Ithris

Ithris, one of the last fae races that existed on Tyreth, was an eerie race known for being cryptic and vague. Their existence was reduced to a myth when the more powerful races started being more common and important. 
Ithris are an all female race, separated into two genders. These are different from sexes. 
The first is the velith, the more "male" gender. Velith is an Ithris word that is commonly translated to "male" and carries a masculine meaning. Velith have female characteristics, such as curvy bodies and breasts, but are the gender that performs the reproductive function of insemination. In society, their role is to care for their childbearing counterparts, and protect the city.
The other gender is the saeryn, the ones who carry children. Saeryn is an Ithris word that is commonly translated to "female" and carries a feminine meaning, however the word comes from "seren" which is thought to mean "star", this has lead scholars to believe that the true meaning is something along the lines of "star woman." This meaning would refer to their connection to the moon and stars, and their love for the night time. Their role is to carry and nurture offspring. In society, they are closely tied to nurturing roles, such as caring for the young, the elders, and the sick.
Besides their unique and sometimes confusing biology, Ithris have a few other features that make them different from other fae races.
For many, the first thing that comes to mind from the myths and legends of the Ithris, is their voices and eyes. Their voices are quiet, sometimes almost silent. Even when the noises around them are much louder than you'd think their voices are, you would still be able to hear them perfectly. This ability is commonly compared to the Ephrynn ability of voice relocating, where an Ephrynn's voice can sound like its coming from a totally different direction.
As for their eyes, Ithris have oddly large eyes. Similar to the evolution of Ephrynn, Ithris needed more light to enter their eyes. Their eye structure stayed the same, leading to abnormally large eyes. Their eyes can be up to 30% bigger than the average humanoid eye. It has been observed that they rarely blink, which causes them to be perceived as creepy, as if something is just off about them entirely because they don't act the way you'd expect. The cause of not needing to blink is unknown, however scholars have assumed that it's because they used to have to act dead or had the need to stay entirely still for long periods of time to avoid becoming food for a creature.
Moving away from facial features, Ithris have noticeably longer limbs. These elongated limbs can make them more flexible, and makes it easier for them to move in the forest. Their torsos are slightly longer too, to make them more proportional. Having longer limbs and such a thin body, in theory, would make their arms and legs much easier to break. However, in practice, that's simply not the case. Ithris bones have evolved to be slightly rubbery, giving a little bit of grace when they fall wrong or from trees. Their bones become more and more solid as they age, making it dangerous for older Ithris to move close to ledges.
Another one of their unique characteristics is their veins, which faintly glow a pale blue in low light. Their blood glows more when exposed to air. It does not mix with water, it doesn't stain, and it rolls off of most surfaces. Their blood only soaks into dirt, where it almost instantly sprouts bioluminescent plants. A common myth relating to this phenomenon is that all of the plants in their forest were created this way, as the Ephrynn and Ithris were hunted by the predators of the forest thousands of years ago.
Ithris typically have long flowing hair which floats slightly, as if submerged in water. This was not a recent development, and to combat the issue of appearing still to predators, they used to cut their hair very short. In modern times, Ithris are free to grow their hair to insane lengths, as there are no predators to hide from. The current theory is that this trait is inherited from spending so much time with their goddess, who shares the same trait.

Basic Information

Ecology and Habitats

The most common location for an Ithris village or city is in the trees. Their ability to fly let them do this far before the gods blessed Tyreth with magic, allowing them to live further away from the most dangerous predators. They did not build bridges from hut to hut until Ephrynn started coming to their settlements.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Typically, Ithris eat only plants. This can change when they need more energy, as they ate more meat when they needed to defend themselves from woodland beasts. They dry plants to make tea, but don't preserve food items for later. They prefer to eat fresh cooked meals, and don't feel the need to save things for later.

Behaviour

Despite the myths that surround them and the region they live in, Ithris are friendly but silent. Ephrynn have known them to seem almost cold to outsiders, even those that they're close with, but they don't mean to come off as cold or indifferent. This is simply because they're distrusting of most other races because of past events.

Civilization and Culture

Beauty Ideals

Long hair is ideal because for them it symbolizes the freedom they feel after the disappearence of the beasts that once hunted them.

Courtship Ideals

Ithris are very open about their feelings in general, and this doesn't change when it comes to love. Ephrynn have commented about how odd it is that confessing your feelings is seen as such a causal thing, but to Ithris, this makes it very simple and straightforward.

Relationship Ideals

Ithris mate only once in a lifetime, but even afterward this couple will stay together for the rest of their lives. Being unfaithful can sometimes lead to death.

Common Dress Code

Ithris typically wear lightweight flowy dresses made from various plant fibers, sometimes ones that glow.

Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals

If an Ithris deeply respects someone, she will sit in perfect stillness beside them for a time, appreciating their presence without words, this is an acknowledgment of trust and kinship. This is commonly done with outsiders once they've been accepted, sometimes with their goddess joining in.
An Ithris might offer a piece of her gossamer-like garment or a delicate thread from her hair. It symbolizes trust, and those who wear it are seen as kin among the Ithris. Showing this kinship trophy is a guaranteed way to get into their city with very few questions asked.
When an Ithris forms a deep bond with someone, she whispers a secret into their ear—a name, a word, or a phrase that will always carry her voice when spoken aloud. This serves as a protective charm, allowing the recipient to call upon her from afar. This is useful for scouts, and is often used when two scouts are planning on working together for a long time.

Common Taboos

Their goddess, Rheya, was burned to death in a past life. This makes Ithris highly offended by anyone who would bring or light a fire in their forest, and especially in their city.

History

Ithris were one of many fae races, all of which have died off over the thousands of years. Their saving grace was Rheya, their goddess.
Rheya appeared one night, she was unconscious in the Shadelight Glade, where a group of scouts found her and carried her back to their city. When she awoke, she found many young Ithris circling her and examining her. They had been playing with her hair and poking at her beautiful face. After a long conversation, the Ithris elders came to the conclusion that Rheya was sent here to watch over them, and that she was a divine being. She used her power to protect the Ithris.
Over the years, Rheya grew close to the Ithris, learning their traditions and helping them however she could. Their relationship became very casual, as they shared meals and wove baskets alongside their goddess.
Slowly, other races started to find it unnerving that their goddess was almost like a mother to them, and they drifted away from the Ithris. Eventually, they were forgotten by everyone but the Ephrynn, who lived nearby. This has lead them to be very wary about outsiders, as they haven't interacted with any other race in thousands of years.

Genetic Descendants

• Faeor

Scientific Name

Sylvalis

Lifespan

530 years

Average Height

3 to 5 feet

Average Weight

50 to 100 pounds, depending on gender role and average activities

Geographic Distribution

• Silentveil Forest

Related Organizations

• Terraguard Alliance