Alseid

Alseid are a graceful and elusive race native to the Feywild, known for their deep bond with natural magic and their distinctive deer-like lower bodies. Their culture blends the wisdom of ancient druids with the disciplined introspection of monastic tradition. While often mistaken for thei centaur cousins due to their quadrupedal form, alseid are smaller, lighter, and more attuned to the magical rhythms of the world around them.

Physiology

An alseid’s body transitions from a humanoid upper half into the lower body of a deer, complete with cloven hooves, a short tail, and fur patterned with natural spotting. Unlike centaurs, whose equine forms lend them brute strength, alseid are built for agility and subtlety. Their humanoid torsos are slender and compact, with long limbs and soft, expressive features.
Males and females both grow antlers from their foreheads. Male antlers are elegant racks with 4–8 narrow points, while females typically have 2–3 backward-curving tines. These antlers are not used for combat; instead, they serve as innate magical foci, allowing alseid to attune to the ambient natural magic of their environment, whether in the Feywild or the Material Plane. If damaged, an alseid’s antlers regenerate slowly over time. When fully broken off, the bone-like material becomes brittle and crumbles to dust, rendering it useless for trade or crafting.
Their skin tone ranges from pale to golden-brown, often adorned with symmetrical spot-like markings that begin at their hands, up their arms, shoulders, and neck, and continue along the sides of their faces.

Culture

Alseid society is contemplative and reverent of balance. They do not build cities or raise monuments; instead, they preserve the wild places of the world, often serving as guardians, scouts, or interpreters of natural omens. Each alseid community is led by one or more forest wardens—elder mystics who guide the spiritual and practical growth of their kin. Apprenticeship under a warden is considered a sacred honor, and failure in such a role carries deep personal and communal shame.
Their teachings emphasize self-discipline, humility, and the understanding that harmony is not passivity—it is vigilance. Alseid philosophy blends druidic traditions of nature worship with monastic focus, teaching that internal stillness and external awareness are equally essential to protecting the wild.

Abilities

Alseid are naturally adept at moving through forests and overgrowth without leaving a trace. Their connection to the natural world gives them an intuitive grasp of weather, terrain, and the emotional states of wild creatures. Many become druids, rangers, or monks, and their antlers can be used to channel spells without the need for traditional focuses.

Lifespan

Alseid mature at a similar pace to elves, reaching adulthood after roughly 30 years, but are considered young into their 60s. They can live up to 250 years, though many choose to live quiet, contemplative lives that leave little trace beyond the lands they protect.