Runeys

Runeys are spirits of the land. They are born from nature; trees, plants of all sorts of the forest, water in the rivers and seas, and crystals of the earth. It is said they are amalgamations of magic secreted from these things and gathered in large enough quantities to take ethereal form. In turn they secrete aether energy, an intangible and invisible miasma that when breathed can strengthen creatures who have evolved magical properties.
Runeys come in two forms: Spirit and Prana
Spirits are a creature form of some sort and float in the skies like coloured fairy lights, gathering around areas with high magic concentrations. They are free-floating, somewhat sentient and have a definite life cycle. They are akin to the animal and man. They can be collected by certain individuals and crystalized into objects called Rune Stones, which are used for many different purposes from strengthening spells to growing prosperous crops.
Prana are shapeless balls of light, collections of magical energy with no other essence. Runeys can be born from Prana, but that isn't always the case. They are usually tied directly to the area of collection and will float there. However, if enough Prana collects, it is possible for certain miracles to happen, such as making sentient non-sentient objects that collect or are around the Prana long enough.
Runeys can multiply rapidly around farmland areas and enrich the land as a whole. If the land isn't taken care of, runeys can die and the land will wither to hold only what a magic-devoid land can sustain. Things can continue to grow, but the plants will not live long, grow as big or healthy or nutritious as a land filled with runeys. People will also lose or have their magical capabilities greatly diminished and will wither in the same way a lack of nutrition can stunt growth. However, sometimes for unknown reasons the magic that sustains a runey can die out naturally in spite of best efforts.
It is unknown if Runeys and other forest spirits like Kodama are related. The latter can get mixed up as the former, but differ in that they have corporeal bodies and cannot be made into rune stones. They are creatures strictly tied to trees and show more sentience and personality than runeys, being more shy and reclusive to most humans. Runeys and Kodama both show the health of the forest, but in different ways; Kodama representing the physical and Runeys representing the spiritual.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Spirit Runeys have a similar simplistic template to their forms as kodama. Kodama are universally white and ghost-like while Runeys differ in form. They have many forms depending on the 'element' they were created from or represent. Not all runeys born from the same source have the same 'element'. Water runeys tend to be blue or blue-green and have a teardrop shape. Tree runeys tend to be brown and earthy with long stocky bodies like a trunk. Light runeys are yellow and have fat round bodies like the sun.

Genetics and Reproduction

Runeys are beings that are born from collection of aether into an ethereal state. However, it seems like Runeys can also multiply on their own if the land is healthy and full of magical aether. It's unknown if they reproduce sexually or through some process of mitosis. More Runeys can seemingly form overnight.

Growth Rate & Stages

Runeys are born from gatherings of aether called Prana, materializing in Spirit form fully formed. They will live out their lives like this until old, in which case they will be ingested by other runeys and re-incorporated into the system.

Ecology and Habitats

Optimal habitat for a runey is any place with a large collection of aether miasma. Runeys can also be born through farming techniques, using skills to grow crops and nurture animals creates miasma enough to summon runeys in great quantities. Those especially skilled in this practice may have a biological tendency toward care and cultivation of runeys and are called earthmates.

Biological Cycle

Runeys don't have to, but can potentially die during the winter when most plants and many animals go into hibernation or die for the winter. There's not enough produced aether to keep up runeys, whose bodies will fail and become incorporeal again until next spring. Thick concentrations of aether or if around farmers but especially earthmates and witches are exceptions.

Conservation Status

Runeys are considered extremely important in Praecantrix communities of Lyria and Norrain. These are the continents that tend to have the most runeys apart from the potentially mythical Whinahin. Runeys are threatened and endangered in other continents and completely extinct in Aegshra.