Raven-Folk

## Common Knowledge

Raven-Folk are very mysterious looking Beast-Folk. Raven-Folk have black or brown hair with blond or red hair thrown in occasionally. Most Raven-Folk wear masks as they prize a person’s individual personality and believe that looks should only come second. Mature Raven-Folk will usually only show their faces to their mates and eventually their chicks.

## Residence

Mostly on and from the Raven-Folk Island (Reever) in the Fera Islands. Small families can be found rarely across Orelisle, but most Raven-Folk live on Reaver.

## Biology

Raven-Folk don’t generally grow to be more than 4 ½ feet tall. The tallest Raven-Folk have been known to be is just over 5ft tall. Raven-Folk usually live to be about 200 years old. They reach physical maturity at 25 years. Like real ravens, Raven-Folk are omnivores and will eat just about everything. Representation of black feathers and a mask.

## Religion/Culture

For the first 15 years of the lives of Raven-Folk, they generally live with their parents. As children (fledglings) they have no true name, as most Raven-Folk believe that they have no true set personality until they reach adulthood, and so they will often be referred to by a physical trait. As a fledgling, a Raven-folk will learn the culture of their society and be encouraged to try a multiple of things to see if they have any likes or dislikes.

At the age of 16, most Raven-Folk move out and live with in groups with other teenagers. This is a time both for self-reflection and for making friends. As a teenager, the Raven-Folk will learn to explore themselves, and any interests that they may have picked up as children. This is when most Raven-Folk begin to learn social skills for interacting with others outside of their immediate family; due to these new social dynamics, some Raven-Folk meet potential mates. This is usually when Raven-Folk begin to don their masks, although they are still referred to by a physical characteristic.

Raven-Folk are not considered adults until they know themselves completely. Mature Raven-Folk are very self-enlightened, though tend to be rather eccentric. After a Raven-Folk reaches the age of 25, they can petition to be considered adult members of the community by proving themselves in a test of convictions, ensuring that they know themselves inside and out. After this test, the Raven-Folk is given their true name, generally describing either a big personality trait or a powerful skill they possess that helps define who they are.

As adults, Raven-Folk can mate and claim their own territory, which encompasses only their mate and fledglings. Most Raven-Folk will mate for life; Raven-Folk who mate based on looks are frowned upon, generally speaking.

As mature adults, this is also the time where a Raven-Folk can go off on their own to follow their interests; this is often encouraged, as they will then bring back knowledge and expertise unique to their experiences.

## History

The solitary nature of familial units caused a large problem that is now referred to in their history as the Territory Wars. This started as pranks against neighboring causing them to move farther away. Many Families used this to expand their territory, thus causing others to keep well away. Unfortunately things started to escalate after one Raven-Folk killed another Raven-Folk in a nearby territory, starting a war that is noted to be the bloodiest time in their history. Finally some elder Raven-Folk realized that these wars were killing off the entire race; four pairs of mated elders from the four corners of the territories came together to stop the wars. These pairs became the first Council of Elders, who made the warring families to realize that this violence would only end their race. The Council of Elders directed them to turn their energies to better things like inner focus and knowledge.

And so began the enlightenment era of the Raven-Folk. The Council of Elders put in place three rules, hopefully to ensure there were never any such wars again. The first was that the Raven-Folk would meet four times a year on the solstice and the equinox. This is to be a time where there are festivals, sharing of news, and maturity trials. This is also a time when grievances can be aired in a rational setting. The second rule was the development of the teenage flecks so that the Raven-Folk could get to know others more easily; basically forced socialization. The final rule was the succession of the council of elders, who would at the end of their lives, train another mated pair from their region as their successors to take over when they died.

There were no more laws as the Raven-Folk did not want to stifle anyone’s personality with too many regulations. The Council of Elders is always made up of eight Raven-Folk, like the first group who stopped the war. They are also in charge of organizing all new knowledge brought to the Raven-Folk and keeping detailed records of the Raven-Folk’s history.

## Further/Related Information

Reever - The Island upon which most Raven-Folk live.