Feirie

Written by Drakynfly

The matriarchal population of Mala are the Feirie. A vivid, generally cheerful tribal race that lives in trees, and worships their dead. They love to fly, preferring it to walking, and tend to stay in the air while doing most daily activities.

Basic Information

Anatomy

The most humanoid of Malan species, Feirie resemble humans greatly and could often pass off as one if not for the pair of wings sprouting from the shoulder blades. Their skeletal structure is nearly identical to that of humans, except that the scapulae are thicker and stronger to support the wings, and the bones are hollow like birds. The makeup of the bones is much higher in metal, specifically, copper and zinc. As a result their bones are golden in color. They have very lithe, sinewy musculature, adapted to aid quick movements in flight. Since they are very reliant on flight, their feet and ankles are weak, rarely strong enough to support their weight for extended periods of time.

Wings

Every Feirie possesses a pair of wings that vary dramatically in shape, coloration, and design. Most commonly, they appear, similar to a dragonfly, as long, thin, translucent-blue, and generally squat membranes. Others have wings resembling a butterfly, leaves, petals, or other less describable forms. They are always capable of flight, and have incredible healing properties, to the point of all but regeneration when damaged. They attach at the shoulder blades, where the bone acts as a ‘socket’ for the base of the wing. Although the wings hold no bones, they are surprisingly inflexible, but, much like muscles, can be relaxed, at which they lose all rigidity. When not in use, they rest down against the back of the Feiri.

Biological Traits

Sexual Dimorphism

Males can have any coloration.
Female 1's are more likely to have brown, green, and blue coloration.
Females 2's are more likely to have grey, light or pale colored coloration; and are the only sex to have the genetic code allowing the Shifting ability.

Genetics and Reproduction

They reproduce via cloacae. There are three sexes: Male, Female 1, and Female 2. Birthrate between the three is equiprobable, leading to a population of one third male, two thirds female.

Ecology and Habitats

They live anywhere where there are trees large enough for their colonies to be built. Jungles, marshes, and forests are typical habitats. The Feirie live in many colonies in the jungles, plains, and fens of their planet. When possible they are built in trees and much like apartments, are crammed next to each other vertically and horizontally. There are little to no walls and floors quite often, but just ledges and platforms strung chaotically inside the pseudo-apartment-colonies by ropes and branches. These structures usually hold between 50 and 500 Feiries. When a colony exceeds this, it splits into 2-6 smaller groups.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Omnivorous. They farm fruits and greens in pastures near their colonies. They often use the manure of Drakynfly, which is rich in minerals, to fertilize the soil.

Additional Information

Facial characteristics

Eyes are always black, males can grow small beards but they take many years to grow. Their canine teeth are pointed slightly forward.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Across the entirety of the areas around the North Pole and stretch to the North Ice Ring.

Average Intelligence

Varies, roughly equal to humans.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

They can see into the ultraviolet much farther than humans, and also slightly into the infrared, but lack at perceiving greens and yellows. Their senses of hearing and smell are comparable to humans. They show the unique ability of being able to control and bend to their will the Sunsong and Moonsong, but only when the Sun Goddess or Moon Goddess respectively, grants it.

Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms

The large canopy trees that the Feirie use for houses are largely reliant on the Feirie for seeding.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Names are comprised of a noun and either a verbal phrase with a secondary noun or a stative verb. Females are named after feminine nouns and males after masculine ones. A few examples: 'Stars Alight', 'Bloom Encircles Branch', and 'Fish Fighting River'.

Beauty Ideals

The colors violet, red and blue are thought of as the best wing colors. For females, gray skin is more pretty than brown or green, while for males, vibrant saturated tones are preferable.

Courtship Ideals

Children are encouraged to start finding possible partners at 10 years old. By maturity, a male is expected to have found what females he wishes to wed, and females are expected to either pair up, or agree to what second her husband chooses.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

The most common spoken tongue is Feirie, named after them. There are other languages, but all are spoken only in small regions.

Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals

Death

Feiries hold to a superstition that insists that, in order to keep the spirit of a dying Feirie safe, a dear friend, family member, or, lacking those, a colony elder, must perform a sort of coup de grâce wherein the friend, family, or elder must kill the dying Feirie. This is supposed to be done with a blade forged from the metal slag of the dying Feiries ancestors’ bones, as the killer must be a living spirit, as which the metal qualifies. Metals from the earth, like bronze or iron possess ‘dead’ spirits, and would curse the spirit if used. If a Feirie dies without this performed, a ritual must be done to call the spirit back from the Abyss, involving piercing the corpse heart with a long sharpened tooth, bone, or horn, burning incense, and prayer from the colony. The bodies of the young are immediately cremated, while for adults and elders the bodies are mummified and kept until the colony moves out, where they then cremate all the bodies with the colony. Metal slag is removed from the cremated bones ash, and used to make all their metal tools.

Marriage and Coming of Age

These are one and the same; a Feirie is considered an adult once married. Marriage is always bigynous, that is, a male is expected to have two wives, never just one, and never more.

Common Taboos

The biggest taboo is violence and death of any kind. It is never spoken of in public, around children or at celebrations. Breaking this is not only rude but disrespectful to those who have died. A minor taboo is showing the tongue to one another. To do so is only appropriate when flirting, or with spouses. To avoid showing people tongues during conversations, Feirie often talk with their teeth shut, head held down and/or turned away.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

The Feirie get along very well with the Drakynfly and the Giants, often trading goods, food, as well as stories, culture and language. They despise The Masters and are quite glad that they leave the Feirie largely to themselves.

Genetic Descendants

• Drakynfly
• Vampire

Scientific Name

Divus alatus sapiens

Origin/Ancestry

Fei

Lifespan

2 years, 3.3 max

Average Height

1.5 meters

Average Weight

25 kilograms

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Skin tones range from pale greens and yellows to dark browns, blues, and grays. As the Feirie ages, stripes following their Blaschko's lines start to appear, first at the extremities, then over the limbs, until, at old age, they cover the whole body. These stripes are always a darker color that their main skin tone. Their wings typically fall between a shade of blue, purple, or red, although orange can also be found. Yellow and green are extremely rare. Their hair can occur in any of the same colors as their wings, albeit in muted or duller shades. Like their wings, color distribution is not even, with green and yellow only showing up very rarely.