Embedded Files
Nymiae are an ideogenic species of those who have grown into a Feienym [FAY-eh-nim], a "fae name" crafted by Names and layered atop an individual's True Name. They are Names' own exploration and interpretation of what "fae" means to them.
Nymiae are the original, "base" species, and other subspecies have been created by Names or, on occasion, through collaborations with other Edeia.
As of right now, all Nymiae can be considered semi-open species owned or co-owned by Auspice.
Note: they are based on Auspice's Auris Greater Fae.
Acquisition
Acquisition
Please ask Auspice if you would like to create a Nymiae character; you can directly DM them, ask in the #questions-suggestions-feedback channel of the Discord, or ask in their community lore forum. You can use this form:
Name:
Pronouns:
Species: (which Nymiae species and subtype, e.g. Winter Nymiae, Abyssal Fyniae, etc.)
Source Species: (e.g. human, extradimensional being, etc.)
Origin: (how they received their Feienym and embraced it; feel free to include exact or estimated dates)
TH Username: (only needed if this is your first ideogenic; for adding to the ML)
Once you have permission, your character's details will be added to the Nymiae ML without a number. Once you have the design, TH profile, and basic character details, Auspice will give an ML number.
You can also commission Auspice for a design. The price and method of acquisition will vary depending on the source species. For humans and humanoid species, you can make use of the form for humanoid/humanlike notion and semi-custom designs (price may be higher due to the extra characteristics), or consult Auspice for a custom.
Nymiae
Nymiae
[NIM-ee-ay] or [NIM-ee-eye]; plural: Nymiae
[NIM-ee-ay] or [NIM-ee-eye]; plural: Nymiae
Source: Names
Creation Year: 1055
Nymiae are those who have grown into a Feienym [FAY-eh-nim], a "fae name" crafted by Names and layered atop an individual's True Name. They are Names' own exploration and interpretation of what "fae" means to them.
Note: they are based on Auspice's Auris Greater Fae.
Genesis
Genesis
Naming
Naming
Both a True Name and a Feienym must be given to an individual.
Direct-conditional genesis occurs when Names personally selects someone and crafts a Feienym for them, drawing on their power to rename others, though with their own abilities and other metaphysical characteristics woven into the Feienym.
Conditional genesis occurs when an existing Nymiae extends a Feienym to someone else, using their own borrowed portion of Names' naming-power. This is significantly more taxing for a Nymiae than it is for Names—the act can leave them lethargic for weeks afterward, though most choose to sleep through the worst of it in a few unbroken days rather than dragging the fatigue out.
Names holds no restriction on who may be chosen or how consent is or isn't sought—Nymiae vary widely on this, from those who only ever offer a Feienym freely and by request, to those who take it upon themselves to select someone else's fate entirely. Culturally, Nymiae have a marked tendency to seek out outcasts: those whose given name, role, or self never fit them to begin with, among whom the neurodivergent are disproportionately represented. Whether a given Nymiae asks first is a matter of that Nymiae's own character.
Alignment
Alignment
A Feienym is not a mold to fit inside, but scaffolding: it sets a wide range of possible expression, and growing into one is a matter of shaping that structure into a self the Nymiae actually recognizes, rather than shrinking to meet it. Because it is layered onto the True Name rather than replacing it, a Feienym can shift as the True Name shifts underneath it—a Nymiae whose core self changes significantly may find their old Feienym no longer fits, and may need to grow into a new one, sometimes with Names' guidance.
However, certain aspects of identity are built into Feienyms, and even though a vast range of personal expression is possible, those who accept their Feienym accept becoming something no longer human—or whatever they were before. Their values and understanding of morality may shift, and they may find themselves shifting their attention and focus to things that they had only been mildly interested in before. This change is the cost—a Nymiae is someone who was willing to stop being who they were to become something else. Depending on their personality and self-expression, they settle into one of the seasonal Nymiae subtypes (see Society and Culture). Very rarely, they can become a hybrid of multiple seasonal subtypes.
Budding
Budding
As someone grows closer to their Feienym—manifesting more of its traits, feeling less at home in their old shape—they begin to feel pulled toward some natural, liminal place: a treeline at dusk, a hollow past the last streetlamp, anywhere the boundary between the mundane world and Names' Abstraction runs thin. They wander until they lose their way entirely, arriving fully in the Abstraction the way any lost traveler might, except this time they do not wake up to think it a dream.
There, they curl into stillness, and petals rise up around them, sealing them into a bud that can grow to an enormous size. After one to three days, the bud opens, and they emerge as a Nymiae.
If a Nymiae's True Name changes enough that their identity shifts towards a different seasonal subtype, they can go through budding once more and emerge as the different type.
Abilities
Abilities
Nymiae have several abilities arising from Names' interpretation of fae:
Magic
Nature Magic: They can control and manipulate plants. They can grow new plants from organic matter as well as their own bodies.
Elemental Magic: Depending on their seasonal subtype, a Nymiae can have additional elemental magic.
Winter: Manipulation of ice/cold, water, and fog.
Spring: Manipulation of air and wind.
Summer: Manipulation of light, heat, and fire.
Autumn: Manipulation of earth/soil and decay.
Teleportation: They can teleport to any location in the same universe and open, non-private areas within Names' Abstraction. It is easier to teleport to places they have been to before.
Glamour: Changing the perception of others. They can change how they are perceived or change the perception of a particular individual. For instance, they can obfuscate themselves (make themselves unnoticeable by the mundane despite being in plain sight), obfuscate objects, make someone weak to suggestion, alter the perception of an experience both during and after, etc.
Levitation: Nymiae fly through magic; this does not rely on any mechanics with their wings.
Enchantment: They can easily enchant the mundane with their song and dance, pulling them into a fervent experience.
Shapeshifting: All Nymiae are powerful shapeshifters, able to change their form entirely as they please. This includes their outfits/clothes and accessories. Their base forms thus reflect exactly how they wish to appear, and can change easily from one moment to another. Their main colors, antler shape, and wings tend to stay the same in their main forms, but can have long-term changes with some effort as well. They tend to have a preferred base form and a preferred creature form.
Dealmaking: Nymiae are able to make binding deals; such exchanges are a significant part of their culture.
Enhancements
Artistry: All Nymiae are capable of beautiful feats of art, music, and dance. There are no “talentless” Nymiae in artistic domains, though skill still can be refined to higher reaches and they tend to be better in some domains and worse in others.
Enhanced Senses: Nymiae can see perfectly even in complete darkness and have enhanced senses of hearing, scent, and taste.
Sustainment: Eating is optional rather than necessary for a Nymiae. Most nonetheless develop a craving for things that are naturally sweet—fruit, sap, honey, nectar—which Names' Abstraction supplies in abundance, letting Nymiae indulge freely without needing to venture elsewhere for it. They do not need to breathe and are not affected by environmental factors such as cold, heat, and pressure.
Life, Resilience, and Death
Life, Resilience, and Death
Nymiae do not age and are difficult to kill due to significant regenerative abilities. Minor injuries are healed in seconds, lost limbs can regenerate over a day. Separated limbs and a head from the body still allows the Nymiae to control all separate parts, though this can require dedicated focus. They can regenerate a limb while still controlling a separated limb.
They are not significantly more resistant to being injured than their original species, but they feel very little pain from most injuries. However, they can still experience pain from:
fire
hot, pure (99.9% or more) iron
metaphysical magic (but not pure manipulation of the elements, aside from the above)
If their head is destroyed by fire or magic, they can be killed. Mechanical destruction that leaves their blood behind can still allow them to regenerate. Pure iron (regardless of temperature) acts as a mild poison that slows regeneration and destroys any separated parts such as limbs by causing it to melt into the Nymiae's blood, but cannot kill a Nymiae on its own. Iron alloys like steel and iron ions do not have the same effect as pure solid iron. A Nymiae can also purposefully melt any severed parts.
A Nymiae can also choose to let their mind and soul rest by altering their True Name such that they become a tree in their domain within Names' Abstraction. This tree is typically called a Nymiad. Becoming a Nymiad is generally considered a "peaceful death" for them, since they deliberately put their mind to rest and will no longer have the capacity to change their Name again. Depending on their wishes expressed to Names, their soul may remain in their tree or Names may release it to be claimed by the ethereal plane.
Name Magic
Name Magic
Nymiae carry Names' power to give and take names, both mundane and True and with mild or significant effects. Through creative application of this magic, they are capable of all sorts of feats, even being able to create "miracles"—they could take the "name" of an affliction away, or give a wound the name of something already healed, or name a drink "panacea" so thoroughly that it becomes one. The more a working twists reality away from what it already was, the more it costs the Nymiae performing it, causing them to experience exhaustion and, in extreme cases, headaches and other unpleasant effects.
Domain
Domain
Typically, a Nymiae will linger in Names' Abstraction for some time, adjusting to their new existence and indulging in sweet things that can satisfy their craving. As they linger in the same area, they instinctively reshape and grow the space around them into something that matches their seasonal type and their own comfort and preference. With the nonlinear space of Names' Abstraction, their domain, as this area is called, becomes connected to the domains of other Nymiae, mostly those of the same subtype as them.
Most domains have the appearance of magical forests in a particular season. Some may have buildings while others do not.
Spatially, Names' Abstraction is a central area with Nymiae domains always expanding the borders, though this does not have any meaningful significance—instead, the interconnected Nymiae domains form a nonlinear network that only Names and Nymiae can inherently understand and navigate without becoming lost.
Characteristics
Characteristics
Appearance
Appearance
The exact appearance of a Nymiae depends on their original species. Their size tends not to change much, though it may adjust based on their preference. In addition to their base form, many have a creature form they are comfortable in.
The typical characteristics of a Nymiae that used to be human are:
A face with all normal human facial features—eyes, nose, mouth.
Eyes:
Slanted, with the proximal corner pointed downwards.
“Eyeshadow,” a color on their eyelids that may be matte or metallic.
Colored sclera.
Slit pupils.
Long and pointed ears.
Claws and sharp teeth. Claws may be nails, adornments, or smoothly part of the hand.
Wings:
Typically 2 or 3 pairs of wings.
They have the texture of leaves or flower petals, but they are not nearly as fragile.
Winter and Autumn Nymiae typically have black as a base color on their wings, with some color making a pattern on them. They often resemble butterfly wings.
Summer and Spring Nymiae have wings that much more closely resemble flora, though not necessarily mundane plants. Spring Nymiae often have wings like flowers, and summer Nymiae often have wings resembling leaves.
Antlers:
May be symmetrical or asymmetrical, and can even grow and change at will or as time passes.
They have a texture ranging from wood to bony, and can be rough or smooth.
May or may not have leaves or other plantlike characteristics.
Limited color palettes: most Nymiae have a relatively limited color palette. Winter Nymiae often have pale blues (ranging from green-leaning to purple-leaning) to grays, autumn Nymiae have reds, oranges, and yellows, and summer ranges in the greens. Spring Nymiae have the most possibilities, often paler/pastel colors on all parts of the color wheel, though they still tend not to have too many colors at once. Skin is typically grayish/desaturated, and usually not a natural skin color. Eyes can be any color.
Bioluminescence: most have some bioluminescence, though it is not a requirement.
Outfit: Nymiae can shapeshift their outfit as they please. Some do not even care about practicality, as the clothing can be repaired and cleaned with ease.
Many feature flowing robes and capes.
Metallic jewelry and adornings: many Nymiae have a fondness for shiny things, and most include some metallic material as part of their usual look.
Nymiae that were not originally human can ignore characteristics that are not relevant (e.g. facial features, eyes, ears). However, the limited color palette, antlers, and wings should be present.
Biology
Biology
Except for those originating from non-biological species, Nymiae are magical-biological beings, entities with characteristics of both. Their bodies are physical and made of biological matter, but magic is interwoven with their very existence.
Winter, Spring, Summer, and Autumn Nymiae have slight variations in their biological characteristics. Winter Nymiae have a cool body temperature, with Autumn Nymiae slightly warmer. Summer Nymiae have a very warm body temperature, and Spring Nymiae are warmer than Autumn but cooler than Summer Nymiae. Additionally, they have different colors of blood.
Winter: dark blue to black
Spring: golden, like honey. Ranges from more yellowish to golden colors
Summer: dark green, can be darker or lighter
Autumn: dark red to black
They have a relatively viscous consistency, like tree sap. If their blood is spilled, flora will grow from the location until it is cleaned. Their blood does not dry for a long time, being more prone to flow until it seeps into the earth, but if it is allowed to dry and crystallize over the course of several weeks, it will form an amber-like substance.
Blood, tears, and other fluids taste sweet if ingested, and can have various effects depending on the individual Nymiae and the consumer's characteristics. In many cases, they can function as temporary mind-altering substances.
True Name
True Name
All Nymiae have a True Name. It defines every aspect of that individual's true self, almost like a map or detailed schematic of their soul. It is constructed by Names' magic, and not a universal part of the Ideation world's metaphysics; other Edeia can also have magic related to Names and True Names. When an individual knows a Name, they inherently understand it and are unable to forget it (without interference from other idea magic). With this understanding, they could in theory learn how to alter it, changing aspects of their identity, personality, behaviors, and even metaphysical characteristics such as their ability to gain an Idea and what their Idea is. They can "watch" themself change over time, even without active effort to change; they could also make their "self" become static and unchanging. Knowing one's Name allows one more freedom to tinker with themself, essentially.
The method of altering one's Name changes depending on the individual and is open to their interpretation. It is often difficult and incremental—or high-risk. It might involve a vivid mental imagery exercise, diving into a dream, or something as simple as setting a goal and working towards it. More direct methods often involve dreams and run a risk of causing damage or undesired changes to a soul, while indirect methods are slower and have no risk. Of course, Names tend to change over time on their own as well.
However, if any other individual knows someone's Name, they gain great power over that individual. An individual whose Name is known by another can be called a Known, and one who holds another's Name can be called a Nameholder. A Nameholder can compel their Known to do any task, and make them want to do that task. They could even command the Known to forget certain things. A Nameholder gains an instinctive sense of how the Known will behave, making the Known highly predictable to them. The only escapes from the state of being Known are to significantly change one's Name (the more the Known's Name diverges, the weaker the compulsion is), dispel the magic of Names using other Idea magic, dying, and killing the Nameholder. (Upon death, Name magic is also dispersed by the ethereal plane's processes.)
A Name can only be shared deliberately, and only be the Named themself. It can be spoken (a Named will know how to speak it), but not overheard by anyone besides the intended recipient; others will not comprehend the sound. Two Named might share their Names with each other; in such a case, they also can create a shared Name and gain dominion over their soulbond with each other.
Truth
Truth
Nymiae do not tell lies; it is abhorrent to their nature. As they tend to be rather self-aware in being Named beings, they instinctively know if their words would be lies. They are technically capable of telling lies, but to do so would cause them great misery—this is a fact essentially known only to their own kind. When they say they “cannot lie,” it is true in all the ways that matter. Even the rogue Nymiae deceive through carefully phrased truths. This applies to promises as well—they will genuinely feel extreme emotional distress and agitation if they do not keep their word, and many (though not all) extend this into an abhorrence for those who do not keep their word.
The instinct is not triggered by incompleteness or literalism. What the instinct does catch is a word made to mean something other than what it plainly, reasonably means. A Nymiae can be as sparing or as strategic with their words as they like, and they can mean an unusual interpretation in phrasing so long as it is not blatantly unreasonable and all the words used are meant with reasonable definitions.
Ordinary social speech—greetings, thanks, apologies, compliments framed as opinion—does not interact with a Nymiae's nature regarding truth at all, as none of it is an assertion or a promise. Unlike in traditional fae folklore, an expression of gratitude is not a faux pas; in fact, it is more of a useless platitude. Any deals and agreements still have to be fulfilled by whatever terms they agreed to. Whether an individual Nymiae prefers social speech or dislikes it depends on the individual.
Some examples of what would and would not be considered lies are below.
Truth
"I'll let you leave this realm alive," with the intention of killing as soon as they leave—true and complete on its own narrow terms; nothing about afterward was ever claimed.
"Lend me your ears", taken literally and returned.
"I'll be having you for dinner," where they intend to eat the other.
Lie
Calling painted steel "gold"—the word is reassigned to something it doesn't ordinarily denote.
"I won't hurt you" while planning a painless death—"hurt" ordinarily covers harm generally, not just pain specifically.
Society and Culture
Society and Culture
Seasonal Courts
Seasonal Courts
Nymiae society consists of the major courts, Seelie and Unseelie, which each have two seasonal courts: Summer and Spring, and Winter and Autumn, respectively. Nymiae naturally cluster by temperament rather than any formal hierarchy, and courts arose because those drawn to similar dispositions tend to feel most at home in similar corners of the Abstraction.
Spring—Passion, pleasure, self-expression. Quick-moving, quick to feel, drawn to color and ornament and the immediacy of new things. Spring Nymiae tend toward emotional and physical intimacy as a matter of course—dressing, composing, courting, wanting to be felt by the people around them as much as seen.
Summer—Relaxed, gregarious, given to sharing what they have of their copious abundance. Summer Nymiae move slowly on the larger scale of things—long unhurried gatherings, food and music passed freely, the pleasant leisure of endless summer.
Autumn—Logical, organized, hospitable in the structured sense: the ones who plan gatherings and invite others to engage with them. Autumn Nymiae are often comfortable with foresight and preparation, and take real satisfaction in a gathering that runs exactly as arranged. They are often the most diligent and industrious of the Nymiae.
Winter—Serene, solitary, carrying gravitas. Winter Nymiae tend to favor peace and quiet. Many speak deliberately and/or formally, and find comfort in memory, serenity, and quieter or more private and personal forms of expression.
Note that these are only patterns, and there is considerable variation within each subtype. The most expressive Winter Nymiae may be more so than the least expressive Spring Nymiae, for instance. An individual's preference also influences their subtype—they may simply be drawn to a season's aesthetics, for instance.
All Nymiae are expressive in their own way, each tending to find their own favored creative pursuit. Even the most stoic Nymiae have their ways to explore and express themselves in ways that satisfy them.
The Winter Solstice, Vernal Equinox, Summer Solstice, and Autumnal Equinox have festivals primarily organized by the court of the respective season, celebrating the start of their season in Names' Abstraction. It is a time of song and dance, of revelry in the way of Nymiae. There is often food as well, even though they have no need to eat. They may invite others, magical or mundane; in the Age of Magic and Secrecy, this was often an enchanted night for the humans who stumbled in. In the Age of Reunion, those who stumble in often still do so by accident but will remember the experience clearly.
Governance
Governance
Governance arose as their numbers grew; Names had no interest in ruling, so the Nymiae organized matters themselves. Both the Seelie and Unseelie Courts choose their own Sovereign, a Nymiae who makes ruling decisions for their court. The Sovereigns typically live in their own domain; some may have a palace while others do not.
Mainly, governance focuses on establishing and enforcing agreed-upon principles and laws, in addition to assisting and educating any new or mid-alignment Nymiae. Those who wish to participate are essentially volunteers who contribute to these efforts.
Social Norms
Social Norms
Nymiae society as a whole is shaped by certain tendencies woven into what defines a Feienym. They value integrity, equivalence, and free artistic expression of the self. They are not malevolent by nature, but their morality is not based on the same standards as humans or other societies, and can seem evil to others despite strong adherence to their own moral code.
A major part of society is the norm of making exchanges. One favor for another, a deal for something that benefits both. In many ways, society can be highly transactional; those who violate the terms of an agreement or accumulate debt without timely repayment are scorned in society, though they can redeem themselves.
Human and other arbitrary understandings of relationships, gender, and other social constructs often become strange to Nymiae through their process of alignment. While those who have strong, self-determined philosophies about relationships will often retain them in some form, those who had simply accepted some idea of "normal" will lose their attachment and obligation to these social norms. Labels no longer restrict them, though they may still use them as tools to explain their views to others. As such, it is common for them to lean towards philosophies of relationship anarchy and have unusual expressions of gender, if they do not reject gender as a construct entirely.
Nymiae do have friendships, those whose company they prefer, though their language has different terms for differing degrees of closeness and the nature of their relation. There are terms for those who are good company, those who are trustworthy in their deals, those who are bad company but good “business partners” so to speak, those who are good company but not preferred “business partners,” and so on.
Most of a Nymiae’s emotional satisfaction is gained through artistic expression of the self, though the way each one does this is uniquely individual. Many have no need for company, though some enjoy it.
There can be exceptions to the norms of Nymiae behavior. Rogue Nymiae may have little regard for Nymiae society’s usual isolation, and might interact with humans and others with malicious intentions. If they cause too much trouble, the courts may hunt them down.
Fyniae
Fyniae
[FIN-ee-eye] or [FIN-ee-ay]; plural: Fyniae
[FIN-ee-eye] or [FIN-ee-ay]; plural: Fyniae
Source: Names
Creation Year: 1207
Fyniae are Nymiae who have grown into a Waterbound Feienym, a particular variation of Feienyms. Like all Nymiae, they carry Names' own particular vision of what "fae" can mean.
The first Fyniae came about from those who wanted to truly be free of human society, yet also did not wish to be so deeply intertwined with the workings of Names' Abstraction. After some thought, Names decided to craft a new kind of Feienym for them: a Waterbound Feienym, letting them find their own way beyond the lands so populated by humans.
Note: Very, very loosely inspired by Finfolk myth.
Genesis
Genesis
Naming
Naming
Both a True Name and a Waterbound Feienym must be given before a Fyniae can come into being—and receiving a Feienym does not guarantee it. Someone may hold a Waterbound Feienym for years, or their whole life, without ever growing into it.
Direct-conditional genesis occurs when Names personally selects someone and crafts a Waterbound Feienym for them.
Conditional genesis occurs when an existing Fyniae extends a Waterbound Feienym to someone else, drawing on their own borrowed portion of Names' power. As with the land Nymiae, this is taxing—weeks of lethargy, or a few unbroken days of sleep to get through the worst of it at once.
Fyniae hold to the same lack of restriction on consent that Nymiae do generally, and no more scrutiny is applied to who receives a Feienym this way than anywhere else in the species. Old stories of sea-folk pulling sailors and coastal wanderers away from their old lives, never quite the same if they resurface, are simply what this genesis looks like from the outside.
Alignment
Alignment
Like regular Feienyms, Waterbound Feienyms must be grown into. Because it is layered onto the True Name rather than replacing it, a Waterbound Feienym can shift as the True Name shifts underneath it.
Certain aspects of identity are built into Waterbound Feienyms, mostly similar to regular Feienyms. Even though a vast range of personal expression is possible, those who accept their Feienym accept becoming something no longer human—or whatever they were before. Depending on their personality and self-expression, they settle into one of the depth subtypes (see Society and Culture). Whether they prefer saltwater or fresh waters has no bearing.
As someone nears full alignment, ordinary water starts to answer them in small ways it never used to. Casual submersion, a swim or a soak, can call up a scale pattern along the arms, a faint webbing between fingers, or a shift in eye shape, for as long as they stay under. It recedes again once they surface, but it comes more easily and lasts longer as they get closer.
Transformation
Transformation
Full transformation requires deep water—the sea, a lake, or another body deep enough to disappear into entirely. By the time someone is ready for it, they already know: their skin no longer holds the shape they mean to keep wearing, and what's left is a handful of last threads to whatever life they're leaving. Going under is a decision they must make. Once they submerge, fully knowing and ready to pass the threshold of what they once were, their Fyniae form reveals itself at once—the surface of the water working like a filter, washing away every lingering trace of what they were before.
If a Fyniae's True Name changes enough that their identity shifts towards a different depth subtype, they will gradually shift to that different type.
Abilities
Abilities
In addition to the general abilities of Nymiae—name magic, nature magic, teleportation, glamour, levitation, enchantment, shapeshifting, dealmaking, artistry, and enhanced senses, Fyniae have the following additions and alterations to their abilities:
Water Magic: They can control and manipulate water in all forms; this is in place of the additional elemental magic regular Nymiae have access to.
Traversal: Fyniae move freely through air and water through magic; this does not rely on any mechanics with their fins.
Life, Resilience, and Death
Life, Resilience, and Death
Like Nymiae, Fyniae do not age and are difficult to kill due to significant regenerative abilities, with weaknesses to fire and pure iron. If they seek rest themself, they do not become a Nymiad; instead, they alter their True Name to become water, and when the process is complete, they dissolve into the waters and release their soul to be claimed by the ethereal plane.
Domain
Domain
Unlike Nymiae, who transform in Names' Abstraction, Fyniae do not begin their existence by constructing a domain. After Fynaeheem was established in 1289, it became a place where they could instinctively grow and reshape an area into a domain that matches their depth subtype and their own comfort and preference. The actual physical size taken up by Fynaeheem did not change, but each domain established by a Fyniae expanded the space within its borders.
Characteristics
Characteristics
Appearance
Appearance
The exact appearance of a Fyniae depends on their original species. Their size tends not to change much, though it may adjust based on their preference. In addition to their base form, many have a creature form they are comfortable in.
The typical characteristics of a Fyniae that used to be human are:
A face with all normal human facial features—eyes, nose, mouth.
Body: can shift between bipedal, mer-like, and an animal form easily.
Eyes:
Slanted, with the proximal corner pointed downwards.
“Eyeshadow,” a color on their eyelids that may be matte or metallic.
Colored sclera.
Slit pupils, w-shaped pupils, or large, round pupils.
Long, fin- or flipper-like ears.
Claws and sharp teeth. Claws may be nails, adornments, or smoothly part of the hand.
Wing-like fins: Typically 2 or 3 pairs of fins on their back. Additional fins are optional.
Antlers:
Resemble branching corals or sponges.
May be symmetrical or asymmetrical, and can even grow and change at will or as time passes.
They have a texture ranging from soft (like living sponges) to bony, and can be rough or smooth.
Outfit: Fyniae can shapeshift their outfit as they please. Some do not even care about practicality, as the clothing can be repaired and cleaned with ease.
Many feature flowing robes and capes.
Metallic jewelry and adornings: many Fyniae have a fondness for shiny things, and most include some metallic material as part of their usual look.
Fyniae that were not originally human can ignore characteristics that are not relevant (e.g. facial features, eyes, ears). However, the fins and antlers should be present.
Fyniae can shapeshift freely, but they typically have a preferred animal form. This is often an aquatic creature but can be a land animal like a horse. In their preferred animal form, they often have aquatic flora present. Antlers should also be present, but they can be small.
The different subtypes of Fyniae have additional characteristics:
Littoral (shallows):
Aquatic flora incorporated into their appearance, e.g. seaweed in their hair or instead of hair, plants growing from their body, etc.
Neutral colors (brown, black, white, grays of any tint) are more common, but other colors are possible.
Eyes can be any color. Bioluminescent markings are uncommon but should match eye (iris) color.
Pelagic (open waters):
Prominent aquatic fauna features, such as having a fish tail even in base form (as an actual tail, or attached to their back, head, elbows, etc.), fish scales on their body, unusual hand and feet shapes, etc.
Aquatic flora do not need to be present in their main form.
Typically mostly monochromatic with 1-2 main hues. Minor additional colors (eyes, claws, etc.) are fine. Eyes can be any color. Bioluminescent markings, if present, should match eye (iris) color.
Abyssal (depths)
Armored plates, scales, and/or spikes on their body.
Prominent aquatic fauna features, such as having a fish tail even in base form (as an actual tail, or attached to their back, head, elbows, etc.), fish scales on their body, unusual hand and feet shapes, etc.
Aquatic flora do not need to be present in their main form.
Colors are typically darker grays. Eyes can be any color.
Bioluminescence required; should match eye (iris) color.
Requirements may be adjusted as more designs are made.
Biology
Biology
Except for those originating from non-biological species, Fyniae are magical-biological beings, entities with characteristics of both. Their bodies are physical and made of biological matter, but magic is interwoven with their very existence.
Littoral, Pelagic, and Abyssal Fyniae have slight variations in their biological characteristics. Abyssal Fyniae have a cool body temperature, Pelagic Fyniae run slightly cooler than humans, and Littoral Fyniae have similar body temperature to humans. Additionally, they have different colors of blood.
Littoral: pearlescent white
Pelagic: pearlescent blue
Abyssal: pearlescent black
They have a relatively viscous consistency. If their blood is spilled onto a surface, aquatic flora will grow from the location until it is washed away. In air, their blood does not dry for a long time, but if it is allowed to dry and crystallize over the course of several weeks, it will form an amber-like substance.
Blood, tears, and other fluids taste sweet if ingested, and can have various effects depending on the individual Fyniae and the consumer's characteristics. In many cases, they can function as temporary mind-altering substances.
Names & Truth
Names & Truth
Fyniae have a True Name and do not lie; in these aspects, they are the same as Nymiae.
Society and Culture
Society and Culture
Fyniae share the same underlying values as Nymiae generally—integrity, equivalence, free artistic self-expression, an exchange-based social norm, and often the same drift away from human ideas of relationships, gender, and other social conventions through the process of growing into their Feienym.
Depths
Depths
Rather than sorting by season, Fyniae often prefer depths based on their subtype due to their temperament and patterns of preferences. Depending on their personality and self-expression, they settle into one of the three types during their process of alignment:
Littoral—Gregarious, curious, always drifting closest to the edge of things—the shallows, the tide line, the places where the mundane world and the water meet. The most likely to interact with a passing boat or a wader who's gone in too deep.
Pelagic—Expressive, passionate, unanchored—open water, always moving, nothing to root to but current. Tend toward the most outward emotional and artistic intensity of the three.
Abyssal—Reclusive, solitary, most comfortable where no light reaches. The quietest and least inclined to seek out company, mundane or otherwise.
Note that these are only patterns, and there is considerable variation within each subtype. The most social Abyssal Fyniae may be more so than the least social Littoral Fyniae, for instance.
A Fyniae is not bound to their depth—plenty drift between all three regularly, especially once Fynaeheem was founded.
Fynaeheem
Fynaeheem
For a long while after the first Fyniae came to be, none of them had domains of their own—the instinctive pull that grows a Nymiae's surroundings into a reflection of themself sat dormant in them, deliberately unactivated by the first of their kind, who wanted real distance from Names as an individual presence and did not want that instinct pulling them into a life lived inside Names' own space.
Later Fyniae still wanted a home of their own, without wanting to undo what the first Fyniae had chosen. Rather than each seeking a personal domain, in 1289, they built one together: Fynaeheem, located in the deep ocean, made difficult to perceive or reach by a glamour the Fyniae who live there maintain collectively.
Fynaeheem was built in a way that does activate the domain-instinct within its bounds, so a Fyniae living there can grow and shape a corner of it into something of their own, the way any Nymiae would in Names' Abstraction.
It holds both grand and unadorned spaces: crystal halls and gardens of shifting, unusually-colored seaweed, lit at all hours by the bioluminescence of small sea life, with the drifting motion of the tide and current running through hanging fronds like curtains—and, alongside that, plainer wild stretches of reef and open rock where a Fyniae can simply exist, unbothered, needing no hall to enjoy the place.
Fynaeheem is nearly impossible for the mundane to stumble into on purpose. Those who do find it are almost always already lost, and in their liminal state, the magic can pull them in. Depending on the era, some who find their way in this way remember nothing clearly afterward but a night of revelry that felt like it lasted much longer, or much less time, than it did.
Governance
Governance
Fynaeheem is organized around three representatives, one chosen from and by each depth cluster. There is no fixed term—a representative stays as long as they are willing and doing the role well, and steps down (or is asked to) if either stops being true. The role is closer to volunteer administration than rule: helping the community organize itself and stepping in when someone breaks whatever code the Fyniae of Fynaeheem have agreed to.
Aeriae
Aeriae
[AIR-ee-eye] or [AIR-ee-ay]; plural: Aeriae
[AIR-ee-eye] or [AIR-ee-ay]; plural: Aeriae
Source: Names
Creation Year: 1256
Aeriae are Nymiae who have grown into a Skybound Feienym, a particular variation of Feienyms. Like all Nymiae, they carry Names' own particular vision of what "fae" can mean.
The first Aeriae came about from those who wanted to truly be free of all the pain of living, craving to be as free as birds in flight. Names offered a gift to that individual: a Skybound Feienym, which would offer them their way out from all that once kept them trapped.
Note: Very, very loosely inspired by Sluagh myth.
Genesis
Genesis
Naming
Naming
Both a True Name and a Skybound Feienym must be given before an Aeriae can come into being—and receiving a Feienym does not guarantee it. Someone may hold a Skybound Feienym for years, or their whole life, without ever growing into it.
Direct-conditional genesis occurs when Names personally selects someone and crafts a Skybound Feienym for them.
Conditional genesis occurs when an existing Aeriae extends a Skybound Feienym to someone else, drawing on their own borrowed portion of Names' power. As with the land Nymiae, this is taxing—weeks of lethargy, or a few unbroken days of sleep to get through the worst of it at once.
Aeriae hold to the same lack of restriction on consent that Nymiae do generally, and no more scrutiny is applied to who receives a Feienym this way than anywhere else in the species. Old stories of flying faeries stealing and transporting people long distances may reflect the actions of some of Aeriae.
Alignment
Alignment
Like regular Feienyms, Skybound Feienyms must be grown into. Because it is layered onto the True Name rather than replacing it, a Skybound Feienym can shift as the True Name shifts underneath it.
Certain aspects of identity are built into Skybound Feienyms, mostly similar to regular Feienyms. Even though a vast range of personal expression is possible, those who accept their Feienym accept becoming something no longer human—or whatever they were before. Depending on their personality and self-expression, they settle into one of the elevation subtypes (see Society and Culture).
Transformation
Transformation
An Aeriae's transformation differs from the way Nymiae wander until becoming lost and the way Fyniae choose to submerge themself and wash away who they were. Once they reach full alignment with their Skybound Feienym, knowing in their soul that their flesh no longer matches their spirit, their body begins a rapid approach towards death. A deep lethargy sets in—sleep that resists waking, breath that slows, coldness in their limbs if others touch them—painless, not causing any physical discomfort, yet creeping in like fog.
They feel a call to the sky, to remote mountains far from civilization. At this point, they can choose to wait out the process or depart. If they wait, death will come swiftly and peacefully, often a week to a month from onset of the lethargy—but mere minutes after their heart stops and their breath ceases, transformation ripples through them. They awaken in a daze, taking to the sky and answering that call. They often fully come back to themselves once they have found a place to settle in remote areas of high elevation.
Alternatively, they can depart ahead of their death. On this journey, their lethargy leaves them. They seek those remote areas of high elevation, and when they feel ready to leave behind all that they were, they leap. The transformation is swift, and they take to the sky on their new wings.
Abilities
Abilities
In addition to the general abilities of Nymiae—name magic, nature magic, teleportation, glamour, levitation, enchantment, shapeshifting, dealmaking, artistry, and enhanced senses, Aeriae have the following additions and alterations to their abilities:
Soul Magic: They have a form of weak soul magic, allowing them to perceive and interfere with soulbonds, sense souls, sense those near death, and interfere with dreams.
Air Magic: Aeriae can manipulate air and wind; this is in place of the additional elemental magic regular Nymiae have access to.
Environmental Aura: Replacing the ability and instinct of Nymiae to form a domain, Aeriae have a subtle influence on their environment that can accumulate the longer they stay in the same area. Generally, they cause flora that suits their preference to grow around them and make the air slightly colder. The flora may also have unnatural colors that match their appearance. If they leave the area, it will return to normal over time.
Life, Resilience, and Death
Life, Resilience, and Death
Like Nymiae, Aeriae do not age and are difficult to kill due to significant regenerative abilities, with weaknesses to fire and pure iron. If they seek rest themself, they do not become a Nymiad; instead, they alter their True Name to become air, and when the process is complete, they disperse and vanish in a gust of wind and release their soul to be claimed by the ethereal plane.
Characteristics
Characteristics
Appearance
Appearance
The exact appearance of an Aeriae depends on their original species. Their size tends not to change much, though it may adjust based on their preference. In addition to their base form, many have a creature form they are comfortable in.
The typical characteristics of an Aeriae that used to be human are:
A face with all normal human facial features—eyes, nose, mouth.
Body: can shift between bipedal, harpy-like, and a bird form easily.
Eyes:
Slanted, with the proximal corner pointed downwards.
“Eyeshadow,” a color on their eyelids that may be matte or metallic.
Colored sclera.
Slit pupils or round pupils.
Long, feathered ears or wings in place of ears.
Claws and sharp teeth. Claws may be nails, adornments, or smoothly part of the hand.
Wings: Typically 2 or 3 pairs of wings on their back. Additional wings are optional and can be placed in other locations.
Antlers:
May be symmetrical or asymmetrical, and can even grow and change at will or as time passes.
They have a texture ranging from wood to bony, and can be rough or smooth.
May or may not have leaves or other plantlike characteristics.
Limited color palettes: most Aeriae have a relatively limited color palette; multiple prominent hues are generally avoided. Skin is typically grayish/desaturated, and usually not a natural skin color.
Outfit: Aeriae can shapeshift their outfit as they please. Some do not even care about practicality, as the clothing can be repaired and cleaned with ease.
Many feature flowing robes and capes.
Metallic jewelry and adornings: many Aeriae have a fondness for shiny things, and most include some metallic material as part of their usual look.
Aeriae that were not originally human can ignore characteristics that are not relevant (e.g. facial features, eyes, ears). However, the wings and antlers should be present.
Aeriae can shapeshift freely, but they typically have a preferred bird form. This can be based on a real bird, fictional bird, or be more abstract/nonspecific. In their preferred bird form, they often have antlers present, though they can be small.
The different subtypes of Aeriae have additional characteristics:
Montane (low elevation):
Flora incorporated into their appearance, e.g. flowers or leaves in their hair or antlers.
Wings are insect-like (typically butterfly-like) with some feathers near the base of the wings.
Alpine (high elevation):
Wings are fully feathered bird wings. They can be based on wings of a real bird or not.
Requirements may be adjusted as more designs are made.
Biology
Biology
Except for those originating from non-biological species, Aeriae are magical-biological beings, entities with characteristics of both. Their bodies are physical and made of biological matter, but magic is interwoven with their very existence.
Montane and Alpine Aeriae have slight variations in their biological characteristics.
Montane: slightly cooler body temperature; blood is glittering gold.
Alpine: cold body temperature; blood is glittering silver.
They have a relatively viscous consistency. If their blood is spilled onto a surface, flora will grow from the location until it is washed away. In air, their blood does not dry for a long time, but if it is allowed to dry and crystallize over the course of several weeks, it will form an amber-like substance.
Blood, tears, and other fluids taste sweet if ingested, and can have various effects depending on the individual Aeriae and the consumer's characteristics. In many cases, they can function as temporary mind-altering substances.
Names & Truth
Names & Truth
Aeriae have a True Name and do not lie; in these aspects, they are the same as Nymiae.
Society and Culture
Society and Culture
Aeriae share the same underlying values as Nymiae generally—integrity, equivalence, free artistic self-expression, an exchange-based social norm, and often the same drift away from human ideas of relationships, gender, and other social conventions through the process of growing into their Feienym.
Unlike Nymiae and Fyniae, they do not have any sort of governance among themselves, nor do they have a particular location their society is centralized in. Alpine Aeriae are more likely to settle in one place, but it is common for them to travel far and wide, not particularly attached to any one location. However, some do form flocks, whether they are a small personal group (3-5) or an entire migrating troupe (20-40 or more). How much a flock actually socializes with each other, what sort of codes they follow, and what their lifestyle is like depends on the individual flock.
Elevations
Elevations
Rather than sorting by season, Aeriae often prefer elevations based on their subtype due to their temperament and patterns of preferences. Depending on their personality and self-expression, they settle into one of the two types during their process of alignment:
Montane—Social, curious, active. Those who enjoy being in touch with the flow of the world in some way.
Alpine—Reclusive and solitary. Those who prefer to be far beyond the reaches of civilization, aside from, perhaps, a few personal relationships.
Note that these are only patterns, and there is considerable variation within each subtype. The most social Alpine Aeriae may be more so than the least social Montane Aeriae, for instance.
An Aeriae is not bound to their elevation—plenty drift and travel freely.
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