Neefaar
| Neefaar | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Fauna | |
| Official Name | Neefaar |
| Common Nicknames | Scout of Estel |
| Classification | Magus |
| Habitat | Altaleï, Westwynd and Sileria |
| Domesticated | Yes |
| Current Status | Rare |
The Neefaar are strange creatures with an unknown origin who were among the first plant-based heralds to arrive into the lands of the Allorn Empire during the final years of that nation. But, they were ignored, and soon hated for what later messengers enacted, and some even fell into the arms of the Kathar who warped them into corrupted reflections of their former selves. Following the Wildering, the Neefaar attached themselves to the Yanar Race, while some also remained in servitude to the Kathar. Considered rare among the creatures of the world, the Neefaar are truly living relics, especially those purported to be from the era before the Cataclysm, yet they are not time capsules of information so many likely would wish them to be. Instead, they are stoic, and some would say broken, remnants of a previous age.
History
Emerging from the same mists of mystery as the Va'sil Trees and other similar creatures, the Neefaar were a much more common creature that emerged within the final decades of the Allorn Empire, serving as the true first signs of what was to come. But at the time, they were largely ignored, or seen as curiosities. Supposedly speaking in an unknown tongue, some were initially enslaved by the Teledden or captured by the Void cults. The emerging Kathar took and twisted them, Void Essence warping the beings into silent, fearsome mounts of battle, which ironically is the same path their now distant kin would take in the modern day. In this older time though, the Va'sil and their other servants arrived, and the Teledden were forced to fight many devastating battles. The Neefaar were right beside their often much larger, bestial brethren, but being more populous, often played more an “infantry” or common interference role. When the Night of the Weeping Stars took place, the Neefaar fought against those who sought to kill the Va'sil Trees. Yet, they did not die like their likely progenitor. Instead, a number survived, fleeing into the wilds. As the Yanar resettled themselves across the former lands of the Allorn, they sometimes drew out Neefaar that seemed timid or aged. With time, and likely far less pain and suffering in the case of the Kathar, the Neefaar became features of Yanar society, though often backgrounded, silent figures. It wasn’t until 130 AC that the twisted, Wyld-Warped Neefaar were discovered, much to the horror of the group who encountered the creature. Today, the Neefaar represents perhaps the most extreme dichotomy of creatures in Aloria, one variety enslaved to the Kathar, and another respected by the Yanar and their allies.
Physical Appearance
The Neefaar are large beings of nature, but so diverse due to the manipulation of the Kathar that only general traits can be discussed concerning their physical appearance. They stand between six and nine feet tall, with a heavy weight that gives them their slow movement speed. Their heads are fairly angular, with slightly pointed “ears” on either side of an impassive face, though there are no attached ear canals or similar organs. This head is leaned slightly forward, connected to the body by a thick neck that leads to a broad torso, with a pair of thick, humanoid arms with four fingers. Their legs have thick bases, with powerful support, and lack feet or toes though some root-like protrusions grow from these thick, bottom-heavy limbs and are called toes by others. Further description of their coloration and other physical traits is described below.
Diversity
Neefaar are all female, or at least feminine-presenting given small traits of their physical appearance, and also the words of the Yanar who interact with them. Further diversity exists within the two varieties, so stark in appearance some believe it is more appropriate to call them different species. However, as the base of the Wyld-Warped Neefaar is so similar in overall makeup, this has yet to happen.
Greenbright/Normal Neefaar
Normal Neefaar are sometimes called Greenbright Neefaar to distinguish them from their twisted sisters. Their physical appearance is often that of willow or oak trees, with vegetation along their bodies accordingly matching up, and growing from their “hair” or series of Rest Branches, the sturdy seats formed to allow others to ride upon them. They have a “collar” of bark and vegetation that makes up their head meeting their upper body. Their eyes are always a pale green or pink, with smooth faces and clear humanoid features beyond their pseudo-ears. They are also known to sustain bird nests and other creatures within their forms, and other plants freely grow on their bodies. Greenbright Neefaar do not speak, but are said to hum and even lightly sing, causing Yanar to hypnotically join in. What is being said is impossible to know, as other than these noises, only grunts or cries of pain are known to emerge from the stoic beings. Some claim, however, that they can speak the Yanar "Language" of Silmaan, but this is a pheromone-based form of communication very hard to detect or understand by non-Yanar.
Wyld-Warped Neefaar
Wyld-Warped Neefaar, by contrast to Greenbright Neefaar, have been actively and terribly corrupted by the Kathar, though a number were also likely warped by the Wildering disrupting Magic across Aloria. Their physical appearance varies wildly, as their forms do possess the same humanoid form to that of their fairer sisters, but saturated with Void Mutations, though with a more plantlike edge. Their eyes are always some form of Void Mutation appearance, solid black, red, or with an altered limbus, with their natural color of deep green only occasionally being retained. Their eyes are known to be ringed with dried black sap that darkens their eyes, while their hair is often stiff and sharp, punctured by beautiful, though startlingly colored, flowers. Their bark-like skin often browns so dark that it reaches the spectrum of black, colorations unhealthy appearing like ashen grey, though certain areas can also be calcified into a solid black or grey on an otherwise dark brown bark body. Spines may grow from their back, and otherwise look twisted. Wyld-Warped Neefaar never speak, and instead only scream as they enter a battlefield, a mournful wail of a battlecry that is enough to chill even those in charge of them, with similar sounds of pain when injured.
Life Span and Development
Little is known about the lifespan and development of the Neefaar. There are some who say the creatures are dying out and unable to reproduce, though others disagree. Despite centuries passing, new and vile Neefaar still come forth from Kathar lands all these years later, while Yanar in other regions still encounter these creatures in the wild. Some suspect groups of Neefaar, who often congregate when left amongst each other, do as the Yanar do, somehow instilling life into an object planted into the ground, causing a new adult Neefaar or more to emerge from the earth whole. Others believe that Neefaar, when dead, simply travel into an area of plant life, and reforge a body to emerge anew. No Neefaar young have ever been seen, and so it is likely that until one learns to properly communicate with these majestic beings, the mystery will continue.
Mental Overview
While the Neefaar might have once had words, wisdom, and more to share with Aloria, the loss of the Va'sil Trees and the Cataclysm has seemingly broken their spirit, even among the Greenbright Neefaar. Their minds according to the Yanar are silent, and most remain dead quiet, not making noise except the thump or rumble that walking causes when in peaceful surroundings. The Neefaar seem almost slaves to their instincts to serve others as well. While Greenbright Neefaar do nothing but stand, hum strange songs, and accept gifts from those who value them, their sisters the Wyld-Warped Neefaar are often slaves to the Kathar, used in battle and gladiator matches, though also sometimes to heave heavy loads for labor purposes. The Neefaar’s desensitization also appears to extend to battle. While they will fight, they do not seek it out, with those Wyld-Warped pushed into it ultimately sounding pained to be engaged in it.
Territory and Groupings
Neefaar live in so-called Nee Fields, clearings of light vegetation the creatures may walk through, and gather with their own kind. Some areas gate these Fields, the barriers put up by outsiders to grand some form of boundary or privacy to the tree-folk. Neefaar are social among their own kind, or at least they appear to be. They group up, forming small circles, but seem to largely just stand there with closed eyes until they leave, or are interacted with. Those enslaved by Kathar meanwhile, are often kept in corrupted Nee Fields, with Void-afflicted plantlife all around, or in slave cages suitable for their large sizes.
Trivia
- Neefaar, despite their heavy nature aesthetic, do not seem to really care about nature around them. While some have been noted to let animals rest on their bodies, or form nests in their crooks, when a Neefaar moves, it doesn’t help protect what has been made.
- Neefaar do not seem to fear fire, though it certainly can hurt them. Why is not clear, but some believe decades if not centuries of having flaming arrows and Mages around them has meant they only care when their bodies are harmed by the substance, and not by its proximity.
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