Faraelin

The Faraelin, are a mythical race of Nature guardians native to the wilds of Kylorne. Shrouded in mystery, the Faraelin act as guardians of the world's wooded areas. Due to the sheer size and biodiversity of the lush jungles of the far southern wilds, Faraelin are most common in Vaurutir, where they stand guard, hidden behind the jungle foliage with bows drawn, protecting their forests and civilization as a bastion of the natural world.

Appearance
As kindred spirits of Nature, the appearances of the Faraelin can vary greatly. It can best be represented by a scale from 1 to ten with 1 being an elf-like humanoid and 10 being a plant. Most Faraelin are usually around a 5 on that scale, having many features of both humanoids and plants. While variations in phenotype can occur between individuals, there are also variations based on the biome and climate where the individual was born. Despite any variations, all Faraelin possess large, vivid green eyes that reflect light in the dark and even glow when magic is being performed. Faraelin are humanoid and have a slender, short build and are on average 5'5". Their skin tone can be any earth tone or shade of green. They also have large, pointed ears which lead many travelers to speculate that they are a race of elves, however, pointed ears is where their similarities with elves end. The most notable feature of Faraelin anatomy is the plantlike growths that grow on their body. They most commonly grow on the head, shoulders, elbows, and back but their placement and quantity vary depending on the individual. These growths reflect the origin of the individual Faraelin and reflect the biome of their birth. For example, a Faraelin born in the jungle might have jungle tree branches and leaves sprouting from their head and shoulders. The growths can be any type of plant or fungi and that contributes to their extreme diversity since individuals can have flowers, trees, mushrooms, berries, etc. growing from their body.

Origins & History
As beings completely derived from Nature, the origins of the Faraelin are radically different than that of other species. Unbeknownst to other peoples, the wilds of Kylorne are vastly interconnected through root systems, mycorrhizal/mycelium networks, and through the spiritual power that permeates places filled with life. Because of this magical and natural network, the ecosystems of Kylorne can function as a collective organism that acts towards its own growth and welfare despite the separate species and life forms within it. Faraelin are a product of this network. When a plant has grown established enough, it will spread its seeds or grow a shoot to make another plant and spread its species. Faraelin are created by this same mechanism, except instead of being the seed of a specific plant, Faraelin are the seeds of Nature as a whole; born to grow and guard Kylorne's wilds. So, when an ecosystem is established enough, Nature as a whole will channel its power into a plant or fungi, though most often a tree, to grow a Faraelin which will go and help that ecosystem to thrive. Faraelin, due to being largely plant-like, can suffer from the same diseases as plants. The effect of plant diseases has a greater effect on Faraelin higher up on the elf-plant scale.

A Faraelin's age largely depends on the environment they were born to nurture. It is rare to see a Faraelin die before becoming a century old to natural causes, however some have been known to die of blights and other diseases that hit forests or jungles, or (while exceptionally rare) wild animal attacks before becoming one hundred years old. A Faraelin typically lives as long as the land it is there to nurture needs said Faraelin. As long as Nature needs a Faraelin, this Faraelin may live indefinitely all going well, with a century generally being the minimum age a Faraelin will live regardless of Nature's needs.

History
There is no way to guess the date for which Faraelin came into being, though it is typically believed that Faraelin came directly from the primary man-like races such as elves, dwarfs, humans etc. Or that they originated after these races, but completely separately. What is generally agreed upon is that Faraelin originated as a response to these other races by Nature. Prior to the Tribal Period, the demographics of Faraelin are less known. Following the Tribal Period, Faraelin on Wruthos and the northern continents were almost, if not completely unheard of. Bazwebwe was said to have a small population in the western forests. And the only known population was in the jungles of Vaurutir. Fast forward to the year 375 HG and Faraelin have become nothing more than a rumor as a whole, and are thought to be near extinct.