank - where hares, squirrels and other small mammals can often be seen going by - the surrounding forest, and, in the distance, the Winterblush Peaks. A door sits to the left of the counter, leading out the back of the cabin.

— "There's a colony of harmonares nearby I'm trying to make friends with. I often see one or two by the lake's northern bank."

A small round table complements the quaint kitchen, with only two opposing chairs - it isn't as though he's often visited by more than one person, after all.

A busy but reasonably well organized storage area sits in the far right. Tall shelves sit against the side and back walls, with crates and sacks of foodstuffs, materials and other things. The area extends into the space beneath the stairs as well, where more crates and sacks lie somewhat haphazardly in piles. A sturdy table sits against the stair supports, in front of which a long rug, made of woven plant fibers, runs lengthwise.

— "The rug was Riella's idea. It does tie the space together; it even feels a bit cozy, for what it is."

Between the stairs and the cabin's right wall, there is a smallish, shallow compartment inset into the floor, lined with stone and topped with a trapdoor that sits flush with the wooden floor. In his mind, this compartment may remain cooler than the house itself and the outside, and thus potentially able to keep meat fresh for a day or two longer than it otherwise would, especially in summer and spring. Its effectiveness is... unclear, however, as it is equally possible that he is simply highly resistant to food poisoning. Much of what he hunts is either eaten fresh or dried for storage, anyhow.

— "Well... The concept feels sound to me..."

The space to the right of the entrance is essentially a living room. A three-seat couch sits with its back facing the left, as if denoting a corridor extending from the front door. It is simple in construction: a wooden frame with animal pelts for cushions. Another sits with its back against the front wall, under a window that spans from near the front door to around the corner, providing a nice view of the garden and the southern edge of the clearing.

— "I like the rustic feel of the animal pelts. They feel quite soft, as well."

A rectangular wooden coffee table sits in the middle of this space. It has been polished smooth and treated with a dark stain, which accentuates the wood's natural grain. A small ceramic pot sits at its center, housing a small plant he'd found growing on the mountainside, which grows flowers with white, blue-tipped petals.

— "It hasn't much use, but it looks and smells quite lovely."

Against the side wall, opposing the first couch, stands a console and, to the left of it, a standing shelf, both polished and stained similarly to the coffee table, albeit a shade lighter. Both are filled with trinkets and baubles, most carved from wood and bone, others from rocks, or sculpted from clay, along with crystals and pretty-looking rocks - many of which are gifts from fellow forest dwellers - and small pots with plants and mosses. A deer skull, carved with decorative swirling patterns and mounted on a base, sits centered atop the console, with a pair of antlers formed in elegant, fluid arcs.

— "Mmm, I still have its mane in storage; it's beautiful! I really must commission a robe or kimono with it around the neck. Or perhaps I could fashion it into a scarf? Mmm..."

Occupying a little more than a quarter of the cabin's space, this is where Ras spends much of his free time - sat in his armchair by the fireplace, indulging on his various interests, or at his workbench, working on some design or trinket.

— "Arguably, another den in my den. I've... many dens, do I not?"

A simple but very comfy-looking armchair sits by the fireplace, facing it diagonally, away from the living room. Much like the couches in the living room, it is simply a wooden frame with animal pelts for cushions, but with decorative carvings along the arms and behind the back. It is also built to his size, so it might look a bit large for most visitors. A small rug runs across its front, where his feet rest, and a soft floor pillow sits against its right side. A small round table also sits beside it, where his smoking pipe usually rests.

A bookcase, tall but somewhat thin, sits against the cabin's left wall, directly facing the armchair. Among pots with decorative arrangements of stones, mosses, and flowers or dangling plants, a small collection of books sit upon its shelves - mostly martial arts manuals and books on various aspects and schools of magic.

— "I should buy more books soon; I've already finished reading nearly all the ones I have."

Against the cabin's front wall sits a spacious, sturdily built workbench, often cluttered with various tools and bits of cloth, tanned leather and other materials, as well as sheets of paper with notes and design sketches. The very back of the workbench extends up into a shelf, where more tools, writing utensils and a number of crafting manuals sit. A fist-sized chunk of raw citrine sits in the corner, beneath the shelf - an interesting find of his, the color of which is reminiscent to that of his eyes.

Beside the workbench sit a barrel and a large chest, both similarly filled to the brim with raw materials - rolls of cloth and leather, animal pelts and furs, pieces of wood, bone and horns, even sacks of pretty or interesting rocks and gems. The chest itself is so full it probably couldn't be closed, if one tried.

An u-shaped set of stairs, between the living room and the storage corner, leads up to a loft that spans the back of the cabin, which serves as a bedroom. It is sparsely furnished, with only a bed, a set of nightstands - one on each side - a chest, and a dresser.

A spacious bed sits low against the gable, which takes the form of a large window past the height of the headboard - despite not spending much of his waking time there, he made it a point to make a comfortable bed, with space for two plus extra. Its short headboard, designed to let the sun wake him in the morning, is carved with curved, swirly patterns and sculped in nature motifs - quite reminiscent of elven art. A somewhat hefty animal fur cover lays haphazardly across the foot end of the bed, reserved for harsh winter nights wherein layers of mere fabric won't suffice.

A chest, as wide as the bed itself, sits immediately in front of it, its cushioned lid almost serving as an extension. Within it are stored sheets, covers, towels and, notably, the old clothes he used to wear in his time at the village - pants and shirts, rather than his now-usual single-piece apparels.

— "And herein lies Nilas."

Out from behind the cabin, to the east, the terrain soon curves down into a gentle slope, leading towards a small spring-fed lake. A narrow trail of trodden grass - shorter and a shade darker - leads down the slope, around the northern side of the lake, and on west into the forest.

A fire pit and sitting area sit on a flatter section of the slope, to the south of the trail that leads down it. A ring of stones surround the pit, with a small divot of charred earth within, and an area of compacted dirt without. Two halves of a mostly-straight log sit in a half-circle around it for seating.

— "Sometimes I'll bring my covers outside and sleep there, by the fire. It's quite nice, I find."

The lake's crystal-clear waters come from aquifers in the region, which feeds into it via a spring. A small variety of aquatic and semi-aquatic plants live within and at the edge of its waters, as well as animals such as fishes - including the moonlight perch - small crustaceans, insects, and even some frogs. Some species of waterfowl may also be seen at certain times of the year, stopping by to rest and feed as they migrate.

The lake is a most beautiful sight at night, when the darkness allows the glow of the moonlight perch to show through and illuminate the water from within - on nights when the waters are calm, they may be see so clearly one might convince themselves they're simply flying through air. During the warmer months of the year, they're joined by the blinking yellow-green lights of fireflies, which makes for quite the spectacle.

— "Swimming naked under all these lights feels marvelous."

The trail that leads around its northern side splits and extends into the lake in the form of a small pier, at about halfway from the western to the eastern edge. It isn't as well built as would be ideal, but is sturdy enough to serve as a relaxing spot, a diving platform, and a mooring point for a small boat.

The lake's northern bank consists of a small glade of mostly flat terrain, with a few small groups of trees strewn about, while the southern edge consists almost entirely of a series of large boulders that almost seem to keep the short hill which leans on them from falling in. The forest peers over the lake from upon this hill, the canopy extending over the edge of the lake - quite a nice place to sit and relax on warmer days.

— "And nights. It's where the lightning bugs tend to hang around the most, so you'll often be able to get more intimate with them."

— "You can call me Ella, if it's easier, okay?"

Riella is a tan-skinned elfin woman, with an adventurous spirit and easygoing personality. She is a tad short for an elfin, but fairly average in human terms, at about 1.65 meters tall. She has a passion for alchemy, despite her lack of natural aptitude.

She is pansexual, not minding the physiology or physical appearance of her potential partners. In a sense, this reflects her attitude about the world, and her wish to view and experience as many facets of it as possible.

Riella is a name she picked for herself during a ceremony as an early teenager, while Elwenyis is her father's family name. Being a Ley'iyish name, R is a dental tap, and the stressed syllable is the last in both names.

She grew up in an elfin community in the plateaus near the center of the main continent. She was born an adventurous lass, and into a family that was rather strict about traditions and customs - quite bad luck, she would say.

— "If I could've chosen, I wouldn't have chosen them, but... I still love them."

It wasn't long before she ran away from home in search of more interesting things to discover and experience.

Though it was tough for her as a young lass, she did quite well in her travels, learning and doing odd jobs here and there wherever she could to earn a living, and fishing and foraging when her coin pouch was light. It wasn't all quite as she had dreamed of it, but much felt just as fulfilling as she'd imagined.

From a young age she displayed her adventurous spirit, leading to her being a bit of a troublemaker, running away from home to wander and explore and doing her best to avoid many of their rituals.

She'd often meet many new people in these outings, both temporary acquaintances and friends she'd try to visit whenever she could. She's had a way with people ever since she was a young lass - many of their community's elders would find in her a good listener, especially for tales of travels they've gone on and people from different societies they've met in these travels.

— "For how strict they are, they sure traveled a lot, huh? I still remember some of those stories."

These tales and stories only ever fed her want for adventure, however, and it was only a matter of time before she ran away from home.

As an early adolescent with fourteen years of age, not long after deciding her own name would be Riella, she ran away from her home and her parents in the name of exploration and discovery. She spent her teenage years roving from place to place, doing odd jobs and learning a bit of everything as she went.

At the start, she would only spend a few weeks at each place, worried her parents might find her otherwise. She would spend a little longer in places she felt safe in, however; families would sometimes welcome her and offer shelter, as long as she pulled her weight, so to speak. Not all places had such nice people, however, and she struggled to keep herself safe at times.

Once she felt she were far enough away, however, she began to spend longer at each place, which gave her a better opportunity to learn different skills and better understand the people and the local culture - and to indulge in more intimate explorations. She had many memorable encounters, experiences and relationships with people, and apprenticed in a number of skills.

It was during this period that she discovered the wonders of alchemy, under the apprenticeship of a prominent lizan alchemist and scholar from a large city that was spending some time at the village she had found herself in. She must've been around seventeen, and was immediately fascinated the complex interactions certain materials, substances and objects could have under the right conditions.

— "Master Zhami was very sweet, considering... all the trouble I gave him. With how patient he was with me, I knew he'd be a professor when he went back!"

After those two years under their mentorship, she hungered for any knowledge on the subject, and would often try to experiment with different materials she'd find in each place she spent time at. She also took an interest in herbalism, as it is adjacent to alchemy, and her elfin heritage bestowed upon her a natural affinity for all things nature.

Not very long into her journey - must've been only a few months since she'd ran away - she found herself in a small farming village. While the locals weren't very welcoming, they seemed to her like decent enough folk, and one family did offer to let her sleep in their barn, as long as she didn't bother the animals. The animals didn't seem to mind - in fact, most animals tend to be friendly with her, generally.

After a few nights, however, one of the family's oldest sons approached her in the barn after dark. He hadn't spoken much to her, despite her attempts at conversation, but did show interest - at least his eyes did. He still didn't say much as he forced himself upon her, only speaking to verbally justify himself. Suffice to say it was, to her, a very confusing and frightening experience, and one sure to leave a mark on her psyche.

The confusion she experienced that night lingered in her mind for quite some time. Having been naive and somewhat gullible then, due to her social and empathetic nature, she struggled with the unfortunate thought that perhaps the act was indeed justified, as, despite her age, she hadn't much of a clue of its gravity. However, her biggest struggle was with the complex feelings and emotions the experience had stirred in her, which included a strange allure towards the sensation of vulnerability and powerlessness she felt. This left her feeling even more confused, and, by the time she truly understood what had happened that night, somewhat disgusted with herself.

The experience left her wary and less overly trusting of others, and also encouraged her to learn to defend herself. As she continued her journey, it thankfully didn't dissuade her from pursuing and exploring intimacy, despite the guilt she felt for having these strange desires - and, thankfully, this event never came to repeat. With time, introspection, and the safe space that some of her partners provided, she eventually came to accept these complex feelings and the (still somewhat) guilty pleasures she derived from them, despite the event itself, although it remains an unpleasant memory.

She sometimes sent a letter home before moving away from a place, especially as she started feeling safe in staying longer. It often included a small trinket or token from where she'd been living, along with descriptions of what she'd seen, learned and experienced in her stay there.

In the beginning, it was a way to 'rub it in' , so to say, that she managed to escape and was having the time of her life discovering new things and meeting new people. However, as she learned about other cultures, she came to appreciate hers more, and to understand, despite still disagreeing with, their strictness when it came to their traditions.

Her bitterness waned as she grew up, and she eventually started to stay in the same place for long enough that her parents had the chance to write back. They appreciated that she kept in contact, and despite their great worry - especially when she first ran away - they had a feeling she might try something of the sort. Her surprise was that she had a younger brother, who she's yet to meet to this day.

— "I figured they would be angrier - I almost wanted them to be - but they understood. And a brother!? They say he looks a lot like me, which makes me very curious."

In her later teenage years, as she accrued a better appreciation for more subtle aspects of local cultures, she started to spend multiple months of her life at each place, sometimes even a year or more. She wanted to know more about each place, its people, and what it has to offer in terms of experiences - quality over quantity, so to say.

Having been traveling tortuously in an eastern-northwesternly direction since the beginning of her journey, she eventually reached the Whisperwood Forest region, and was immediately enchanted by the local flora - she'd seen many interesting and odd forms of plant life by that point, but whistling, murmuring trees was a first.

— "Murmuring, whistling trees? I mean, come on! Their flowers are so pretty, too - and they smell really nice."

There she settled in a village that had grown on top of a road that led westerly towards another region, and eagerly towards the coast, ending in Crestbend Harbor. Despite its steady growth and development, it was a very tight-knit community, which she very much appreciated, and the number and variety of passersby would give her plenty of opportunities to meet interesting people, and perhaps even exchange alchemy knowledge, advice and recipes.

She quickly endeared herself to nearly everyone in the village, her easygoing personality and empathy making her quite a charming lass at twenty one years old. She also apprenticed under the local apothecary, with whom her talent for herbalism truly blossomed. She garnered quite a reputation, with villagers often going directly to her for help with certain illnesses - though her charm was also certainly part of it. Many frequent passersby would also come to trust in her work, and are still her patrons to this day.

— "I had to be good at something, right?"

About a year after she settled in the Whisperwoods, a half-elf, half-human man with long, black hair arrived at the same village she was living in. His name was Nilas, and he sought an apprenticeship with the local apothecary as well. They quickly discovered a number of shared world views and interests.

— "He was too smooth for an elf. Half-elf. There was something about his eyes, too, which was hard not to notice."

They became friends quite quickly - and intimate quite quickly, as well. It was only a month before Nilas revealed to her - somewhat unintentionally - his true name and kin: Ras Silverleaf, a fox in half-elf's clothing; well, a kitsune, rather.

Despite the earned ill repute of his kin and her past trauma, she'd known him enough by then not to immediately turn away from him. And despite not endorsing the more immoral - or, at least, morally gray - aspects of the instincts that he shared with them, she at least had the chance to know the whole truth behind their infamy, which put her at ease about him. In some ways, he also helped her better cope with her trauma.

— "I don't know if I'd say their infamy is undeserved, but he wouldn't hurt a soul."

They exchanged tales of their respective journeys and knowledge on the various subjects they studied and learned along the way. It was he who taught her illusion and conjuration, though she only managed to grasp the basics.

— "I don't even really like magic, but he's clearly very into it. He's good, too, and he taught me well."

Having spent four years at the village in the Whisperwoods, she decided it was time to move again. It was the longest she'd stayed at the same place since running away, and despite the influx of new residents and the passersby, she knew she still had much to see. She spent a few weeks helping Ras get settled at his new home in the forest, however, which he had moved into six months prior.

— "All of his woven rugs are my fault!"

After bidding her farewells to his friends, locals and passersby alike, she took to the roads again.

It was a bit of a long road, but she was soon enough reunited with her old mentor, Master Zhami. He had become even more prominent, and was now a professor at the city's academy. With some of his help, she was able to find a small, quaint little space to live in and focus on her studies and experiment, where she currently lives. She turned part of it into a storefront, so that she may still work as an apothecary - she does still get visits from familiar faces she met while in Whisperwood Forest, as well.

She's had a way with people ever since she was a child, being quite the social butterfly to this day. She has an easygoing personality, and is often found by others to be very approachable and easy to talk to - even those with a particularly high degree of social ineptitude.

— "Confident people can be fun or jerks, and shy people can be cute or overbearing, so why judge? They can even be both, too!"

Strong is her adventurous spirit, with an inborn desire to experience as wide a variety of things as possible, but not to a shallow degree. Despite the hardships she faced when she ran away from home, they only validated and strengthened that desire, which fueled her journey. She cherishes the independence she developed during her journey as well, having learned how to stand her ground and even defend herself effectively enough.

— "Most bastards back away if you bark back, but if they don't, taint kicks work for both genders, you know?"

Beyond her outgoing demeanor and adventurous nature, however, lies a delicate flower, who, having suffered herself, can barely stand to see others suffer, in loud publicity or solemn solitude. She'll often approach others if they seem as though they could use company, a pair of elfin ears, or whatever else she may offer, be they a friend, patron, or stranger.

She can be quite the teasing temptress, so to say, often dressing herself in ways that tastefully accentuate the light curves of her form, which she enjoys showing off. Some of her mannerisms exude seductiveness, especially when she's in the presence of someone she has interest in, practically inviting them to indulge.

Her adventurous spirit can, and sometimes does, get the better of her, sometimes leading to her making rash decisions without much deliberation, and with much feeling. This impulsive tendency bands together with her often stubborn disposition to lead her into sometimes getting into more trouble than she bargained for.

Due to trauma from certain events in her early life, she can at times be emotionally vulnerable, especially when approached with certain topics. Although she has had time and opportunities to learn to cope with these memories, they are still unpleasant, and her attempts at helping others with similar problems may cause them to surface.

— "It's still nothing I can't handle."

Her easygoing and empathetic nature are not without its flaws, either. Despite these difficulties, she will still persist in her attempts to help others with such matters, to the detriment of her wellbeing. Her innate desire to help others and ease their suffering can also make it easy for unscrupulous individuals to take advantage of her - which is, in part, what led to the aforementioned traumatic event. Were it not for this event, however, she might've been more overly trusting of others, which is a considerable silver lining.

Her skin is naturally tan in color and pleasantly smooth, covered in a thin, light-brown fuzz on most places. Her build is slim and fairly delicate in appearance, but also pleasantly soft, and her curves are quite tasteful - aside from her breasts, which are a bit more sizable, but not overly or disproportionately so. Despite her softness, she's reasonably fit and physically capable, though not very strong.

Her wavy hair is a dark chocolate color, and she usually keeps it a little longer than shoulder length. She'll sometimes braid her hair before going to bed, after bathing, so that, when undone in the morning, it becomes more curled and bouncy.

— "I mean, it's not something I always do, but it makes me feel prettier!"

Her eyes are hazel, with brown streaks radiating from the pupil surrounded by a light yellowish green, which is itself surrounded by a deeper, more vibrant green along the very border of her iris.

She'll rarely be caught wearing any sort of dress or other one-piece outfit, as she usually finds it uncomfortable to have her clothes not sit flush against her skin. She'd much rather wear a shirt, blouse or tunic with a pair of pants or shorts, with skirts being a small exception to this general rule. For footwear, she prefers comfort and durability over appearance, and relies on a pair of simple, sturdy leather boots she has had for years now.

Her favorite outfit to wear in her day to day life, however, is comprised of a white lace-front blouse with short, puffy sleeves, a dark brown leather corset up to just under her breasts, and a pair of tight pants, usually in black or dark earthy tones. She likes to tastefully expose her shoulders and cleavage, which the choice of colors accentuates and brings attention to, as well. She also quite enjoys adding belts, chains and pockets to her apparel, as well as hooks and other attachment points for pouches, phials and other paraphernalia she may wish to keep on her person for any reason.

— "They're useful when I'm foraging or experimenting."

She enjoys adorning herself with accessories such as earrings, bracelets, piercings and others, including both gifts and purchases which she accrued from different cultures she came across in her travels. The adornments she wears in her day to day life are a small number of metal and woven bracelets, most of which hold some special meaning, a nose stud which she wears permanently on her left nostril, and a set of four small silver hoop earrings along the bottom edge of each of her elfin ears, totaling eight.

One of the skills she learned in her journey, and one which she finds not only very useful but also very enjoyable, is sewing. She alters - sometimes extensively - the clothes she buys so that they better accommodate her tastes and personality, and can mend and repair them as the need arises.

— "I still have clothes from when I ran away, though they're... a bit tight."

A compiled list of traits, skills and abilities that are either innate to her, that she developed or learned, or otherwise attained through some means, along with how she came to possess them and how she uses them.

See also:
Elves - Traits & Abilities

A race characterized by bushy tails, triangle-shaped furry ears, high magic affinity, a propensity towards wit and mischief, and their foxfire. Despite their superficial resemblance to Beastkins, they are not significantly related. A few geographically-distant variants exist, the differences between them mostly consisting of the shape and size of their tails and ears, the length of their furs, and behavior, to an extent.

The color of their hair rarely differs from that of the fur on their tails and ears - though the density might sometimes make them appear different - and it consists of blacks, browns, blondes, silver, and even unusual colors, such as greens, blues and pinks, as well as nearly anything in-between. The color of their eyes also varies significantly, including similar colors, though reds are absent, while pinks and purples are quite uncommon.

They are reclusive and generally exhibit hedonistic, or pleasure-seeking, behaviors, a combination which, though may initially seem contradictory or even paradoxical, simply means they often prefer the novel and stimulating rather than the mundane and monotonous, though they do find value in simpler pleasures as well. In a sense, these behavioral tendencies are reflected in the unusual variety and vibrancy in the coloration of their hairs and furs, which in turn, along with their tendency towards androgyny, may be explained by their promiscuous and predatory breeding habits, as more vibrant and exotic colors may make them more attractive to their prey.

Being a reclusive race, the breadth of their culture as a race is limited, but present, and supplemented by familial cultures, which are simultaneously too diverse and too specific to document. The very existence of this diversity, however, exemplifies the importance and value they place on family ties, which consists much of their racial culture.

They live in family groups, which are groups consisting of members of a single family. Each family group usually consists of anywhere from as low as 5 to 7 individuals, to as high as 15-20, some groups even consisting of an entire family. Most groups, however, stay within 8 to 14 members.

Their hedonistic tendencies are also reflected in their culture, as days-long social gatherings are a norm among nearly all families. Some of such gatherings are intrafamilial, wherein various groups belonging to the same family will come together to reminisce, celebrate, catch up and, of course, brag.

Kitsune pairings can be inter- or intrafamilial, and usually consist of a male and female, though same-sex pairings exist as well. Though sexual dominance often isn't important to them, social dominance is: usually either one from the pair will be considered more socially dominant, meaning, if the pairing is the oldest in the family group, they'll be considered the head of the family, or both will be considered equally socially dominant, in which case both will be considered the heads of the family group.

It is somewhat uncommon for a pairing to consist of two socially submissive individuals, but such cases do exist, in which both would also be considered the heads of their family group, if applicable. Such pairs aren't usually looked down upon, even being regarded as charming and adorable, though they do often find it challenging to assert themselves as heads of a family group.

Social dominance also determines which family an interfamilial pairing belongs to, in the case of a dominant-submissive pairing. In equal pairings, this is decided in the form of an agreement or a concession on the part of the pairing or the heads of both families.

It is possible, however, for a pairing to split from their respective families and form a new family, for reasons including disagreements about familial traditions and the desire to seek new skills and professions. This can be difficult if they lack the support of one or both of their previous families, however.

The Kitsune family structure is complex, with a base hierarchy based on the number of tails and age, and three additional levels of hierarchy.

The number of tails a Kitsune has is the primary factor in determining their position in the basic hierarchy, meaning those with more tails are generally higher in the hierarchy than those with fewer, regardless of age. Among those with the same number of tails, the hierarchy follows an age-grade system, meaning if an individual's niece is older than them, their niece is higher in the hierarchy, despite them being one level lower in the family tree.

The three additional levels of hierarchy work as follows:

• Firstly, the two oldest pairings, in the entire family, referred to as the elders, hold the highest degree of respect and authority in the family as a whole, including members outside of their family groups.
• Secondly, either the dominant or both members that comprise the oldest pairing in a family group, referred to as the head or the heads of the family, holds the highest degree of respect and authority in the family group.
• Finally, each pairing holds authority over their direct progeny, whether or not the son or daughter comes from both parents, and are personally responsible for their upbringing.

Each Kitsune family specializes in one broad, but well-defined, group of skills and professions. Groups belonging to those families then devote themselves to narrower, more specific sets of crafts and services under their familial specialization. For example, in a family that specializes in agriculture, a family group may devote themselves to farming fruits and berries, another to farming and producing herbs, teas and spices, another to brewing alcoholic beverages, and another to growing medicinal herbs and offering healing and medical services, and so on.

A family group's choice of crafts is informed partly by the personal interests of its members, but also by the availability of and the demand for the goods, resources and services that can be provided by those crafts. This ensures there won't be much overlap in the crafts that family groups that live in proximity perform, while making some overlap in the trades of co-inhabiting families acceptable. It also generates an interdependence among families, creating a strong sense of community and cooperation between allied families in an otherwise reclusive race.

Though somewhat rare, it is possible for an individual, pairing or family group to decide against following their familial trade and instead seek developing skills and crafts that diverge from it, in which case they may split from their family to form a new one. Usually, though not always, this decision is met with empathy and support, facilitating the establishment of the new family and forming a new alliance.

Kitsune families depend and rely on each other, forming alliances among themselves. Family groups belonging to allied families often live in relative proximity, while still keeping some distance from each other. This allows them to exist as separate communities, while also allowing for ease of interaction, as they rely on each other for resources, goods and services, as well as social and emotional needs.

There are norms and expectations involved in such familial alliances. They are maintained and strengthened through the exchange of gifts and favors, interfamilial social gatherings, and the encouragement of interfamilial pairings.

Due to their highly social nature, nearly all families participate in regular social gatherings, both inter and intrafamilial. In intrafamilial gatherings, groups belonging to the same family will congregate, usually at the home of the family elders, while in interfamilial gatherings, groups from allied families will meet at an appointed group's home for the occasion.

These social gatherings offer a chance for individuals to reminisce about old times, catch up on recent events, seek support during hardships, and brag about accomplishments, though they also serve as an excuse to indulge in hedonistic pleasures such as food, drinks, drugs and sex. Groups often also set up small areas to display their best works, according to their chosen crafts.

These gatherings also serve as the biggest exception to their reclusive, secretive tendencies, as, with permission - from the elders, in intrafamilial gatherings, and one's group heads, in interfamilial ones - individuals may invite close, trusted non-Kitsune friends to these gatherings.

Another aspect of their culture is that Kitsunes rarely divulge about their own race, be it culture, family dynamics or racial traits, to non-Kitsunes, causing details and particulars about their race to be largely unknown to most races and societies. Of those who do know more than what may be considered either common knowledge or myth, all are either scholars or experienced adventurers, or individuals who have close ties with and are trusted by a Kitsune, or some combination of these. It is ambiguous whether the root of this unwillingness is cultural or behavioral.

Knowledge of their family gatherings, though not common, is slightly more widespread, due to them being the only instance where a non-Kitsune may be exposed to their culture and customs, though only those who have earned a Kitsune's favor, companionship or trust.

Their outward appearance bears resemblance to some Beastkin sub-races, including features such as animal-like teeth and ears, tails, and slit-shaped pupils, but they are much more human-like. Their legs are plantigrade, their digits end in pointed, nonretractable claws, and fur is only present on their tails and ears. In fact, they have minimal body hair, with only a light fuzz covering most of their skin, including their face, meaning males can rarely grow a stubble, much less a beard.

Males also tend to have softer facial features, lending them a somewhat androgynous, ambiguous appearance, which is exacerbated by the lack of facial hair. Though this androgyny isn't reflected in the rest of their bodies, it is sufficient to generate confusion in their prey, which might give them enough pause to make them more susceptible to the Kitsune's tricks.

Their joints, especially on their spine, arms and legs, are more flexible than humans and most other sapient races, making them generally more dexterous and agile, and allowing them to more easily chase prey through and around obstacles and in some terrains where it would otherwise be difficult. However, despite also having stronger ligaments and other adaptations, this also makes them more prone to certain injuries, such as dislocation, sprains and hyperextension.

They age differently than most other races. Though they develop similarly from birth to puberty, which generally happens at around the ages of 11 to 13, the progress of their aging, at least in appearance, then seems to progressively slow down up until their early thirties or so, by which point they generally look to be in their early twenties. From then on, they seem to age in appearance at approximately half the rate other races do, though their biological aging progresses at a rate similar to normal.

This means that, while their lifespans are comparable to that of other races, they maintain a relatively youthful appearance well past their sixties and seventies, while still suffering from age-related detrimental processes and diseases.

This slowed aging process is another adaptation that serves both their mischievous nature and their reproductive strategy.

Their diet consisted mostly of meat during much of their evolution, and they've only relatively recently become more omnivorous, on an evolutionary scale, meaning they are still adapting to this change. They still have sharp, pointed canines and premolars for ripping and tearing meat, but also flatter molars for grinding plant matter. Their palate, for the same reason, is less sensitive to sweetness, and, consequentially, more receptive to bitterness and sourness.

They are also able to tolerate and digest foods that are inedible or even toxic to most other races, though this is a result of their novel-seeking behavior - meaning they might've simply intentionally exposed themselves to potentially poisonous or harmful foods and plants often enough that they've developed a resistance over time.

Another physiological trait that resembles some Beastkin sub-races is the presence of a tapetum lucidum, a layer of reflective tissue behind their retinas that increases the chances of photon absorption, which improves vision under low light conditions while making them prone to temporary blindness or visual distortions when exposed to bright lights. Their slit-shaped pupils remedy this somewhat, allowing for more precise tuning of how much light enters the eye, though their shape also hinders the speed of adaptation to different light conditions.

Deserving a section of their own, their tails, other than being one of their most distinctive characteristics, are highly important to them, both culturally and physiologically. The number of tails a Kitsune has is socially important, as it's one of the main factors that determine one's position in their familial hierarchy, but it also greatly affects one's potential as a magic user.

They are all born with a single tail, which splits into two, then three, and so forth, over the course of their lives. As they acquire more tails, their mental acuity and ability to maintain focus improve significantly, consequentially increasing their ease in performing all forms of spellcasting, but, most importantly, will projection, which is the most powerful and mentally demanding form of spellcasting.

The conditions for the splitting of a Kitsune's tail are unclear even to them, and how it happens and what mechanisms allow it are even more mysterious. Some attribute the splitting, as it's referred to, to one's epistemological or spiritual enlightenment, others attribute it to expertise in magic, and others still attribute it to the development of emotional and familial ties or the birth of children; the conditions differ between individuals, and even between an individual's splittings.

They are perhaps most well known for their mischievous behavior, as they'll often play tricks on those who pass by the areas they inhabit, such as luring them astray using their foxfire, casting illusions to disorient them or projecting laughter and provocations into their minds. Though they commonly do this simply for fun or sport - occasionally even to make acquaintances and friends - sometimes they will also "hunt" for potential mating partners or servants, both, especially the former, being temporary affairs.

While some view their trickery and hunting activities as morally wrong or even evil, others find attracting their interest fun and engaging, even rewarding, if sometimes annoying or inconvenient. Particularly reckless or adventurous individuals may even intentionally wander into the areas they inhabit, in hopes of encountering them, while others may avoid them due to superstitious beliefs or discomfort with their behavior.

It is important to note that these behaviors are part of their instinct, and that they generally hold no ill intent when indulging in them. Accidental injury and harm seldom occur, the effects of their foxfire often blur the line between consent and non-consent, and those that are extensively exposed to it tend to keep little memory of the ordeal, often dismissing it as a dream or fantasy.

When a Kitsune, male or female, procreates with a non-Kitsune, the resulting offspring will typically inherit physical traits primarily from the Kitsune parent, while still inheriting other traits and genetic material from the non-Kitsune parent. This mechanism allows them to increase their genetic diversity while minimizing the risk of creating hybrids, which could threaten their integrity and survival as a species.

This adaptation, alongside their predatory behavior, forms a very effective reproductive strategy, which was important in their success as a race - Kitsunes and their variants exist in a variety of habitats, from tundras to deserts. Their ability to incorporate the genetic diversity of local populations into theirs allows them to persist even when their populations dwindle, making them fairly resilient.

Perhaps their most important racial trait and ability, these flames differ visually from normal fire in that they move much more slowly, as though they are viscous or semisolid - as if there is substance to them. They also differ in color per individual, though most come in cool colors. This dominance may be explained by the fact that warm colors may agitate potential prey, thus being selected against.

Used as the primary means for hunting, these flames incite not heat - they only feel comfortingly warm - but lust and desire, the effects increasing with the amount and length of exposure. Prolonged exposure can even induce intrusive thoughts of submission. Kitsunes themselves are impervious to this effect, however; instead, contact with the foxfire of another Kitsune can convey vague impressions of its conjurer's thoughts and emotions, and is considered a form of bonding. Such bonding is also possible with those of other species, although it requires mental discipline on the conjurer's part, as it falls on them to alter the effects of their foxfire; the other party, however, cannot reciprocate - this then becomes an expression of trust.

Foxfire is often also used as lighting, and, behaving as an extension of its conjurer, can be used as a proxy for contact spells and as an anchor for other types of spells.

The most prevalent sub-race of Elfins, which is a clade of races characterized by long, pointy ears, a strong bond with nature and above-average affinity for magic.

Elves themselves have pale skin and their hairs range from white and blonde to light brown. Though other Elfins tend to be fairly similar, those that live in deserts can have tan or even dark skin, with hair ranging from black to brown and even ginger.

They call themselves Ley'iyish, which means 'from silverwood', relating to their creation myth.

Much of their culture revolves around their bond with nature and their connection to Nyirshnil, their goddess of creation. They respect plants, animals and fungi, viewing themselves and other sapient beings as being part of the ecosystems from which they emerged. They see themselves as both guardians of natural ecosystems and enforcers of mindful usage of its resources, often having conflicts and territorial disputes with those that exploit nature in a destructive manner.

Over their history, this has led to a xenophobic tendency toward races and individuals that aren't attuned with nature, especially if such individuals are Elfins as well. This xenophobia also extends, though to a much lesser degree, to Elfins that have lost their pale complexion, and consequently - according to some extremists who consider them "corrupted" Elfins - also their bond with Nyirshnil.

Those cases aside, they are generally welcoming towards individuals of other races, many communities even embracing those that wish to study their culture and form their own bonds with nature. This openness to embracing foreigners that share their values has, over time, formed a strong kinship between them and other nature-attuned races and individuals in and around their territory. Gradually, this gave rise to the Elven Empire, a respectably powerful, decentralized entity of which they are the central constituent.

Elves generally believe they are the "original" Elfins, from which other sub-races differentiated - which is likely to be at least partially true, as most Elfins bear strong resemblance with Elves. Some Elfins don't consider themselves to be from the same culture, however, and some even challenge this belief. It isn't a matter that generates much hostility among Elfins, however.

Forms of visual arts and music are another important part of their culture, seen as ways to celebrate their deep bonds with nature and to reflect and surround themselves with its beauty and harmony.

Among their most common physical creations are sculpted and woodformed artifacts, from figures and statuettes to decorations and personal accessories, and colorful and intricately woven tapestries and pieces of clothing, often depicting natural scenes or more abstract representations of nature in its various forms. Decorative elements, like arrangements of leaves and flowers - living, when possible - are often added to their creations, along with various natural pigments, in the forms of painted details, dyed fabrics and ropes and stained woods.

Dances, rituals and other performative arts are also prominent in their culture, serving as central pieces to many of their festivities and celebrations, which are usually held at night and in open air. Their dances and rituals often embrace the open and multiracial nature of their society, incorporating sections and variations that accommodate performers of all levels of skill. Such performances are often accompanied by music, played on the various instruments they've devised themselves or embraced for other cultures, including lutes, harp-like instruments, flutes and percussion instruments, among others.

Myth says that a goddess named Nyirshnil, represented by a bright star, descended from the sky and formed the first of their kin in her image, from the white wood and ivory bark of Silverwood trees, granting them their pale forms and their ability to permanently enchant wood, similar to that which gave them form. As such, this unique species of very tall and long-lived trees with gold-yellow leaves, endemic to their initial territory, are worshipped by them.

While it is uncertain even to them whether their worship came from the myth, or the myth from the worship, the importance of the Silverwood trees to them as a people is indisputable. The trees themselves serve as their homes, its wood as material for many their crafts and its soft bark as a writing medium, while its leaves are used in medicine and as a source of a distinct gold-yellow pigment that is characteristic to their art and culture.

Due to this creation myth, brightest star visible in the night sky is known to Elfins as Nyirshnil

They usually live in medium to large multiracial communities, alongside Beastkins, Kitsunes, [Satyrs], [Centaurs] and other races. Smaller communities do exist, however, sometimes due to slight differences in cultural, ideological or racial makeup.

Using a special form of magic similar to enchanting, they grow buildings and structures out of the trunks and branches of silverwoods and other large trees. They bridge these structures together either by using the same method or by constructing suspension bridges, out of ropes or living vines.

An elf's family unit usually consists of a male and two "wives", though the term wife doesn't necessarily mean female, in this context. One such family unit will often bear two or more offspring, which the entire community takes part in teaching and caring for. Members of other races in the same community will sometimes form similar family units, though most follow their own racial culture.

Though procreation between the two wives of a male elf is deeply frowned upon, there are occasions when two male Elves may form an agreement allowing one's male wife to parent a child with one of the other's wives. In this case, the child is considered a progeny of the family of the male wife - the child's male mother - and the head of said family is the child's father. The child's female progenitor is still considered its female mother, however.

In most communities, a male elf is encouraged to take at least one female elf - or elfin, depending on the community - wife, so as to ensure the continuation of their kin.

The most immediately obvious aspects of their physiology are their pale skin, light hair and long, pointed ears. While their almost complete lack of melanin may be explained by them having spent much of their evolutionary history in forested areas, there is little explanation for the particular shape of their ears, though they do seem better able to notice quieter sounds.

Their musculature is lean, primarily consisting of slow-twitch fibers, which are better suited for endurance rather than strength. This is exacerbated by a natural difficulty in gaining substantial muscle mass, making them generally weaker than humans and many other races. However, a combination of adaptations in their metabolism and muscle structure enable them to generate quick bursts of speed, granting them the agility to easily change directions and the ability to jump farther. Their high endurance, coupled with these bursts of speed, allow them to maintain sprinting speeds in more-or-less straight lines. Their nimbleness and adaptation to life in nature also come into play, allowing them to skillfully navigate through trees and vegetation, sometimes leaping between trees and branches when it offers an easier route.

Their most easily overlooked trait, however, is in their eyes. Elves are best able to see things that are at medium to far distances, an adaptation resulting from living above-ground for much of their evolutionary history. Their irises are usually light hues of blue, green, amber and even violet, but they also have a slight shimmering quality to them.

An ability seemingly unique to them, woodforming is the magical art of manipulating both the growth, shape, density and structure of plant matter, particularly wood. It is very similar to, and is considered a form of, enchanting, but with an important distinction: alterations made through woodforming are permanent.

One's ability to woodform is largely influenced not only by mental acuity and focus, but also by their familiarity with the type of material involved, be it one of the many types of wood, a stem, a leaf, flower, bud or any other plant structure. Some woodformers even specialize in making flower and leaf arrangements, or in growing smaller plants and vines over surfaces and across small gaps.

Woodforming is largely used in Elven society, being used to provide anything from infrastructure, to day-to-day objects, to weapons and armor, to instruments and pieces of art. Particularly skilled woodformers can alter many types of wood into weapons-grade material, and may even be able to form blade edges that maintain sharpness as well as some types of stone, when used for slashing and thrusting.

A race characterized by animalistic physical features akin to those of wolves, such as a snout, triangular ears atop the head, a tail, and layers of fur covering the body, as well as a deep connection to nature and the wilderness. With loyalty and strength being highly valued in their society and culture, they tend to be stalwart, equally willing to defend members of their groups and those they are close to, or take arms and stand for a worthy cause.

Their furs can differ between individuals in both color and patterning, with colors ranging from white to brown and black, including light and dark grays, beiges and tans, and even some shades of ginger, while patterns are much more varied. The length of their furs can also differ between populations and individuals, usually as an adaptation to the local climate, though some groups may trim or style their fur as well - in populations that interact with 'naked' species more, some individuals may even leave the fur on the top of their heads and along their backs long and trim the fur on their arms and chest shorter.

Tales, legends and narratives embedded within their culture and tradition hint at their origin: a lineage of beasts pressured by various hardships into becoming more adaptable and intelligent, culminating into their current form. While the veracity of this origin is hard to measure, their resemblance to wolves and other canids is undeniable, as is their shared ancestry, as distant as it may or may not be.

As a race that values strength and loyalty, much of their culture and tradition revolves around their relations with each other and with the wilderness. They've a rich repertoire of tales, fables and myths recounting their history and events and figures that were and still are important to them, many existing in the form of spoken word poetry and songs as well, and a number of rites, rituals and ceremonies to mark their growth and celebrate their history and unity.

While they were a nomadic people for much of their history, and many groups still wander through the regions they inhabit, many have also settled in place and developed larger communities. Nomadic groups tend to consist of one or a few dozen individuals, though very small groups do exist, while larger settlements tend to consist of many dozens, or even hundreds of individuals, depending on the availability of resources and their logistical abilities.

The division of individuals between Harriers and Vanguards is also relevant to their culture

Symbolic artistic elements are an extremely important aspect of their culture, being a big part of how individuals express their individuality, display their achievements and remember important events.

Charms, amulets and pendants carved and decorated in ways that symbolize one's personality, values and loyalties are often put in accessories such as bracelets or necklaces, or directly attached to the body in the form of piercings. These charms are also created to mark important events in one's life, such as a great hunt, to honor the death of someone close, or to symbolize an alliance or relationship, among other things.

These symbolic charms are worn at all times, and the act of removing one often has a deeper meaning or implication.

In both nomadic groups and settlements, a flexible and fluid form of leadership, based on strength, virtue and demonstrated capabilities, is often the norm.

Leadership positions are not permanent, and can be reevaluated, challenged and decided, or even change naturally, based on the merit and respect of the individual, or individuals, and the changing needs of the group.

While this allows them to benefit from the diverse strengths and skills of all individuals and adapt to different conditions, it also creates a fairly competitive environment, which often leads to tendencies for prideful, stubborn, and even greedy individuals.

While family ties are important to them, the broader concept of kinship bears a greater weight to them; ties between groups of close friends are more often than not stronger than ties between family members. This leads to the formation of tight-knit sub-groups, often called kinship groups, within the larger groups in which they live. Members of a kinship group tend to spend much of their time together, both during activities and jobs and during their free time. Individuals can belong to multiple kinship groups, though usually one will be part of only one or two, perhaps three, depending on their extroversion and personality.

Despite being bipedal, their animalistic features prevent them from looking very human-like. Their strong legs are digitigrade, and their facial features strongly resemble those of a wolf, with a leathery nose and a wide mouth at the tip of a snout. These distinctly animalistic features leads to them and other similar races to be collectively called beastkins.

Their faces are expressive, though not nearly as expressive as those of more human-like races. Their tails and triangular ears serve as their primary means of expressing their emotions and mood. On top of spoken language and body language, chemical signals, in the form of scents, are also part of their communication, and their sense of smell is particularly well developed. Their hearing is also quite good, and their vision is comparable to a human's.

Cold weather, be it a cold front, winter, or a year-round norm, causes their fur to grow in thicker, forming a layer of insulation that helps retain heat. In some populations that have lived far from the equator for a significant evolutionary period, however, these thicker coats are inherent, and must be trimmed regularly if they spend significant time somewhere where temperatures are higher than they can tolerate.

Their teeth are optimized for tearing meat and crunching bones, with sharp front teeth, prominent canines, and strong molars and premolars. Though their canines have limited use in hunting, they still aid in eating, and can even aid in manipulation, making it easier to hold things with their mouth. Their molars and premolars have a thicker outer layer and more developed roots, as well as a jagged shape, making them very - scarily - efficient at breaking bones, allowing them to access and consume the marrow within.

Wolfkins have a naturally high energy requirement, and for this reason are practically carnivores, with a diet based mostly on meat. They can and do digest plant matter without issue, however, and have even selectively bred a couple of plant species that have nutritional profiles similar to meat.

Their diet does, however, also include bones, marrow, fruits, berries, vegetable, tubers, and even honey, depending on the season and their availability. Those food items still consist only a minor proportion of their intake, however.

Their hearing is more sensitive, especially to lower frequencies, making them quite adept at hearing the footfalls of a sneaking prey. It is said that they can even hear the beats of their own and others' hearts - which is true - and that in a sufficiently quiet environment, they can even hear their own muscle fibers stretch and slide against each other.

Noisy environments and conditions, such as waterfalls, mountain cliffs, heavy rain, and high winds, however, can be quite uncomfortable for them, enough to render hearing useless in a hunt.

Their sense of smell is highly advanced compared to most races, and even compared to their canid cousins, being able to more easily discern smells than wolves and most dogs. This level of sophistication is attributed to, in addition to their hunting habits, the fact that they identify one another primarily by scent markers, and even chemical signals to communicate their current mood and emotional state, as well as changes in mood.

An important aspect of their culture, and one that permeates their life, are the rituals and ceremonies that mark events or celebrate aspects that are important to them, as groups or individuals, such as transitions between stages of one's life, the passing of a close companion, the proud history of their lineage, and the strong sense of unity they share.

It is through rituals that certain achievements and feats of individuals are acknowledged, and through which they are given new names that fit their identity and aspirations as they develop and mature.

When a child is deemed old enough, and strong enough, they must choose one adult to guide and teach them during a rite known as The Weathering, meant to instigate the development of one's adaptability and resilience. It is the first rite that will symbolize one's growth as an individual, and grant them a new name.

While the person chosen to be one's guide can reject the role, it is unlikely, as being chosen as a guide is usually viewed as an honor.

The trial itself consists of the individual and their guide venturing out into the wilderness, with only their coverings and charms, to survive for one full cycle of the moon. During this period, the guide is not allowed to directly help them in their tasks, only guide them in how to survive and persevere through the hardships they may face.

Once the trial ends, they rejoin their group at night to a celebration of the person's growth, accompanied by songs and a small but well deserved feast for them both. During these celebrations, the guide will choose and announce by what name the past child, now adolescent, shall thenceforth be referred to, which usually reflects notable aspects in which they've grown.

As an adolescent nears a sufficient level of maturity, they may at one point decide they are ready to answer the Call of the Hunt. It is a coming-of-age ritual, and one more involved and significant than The Weathering, consisting of three stages.

It is considered by many the most important rite of growth, as one's chosen and conquered prey and performance during the hunt will dictate much of how respected and well regarded they are, and be a source of either pride, disappointment, or even shame.

Being a rite of growth, once completed, they will also be bestowed two new names, one chosen by the group based on the hunt and/or their prey, and one which they must pick for themselves, sometimes based on what sort of person they wish to becomes.

The first stage is simply in preparation for the hunt, in which the person may seek new, better weapons, ask for suggestions and advice on what prey to choose, train more vigorously for the upcoming hunt, and anything else they might deem necessary.

While there is no time limit for this first stage, it usually spans half to a full week, as spending too long is usually advised against - there is such thing as being overprepared.

The second stage is the day prior to the hunt, wherein, during a ceremony, a number of plants will be prepared into a concoction that the adolescent will then drink. This concoction will put them in a state of altered conscious, where they'll receive visions relating to their identity, aspirations and fears. This state will usually persist for 5 to 7 hours, during which they will be observed.

Many report seeing and speaking to their ancestors during this experience, as well as seeing some aspect of their future.

The third stage is the hunt proper, on which the adolescent will embark at dawn the following day, accompanied by two aides and a number of the group's most respected members, usually including its current leader or leaders, which will watch the hunt to assess their courage, skill and strength. At this time, some of the effects of the concoction given on the previous day will still persist, granting them significantly enhanced focus and awareness, as well as somewhat increased aggression, to accomplish their task.

Of the aides, at least one must be of the caste different than the adolescent's, as the two castes are interdependent during hunts. However, the aides are only allowed to play their respective roles in the hunt, under the adolescent's command - the merit for the conquering of the prey must be theirs.

By this point, they will often have already picked their chosen prey, though they might pick one during the hunt itself, which may take from a single day to a week or more.

Once their prey is felled, they will return and rejoin their group, where the hunt and the growth of the adolescent, now an adult, will be recounted by those that observed and celebrated by all, most especially their kins, friends and family. The meat and innards of the hunted animal is often cooked and eaten during the celebration.

During this celebration, accompanied by drinks, songs and a feast, a name that symbolizes the person's strength, cunning, and mettle in the hunt - and sometimes incorporates aspects or even the name of the prey itself - will be collectively decided by the group as a whole, and the name picked by the person themselves will be announced to the group, their new identity asserted.

After the celebration, the skin of the animal will be made into coverings for them, and from a bone or horn they will carve a charm for themselves, to symbolize their growth and remind them of the hunt.

A ceremony that recounts and celebrates their history and identity, both collectively and individually. It is held at the end of every year, marking its end, spans a whole day and night (or multiple in particularly large communities), and is separated into three events.

It serves both as an important opportunity for individuals to brag about and retell their feats, as well as honor loved ones who have passed, and as a way for their traditional tales and narratives, and consequently their history, to be passed on, from elders to younglings.

At the beginning of the ceremony, members of the group will gather and form a half circle around a central area. One by one, they will then take turns displaying and passing around their charms while speaking of what it means to them, theatrically recounting the story of their feats - sometimes in the form of spoken word poetry - declaring the loyalties and bonds the charms may represent, and reminiscing about a loved one who has passed, for example.

During these displays, the audience will often contribute to retelling of events by making sounds according to the story, usually at the speaker's cue. Most common are the mimicking of calls from animals and cries of fear, desperation or joy.

Depending on the size of the group, this event can last from a few hours to the better part of a day - larger communities may choose to have the ceremony span multiple days for this reason.

Following the reminiscence, the group's elders will then gather at the front to recite narratives and poems about the history of their people, its notable figures, and important events that have marked it. Being a more special occasion, it's often accompanied by rhythmic beats, or even songs, which reflect the narrative being told.

It is primarily through this recital that their history is preserved and passed on from generation to generation.

After the displays, retellings and recitals, an ample feast of traditional dishes and delicacies awaits, marking the "end" of the ceremony, though the feast tends to be its liveliest and most awaited part, lasting the entire night. It is accompanied by traditional songs and dances, and wolfkins often challenge each other to small dares and contests - though this is common even in day to day life.

Wolfkins are divided, both culturally and physiologically, into two types, or castes (in the biological sense). While their language has distinct names for both, here they will be referred to as Harriers and Vanguards, the reason for which should become quite clear.

This division is not exclusionary or competitive, as one might initially think, as each caste serves an important role in their society. The interdependence between them is acknowledged and even celebrated in their culture, as, in a sense, it serves as a monument to their adaptability, which in itself is a monument to the hardships their lineage has faced and overcome.

Harriers possess more acute senses and bodies with leaner muscles that are better adapted for endurance activities, as well as being slightly shorter on average. They excel in tracking, scouting and other tasks that favor nimble individuals, and are better at climbing, leaping over obstacles, and traversing difficult terrain in general, as well as evading aggression and dodging attacks.

While they specialize in and are adapted for endurance hunts, other tasks and missions are delegated to them as well, such as tracking and scouting, as previously mentioned. Jobs that require finesse are also generally delegated to them as well.

Vanguards have larger bodies with thicker skin, bulkier muscles possessing higher raw strength, and physiological adaptations to support them, such as a higher metabolism and higher red blood cell count. The claws on their hands also tend to be sharper and retractable, allowing them to more effectively grapple prey. Their responsibility during hunts is to go toe to toe against larger, stronger prey, being able to distract and pin them down. When hunting medium and small prey, they often also focus on draw aggression towards them, as their thicker skin and bulkier muscles allow them to shrug off superficial wounds with little issue.

Due to their adaptations for the role they assume in hunts, physically demanding jobs and tasks are also their responsibility, such as construction, farming and smithing, as well as hauling heavy items and materials.

A race of highly sociable chatterboxes characterized by their diminute size and lightweight build, unique reproductive biology, and avian features, such as a small beak, raptor-like legs with leathery skin, large wings in place of arms, and a body partially covered in feathers and fluff. They tend to be somewhat forgetful and slow, which contrasts much with their impressive motor skills in flight, but can make for very loyal and empathetic companions. They are also mostly female, with males being quite rare.

Their appearance can vary wildly, in the shape and size of their wings, tail and feathers, the color and patterning of their feathers, and also the color of their skin and eyes. Both their eyes and feathers can be varying shades of browns, blues, greens, ambers, reds, pinks, and violets, as well as black. Their feathers can also include shades of beige, grey, and white. Their skin, on the other hand, is often shades of pale pink, caramel, or darker browns, depending on the location and lineage.

Much of this variance is due to distant populations adapting to different environments, conditions, and niches. The shape and size of their wings and tails may be optimized for different aspects of flight, such as maneuverability, speed, or efficiency, and the colors and patterns of their feathers may assume different roles in survival, signaling, sexual attraction, etc.

They are considered a simple folk, their activities consisting mostly of eating, socializing, mating, and nurturing their young. While their forgetful nature leads to them lacking a proper history of their people, they still possess customs and traditions, and, thus, a culture. They are natural socialites, and value communal activities and forms of self and artistic expression greatly.

Their culture also includes traditions and rituals, most stemming from superstition, though some of them have aspects that relate to their society and racial traits as well.

They live in small to medium groups, of one to a few dozen individuals, all led by a matriarch. This leadership position is usually taken by a harpy that is either the most intelligent - or least slow - in the tribe, the one with the most social prestige, or the one with the most daughters, though other factors can be involved as well.

The matriarch is responsible for managing the tribe's communal nest, and for making important decisions that impact the tribe as a whole, such as if, when and where to relocate, whether and how to punishing misbehaving members, and which members to send away when the tribe grows too large to manage.

While mothers and daughters share strong ties with each other, familial bonds go no further, instead replaced by a strong sense of community shared between members of a tribe. Both of these traits can be easily attributed to the prevalence of parthenogenetic females, as caring for one's children and caring for a grandchildren are often equally advantageous, and the work required by the latter could instead be directed toward one's younger immediate offspring.

As a highly social race, activities that can be done in groups, such as talking, singing, and dancing, are highly valued in their tribes, and consist much of their free time. This also includes stories, fables, and narratives that are told through performances, which, despite not retaining much of their people's history, serve as their primary means of passing knowledge from each generation to the next, such as what creatures to avoid and what plants are and aren't safe to eat.

They often may also be found decorating themselves and each other in groups, using flowers, leaves, sticks, and shiny objects, among other items and materials.

Expressions of one's self, which often include artistic expressions, are another core aspect of their culture and racial identity. They are naturally quite expressive, both verbally and non-verbally, being able to produce a wide repertoire of sounds - or noises, as some may instead describe - and to use their wings, feathers and crests to express their moods and emotions.

While forms of art, such as sculpting, carving, and drawing, are highly valued, art manifested as means and products for self-expression are even more so, both by their societies and by them as individuals. This includes any imaginable form of wearable accessory, such as necklaces, bracelets, and crowns, as well as body art and modifications, such as body painting, piercings, and tattoos. This also encompasses dancing and aerial acrobatics, among other performing arts.

Male harpies, for being quite rare, are quite significant in their culture, being regarded as precious, and even delicate, since some males - parthenogenetic males, specifically - are often born with defects or face developmental problems. The hatching of a male harpy within a tribe is celebrated as a blessing, and the hatching of multiple males even more so. Certain rituals, celebrations and traditional events even have special roles for males to take, if they are present in the tribe, or can even be entirely different based solely on their presence.

They are commonly given special adornments to wear, so they can be distinguished from females, as they don't differ significantly in appearance. While the type of adornment can differ between populations, they are often decorations worn on the head or crest, necklaces, or something that is otherwise readily seen.

There are rituals and customs that are common to all harpy populations, and ones that are specific to tribes of a given region. Most seem to stem from superstitions that are carried through their stories and fables, but many seem to either be instinctual, or stem from instincts. While some populations have more specific or complex customs that don't fit either of the formerly described, their lack of a kept history means the origins of these customs are likely lost to time.

As harpies will often lay clutches of eggs at roughly the same period, breeding season not, they will also often hatch in groups. As such, ceremonies and rituals that pertain to a harpy's growth are usually held for the entire group of hatchlings, rather than for individual harpies.

While many rituals and customs are regional, some are ubiquitous or at least common enough to warrant documentation. While the following list is far from exhaustive, it is a reasonable sample of their customs and traditions.

Harpies will almost always sing when waking up during dawn, especially when in groups. Harpies that are solitary or live among other races sometimes will as well, but not always. Some describe it as an instinctive desire, while others say it done of their own volition, so while it may be that both are true, depending on the population or individual, the origin or reason for this custom is left ambiguous.

In populations that interact significantly with races that have songs with spoken words, harpies will often also incorporate lyrics or murmurings into their morning songs. Notably, harpies that spend a significant amount of time with wolfkins will often incorporate the animal calls and roars of fear, excitation and joy present in their rituals and narratives, which sound much less threatening - and, frankly, adorable - coming from them.

In regions with cold winters and warm summers, most tribes share this tradition, wherein members of the tribe will gather the results of their first foraging excursion - fruits, berries, nuts, and even flowers and leaves - to have an idea of how abundant and varied their options for plant foods will be during that spring and summer. They will then feast on their gatherings while adorning themselves with flowers and leaves they've found along the way.

When a number of eager young harpies are ready for their first flight, a small ceremony is held at some nearby hillock, wherein they will attempt to stay still while their mothers anoint their wings with a mixture of fragrant oils and herbal substances, meant to calm the nerves and focus the mind, all the while the matriarch and other attendees will impart blessings and well wishes, as well as try to provide guidance and advice on how to properly fly.

Once all the young harpies' wings are anointed, they will take turns attempting their first flight. One will move atop of the hill and, after a few tentative flaps of their wings, jump off and try to gain lift. Few are successful in their first attempt, and fewer still are perfectly successful - many do manage to at least glide and land gracefully, rather than fall - but nearly all will take flight within two or three attempts.

Both the attendees and the other young harpies will watch as each make their attempt, often giggling or laughing at failed attempts, and cheering and singing at successes, total and partial. Many will also sing during this, including the flying young harpies - which will quickly learn and adapt to the limitations in doing this.

At the end of this ceremony, each young harpy will be presented with some sort of shiny or colorful stone given to them by their mother, usually in a necklace, to symbolize their growth and the memory of the ceremony and their first flight.

Hatchlings and chicks aren't given names when they hatch, being instead referred to in different ways by different individuals - nicknames, essentially. They usually consist of a compound word or short phrase that describes traits of their appearance, personality, and mannerisms, or something they've done that is notable to the person referring to them.

Once a group of harpies reach around five years of age, nearing sexual maturity, a ceremony is held, wherein the tribe will gather and discuss each young harpy's traits, any feats they might've accomplished, and their aspirations in life, to aid in them choosing a name for themselves.

Once a young harpy chooses their name, it is said and then chanted by all present, both as a form of celebration and a symbolic affirmation of their growth and the identity they have developed.

They are notorious for being quite chatty and a bit airheaded, with a tendency toward being forgetful and, at times, a bit slow. As a highly social race, however, their social intelligence is remarkable, however, perhaps higher than that of any other sapient race. This combination of traits, along with their diminute size, leads to many considering them generally very charming and lovable.

However, while in many races there is a strong tendency for individuals to display a number of certain personality traits that correspond to their race, harpies' personalities have no such strong tendencies. This leads to them displaying a very bright, colorful and varied array of personalities; even being natural socialites, some harpies can be quite introverted and reserved, or even completely antisocial and solitary.

Another notable trait is that they are often somewhat temperamental. Their mood and emotions can be quite easily swayed by a number of factors, such as quality of sleep, or even weather, but especially social interactions. Although it may be easy to upset a harpy, it is usually equally easy to make peace with one, depending on their individual personality. They can hold grudges for their entire lives, however, sometimes even if an apology was accepted.

While they may not be considered one of the more intellectual and scholarly sapient races known, being generally a bit slow of thought and quite forgetful, their motor skills are highly advanced, as is their proprioception, for the most part - the sense of where each bit of their bodies is and what they are doing, that is. Their senses of hearing and sight are also quite well developed, though their sense of smell is less so.

Most notably, however, their social intelligence and capacity for empathy is nearly peerless. Understanding various forms of expression and communication is, understandably, naturally quite easy for them, given the many ways in which they communicate with each other. They are also able to maintain relationships with a surprising number of individuals at a time, and to know and remember them very well, which is a large exception to their forgetfulness - they might hardly ever forget even a passing interaction with an otherwise complete strange.

Their language acquisition ability is also quite impressive. Most harpies can become at the very least conversational in most languages in as short a time as a month or two, though they may struggle with certain sounds, such as labial consonants - they do lack lips, after all. Though reaching fluency is often similarly easy for many, it varies more significantly between individuals, depending also on the language in question.

While most harpy tribes prefer to keep to themselves, with seasonal exceptions, many hold neutral or friendly relations with neighboring settlements of other societies and races, and even among more isolationist tribes, there will be adventurous individuals who seek to know, learn about and understand other races and their languages.

While it may be somewhat difficult to befriend a harpy, depending on their personalityand the tribe they originate from, their social and empathetic nature make for very loyal, honest and expressive companions, both short- and long-term.

Male harpies share the same traits females have, but with some distinctions and additions. Despite forgetful, and perhaps even a bit slower than females, they have a higher tendency towards being more thoughtful and introspective, which generally allows them to view certain matters from different perspectives, and to be more impartial in discussions. They also tend to be more emotionally sensitive, which probably contributes to them being seen as delicate and precious.

Due to these traits, they are often quite good at resolving conflicts, promoting better harmony in a social environment that might otherwise be quite quarrelsome, as adult females will often fight for a chance to mate - though it is possible that some of these quarrels are staged by groups of females to get a male's attention.

While it is quite uncommon, some tribes may put males in the position of leadership, instead of a matriarch. This is more common in larger tribes, as, with their natural proclivity for impartiality and conflict resolution, they tend to be adaptive and flexible leaders, often striving to benefit and support as many of the tribe's members as possible. However, this sometimes leads to logistical challenges, as male harpies are much less likely to send harpies away from the tribe.

Even outside of leadership positions, however, males tend to be supportive and nurturing to all members of their tribe, in part due to the importance and significance that is placed on them.

The most immediately noticeable aspect of their physiology is their unique avian anatomy, with large wings in place of arms and legs akin to that of a raptor bird. However, they possess other traits and adaptations that are quite unique among sapient species, nearly all of which aid them in flight, making them quite capable fliers, despite their relatively large size - when compared to most birds, that is... an exception being the shoebill.

They are quite diminute and lightweight, with adults averaging around 1.30 to 1.40 meters (4'3 to 4.7) in height and 25 to 35 kilograms (55 to 77 pounds) in weight. This low weight is owed mostly to their small, lean bodies, which are similar to a bird's. Their small size and light weight contribute to their agility both on land and in flight.

Much of their body, aside from their featherless patches and legs, is covered in plumage consisted of a combination of down, semiplume, and/or contour feathers, providing insulation and protection from the elements and acting as a barrier against wind and water, especially during flight. This plumage is often quite beautiful, serving as a factor in sexual attraction, and is preened regularly, along with the remiges and rectrices - the flight and tail feathers.

Harpies live relatively short in comparison to most races, perhaps mostly due to the stresses of their high metabolism. Within their societies, they tend to live for 30 to 40 years, though, with medicinal help from other societies, they can reach up to 60 years of age or more.

They also grow quite fast once they hatch, reaching sexual maturity at ages of 5 to 7 - equivalent to early- to mid-adolescence in humans - and full development at ages 12 to 15 - equivalent to late teenagehood to early adulthood in humans.

They are opportunistic generalists, when it comes to food. While they'd hardly shy away from eating any safe-to-eat fruits and berries they might find, they'll also hunt small and medium prey for meat whenever possible, especially during winters, droughts, and other scenarios where plant food sources are scarce. Their strong legs serve as their primary means of hunting, either swooping and clawing at prey from the sky or doing so on land. Their keen eyesight makes the former strategy very effective, though the latter is usually effective enough on smaller prey.

They usually eat by using their wings' grasping digits, legs, and beak to rend or split food into smaller pieces to then swallow whole, though they are also able to swallow small animals, such as rats, squirrels, or even rabbits, whole, which is in part aided by their elongated throat.

Their beaks are usually very short, with only the pointed tip and the protrusion on which the nostrils are placed being pronounced. While the tip is hard and rigid, while the rest is somewhat malleable and supple, akin perhaps to a hard leather. This soft structure allows for subtle smiles and pouts, along with other expressions, an adaptation that facilitates, and is thought to be a result of, frequent interspecies interaction.

The tip is present mostly to aid in hatching, though it can and often is also used for carving and object manipulation - and aggression, of course. Some variants of harpies may have beaks with different shapes, however, based on the set of circumstances they've faced and what they've had to adapt to. Populations that live in islands, along shores, or otherwise near large bodies of water, for example, may have longer beaks for catching fish.

Their wingspan can vary between 1.5 and 2 times their height, though they are compact enough not to drag along the ground when folded. They are quite capable fliers, especially when in formation, though those with shorter or rounder wings may struggle to fly for long periods.

They have a total of six digits, with the first two serving as a pair of clawed grasping digits, and the remaining four consisting the structure of the wing. Their grasping digits oppose each other, with one pointing towards the elbow and the other pointing outward. The latter is stronger, and its primary purposes are object manipulation and climbing and crawling up steep surfaces.

Being their primary means of hunting and self-defense, their digitigrade legs are akin to those of a bird of prey, with strong muscles that allow for powerful jumps - which can easily exceed twice their height - that aid in takeoff, and also strong toes, with thick, sharp talons. Their femurs - or thigh bones - are short relatively short, while the tibiotarsus - which makes up the second leg segment - is instead the longest. This means, as with birds, their knees are quite high up, though in harpies they are more prominently visible, while in birds they are often hidden under their plumage.

They possess three toes, of which the innermost can freely rotate backwards or forwards, allowing them to perch and grasp prey and objects, but also to stand upright comfortably. Their toes are quite strong, allowing them to grasp and immobilize prey, and even hang upside down.

They have a tail that is consisted of a short section of caudal vertebrae and a pygostyle, onto which their tail muscles are anchored. Much like in birds, their tails are used primarily for braking, maneuvering, and for additional lift while flying, and also for balance when standing or perching.

The number of rectrices changes along with the tail's shape between different populations, and sometimes between individuals as well. Most harpies tend to have tails in either a fan or wedge shape, as they often provide better lift and maneuverability; forked tails are very rare, as despite being very agile, they require a higher energy expenditure. A constant, however, is that all harpies seem to have an odd number of tail feathers, with one central feather and symmetric pairs to each side.

Tangentially to the subject, they do have a butt, though they are not as well pronounced as in bipedal races with more upright standing posture.

Their respiratory system is akin to that of many birds, with independent airways to each lung and a series of air sacs distributed throughout their torso and within their pneumatized bones. These air sacs allow for a continuous unidirectional flow of fresh air, while the independent airways allow for fine control of said airflow. They also have independent sound-producing apparatuses in each airway, in addition to the voice box in their throat, which allows them to produce some sounds in a continuous manner, by alternating which lung is producing them.

Another, perhaps odd, adaptation, is that their pharynx - the point where their nose and mouth converge - is farther down than in humans and other races, and even most animals. While this reduces the risk of food - or insects and debris encountered in flight - obstructing their airways, it also allows them to eat larger amounts of food at a time. But, perhaps more notably, it allows for a larger and more complex voice box, which in turn allow for a much more varied repertoire of sounds than most, if not all, sapient races.

As perhaps an interesting note, they are quite capable of speaking and singing during flight, though this is usually limited to the apparatuses in each airway, as airflow through the throat changes too rapidly for them to be able to produce sounds effectively.

Featherless patches of soft, sensitive skin allow for the perception of subtle changes in wind and temperature, which contributes to their maneuverability and flight efficiency. These patches include the lower chest, abdomen, upper thighs, behind, and sometimes the shoulders.

These patches of exposed skin have also allowed them to adapt the ability to perspire, meaning they can sweat through these areas. This serves as a highly effective method of thermoregulation, in addition to their previously existing method of breathing rapidly - panting - so that the air can carry away their body heat.

Their reproductive biology and strategy is quite different from most races, and unusual even given their apparent avian ancestry. They are highly reliant on parthenogenesis, or virgin birth, a process of asexual reproduction wherein an unfertilized egg develops into an offspring. While this is a common method of reproduction in invertebrates, birds, and reptiles, most tribes' population is consisted mostly of parthenogens (individuals born through parthenogenesis).

In sexual reproduction, conception is often difficult for them, requiring multiple attempts. Even when successful, only two to four eggs are produced in a clutch, and some of them may either not be viable or be parthenogenetic. Scholars usually attribute their reliance on parthenogenesis to this fact, as it allows them to persist without the strict need for sexual reproduction.

Harpies will also often mate with males of other species, especially during breeding season. It is currently unknown whether this is merely driven by libido or a behavioral adaptation, as it does seem to stimulate parthenogenesis.

Once a year, usually in early- to mid-summer, sexually mature harpies undergo a period of increased libido, which drives them to seek mating partners for sexual reproduction. This usually only last one to two weeks at most, after which they will return to their normal behavior. They can and will also mate outside of their breeding season, though much less frequently, and with less reproductive success.

While male harpies will not have issues finding partners, in the [absence of male harpies|males], female harpies will seek males of other species to mate with, which are often willing, but not always. This often generates conflicts between harpy tribes and nearby populations of other races and societies, in addition to giving them a certain fame for being promiscuous troublemakers. Some races and societies are more understanding about these happenings, while others view it with disgust and outrage.

Despite these conflicts, this biological mechanism still persists, primarily due to it still being quite beneficial, as mating with males of other species will still stimulate parthenogenesis, leading to an increase in population regardless.

While it is somewhat uncommon, some races are sufficiently genetically and physiologically compatible with harpies that they are able to produce hybrid offspring.

As a result of both how difficult conception is for their race, and the fact that, though there are rare exceptions, parthenogenesis results primarily in female offspring, male harpies are quite rare. Additionally, due to how sex determination works in harpies, parthenogenetic males are often born with defects, and those that survive into adulthood may face developmental problems.

Sex determination in harpies follow the ZW system, much like birds and some other animals, where females are ZW, and males are ZZ. In parthenogenesis, a pair of eggs fuse and, if they are Z and W, develop into an embryo, and then into an offspring. While ZZ pairs cannot fuse, WW can fuse and develop partially, but never fully. However, in rare occurrences, a single egg can develop into an offspring without fusing with another, resulting in a male with either a single or two identical copies of a Z chromosome.

While these males can develop fully and survive, male parthenogens often face difficulties, due to the defects and developmental issues previously mentioned. Despite these adversities, however, they are as celebrated as sexual males.

A small clade, two strong, of races most saliently characterized by their notable likeness to lizards and similar reptiles, with a sprawling quadrupedal gait, and hunched bipedal posture. A pair of particularly interesting traits that set them apart, in different ways, are that, unlike most reptiles, they are mesotherms, and, unlike most sapient races, only partially bipedal.

Their bodies are stocky and sturdily built, covered in scales and scutes both thick and supple, with a reptilian head atop a thick neck, strong outward-stretching limbs, and a flexible spine that ends in a thick, muscular tail. More particular visual characteristics may differ between populations, but are also distinct between the two known species of Lizans: Desert Lizans and Marshland Lizans.

Having spent their entire evolutionary history in craggy deserts, steppes and plateaus, Desert Lizans are strongly adapted to dry conditions, having an array of fairly distinctive physical and psychological qualities. They are characterized by their somewhat sluggish movements, and great capacity for patience and planning.

Along with having flatter bodies, their front limbs possess thick, strong claws, both of which aid in burrowing, which they often to do to camouflage themselves or to access cooler layers of sand in exceedingly hot days. Their bodies are also covered in scales that overlap and are more tightly interlocked.

Aside from the lighter underside coloration, they are usually flat in color, though some can display subtle patterns. Their colors range from light gray and brown tones to tans, beiges, and even white.

Being notably distinct from their desert-dwelling brethren, Marshland Lizans must've diverged from them in a quite distant past, in both an evolutionary and a geological standpoint. They are characterized by having a more flexible and curious mind, and higher social complexity

Their bodies are more streamlined, covered in smooth scutes that allow them to better move through water. Their digits have lobes of skin along their sides, which they can expand or contract at will. Their tails are thinner on the top, giving them a flatter profile akin to a rudder; due to this, however, when they assume a bipedal stance, their tails remain nearly flat over the ground, as they can't bend upwards as easily.

They also exhibit countershading, with lighter shades along their underside. Otherwise, they range from medium to dark greens and browns, with some displaying bluish-green colors. However, they display more notable patterns in a wider variety of colors, such as stripes and spots, in black, white, oranges, yellows, greens and blues. While more brightly-colored patterns are fairly common, these colors are often less prevalent, appearing only in certain areas of the body.

Thanks to their remarkable memory, the oral tradition of their people extends surprisingly far into the past. The stories and memories passed down through generations of both Desert and Marshland Lizans indicate that they originated exactly where they are most prevalent, in what is now the desertic peninsula in the west of the second continent, quickly expanding into the surrounding grasslands and badlands.

However, the existence of Marshland Lizans points to the idea that the two continents were once joined, either completely or partially, as their common ancestors must've migrated into what are now the southeastern marshes of the main continent.

Befitting their good memory and patience, a strong aspect of Desert Lizan tradition is the preservation and passing of their history, knowledge and education from one generation to the next, mostly in the form of oral tradition, but, somewhat more recently, in the form of texts. Education is also particularly important to them, with adults teaching and mentoring younglings, and peers constantly sharing knowledge with one another. It is also very common for communities to send their most knowledgeable and skilled individuals to one another to exchange techniques, discoveries and advancements. Stories, factual accounts and anecdotes alike, on the other hand, are shared communally rather than from person to person, ensuring that they resist distortions and mistakes through the generations.

While Desert Lizans may be considered austere by many, the culture of Marshland Lizans is more vibrant and colorful in comparison, with more emphasis on art, self-expression, affectionate relationships, and social events. While they still put great emphasis in oral tradition, skills are taught on a basis of talent, interest, and, to a somewhat lesser degree, necessity.

Their natural habit of sunbathing lends itself to the tradition, present in both species, of gathering in the morning, in a designated communal basking spot, to warm up and engage in social interactions. Many practically drag themselves out of their beds or burrows still half-asleep, to have their metabolisms slowly ramp up as their temperature does the same. Because of this, these gatherings are usually rather quiet at the start, but become more vibrant and active as the first hours of the morning pass.

These interactions are usually limited to conversations, small verbal lessons and storytelling, but may also include grooming and other sorts of physical intimacy. When a Lizan is shedding scales, for example, this would be the time when they might ask for aid.

While both species have access to metals, from different sources, the availability of these resources in their respective locations is drastically different. Marshland Lizans have access to alluvial deposits of gold and silver, which they mostly trade for more usable metals and other commodities, small quantities of alluvial copper, and peat iron, which is of very limited usability. Desert Lizans, on the other hand, can find much better diversity and quantity, and varying qualities, of ores in the badlands the desert borders. They have access to copper, silver, lead, iron, and tin, in addition to small quantities of meteoric iron they seldom find in the desert itself.

The relative abundance of these metals, along with their impressive knack for deep thought and deliberation, led to an early development of metallurgy in Desert Lizan society, and the eventual discovery of bronze. The quality of their metals and metalworking craft has steadily increased since these developments, as knowledge and skill are passed on and added to.

As a pragmatic people, Desert Lizans don't tend to produce many forms of art. Necklaces, bracelets and other accessories, usually with fire motifs or symbolic depictions of the sun, are among their most common productions which may be considered art. With metallurgy and metalworking being fairly developed in their society, they are often made from metals such as copper, gold and bronze, but also from stones and minerals, especially chalcopyrite - an ore of copper also known as peacock ore.

However, they also tend to decorate - quite intricately - their favorite and most well-used tools and day to day objects, from water storage receptacles to the handles of their spears and pickaxes. These decorations usually consist of patterns of flowing curves that resemble desert dunes, or overlapping scales that resemble their own, among other similar space-filling patterns. Some also draw inspiration from plants and flowers present in the desert and the surrounding regions.

Marshland Lizans, on the other hand, produce a more significant variety of art products, many of which are exports. They mostly include pottery and items woven from reeds and other plant fibers, from baskets, vases and other containers, to decorations, such as small sculptures, mats and tapestries, to accessories, such as necklaces, bracelets and headbands.

Lizans share an ancestral belief system based on the worship of the Sun as a giver of life, warmth and vitality, with the Moon serving as its counterpart in a dichotomy. The roles of the Moon and the stars and the relation between these cosmic entities, however, are seen differently by each species, in ways that almost oppose one another. Eclipses also hold strong symbolic importance in both systems, albeit in different ways, as well.

For the Desert Lizans, the Moon is an enemy of the Sun, eternally chasing it away throughout the sky in an attempt to snuff it out and cease its lifegiving.

They view this cosmic chase as a distant event; a matter not of their own. In fact, the Sun's interest in their world, and the purpose of its lifegiving, are rather mysterious. Perhaps, some think, that is the reason for the Moon's chase; that the Sun is meddling with things it shouldn't.

As for the role the Stars play in this cosmic chase, there are many coexisting theories and beliefs, with most aligning with one of two ideas. Some think they are scouts, keeping watch over the Moon's movements in service of the Sun, so that it may always remain ahead. Perhaps some Lizans that die are made into stars by the sun once their life energy is reabsorbed. The other idea posits that they are, instead, soldiers of the Moon, aiding it in its search for the Sun.

Both of these ideas also propose interesting explanations for the appearance of many more stars in nights when the moon is in its waxing, new, and waning stages. The former suggests that the stars have lost sight of the Moon, and have recruited more of their kin to aid in their search. The latter, in turn, suggests that the Moon is weak or resting, and that it has recruited more of its soldiers to continue the chase in her stead.

Attempts to predict solar and lunar eclipses are a part of their culture and craft, mostly due to the perceived danger that solar eclipses pose to them. They are seen as the Moon managing to ambush the Sun, interrupting the chase and attempting to snuff it out. Whenever one happens, they gather to pray and shout into the cosmos in an attempt to encourage the Sun and aid it in defeating the Moon, making it only a transient victory on its part. In turn, lunar eclipses are seen as the Moon flushing red in anger and frustration.

Marshland Lizans view the relation between the Sun and the Moon as one of balance and benevolence, rather than hostility. The Moon has its own importance, in their view, as provider of rest and recuperation - a counterpart to the Sun representing energy and vitality - and as an entity with control over water and the tides. This results in a belief system wherein the Sun and the Moon are equally important.

They don't reflect much on their role and that of their world in the cosmic dance of the Sun and the Moon, nor on why they both concern themselves with it. They simply accept the existence of these cosmic entities as a fact of the world.

While not all consider really consider the role that the stars play in this dance, some do have ideas or theories. Some believe they are fragments of the Sun, left in the Moon's company to provide glints of guiding light to those living in the world below, especially when the Moon is weak or tired - in its waxing, new and waning stages, that is. Others believe that they are the spirits of their ancestors, brought up into the cosmos by the Moon and put to rest.

Eclipses also hold importance in their culture. They believe that during lunar eclipses, the veil between the realm of the living and the dead wears thin and the stars come closer to the world. Many hold personal, private rituals in which they attempt to commune with passed relatives and distant ancestors, seeking guidance, lessons, or only their company. Solar eclipses, on the other hand, are viewed as the Sun and the Moon coming together and interacting with each other, achieving unity, and representing the harmony and interdependence between what they represent. To many, the event represents these entities bestowing upon them an opportunity for renewal, regeneration and change.

One of their most important traits is that they are mesothermic. They possess adaptations that allow them to produce extra body heat when ambient temperature is low, as well as some that allow them to vent excess heat quite effectively. One example of the former is the ability to shiver - that is, to rapidly tense and relax certain muscles, especially in the torso, to generate heat, at the expense of energy. One of the latter, which is quite common in reptiles in general, is the ability to vent excess heat by panting - holding one's mouth open and allowing saliva to evaporate.

Significantly low temperatures will still prompt their instincts and physiology to slow down and send them into hibernation, however, which they can seldom resist. The use of thick, well-insulating clothes is, of course, another important recourse to prevent this biological switch from being flipped, however. In the same vein, in exceedingly high temperatures they will still seek shelter and try to cool off in various other ways.

Similar to many types of reptiles, they also possess the ability to change color in particular ways, usually over the span of a few minutes. Their entire bodies are able to change into lighter or darker shades to better match the terrain around them, an instinctual ability that some may learn to control. One they cannot control, however, is that, when angry, agitated or stressed, an increasing amount of black dots appear on their faces - an adaptation thought to have developed as a method to reduce sun glare when hunting or defending themselves. These traits are both common to both species.

Other common traits shared between them are partial bipedalism and nictitating membranes. The nictitating membrane is a transparent 'third eyelid' that aid in keeping their eyes from drying out and preventing damage or irritation.

Desert Lizans are much more strongly adapted to their dry, arid environment, with many adaptations relating to heat management and water retention.

Excluding their underside, the tough scales that cover their body overlap, and are more tightly interlocked than Marshland Lizans'. They provide better protection against both predators and the elements, while also helping prevent some water loss. Their undersides are covered in scutes instead, which are also fairly thick and sturdy, albeit much smoother.

Another more readily notable adaptation are the flatter shape of their bodies and their thick, strong claws, both being adaptations that aid them in digging and burrowing under the sand. This allows them to more easily access layers of cooler sand, and to camouflage themselves, usually as an ambush tactic.

In addition to panting, they have a number of strongly vascularized structures along their backs, which normally remain hidden between their scales, but can become engorged and exposed when temperatures are particularly high. Taking the form of red, swollen nodules, they then allow for more direct heat exchange with the air - or water, if available. This is not without its detriments, however, as being soft and highly vascularized, they are a prime target for any predator or assailant.

Their respiratory and digestive systems have also adapted to reduce water loss. While in periods of high activity they still exhale less water than most sapient races, during periods of low activity, they naturally enter a mode of breathing that reduces it to near-zero - meaning (very interestingly) that their breath usually cannot deposit condensate on cold surfaces. Their digestive system also possesses a last stage that maximizes water reabsorption, resulting in an end product that is nearly devoid of moisture.

While they've retained some of their ancestors' traits, Marshland Lizans have also had plenty of time to develop their own adaptations to their more varied environments.

Rather than overlapping scales, their bodies are covered mostly in smooth scutes, with symmetrical lines of osteoderms along their backs. Though they provide less protection, the smoother surface and overall more streamlined profile enable much greater ease of swimming. These scutes are also semi-permeable, allowing them to absorb water through their skin. While this makes them somewhat more sensitive to water quality, contaminants, and waterborne diseases, they've also developed adaptations to deal with such dangers.

Their bodies are more fusiform - streamlined, tapered and cylindrical - in shape than their desert cousins, with a tail that is flatter along the vertical axis, both of which are adaptations that add much to their skill in swimming. Another important, but perhaps more intriguing, adaptation, are their lobate digits. The fingers on both their fore and hind limbs possess lobes of skin on the ventral side of the last two segments, which they can expand and contract at will. When in water, they are usually expanded, increasing the amount of water they can push with each paddle, in turn also aiding in their swimming.

The flatter shape of their tail makes it harder for them to bend it upwards, causing it to lay nearly flat over the ground when they assume a bipedal stance.

In social situations, when doing manual work, or when in the midst of people of other races, they assume a bipedal stance. However, when traveling, moving, or resting, they usually remain in a quadrupedal stance instead, which they are more well adapted to. This makes them only partially bipedal. Accordingly, their fore and hind limbs are strong and similar in length - somewhat short, in comparison to those of strictly bipedal races; especially their legs.

When in a quadrupedal stance, they assume a sprawling posture, with their limbs stretched outward and their bodies low to the ground. While in this stance, they usually move with a sinuous trotting gait, curving their bodies and tail from side to side with each stride - much like many reptiles. They can also run in a galloping gait, similar to a horse or crocodile's, in which they can reach surprising speeds. Both gaits can be observed performed by a crocodile in this video.

When in a bipedal stance, they assume a hunched, forward-leaning posture, with their tail acting as a counterbalance. They walk in short, purposeful steps, with their body and tail usually swaying from side to side somewhat, though they can counter their body's movement with their tail if required. They can also run, though they often avoid it, as it isn't very comfortable or effective, nor does it look very dignified.

Their higher adaptation for quadrupedal over bipedal locomotion often leads to the notion that they are somewhat sluggish in movement - which is partially true, as they do become generally slower in cooler weather. This notion is easily shattered, however, when observing their quadrupedal locomotion.

Among their behaviors, only a few are shared between both species, the most obvious and notable being their sunbathing habit. They tend to bask in the sun in the morning to achieve an optimal temperature before starting their day. There is often a designated communal basking area, where they'll gather and engage in interactions.

Unless being otherwise is required, Desert Lizans are often very deliberate in thought. This may give those unfamiliar with their kin the notion that they are of slow mind, which is not necessarily the case at all. The challenges their native environment pose reward having a good memory of where dangers and resources are located, an ability to manage resources and plan for scarcity and adversity, and the patience to wait for opportunities, all of which they excel at. As such, they are some of the most patient individuals one can meet, often making for great teachers and mentors.

They are also quite resourceful. They often seek to procure shaded shelters where they may remain in the hotter times of the day and the year, building them from available materials, digging them out of the landscape, or using natural shade and geological formations.

While they retain much of their cousins' patience and resourcefulness, Marshland Lizans have much more flexible, curious and dynamic minds. Albeit not as good as Desert Lizans', their memory is still impressive, especially when it comes to navigating their environment.

Thanks to a relatively higher abundance of food and resources, they have a lower need to be deliberate and meticulous, though the tendency is still fairly significant. Their communities are often more populous, leading to higher social complexity and a somewhat richer culture.