Sylvani

Description

Sylvani are slightly smaller than humans and of slender build. They are home to the great forests and wild areas of Asmythe, where they make their homes in the tops of trees and other hidden locations. Although the sylvani manage to escape most of the local beasts by making their homes in hidden places, life in sylvani settlements is a constant struggle to remain unseen and off the dinner menu. Sylvani are semi-nomadic and tend to move their settlement to a new location every few years, or whenever the threat from local beasts becomes too great in their current location, returning to previous settlements every decade or so.

Sylvani have the power of nature and they use this power to nurture the land. They have a magical sense of the living things around them and, it is said, can communicate with almost any creature.

Habitat

Sylvani make their homes in hillside burrows, tree houses, and anywhere that can be sufficiently hidden. Settlements tend to be small and scattered, generally providing for a few hundred residents at most and many miles apart. These villages are well hidden, an intent explorer could search for months and never know of the sylvani living right beside them.

Diet

Sylvani prefer fresh fruits and nuts, and savory meats and sweet breads as well. Sylvani are excellent cooks and are particularly fond of deserts and savory pies.

Demeanor

Sylvani society is quiet and reserved except during rare festivities. Sylvani are suspicious of all outsiders and never bring them back to their village, even as prisoners. Sylvani are also very thoughtful and adventurous, though not as deep-thinking as the delvers nor as foolhardy as humans.

The greatest celebration in sylvan life is when they move to a new settlement. A great and loud festival is held and the Sylvani become joyful and hedonistic. And disappear completely the next day. Yet even as they enjoy themselves they are always aware of their role in the circle of life and the purpose of this festival is to conceive the next generation and attract predators to their old settlement. Those too old or sick to travel are left behind to further bait predators to this old settlement and away from the new one.

Although Sylvani memories are just as long as the delvers, they forgive more easily. Life is too hard to hold a grudge that serves no purpose.

Appearance

Light brown to dark brown skin is common, with light brown or greenish blond hair. Sylvani often have eyes of blue, brown, or green. They are shorter than humans and far more slender, like a child to your eyes. Sylvani prefer sparse, tight fitting clothing of natural colors.

Fighting Style

Sylvan fighting style takes advantage of their keen senses and quiet agility. They prefer to use bows and slings to attack unnoticed from a distance. When they must they use small wooden spears and knives up close, especially attacking with surprise or from behind.

Society

Sylvan settlements are small, such that everyone knows everyone else and they all have an interest in their individual success. Decisions are made by group discussion and finalized by a vote of everybody present. There is no formal leader but the elders often hold more sway during arguments; the process is very informal by the standards of other races. Usually a consensus can be reached within a few hours, or days for very contentious problems.

When a sylvani dies the village elder transforms them into a tree. A similar process is done to criminals, known as the "living death".

Names

Sylvan names are often long and multi-syllabic but they are almost always shortened to a nickname for common use. Sylvan names are similar to Asian (Chinese, Japanese, Korean) names.

Example: Syphallyonoubaes, Smittarasheed, Halrloprillalar, Hotrufan