Arbin

A folk ancestry with marsupial features and an affinity for wind and root magic.

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Arbin are bipedal folk have marsupial features and a strong prehensile tail that they can use for balance or to grab onto branches with. Their ancestry has granted them a natural affinity for wind and root magic which many people still associate with them and their ancestral living-structures grown from trees.
Arbins have large flaps of skin beneath their arms that allow them to glide for short distances, but they are unable to truly fly. Even a skilled wind mage would have trouble controlling both their magic and balance at the same time!

Physical features

Fur Colours

Arbin fur tones range from deep browns to light orangey colours and has no correlation to to the climate they live in. Grey or white hairs can be an indicator of age, particularly in arbins with dark fur, but it's much less noticeable in folk who have creamy coloured markings to begin with.

Markings

Some folks have light facial markings such as a band or gradient covering their nasal region, and there are also people who have stripes (or "rings") of richer coloured fur in their tails. Most arbins typically have a lighter coloured underbelly, but in some folks the contrast is less noticeable.

Eye Colours

Arbins eyes are typically very dark brown (some people would say even black) but can range to golden amber colours and can sometimes even be blue. They have circular shaped pupils and have excellent depth perception from their ancestors needing to climb and glide from branches with ease.

Self expression

Despite their naturally friendly-looking appearance, some folks take great pride in their self expression to go against the norm, instead opting for shortly cut or even shaved fur to reveal statement tattoos or muscle definition.

Ancestral magic

The arbins ancestors were a tree-dwelling species and learnt how to develop their limited use of magic to influence the direction and growth of branches and roots to make traversing the treetops easier for them. They use wind magic to send warning calls and signals through the branches of the trees in patterns, and are rumoured to even have had the ability to carry individual messages upon a single leaf.
Their knowledge of root magic has continued through to today, where many arbins continue the tradition of creating ornate living-architecture that grows with their families.

While it's true that root magic comes naturally to most arbins, it still takes dedicated practise and tuition to learn how to use it effectively. It's a common misconception that all arbin folk know how to wield it, in fact there are many prestigious arbins who are known to be masters of magic.

Lifespan

Childbirth

Female arbins have a fertile period of about 4 years and give birth to young that need to continue developing in their abdominal pouch for 6-8 months until the baby (called a joey) has grown enough and is ready to emerge.
Joeys will spend time in and out of their mother's pouch to learn motor skills and wean off of milk and onto solid foods.

Childhood

Arbin childhood is a time for fun, mayhem, and mishaps - at this age young arbins will experience using their magic for the first time. It's a core part of their development and is often when they begin learning important life skills. Childhood typically lasts until they reach about 10 years of age at which point they begin their adolescent years.

Adolescence

During thier adolescent years, arbins go through another growth spurt and begin their sexual development. They gain better control and undestanding of their magical abilities and an insatiable curiosity to learn and develop new skills for the life ahead of them.

Adulthood

Arbins finish growth development at around 20 years of age, but it's not a barrier to how much more they can develop their physical and magical abilities! The age at which arbins legally become an "adult" varies in different cultures and countries.

Elder years

Healthy arbin folk typically live a happy life of around 65 years on average, though some have managed to live to be as old as almost 100 years old!
In their latter years, arbins develop grey and white hairs in their fur, and they tend to lose muscle mass, dexterity, and strength (especially in their prehensile tail). Some folks may need more assistance than others with keeping clean or help around the home - but friends and family are always close by to help out.

Contents

Lifespan

65 years

Overview article
Folk Ancestries