Phoenix
Immortals of the Harr'jekh, Life's Wellspring, phoenixes serve as the resurrectively immortal guardians of life in its purest form. From the smallest crust of lichen to the largest orc, all life serves a special role to phoenixes, and so they attempt to keep Sekai's ecosystems in balance when they can, though increasingly, ecosystem engineers such as mystic dragons and humanoids have moved in on their territory.
Primarily created to serve as blended-in ecosystem kickstarters rather than diplomats, phoenixes are evasive to most sapient lifeforms, preferring to instead stay on the sidelines and set fires in barren lands in the effort to fertilise the ground or act as unsung custodians for particularly fruitful ecosystems. When they brave these new, mortal ecosystem engineers, however, they tend to be surprisingly kind, polite, and willing to discuss situations peacefully, knowing that even if killed, they will simply rise from their ashes.
They do have significant blind spots in their discussion points; for example, the concept of industry beyond a means of facilitating higher reproductive rates and economies are simply too bizarre for them to process, and similarly, intra-species war that isn't the result of simple, objective resource competition makes little sense to them. As such, they are generally incapable of appearing as anything but weak-willed 'we should all get along' advocates to modern humanoid cultures.
More primitive and pacifistic cultures, however, such as the tribal goblins of the Forests of Summer and the pacifistic dragon tamers of Nandani, deeply appreciate phoenixes, and try to live according to their idealistic tenets whenever possible. They are usually disguised as one of the many animals in a given ecosystem, but when they need to expressly present as a phoenix, they prefer to appear as burning, raptor-like birds.
Additional Information
Facial characteristics
Due to preferring animalistic forms, this is not usually relevant, though the standard phoenix form has a beak akin to most raptors, and similar wing to eagles. Their eyes are round, rather than slitted, even when they take snakelike or catlike forms.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Phoenixes are an extremely rare sight, but are mostly seen in Nandani, the peaceful, dragon-friendly nation in Amerist's far south. There's at least one phoenix in Arkhera's Forest of Summer, as a figure of worship within the foresst goblin communities, and they're rarely seen flying through the jungles of Jaranar and Qaras.
Average Intelligence
Phoenixes are mostly sapient and empathetic, though they are notably unsympathetic to sport hunters and warriors, not understanding any possible reason people would kill for the thrill of it or kill members of their own species. As such, when they show themselves, they can often appear as holier-than-thou.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Like other immortals of the Old Four, phoenixes have a naming convention of adding an honorific, 'Harr'jask ge', to their given name, meaning 'the friend who kindles life' in Lifetongue. Their given names are extremely variable, depending on the region seen.
Phoenix name examples: Harr'jask ge Jamal, Harr'jask ge Garskal, Harr'jask ge Mulemni, Harr'jask ge Yinlen, Harr'jask ge Anisha, Harr'jask ge Lumeris.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Phoenixes attempt to keep a peaceful relationship with all other species, including fellow immortals. This pacifism extends even to their direct opposites, the harvesters, who they deem as necessary parts of a cycle between the Harr'jekh and the Harr'khel. As such, while their interactions with mortals are rare, they're usually pleasant. They're capable of shifting into a pleasing humanoid form when liaising with humanoid mortals and discuss matters on their level, albeit with a naivete that not all humanoids will appreciate. For most cultures, however, phoenixes are so evasive around them that they're merely a legend.
Scientific Name
Deus avignis
Origin/Ancestry
The Harr'jekh
Average Physique
Phoenixes generally take the form of a flaming bird, though they be choose to take on any animal's shape and retain the fire and resurrective immortality of their usual form.
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Phoenixes tend to prefer colouring their feathers/fur orange or red. Their eyes are usually yellow-gold, while their skin, in humanoid form, usually edges towards browns and blacks, akin to Nandanese humans and dark elves.
Geographic Distribution
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