Amaranthine

## Information

Amaranthine is a blanket term for the collective and varied beings that share the Earth and wider Creation with humans and animals. They may be further divided into three types:

* Kindred: Sometimes called "High Amaranthine", sentient beings that exist to the protect animals that they resemble in "truest form", capable of manifesting in a humanoid "speaking form", which seems to be their general preference for daily existence
* Impressions: Often shortened to "imps", sentient forces of nature, including but not limited to trees, stars, moonbeams, winds, and mountains
* Ephemera: small animal-like creatures that find homes near Impressions or Reavers, invisible to ordinary humans, their sentience is unconfirmed

Kindred are sometimes referred to as "Rivven", a term coined at the beginning of the Emergence by an unnamed American journalist. As a general rule, Amaranthine are indifferent to the term. However, any Reavers present are quick to gently correct individuals who use it.

In speaking form, for the most part Kindred and Impressions look like very beautiful humans with only slit eye pupils and pointed elvish ears to set them apart. Some Kindred will also visibly display animalistic features like claws, tails, antennae, unusual hair colors, or horns. Impressions in speaking form may have some attribute related to their natural form, such as flowers for trees or an ethereal glow in the case of stars and moonbeams.

Amaranthine are biologically compatible with both humans and animals and hybrids are possible. See: Kith, Kith-kin, crossers.

## Significant Powers

**Shape-shifting:** Kindred Amaranthine and kith-kin may transition between their animal *truest form* and a humanoid *speaking form*, although they have little control over the appearance of either*.* Impressions also may manifest in a humanoid form, although in the case of the sky-clans this shift may be permanent if they set foot on the ground.

**Personal Size Manipulation:** Kindred in truest form are significantly larger than the animals they resemble. Depending on an individual's age and magical strength, they might be enormous. That can be inconvenient, but it is possible to rein in one's power and therefore manifest in a smaller form.

**Ageless:** Assuming they do not succumb to injury or tragedy, Amaranthine enjoy extremely long lives, several millennia or more. Once they reach maturity, they remain largely unchanged and do not display signs of aging such as wrinkles or stooped posture. Grey or white hair is not indicative of an individual's age.

**Flight:** Most Kindred can fly without wings, whether in truest form or speaking form.

**Tending:** Amaranthine can touch "souls" with Reavers. In most cases an Amaranthine and a Reaver will come into physical contact with one another and encourage an atmosphere of intimacy between them, enabling them to sense each other's inner well of power. The experience leaves them open to fully understanding each other's personality and emotions and from there can begin a transition of power, typically from Reaver to Amaranthine. This transition referred to as "tending". Reavers with very "bright" or "potent" souls can be enormously tempting to Amaranthine, to the detriment of both. An Amaranthine could become addicted and numbered among the Broken. A Reaver could be killed by being drained of their internal power. Either outcome may occur through force or accident. To guard against this, many Reavers restrict or fully hide their power with sigilcraft and crystals. Tending is not a biological imperative, nor does it have to result in lasting relationships, but few Amaranthine abstain from tending unless they have had a bad experience. If an Amaranthine chooses a Reaver as a bondmate, the Amaranthine may tend the Reaver, sharing their power and building a unique bond with the Reaver that allows the Reaver to share the Amaranthine's lifespan.

**Physical Prowess:** Amaranthine are universally physically stronger, healthier, faster, and need sleep less frequently than humans.

## Origin of their Species

Much is learned in *Marked by Stars* which extensively covers how Glint Starmark became the father of his clan, the Dogs, as well as how the Kith and Kith-kin came to be.

Dogs were domesticated by humans and thus were created later than other species of animals. In the story, the angel Soriel is sent to collect a wolf named Loor-ket Highwind. Loor-ket is tasked to follow Soriel's star always only by walking, not running, so that every step is his own. Loor-ket is led to a human village where he then stays and still remains today. At this village, later named Wardenclave, he changes his name to Glint Starmark. He created the Dog clan by bonding with Radiance, another wolf who left the packs and became a Dog, and by becoming a kithsire with many ordinary dogs creating dog Kith. From this we can gather that forming of new species happens by separation and through creation of kith.

The original creation of the Amaranthine is unknown at this time, but we do know that Kindred walked the earth before Tree Impressions existed. Most of the ancient groves were grown by Amaranthine. We also know that Auriel gave at least one seed to an Amaranthine, Hisoka Twineshaft's mother.

## Enclaves

Enclaves are corporations of multiple different clans of Amaranthine and Reavers that have decided to live together. Enclaves often have more interactions with humans than other groups and urban enclaves often live like humans. Enclaves also foster human communities around them helping humans expand.

Notable enclaves: Wardenclave, Bellwether, Stately House, Glintrubble

## Notable Amaranthine

#### Kindred

* Argent Mettlebright: Winter Fox
* Glint Starmark: Dog
* Hisoka Twineshaft: Cat
* Lapis Mossberne: Dragon
* Adoonah-soh Elderbough: Wolf
* Cyril Sunfletch: Pheasant

#### Crossers

* Gingko Mettlebright: Winter Fox/human
* Ash Sunfletch: Crow/human
* Kyrie Hajime-Mettlebright: Dragon/human

#### Kith-kin

* Moon-kin Ambervelte: White Wolf
* Alder Woodacre: Red Squirrel
* Fend: Panther

#### Kith

* True: Wolf (Nightspangle pack)
* Path: Dog
* Rise: Dog
* Gent: Blue Jay

#### Impressions

* Chick-a-Biddy: Tree
* Zuzu: Tree
* Cherish: Moonbeam
* Eri: Star
* Dayith: Mountain

1. ↑ Tsumiko and the Enslaved Fox, page 12
2. ↑ Argent Mettlebright's size in truest form is described as rivaling the whole of Stately House, *Tsumiko and the Enslaved Fox, pg 109*
3. ↑ Pim Moonprowl shrinking to navigate dense foliage is one example, *Pimiko and the Uncharted Island, pg255*
4. ↑ Setting for *Mikoto and the Reaver Village*
5. ↑ Setting for *Tamiko and the Two Janitors*
6. ↑ Develops after the events of *Tsumiko and the Enslaved Fox*
7. ↑ Setting for *Followed by Thunder*