Sylvari

The youngest race of the world, eager and ready for the road ahead

The sylvari are omnivorous humanoid plants. Some sylvari closely resemble humans but with a fey cast to their features such as tilted eyes and pointed ear tips; most display plantlike features such as hard wood for bone structure, have foliage and petals for hair, and bark acting as flesh. The youngest of the races in the Thriving Lands, it's oldest known members being only 85 years old.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Sylvari don't have hearts; golden sap moves through their veins instead of blood and pollen falls off of them as they move. They are much more slender than the average human and about a head shorter. Sylvari utilise photosynthesis as a "meditative supplement", but most of their nutrition comes from food just like any other race.

Genetics and Reproduction

Sylvari themselves do not reproduce, when a tree becomes old enough, a sylvari emerges from it, fully grown and ready to set off on it's own.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Sylvari names are generally inspired by Celtic (Irish, Scots Gaelic and Welsh) names. Sylvari do not have surnames, as they're all part of the same "family," though to each other they are more like distant relatives except in special cases.
Sylvari do not "choose" their names nor are they outright given by the their tree or other sylvari. Instead, the sylvari simply 'know' their names upon awakening.

Courtship Ideals

Romance is practiced among the sylvari, disregarding gender between those involved. To a sylvari, love is spiritual and eternal, regardless of physical form and contact, and sexuality is simply a natural part of life. So long as it is entered into with good will and joy, the gender doesn't make a difference.

Common Dress Code

Sylvari craft their armor and weapons from organic material, such as roots, leaves or leather, and sometimes grow their armor out of their own bodies in the form of leafy padding, spines or bark.

Culture and Cultural Heritage

Sylvari are usually honest, direct and focused, taking most things at face value. With the dream ensuring there is so much in common with the other sylvari, experience is cherished for creating uniqueness between them. They are eager to learn, experience and understand.
Sylvari morality and ethics are based on those of the Trees they are born from. After emergence a sylvari is guided by older sylvari to understand what they have dreamed and ensure they have a clear understanding of the tablet, their history and the world.
Despite the kick start of knowledge from the dream they still seem naive as there are some matters which seem beyond their comprehension. Emotions and tact, in particular, are difficult for them to grasp, so often a sylvari will state out loud something which would normally be politely avoided by other races. Death too is not fully understood but viewed as something to be embraced and, as with many things in a sylvari's life, is viewed with a great degree of curiosity. These views serve to form an acceptance of and fascination with death that other races may find disturbing.
As they are all born from the Pale Tree they could be considered all of the same family; however, their family bond is not as strong as most families, with many sylvari considering others more like distant relatives with few exceptions, such as twins born from the same pod or those who shared dreams, though the latter may also result in lovers.

History

Sylvari have only begun to populate the world in the last century, their history is still new and only the future will tell what they will do in the world.

Lifespan

No one knows just how old a sylvari can naturally live

Average Height

~5 feet