Yanar

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Yanar
Race
Pronunciation	Yah-nar
Classification	Magus
Common Nicknames	Plant-People (derogatory) Forest Child (endearing) Vasilta (Elven)
Languages	Modern Altalar, Saan, Common
Naming Customs	See Language section
Racial Traits
Distinctions	Plant-like humanoids with a mysterious past and open future
Maximum Age	500 years.
Height	from short to tall, depending on Floral Shift.

A syncretic Race that once lived alongside the Elves in the Allorn Empire as one of its many non-Elven minorities, the Yanar are a Race of plant-like humanoids that have been around for about as long as the Elves have, but have since Cataclysm detached their entwined fate from the legacy of the collapsed Elven Empire. Many still foster good relations with the many offshoot Elven Races, but others have ventured into the wide world in search of new purpose, new allies, and new friends. The Yanar are truly undefined by history, their role in the Allorn Empire was so small that they do not face the same scrutiny as other Elves might, and for many, a Yanar is a unique and rare sight that invited curiosity. Inherently interested in nature, and also intrinsically a part of it, the Yanar go wherever mother nature has spread her roots, intent on preservation and harmony or to live as freely as they please.

Core Identity

The Yanar are roughly split between three distinct population groups that aren't really subraces, rather more like subcultures. The most commonly found in an urban setting are the Ferlon who have spread out in the world whether for curiosity or purpose. The Senlon have remained close at home and to their roots, still finding their way into cities, but living on the peripheries where nature can be felt all around. The Dulon are a rare sight, once unfortunately trapped on the wrong side of the Kathar-Allorn divide, but now having adopted a distinct culture of control over nature rather than subjection to it. Each subculture represents a different aesthetic, but also different reasons for why they might appear in Regalia, with different allies and different friends to make.

Ferlon Yanar The Ferlon are urban city dwelling Yanar, preferring to live in housing made by other Races, surrounded by literally anyone and everyone, and trying to be friends or allies with as many as possible. Ferlon are most accustomed to the ways of living among other Races, and as such try to appear more like them (including humanoid skin tones), by wearing silk clothing or having jobs as business owners. Ferlon Yanar often come to Regalia to experience the jewel of the world, where anything can be seen, anything can be tried, and any mistake can be made, to have it their way.

Senlon Yanar The Senlon are nature adoring Yanar, who try to live in or as close to wild unkempt nature as possible, preferring the company of Maquixtl and Estellon faithful. Senlon remain very true to their original roots, appearing more plant and flower like with vibrant dazzling colors and scents. The Senlon live more in tune with nature, taking and using only what they need and giving back by preserving the health of flora. Senlon often come to Regalia to be with their migrant Maquixtl allies, or to help the cause of environment preservation, a burgeoning cause in the capital.

Dulon Yanar Once caught behind enemy lines, the best way to describe Dulon Yanar is to call them "Void Yanar". The Dulon have abandoned their Estellon worship origins to join the Kathar in their worship of the Void. Their ideology dictates that Nature is not a force to be respected and lived under, but one to use their unique skills and command of to control and subjugate. Dulon are inherently antagonistic to Senlon and Ferlon, seeking to usurp power over nature, and aligning with other Void worshipers and Kathar allies. They seek power in Regalia, often at the expense of other Yanar.

History

The exact origins of the Yanar are murky, because they existed in a somewhat uncivilized state by the time the Elves first unified under Talea and formed the very first Allorn Empire. The Allorn Empire subjugated many minority races (and purged a few as well), though the Yanar had a somewhat unique and privilege position. While most minority Races were demoted to slaves or class-less citizens of a magical Elven Empire, the Yanar had the blessings and protections of the Estellon Goddess Mana, the Mother Tree. Her intervention when the Allorn Empire expanded and impeded on the Senlionn Forests (the Yanar homeland, now part of the Allorn Empire), made the Elves respect the Yanar as different from all other Empire minorities, granting them great freedoms and exemption from the military or service and the Elves seeing themselves as their protectors. The Yanar formed communities in and around Estellon Temples, and as the Allorn Empire descended in Void Worship mania and decadence, history mostly passed the Yanar by who were very politically unengaged, and uninterested in the carnal delights that the Elves had started lusting after. The Yanar suffered severely during the Night of the Fallen Stars, when pre-Kathar Elves took axe and torch to the Estellon Temples and burned down the Mana Trees, killing many Yanar in the process. As the Empire collapsed, many Yanar fled the Empire's boundaries for lands beyond, or retreated deeper into the forests, or in the case of the Dulon, were caught behind enemy lines. The Yanar diaspora that fled the Daen continent would end up in places like Ashaven and Regalia, international ports of which rumor was spreading far and wide. The Senlon Yanar who retreated deep into the forests eventually re-emerged, making alliances with the Xotik Maquixtl, preaching for the need of a stronger connection with nature and a detachment from the corruption of urban culture. The Dulon were unfortunate enough at first to become corrupted with Void Essences in the Dread Empire, but later would come to praise this circumstance, becoming fervent supporters of Eloblina the Toadmother Goddess of Void Worship, and spreading their dominion over nature far and wide. Yanar society unlike that of many other Races is very divided in the modern era, with many Yanar choosing their own destiny away from the memories of the fallen Allorn Empire, while others try to stay true to their origins and rebuild the respect they once held in the eyes of the Estellon faithful.

Design

Physical & Mental Characteristics

Many Yanar use their control over the plants and flowers on their body to approximate clothing

Yanar have a very flexible physical appearance, because of their natural ability to Floral-shift, making them effectively shapeshifters though with obvious plant themes. Yanar (and half-Yanar) should always look recognizably plant-like with floral, bark, or other plant matter covering their body parts, hair, etc. Their skin tone can be that of vibrant flowers, however they are also able to mimic the skin-tone of other Races, and even reduce the amount of plants and vines and flowers on their body so they fit in more (or do the exact opposite and become more or less indistinguishable from a walking bark-person). Yanar appearances aren't always grounded in the same appearance, with many of them changing frequently. Yanar can also be encountered in many shapes and sizes, with a body that approximates a muscular form, a slender one, or a very burlesque one. They can be tall or short, have natural eye colors or funky combinations (though efforts should be taken to avoid eye color combinations common in Afflictions or Affinities). Yanar also inherently intersex, and can swap between any gender presentation or identity. Yanar are capable of reproducing with other Races, which always results in Half-Yanar, who have the same Racial Traits and appearance, though have noticeably less plant matter on their body, even less than those full Yanar who try to adapt to Regalian society by toning down the amount of flowers in their hair.

Yanar Wildbirth

Yanar are capable of ‘Wildbirthing,’ or resetting their growth, as Yanar are naturally ageless. When a Yanar chooses to die, they may envelop themselves with a cocoon, which revives them after a day’s wait. In this process, the Yanar can choose to change their appearance, personality, and wipe all of their memories to the point they are functionally a different person. The only thing that must always stay is their connection to people. Even if they do not remember why, a Yanar will always like or dislike the same people across their incarnations and seek to be close to the ones they were before. Despite being Ageless, Yanar can die if they are killed by an external force like an accident or violence. It is important to note, however, that both Wildbirth and any "Shapeshifting" mechanics that Yanar have, for balancing reasons, do not function as Disguise mechanics or prevent the Yanar from being recognized as who they were prior.

Racial Traits

Racial Traits are a set of Abilities, Free Packs, Limitations, and Mechanics that each Race has access to. Half-Race characters select a dominant parent, thus receiving all Racial Abilities & Talents of that Race only, unless specified otherwise, while also taking dominant physical traits like for example skin tone, hair and fur color, ear shape, etc. If Abilities, Free Packs, Limitations, or Mechanics are not mentioned, it is safe to assume this Race does not have one of those. Abilities are usually Combat-Roleplay based, Free Packs give free Proficiency Packs that fit in a Race's design, Limitations are limits imposed on Character design to stay consistent with lore, while Mechanics change the way a Character is played, or how certain Packs interact in Roleplay.

Mechanics

Racial Abilities are generally a set of unique powers and effects that all peoples of that Race all innately have, while Specials are more passive, aesthetic focused capabilities. Specials are defined per-page, while Abilities can be searched on the Ability List page to determine their generic function. Yanar have only Specials themed around plants, nature, cottagecore and the changing of the seasons. Half-Yanar have access to all the same Specials, with one small change, in that Floral-Shift does not allow them to change Racial appearance, though they can change anything else.

• Existborne: The Yanar are born of the Exist, and as such, immune to: Becoming Vampires, being Void-Silven, becoming Void possessed, having Void Magic, becoming Ordial Mages, Geists, Archon, or any other Draconic, Primal, Void or Ordial Affliction or Heritage (except Marken). Yanar can only ever be exist-aligned. They can be revived as Undead under specific circumstances, as a Hollow or Wraith Undead.
• Ageless: The Yanar are Ageless, meaning they cease to visually age after birth as adults. Additionally, they can change their age-based appearance to any Ailor age equivalent they want (so long as it is 18+).
• Existform: Yanar may choose 1 Spell Point Buy Pack for free (including 3 Specials) without the Proficiency Point investment or cost, which breaks cap, allowing them to purchase up to 8 magic packs. However it does not count for the 7 Point Buy requirement for Greater Mage. Additionally, Yanar can create pets out of plant/floral matter that live as long as they do.
• Magicborn: The Magic in the Yanar Racials means that they cannot use Technician Point Buy.
• Existweight: Yanar can transform their lower body into a storm of petals, twigs, and flowers, making them levitate above the ground. Yanar while in this state do not approach terminal velocity, instead gently floating down.
• Dreamrealm: While in the privacy of their Rental/Estate/Base, transport one’s mind into the Dreamrealm, plus any willing participant. While there, all imagination is free game, and all participants will remember everything after.
• Dreamhome: Yanar are able to grow any flowers/plants from any orifice or material inside their Rental/Estate/base, with changed smells, colors, shapes, growth-speed, behavior, and fruits and vegetables.
• Nature Grasp I: Yanar are able to rapidly cause plants, trees, or flowers to grow, give fruits, or go into bloom, anywhere in nature. (Limitations are imposed on progressions and events to prevent ending world hunger).
• Nature Grasp II: Yanar are able to apply nature aesthetics to any Power or Special even if they do not have the Nature Special from Spell Point Buy. Furthermore, they can also feel ambient fear or pain in nearby plantlife.
• Yattil Parent: Yanar are able to create up to 5 Yattil Familiars out of fruits or flowers (only rodents, lizards, and small birds are viable). These Familiars behave the same and have the same rules as regular pets.
• Solur Parent: Yanar are able to manifest as many Solurs as they like, small Acorn-people resembling green acorns with stubby limbs and big eyes that are skittish and run away from strangers, and tend a Yanar’s garden.
• Floral Shift I: Yanar have a great degree of Shapeshifting freedom, within the aesthetics of their plant-like form. Yanar can imitate any Race visually, though must always appear as a plant-like version of that Race.
• Floral Shift II: Yanar have a great deal of control over the color and shape of whatever plant matter, fruits, and flowers are present on their body. They can change their shape and color and texture at will and instantly.
• Floral Shift III: Yanar have control over the gender presentation of their bodies. While generally a-gender, they can opt to become male or female presenting, or somewhere in between the two binaries.
• Floral Shift IV: Yanar can control their height, musculature, body shape, body fat (or the representation there-of), shape and color of their hair, and any exterior growths congruent with their plant-like aesthetics.
• Empath Sense: Yanar are able to focus on a person and sense their emotions, even if they are hiding them, though not why they feel that way. With physical contact, they can also free them of those emotions by absorbing them to themselves.
• Nature Crafter I: Yanar are able to weave living wood into any non-organic craft they engage in, for example Metallurgy. Living wood will shape in whatever way they like to add a wooden aesthetic to the object.
• Nature Crafter II: Yanar are able to weave living wood into whatever Artificer Branch they choose, for example weaving wood into the shapes of Clockwork or Steamtek constructs and Abilities.
• Nature Crafter III: Yanar are able to sacrifice one of their arms and turn it into a melee weapon with Yanar aesthetics, but steel durability, which they can give to others. If the weapon is destroyed, the arm will regrow over a week.
• Noxious Immune: Yanar are immune to any gas or air-based miasmas, even Magical ones, being able to breathe normally in otherwise polluted air. This also allows them to travel to Guldar without negative effects.
• Yanar Aesthetics: Yanar are deeply intertwined with nature, and exclusively draw their powers from the Exist, their spells flavored with nature and plant like aesthetics, appearing like wood, vines and other such themes.

Wyldheart

Wyldheart is a Special that allows Yanar to not die. Killing a Yanar can actually kill them permanently, for each time a Yanar is killed, they make the conscious decision to give up and die permanently, or defy death and Wyldheart themselves. This involves the body of the Yanar dissolving into autumn leaves and fading away, leaving behind a Wyldheart, a fist-sized bark heart that pulsates with Exist Magic. A Wyldheart can then be taken either to an Estellon Temple, a Mana Tree, or another Yanar, to revive them at least 1 hour after being killed, and never in the same scene as the Yanar died. This item can also be taken by anyone, meaning allies or friends should try to capture the Wyldheart. It is important that Wyldheart when captured by enemies, cannot be handed off. The person who took it always has it on them, cannot hand it off to someone else, and drops it on the ground like a piñata if they are defeated in combat. A Yanar self-killing cannot afterwards complain about their Character not being revive-able because an enemy took them and their allies can't take it back.

Culture

The Yanar do not really have a culture. Rather than creating societies that are entirely stand-alone, Yanar join other societies to the point that they make up a sizable part of them. Common groups that Yanar join up with are Maquixtl, Teledden, Kathar, Solvaan, Sihndar and (non-wild) Urlan. The only Race Yanar often avoid are the Suvial, because of their love of fire and the inherent danger fire poses to Yanar. Most Yanar exist in an ex-Allorn pro-Nelfin environment, with Estellon worshiping groups being the most common, though Void-harmonious Yanar also exist among the Kathar, who the Kathar are not explicitly hostile to, as Yanar provide entertainment that the Kathar enjoy. Yanar also don’t really have fashion of their own, often adopting the styles of other Nelfin Races and making floral additions, or in fact wearing nothing at all. Due to the fact that most Yanar are agender and lack any sort of reproductive organs or other areas that Ailor might wish to be covered up, Yanar’s own bodies can mimic the appearance of clothing through petals and leaves, and as such clothes may be redundant.

Language

The Yanar do not have a language of their own. Rather, the majority of them speak Altalar or Saan with the vast majority of them also being fluent in Common. Yanar do have a unique naming style. A Yanar has two different names, their first name which is a permanent name, and their surname or second name which changes every time they Wildbirth, into a name that is descriptive of their personality or purpose in life. Yanar names are generally non-gendered, though additional vowels can be added to make them sound more feminine, or more masculine with more consonants.

A list of example Yanar first names: Taethor, Critha, Aphelor, Leitha, Ram, Naegra, Aew, Caph, Merilin, Gwaun, Gail, Erist, Niid, Caan, Iach, Rusta, Hithu, Telia.

Surnames (or personality names) are usually more related to what they intend to do that life, or a major streak in their personality. A Yanar with a particularly heated personality might for example have the surname Burnweed, while a Yanar with a particularly peaceful personality might have Tranquilflor as a surname. A Yanar who works in metallurgy might have the surname Barkforger, while a Yanar who works in a pub might be called Dewleafbrewer. Whatever the outcome, some type of nature reference or plant name should always be included.

Finally, it is possible for Yanar to adopt so-called clan names. Clan names are similar to family names, though they are rarely if ever used when referring to a person. While family connections matter, Yanar generally don’t want to be identified by clan affiliations, preferring their own surname. Clan names are usually fairly short and have more to do with the rough area where the Yanar are from, for example: Graymountain, Verdanthill, Pinecove, Coralbed, Stonewald, all names that refer to the rough environment the clan calls home.

Religion

By far and large, most Yanar are avid Estellon worshipers, with a particular reverence for Mana, Mother of the Living Soil. That being said, other Gods and Goddesses may equally be worshiped, Estel herself is also considered important, while most other Races leave Estel largely to the sidelines. Even when not faithful, they still have a positive perception of Estel, though none of them can remember why. Due to the habit of Wildbirth, any Yanar who was alive during the days of their first appearance in the Allorn Empire has no memory of these events, so none of them fully understand their role in Estellon or wider history. Still, other Races who worship Estellon consider the Yanar to be messengers and heralds of Estel, as folklore has it that they first appeared when the downfall of the Allorn Empire was all but guaranteed, as the last hope to save the Nelfin. As such, Yanar are often treated as the bearers of warnings and good will, to remind the faithful to stay true to the Gods and not be led astray by vice and corruption.

Families

Yanar organize into clans, with all clans having a single founder, who has sub-divided a number of times to produce several Yanar of varying personalities, occupations, and predispositions. These clans however can also adopt members of different Races, which isn’t the same as a legal contract of adoption, but is more an informal manner of conveying honor and reverence onto a person to accept them as one of their own. Yanar can also be lone wolves, and decide to reject a clan, founding one of their own and severing ties with their previous clan. This isn’t considered a hostile act, after all, Yanar are generally laid back and lack real reason to have conflict unless they specifically go looking for it. There is no such thing as Yanar childhood, as all Yanar are born mentally and physically as adults with a basic understanding of how to do basic things like washing clothes and preparing food. Yanar romance is fairly open to interpretation.

World View

• Yanar are always a bit ambivalent about the return of the Allorn Empire. While they will vocally support their friends who want a return of the Allorn Empire, there always remains that nagging feeling in the back of their minds, that once an Empire has fallen, it can fall again for the exact same reasons.
• Yanar in Regalia are usually either very loyal to the Regalian State, believing it to be more stable and generally well put together than the Allorn Empire once was, or apathetic towards it, just being happy to be in a relatively peaceful place with relatively little repression and freedom of religion and movement.
• Unionism does not acquire much of a hold on Yanar, due to it strongly contradicting Yanar Estellon sensibilities. Yanar Unionists do exist, but are generally ignored or excluded by the wider Estellon Yanar and Nelfin.
• Yanar are inherently ultra-progressive people who appreciate the concept of democracy and honesty, until they are not. Yanar generally lean progressive, but Yanar who are more violent or have a wilder temper, may be more inclined to believe autocracy is more effective, especially after the collective trauma over the inability to avert disaster of the Allorn Empire and how a stronger more centralized government like Regalia might have prevented collapse.
• Yanar are very uncomfortable around Suvial, because everything they are is drenched in the aesthetic of fire, the very thing that Yanar are wildly afraid of. They don’t outwardly hate the Suvial, they just choose to stay clear of them as much as they can.
• Despite their fear of fire, fire is not a sure-fire way to scare a Yanar into submission mid-combat. Usually, their bravery and dedication to their convictions triumph in the moment.
• It is commonly believed that Yanar photosynthesize or only eat plants, but both statements are false. Yanar can also be omnivores or outright carnivores.
• A false theory about Yanar souls circulated for over a decade based on incorrectly interpreted data, that claimed that Yanar did not truly possess a soul of their own and were artificial. Recent research has shown this to be wrong.
• Yanar can never truly starve, as even the most isolated Yanar in the darkest of dungeons can grow small plants and fruitlings and nuts from the cracks between bricks and stones, even without water and sunlight.
• Though Yanar are very gregarious and open to others usually, Yanar are extremely sensitive to unwanted touch, and consider uninvited bare-skin contact to be a grave insult.
• Yanar care deeply about the origins of a person, believing them to intricately affect what they are like in the present day. As such, Yanar will often ask “where are your roots?” so as to act where someone is from, to understand who they are now.
• Yanar (despite jokes and comedy to the contrary) do not consider eating plants or destruction of plant-life as murder or violence. That being said, they would prefer proper treatment of plants and a level of respect for nature that does not involve senseless destruction of flowers and trees.

Trivia

• There have been many wild theories about Yanar being related to the Grul and even some now-extinct Races that existed in the west of the old Allorn Empire, but no records remain to verify truth from fiction.
• The Yanar had a special relation with the Vasil, though Vasil existed for thousands of years before the Yanar first appeared. When the Vasil were still around, Yanar would often graft their pods onto a Vasil tree.
• Yanar have an unexplained discomfort towards insects. Theories claim that it is because of the habits of insects to skitter and crawl, and Yanar over-sensitive skin to gentle touch.

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Accreditation
Writers MonMarty Artists MonMarty Processors Okadoka, FireFan96	Last Editor MonMarty on 04/5/2023.

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