Peiktar (/pɪk'tʌɹ/, /pɪk'tʌɹ.i/)

Peiktari are the most common sapient species that exist on Etharai. It is also said that they are the oldest, though this is up for debate and there is no real way of either confirming or denying this. They are one of the most magically talented species in Etharai, with 1 in 3 peiktari having some level of aptitude for some form of magic.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Peiktari are green-skinned creatures with branch-like structures growing from their heads, elbows, and shoulders. They have four limbs: two arms, and two legs. Their arteries and veins contain dark green, almost black blood, which is visible in some places on their skin, giving them vine-like patterns on thinner areas of skin, such as their face, neck, and hands. They have solid black eyes, which seem to bulge outwards, giving them peripheral vision of around 180 degrees. Their feet are hoof-like, and they have unusually long arms and fingers.

Genetics and Reproduction

Peiktar are the only sentient species of Etharai that does not sexually reproduce. Instead, peiktari are created by planting seeds in a particular type of magically-infused soil. The growing peiktar gains the traits of the person whose magic was used to form this soil, peiktari or not. The peiktar develops into something that resembles a tree stump, before they are able to be removed from their soil at around 3 months after they were planted. At that point, the peiktar begins to emerge from the stump and begins to develop as a child.

Growth Rate & Stages

When peiktari are removed from their soil, they are already somewhat developed, able to walk and see, though they typically do not pick up language until a month or so after they emerge. From there, they have a childhood stage that lasts around 5 years, an adolescent stage that lasts around 1, and a teenage stage that lasts 3-4 more years. They develop their branches in childhood, but their veins are not often visible until they are mid-adolesence.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Peiktari name their children after aspects of nature in their language. For example, a child may be named Apheri'thyati'ashmi, meaning "blooming night flower", or Rathyri'amn'athar, meaning "gently flowing stream". Peiktari typically do not take surnames, though this varies depending on ethnicity. They do, often, use nicknames, especially when in communities with high populations of other species. Typically, they will shorten their name to its last "part", as that is typically the root word in their name. A peiktar named Uthraia'myathli'alara, or "bright and courageous star", would shorten their name to just Alara, or "star".

Peiktar with Jewellery by notahumanhand

Lifespan

50-60 yrs.

Average Height

5 metres

Peiktari Beauty: Jewellery

Peiktari are a species that love to adorn themselves with jewellery; it is as important an aspect of their outfits as their clothing. Many peiktari enjoy dangling jewellery with many parts, remniscient of leaves or fruit.
Many peiktari enjoy decorating themselves with actual plant life, often using some basic Amyth to keep the plants alive and growing. Some practice a ritual known as Sprouting, embedding seeds into their skin to grow into ornamental plants. This tradition is a matter of high significance to the peiktari, as it serves to further connect them to nature and the trees they came from.