Féni

*Note: I would like to rewrite this page (specifically the "Introduction" section) to be more comprehensive and broken into parts. If you want to help with that, please contact me on Discord! -Felix*

## Introduction

The Féni are the most abundant race on Da'iro. They are small humanoids, and generally don't grow much taller than 130-140 cm (4'3"-4'7"). They can control the colour of their skin as they please, almost like a chameleon. When a Féni doesn't want to be seen, they can simply blend in with their environment, becoming nearly invisible- so long as they close their eyes.

You see, they cannot change *all* of their colours. Both their eyes and hair are a bright, shining silver, which almost seems to illuminate the rest of their bodies. Depending on the light, this silver can sometimes seem to take on every colour of the rainbow, just as the rest of their skin.

Their silver hair doesn't just grow on their heads, either: Féni have long, thin streaks of hair running over their shoulders, their back, and the back of their arms. For some, it even grows on parts of their legs. Most of the time, these streaks are all connected to each other, coming together only in their necks. It is possible, however, for these streaks to be disconnected, but this is usually because the hair there has been cut or singed off.

As their sweet, bright faces and colourful skins may suggest, the Féni are a peaceful people whose most beloved pastime is the creation of art. Whether it's painting, woodcarving, or storytelling- they love it all, and can keep themselves busy for hours getting lost in the joy of creating.

Since Da'iro is always oriented so that the habited side faces Dah-Veh-- or, Ma'anlo, as the Féni call it-- magic is plentiful on the Segment. Because of this, the vast majority of Féni are capable of using magic. Most are part of the Wright-Circle of Weaving, making it the largest Wright-Circle on the entirety of Da'iro.

## Culture

### Food

Usually, the Féni eat mostly plant matter. They are herbivores in nature, and don't often cook extravagant dishes. They do, however, like their plates to be full of colour, and so they often eat a mix of many differently coloured vegetables and fruits. Only some of their ingredients are cooked- most commonly because of risk of food poisoning, should it be eaten raw. They always let it cool off completely before eating, though, as they don't like eating warm food, nor are they used to it.

The cooked foods are often given special treatment besides the boiling or roasting; they are usually hollowed out and filled with some form of herbal mixture after it cools down, before it is mixed with the rest of the food. The Féni believe all food should be at least partially raw, and untouched by fire.

Besides using herbs to add flavour to their dishes, the Féni also commonly use honey, tree syrups, or sugar water to sweeten their food. Honey is simply gathered from beehives, whereas it takes a little more work to prepare tree syrups or sugar water.

It is very rare for the Féni to eat meat, though it does happen. The Féni are a very peaceful people, and generally consider it a crime to kill an animal unless it is sick or injured. When they do have to kill, however, they use the animal's body as thoroughly as they can. Furs are made into protective covers for their farm pens- never for their own homes. Bones are made into functional tools, with as little decoration as possible- carving out decoration wastes bone matter, and an animal's death is not something to celebrate or decorate. The meat is then eaten- it is prepared in the same way as their usual vegetables, by cooking, letting cool, and mixing it with raw plants. Then, it is mixed into the rest of the meal, though usually in small quantities. As the Féni are biologically much better suited to a vegetarian diet, they cannot handle eating lots of meat well, so they divide it among every village inhabitant.

### Religion

Féni religion is highly localised, but there are a few common themes seen throughout their faith.

First of all, most Féni do not believe in a single deity or a pantheon. Instead, they most often worship the spirits of nature, and especially the spirits of the trees they build their homes in. They believe that these spirits take care of their tree, and live in it just as they do. When something is wrong with the tree, it's a signal that the spirit is either displeased, or has become unhealthy themselves.

Oftentimes, the Féni will create an extra space in the tree for the spirit to live. They are considered a member of the village as any other, and some villages also reserve a seat and a meal for them at the dinnertable. A few even go so far as to give them the best part of the meal, though this is relatively uncommon. More often, they are treated exactly the same as all other villagers.

Some Féni villages don't treat their spirits as housemates, however. Instead, they may treat them as beings that mostly want to be left alone, and don't enjoy contact with the creatures that live in their homes. In these cases, the spirits usually have a shrine in the highest branches of the tree, where offerings are left periodically.

### Holidays

The Féni don't have any regularly timed celebrations or festivals. Instead, they celebrate things based on the natural world around them. When a Féni home tree has grown large enough for villagers to move into, for example, the village will often throw them a party not unlike an Earth birthday party. They give the spirit food and decorate their "living space" with furniture and things for the spirit's entertainment.