Heron-Folk

## Common Knowledge

Heron-folk are a type of Bird-folk that live in forests near freshwater streams, ponds, and lakes. Most of them reside on several small isles in the Fera Islands, but it’s also possible to find some of them anywhere else with a suitable environment, such as Talios. They’re rather reclusive, so they tend to shy away from the outside world. Outsiders have a very difficult time trying to find any Heron-folk settlement unless they get a hint or guidance from an insider. If a stranger does manage to find or stumble upon them, however, the Heron-folk will generally offer their best hospitality. This is because their most valued virtue is courtesy, and if anyone shows a Heron-folk exemplary courtesy, he or she will never forget it and will often do their very best to repay the favor.

## Residence

Since Heron-folk settlements are generally well-hidden behind magical and/or mundane obstacles, and scarcely visited, there isn’t much need to set up guards and walls like most civilizations do, but the ordinary Heron-folk is still always prepared for an attack. Preparedness is also important to Heron-folk, as well as maintaining a calm and serene facade.

## Biology

Life Expectancy: The average Heron-folk lives roughly 341 years. The oldest Heron-folk said to have lived was 404 years old, from the Fera Islands. (Based on math done, 1 human year equals .3 a year for Heron-folk age.)

Physical Appearance: Heron-folk typically have delicate and slender humanoid bodies. Sometimes they get confused for Dove-folk, but they’re easily differentiated with a sharp eye. Their ears are slightly pointed, but not as much as any Elf’s, and their wings grow out of their backs. The most common colors of feathers are white, black, and varying shades of grays and blues. Many also have speckled combinations of these colors. Hair and eye colors vary widely. Their outer feathers look slightly glossier, are very water resistant, and they can shake water off of them much more easily than non-aquatic bird-folk. Their wings also fold and compress more tightly into a more streamlined form than some other Bird-folk can so as to not impede their swimming. However, their aptitude for flying is not quite as high as for other Bird-folk. Their inner feathers are warm down.

Birth/Maturity stages: Heron-folk give birth to their young live and lavish them with lots of love and nurture. The children cannot fly until they are at least 20 years old and reach adulthood at around 30 years old.

Gestation Length: N/A at this time.

## Religion/Culture

They have a high affinity with water and with the magical arts, so the vast majority are trained as casters of every school of magic. The few fighters that exist are well respected, since they know that non-caster combat skill is just as important on top of being rare for Heron-folk. Everyone at least knows how to fish and hunt for other aquatic prey, as well as how to read and write.

Heron-folk settlements are typically small and close-knit as well, so everyone in the community is very familiar with each other. All of their societies are ruled by a council of 11 members. Every council chooses its members by administering a civil service exam to all aspiring candidates. These tests are intended to measure one’s political knowledge, wit, compassion, and general competence and flexibility. If a council member proves to be incompetent, callous, or otherwise unsuited for the position, the other council members can vote to impeach him or her. Non-council members can also force an impeachment by starting a petition with logical reasons. If at least 2/3s of the community sign it, then the council member in question is automatically impeached. Beyond making sure their council members are doing their job right, most Heron-folk don’t care for politics.

Every aspect of society is completely egalitarian with no class or gender restrictions on anyone, although any non-Heron-folk that happens to live with them will always be seen as an outsider, no matter how long they’ve been there or how much they’ve helped. Non-Heron-folk are also banned from the council, but they may petition. All of these policies are mostly theory, however, seeing as the number of living beings that have even managed to find a Heron-folk settlement in the first place, let alone decide to stay in the community for extended periods of time, are few. It is much easier to simply meet a Heron-folk that has left their home or descended from one that did, although those are also uncommon.

Heron-folk mate for life. The normal Heron-folk mating ritual involves the male building a nest, then trying to court a female by inviting her to his nest and entertaining her as the host. The process repeats, and if he succeeds many times in a row, then the pair are mated in a ceremony that’s similar to, but not quite a wedding, and the whole community gives them matching, customized ribbons to wear around their necks. The pair tie the knot in a bow. If one dies or abandons the other, then the one left behind undoes the bow and simply double knots it instead.

After a child learns how to fly, they learn how to read and write, among other things, in a little community school. This formal education lasts for 25 years. Heron-folk that have completed those 25 years of formal schooling earn a bright red ribbon that they tie around their waist.

The typical Heron-folk diet consists of mainly freshwater aquatic life, but they don’t mind eating vegetative matter on the side. Technically, they can eat almost anything, with land meats being the exceptions. Non-aquatic meat will throw their biorhythm off, slowing their bodies’ motor control down up to the point of barely being able to function, depending on how much of it they eat.

Religion isn’t much of a factor for Heron-folk, as their society isn’t the most religious. They prefer secular pursuits and studies overall, although they all believe in natural spirits. The Heron-folk settlements that do demonstrate religious devotion most often venerate the Goddess of Serenity; she’s an important figure even in the more secular Heron-folk settlements. Due to being very much isolated, they generally focus more on the nature around them and developed their own traditions based on that. All settlements celebrate the same basic holidays, but their customs and celebrations may vary depending on location. Twice a year, on the full moon, they show their gratitude for the water with a special festival. They also set aside a day of the year to celebrate the spirits of the forest, a day for the spirits of the sky, and a day for the moonlight and the sunlight. Ribbon dances are a common feature among all communities on all such holidays.

Alcohol and substances that cause similar effects do not exist, for Heron-folk frown on anything that causes one to lose self-control. The Heron-folk prefer letting loose with song, dance, sweets, and storytelling. On holidays and other festivals, there are often competitions regarding these four pastimes and the winners get food and stone for prizes. Economy-wise, communities are practically self-sufficient, but a select few merchants bring in goods and luxuries from the outside world. Stone is considered useless except in dealing with these merchants. The merchants are the ones that donate the stone as part of competition prizes. Everyone else employs a barter system.