Fara

The Fara are a mystic and ancient people. They blur the line between animal and plant, at first glance being composed of what appears to be plant-like matter (much like corals). They are however sentient and highly spiritual, and they have a deep connection with life and all living things. In myth, they are descended from the great elder trees of old, and are said to be the creations of the life-goddess herself, born from under a great tree in the deepest depths of an unknown forest. It's claimed they are related to the ‘Shepherds Of Life’, though whether they themselves are myth or (at the very least) long extinct, is up for debate.
The Fara now only inhabit the rainforest of the Fara Grovelands, but it's believed their ancestors once roamed the world, long before any animal or other sentient beings had been conceived.
They are categorised as a descendent from a branch of Nympharum, and thus supposedly have a distant common ancestor from the Enoh and Sumiini, being in the same family, but not genus, with hybridisation and crossbreeding not possible between them. This is in part to the arrogance of the Enoh-Hoana who wish to link themselves to the Fara, as a point of pride and superiority. In reality, they are not apart of such a branch, but exist on a separate tree of life to the main Eptan one, like an offshoot or sister sapling, so to speak. They share their entire tree with only one other species; Vitus Beings. So instead of being "Nympharum Arboribus Farii", they are in fact "Vita Natus Farii".

Basic Information

Anatomy

Their body is composed of vines, and smooth, almost fleshy plant matter. They are anthropoid and bipedal, with dark shades of blue, red, and green for skin. Looking closely upon one you will notice its skin is made of many latticed leaves, of varying shapes, with veins of transparent skin that flow with sap and syrup in deep oranges infused with bright yellows. Many of the Fara also have bioluminescent spots and patterns riddling their bodies, giving ecstatic blues and reds during the night. The Fara also noticeably have a line of spikes running from their lower back up to their neck, starting and finishing smaller in size, with the largest spikes in the middle of the line.
Fara also have bark like ridges that run along the outer edge of the forearms, the shins, and around the cheek bones and eyebrows. These often have protrusions and small branches that jut out, such as from the elbow and over the knees.

Biological Traits

There are a number of sub-species in the Fara. These affect their height, weights, skin colours, and a myriad of other parts far more than that within other species. There also appears to be a correlation between sub-species and their compatibility with fusing into certain flora as Tree-Walkers.

Genetics and Reproduction

The male and female flowers sit inbetween the back spines, and this is where the seed pods form. These fall and grow into a plant that is nurtured by the parents, this will take around 10 years before the it fully matures to a birth tree. At the base of the tree, sat surrounded by the roots, will be a large bulb; a birth-pod. When the birth-pod hatches there is a small Fara, similar in size to a 6 year old human. This will leave a small empty sphere beneath the tree, encased by roots and safe from the elements. Young Fara and other small creatures sometimes use this as a refuge. The seedling is born with the "memories" of its birth-tree, called “The Sight”. This gives newborn Fara a rudimentary understanding of their surrounding world, as the birth-trees have primitive sensors for sound, tremors, and touch, all of which have a direct connection to the growing Fara in the pod. Some newborns are even capable of basic speech and communication, if they are spoken to or surrounded by enough verbal communication when growing in the pod. The spoken dialect or language is reflective of the one they heard whilst growing.

Growth Rate & Stages

Maturity rates can vary a lot, though it is usually somewhere between 40-100 years. They are usually considered saplings up until the age of 200, finally becoming adults around the age of 500. Anyone over the age of 2000 is often viewed as an elder. There does also seem to be a correlation between the maturity speed of a Fara and the amount of Vitus in the area they inhabit; the more there is, the faster the growth.

Ecology and Habitats

Always close to areas of tree growth, they inhabit rainforests and jungles, as well as coniferous or deciduous forests. A few also inhabit the Underdepths where there is abundant fungal growth. They can also be found in swamps, bayous, and marshes, though they are exceedingly rare here (more so than usual), and thus most consider them to be either old legends or just simply extinct in such areas.

Additional Information

Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms

A select few Fara are symbiotic to some species of climbing Ivy, and are partially covered by it. Others are symbiotic with lichen and moss, to the same effect. It has also been noted that some Fara have a lot more of the bark like coverings, but it is unknown if this is a symbiotic, a parasitic, or simply a genetic difference to the rest of them.

Civilization and Culture

Major Organizations

Almost entirely within the Fara Grovelands, they do not join other cities or organisations/countries. Some are, however, hiding out in pockets of wilderness. They once used to inhabit all corners of the world, both above and below ground.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Their primary language is Elder Speech, though to outsiders the language's mere existence is often disputed. There are no known creoles, but dialects do exist between the inhabited regions. 
The language is ancient, powerful, and rooted deeply within their ancestry. It is extremely difficult for others to learn, even for the Enoh, Sumiini, and the Sëmutera, whose own languages descend from it. 
Some Fara do however learn Driisadae, it often being their only point of contact with the outside world.

Scientific Name

Nympharum Arboribus Farii/Vita Natus Farii

Lifespan

Unknown - research suggests unaging

Conservation Status

Critically Endangered

Average Height

2-4m

Average Weight

55-150kg

Geographic Distribution

• Fara Grovelands

Related Ethnicities

• Farati