Scarecrows

**Scarecrows**, also known as **Hay golems** and **Farmhands**, inhabit the farmlands of the Kaesieruo to which they tend and protect.

### History

The scarecrows were originally inanimate scarecrows placed across the farmlands of the Kaesierum. One day travellers started noting that the scarecrows had started disappearing and reappearing throughout the farmlands and it was quickly discovered that they were sentient.

It is unknown how these hay golems gained sentience. Theories have circulated by travellers. Some theorize that the scarecrows were enchanted by a witch or wizard passing through, while others have speculated that the farmlands themself are sentient and that the scarecrows are a manifestation of it’s will.

### Biology

Hay golems come in all shapes and sizes and are made mostly out of hay, wood, and rags. Their stature usually stands taller than the average human. While their torso can resemble that of any anthropomorph, their limbs are usually long and spindly, comprised of wooden stakes and wrapped with hay. Their heads are usually just a bag with a mouth that is either cut out, painted, or sown, and eyes cut out.

Due to their often disproportionate bodies and thin limbs, their movement is unstable and rigid. They will often bump into other people or objects as they lumber through cities. Some people express unease at their presence due to their unnatural nature and faces permanently frozen in an expression of glee.

They do not require food or water to live and can not feel pain. They’ll avoid death as it will decrease their efficiency. Due to their body composition they also avoid fire as their bodies are very flammable.

### Socially

The scarecrows take on their own form of culture completely revolving around the daily procedures of farm life. Everything they do is directly linked to furthering the success and health of the farm.

The scarecrows are far from social. While they won’t outright avoid other species, they will only engage in conversation if it concerns their work. As scarecrows lack the biology to speak properly, they’ll communicate by signing and pointing. Their communication is somewhat successful as they only ever need to communicate when selling their crops and acquiring new farm equipment, in which case they’ll point at what they want in exchange for their produce.

They will rarely create their own farm tools or cook meat before selling it as both require the use of a furnace and consequently fire which they avoid as much as possible. Therefor they will often trade crops for tools and sell raw meat.

As the only concern of the scarecrows is the health and success of the farm, they’ll protect it viciously if it were to be harmed or at risk. If they catch someone causing dismay in the farmlands or steal, they’ll prompt the cause of the disturbance to fix their mistake, or attack them without hesitation. They’ll often fight with farm equipment like hoes or axes made out of iron as that is what they have at hand.

The scarecrows lack any concern for the outside world and will completely ignore politics or wars unless a war would cause harm to the farm in any way.

### Trivia

The scarecrows long, spindly, and unproportioned body coupled with a face permanently twisted into a smiling expression with no emotion behind it is based on our need to be able to read the intention of other people and animals for survival. If you take that away, you create an uncanny nature which in the real world would cause a sense of unease and distrust. The scarecrow itself is based on the most primal fears we have built into us, even if the subject of our fear has no malintent.