Barhana

Spirit folk connected to their islands.

Basics

• Taxonomic Order: TheFolk

• Alignment: Poioumenonic

• Energy: Ethereal Essence

• Lifespan: 1,000 years

• Diet: Sunlight, soil nutrients, and water

• Habitat: Forested islands

Origins

Barhanas evolved from the Arboreal elves.

Description

Barhanas appear to be anthropomorphic figures with rose pink skin, patches of bark on their bodies, and leaves for hair. Their eyes are pockets of light. When they stretch out their arms, an image of a tree appears around them.

Procreation

Barhanas reproduce with one another via ethereal conjunction, bonding to one another physically and forming a new barhana. They can reproduce with any other species this way except menywod, always producing a barhana, but culturally, any reproduction with a being who is not a barhana is frowned upon.

Powers

Barhanas can elongate their arms, and when they do, the arms become like that which they are bonded to. They form tree-auras when they do this, no matter what they are bonded to.

Bonding

Barhanas can bond with anything they can see and touch. Their bonding is done through touch and will - they touch what they wish to bond with, and they will the bond to happen. They can only will the bond to happen if they can see what they are touching. Once bonded, they will be able to sense that which they are bonded to at all times, be able to share characteristics of their bonded target, be able to communicate with it if it is intelligent enough to be communicated with, and transfer their own characteristics into the bonded target.

Barhanas can bond their entire being to any being or thing on the island they dwell upon and thereby connect to the entire island, permanently. If they are not dwelling upon an island, they begin to change and slowly lose their identities. If they are bonded to an island, they can leave that island and remain bonded and maintain their identity.

To bond to an island, they must find something on that island to bond with that is not self-aware or intelligent. That is, they must bond with a non-mortal on the island. Usually, this is a plant, often a tree, but it can be an animal, fungus, or natural object (stone, glass, dirt, even fog). It must be something that is naturally part of the island in order for them to bond to the island through it.

Once bonded to an island, they cannot change that specific bond. However, they can temporarily bond with anything or anyone even while bonded to the island. Temporary bonds last either until the barhana or the bonded target choose to break the bond or for about six hours for every level of success in the bonding roll (momentary for a tie, six hours for a normal success, twelve hours for a special success, eighteen hours for exceptional). To bond, the barhana rolls their bonding power against the WIL of the target, even if the target is consenting.

Barhanas can influence plants if they bond with plants. They can influence animals if they bond with animals. They can influence fungi if they bond with fungi. And so on. They must be able to see the being they bond with, so bonding with microorganisms is nearly impossible in most situations. If they bond with unintelligent things (rocks, for example), they have no influence over similar objects, only the specific one they bonded with. If they bond with another mortal, they will not have influence over other mortals nor even the mortal they are bonded with. Bonding with other intelligent beings is usually reserved only for procreation.

Transferral

Barhanas can transfer characteristics between themselves and their bonded target at will, but they cannot take so much from their bonded target as to incapacitate it without breaking the bond, even the permanent bond. In fact, it is extremely dangerous for them to do this with their permanent bond. Therefore, for every point they take, they must return one to the target that is of equal weight - a base state for a base stat, a substat for a substat, a mundane skill point for a mundane skill point, a language skill point for a language skill point, an esoteric skill point for an esoteric skill point, a point of power in an ability for the same, etc. They cannot transfer bonuses from possessions, charms, spells, etc.

If the barhana takes characteristics that go beyond mere points, an equal exchange is still required. For example, if they turn their skin to stone to match a stone they are bonded to, they must let the stone borrow their skin. If they take the eyesight of an animal they are bonded to, the animal then must have their eyesight. And so on.

Weaknesses

Cacophony can disrupt the connections of a barhana. Void and ibbissu can also disrupt them.

Nations

There are three nations of barhana:

• Duillials: the original nation, in the northern Island Bridge.

• Rungials: a nation in the central Island Bridge.

• Temnials: a nation in the southern Island Bridge.

Culture

Duillials are a widespread nation throughout the northern Island Bridge, ranging from southeastern Jesenranu to western Mahad. Every Duillial community is different, based on their preferences for what they bond to. Every island has a different community, and every community identifies itself with a different aspect of their island. Most choose to bond to their islands through plants, but some do choose to bond to the local fauna or other features of the islands. The most famous non-living example is a community who bond to a set of cliffs that are part of their local lore; others famously bond to volcanoes or special rocks or crystals. Each island centers their community identity on these bonding preferences. A typical community all bonds to the same kind of plant, usually a tree. Olive, oleander, and laurel trees are the most common.

Those that bond with plants keep intricate, beautiful gardens that sprawl throughout their villages and towns (there are no Duillial cities). The gardens spill over roofs, run along walls, line the narrow, winding streets, and fill the parks and public spaces. Trees dominate the area such that towns are almost indistinguishable from forest. Every community is led by a council of landowners who control most of the island, usually, and who form bonds as political ties. They are elected by the privileged among the community who have enough status to be allowed to vote. This is determined by what roles they take in the community.

The eight privileged roles in the community are tree-keeper, fruit-gatherer, hunter-fisher, boat-maker, net-maker, faith-speaker, town-protector, and feather-finder. Tree-keepers are gardeners, botanicists, and orchardists. Fruit-gatherers not only gather fruit, but manage the distribution of food in general. They cultivate the orchards and the great fields of cereal grains that make up the center of Duillial agriculture. Hunter-fishers are responsible for all animal management in the community. Boat-makers are also skilled sailors and map-makers. Net-makers provide nets and other rope materials for the whole community, especially the hunter-fishers. The faith-speakers are religious leaders (see below), and town-protectors are warriors (see below). Feather-finders are crafters of clothing, ornamentation, and common items. All other community roles are generalized and undertaken by non-voting members of the community called commoners.

Children are raised by their immediate families, though some landowners’ children are raised by servants. They are encouraged to practice bonding from a very young age. They are not capable of a permanent bond to an island until they are at least fourteen, so anything they bond with as children is always temporary. By the time they are fourteen, most have been taught the traditions, legends, and norms, and they begin training to bond permanently with the island. It is rare that someone chooses to leave the island they grew up on, but when it happens, they are encouraged to take a raft and explore for a few years. Most return. By age sixteen, they perform the ceremony that takes them to the special bonding place where they bond with the plant (or animal, etc.) that the community chooses for bonding with the island.

If they are children of landowners, they are trained in one of the eight privileged roles as well as in governance. If they are children of privileged non-landowners, they are trained in the roles of their parents. If they are children of commoners, they are trained generally to do something useful for the island.

Otherwise, Duillial culture is extremely variable. They are heavily influenced by Stayflian cultures, Mahadi cultures, Talunese culture, and the various cultures of the Reever Sea and northern Taggarus. This blending of cultures is reflected in their bonding with other mortals to learn and grow.

National Cultures

The other national cultures vary in some ways:

• Rungials: Rungials are heavily influenced by Mahadi, Dabusenses, and Taggaran cultures, but their main focus is finding ways to survive in the stormy, violent regions of the central Island Bridge. They are known for their ability to avoid or fight destroyers, and they are more likely to bond with animals than other barhana.

• Temnials: a nation in the southern Island Bridge known for their connections with the unique floral and fauna of the island countries there. They are integrated strongly into many cultures, but especially those connected to the rainbow serpents.

Esoterica

Barhanas are beings of ethereal essence and can use it innately. They are capable, therefore, of using any other energy of any being they connect with and many they have not. The only energy they cannot wield is cacophony, which disrupts their connections. They mostly use poioumenonic powers; they avoid using ikehua lyua pele, which they view as “too close” to the islands.

Religion

Duillials worship a being they call (Pul Banaane Vaala) the Bridgemaker, a Divine representation of connectedness that is partly seen as a concept and partly seen as a colonial entity. They worship this entity via a syncretic faith that mixes a fertility cult (focused on building massive statues), more organized religions from around Jesenya and Mahad, polytheistic faiths in Stayflies, and conceptual faiths from Dabusen. Their faith leaders are chosen to speak to the Divine on behalf of the people, and they do this through communing with spirits, elementals, ancestors, and other conduits between mortal and beyond. These are a mixture of shaman, druid, guru, and prophet.

Gender

Because of their interconnectedness, barhanas view gender as a matrix of identity, biology, and community. They universally use neutral-plural pronouns in their own languages.

Economy

Duillials live in a feudal society.

Military

The town-protectors intentionally bond to animals and plants that give them better protection, speed, senses, and other characteristics that help them fight and guard their homes. Every community has a strong force of them, and every landowner has their own private force of them.

Language

Their language is entirely made up.

Occupations

The eight privileged roles in the community are tree-keeper, fruit-gatherer, hunter-fisher, boat-maker, net-maker, faith-speaker, town-protector, and feather-finder. Tree-keepers are gardeners, botanicists, and orchardists. Fruit-gatherers not only gather fruit, but manage the distribution of food in general. They cultivate the orchards and the great fields of cereal grains that make up the center of Duillial agriculture. Hunter-fishers are responsible for all animal management in the community. Boat-makers are also skilled sailors and map-makers. Net-makers provide nets and other rope materials for the whole community, especially the hunter-fishers. The faith-speakers are religious leaders (see below), and town-protectors are warriors (see below). Feather-finders are crafters of clothing, ornamentation, and common items. All other community roles are generalized and undertaken by non-voting members of the community called commoners.

Outside View

Barhanas are viewed as obscure and reclusive beings. They are often though to be myths spoken of only by sailors.

Notables

• Lamaera, Barhana Manifest, Healer, Aeonian

• Faranasia, Ranger of the Island Woods, Aeonian

• Aeralasian, Sorceress of the Green Isles, Aeonian

Estimated Populations

• Duillials: 1 million

• Rungials: 500,000

• Temnials: 500,000

• Other: 500,000

Sample Stats

PRO 8
ATH 8
STR 8
AWA 8
WIL 8
PRS 8
STH 8