Melstie

Basic Information

Anatomy

Humanoid

Biological Traits

Melsties are a small but inquisitive people, that are said to be naturally attuned with nature. However despite this attunment, they don't appear to be fey like, or fey-related in any way, and just seem to have a natural affinity for forests. They have a keen sense of smell, and have claws they are able to use to defend themselves. Besides that, they are known as a hardy and wise people, if a bit stubborn. Of course, the most notable feature about them is their resemblance to badgers.

Genetics and Reproduction

Sexually, with gestation of about 6 months

Growth Rate & Stages

Melstie reach maturity at about 10 years of age.

Additional Information

Facial characteristics

Melstie have fur with black streaks upon their fur, and have a pronounced snout.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

The Melstie have spread across the world, and can be found quite frequently no matter the city.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Melstie have the ability to see in the dark, due to being semi nocturnal.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Melsties choose short names with harsh consonants, or words depicting their physical appearance. They do not have last names. Their names are mostly unisex.
Male/Female: Klint, Quill, Blacktooth, Whiteclaw, Tachyon

Gender Ideals

Melsties are an egalitarian people.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Melsties speak Melke

Culture and Cultural Heritage

While Melstie have gotten semi decent at integrating themselves within the wider world, they seem to have trouble conforming to societal standards. This isn't to say that they are all raging and reckless anarchists, but instead fall back on what they consider "fundamental truths". When doing anything that could be considered morally or ethically grey, the Melstie simply asks itself "How will this affect me were it to happen to me?". This gives the Melstie a moment to consider if they should go through with something. While usually this is a fast decision, sometimes Melstie can take days or even months for more complex decisions. They tend to find laws more redundant than anything, as if a creature needs to be reminded how to behave, then there is problem something already wrong with them.
Besides being stubborn, no one can deny the wisdom of a Melstie. The race seems to have natural affinity for practical knowledge to apply in life, which means they always seek to understand and study most things. This leads to many Melstie to be inquisitive, and occupy more scholarly or detective like work. It is said that if you want a question answered, pay a Melstie and come back in a week. It will be a wait, but the answer you will get will be accurate, for better or for worse.

History

Melsties in truth seem to have been one of the earlier races to crop up when the great migration of humans and other mortals from the east. They seemed to have just, appeared out of the forest. However the Melstie believe in an old tale that a wise shaman of a nearby tribe gave them life. This wiseman would wander into the forest looking for mushrooms needed to gain visions, when he saw a badger resting in a cave. He was fascinated by the creature and decided to wait till it was awake to talk to it. He waited till nightfall and when the badger woke up, the wiseman introduced himself and gave him some of his wisdom. The badger seemed to listen intently, and when the wiseman was done, he gave the badger a strange concoction and left.  The badger would sniff at and drink this strange potion, and undergo a change that took a few days. Then, the first Melstie appeared, and he gave this potion to his friends, imbued with the knowledge of the wiseman. No one actually knows who this wiseman was, but in the end, the Melsties introduced themselves to local tribes and soon became a semi-common face among early civilization, and still today remain fairly common

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Due to having trouble integrating fully into societal standards, some view the Melstie as troublemakers and rabble-rousers. However this is mostly just because they have a natural inclination to question the status quo and why things happen the way they do. However, the Melstie are incredibly intelligent and this leads to many to become scholars, and form great family lines of scholars and inventors.

Lifespan

About 80 years

Average Height

3-4ft tall

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Primarily white with black patterns upon the fur.