<\/p>\n
Plants are one of the most basic forms of life. \u00a0As primary producers of energy on a planet, plants convert sunlight into stored energy for animals and higher life forms to consume. \u00a0Phelos (pronounced “fellows”) are a symbiote race of a plant-like nature aspect woven and fused into an animal or humanoid body with high magic. \u00a0Because of their dual nature, Phelos are natural wardens of the land and forests.<\/span><\/p>\n In the beginning, Argilkin created as many different varieties of Phelos as there are trees in all of the worlds, each with unique abilities. \u00a0The most prolific and well-known are the two largest Phelo sub-races: Treekin and Lichens. Phelos are as diverse in their appearance as all the trees in a forest, but they all act to grow and protect the sacred forests of their world.<\/span><\/p>\n Phelos, if separated from their nature aspect, would look like large, leathery animals or humans. \u00a0They usually have two arms and legs just as any other humanoid race. \u00a0It is the Phelos\u2019 nature aspect that makes them into something completely unique and unlike most races. \u00a0Because Phelos are essentially two organisms living in the same space, they have an innate understanding of the interconnectedness of the world and its systems. \u00a0Its plant half feeds the animal half, and the animal half can move to feed and protect the plant half. \u00a0In addition, over time, the Phelos\u2019 halves truly merge and become one being. \u00a0When this happens, the Phelo has reached maturity and can reproduce through the means associated with its nature aspect.<\/span><\/p>\n Each Phelo has a <\/span>nature aspect<\/span><\/i>; a part of nature permanently interwoven into the (usually) animal biology of the Phelo. \u00a0It is the nature aspect of the Phelo that determines its sub-race.<\/span><\/p>\n Treekin: \u00a0<\/i><\/b>As their name suggests, Treekin-Phelos are usually bound to tree species of some kind. \u00a0This makes them taller and gives them the ability to photosynthesize and grow bark skin. \u00a0The reason Treekin are so wide-spread is because they are effectively a vehicle for the tree they have been bound to. \u00a0It is believed that trees exist in all parts of the world because of the Treekin planting them there.<\/span><\/p>\n Treekin have bark that thickens as they age, they generally have twigs, leaves, and grass for hair, emerald green eyes, and an occasional random branches out their shoulders, arms, legs, or back. \u00a0Their bark acts as an armor that can actually protect them from both magic and melee damage. \u00a0They are not able to wear normal armor, and generally choose not to wield any weapons.<\/span><\/p>\n Treekin usually carry pouches of their tree\u2019s seeds so they can spread them as they travel. \u00a0These seeds will grow into trees, not Phelos. \u00a0Treekin-Phelos reproduce by budding when they have matured and reach \u201cAncient Sentinel\u201d status (explained in more detail below).<\/span><\/p>\n Lichens<\/i><\/b>: Lichens receive their name because they are bound to and covered in Lichens. \u00a0They are usually short and stout (almost dwarf-like), and are a mobile embodiment of the Lichens\u2019 spirit. \u00a0Lichen-Phelos generally relate more to the death and decay portion of the circle of life, and are more likely to cause degenerative damage in combat than healing and regeneration.<\/span><\/p>\n Lichens tend to be even more reclusive than Treekin because they appear almost as human lepers, and are shunned except by the more \u201cevil\u201d races. \u00a0They do not form majestic Ancient Sentinels when they age, instead they spread as blight along the ground forming an \u201cAncient Blight\u201d, and only then can they reproduce through budding. \u00a0Because of their nature, the Lichen-Phelos never truly die and maintain their ability to cast silent and still spells at trespassers indefinitely.<\/span><\/p>\n Also known as \u201ctree folk\u201d in outside circles, Phelos generally live solitary or clan-based lives guarding their territories from outside threats. \u00a0Few outsiders oppose the Will of \u201cforbidden forests\u201d and fewer still return to tell about it. \u00a0It is rumored that ancient Phelos turn trespassers into forest animals with a quick snap of their branches, or even into Phelos.<\/span><\/p>\n Although Phelos are quite prolific, they are not well-known because they usually keep to the forests. \u00a0They are often described more in the form of fairy-tales and legends than actual experience by city-dwellers. \u00a0Those who live near wooded areas often see Phelos on a regular basis, but they are still intrigued every time they actually encounter one face-to-face.<\/span><\/p>\n Phelos are territorial and although some form small tribes, they rarely come together for any reason. \u00a0They can reproduce both sexually via pollination (as trees) and asexually by budding (as mature, Ancient Phelos). There are male and females of the species, but there is no functional difference. \u00a0Visible differences are superficial because a female\u2019s breasts are \u00a0either from an original host or as a symbolic representation of the great mother.<\/span><\/p>\n Most Phelos keep to themselves or their small clans, content with protecting their territories, but some feel the call to expand their territory, spread their seed, or even go exploring. There is no formal leadership or codes of conduct\u2014each Phelo simply acts in the best interest of the forest and its clan.<\/span><\/p>\n Treekin generally focus on mastering Primal or Elemental domains because as they age their bark hardens and they become more tree-like. \u00a0This process, known among scholars as the \u201cSentinel\u2019s Path,\u201d restricts movement until they are so slow the Phelo chooses to root itself to the ground. \u00a0Once rooted, a Phelo undergoes a primal transformation to become the most immense <\/span>Ancient Sentinel<\/span><\/i> of the forest; usually stretching far above the canopy to watch over their territories.<\/span><\/p>\n Ancient Sentinels spread a toxin (much like that of black walnut) at their feet that extends approximately 5 to 150 feet from the Sentinel in all directions. \u00a0The toxin allows only grass to grow, although the area is filled with an aura of regeneration (sought after by many); but the Sentinel still decides whether the trespasser is worthy of this gift. \u00a0These grassy clearings surrounding an immense guardian are a notice to trespassers that an ancient and reverent power stands before them.<\/span><\/p>\n Ancient Sentinels begin \u201cbudding\u201d immediately, creating as many as a dozen Phelos every decade or so. \u00a0The new Phelos retain the knowledge of the parent, but they are new souls needing to unlock previously known skills and magics.<\/span><\/p>\n Lichen-Phelos generally focus on mastering Primal or Elemental domains because when a Lichen \u201cdies\u201d it undergoes a primal transformation to become an immense <\/span>Ancient Blight <\/span><\/i>of the forest; spreading approximately 5 to 150 feet from the Phelo\u2019s resting place in all directions. \u00a0The blight allows only lichens to grow, and the area is filled with an aura of degeneration (feared by many); and can be suppressed or focused by the will of the Blight. \u00a0The blight (and the degeneration aura) takes effect immediately at the time of the Phelo\u2019s death.<\/span><\/p>\n Because the Phelo and the lichens are actually one organism, the Phelo lives on in every lichen in the blight. \u00a0These lichen-covered clearings are a deadly warning to trespassers that an ancient and formidable power is upon them.<\/span><\/p>\n Ancient Blights begin \u201cbudding\u201d immediately, a dozen or so Phelos are born every decade. \u00a0The new Phelos retain the knowledge of the parent, but they are also new souls needing to unlock previously known skills and magics.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Plants are one of the most basic forms of life. \u00a0As primary producers of energy on a planet, plants convert sunlight into stored energy for animals and higher life forms to consume. \u00a0Phelos (pronounced “fellows”) are a symbiote race of a plant-like nature aspect woven and fused into an animal or humanoid body with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":220,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[52,59,57,56,54,55,60,58,53],"class_list":["post-219","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-age-of-the-magi","tag-crow","tag-fantasy","tag-magic","tag-phelos","tag-race","tag-sneak-peek","tag-tree","tag-worldbuilders"],"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/oakheartgames.com\/boardgames\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/219","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/oakheartgames.com\/boardgames\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/oakheartgames.com\/boardgames\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oakheartgames.com\/boardgames\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oakheartgames.com\/boardgames\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=219"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/oakheartgames.com\/boardgames\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/219\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":223,"href":"https:\/\/oakheartgames.com\/boardgames\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/219\/revisions\/223"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oakheartgames.com\/boardgames\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/220"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/oakheartgames.com\/boardgames\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=219"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oakheartgames.com\/boardgames\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=219"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oakheartgames.com\/boardgames\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=219"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Nature Aspect<\/b><\/h2>\n
Phelo Society<\/b><\/h2>\n
Ancient Sentinels – Treekin<\/b><\/h2>\n
Ancient Blight – Lichen<\/b><\/h2>\n