The Natives of Persifon

Monsters and deadly flora are not the only things to be wary of on Persifon.
A group of humans, referred to only as The Natives, have long been one of the biggest thorns in the side of any nation that wished to establish a permanent settlement on Persifon. They live deep within the continent's dense forests and are typically aggressive isolationists.
With Persifon being one of the few places left in the world where magic is alive and plentiful, the natives have become highly skilled practitioners. Even the youngest among them are capable of feats of magic that make even an Archon's blessings seem like parlour tricks. This is because of the symbiotic relationship that the natives have with the Spirits, from whom all magic springs. the natives traditionally believe in only taking and using that which they need. Anything that they produce or hunt in excess is given to the Spirits as an offering. In return for these offerings, the Spirits provide the natives with magic power.
As the natives view their magic as a gift, they perform their magic as a ritual in celebration of the powers that they have been granted, as well as what they are about to achieve with said powers. These rituals usually take the form of beautiful and intricate songs and dances. These rituals can be as gentle as a mother singing to her baby or as boisterous as a square full of people enjoying a festival.
Magic also influences the native's language, as many have learned to speak non-verbally, sharing thoughts and emotions with those nearby. This is typically used while out on the hunt or between those the natives are close with. Otherwise, the native's spoken language is a combination of words and gestures. Due to the fact that most of the natives share their emotions with those around them via magic, the spoken element of their language is completely monotone and it can be difficult to understand the deeper meaning behind their words. This is what the gestures are used for, as they use the hand symbols and motions to convey emotion and meaning behind the words that they have just said. As non-verbal conversations cannot be held in private, as the speaker is simply broadcasting their thoughts and emotions to all who are trained to listen, any who wish to speak privately must do so verbally.
Amongst the natives, the family unit is somewhat different to that of the ones seen in Bastique or Serpé. the natives see it as the duty of all men and all women to take care of their peoples young. As such, every male and female of hunting age is considered a child's mother and father. Because of this, the natives also practice open relationships, where any male can be with any female and vice versa. This also includes same-sex relationships, as the natives view the act of sex as being the giving and receiving of pleasure and do not feel the need to restrict whom that pleasure may come from.
The only significance that is placed on the child's birth parents is that the child's surname will signify them as their mother's child. Forenames are equally as different to those in the outside world. The birth parents, and those closest to them, will gather together upon their child's birth and decide upon a name based on that which they hold most dear or see as most precious.
When a native wishes to pursue a relationship with someone, they go about it in a rather blunt fashion. They will simply go up to their desired mate and ask if they would like to have sex. If the answer is no, the spurned native simply moves on, either continuing the conversation onto other subjects or leaving to find sex elsewhere. Anyone that attempts to force the matter is quickly dealt with and exiled from the village and will no longer benefit from the Spirits gifts.
While all natives are encouraged to express themselves in whatever way they are most comfortable, this must still be done practically. This is because everyone is expected to hunt, craft, cook and care for the children. No one native is expected to perform a single role. If someone attempts to refuse to do a specific job, they will soon find themselves being dragged out by the other natives by force if necessary. Exceptions are only made for those who are especially skilled at certain roles and the Masters of each job, who are in charge of that area of the village. However, they can still be called on to aid in other roles in times of need.
The natives are master crafters as well as hunters, capable of crafting the finest jewellery as well as blades and arrowheads. As they need to maximise their mobility within the forests when on hunts, the natives eschew plate and chainmail, instead opting for leather and hide armour to protect them. As with the rest of their lives, their crafts are also influenced by magic, as each crafter will sing a little of that magic into each blade, boot or necklace that they make.
Despite their isolationism, the natives have allowed a small trading camp to be built, which they closely monitor to ensure the merchants that sail to and from the continents are not building beyond what they have been allowed. This compromise was made after merchants from both the factions of Serpé and the city-states of Bastique arrived and made an offering to the natives. This offering consisted of wines, cheeses and meats from Bastique and ales, pasta and pastries from Serpé. The natives were mildly interested in these treats for themselves, but their real value to them came from how they would be received by the spirits as an offering. So, in return for the continued provision of treats from their homelands, the natives offered the merchants some of the products that they had a great excess of. These consisted of a substance that the natives called Ambrosia, that was produced by the magic-infused bees native to the forest, as well as the mana crystals grown by the natives, capable of storing magic to be utilised however the wielder saw fit.

Naming Traditions

Unisex names

Silver, Gold, Tree, Bow, Magic, Ambrosia, Ruby, Dagger, Pine, Ocean, Home

Family names

Forests-daughter, Spirits-son, Ambers-son, Arrows-daughter etc.

Culture

Art & Architecture

Both the style of art and architecture used by the natives tends to lean towards the natural. Many of the buildings in their village have been crafted using magic to morph the trees of the forest into shapes that will allow them to either build their homes on or into them. If there are no trees suitable for building, the natives will use the wood from the trees normally used for tools and weapons to build their homes by hand upon the ground. This is only done as a last resort, however, as a tree home is always preferable.
The jewellery that they make also follows this motif, with many of the natives sporting silver broaches in the form of tress, or rings that have the appearance of intertwined flowers. The same is true of the murals that they paint around the village. The natives love colour and the closer you get to the village as you travel through the forest, the more it seems to turn into a floral rainbow.

Coming of Age Rites

Once a child has reached an age where they are capable of both regularly hitting a target in archery training and also have begun to master non-verbally communicating to others through magic, they will be taken out on their first hunt. Several veteran hunters will also accompany them to ensure their safety. If the child can successfully and cleanly hunt a creature through the forest and bring it home, they will have completed their trial and will officially be considered an adult.
Should the child fail to hunt an animal on that outing, they will be allowed to make further attempts on future hunts. It is rare for any child to successfully complete their trial on their first attempt.

Funerary and Memorial customs

Whenever a native is killed while out on the hunt, or they naturally reach the end of their lives, they are buried beneath a tree that has been specially grown and crafted by their loved ones using magic. This tree, once it has grown to a suitable size, will then be used to provide a home for the next generation as a means to allow their ancestors to always provide them with shelter. It is common to see natives speaking to certain trees around the village, as though speaking to their loved one or ancestor.
There is a grove some miles away from the village that is filled with these special trees. They are not to be used for building, however, and all who enter the grove can instantly feel a sense of solemnity. These trees represent the graves of children who sadly lost their lives. Due to the importance, care and love that the natives place in their children, this grove is treated with reverence and respect and is fiercely protected.

Common Myths and Legends

In the centre of the village is a giant oak tree that towers above all other trees. This tree has never been built on as it is believed that beneath the tree is the body of the natives greatest warrior and protector. The legends tell stories of the journey that the warrior went on, defeating monsters and outsmarting old sorcerers until he came before the Shadow of the Forest. The Shadow of the Forest was a dark entity that swore to destroy all life within the forest, but the warrior using all of his might was able to destroy the Shadow.
The natives still believe to this day that should the Shadow return, or some other great evil should seek to harm them, the warrior will rise from beneath the mighty oak to protect them.