Felarya

Monster Girls

NAGA - Nagas are a race of creatures with the head and torso of a humanoid, and the body of a large snake from the waist down. Their serpentine lower body, referred to as their tail, are typically covered in smooth, colorful scales featuring a wide plethora of unique patterns, which can range from simple rings and stripes, to elaborate and sometimes foreboding shapes. Beside their tail, nagas sports all sorts of other snake-like features, the most common of these being a pair of fangs in their mouths, as well as an elongated and sometimes prehensile tongue. Some nagas may also sport long ears, stilted reptilian pupils, a forked tongue, or patches of scales on certain parts of their upper body.

Giant nagas are known far and wide as one of the most fearsome predators in all of Felarya. A highly adaptive race, they have evolved to live in a variety of different environments imaginable, making them one of the most widespread predatory species the world. In spite of their huge size, they are incredibly agile, able to move quickly and in relative silence. Their tail, colored to match their environment, provide them with superb camouflage, making it all the harder to spot them before it's already too late. They possess a huge appetite and a typical giant naga would have no problem eating a dozen humans in a single meal.

Although nagas are most commonly depicted as an all-giant race, the reality is actually quite different. Much like snakes and humans, nagas are a very diverse species and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Common small nagas often share the same body proportions of an average person and usually stands just a little taller than an adult male.

Biological traits Like many creatures descended from reptiles, nagas are partly ectothermic, meaning cold-blooded. They rely mainly on ambient heat to regulate body temperature, as their body generate less heat on its own. In theory, a naga would enter a state or torpor if it became too cold, but since Felarya does not have true seasons, this almost never happens. For most nagas, this rarely affects them in a significant way as they are typically well-adjusted to their surroundings, though they can sometimes be sluggish during a cool night and in early morning when the temperature is lower. It's common for them to bask in the sunlight in the morning to warm up before they begin their daily activities, however many like to partake in the activity for no other reason than to enjoy a nice sunbath, which nagas are quite fond of.

The internal anatomy of a naga is mostly identical to any other humanoids. The majority of their internal organs are located in their upper torso and are all situated where you would expect to find them in a human body, sharing the same function and largely level of importance. The major exception, however, is their digestive system, which is radically different from any other species.

Just like snakes, nagas possess an amazingly stretchable esophagus and stomach, allowing them to swallow just about anything that can fit inside their mouths with ease. Unlike a human jaw, which is connected to the skull via a complex set of bones, joints and muscles, a naga's jaw is attached to the skull purely by a series of strong and elastic muscles. These powerful muscles allow nagas to open their mouths far wider than normal, and are flexible to the point that they can swallow large preys whole even if it is larger in diameter than the naga's mouth. The naga's ribcage lack a sternum and is entirely comprised of multiple movable ribs, allowing large preys to pass through the chest unimpeded. Theoretically, all nagas are able to swallow very large preys whole, however, many of them are used to eating nothing but relatively small preys, leading their jaw muscles to atrophy somewhat. Some nagas like Crisis are almost unable to open their mouth wider than the normal human range as a result.

Nagas possess two stomachs: a small stomach, actually more than twice the size of a human's, in their humanoid torso, and a second, much larger one situated within their snake body. A naga eating a small prey would only use the first stomach, as it would be a waste of energy to "warm up" the larger one. In that case the food arrives in the large stomach already digested, so the large stomach just acts like an intestine and moves the food along to the intestines proper. A naga that ate something bigger, on the other hand, would require the use of the bigger stomach, so the smaller stomach would stretch and let big meals pass through, as if it were simply an extension of the esophagus. Both of the naga's stomachs are very strong. Not only can they digest just about anything short of stone and metal, but they're very resistant to damage as well. Trying to upset a naga's stomach with normal blades, conventional firearms, and traditional destructive spells like a fireball, is all but a lost cause. Once an unfortunate adventurer finds themselves trapped inside one, there is really only one thing that can happen...

Although nagas are, in theory, capable of swallowing a creature of a similar size whole, they very rarely do so. Due to the shape of their humanoid torso, swallowing a prey this large is very difficult and sometimes incredibly painful if the naga isn't used to it. Even when completely ingested, the sheer size of such meals significantly weighs their tail down, making it hard to move around and leaving them virtually defenseless against predators. For these reasons, nagas typically limit the size of their prey to roughly half their own size standing upright at most. The only time an average naga might consider hunting something bigger is if they are famished and knows for certain they can safely get away with it.

Some naga species, mostly the ones who borrows from venomous snakes like vipers, have special glands that secrete highly modified, toxic saliva, designed primarily to facilitate the immobilization and digestion of prey, and defense against threats. These glands are usually nested somewhere near their cheek bones, resulting in rounder, puffier cheeks, and are connected to specialized hollow fangs. Naga venom can be roughly classified as neurotoxic or hemotoxic, though the line between the two is very often blurred, with several naga species incorporating both neurotoxic and hemotoxic venom. Moreover, the venom's exact toxicity differs quite a lot from species to species, with some having similar, but ultimately more potent venom than others. Although it is most commonly injected after a bite, a few species of nagas are able to spit streams or sprays of venom at an incredible distance, largely dependent on their own size.

In general, a naga's five senses are about as sharp as a human's, although depending on the species, one particular sense may be significantly sharper than the others, or they may possess a sixth sense altogether. Their sense of smell and taste, on the other hand, is a different story. While nothing special when used individually, when the two are combined, they form a very powerful chemosensory devices. The naga's tongue, though often shaped like a human's, is capable of capturing scent particles in the air, transforming it into olfactory information. This is accomplished with the help of a vomeronasal organ, also known as the Jacobson's organ. This organ, located at the roof of their mouth, takes the information gathered by the tongue and transforms it into smell, which they then use to better pinpoint its source. Thanks to this unique physiology, nagas are among some of the best, and deadliest, trackers imaginable, on par with rigorously trained inus.

Magical Affinity One of the most puzzling mysteries about nagas is their magical potential. Despite having no relation with fey creatures, most nagas possess an innate talent for magic, which is strongly influenced by the environment they grew up in. This results in nagas developing an affinity toward a specific element, making them more prone to learn magic based around it, as well as an innate resistance against spells that make use of that particular element. For instance, a naga who grew up in a vast forest will usually develop a talent for plant-based magic, while nagas who live in a desert that sees frequent and powerful sandstorms often acquires an affinity for wind magic.

Unlike elves and fairies, however, this inherent power does not manifest itself during childhood. Rather, it awakens late in their life, usually when they reach mature adulthood. The nature behind this gift remains unknown to this day. One popular theory is that this is thanks to having snakeskin. Snakeskin, being a fairly common ingredient in alchemy, is known to hold power, even when it is shed, thus it would make sense that nagas, being part snakes, would be able to tap into that power. This theory is however unsubstantiated, as the risks associated with testing this hypothesis is often too great for anyone to go ahead and do it. Whatever the reason, everyone can agree that a naga properly trained in the arcane arts has the potential to become an outstanding and powerful spellcaster. Moreover, because they possess an inherent gift for magic, nagas are one of the few races with the natural ability to sense and detect the presence of magic signatures, commonly referred to as Predator sense.

Hunting Habits Nagas, like snakes, are carnivores, and are fond of eating live animals. They can be either diurnal or nocturnal hunters, but the one thing both have in common is their habits of ambushing preys. Typical diurnal nagas roam about their territory, actively searching for game until a prey is detected. In which point, they go into hiding and then wait for their chosen prey to draw near before striking. Nocturnal nagas, on the other hand, prefer to sit in a spot of their choosing and wait for prey to come to them than to actively forage for food. How nagas subdue large preys vary between individuals, with constriction or the use of venomous bite being the most commonly used methods.

After eating a large prey, nagas tend to become sluggish and sleepy. This is because digesting meals of that size is an intense activity that requires much of the naga's energy. The bigger the prey, the more energy it requires to digest properly. Because it is so exhausting, nagas often sleep somewhere warm following the consumption of a large prey in order to keep their metabolism as high as possible, hence why it is so common to see a naga with a bulging tail napping in the sunlight. Regardless of the size of the meal, the digestive process is highly efficient, dissolving and absorbing almost everything of their prey. It is thanks to this incredibly efficient digestive system that nagas don't need to feed as often as other predatory creatures. Depending on the size of their prey, a naga may need to only eat once a week to once every few weeks. Even nagas who subsist almost entirely on small prey only need one filling meal every few days to stay well-fed and healthy.

Despite eating mostly meat, nagas can eat vegetable matter as well. It's usually done when a hunt has gone poorly and is mostly a temporary solution until a proper meal can be found. Some nagas do enjoy eating fruits for their taste though.

Behavior and Culture One of the most interesting aspect of nagas is the huge behavioral and cultural dichotomy between small and giant nagas. Typically, giant nagas are solitary creatures, and although they will ferociously defend their territory from intruders if necessary, they are usually peaceful toward other races. Once a giant naga has settled around a particular territory, the naga will remain there for a very long time, rarely thinking about what sort of wonders may be lying beyond their small world. On the rare occasions when a giant naga leaves its chosen territory, it's usually because food sources have dwindled to the point that they cannot continue to live there, or to look for a potential mate.

Small nagas are another story. Unlike their titanic cousins, human-sized nagas are social creatures, forming tight-knit tribes of dozens, sometimes over a hundred members. A nomadic race, they constantly move from one place to another, never staying in one spot for too long to avoid the ever-present threat of the deadly Felaryan fauna. The few sedentary tribes that exist often adopt a more warrior-oriented culture, but even with this lifestyle, they nonetheless remain primarily hunters like their migratory brethren. Tribes of small nagas are typically led by a queen, usually the eldest, wisest, or most powerful member of the tribe. While their societies are traditionally matriarchal, male nagas are treated as equals by their female peers, although the gender ratio between the two leans more in favor of the female.

Regardless of being nomadic or sedentary, small nagas are taught how to fight and defend themselves from threats at an early age. Nagas mostly employ their powerful tail in battle, either to constrict their foe or to deliver crushing blows, as well lightning-quick punches that come from all sorts of weird and unexpected angles. Besides their fists, nagas also favor swords, particularly curved swords like scimitars, spears, and occasionally, bows and arrows. Knowing well that Felarya is a “eat or be eaten” kind of world, small nagas aggressively attack anyone and anything that intrudes on their territory.

Unlike giant nagas, small nagas distrust just about any other sapient race. They are especially wary of humans, nekos and elves, as the fearsome reputation their much larger cousins carry unfortunately bled over to them as well. Many humans and elves have waged battle against small nagas in the past, believing it to be justice for all the sorrow and destruction their giant kin have caused. Even to this day, these races don't see eye to eye, with many humans and elves outright refusing nagas seeking refuge entry to their settlement and vice versa.

However, the one race nagas have the most interesting relationship with are dridders. The two races have been mortal enemies for centuries, a sentiment that has been further spearheaded by the genocidal campaigns of Queen Sineria. Since the war's end, animosity between giant nagas and giant dridders has been steadily vanishing over time, and a few odd friendships have been able to bloom between the two races. In spite of this, nagas and dridders remain fierce rivals over dominance for territory, and can't help but glower suspiciously at each other. This, however, does not hold true for small nagas. To this day, they continue harbor a deep grudge against dridders, the resentment over the atrocities and infamous treachery committed by their late mad queen seared in their consciousness. Whenever the two races meet, a skirmish almost inevitably follows.

It is commonly believed that giant nagas don't prey on small nagas, but this could not be farther from the truth. Most giant nagas have little qualm eating small nagas, seeing them as no different from any ordinary preys. In fact, small nagas are usually seen as a rare delicacy and highly sought-after by just about every giant race. Slug girls and harpies in particular seem to very fond of them and will happily slurp one up when given the chance. Although they don't taste incredibly amazing, they are very filling thanks to their massively elongated bodies. One or two fully mature small nagas is often enough to satisfy a giant for quite a while.

Reproduction Most species of nagas lay eggs, although few instead give birth to live young. After two or three months through pregnancy, a naga will lay her eggs somewhere warm and humid, which will then hatch after several more months of incubation. Giant nagas do not mate very often and usually lay only one or two eggs at a time. Regardless, they defend their eggs ferociously from egg-eating animals, or any creature that would dare venture too close. Nagas born from eggs are much smaller from those that are born live, with giant naga hatchlings being often only a little bigger than an adult human. Because their diminutive size leaves them so vulnerable to danger, they are taught at a very young age how to hunt and how to remain stealthy at all times.

Small nagas, on the other hand, have a significantly higher birthrate than their giant counterparts, mating much more frequently and giving birth to more young at a time. On average, a small naga will give birth to a clutch four or six offsprings, but there are occasional stories of a single mother laying as many as ten or even a dozen eggs at once. As with giant nagas, the sight of a mother naga guarding her clutch is quite an intimidating one, giving the impression that the slightest noise or sudden movement will cause her to unexpectedly lash out in self-defense. Unlike giant nagas, newborns aren't taught to hunt and fight until they have matured and grown big enough to properly wield a weapon. Some cases point to a few nagas abandoning their young either shortly after they are born or after laying their eggs. No one knows what compels them to do this when most are perfectly content raising their offsprings. This rare behavior appears to be exclusive to giant nagas as cases of parental abandonment are practically unheard of among tribes of small nagas.

Much like snakes, nagas must periodically shed their snake skin as they grow. When a naga is ready to shed, the colors of their scales grow slightly dull and their tail starts itching quite a bit. The rate in which a naga sheds is more frequent during childhood through adolescence where they undergo a rapid growth spurt, which then slows down tremendously once they have reached adult size. It's also quite common for a female naga to shed her skin a few days before she lays her eggs or gives birth. Even after she reaches adulthood, a naga never stops growing throughout her life, thus will never stop shedding either. It is said that human-sized nagas who have lived for a very long time will eventually become so huge, they will dwarf humans and small nagas alike. Although none have ever seen one for obvious reasons, many believe that an ancient naga, one that somehow managed to live through many centuries, might be one of the most massive and awe-inspiring sights one could behold.

Common Types of Nagas In Felarya, nagas are most commonly classified by habitat rather than by their elemental affinity. This isn't a hard rule, however, as it isn't uncommon to encounter a particular naga several miles away from its usual habitat. This line is further blurred by nagas who have mastered the arcane, allowing them to tap in magic beyond their favored element.

Arboreal Nagas A species of nagas who make their home atop Felarya's tallest trees. They are the most common type of nagas and often the first to come to mind whenever people hear the word. As they are widely found in forested areas across Felarya, their coloration differ quite a bit from region to region, though it is obviously predominantly green. Adept climbers, they are able to scale up and down trees in the blink of an eye with their long and powerful tail, as well as leap from branch to branch with the greatest of ease. Complimenting their remarkable agility, arboreal nagas possess the sharpest eyesight of their kin. They can spot objects sitting all the way down on the forest floor with utmost clarity, and are able to track rapid and erratic movements with little difficulty. Because they spend so much of their lives in the trees, arboreal nagas often get along well with dryads. Many dryads allow small arboreal nagas to live in their branches, protecting them from predators.

Known Arboreal nagas: Crisis, Jissy, Namesta, Terra, Fiona, Ajab Subterranean Nagas Nagas who spend most of their lives underground. They possess stout and very muscular bodies, a rarity among the chiefly slender race, and scales bearing earthly tones, primarily brown and black with the occasional muted shades of green. They typically live in burrows in a variety of regions, although many are just as content making their dwellings inside of caves in the mountains. Because they live underground, subterranean nagas have adapted to see with little to no light, either by seeing heat sources or by possessing some form of darkvision. Their eyes are however ill-adjusted to see under normal light conditions, with most being unable to see in daylight without dedicated training. Subterranean nagas possess many more tactile receptors in their body than their cousins, allowing them to sense vibrations in the ground from a much greater distance. Many make use of this ability when digging to detect where the ground is unstable.

Known Subterranean nagas: Aurora River Nagas Nagas who reside near bodies of fresh water such as creeks and riverbanks. Their coloration typically range from purple to various shades of blue, somewhat similar to a mermaid. They are excellent swimmers, but despite their namesake, they do not spend quite as much time in the water as most people might come to believe. River nagas are notably lazy and prefer basking in the sunlight at the water's edge while they wait for suitable prey to show up. Though they mainly feed on fish and frogs, they will eat just about anything that enters their territory, birds and mammals included. Being comfortable living in both water and land, river nagas have a slight resistance to cold and aren't as bothered by changes in temperature. River nagas have somewhat of a rivalry with river mermaids, both as swimmers as holder of the title of the deadliest fresh water predator.

Known River nagas: Vivian Desert Nagas Nagas that are born in the Akaptor region. Their scales bear sandy tones of yellow and orange, and their upper bodies are very often tanned. Although most commonly found in the desert, they can be encountered in just about any region that sees very little precipitation such as Lamina. Because those areas are so arid, desert nagas are able to live comfortably in both hot and cold environments, and have evolved to need very little water to survive. Unlike most of their kin, desert nagas possess special heat receptors in their bodies. They can sense slight changes in the ambient temperature, a valuable tool for detecting both prey and predators lurking in the sand, or for hunting at night. Desert nagas rarely go out of their way to eat more than what they need, a lesson the harsh environment teaches them at a young age.

Volcanic Nagas A rare species of nagas who make their dwellings near active volcanoes. They feature very warm colors such as red and orange, or dark gray and black. Volcanic nagas share most of their traits with their desert-dwelling cousins, such as having darker skin, needing very little water to survive and possessing heat receptors in their bodies. Unlike other nagas, their magic potential awakens almost as soon as they are born, granting them the resistance they need to survive the extreme heat. Despite their ability endure incredibly high temperatures, their tolerance against cold is the weakest of all nagas, and they are prone to brumate even in temperate climate if they do not keep themselves warm. Although fire fails to faze them entirely, volcanic nagas cannot in fact survive in lava. Volcanic nagas are believed to be naturally passionate and very quick to anger, but due to their natural habitat being so inhospitable to human life, no one has been able to verify those claims.

Storm Nagas A strange species of nagas whose habitats experience turbulent weather all year long. Their scales often sport very unusual colors, ranging from light gray to bright blue, the likes of which would provide them with very poor camouflage outside of their given home. Storm nagas possess the most keen hearing of their kin. Their acute ears can pick up noise from an incredible distance as well as hear sounds that would normally be too faint for most to hear. This heightened sense of hearing often proves just as beneficial when searching for prey concealed in fog or across vast plains, as it does alerting them when danger draws near. Storm nagas develop their magic potential much sooner than the average nagas, usually throughout their adolescence. Their powers allow them to sense slight changes in atmospheric pressure, effectively granting them the ability to predict the weather.

Known Storm nagas: Anna, Masumi Arctic Nagas A rare species of nagas that hail from cold, snowy regions. Unsurprisingly, their coloration is largely comprised of cold colors, most often favoring shades of white, blue and cyan. Arctic nagas are widely considered to be the counterpart and diametric opposite to volcanic nagas, and indeed, shares many similarities with their fiery kin. Like them, their magic powers awaken shortly after birth, allowing them to exist comfortably in the biting cold of their homeland. They are very sensitive to climate changes and would be hard-pressed to live even in a temperate region lest they used their magic to constantly regulate their body temperature. Just like desert and volcanic nagas, arctic nagas make use of the special heat receptors in their bodies when hunting, letting them find both prey and predator hiding underneath snow and ice. It's commonly believed that arctic nagas are inherently stoic, showing little emotion both in their voice and facial expression. Most of them find these allegations to be cruel and cold-hearted.

Known Arctic nagas: Rin, Aniya Other known nagas: Garnet, Malika, Monty, Kai, Katrika

DRIDDER - Dridders are half human, half spider creatures, who come in a large variety of sizes on Felarya, some measuring 3 feet tall while others easily reach 100 feet in height. They are dangerous and patient predators, possessing deadly venom, acute reflexes, and an uncanny ability to lay traps.

In general, dridders in Felarya can be divided in two types: The Wanderers and the Weavers. That's not an absolute rule however, and some dridders manage to blur the line between the two remarkably well.

Wanderers are usually visually more acute than the weavers, with thicker, more muscular spider legs. They are more adept at navigation through all types of terrain, able to run faster and jump for longer distances. They can steadily chase after prey for long distances and are capable of impressive short bursts of speed, although they still tend to prefer ambush tactics. While they can produce silk, they are generally much less adept than the weavers at it and typically don't build complex webs. Weavers tend to possess less heightened senses and less endurance overall, but their legs are extremely sensitive to the faintest touches and vibrations of their web and some of them possess special claws allowing them to grasp silk and weave it with unparalleled agility. They can use it not only to hunt but also to craft clothes and even buildings. They typically hunt in a smaller territory than the wanderers, but it's lined with countless strands of silk that allow them to sense even the tiniest movement caused by someone disturbing one of the security web-lines. The intensity of the vibration quickly gives a good indication of the size or strength of the creature, and with webs spread out all over, a dridder can monitor an intruder or potential prey's movement through their territory as it hits different signal lines. If it is not heading for their den, the dridder will have more then enough information on the intruder to know its general location and whether or not it would be worth going to investigate it. With their ambushes, giant dridders pose a big danger to travelers in Felarya and small groups of them have been seen raiding human settlements. Little is known about them in general, but they tend to carry a grim and dark reputation. Indeed, many of them display a cruel and ruthless behavior in the frenzy of combat which has gotten their whole race wrongfully labeled as evil. Dridders are fierce fighters and have a war-like society that holds their warriors in very high regard. As a race, they are not very proficient at magic in general, although some exceptions exist of course. They largely make up for it with their natural weapons though, such as their claws and, above all, their venom which is often lethal, even at small doses. They actually possess a wide variety of venoms, some of which will only make the bitten creature sleepy. They have two methods of feeding. Like most Felaryan predators, they simply swallow bite-sized prey whole and alive, but if the prey is their size, they immobilize their victims and slowly liquefy their internal organs into a soup, sucking them out much like a normal spider. Needless to say this last fact contributes a lot to their sinister reputation and creates incomprehension, as Dridders themselves see it as perfectly normal and by no means disgusting.

Dridders often use weapons and armor, and it's not uncommon to see their legs reinforced by spiked plates. Their blacksmiths are very skilled, and among the best in Felarya. Many dridders have a deep distrust of nagas, the result of a long-standing and bloody feud existing between the two species. Some legend among dridders foretells that one day, Sineria, Queen of the dridders, will return and destroy the nagas once and for all. In return many nagas are taught to never trust a dridder. Some dridders are actively searching for clues to the location of Sineria’s tomb. So far little has been found. There is much proof that dridders once formed a sophisticated, rich and powerful civilization building intricate structures and wearing refined clothes. Nowadays most dridders in Felarya have a much more primitive look to them though but, if you encounter a spider lady dressed in elegant attire, you may be facing a survivor from the era of Sineria's reign.

DRYADS - Dryads are half plant, half women creatures found in many places across Felarya. Their size varies a lot, but Dryads can easily grow over 130 feet tall and, in the deep, unexplored regions of Felarya, some are rumored to reach humongous heights. It's hard to characterize dryads, as their appearance varies quite a lot between specimens. They have a trunk in place of their legs, so they spend most of their time rooted in one spot. Unlike most other rooted "plants" though, dryads can control their roots' movements to some extent, allowing them to uproot and slowly move around if necessary. It is a slow process, but in the span of a few days, it's not impossible for them to have completely disappeared from their original spot, finding themselves hidden elsewhere in the vicinity.

Dryads share a sort of spiritual link amongst themselves, which means that they can communicate at a distance, share sensations (sight, smell, hearing, and taste), and be informed on the many things that happen in the forest. A dryad can also shut down this link if she wishes for some true alone time. Once in her long life, a dryad can share a version of this link with another being, regardless of that person's race. This special link connects that person to that dryad alone, and not to the greater dryad network.

Hunting Habits In spite of their immobility, dryads pose a serious threat to adventurers. They are mostly carnivorous, and their arms are incredibly strong, enough so that they can crack a vehicle in half as easily as we can crack a nut. Despite their apparent bulkiness, many dryads are limber and flexible, which makes their capture range a lot larger than it looks like at first glance, and many use vines and roots to catch prey or defend themselves. They are also experts at mimicry and transformation, sometimes using magical illusions to improve it. Using her transformation abilities, a dryad can shape and mold her body to a certain extent, looking a lot more like a regular tree and hiding her more human features, turning them into solid bark. Even if you know that is a dryad there, if she wishes to remain hidden you will have a hard time distinguishing her from the background.

Their nature tends to lead them to be rather passive, almost constantly in a sleeping or drowsy state. Because of that passivity, lots of dryads will not actively hunt for prey, and will simply wait instead, either lying down, or standing close to a cliff or branch with their mouth wide open, their camouflage making it appear just like a regular tree, with a convenient opening to hide in. When prey enters the mouth, and applies a certain amount of pressure to the tongue, it triggers an automatic swallowing reflex that doesn't require the dryad to be actually awake.

Moreover, many dryads have a nectar-like saliva with a sweet and enticing smell designed to attract specific types of prey. The type of prey it's meant to lure largely depends on the species and location of the dryad. While the saliva of Faebanes posseses a sent that attract fairies, others dryads use it mostly only for animals. Humanoids, for their parts, seem largely unaffected besides finding the smell sweet. It is worth noting that, in some rarer cases, some dryads can impart special properties to their saliva, such as making it numb whatever it touches, heal injuries, or induce sleepiness.

Digestive system The digestive system of a dryad is different than that of a human. Their stomach shares some similarities with a pitcher-plant, looking like a large pouch of varied shapes and they lack intestines. Their stomach is not as active as a human stomach either, churning slowly and secreting less gastric juice once food has entered it. Instead, the organ always has a pool of acid ready at the bottom. The walls of the stomach are covered by small tendrils that absorb digested food like an intestine would. The stomach acids of a dryad are strong and can dissolve bones, although they break down food more slowly than other species. If a human were to be swallowed by a dryad and somehow be able to see in the dark, it wouldn't be uncommon to see the half-digested remains of past prey lying in the bottom. Indigestible substances like metal are eventually regurgitated by the dryad. This also means that dryads can regurgitate almost anything they swallowed at will.

The stomach of a dryad is even more unlike any of other species in that it's a small ecosystem of its own. There are fungi growing on the walls and various creatures, symbiotes and parasites, manage to live in that dark, humid and sweltering organic environment. Dryads possess a strong control over their esophagus and can easily keep their throats open, allowing both prey and small critters to enter inside their digestive system, without them having to pay attention. Certain of those small critters are given free passage by the dryad; being allowed to go in and out and to seek refuge inside of her stomach, in exchange of small services such as cleaning and removing parasites. Some of those critters are pretty clever and have been even known to steal things from adventurers before rushing into the dryad's throat for safety, luring the furious and unwary prey literally inside her mouth and gullet, thus greatly facilitating her hunt.

In some rare cases, a human swallowed down by a dryad could find themselves sharing the stomach with a very unpleasant occupants: a gut worm and find themselves swallowed alive a second time by the large parasite.

Dryads are not as voracious as some other predators though, and can, to some extent, rely on photosynthesis to feed. They are usually sweet, pleasant, and wise beings; they get along very well with the other races (those who are not prey, that is). This is especially true with fairies, nagas, and deerataurs. Many dryads share a common weakness: fire. Once they start burning they are hard to put out, and so they are very afraid of it. Most dryads will completely hide from a fire-based or fire-using threat, or some of them, such as Drayla, have developed water magic as a defense against it.

Reproduction Dryads possess a rather unique means of reproduction, combining seeds with other plants' pollen, captured from the air around them, before releasing the seeds when the conditions are right. They release a great many seeds, but only a few land somewhere that matches the criteria for the seed to sprout and begin the process of developing a young Dryad. Other seeds simply sprout regular plants. This explains why dryads appear to be so varied and with an appearance based on plants that grow in their region. At the first stage of their life, young Dryads appear to be just like normal plants, until they reach a certain size. At this point their outer casing will fall off, revealing their human half. Their now conscious minds connects to the Dryad network, where the other Dryads will take care of them, teaching and comforting them, and sometimes sending friends to help them if they need it. Young Dryads have an abundance of photosynthetic cells, allowing them to survive solely off light and water until they grow larger. As a Dryad grows, the amount of photosynthetic cells does not increase proportionately, which necessitates the introduction of prey into their diet to compensate. Young Dryads possess an unconscious camouflage and illusion reflex that immediately allows them to hide from would-be threats and predators. There is usually not more than a few dozens seconds between the time when the dryad reveals herself to the world for the first time, and the time she becomes hidden again.

FAIRIES - Fairies are humanoid creatures found on many magic-rich worlds. They are easily identified by a pair of insect wings growing on their back where the shoulder blades are located, accompanied by a pair of thin, insect-like antennae growing from their forehead. Their frame is lithe and slender, and both their hair and eyes are often of bright colors. Some fairies also posses pointed ears.

Biological Traits Fairies share an uncanny number of traits in common with elves. Aside from having a similar physical appearance, their bones are just as light and ill-suited for physical combat as elves are. Furthermore, both races age much slower than other humanoids and possess a natural affinity for magic. It's interesting to note that many worlds boasting a sizable elf population also host an environment where fairies thrive. Being a world saturated with magic, it's no surprise that a large population of both elves and fairies live in Felarya. All of these facts have led some researchers to theorize that they may have once shared a common ancestor that split off long ago into the two different species we now know today.

Magic is as natural to fairies as breathing and they are almost all born with magical powers. They learn to cast simple spells at a very young age, ranging from illusions all the way to enchantments, elemental magic, and possibly more. As they grow older, fairies often develop an affinity toward a specific type of magic, not unlike how a human develops a talent or interest in a certain field with age. Like elves, they have an innate talent and understanding toward more complex magic arts like rule-based and primordial magic, and are naturally more resistant against spells than other humanoids. Combined with their swiftness in flight, surprisingly good reflexes and craftiness, fairies often stand as far deadlier opponents than their cute exterior would make people think. Many species of Felaryan insects, however, are feared by fairies, as they typically possess very strong magic resistance. Tonorions in particular are among the most dangerous creatures a fairy could possibly face, and some people believe they are their natural predator.

A fairy's magic is stored in their wings, meaning that if damaged, their magic power would decrease drastically or stop working altogether. Fairies are well aware of this crippling weakness and so make full use of their ability to sense the magical signature of other creatures both as a hunting tool and as a way to detect potential danger. Interestingly, dragonfly and butterfly wings seem to be the most common wing type among fairies, though the shape and type of wings have no effect on their magic. Fairy wings are highly sought after by mages, especially alchemists, and can fetch a ridiculously high price on some markets. Quite a few overzealous fairy hunters come to Felarya in the hopes of making their fortune there. Unsurprisingly, they very rarely last long in this perilous world because they tend to bring horribly inadequate fairy hunting equipment with them. It is commonly believed that a fairy's antennae are feelers designed to detect magic, but there isn't enough evidence to support that theory."

Size-Shifting Magic The most feared ability of Felaryan fairies is their size-shifting magic. They are able to change their size at will, from 3 inches to about 100 feet within mere seconds, although this range varies from one fairy to another, and in some very rare cases, a fairy may be unable to change their size at all, effectively leaving them stuck in one size. Fairies usually prefer to stay tiny as it gives them more room to maneuver and a plethora of hiding places. Like with their other magic powers, a fairy with damaged or broken wings is unable to change their size. A disabled fairy can quickly get in a world of trouble and fall dramatically in the food chain order until their wings heal again.

Almost all fairies also possess the innate ability to temporarily alter the size of another creature in a similar fashion. This power is however not without drawbacks. In order to effectively alter a creature's size, a fairy must be relatively close to their target and have to concentrate for a few seconds. A careless fairy trying to shrink an armed human right in the open would find themselves wide open for a counterattack. As such, fairies rarely use this ability as a weapon unless they know for certain they can safely get away with it, and prefer to neutralize dangerous preys with other spells first. It is possible for a fairy to affect multiple targets at once if they are powerful enough, but all of their preys must be close to each other.

Naturally, fairies cannot effectively shrink something if its magic resistance is too strong, however the same holds true if the creature's original size is too big. The ceiling on what is considered too big varies widely from fairy to fairy, but suffice to say, shrinking something like a giant naga or even a Kensha Beast to the size of a human would normally be an impossible feat unless the fairy is abnormally powerful. The reverse is also true as fairies are usually unable to enlarge a creature past this same threshold.

A creature who has had its size changed by a fairy usually returns to normal within a time lapse varying depending on the fairy's power. However, unlike a typical size-altering spell whose effect end as soon as the magic runs out, the effects of a fairy's size-shifting spell last indefinitely as long as the affected item stay withing a certain range of the fairy who cast it. As such, an adventurer who has been swallowed by a fairy won't ever revert to his or her normal size while it remains trapped inside the fairy's stomach. Oddly, when a fairy shrinks or grow, whatever shrunken creature held in their stomach grows and shrinks along with them. Some clever fairies have trained to enlarge preys in their belly, either to get the most out of their catch or to compensate for a poor hunt. Similarly, mundane items worn or carried by a fairy also changes size alongside them. Some items such has fairy glass have been crafted specifically to keep preys shrunk indefinitely while the fairy is away. People speculate whether or not this is unique to a fairy's magic, or if the presence of strong fairy magic would also affect a size-altering spell cast by other creatures. Nobody is in a hurry to find out for obvious reasons.

Obviously, shrinking or enlarging an inanimate object is much easier as they are completely devoid of magic resistance. The ceiling on how big an object can be enlarged is substantially more lenient and it's not too difficult for a fairy to keep inanimate items at their new size with dedicated training. Most magic items are a different story, as their mystical nature lends them an inherent magic resistance like other living creatures. The more powerful the magic, the more difficult it is for a typical fairy to affect them. It's important to note that a fairy's magical power do not increase or decrease with their size the same way physical strength does. A fairy's illusions, charms or enchantment would be no more believable or powerful if cast while giant than if cast while tiny and casting a giant fireball or a shower of lightning bolts is just as difficult and taxing whether the fairy is big or small, hence why fairies also prefer to rely on stealth and stay at a small size."

Behavior The most popular depiction of fairies is that of playful, curious and mischievous beings who love to have fun more than anything else. While many fairies are indeed light-hearted, carefree pranksters, this isn't entirely accurate. One can find solemn watchmen, serious scholars, mystic sages, and even dark, brooding warriors within their population. It is more accurate to classify fairies as beings of raw emotions. Indeed, they often let their feelings guide their actions, and rarely keep their emotions bottled up. For example, an angry fairy usually yell and vent their rage on the nearest object, and a sad fairy will burst in tears and cry out loud. One would assume that fairies don't work well in groups, but this couldn't be further from the truth. Social beings, fairies tend to naturally form packs and even small tribes, and are usually decently organized. People are often baffled at how such tribes don't immediately devolve into chaos, but it is commonly believed that while whimsical, fairies are considerate of their friends to some degree, and try to act responsibly so as to do them no wrong, not to hamper or harm them. Most often, the smartest or oldest member of the group acts as unofficial leader, whose duty is mostly to solve arguments.

Although they don't have a distaste toward advanced technology like elves do, fairies very rarely craft complex tools. Aside from sometimes making simple devices out of common material, and occasionally making rudimentary clothes and accessories, fairies see little reason to create complex mechanisms and think it's just easier use magic to solve most of their problems. However, they are almost all fascinated by human inventions. It's not uncommon for fairies to rummage through a human's belongings, trying to find new and exciting items to fiddle with in hopes of discovering its intended use, usually with mixed results for both parties involved. In general, fairies tend to be very curious and love to learn new things. A little known fact about them is that they love reading and they form one of the few fully literate races in the wild.

Fairies tend to like the company of dryads, as they are naturally comfortable around trees and they and are always eager to learn about various stories of faraway lands, and they love to bring preys she caught to them as a sign of strong friendship. Fairies also get along quite well with deerataurs thanks to their connection with nature. Their most interesting relationship however is with elementals. For some reason, many fairies choose to mate with them instead of other fairies. This results in a great number of crossbreeds who are often much more dangerous than their parent species. How fairies are able to mate with elementals is a complete mystery, leading researchers to believe that fairies reproduce in a manner far different from other humanoids.

Hunting Habits Thanks to their ability to fly, their great proficiency with magic, and the ability to shrink and grow at will, fairies are among the most fearsome predators in Felarya. Though fairies love to eat fruits, they especially enjoy to hunt live preys, as they see the process of stalking and plotting how to catch their meal as a fun game. Fairies like to hunt in groups, although it's not rare to find fairies hunting alone, and because they are able to hide virtually anywhere, they have a myriad of ways to catch prey at their disposal. Fairies like to play with their catches, often teasing or giving them false hope of escape before gobbling them up. They are voracious and love to stuff themselves until their stomachs is full. Such is the threat they pose that a popular -but erroneous- belief is that being eaten by a fairy is the primary cause of death for humans on Felarya.

Psychology Despite fairies being so dangerous, some humans have managed to live normal lives among them in the city of Kortiki and have come to understand them better. Among them is the prominent scientist Dr Larken Adroon who wrote several essays on the subject of fairy psychology.

According to her, the first thing important to note is that fairies view right or wrong and perceive other creatures quite differently from most sapient races. Fairies rarely care about the short or long term consequences of their actions. They find it much easier and pleasant to live in the moment than to worry about one's future or dwell too much something they've done in the past. As such, what they consider as right or wrong often boils down to whether or not something will make them feel good right away, or if it will hurt a friend in some manner. Moreover, fairies value friendships above all else. To them, a friend is akin family, and a friendship with a fairy is often one that lasts for a lifetime. Fairies care not for a friend's species, appearance, and especially not sizes since they can change their own at will.

This means that fairies sees befriending something as tiny as a neera as no different as befriending something as colossal as a dryad. Conversely, this also means that they see no wrong in preying on a creature regardless of its race or size if it is at all possible. Likewise, they see nothing wrong with becoming friend with a human even if they are going to happily gobble up every other humans they come across. In any event, their loyalty is such that losing a friend is often seen as either a very tragic event, or a traumatic betrayal depending on the circumstances. The friends of a friend are also viewed as friends, although that usually doesn't stop fairies from teasing them. For example, a fairy who is friends with a human would keep her word that she won't ever eat her companions, but she'll often messily lick her lips in front of them and remind them of how delicious they look. This is all in good fun, really.

Many fairies eat other sapient creatures not just because they must eat other creatures to survive, but also because they act like typical preys. They are always on the lookout for danger, and when threatened, they either flee or become aggressive. From the perspective of a fairy, this is exactly how all preys act, and since they taste good like food, they fill their belly like food, therefore they fill all the criteria to be considered food. With time, many fairies have come to equate some races like humans with meals by default, unless proved otherwise; namely being a friend. That emphasis on friendship is also likely the prime reason why they almost never prey on their own kind. They grow up surrounded with other fairies and most of their friends are fairies too, thus they equate fairies with friend by default. However, in the case of wild fairies growing up alone, it's interesting to note that some specimens can become cannibalistic and keep that habit later on. Plus there are always exceptions to the rules anyway, like Soinee, a fairy whose diet is largely comprised of other fairies.

It's interesting to see Dr Larken Adroon conclude her essay on a surprising note; according to her, pleading with a fairy who have captured you is useless. Stating you are a person and that eating you would be wrong will pretty much seal your fate as food because, for a Felaryan fairy, that's just how prey act! Trying a different approach and saying "Hi! I'm (your name)! Let's be friends!" would grant uncertain but overall much better chances at survival. Needless to say this strange theory raises a lot of skepticism.

HARPIES - Harpies are an all female race of half-women half-bird creatures. They possess huge wings in place of arms and long, scaly legs ending in razor-sharp talons. Many harpies grow feathers on various parts of their body, most notably on their thighs and a set of tail feathers near their buttocks, though it varies between species. Felaryan harpies are widely known as a giant species and have a reputation as one of the top predators of the skies, feared for their voracious appetite and awe-inspiring swiftness in the air. In truth, harpies come in all sorts of species and sizes. Some about as tall as humans, some only a little shorter than their well-known giant cousins, and some small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. Similarly, although the majority of Felaryan harpies seem to borrow their avian features from birds of prey such as eagles, hawks and buzzards, some species take after other birds, such as crows, gulls, and even hummingbirds, creating an amazing variety of them.

Biological traits Harpies possess a lightweight skeleton highly adapted for flight. Many of their bones are thin and hollow with criss-crossing internal struts and trusses that make them strong enough to withstand the stresses of taking off, flying and landing. They have a keel extending from their sternum to which their powerful flight muscles are attached.

Harpies possess a complex set of lungs adapted for their high metabolic rate and oxygen demand in flight. Unlike humans, they do not possess a diaphragm and their lungs are proportionally small. Instead, harpies have roughly eight or nine air sacs that store and pump air through their lungs. This allows for a unidirectional flow of air, which allows them to extract a higher concentration of oxygen, and even take in oxygen during exhalation. Thanks to this, a harpy is able to breathe at much higher elevations than other races could. This efficient lung structure is not without its faults, however. Because the sternum must move during respiration, holding a harpy too tightly around the chest can easily cause her to suffocate. Moreover, because they transfer more oxygen with each breath, airborne toxins are more efficiently transferred as well.

The most important sense for a harpy is her vision and they are known far and wide for their phenomenal visual acuity over other races. From high up in the sky, they are able to spot a tiny human all the way down on the ground with near perfect clarity. This is thanks in part to their lens being able change shape more quickly and to a greater extent than a human, allowing them to better focus on an object. Moreover, harpies developed a pecten oculi, a comb-like structure of blood vessels in the back of their eyes. With this structure, far fewer blood vessels are located in front of the retina that would normally partially obscure perceived images. However, because a harpy's eyes are optimized for maximum spatial resolution rather than light perception, they typically see very poorly in low light. With the exception of nocturnal species, whose eyes are better suited to function in poor lighting, most harpies are forced to adopt a diurnal behavior. Though harpies possess fully functional human eyelids, they still boast an almost transparent and thin protective membrane to ward off their eyes in flight while maintaining visibility.

A harpy's hearing is their second most important sense. Though hard to tell, their ears are shaped slightly differently to better focus sound. Although their hearing range being roughly similar to a human's, harpies are very sensitive to changes in pitch, tone and rhythm. This allows them to better hear incoming danger and even help them in communication.

Behavior Felaryan harpies are generally seen by others as a tough race with a terrible temper, and can easily appear as heartless to those who aren't familiar with their strange customs. Similar to fairies, harpies are highly free-spirited, doing whatever they want whenever they want with little regard for consequences. If they want to go somewhere, they will. They won't hesitate to meddle in the business of others, and if a harpy desires something, she's probably not going to think twice about stealing it either. That's not to say they are completely insensitive. Harpies enjoy the company of their kin and often form flocks of sorts and are capable of engaging in conventional protective and considerate behavior. A lot of what is perceived by other races as rude is actually considered affectionate gestures among harpies. Aside from other harpies, they also enjoy the company of dryads and it's not uncommon for a harpy to roost in their branches.

That hedonistic nature has put them at odds with sphinxes, whom harpies tend to despise on an almost instinctual level. Aside from being their greatest rival as the rulers of Felarya's skies, they see sphinxes as a self-righteous mob, full of themselves in how they place their idea of justice above all and impose it on others. The two races have waged fierce wars in the past that blackened the skies and tainted the surface red. Although there hasn't been a conflict of this magnitude between the two races in centuries, harpies and sphinxes still do not see eye to eye, and skirmishes over food or turf aren't uncommon.

It's worth noting that harpies have a bit of a fascination for wearing accessories. Because they lack hands, their selection of apparels is severely limited though.

Language Felaryan harpies are famous for their foul language and their sarcastic, mocking retorts, and have the strange habit of punctuating their sentences with threats and insults. They normally don't mean it at all though, it's just traditional for them to use insults, and it would seem odd and unusual if they didn't. For example, if a harpy wanted to say: "I wish to speak to your sister", she would add a threat, like: "Let me see your sister or face my wrath!" If the other harpy wanted to reply: "She's not here", then she might actually say: "Insolent fool! My sister has more important matters to deal with than speaking to the likes of you!"

Upon hearing that exchange, one might conclude that the two harpies are on the verge of fighting each other, when it's nothing more than a casual exchange. This tradition is deeply ingrained in their culture and transmitted down from generation to generation. Some harpies delight in what they see as "proper speaking", inventing striking and creative insults that sometimes become famous among their peers and earn them respect and admiration. The only time they would skip this custom is if they are in a hurry or if they have something very important to say. It's completely natural for them though, and while some harpies manage to hold back their insults when speaking to other races, most of them just don't bother at all. Needless to say this habit contributes a lot to their reputation as being a rude and mean lot in the eyes of other races. Aul Ne'kmu'm is a well know Harpiologist who dedicated years to study their language and its true meaning. Here are some of his observations.

Hunting Habits Depending on the species, Felaryan harpies can be either omnivores or carnivores, but like most sapient predators, they have a preference for tiny, live prey. They remain aloft at high altitudes or stay perched on the highest branches where they would be difficult to detect. Once they spot prey, they attack with a sudden and swift swoop, mouth wide open to snatch it off the ground or catching it with their claws. Being without hands, harpies have become extremely agile with their mouth and tongue. Although many like to hunt alone, they won't hesitate to hunt in groups every once in a while. When that happens, they are known to play cruel games with their prey, usually involving dropping the terrified victim and letting one of their sisters catch it in midair, then repeating the process again and again, until one of them grows tired of the game and simply gulps down the prey in flight. Occasionally, they may attack sedentary giant tribes, such as Aloes elves, and steal whatever crop or harvest, or trinkets, they can get their talons on.

Harpies also possess the ability to inhale small prey into their mouth just like a vacuum. They primarily use this powerful suction to snatch prey hiding in spots they otherwise would not be able to reach into like a hole in a tree. This ability was at first believed to be the product of wind magic, as it is most commonly used by the Rock harpies inhabiting the Ascarlin mountains, who use this ability to feast on miners and adventurers hiding in the mountain's numerous tunnels. However, further research revealed that other species of harpies are also capable of this ability as well. There are currently heated debates whether this ability is the product of latent magical powers or the result of a unique organ that acts somewhat like a diaphragm.

Reproduction Being an all female race, harpies mate with males of other races to reproduce. Like birds, harpies lay eggs and must keep them warm until they are ready to hatch. A baby harpy inherits a small amount of genetic material from her father, but otherwise, the offspring of a harpy mother is always born a harpy. The paternal genes only affect minor traits, such as hair and eye color, and to an extent, feather coloration, though it may also affect things like facial structure and body shape. Harpy babies, known as chicks or nestlings, are born without flight feathers, and are entirely dependent on their mother for sustenance and protection. From wandering nagas to lurking arboreal frogs, there are many threats to a newborn harpy in Felarya. Thus when the mother must leave to hunt, she will often entrust the care of her chicks to a friend or sister. Harpies are very protective of nestlings and defend the vulnerable newborns ferociously whenever danger decides to rear its ugly head.

Until they grow old enough to develop their flying feathers, the mother is responsible for teaching everything to her chicks, from how to eat, to how to care for themselves, and how to "politely" address their neighbors. Once old enough, the mother then teaches them how to fly. Although her friends and sisters might taunt the nestlings, they'll of course catch them safely until they master the art of flying. After they prove they are ready to leave the nest and hunt without help, they are considered full-fledged adults and are thus treated the same way older harpies typically treat one another.

Mermaids, also known as Merfolk, are half fish humanoids found in rivers, lakes and seas all across Felarya. From the waist up, they possess the torsos of a human with fin-shaped ears and sometimes webbed hands, while their lower bodies consist of the fins and tail of a great fish. Depending on the region, the scales and complexion of merfolk vary in hue, from pale green, to blue, to yellow mixed with stripes of crimson, to gleaming silver. Their size varies a lot as well; the average merfolk typically measures between 6 and 8 feet in length, with females being slightly smaller than males, but gigantic specimens measuring over 200 feet in length are not at all uncommon, with the legendary Leviathan Mermaid surpassing them all...

Perhaps the most well-known of all aquatic races, the legend of the mermaid’s extraordinary beauty is a tale that has been told across multitudes of worlds and spanning countless generations. They possess delicate features reminiscent of elves, with females having a graceful, slender physique, and males, known as Mermen, often being chiseled and muscular. In Felarya, however, their stories are ones that inspire terror in the hearts of seafarers rather than thrill. They possess a voracious appetite, with a single giant mermaid being capable of devouring an entire crew of sailors all by herself. For any adventurer brave or foolhardy enough to sail the rivers and seas of Felarya, they represent one of the biggest dangers they must face on their journey. When whispers of a lone mermaid reach port, many savvy sailors know to give the waters a wide berth.

Biological Traits In Felarya, mermaids can be generally classified into two broad categories based on whether they have adapted to life in fresh or salt water, with both species possessing a number of physiological traits that allow them to better survive in their respective environments.

River Mermaids are found in most bodies of freshwater, anywhere from frigid mountain streams, to jungle rivers, to vast open lakes. Although typically smaller and lighter than their sea-dwelling cousins, they are remarkably fast and agile, able to swim against rapid currents and leap out of the water with the greatest of ease. They are more graceful on dry land than sea mermaids, with some being even able to climb small trees to a limited degree, though they remain quite clumsy out of their element. Inexperienced adventurers often underestimate how quickly a river mermaid can move on land, believing to be safe simply from being out of arm’s reach, only to be caught off guard when the mermaid suddenly leaps out of the water and gives chase. Many river mermaids possess a long, adhesive tongue which they can shoot out and retract at great speed to catch prey like that of a frog. Sea Mermaids make their home in the vast, deep oceans of Felarya. On average, they are larger than river mermaids, and because their habitats are found at the bottom of the sea, they can withstand greater amounts of water pressure. They are not as swift swimmers or as capable of the same feats of agility as their freshwater counterparts, but are significantly more robust and can swim much longer distances, owing it to the pressure of the undersea depths. As the oceanic environment is far more varied than the streams and rivers of Felarya, sea mermaids come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes compared to freshwater mermaids, sporting a wild array of bright colors and exotic patterns on their tails. Some sea mermaids have the ability to change the color of their scales to better blend in with their surroundings, though this ability is not as powerful as the color and texture-changing capabilities of chlaenas. Both species of merfolk can survive in either fresh and salt water environments, but they rarely migrate to different waters. River mermaids have a hard time adjusting to the undersea pressure, and find the wide open waters difficult and confusing to navigate. Sea mermaids, on the other hand, are made uncomfortable by the comparatively shallow waters of lakes and rivers and the near-ubiquitous presence of banks, making the freshwater environment appear unnaturally cramped and claustrophobic. It’s not impossible for either mermaids to acclimate to a new environment, but most prefer to spare themselves the trouble if they can avoid it.

Despite being classified as an aquatic race, merfolk are in fact amphibious, and although they can survive on land, they have a clear preference for life underwater, with their bodies being specifically adapted as such. Like fish, they possess a swim-bladder, a gas-filled organ that allows the mermaid to control her buoyancy and helps her swim. The lens in their eyes changes shape when their head is either above or below water, allowing them to see with optimal vision in the element they are currently in. Merfolk are able to breathe freely in and out of water, but how this is accomplished is a mystery that continues to puzzle humans to this day. Some mermaids have gill slits along the sides of their neck or ribcage, but most possess no visible gills at all. This has led some to theorize that mermaids have an organ that draws oxygen from the water they inhale. Others speculate that this is the result of innate magic that allows them to breathe water as though it was air. Obviously, merfolk are very clumsy on land, moving slowly and with none of their usual grace. For any mermaid, the feeling of dry earth and sand beneath their tail is a strange and alien sensation, one they generally find unpleasant and can never seem to get used to. A mermaid who spends a long time out of the water tends to become “landsick”, wherein she experiences dizziness and nausea not unlike motion sickness. Obviously, river mermaids are less prone to land sickness than seaborn merfolk.

Because mermaids usually sport an unassuming appearance, it’s easy to assume that they are weak and frail, but this could not be further from the truth. As much of their lives is spent swimming deep underwater, merfolk are as hale and hearty as they are graceful and beautiful. The average mermaid is oftentimes stronger and can withstand greater exertion than a human of similar size and build, making them a surprisingly powerful and hardy race.

Behavior and Culture If there is one word that can aptly sum up Felaryan mermaids, it would be "extroverted". They enjoy company of any kind and are friendly toward other races like chlaenas. It is very rare to find a mermaid who is reserved and prefers to keep to herself. Because they are such a gregarious species, merfolk tend to form schools of friends, with some numbering in the hundreds of individuals. Although they enjoy their own privacy from time to time, mermaids typically dislike long bouts of solitude, and often get depressed if they see no interaction with another person for lengthy periods.

In a similar vein to fairies, they wear their emotions on both of their sleeves and rarely keep their feelings bottled up for long. They believe that it is unhealthy to keep secrets, and that the key to living a happy, fulfilling life is to speak whatever is weighing on their chest. They will often go out of their way to cheer a friend whenever he or she is sad or lend someone a helping hand. Because they are so honest, many joke that merfolk are the last people you should ever confide in, as they will invariably blurt out whatever important or embarrassing secret they were supposed to keep under wraps.

For any non-marine creature, mermaid culture is incredibly esoteric. Despite their outgoing and talkative nature, they speak surprisingly little of their lives underwater, and any attempt to get some sort of answer out the them is either deflected or met with silence. The reason why they are so secretive about this subject remains a mystery. What little is known, however, is that they have a few large underwater cities in the Topazial Sea. The most well-known of these settlements is without a doubt Ryzelm’oire, a haven for all underwater creatures big or small. They also appear to have an interest in jewelry, as many like to fashion accessories and some semblance of clothing using whatever they can find in the ocean, usually seashells.

Although they rarely speak of their aquatic lives, mermaids are deeply fascinated by life on land. The world above the waves offers myriads of exotic sights and sounds that cannot be found anywhere under the sea, and they find the landscape remarkably beautiful. When confronted by a mermaid — assuming she isn’t hungry, of course — it isn’t uncommon to be bombarded with dozens of questions about what life on the surface is like.

Mermaids are generally peaceful and prefer to avoid conflict and violence if at all possible. When accosted by a predator, they usually try to flee than to engage in battle. Should the need to fight arise, however, they primarily make use of their powerful tails to drive off their assailants. Smaller mermaids predominantly wield spears and other long piercing polearms in battle, as slashing and blunt weapons are too cumbersome to use effectively underwater.

Language Probably the most famous trait of merfolk is their alluring voices. Whether it be in verse or in everyday conversation, hearing a mermaid’s voice leaves an impression you will never forget. What most people don’t know, however, is that singing is not merely an innate talent of merfolk, but a language unique to them.

While mermaids speak like any normal person above the water, underwater is a different story. When underwater, mermaids "sing" their messages in a special language whose pitches and tones aren't distorted by water, allowing communication. It sounds a bit like whale song, but more modulated and of a higher pitch, although it also depends on the individual mermaid who sings it. Those songs appear to be just as rich and complex as regular language, with differences in pitch, tone, tempo, and structure helping to convey different, intricate meanings. This also means that mermaids possess extremely precise hearing, and are very skilled at controlling the sounds they produce. It's likely the main reason why mermaids are so famous for their beautiful singing voices; it's simply one of their natural methods of communication.

Hunting Habits When it comes to catching food, mermaids have a variety of tools at their disposal. One of their favorite methods is to use their lovely voice to charm and attract prey. Magically inclined mermaids like to make use of illusions to lure and distract them. Others prefer to use good old-fashioned ambush tactics, hiding inside of reefs and algae and waiting for food to wander too close. Obviously, the bulk of the merfolk’s diet is primarily comprised of fish and crustaceans, as they are by far the most plentiful food found in the ocean, though they routinely supplement their diet with edible seaweed and kelp. Because elves and humans so rarely venture on the open seas, they are seen by sea mermaids as very rare and exotic treats, ones that appear only once in a blue moon, and they will rarely miss an opportunity to catch one.

The diet of river mermaids is slightly more varied than their seabound cousins, including a variety of land-dwelling animals. When they sense prey, they hide just beneath the surface and, once their target draws near to the water’s edge, they use their long sticky tongues to snag and reel in their catch. They are particularly fond of fairies and won’t hesitate to try and eat any who hovers too close to the surface of the water, as their magical nature give fairies a zesty taste that river mermaids can’t get enough of. Many river mermaids have a taste for fruits growing in the trees and shrubs lining nearby steam and riverbanks, with wafelberries being a favorite among them.

Merfolk are among the few giant sapient races to have no aversion toward eating their smaller kin. For them, they are just another seafood, and when given the choice between eating a fish and a small mermaid, giant merfolk will almost always choose the small mermaid, as they generally have a richer, more pronounced flavor. Besides giant mermaids, giant chlaenas and sea krait nagas pose an enormous danger for small and juvenile merfolk. Harpies and river nagas are the top predators of freshwater mermaids, as both species adore fish for their taste, and their somewhat long bodies make them a prime choice for a filling and satisfying meal.

Reproduction When it is time to mate, sea mermaids often return to the underwater city where they were born, while river mermaids typically head upstream in search of a partner. Courtship usually involves mermen singing a ballad to their prospective bachelorette to try and win her heart. If he is successful, she will reciprocate with a song of her own. The two then engage in a romantic underwater dance as the couple sings a mesmerizing duet. If he does not manage to impress her, she will coldly turn around and swim away, leaving the would-be solicitor embarrassed and possibly heartbroken.

After a few months of pregnancy, the mermaid will lay a clutch of eggs. In underwater cities, the eggs are safeguarded inside of large clam shells where they face little risk of predation. River mermaids, on the other hand, have to be more creative. Typically, they build a nest among plants at the bottom of a river or lake and hide their eggs inside. Though they do not actively guard their eggs, they rarely stray far from their nests and regularly check up on them. As with nagas, giant mermaids typically lay only a few eggs, while smaller mermaids can lay as many as a half-dozen.

Newborn merfolk are known as fry, and although they do not carry a yolk-sac like newly-hatched fish, they are too weak to feed themselves, lacking scales and working fins to properly swim, and depend on their mother’s milk for nourishment. Once they have developed their scales and fins, the transition from a baby to a child is now complete, and are now called merlings. At this stage, it is up to the parents to teach the child how to hunt and survive in the waters. And of course, how to sing.

SLUG GIRLS - A race of half woman, half slug tauric creatures. They live mostly in damp and humid places, such as Chidokai forest. Most of them are of a gigantic size, averaging a height of 70 to 90 feet. Their whole body is a bit special, with skin and bones that are somewhat stretchy. Slug girls are rather lazy, sleep a lot, and move slowly. The sticky slime their slug half produces easily allows them to stand on any type of surface, no matter the angle. They are also known to have an extremely developed sense of smell. With a sniff they can determine roughly how long ago a creature passed by, and what path it took through the area. All members of the species have a female appearance, although they are in effect hermaphrodites, holding their reproductive organs within their slug bodies.

Slug girls are dangerous predators: while they move slowly, they leave a hard-to-spot, transparent, and very sticky trace of slime behind them. If you just step on it, you may escape by giving up your shoes, but if you stumble or fall on to it, you will have a very hard time freeing yourself before the adhesive property of the sticky substance wears off. Needless to say that in the meantime, you are a sitting duck for the slug girl or any other nearby predator. Slug girls can also spit globs of sticky saliva over fairly long distances to glue their prey if needed. They are voracious and can easily gobble up a whole party of adventurers trapped in their slime. With all these sticky fluids and their ever-gooey maw, it becomes a rather messy process, as one may imagine. The slug girl's stomach is situated in their human half. It's elastic and can expand a lot to accomodate a large, wriggling meal. It digests slowly, and very noisily. Slug girls are one of the main predators for oozes, blobs and slimoids. They are mostly immune to the irritating or poisonous touch slimes use as defense and adore their taste. That great resistance to poisons and venoms also makes Slug girls an enormous threat to Miaxi. They see the bee girls as a sweet and helpless delicacy, relatively easy to capture with their sticky saliva. Slug girls are usually a friendly, if sleepy, race and get along well with dryads and chilotaurs.

ELF - Elves are humanoid beings present on many worlds. They generally stand taller than humans and possess a graceful, slender physique. They are easily recognizable thanks to their long, pointed ears, their high cheekbones, their wide and expressive eyes, filled with vibrantly colored pupils, and their colorful, silky hair. All of these traits lead elves to be widely viewed as an extraordinarily beautiful race.

Biological Traits Elves are agile and nimble, gifted with excellent manual dexterity, able to negotiate narrow or treacherous surfaces, and able to perform tasks requiring a great deal of precision. Their keen sense of vision and hearing allow them to spot faraway objects more clearly and hear faint sounds that an average human couldn't perceive, although their vision and hearing aren't as sharp as that of harpies or nekos. Combined with their incredible reflexes, elves make for a quick-witted and alert race, able to react to danger almost as soon as it strikes. But for all these great assets, elves are cursed with a rather frail form. The bones of an elf are slightly thinner than those of a human. Though the lighter weight of their skeleton contribute to their signature agility, this lack of volumetric mass leave their bones comparatively fragile and more prone to fracture during a fierce hand to hand brawl. As a result, most elves shy away from close combat, the exception being Scarlet Elves. Due to their skeleton being lighter, elves weigh less than humans of similar height and physique. Both male and female elves grow very little body hair, save for eyebrows and maybe pubic hair.

A seemingly universal trait of elves is their proficiency with ranged weapons. Thanks to their keen senses, they are deadly accurate with almost any kind of projectile weapons, and often naturally feel comfortable shooting a target from a distance rather than attacking up close. Another seemingly ubiquitous characteristic is their sensitivity to magic. On magic-rich worlds, elves almost always make for excellent magic users, possessing an almost inherent talent and understanding of the magic arts, as well as a very slight natural resistance against spells. The reason behind this uncanny ability is unknown, and while they practice varied forms of magic, elves born with innate magical power are far more common than any other species with the exception of fairies, which further contribute to their reputation as natural-born magicians.

Elves in general age much slower than other humanoid species. An elf who at first glance appears no older than a human in their late teens to early twenties might really be 100 or even 200 years old. How slowly they age vary a lot from species to species and is, of course, even harder to tell in Felarya. Oddly, elven pregnancy is almost identical as human pregnancy and lasts about just as long as well. Another remarkable trait of Felaryan elves is their curious attachment to their surroundings. Elves who dwell in a region for long find themselves physically adapting to match their surroundings, most noticeably taking on coloration reflecting the local environment, and developing attributes and abilities in order to better survive. For example, elves living near the sea may develop a bluish coloration, webbed feet, and possibly gills. Such elves, however, are often very ill-fitted to survive outside of their chosen habitat and they typically become nervous and uneasy in an environment they don't know. Being an adaptive race doesn't means they adapt fast.

Social Behavior Elves are numerous in the northern parts of Felarya and come in many different species and groups. They form tight-knit communities where nearly every member know each other and everyone is equal. Some are ruled by a single leader or a group of leaders, but in general, the head of an elven community is rarely treated with the same kind of luxurious privileges a human king or noble would, and thus feel a much stronger kinship with their brethren. To other races, elf neighbors may instead look like family despite not being related. Some elves feel a bond with nature and strive to live in harmony in the wilderness, using their natural abilities and reflexes to survive and thrive there, whereas others are completely used to living among humans in cities like Negav, and would last no more than a few minutes in the jungle. Elven settlements in the wild are usually pretty difficult to find, being either built high in the trees, or covered by illusions of some sort.

Elves form a competitive lot, being most well known for their grandiose archery competitions. Archery is a very old elven tradition, having been used as a form of duel to settle a dispute or prove one's worth for centuries. To them, competitive archery is more than a simple contest to see who is the better marksman; it is a representation the most important virtues of an elf and it is the most important opportunity for anyone to prove its mettle. They must choose their target carefully, wait for the right moment, and then strike with power and precision. A poor showing in archery is deemed one of the biggest humiliations anyone can suffer. Another form of competition that is recently surfacing in Negav is fencing. While not quite as popular or as symbolic as archery, practitioners deem it "An elegant combination of a dance and a chess match that tests the speed of one's feet and wit." Though many elves have a distaste for close combat, if they were forced into it, many claim they would choose the rapier as their weapon of choice, or any other light weapon that requires a great deal of finesse to master.

Elven clothing often plays off the beauty of the natural world with many vegetal and leafy motifs, though elves that live in cities tend to bedeck themselves in the latest fashion. Regardless of where they live, elves are generally very fond of expressing themselves through the arts of drawing, music, and literature. They usually possess inborn patience, making them particularly suited to wizardry. Moreover, this patience ensures that they rarely jump to conclusions and take the time get as many details right as possible, which make them excellent judge of characters.

Elves played an important part in the History of Felarya, taking part in many events that shaped the world and building the greatest empire on record.

Relations with Other Races Elves are infamous for rarely mixing with other races, giving them a very polarizing reputation to say the least. At best, they are viewed as a deeply individualistic lot, constantly trying to improve themselves in every domain imaginable, and that simply can't help showing off. At worst, they're depicted as haughty and disdainful stuck-ups, believing all other races to be inferior. There are many theories as to why that is. Perhaps they believe themselves superior to races without natural magical talents, perhaps they think other races are less significant due to their comparatively short lifespans in other worlds, or perhaps they find their weapons too clumsy and simple, requiring too little skill to use well.

While there may be some grains of truth to those theories, the relationship between elves and other races is actually more complex. Elves generally form highly traditionalist societies whose values can sometimes look outdated to the rest of the world and sometimes clash with it, leading to the popular belief of elves looking down on others as inferior. While some elves are truly this self-centered for the aforementioned reasons, others such as the Majuras and Shamshis simply prefer a reclusive lifestyle, and their lack of contact with outsiders is often mistaken as xenophobia. It could be said that elves are simply slow to accept and adapt to changes or make new friends, both at a personal and national levels. That said, once someone is considered a comrade, such alliances can last for generations.

Though they'll rarely say it out loud, elves are often fascinated by humans, particularly by their creativity and how multi-talented they can be, although they are also just as quick to dismiss them as rash and prone to poor judgment. An even more ambivalent relation is the one they have with the rare nemesises. Many elves might call them decadent, long-necked freaks, but in the same time they can't help but be awed by their uncanny talent with bow. Most elves simply can't rival with the incredible and deadly precision of a nemesis, and the frightening speed at which they draw and shoot their arrows. It's also interesting to note that long ears are considered a seductive trait among elves in Felarya. An elf calling another "short-ears" can be pretty offensive, and an otherwise perfectly gorgeous elf lady could fall into depression because of the shortness of her ears. Perhaps this is yet another reason why elves don't mix with other races: they just think they're ugly because of their short ears!"

Giant Elves On Felarya, the size of an elf varies a lot. While most are roughly as tall as humans, if slightly taller, others can easily reach 100 feet in size. The theory is that, because of their sensitivity to magic, some elves become infused with the magic of the soil and undergo a growth spurt that allows them to reach giant size. It's also assumed some giant elves are created by magical means, growing from a human-sized individual to a giant, through some rituals, such as the Tajyms Khajals. Depending on their size, elves can be both prey and predator. Small elves find themselves confronted with a big problem: they taste incredibly good and once a predator has eaten one, it will usually try to catch others. On the other hand, giant elves, such as the scarlet elves, make frighteningly efficient hunters because of their heightened vision and hearing, and their lightning quick reflexes. It should be noted that it is difficult for a giant elf to even think of eating a small elf, no matter their species. It could happen, but it would be a very rare things.

NEKO - Nekos are a humanoid species possessing feline traits such as large, triangular cat-like ears on top of their head, and long, sleek furry tail extending from their spine, just above their buttocks. They sometimes possess slitted pupils as well. Depending on the species, however, the ears and pupils may be rounder, and the tail shorter. In general, nekos are lithe and slender, standing slightly taller than humans in stature, although some species are taller and brawnier than others. Nekos possess long canine teeth, and their fingers and toes end in small, sharp, claw-like nails. These claws are typically not strong enough to be used as weapons, though some specimens, either by quirk of birth or from years of honing, may use them to deadly effects. Other features may include a coat of soft fine fur on some parts of their body, usually their forearms, stripes, or whiskers. None of these last traits are universal though, and both hair and eye color vary greatly.

Biological traits While clearly humanoid, the skeletal structure of a neko differ quite a bit from humans. They are not only capable of walking and running on all fours just as efficiently as they can on two legs, but they are also remarkably fast and nimble when doing so, able to leap great distances in a single bound, climb up trees in the blink of an eye and tumble safely. Furthermore, their spinal cord is unusually flexible compared to that of other humanoids, allowing them to arch their back much more than humans with no ill effects. While nekos are more agile and sometimes stronger than humans, they however have rather poor endurance. Unlike inus, a neko's blood circulatory system is virtually identical to a human's, and pushing themselves to their limits for extended periods drain their stamina extremely quickly. As such, nekos learn to conserve their energy and to only use the most of their abilities in short bursts if possible. Some nekos take short naps after particularly strenuous activities to restore their strength. The term "to take a neko nap" has started to appear in cities like Negav to refer to either resting by sleeping for a very short while or to sleep on the job. Just like cats, nekos possess an incredible sense of balance, allowing them to walk or even sprint along a half-inch rope like it was a wide stone bridge. Moreover, nekos are known to reflexively twist their body during a fall to right itself and land on its feet, provided it has enough time to do so.

Nekos have excellent night vision as well and can see at only one-sixth the level of light required for human vision. In levels of low light, a neko's pupil expand to cover most of the exposed surface of the eye, increasing the amount of light in their retina. While this improves their ability to see in darkness, they have lower visual acuity on average than humans when light is abundant, as their pupil close very narrowly in bright light, effectively reducing the amount of light in their retina. Like inus, it rarely matters in everyday life and nekos can make for good marksmen with dedicated training. The hearing of a neko is very acute and among the best of any humanoids species. While it is similar to humans on the lower end of the scale, they can hear frequencies up to 64.000 Hz. Their extremely sensitive hearing is their most important sense when hunting, their large ears both amplifying sounds and helping them sense the direction a noise is coming. Their mobile ears can independently point backwards and forwards and even sideways to pinpoint the source of the sound, and once it has located it, the ears swivel in that direction. Nekos have a stronger sense of smell than humans, and while not to the level of inus, it is nonetheless powerful enough to pick up even faint scents of spoiled or hidden food.

Unlike humans, nekos are carnivores with their diet consisting primarily of meat. They can consume fruits and vegetables, but they do so generally only in small amounts to supplement their diet, as their digestive system isn't adapted to process large amounts of plant material. Onions and garlics, are particularly hated as they are very noxious to their health. They also have an aversion to theobromine, commonly found in chocolate products, but since this isn't as commonly known, nekos tend not to view having a chocolate product thrown at them as insulting as inus do. Despite this, nekos are generally very fond of plants that contain high amounts nepetalactone such as catnip, and some tribes even cultivate such plants for use in certain... rituals.

Social Behavior Nekos are highly sociable and are able to live in a wide range of environments. They are known to use several vocalizations in addition to language to indicate how they feel, such as purring, growling and snarling or hissing. Nekos also often subconsciously indicate their mood through body language, particularly using the position of their tail and ears. For example, a raised tail while greeting denotes friendliness, flattened ears indicates hostility, and raised fur on the tail means anger or stress. Humans sometimes believe that inus and nekos are natural enemies, which confuse both species as they generally have no innate enmity toward one another. In general, nekos are about as proficient as humans when it comes to magic, but less so with technology, preferring to rely on their physical abilities and instinct instead. Nekos living in human cities like Negav, however, are used to using technology for solving their problems and tend to adopt the style of clothes, livelihood, and cuisine as humans, though their diet remain primarily meat-based.

Wild nekos form tribes around a source of food, with one neko usually being dominant over the others but how they are organized, however, differ immensely from species to species. They tend to prefer hunting in very small groups to stay as stealthy as possible. Wild nekos tend to look down on their civilized cousins, seeing them as much weaker from years of "taming" by humans. Being called "domesticated", i.e. having grown soft, lazy and/or complacent, in such societies is regarded as one of the biggest insults imaginable. In human societies, nekos are famed as some of the best scouts there is, particularly Nekomurans, earning the respect of even isolationist colonies such as the Delurans. These claims, however, are often contested by some of the more prideful elf clans, who view them as nothing but barbaric beastfolks.

Nekos often fight against one another for a variety of reasons. Feral males to win the heart of a female -although sometimes the opposite is also true- contending for dominance over a territory, as a training, or just for simple competition. Young nekos are encouraged to fight with their friends and siblings in order to build strength, acquire the skills needed for real combat and hunting, and reduce any fear associated with launching an attack on another creature. Neko fighting is very similar to wrestling, as it involves a lot of grappling, throws and pins and the occasional claw swipes once the opponent is on the ground. Serious damage during such fights is rare, as they last only for a short duration with the loser surrendering with little more than a few scratches to the face. Intense rivalries, on the other hand, tend to last longer and often result in much more severe wounds to both participants.

Neko reproduction is very similar to humans, with pregnancy lasting about just as long. Contrary to popular belief, nekos don't give birth in litters; they usually have only one or maybe two babies at a time just like humans. Mothers are notorious for being very protective of their youngs, especially when they are newborn. Some nekos believe that one of the most terrifying things that can happen is to invoke a mother's wrath. Neko kittens are well known for being very playful and lively, rarely standing still without playing some sort of game with their friends or their parents. During infant-hood, they primarily communicate through vocalization and body language, and move around on all fours before learning how to talk and move on two legs.

An interesting behavioral trait of nekos is that they are used to swallowing tiny living preys like mice, goldfishes, canaries, and even Tinies whole and alive. Even nekos who live among humans find it difficult to resist eating tiny preys in this fashion. This is a source of unease and sometimes tensions with humans when the latter realize they are essentially dealing with mini-predators. Compounding this issue, there exist rumors of rare giant nekos in the jungle who wouldn't hesitate to gobble humans whole, of whom one at least is confirmed to exist.