Oread

Once in a great while human parents whose ancestry includes the touch of an elemental being of earth somewhere along the line give birth to an Oread. Introspective and impassive, oreads are a race seen as aloof and indifferent to what goes on around them, much like the earth in their ancestry, yet almost unstoppable juggernauts when moved to action, also like the earth. They tend to be enigmas to most thanks to their isolating nature, but those who search for them in the remote, rocky homes find oreads to be trustworthy, peaceful, and protective of those they choose as their companions.

Basic Information

Anatomy

An adult oread stands roughly 4’ 6” tall with two arms and legs. They are bilaterally symmetrical, warm-blooded, omnivores with internal skeletons. Both hands have four fingers and one opposable thumb, which allows them to grip and use tools. Their arms are jointed at the shoulder, elbow, and wrist. Their legs are similar, jointed at the hip, knee, and ankle. Oreads walk upright.

Robust and sturdy, their hair and skin normally come in earthy tones, such as shades of black, gray, brown, or white. Though all oreads appear somewhat rocklike, many appearing to be walking, talking, stone statues, occasionally they will possess stronger indicators of their elemental ancestry like skin that shines like polished stone, rocky protrusions growing from their bodies, glowing gemstone for eyes, or hair reminiscent of crystalline spikes.

Genetics and Reproduction

Oreads reproduce sexually, are viviparous, and have an average gestation period of 270 days, roughly nine months. Oreads usually produce only a single child with each pregnancy though 1 in 100 pregnancies result in twins, with 1 in 500 producing triplets and 1 in 1000 quadruplets. An oread who mates with another oread will bear an oread child. If an oread should mates with a human they will most likely bear a human child, though the child will carry the trait and somewhere down the line may give birth to another oread. However, one in ten children born to an oread and a human will be an oread.

Growth Rate & Stages

Oreads age slower than humans reaching adulthood at roughly 60 years of age, and having an average lifespan of 580 years with some living as much as 850 years. Oreads are not considered middle-aged until around 150 years and are not considered old until they reach the age of 200.

Ecology and Habitats

Unlike their human ancestors oreads seem best adapted to hilly and mountainous terrain, though in a tropical clime, but can inhabit and thrive in any environment and temperature zone. Consequently, they can be found wherever humans are found. They are most frequently found in the southern old kingdoms where there is a long history of humans interbreeding with genie-kind.

Additional Information

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Oreads are most frequently seen in the southern old kingdoms where the Rameta people have a long history of interbreeding with genie-kind. However, they can be found amongst any human population although they become rarer the further east one travels. Being almost unheard of amongst the Jouwren and Iwi peoples

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Oreads possess the same sensory capabilities as human, however in addition, they can see perfectly, albeit in black in white, in darkness out to a distance of 60 feet.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

As oreads don’t have a society of their own, they tend to be named in the tradition of the human society that birthed them. Many however, will upon, reaching adulthood, or even a little before, adopt a name from the Terran tongue.

Beauty Ideals

Oreads generally adopt the beauty ideals of the culture in which they were raised. This sometimes leads oreads to consider themselves ugly, or at least unattractive. This aside oread tastes tend to gravitate towards short, stocky folks with dark complexions.

Gender Ideals

Like humans, oread gender ideals tend to vary. However, the majority of oreads adopt an egalitarian ideal of gender roles, even when raised in strictly matriarchal or patriarchal societies. This tendency stems from the oreads tendency to feel as outsiders in human society even the one where they were raised.

Courtship Ideals

Oreads usually to adopt the courtship ideals of the society they are living in mixed with the society that raised them if different. While they make dedicated and reliable partners, they are reluctant to initiate courtship, as they often see themselves as unattractive compared to their human cousins, and, as a whole, tend towards towards introversion.

Relationship Ideals

As with everything, oread relationship structures tend to mirror those of the culture they live in. The only notable difference is they are unwaveringly loyal and dedicated to their partners.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Since oreads have no culture of their own they have no language of their own. Oreads will normally grow up speaking the language of their human parents. The majority also learn Terran as well, in honor of their elemental heritage. Oreads also like to learn the languages of the other elements as well as the tongues of dwarves, elves, gnomes, halflings with some also dabbling in the Undercommon tongue.

Common Dress Code

Oreads like to dress in earthy tones, preferring practical outfits well suited to hard physical activity and they prefer wearing fresh flowers, plain gemstones, and other natural accents as opposed to complex manufactured jewelry.

History

Since the vast majority of oreads are born to humans they have no oread racial history. It’s unknown how long ago the first oreads appear, as mention of them can be found going to the dawn of recorded history.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Oreads enjoy the company of dwarves as the two races have a lot in common. Oread-dwarven pair-bondings are surprisingly common. They most often will associate with half-elves and half-orcs as they feel a sense of kinship with other part-human races, though these associations tend to be short lived owing to the inevitable personality conflicts that will arise. To oreads the fey gnomes are uncanny, while halflings are seen as uncomfortably bold and as a result oreads tend to avoid these peoples. Oreads respect elves for their love of the natural world, but beyond that find them aloof and difficult to relate to. Since orcs and goblinoids usually view the solitude loving oreads as potential slaves, oreads quickly learn to be wary of these races. Likewise, kobolds see Oreads as good slaves, though they will only act on this impulse when they have overwhelming numbers owing to the natural strength oreads possess. Those kobolds who reject their people’s evil ways though usually get along well with oreads. Drow and oreads seldom come into contact, when they do the drow see nothing but a slave to be, while oreads in turn will simply do their best to avoid the dark elves. Oreads have strained relations with fetchlings, finding them to be untrustworthy and creepy, while the fetchlings in turn feel that oreads are too rigid and inflexible. Oreads will tolerate the feline catfolk, but the community loving catfolk and solitude loving oreads will seldom become boon companions. They are even less likely to associate with ratfolk for much the same reasons. Oreads find tengu to be both puzzling and untrustworthy, as a result oreads tend to avoid tengu, and the tengu will normally reciprocate. They feel a strange sort of kinship with the aasimar and tieflings who are also plane-touched individuals. Among the other elemental-touched races, oreads have surprisingly few friends but no true enemies either. Finally oreads and dhampires tend to get along as both races are loners though for different reasons.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Humans

Lifespan

550 years

Average Height

Oreads tend to be distinctly shorter than their human ancestors, with male oreads average 5’7” in height, while females, like most human subspecies, are slightly shorter averaging 4’4”in height.

Average Weight

Oreads tend to be stocky and solidly built with males averaging almost 200 lbs. and females a little lighter averaging 169 lbs.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

The skin of an oread tends to be in colors reminiscent of rock, stone, and earth with shades of black, gray, brown, and white predominating. An oread’s skin color is usually in no way reminiscent of their parent’s pale human parent just as likely to produce a black-skinned child as a white, and dark skin parents as likely to have an oread child with white skin as black.

Geographic Distribution

• Frontier Lands