Yanar

Yanar
Race
Pronunciation	Yah-nar
Classification	Magus
Subraces	Yanar-Flor, Yanar-Fae, Yanar-Dul, Yanar-Sil(extinct)
Common Nicknames	Plant-People, Children of the Forest, Forestfolk
Languages	Modern Altalar, Common
Naming Customs	Elven fantasy naming, though avoiding Tolkien Elven.
Racial Traits
Distinctions	Plant-like humanoids with a mysterious past and open future
Maximum Age	No limit, though the oldest Yanar is around 300 years old. Special Permission not required for 150+ year old, but read the rules below.
Height	Varied, depending on Wyldbirth and subspecies
Weight	Varied, depending on Wyldbirth and subspecies
Eye Colors	Varied, depending on Wyldbirth and subspecies
Hair Colors	Varied, depending on Wyldbirth and subspecies
Skin Tones	Varied, depending on Wyldbirth and subspecies

Fostered by nature, the Yanar are a Race of plant-like humanoids that were once thought of as the heralds of their creator Estel, but that uniquely created a destiny of their own after the collapse of the Allorn Empire, and continue to find new ways to exist in the world around them. Since the event that they called the Stalwarding, the Yanar have spread across the world, mixing with existing societies with surprising ease, but also establishing small communities of their own called Florai, each with their own purpose and ideology to impart on the world. Where once they heard the song of Estel now reigns silence, and in that silence, the Yanar have found the communal song of each other’s minds and hopes and dreams to give shape to an entirely new purpose in life. While many presume the Yanar to be harmless plant-tending and peaceful forest dwellers, Yanar are in fact far more complex than any but their closest friends and allies give them credit for, sharing the same tenacity for adaptation as the Allar, and somehow managing to give life and wonder to even the most barren and unexpected places. It is perhaps their innocent appearance that hides the greatest of their warriors, politicians, and rogues from the common man. While not all Yanar think and act alike, and many have different views on their present and past, one thing can certainly be said of the Yanar: they are the most underestimated Race, something that often comes to the ruin of those who are not wary of their great potential.

Physical & Mental Characteristics

Yanar at a base are plant-like humanoids that have the physical features that one would come to expect of other Races, such as limbs, eyes, and even facial hair; but instead of their skin and hair being made of keratin and other humanoid matters, these traits are made out of plant-matter. Yanar do not have any set physical features beyond their plant-like properties because they as a Race are capable of changing many of these things over the course of their life. There are however some limitations to Yanar that are shared by all of their kin. Yanar cannot be shorter than five feet tall, and cannot be taller than six feet and five inches. Furthermore, Yanar are also not capable of having a higher Body Shape than Muscular. Furthermore still, one must understand that their entire Race does not have genders in a typical sense. While their bodies can appear masculine or feminine, or with qualities of both, they do not discern between male and female, and often also have difficulty understanding the separation of gender among other Races. Sometimes, Yanar who do understand the boundaries between genders choose a represented gender for the sake of the comfort of others who are not Yanar around them, but even this feels strange to them. The Yanar are subdivided into three sub-races, or so-called Yanera: the Yanera-Flor, Yanera-Fae, and Yanera-Dul. Technically a fourth division exists, called the Yanera-Sil, however these are presumed extinct, or at the very least have not been seen for several centuries.

Yanera-Flor

The Yanera-Flor are the most common Yanar one might see. Their skin tones are a range of greens, green-like yellows, or teals, with a clear plant-matter quality to them. Other plant or flower growths can exist on their body in any color, though their skin must always remain within the ranges of greens and yellow to teals. Their hair is made out of a bundle of leaves, grasses, or plants, as are their ears and any facial hair they might have. Their eyes tend to be any bright color, sometimes without a clear distinction between eye-whites and irises, but always with a clear pupil. While it is true that many Yanera-Flor can in ways be described as plant-like Altalar, a Yanera-Flor never looks quite like an Altalar translated into plant-matter. Their eyebrows are shaped longer or differently, their nose might be flatter or wider, their mouth might be lip-less, and their hair-line might be much lower on their forehead, almost as close to their eyebrows. There is always something unique about their appearance that makes them look distinctly alien to other Races. Proportion wise, however, the Yanera-Flor appear just like all other humanoid Races—though their fingers might be more leaf-like or claw-like depending on their ‘Sallence’—the term used to describe the Yanera-Flor that merge nature with their bodies. Yanera-Flor are capable of picking up plants and other floral matter and combining it with their body to have certain effects. For example, the Yanera-Flor might pick up a daisy and merge it with their hair, changing the color of their hair from red leaves to white leaves. They might retrieve some twigs or broken bark from the floor and merge it with their arms to cover them in bark plating. They might come across a rare orchid that they think is beautiful, harvest it, and then merge it with their body, allowing it to grow indefinitely from their shoulders for example, and sprout more orchids from their shoulders that can also be painlessly harvested. Inversely, the Yanera-Flor can also remove items from their body. For example, a blueberry branch might have been merged with their body, growing actual blueberries from their hair which can be painlessly removed and used as sustenance, or just to remove the blue color from their hair. The creative customization options with Sallence are endless; however, they can never change their green or teal colored skin tones or their eye colors. Yanera-Flor are varied in their mental characteristics. While many of them are nature-loving and caring and avoid violence or confrontation at all costs, some Yanera-Flor are also warrior-like and have tasked themselves with the duty to defend their family and friends from any threat. Generally speaking, the Yanera-Flor are righteous, meaning not necessarily having a distinction between good and evil, but at the very least they do not relish in the suffering of others and are not prone to inflict it. That being said, Yanera-Flor are very varied in their personalities, and unlike some other Races, cannot really be ascribed one theme to fit all.

Yanera-Fae

The Yanera-Fae are in many ways similar to the Yanera-Flor, except that they have more humanoid skin as opposed to plant-matter skin. The Yanera-Fae still have hair that imitates a bundle of leaves—and their arms down from the shoulder and legs down from the knees are still made of plant-matter—however, the rest of their body and most notably their face is made up of regular humanoid skin with a variety of color tones. Whatever body parts remain plant-like, while being green or teal colored, can have other floral growths of any color on them in the same manner as Yanera-Flor. The Yanera-Fae can change their skin-tone and the color of their hair as well as their eyes (though cannot mimic Affliction eyes), through the process of Shaillence, the term used to describe the Yanera-Fae’s ability to mimic the bodily colors of others around them. A Yanera-Fae might simply look at a Suvial Altalar, and immediately adapt their own skin-tone to match theirs (barring the legs and arms which remain plant-like of course). Then, they might look at an Avanthar, and immediately adapt their own hair-color to match the auburn hair of the Avanthar. While the plant-matter hair of the Yanera-Fae is distinctly plant-like in organic matter, it appears almost like real humanoid hair from a distance, only showing clear thin leaf-like qualities from up close. Also, while the Yanera-Flor have facial features that make them appear distinctly alien, the Yanera-Fae do not. If a Yanera-Fae were to cover the rest of their body besides their face in robes, they might almost pass for an Ailor or Altalar, albeit with a face that isn’t quite as angular as an Altalar’s, or quite as square as an Ailor’s, looking somewhere in between. Yanera-Fae are not capable of merging their body with plant-like matter like the Yanera-Flor are, but they are capable of growing any type of flower from their hair—appearing as if a freshly plucked flower was inserted between strands of hair. Yanera-Fae are less varied in their mental characteristics than the Yanera-Flor, but still have a great capacity for change. Yanera-Fae are very flexible and open-minded, often having equal numbers of friends that are Yanar and non-Yanar. That being said, while the Yanera-Flor tend to be more purpose driven and thoughtful, Yanera-Fae tend to be more mischievous, and often enjoy a bit of deception or trickery. They are far from childish or arbitrary, rather, the Yanera-Fae have learned that they are able to seamlessly flow in and out of social groups and communities, and can get away with a bit of tomfoolery at the expense of embarrassing others through pranks. Their attitude tends to be more care-free than that of the other Yanera, though they are just as capable of becoming serious and understanding the gravity of any calamity as the others, when the need arises.

Yanera-Dul

The Yanera-Dul are a bit of an oddity among the Yanar. In many ways, they do not quite appear like what the other Races expect Yanar to appear as. Yanera-Dul are inherently exactly the same as Yanera-Flor, except that their skin tone ranges from reds, to purples, to pastel red or lavender. Their eyes are usually a bright color just like the Yanera-Flor, though they can also be very dark—so dark that there is no discernable color difference between the pupil and iris. The Yanera-Dul are capricious and self-driven. While the other Yanera are very communal and love the presence of others, Yanera-Dul often end up being more solitary, or at the very least mostly look out for themselves. The Yanera-Dul have the capacity to use Mallence, the term used to describe the Yanera-Dul’s ability to adapt their bodily appearance depending on who they are trying to get closer to, or attract, or deceive. A Yanera-Dul might look at a person, which will then cause their bodily proportions and plant-matter to change according to what this person is more comfortable with, or finds beautiful. For example, if the individual favors feminine body-types, the Yanera-Dul might appear more feminine—not necessarily through their body shape itself—but through floral growths giving them a more hour-glass figure by virtue of the leaf shapes. Furthermore, if that person really loves roses, and the color blue, then blue fragrant roses might rapidly sprout from their hair and shoulders, releasing a strong rose scent in the air. In fact, Yanera-Dul excrete a pheromone of sorts that does not have a distinct smell of its own, but rather is perceived to smell like someone’s favorite flower, meaning the smell is different for everyone who comes into contact with it.

Personality-wise, the Yanera-Dul are self-gratifying and seek the attention and affection of others around them, mixed with a heightened sense for material value, and perhaps even a tinge of greed and sometimes megalomania. Yanera-Dul, like the other Yanera, are still distinctly un-erotic since the entire idea of eroticism does not exist in their biology, but that does not mean the Yanera-Dul are opposed to close physical contact as a means of expressing adoration, as they are prone to vanity. Yanera-Dul can both be very alluring and secretive, but also very energetic and bouncy, depending on what kind of attention and spotlight they want on themselves. The Yanera-Dul also have another interesting quality, appropriately called Beast-Facing. When a Yanera-Dul uses Beast-Facing, they are attempting to appear threatening, intimidating, or simply wish to use a more beast-like appearance to cover up their identity. Beast-Facing allows the Yanera-Dul to change the shape of their head to become more beast-like, albeit still made up of plant-matter. For example, their face might change to that of a gorilla, or a crocodile, or a rhino—any type of animal that is strictly not feline or canine. This only affects the shape of their skull, while any visual features these animals might have are translated into plant-material. Finally, the Yanera-Dul have a type of blood lust unique to their Yanera. It is not known what causes this bloodlust, and while it certainly is distinctly different from Vampirism, it sometimes raises some eyebrows. The Yanera-Dul do not need to subsist on blood as a food source (as all Yanar can eat plant or meat matter), however they have the ability to, and they quite like the taste of blood (as long as it is not Yanar blood). A Yanera-Dul can live a whole life without ever drinking blood, but will always acknowledge the allure and smell of blood as a delicacy. To facilitate this, Yanera-Dul also have small retractable claws on the palms of their hands. If placed on the bare skin of another person, these small claws can extend, producing a pricking sensation. If the hand is not removed, it allows the Yanera-Dul to drink small amounts of blood from the other person, like a leech. They gain no benefits and don’t need to do this, they just really like the taste.

Yanar Wyldbirth

All Yanera share the same longevity that technically gives them immortality from aging. Any Yanar that has not died through unnatural means in the past centuries of their existence is likely to still be alive, as no Yanar has ever been recorded as having died of old age. Rather, Yanar undergo a process called Yanar Wyldbirth in which, much like a snake, they shed their old body and grow a new one. Once each season, whether it be spring, summer, autumn or winter, a Yanar can choose to undergo Wyldbirth in their Grove or Solur Garden, as it is called among Yanar. A Grove is usually a location chosen by the Yanar in question to be their home-base of nature, though this does not necessarily need to be their own house or garden in Regalia. It can be any type of garden outside of the city, built inside a house, or even designated as a patch of nature out in the forest. During Wyldbirth, a Yanar either embraces or lies up against a tree or the ground, allowing nature to overcome their body with vines and plants that hold their body in place, moments after which they effectively “die”, and leave their body. Their soul appears like a ghost-like apparition (that cannot leave Emote Distance of their bodily remains), but can speak and move around the Grove. The Yanar will remain like this for at least 48 hours, or longer if they want to, before a new body emerges from the plant-matter around their old one, that their soul is then placed into. This new body can look radically different. For example, the old body could have been a female-coded Yanera-Flor with a lithe appearance, while the new body could be a muscular male-coded Yanera-Dul. All Yanar are capable of changing between Yanera through Wyldbirth, while also changing their facial features, bodily aesthetics, and Body Shape. In fact, the changes sometimes do not stop with the physical aspect, as many Yanar have been witnessed to at least partially, or wholly change their personality through Wyldbirth, albeit keeping all their memories and Proficiencies and Talents intact in the transition. Wyldbirth is not mandatory, and there are plenty of Yanar that do not transition through any change over decades, though aging does have an effect on the Yanar’s body. While not Wyldbirthing, a Yanar’s skin grows drier over time, and might harden into bark. Their flowers start fading in colors, and their body might start getting more hunched over and frail. Wyldbirth as such is a process that the Yanar use to keep their bodies young and fresh, but also to change their appearance and persona from time to time to live the world through a new lens. Their old body quickly deteriorates and simply becomes a bundle of flowers and plants, often in the vague shape of a humanoid body that stays there and acts as a strong fertilizer for any plants that grow in the direct area where it was laid to rest.

Additionally, Yanar Wyldbirth can also be used to save a dying Yanar from certain death—or even to revive a Yanar that has already died—with some caveats. While all Yanar on the inside have organs and blood circulation (Yanar blood is actually blue), instead of a heart, the Yanar have a so-called Wister. A Wister is shaped like a heart, but it is more like a solid amberite rock with a green color and a faint yellow glow at the center of their torso where an Ailor heart would normally be. When a Yanar dies properly, their body’s plant matter rapidly decays, however the Wister is always left behind unless it is destroyed through brute force or burning. Such a Wister can be brought back to any Yanar’s Grove and helped into Wyldbirth by another Yanar, after which they gain a new body, and are in essence revived. The same thing applies if a Yanar’s limbs have been removed and they are about to die of catastrophic damage; whatever is left attached to the Wister can be brought to a Grove to help a new body grow. Through Wyldbirth, any body parts lost or other maiming damage done to the body are undone, and the new body is delivered in a clean state. Wyldbirth is usually intentional, meaning the Yanar can guide the process through asking themselves in their ghost state “What do I want to look like”, and “Who do I want to be”, though the process can also be left to complete chance by simply not pondering on these questions, in which case a random appearance, Yanera, and personality might come out. Yanar consider Wyldbirth a very important cultural tradition, and in many ways, those born in certain seasons are often called such. For example, a Yanar who was last reborn in the summer season, are called Summerwilder, while those reborn in winter are Winterwilder. Sometimes, the seasons might also impart personality quirks, though not always. Springwilder might be more prone to happy thoughts and positivity, while Summerwilder might be more prone to passion and conviction. Autumnwilder might be more prone to melancholy and pensiveness, while Winterwilder might be more prone to solidarity and protectiveness. Whatever the implication, each Yanar can only Wyldbirth once per season, for a maximum of four times a year, though a Yanar can have any reason to Wyldbirth, or any reason to choose not to Wyldbirth for years on end. Because Yanar frequently change their personality and reset their views on the world around them, Yanar are the only Race that does not require a Special Permission for being 150+ years old (though the maximum age is still constrained by when the Yanar first appeared in history). Yanar frequently gain a new and refreshed outlook on life after Wyldbirth, and as such, are immune to the aging effects of longevity on the mind. That being said, Wyldbirthing does tend to remove a few memories here and there. After a few hundred years, a Yanar’s history of their early life will quickly begin to fade after a few successive Wyldbirths, only remembering major events, but suffering whole lapses of memories. It is common for 300 year old Yanar to only remember the last 100 years in detail, and only remember flashes or key moments like their first birth and retreat back into the forest before the Wildering that destroyed the Allorn Empire, or the Stalwarding. They might vaguely remember the faces of people they met and connected with, but not remember the details anymore.

Yanar Reproduction

Yanar do not have a concept of eroticism, in fact, Yanar do not even have reproductive organs and cannot reproduce with any other Races traditionally. Yanar reproduce asexually, meaning a single Yanar can create new life without needing a second partner, though they can include a second partner, or even a third or fourth if they want to. To reproduce, a Yanar travels to their Grove or Solur Garden, and meditates on the creation of life. After a few dozen minutes, they extend their hands into the ground, saying a blessing in Nen’yavaye, the Tree Speech, before burying any type of gem or crystal in the ground that quickly forms a Wister by drawing plant matter and water from around it and solidifying it into Amberite. This Wister will then grow a new body over the course of 48 hours, while the soul of the Wister forms from surrounding Soul Essence and walks around the Grove. The soul will at the beginning be confused and not know what is happening, or who to be. It is up to those present in the Grove to teach it over those next 48 hours what kind of person to be, before it is “born” by having the soul enter the body formed around the Wister, then it breaks out of the shallow ground like a plant from a seedling. Yanar are as such born as an adult; their mentality defined by what they have been told over the 48 hours of their birth, while their body is based on (but never exactly the same as) what their parent looks like at the time of their creation. This process can also be done with multiple individuals instead of a single Yanar, and these people do not necessarily have to be Yanar either. Up to a maximum of 4 people can join the Yanar in a group of five in the Grove. To initiate the process, the group must all hold hands in a circle and meditate on the creation of life, before laying their hands flat on the ground in front of them. The single Yanar (or multiple Yanar present) must then recite the blessings in Nen’yavaye, before burying a single gem or crystal together that will form the Wister. From this point, the same process plays out. The only difference is, that the Yanar born will appear like a physical combination of all those participants, and acknowledge all of them as parents, just like Shadowbroods for the Void. The only limitation to this entire process is that Yanar can only reproduce once per year. However, Yanar who were the ones to say the blessings of Nen’yavaye can still participate as additional Yanar in their reproduction, meaning there is a technical maximum of five times a year, with a different Yanar initiating the process each time.

Racial Abilities

The Yanar have a number of Abilities unique to their Race, and also some Abilities that are unique to the Yanera and not shared across all of their subtypes. The Common Abilities are listed below, followed by a table that summarizes all Common Abilities, but also the Yanera-specific Abilities in summarized content. Because of the flexibility of Yanar Abilities, the vast majority of the descriptions are highlighted in text form. The table will only show summarized versions for ease of reference, however the exact specifications of Abilities are always better explained in the text form below.

Common Ability: Nen’yavaye

Nen’yavaye is the process of reviving dead plant matter that all Yanar can do. Any Yanar can, as long as the plant is still in a somewhat desiccated or un-broken-down state, revive plant matter by whispering in the Tree-Speech called Nen’yavaye to it. With the blessings of Nen’yavaye, the dead or dying plant matter is revitalized, receiving a quick burst of nutrients and sustenance that brings it back to optimal life, even for the most dried out plants. This Ability can be used an infinite number of times, however it does not work on plants that are actively affected by some sort of Void-based plague, curse, or Ability. It can be used to cleanse plant diseases and even fungal infections, however not magical fungi or corruption. Additionally, Yanar can move their hands around near plant matter like flowers and leaves or grass, causing the plant matter to gently dance and follow the movements of their hands within two feet range. This is purely aesthetic and does not affect the plants in any positive or negative way. Additionally, Yanar are capable of using Nen’yavaye in a song whilst weaving and bending pieces of bark, twigs, and branches around, to form furniture, fences, or other usable items. In essence, Yanar are able to use Nen’yavaye to sing bark and twig matter, making them more flexible in the process, and setting them in certain patterns and shapes to create (non-weapon) objects out of them. This can for example result in wicker chairs, chandeliers with twigs symmetrically arranged like antlers holding candles, and even baskets or water-tight teapots made out of densely woven twigs.

Common Ability: Nen’yalon

Nen’yalon allows a Yanar to rapidly deploy a five to six feet long stave either made out of brown bark or green vine-like material with the toughness of Steel. The Yanar can summon the Nen’yalon by extending their balled fist forward, causing the staff to appear from the center of their fist, extending in both directions until it is fully grown in a matter of seconds. This stave can be given to others, but cannot be re-summoned until the previous stave has been returned to the Yanar and re-absorbed into their body, or until they have not between within Emote distance of the stave for 48 hours, after which it wilts and dies, and they can summon a new one.

Common Ability: Nen’solur

Nen’solur allows a Yanar to create a unique Yanar focused space: a so-called Solur Garden, or Grove. This Solur Garden can be placed anywhere, be it in the forest outside the city, in pre-existing gardens, or even inside rental properties in the city, as long as there is some grass or dirt to grow on inside the house. A Solur Garden is created by singing Nen’yavaye in this place, blessing it as a home and heart, and this can be done by a single Yanar or by multiple Yanar together to create a communal Solur Garden. Solur Gardens remain active until they are abandoned by the Yanar who created them, after which it takes usually about 3 days before they can create a new one. Such Solur Gardens are often a font of life, having many different vibrant flowers and plants in it, and allowing the growth of plants that would not normally exist in the climate that their garden is built in. For example, desert flowers and even hardy frost plants can grow indoors in a Regalian home, just as well as they would in the desert or in snow capped mountains. Additionally, Solur Gardens spawn five Solur Companions: green, acorn-shaped creatures about a foot tall. These beings are plastered with a dopey, childish face, and they are quite whimsical and playful. When Yanar are in the Garden, they rush around, helping the Yanar to tend to the garden if asked, or just seeking to play games with each other or those present. They also enjoy mocking unknown people, but rapidly warm up to individuals who make return visits. When Yanar or people aren’t around, they mostly laze or quietly doze in the nature of the Garden, or in the branches of the Yanassil (usually a single tree or large plant that acts as the home of the Yattil, like a dollhouse). When a Solur Garden is attacked though, the Solur Companions spring into action. While an enemy is within the Solur Garden, one at a time, they will jump at attackers, and explode into a cloud of stinky yellow smoke that affects only the enemies of the Garden. This yellow smoke causes coughing fits and reduces all combat related Proficiencies by 25% when hit. Each Garden has up to 5 Solur Companions, meaning 5 hits can be applied (non-stackable) on five different individuals, and these hits never miss. If a Solur Garden is shared by multiple Yanar, the garden has 5 Companions +1 extra Companion for each additional Yanar who uses the same garden. Each Solur Companion is destroyed in the process of attacking enemies, but will regrow from the Yanassil after 48 hours, if the Garden survived the attack and was not burned.

Common Ability: Nen’chrat

Nen’chrat allows Yanar to use animal templates and fruits to create small pets for themselves called Yattil. In order to make a Yattil, a Yanar must first observe a depiction or life specimen of an animal that they wish to make a Yattil out of, while also taking a specific fruit as their inspiration. In fact, they must acquire that specific fruit, while a depiction or memory of an animal will suffice to produce a Yattil. The fruit must also be fresh, and cannot be taken from a Yanar’s own body: it must be taken from nature or bought at a market. This will sometimes require Yanar to travel to acquire rarer fruits and animal templates. The process of blessing the fruit in Nen’yavaye is similar to that of Yanar reproduction, in that it must be done in the Solur Garden, with creating a new life in mind, but with the fruit as a base, instead of a crystal or gem. Instead of a 48 hour growing period however, as soon as the fruit is buried, it will immediately form the Yattil that then crawls or slithers out of the ground and is effectively made on the spot. Two or more Yanar can also make a Yattil together, blessing a single fruit in tandem, and burying it into the ground together. This will then birth two identical Yattil, each that has a unique appearance trait that compliments the other, like a green body with a white dot on its head, while the other has a white body with a green dot on its head. Yattil are limited in size, as they can only be the size of a domestic cat, regardless of what animal template was used, and each Yanar can only possess a single Yattil at a time. Yattil theoretically live forever, but have a habit of also undergoing Wyldbirth with their owner if the owner wishes them to, changing their fruit theme in the process. While the animal template dictates what the Yattil roughly looks like (for example, a Goat template creating a goat-like, cat-sized plant-matter being), the fruit often dictates their appearance further. For example, if a goat was indeed chosen as an animal template, and an orange was used as a fruit to grow the Yattil, then at the end of the plant-like goat’s tail, it will have an orange tree flower sprouting, while its eyes glow orange, and it produces a gentle citrus smell to anyone holding or petting it. Yattil can be templated from predatory animals, but their Yattil counterparts always look softer without claws, talons, or teeth. Yattil are clever, and can be taught to do tricks reliably and understand speech from their creator, but they cannot speak themselves, and are purely aesthetic. They do not have any combat uses, and cannot fetch items or hold onto things. If a weapon were to attack them, they would burst into a cloud of leaves, then re-materialize behind their owner, who they cannot leave Emote Distance of. Yattil cannot be killed except by fire. The total list of animals all Yanar can take the animal template from is: Hedgehogs, Rodents, Primates, Songbirds, Lagomorphs, Hawks, Ponies/Horses, Felines, Foxes, Canines, Susids, Bovidaes, and Mustelids. The total list of what fruits can be used to create a Yattil are: Apples, Apricots, Banasque Spears (Bananas), Cherries, Figs, Given Fruits (Soursops), Grapes, Grapefruits, Mangoes, Melons, Lemons, Olives, Oranges, Pears, Pumpkins, Shurbakal (Red Pineapples), Strawberries, and Watermelons.

Common Ability: Nen’shall

Nen’shall is an ability which allows the Yanar to enter a communal meditative state, or an invasive mind struggle, depending on the use. Primarily, Yanar use Nen’shall to link their minds together in a Grove: done by tapping the forehead, nose, then chin, and then facing each other in a meditative seated position while inside the Grove. Any number of Yanar can participate in this, and Yanar can even invite in one single non-Yanar by having the non-Yanar join them in the process. As soon as all participants enter a meditative state, their minds are transported to a misty grove surrounded by trees, where they can all communicate telepathically while their real body’s eyes are closed and they remain motionless. While in this misty grove, the individuals cannot physically interact, but they can speak with one another, and share memories by displaying them in the misty grove around them. They cannot show whole sequences of events like a playback, however they can show individual snapshots of memories frozen in time. Disrupting the meditation of any one person rips them out of this dream connection, and anyone can also step out of it anytime they like. Yanar are also capable of inflicting a hostile Nen’shall on an unwilling target. If someone is restrained, they can force all five of their right or left hand’s finger tips onto their forehead, forcing that person into the same misty grove, but not allowing them to leave it at will. While inside this misty grove, the Yanar forcing Nen’shall on the other person (which can be Yanar or non-Yanar) can be bombarded with images from the Yanar’s memory, whether they be positive or negative. This whole experience will be felt like a sensory overload, as images and sounds flash in the senses of the target, and is often described as borderline brainwashing by barraging a person with memories and images of memories without allowing them to close their eyes. Only the Yanar can choose to end Nen’shall, however it can also be ended forcibly from the outside by knocking the Yanar away from their target, or removing their hand from the forehead.

Common Ability: Nen’nailon

Nen’nailon allows the Yanar to change the shape of and wear a variety of floral and plant designed clothing, that they are capable of manifesting from any leaf, grass, or floral material nearby. While Yanar are also perfectly capable of wearing woven cloth, wool, or armor, they are also capable of shape-bending large flowers or plant leaves into the shapes of dresses, coats, hats and gowns that blur the border between what is part of their body, and what they are wearing. For example, a Yanar might be able to find some large fern leaves, pluck them, and then use Nen’nailon to turn them into a woven gown—changing the color to yellow and orange in a pattern, but keeping it’s appearance distinctly floral and petal or leaf-like. The size of the material used or summoned does not matter; a Yanar can for example turn a single rose into a large rose petal shaped gown with complex layers that flow like silk. They can add and remove such articles of clothing, re-shape it, recolor it, and reposition it at any time. Nen’nailon clothing is however always purely aesthetic. It does not offer protection against heat or cold, nor can it ever be a substitute for armor or have the hardness of armor, even if the petals can be arranged in such a way to imitate a suit of armor and colored gray.

Ability Summary & Yanera Abilities

Common Ability	Type	Range	Description (All Yanar have these Abilities)
Nen’yavaye Whisper	Racial Spell	Direct Touch	The Yanar can re-invigorate dead plants and flowers back to full health, as long as the plants are still in a somewhat save-able state. There are no limits to this Ability, but it cannot be used to cleanse Void or Magic-corrupted plant matter.
Nen’yavaye Hands	Racial Passive	Two Blocks	The Yanar can wave their hands within 2 blocks distance of flowers and plants, causing them to gently sway along with the Yanar's hands.
Nen’yavaye Song	Racial Spell	Direct Touch	The Yanar can sing in Tree Speech, causing any bark, twigs, or branches in their hands to become moldable like clay and turn them into objects or furniture.
Nen’yalon Stave	Racial Spell	Self	The Yanar can summon a plant or bark-matter stave between 5 to 6 feet long that is as tough as Steel. It can be given to others, but will rot after 48 hours. It can also be un-summoned by absorbing the matter back into the Yanar's body. Only one such stave can be summoned per Yanar at any time. It can be stolen, and not be re-summoned until it has rotted away.
Nen’yalon Nature	Racial Passive	Self	The Yanar is allowed to have 1 Sorcery Level in Nature Sorcery, but can only take Sorcery Aesthetics . This does not count towards the maximum of Sorcery Levels a Character can have, does not count for Ritualism Limitations, and also does not lock the Sorcery categories for the Yanar.
Nen’solur Garden	Racial Spell	Emote Distance	The Yanar are capable of producing Solur Gardens in any location, be it in their rental property, organization base, or garden or patch of forest. This must be emoted out, and covers a patch of 10x10 blocks around the central location. Multiple Yanar can build a Garden together. If this Garden is burned, it cannot be remade for another 3 days.
Nen’solur Companion	Racial Passive	Location	While a Yanar is inside their Solur Garden, if an enemy or hostile force enters the garden, up to five Solur Companions will jump and attack, one for each assailant (if there are less than 5, then they still still all jump at the enemies, but their effects do not stack). For each person attacked, they receive a short five second coughing fit, after which all their combat Proficiencies are reduced by 25% while inside the Garden. Stepping out of the garden does remove the effect, but stepping back into the garden within 1 hour returns the effect. If staying in the garden for 1 hour, the effect dissipates automatically. Solur Companions recharge 48 hours after use.
Nen’chrat Yattil	Racial Spell	Location	While a Yanar is in a Solur Garden, they can ritually bury a piece of fresh fruit while meditating on the image of an animal (from the list provided above in the written descriptions). This then creates a plant-like familiar that looks like that animal chosen, which is domestic-cat sized, and appears with aspects of the plant it is formed from (such as tree flowers, and a matching scent). This familiar is aesthetic and has no utility or combat uses. Only one Yattil can be produced by a Yanar, though the previous one can be gifted back to the earth to produce a new one.
Nen’shall Vision	Racial Spell	Location	While a Yanar is in a Solur Garden, they can meditate while holding hands with as many others as they like, and drag all of them into a communal meditative dream-world. While in this dream world, they can talk, but not physically interact, and they can share photo-like images of memories to others present in that dream. Only one non-Yanar can join a group or single other Yanar into this dream realm. Anyone can leave the dream realm at will, or be knocked out of it by having their meditation disturbed.
Nen’shall Force	Racial Spell	Direct Touch	While a Yanar is (not necessarily in their Garden) having someone restrained (either strapped to a chair/bed or in chains or trapped/snared/rooted by some Ability), they can touch all five fingers up to their forehead, and force both themselves and the target (who may or may not be Yanar) into the same dream realm as the Vision Ability above. This is however involuntary, as the target cannot leave by free will. Additionally, they cannot close their eyes, and the Yanar can bombard them with flashes (like photos) of memories, sounds and smells in a rapid succession like sensory overloud. This can only be used upon one person at a time, and can only be disrupted by the Yanar breaking away, or being knocked away from the target.
Nen’nailon Dress	Racial Spell	Direct Touch	Yanar can summon, create, or mold any plant matter into petal and leaf-like clothing that blurs the line between flowers, their body, and clothes. They can recolor and reshape any size of matter to produce dresses that appear like petals, gowns that appear like upside down roses, vests, coats, hats, etc, night instantly. This does not affect normal clothing. This does not allow them to produce any armor, even if the petals can be colored gray and shaped like armor on the body, nor does it offer heat or cold protection, but it can imitate the qualities of silk in movement.
Wyldbirth Cycle	Racial Spell	Location	The Yanar can begin a cycle of rebirth, like the shedding of skin as a snake does. This returns their previous body back to the earth, acting as fertilizer for plant life, while their soul departs for 48 hours and wanders around the Solur Garden until it regrows a body after the 48 hours are over. This new body can have a completely different appearance, be of a different Yanera subspecies, have a different personality, different Body Shape, but must always have the same Proficiencies. For more specifics, read the Wyldbirth section above under Physical Characteristics.
Yanera Ability	Type	Range	Description (Yanar have one of these, depending on their Yanera subspecies)
Flor Sallence (Yanera-Flor Only)	Racial Passive	Self	The Yanar is capable of picking up any flower, plant, or floral matter and merging it into their body from which it can grow. This can include but is not limited to berries, fruits, vegetables, cereals, flowers, and mosses, but not trees, and not plants with actual effects such as alchemical ingredients. Imparting these flowers or berries will cause more of them to grow on their body, which can be safely harvested by the Yanar without hurting them, and can fulfill the role of sustenance. It can also change their appearance in small ways, like an orange tree flower or twig fused into their hair, turning all the hair petals orange.
Fae Shaillence (Yanera-Fae Only)	Racial Passive	Self	The Yanar is capable of changing the color of their skin, hair, and eyes at will, merely from looking at someone of another Race. They can combine these features, like blonde hair from an Altalar, gray skin from a Shenath Kathar, and auburn hair from an Avanthar. The colors only apply to their non-plant-like surfaces, as they still have green-colored plant matter forearms and legs below the knees.
Dul Mallence (Yanera-Dul Only)	Racial Passive	Self	The Yanar is capable of targeting an individual and causing growths of flowers and plants on their body to suit that person's interests. For example, this person's favorite color might appear as roses on the Yanera-Dul’s skin, while if they are into feminine individuals, extra leaves might appear around the waist and chest of the Yanar, giving them a more hour-glass figure than their body actually presents (it does not change their Body Shape, only their silhouette). Additionally, these Yanar always produce an Emote Range wide floral scent that smells different to each person that smells it, always representing their favorite floral or fruity smell.

History

The birth of the Yanar is often a highly contentious subject in Alorian scholarly circles. The reasons for this is that for many, mere rumors and hearsay are all that remain of their origins, while many older Altalar openly leer at the Race’s name. The reason for this is simple, as during the waning days of the Allorn Empire, the proto-Yanar that emerged into Aloria were not the force of kindness and care they are today. Instead, these Grul-Yanar as some call them were towering beings in command of the forces of nature atop beasts similarly formed of vegetation—often twisted and gnarled as if the anger of the forest manifested into living beings. While most of these plantlike beasts ranged only up to twenty feet or so, several reached as high as forty, and were terrifying creatures to beyond; twisted vine and rock forged together into siege beasts and living weapons. Supposedly, they were led by the Nenya, massive sentient trees that slowly walked across the land, with warbands of Grul-Yanar in tow. Their actions were similarly terrifying, laying waste to Altalar cities and their surroundings, openly attacking traveling Altalar, and leaving behind dense, plant-filled wildlands the likes of which are rare even today. Attempts to communicate with the Grul-Yanar all but failed, though scattered reports claim the creatures spoke that they acted out the will of Estel. In response to these creatures, Altalar Mages immediately got to work. Their own magical powers dueled hard against the Grul-Yanar, and while some fell, a majority actually resisted rather well. What brought them to an end was the Cataclysm, and the Wildering that occurred at the same time. To this day, Cielothar continue to claim that the Grul-Yanar, while violent and cruel, were actually at work weeding out Void-infected Altalar, which at that time were not easily discernible from the non-infected Altalar population.

At the point right before the Wildering, Grul-Yanar vanish from the records of the Altalar. It was presumed that they retreated back into the densest and untouched forest lands and went into a slumber, accepting that they had failed to achieve their goal of purifying Altalar society of its Void element. Decades after the Wildering, around 30 AC, the Yanar started re-emerging, though they were far different this time—smaller, and without the gnarled and twisted rock formations that made them so ferocious. It was as if the anger had left their physical body, even if their mind was still very much at conflict with what happened to nature around them. Over time, their contact with the other Races turned them much more humanoid. While the Altalar living in the old Allorn Empire’s borders still look upon them as the horrors of the dark wilds, all other Races have largely accepted them as an extension of nature without any great global designs or plans, and as such do not consider them a threat (sometimes to their detriment, as Yanar can absolutely be threats). What happened to the Grul-Yanar, or what caused the Grul-Yanar to become modern Yanar is unknown, but a report in 291 AC made by Regalian troops during the Ranger Crisis suggests a strange fate that only raised more questions. When out scouting in a strand of trees on the central plains of Daendroc, the men found a great, petrified being formed of plants. It was dead, though new growth and plantlife was dense across its entire form and in the air, while there was a great cavity in its chest that had seemingly burst outwards. The troops, however, were lost in the terrain and when later attempts were made to rediscover the site, it could not be relocated. This has led to the belief by many that the Grul-Yanar directly birthed the modern Yanar of today; that like flowers releasing pollen or spores for reproduction, the Grul sacrificed themselves to birth this Race. As for the Yanar opinion on the whole matter, they claim that they in fact were the Grul-Yanar—rather than a creation of the beastial Race—and have some vague memories of the anger that the Grul felt, and inflicting the harm that they did.

Regardless of who or what truly birthed the Yanar, in the three centuries since, they have used their powers to passively heal, reinvigorate, and help plants and people to thrive, but also diversified and turned away from their nature-tending stereotype, finding new ways to experience the world and themselves. While many Yanar have worked with Allar to further the research and deployment of Alchemy, other Yanar have also deemed it fit to extract alchemical resources from the Allar for their own goals. The Cielothar also greatly appreciate the Yanar and the two Races have become almost synonymous in the minds of many, though there have been Yanar who weaponized the Cielothar around them and deceived them into becoming a personality cult around a single Yanar. Additionally, there have been tales of Yanera-Dul becoming notable members of Kathar society in the Dread Empire—their alluring beauty a much appreciated tool in the plotting courts of the Kathar Empress. Not everyone looks favorably on the Yanar, however. In the fall of 304 AC, the Yanar within the City of Regalia watched in horror as the largest of their Solur Gardens, opened to the public at a festival, was burned to a crisp by Void Cultists. With this act, dozens of Yattil and Solur Companions died as well, sending the Yanar within the city into mourning. Following this, many Yanar left or retreated into privacy within the City of Regalia, vowing never again to create such public and open Solur Gardens where they would become prime targets, and creating more private gardens away from prying eyes. Today, the many different types of Yanar continue to exist across the world, some existing to be part of societies, some existing to make use of societies, and some existing to protect them. Truly, Yanar remain the most varied Race, as while other Races remain dogmatically stuck to ideologies or beliefs, the Yanar are a clean slate that decide for themselves what they want to be in the world.

Society

Yanar Society is complicated to understand, because much like the petals of a rose, it is often multi-layered, and a Yanar is rarely a member of only one single organization or social group. At the lowest level, a Yanar can form a society with other Yanar and Yanar-minded allies who exist around a single Solur Garden, sharing similar mindsets, and worldviews. Though, many Yanar also choose to be solitary and have a Solur Garden for themselves instead. On top of that, Yanar also participate in societies that go beyond their Solur Gardens. For example, a Solur Garden may exist inside of, or near a town, where the Yanar is considered both a member of the society formed around this Solur Garden and the town beyond it, even if the town members are not part of the Solur Garden society. Further still, Yanar may exist in societies formed around a potential affliction or ideology they have lapsed into. Yanar are flexible enough to be members of multiple different ingroups without necessarily making their loyalty (or disloyalty) clash.

Politics

Yanar lack much in the way of formal politics, largely because of their mentality as well as their limited interactions with the world. For the Yanar, trust is a major aspect of their friendship and society—forming a bedrock of community in the process—but personality worship can also be a basis for a hierarchy to be formed around a single person. As a result, a leader or speaker for the Yanar must first be trusted by the majority of, if not all, Yanar in the Florai. That being said, Yanar as a Race are unique in that they can accept being led by a non-Yanar quite easily, or as Yanar themselves, can choose to lead an entirely non-Yanar group without any issue. They aren’t necessarily attached to their identity as Yanar or the identity of others who are not Yanar when it comes to forming hierarchies within their societies or groups. As can be imagined, Yanar don’t really have power struggles like Ailor society does, though in some cases, contention can occur should a Yanar feel obligated to recommend another to a leading position, or split off from a group to form a new group. However, outright enmity against fellow Yanar is almost unheard of in Yanar groups, with any protest to the behavior or actions of other Yanar taking the shape of silent protest or wilful ignorance.

Culture

Yanar culture is heavily focused on the idea of sharing and communion, a theme that perpetuates itself throughout all their ideologies and actions, even if such a group is actually a personality cult and the sharing and communion comes as a projected blessing from the leader as opposed to goodwill from the group. The easiest way this can be observed is in the charitable nature of Yanar towards each other, freely sharing resources, food and clothes. Private property rarely exists among the Race, and when it does, it is often for a very specific reason: for example, a Yanar may hold onto an item when they know others won’t understand or respect its purpose. Aside from their own notions of sharing, Yanar are also charitable to other Races, Cielothar in particular for obvious reasons. In many ways they adopt Cielothar principles and cultural notions, mostly related to their clothing and jewelry, but also life views in general. That being said, Yanar are able to alter themselves to supplant the need for the Avanthar-Cielothar symbiotic relationship, thus creating their own protecting class of Yanar to ensure that the Race as a whole does not become codependent on another. While Yanar do exist within the Plains hierarchy, often more on the Cielothar side, their place is very temporary, and they can step out of these kinds of protector/protected arrangements whenever they feel like it. This does however often create a clear distinction between Yanar that are part of the collective for protection, and Yanar who protect the collective. Physical differences can sometimes be extreme, ranging from more childlike Cielothar-like Yanar who provide the food, and tall, broad Yanar who protect Yanar Florai from outside attacks, as Yanar are prone to project their purpose and goal into their physical appearance.

Families and Romance

Yanar are unique in Aloria for lacking traditional marital unions, and for having very particular romantic inclinations. With respect to romance, given that Yanar lack sexual organs, a rude but common assumption is that they lack the capacity for love or affection altogether. This is certainly not true. Yanar affection and romance is displayed through the caressing of the skin, as Yanar skin is extremely thin, and it gives them an enormous sense of affection to be held and feel safe with another. Yanar do not kiss or perform other erotic-adjacent or erotic interactions. Rather, the act of attention and focus on the individual is to them what kissing is like for others. Yanar are capable of showing or receiving affection from others without ever physically touching, and receive the same satisfaction from these interactions. This can sometimes also lead to misunderstandings, as to flirt with a Yanar, can to them be perceived almost of the same intimacy as being in a lover’s embrace and passionately kissing, which when unwanted, can cause a Yanar to become quite unpleasant. As for the concept of marriage, Yanar themselves do not believe in the formal, religious union of two people together, but do sometimes engage in it for the sake of marking their territory, so to say. While Yanar can be flexible when it comes to polyamory or open relationships, many Yanar are also very monogamous, and want to feel the peace of mind of a relationship bound and secure through marriage bonds, in which case they apply Altalar or Cielothar marriage protocols. Additionally, they lack any prejudice or dislike of same-sex couples, and instead use the universal term “life partner” for all unions of people.

Language

It might be said that the Yanar have no Language to call their own, and this is in many respects quite true. When the Yanar emerged, most knew how to speak Modern Altalar naturally, and a few even became cognisant of Middle Altalar and Plains Elven after a short time. However, in the centuries since their formation, Yanar have simply adapted to possessing the Language that has suited them best, passing this on to their children as they mature. However, the Yanar do possess a natural tongue, albeit a subtle, almost magical one. Known as The Tree Tongue, Tree Tongue, or Nen’yavaye, it is what the Yanar whisper and “communicate” to plants to perk them up, and use in speech to the plants and Solur Companions within their Solur Gardens. This strange Language is most commonly described as indecipherable whispers, and bears no similarity to any other Language known in Aloria, even ancient tongues known dating back thousands of years. Yanar also automatically speak it when needed, and lack the ability to teach it since it is inherent to their Race alone. That being said, it is important to remember that this language is not a full language for use in communication. It is a language used to recite blessings and incantations, it does not have the vocabulary to support actual conversations, and as such should never be treated as an actual operating language.

Lifestyle and Leisure

The Yanar are often considered, in their natural state, to be a very laid-back and inoffensive people, stemming both from their mentality but also their general daily routines. Many Yanar in rural areas work in groups, to casually complete required tasks with freedom, taking their time to talk, take care of themselves, and otherwise enjoy their day. This is not to say they are lazy, as many also till fields and actively work to produce or collect food for their people and others, but they generally go about this with a calm lack of rushing. Even Yanar physical training, for those who are protectors or schooled in the art of weapons, often takes time to relax and collect oneself before returning to practice in earnest. However, urban regions see Yanar much more adapted to fast-paced, earnest lifestyles that require or demand constant focus or effort. Additionally, younger Yanar over the past few decades overall, even in the rural regions, have similarly become more earnest in their work and efforts, as many of them feel that the world has entered a new, aggressive age.

As for leisure, Yanar leisure is often tied into their work, though often by the simple merit of their Race focusing on the production of plants, if not crops. When Yanar have free time, they usually tend to their own gardens, or visit their community’s Solur Garden to tend the plant life there, or just go for walks through nature. Games and more are often adapted or outright taken from Altalar, Cielothar, Avanthar or even Daendroque Ailor society, given how Yanar so often meld into Daen-based societies. However, despite all of their adaption to Cultures and Races, Yanar do possess a game all their own, albeit a bit morose. Some claim it was originally an unpopular game of the Altalar that emerged in the final centuries of the Allorn Empire but such information is scattered at best. To the Yanar, the game is called Survive, or “Sojar’vyvar” in Modern Altalar. Set on a symmetrical five-point grid, one individual controls the Hunters, four pieces that start at the distant corners, and the other controls the Herd, a collection of twenty pieces at the center of the board. The goal for the Hunter player is to capture at least five of the Herd, while the Herd’s goal is to cut off the Hunters and force them to not be able to move, causing what in most other games would be called a stalemate. The game is loaded with political and cultural significance to the Yanar people, as they often see themselves as the Herd and the Hunters as any one of a dozen enemies, from Void Worshipers to Altalar Loyalists. Some games are even narrated by the two players together or a third watching the game be played, describing each move as an action carried out by an individual. The Yanar see playing the Hunters as a way to try and understand their enemies, or as a teaching tool to those outsiders who are unaware of how the Yanar have been so constantly pursued.

Art

The Yanar are seen by many as lacking any form of art that is their own, though this is technically false. The first and foremost Yanar art has always been garden care, with natural and beautiful topiaries, garden arrangements and more being what they crafted for the communities who hid or supported the Yanar after their first emergence into the world. When the Allorn Empire fully collapsed, the Yanar and Cielothar meshed their art forms together for wood and bead creation alongside the decoration of Cielothar worship spaces with the features and plants of a Yanar’s, thanks to the formation of Solur Gardens. In other regions, Yanar came to serve Altalar and wealthy Ailor to fulfill the creation of aesthetically pleasing, grand gardens, which many fulfilled. The other form of Yanar artwork is weaving, often with raw plant matter, crafting baskets and clothing for their own bodies. It appears to almost be an innate mentality of the Yanar, as even when passive, or asked to wait somewhere with vegetation, they will entertain themselves by tying grass knots and more. Cielothar and Yanar designs when weaving baskets or clothing have become so close over the decades though that the two share the practice as a form of cultural expression. Additionally, the Yanar’s nature bending Abilities are often also used to produce art, usually of abstract meanings or implications, shapes which only they understand, or which have a hidden meaning or secret message.

Cuisine

Yanar are often comically assumed to just gain life from sunlight and water, given their vegetative nature. However, this is untrue, as Yanar can eat and drink a variety of foods just like the other Races of Aloria. Their diets though, are often considered very plain when compared to most others. It is largely made up of nuts, berries and produce harvested from their gardens, or foraged from the wilderness. While eating meat is not abhorrent to them, they largely reject the consumption of anything but fish, who are often considered the least intelligent creatures in the animal kingdom, and also the most removed from the earth and forests Yanar so often dedicate themselves to. This largely gathered produce and vegetation diet, heavily focused on agricultural products, is what ultimately changed the Cielothar into what they are today as well. As a result, it is sometimes called the Ve’genne Diet, a truncated Modern Altalar word for natural things.

Architecture and Buildings

The Yanar are often considered featureless when it comes to matters of architecture and building design, given that they so often live with the Cielothar or in the confines of territory of other Races. However, there are some characteristics that can be given for Yanar homes when within these spaces. For one, they are often humble and small, with a lot of clutter built up over the Yanar’s long life, as well as general carefree attitude. Additionally, they enjoy being close to everything they need or what matters to them, and the Race has often been said to be immune to claustrophobia. This is not strictly true, but Yanar do make use of small space rather well and rarely complain about it (unless it is something truly demeaning or ridiculous). But, beyond the confines of urban or allied territory, Yanar do have common building features. The first category are those Yanar who completely lack buildings, instead living au-natural with the landscape, within the remains of ancient, dead trees or their roots, or other ideal areas of natural protection. They do tend to avoid caves though, mainly to avoid disturbing the many animals that tend to rest inside of them. The other category of Yanar construction are their Wetans, unique, simple circular domed homes constructed using all natural elements, from sticks to bark to lichen. These are often built by Yanar Florai in the deep forests or swamps of Daen, isolated and often a shock to encounter while out in the wilds of the continent. That being said, some Yanar have also been known to enjoy the spaciousness and luxury of palaces, particularly for those who have aligned with the nobility, become rich aristocrats, or sided with the Dread Empire.

Religion

The Yanar believe in practically the exact pantheon as the Faith of Estel worshipers among the Altalar. Their version of Faith of Estel is virtually identical, though has some peripheral differences for the Yanera. Much like the Altalar and their subraces, the Yanar worship the pantheon of eight, while also each Yanera having their own representative god. One major difference between the Yanar and Altalar Faiths of Estel, is that the Yanar don’t acknowledge Talea at all. Instead, Estel created the Gods, and continued to guide them, and also created the Yanar in turn. The Yanar have the following gods:

• Ulleyan, the allfather, protector god and identical to the Altalar Pantheon.
• Elleyan, the allmistress, goddess of the seasons and Wyldbirth, but otherwise the same as the Altalar Pantheon.
• Valleyan, the living mother, the creator of life and the forger of souls, but otherwise the same as the Altalar Pantheon.
• Savellan, the master of magnificence, and the creator of all non-organics, but otherwise the same as the Altalar Pantheon.
• Isteian, the connivance of persuasion, the master of all wit and intellect and mind games, but otherwise the same as the Altalar Pantheon.
• Talseyan, instead of the Wayfarer, the Forestwarden, protector of the forest and all its creatures that reside within.
• Amayan, the soul guardian, instead of the compatriot of the dead, since the Yanar do not acknowledge death as something natural to them.
• Seiyan, the sparkmother, the creator of magics and the giver of all Yanar Abilities, but otherwise the same as the Altalar Pantheon.

Then, exist the Yanera specific gods. Each Yanar chooses a pantheon patron from the list above, while also entertaining the god of whatever Yanera they are at that time. This does mean that when Yanar go through Wyldbirth and change Yanera, that their Yanera specific patron also changes.

• Florianna, the Yanera-Flora mother (not necessarily female, but female-coded), is the goddess of nurture and compassion, of loving and of caring, and of giving growth to the world around one’s self. Yanar worship Florianna through the creation of vibrant patches of flowers in the shape of a six-pointed star, and by generally leaving plants and flowers in a better state whenever they leave an area. Florianna is seen through the beauty of flowers, and the resilience of plants, and the vulnerability of trees. On the flipside, Florianna can also be vain, prideful and greedy, demanding of obedience. This duality is important to the Yanar, to strongly acknowledge that kindness and compassion doesn’t always come from true virtue, but can also come from a savior complex and a sense of superiority.
• Faemaal, the Yanera-Fae mother (not necessarily female, but female-coded), is the goddess of playfulness, glee, joy and laughter, of loving and companionship, and growing new friendships with strangers. Yanar worship Faemaal through the act of making friends and throwing parties, as well as baking, cooking and brewing foods and drinks for others. Faemaal is invoked as a small prayer before food, thanking for abundance, and thanking for the absence of insects from dishes (as Yanar incidentally hate insects). On the flipside, Faemaal can also be arbitrary, ignorant and naive, making mistakes. This duality is important to the Yanar, to strongly acknowledge that experiences are mistakes that are learned from, and that nobody can do everything perfect on their first try.
• Dulofall, the Yanera-Dul father (not necessarily male, but male-coded), is the god of blood, of passion, of attention and fame and glory, and becoming more known to the wide world. Yanar worship Dulofall through the consumption of blood, and if having taken a vow against blood consumption, they instead offer up a meal during each dinner in a ritualistic burning bowl, the insides of which are coated in a substance that causes the fire to burn in an intense red color. On the flipside, Dulofall is also hedonistic, enslaved, and deceived. This duality is important to the Yanar, as they must acknowledge that passion itself can become a slaver of the mind, and that Yanar should always focus on their own life goals instead of becoming the life goal of another.
• Sirvall, the Yanera-Sir father (not necessarily male, but male-coded), is the god of spirits and ghosts. Not much is known about this god, because there are no Yanera-Sir to learn from, and because currently, Yanar are incapable of Wyldbirthing into Yanera-Sir. Sirval is supposedly depicted as a Green Forest Dragon, but in a ghostly form, and made up of a storm of leaves and twigs ever writing and twisting and turning. Sirval is sometimes acknowledged by the Yanar as the unspoken god, or the lost god, to tie him into the Grul-Yanar, or a part of their history they can barely remember. In such ways, he becomes also known as the god of forgetting.

The Nenya, massive walking sentient trees that are commonly thought to be extinct in the modern era, are also factored into Yanar religion. The Yanar believe that foremostly, the Nenya are their guides and protectors: prophets of the words and laws of Estel and the gods, much like the Avatars of the Gods were to the Altalar. These words and laws are also rather complex to explain, as they are not a certain set of codified laws like “Do not steal” and “Do not murder”, but a simple, general understanding that Yanar were created with a purpose, and that purpose itself is commutable to the situation and global threat at hand. Many Yanar in their early years had the role of protectors, while decades later, when Ailor wars occurred, they took on a more healing and caretaking role, with some returning to their role of protectors in recent years as the world, especially Daen, has been thrown into chaos over the past decade. Others yet become users and usurpers, sometimes for nefarious goals or selfish desires. Nenya do not judge morality, rather they would exist to guide the Yanar on the duality of their Yanera gods.

Interactions and Customs

• Yanar consider it a grave insult to be held by the chin or cheek by one who is not a romantic interest or partner. This furthermore extends to their wider body, and shoulder taps on bare skin or other similar unrequested contact is often seen with disdain by Yanar (though many Races don’t know any better).
• When Yanar greet each other, they usually approach with a palm flat out, facing upward on a level arm. This is thought to symbolize the fertile ground, and a greeting of mutual equality given that both approach on “the same earth”. Romantic suggestion can be added by the holding of flowers or other small gifts between the fingers of the upturned hand, allowing these objects to be gazed upon freely.
• Yanar believe that where someone comes from is very important to their lives and how they develop, even after they have long left that place, or even if they were born there only to move away as a baby. They commonly phrase questions investigating someone’s origins as “Where are your roots?”
• Female or long-haired male Yanar commonly braid each other’s hair, or at the very least loosely comb through it to ensure its vegetation is as straight as possible. Those training in hair cutting also often make sure to touch up the style and formation of the Yanar they are working on. This is often done in a circle, so that everyone who needs it can get it done at once.
• Yanar do not get normal tattoos as their skin is far too thin for the process to be pleasant for them, in addition to the cultural taboo against skin contact. What tattoos any Yanar does have are often the result of a devotion to Ritualism, and are bearable so long as they are done by someone trusted by the Yanar.
• Despite jokes and assumptions, Yanar do not see the consumption of plants as “murder,” especially considering they engage it in themselves. However, they do believe in the proper treatment of plants as well as a proper treatment for their remains. Everything must return to the earth, and so Yanar are major proponents of composting organic material for their gardens.

Trivia

• Early tales tell of Yanar in the earliest months of their emergence speaking with Ailor and Cielothar in Daen about their birth. They claim to have awoken first in a beautiful dream with a voice in their ear, a tall tree looming above, and sensation unbelievable all about them. Some see this as actually referring to the first Nen’shall of the Yanar people, but others suggest it has actual meaning to it and might be tied into their origin.
• The Yanar rarely speak of the Grul-Yanar except to state that they know little of them. This is maintained by even the oldest of their Race, though many suspect that even if they do know something, keeping it quiet or close to their own trusted communities has long been in their best interest.
• Yanar have a secret hatred for insects, something which is never fully understood, not even by them. This causes them to have a burning hatred for Scorrico, who they think are both disgusting and vile, and must be exterminated. Many Yanar alchemists continue to work on new variants of insecticide.

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Accreditation
Writers HydraLana, MonMarty Artists MonMarty Processors MonMarty, HydraLana, FireFan96, Eccetra, Nesstro, Okadoka	Last Editor MonMarty on 10/7/2020.

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