Treekin
Out of all the Kin of Dreandril, the Treekin are some of the most elusive. With their completely tree-like appearance, only the pine forests of Nefaar seem to be their home. Lumbering giants of the forests, they are few in number but make up for it many times over with their tenacity and bravery.
Barkskin and Mosshair
We went to chop some wood in the forest and didn't realize how deep we'd gone until it was too late. Aithe let his axe sink into the wood and we heard a terrible cry, like the scream of a wailing baby. He was grabbed by something, lifted into the air and thrown about ten meters away and hit the trunk of a nearby tree with a sickening thunk. I was about to search for the source of the violence when a thick branch wrapped around me and a quiet voice said, "I wouldn't do that if I was you, woodsman..."When standing completely still, Treekin can actually be mistaken for actual trees, hence their name. What they have for hair looks like a jumble of colourful moss which comes in a rainbow of possible colours. Their skin is more pliable and damageable than tree bark, but only just; it often takes a few good swings of an axe to realize that one has hit a Treekin instead. Because of these traits, good foresters know to stay clear of areas where the Treekin live, as they don't want to hurt them accidentally and start another war...
The Blue Insides
When something does penetrate a Treekin's think skin and they do get injured, they do actually bleed like other Kin do. Their blood, if one wants to call it that, is blue-black in colour and smells faintly of raw rubber. Within moments, the liquid flows over the wound and it closes up. The restorative power of the fluid is so strong that it can even regenerate limbs, although this often takes many years to accomplish. It is for this reason that many evil-minded Kin have been known to try to steal their blood to be used in healing salves and potions.Sylvan Philosophers
Despite the way they are often portrayed by other Kin, they aren't particularly reverent of nature, nor are they the exact opposite. The commonly-held belief held by the Treekin is that nature will sort out any one force that gets too powerful and will bolster any force that is too weak. Extrapolating from that, they don't really need to prevent damage to the forests, as something will right the damage without their help. Some see this as a particularly selfish attitude to hold, but they simply see it as practical. Because of this, most Treekin are averse to worshipping deities or believing in anything other than what they can directly see.Settlements and Travel
In addition to their wooden appearance, the Treekin photosynthesize or draw up most of their nutrients from the soil as other plants do. As far as their broader culture goes, then, they tend to live in small groups of ten to twenty, sitting in a "grove" together or wandering the forest in search of something to learn. One of the group is often revered as an elder; these Treekin have grown so massive that they can barely move and are nearly rooted to the spot like regular trees. The elders dispense wisdom and the younger Treekin move around to make sure they are kept safe. They very rarely leave their pine-filled home, preferring to stay as far away from woodsmen's axes as they can. Attacking a Treekin with an axe is often grounds for war, however, and if that happens, woodsmen have regularly seen a grove take up residence near the edge of the forest to protect more vulnerable Treekin further inside.
Lifespan
2000-3500 years
Average Height
185 cm - 220 cm
Average Weight
125 kg - 170 kg
Ilami
This simplistic language is the main Treekin language. Its short alphabet might make a stranger believe that it was childish at first glance. This is purely due to the fact that the Treekin just don't have the same mouth flexibility that the other Kin of Dreandril have, so it takes them so much longer to say much of anything. It is truly a very beautiful and melodic language, and many of the words for plants and animals in Nefaarese come from the Ilami words for them.Relations with the Nefaarik
What little "history" that the Treekin keep usually revolves around their rocky relationship with their Smoothkin neighbours. On a couple of occasions since the Rising, the Blue Prince has called for aid from the Treekin to help defend his realm. Otherwise, the official policy has been to leave the Treekin alone lest they get hurt or damaged. Once you've angered a Treekin, they will remember long after your children's children have gone to their graves.Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
Those are nice plant/people :D I like the small story you have at the start! And it's great that you've done a drawing to illustrate how they look! (although you still need to add artist credits even if you've done them yourself). Do you have a maximum height for them? You've given an average but the treekin seem taller in your drawing – but I'm probably also very bad at judging size XD " they don't want to hurt them accidentally and start another war..." XD love that. I like how you've described their language! Do they maybe also have special sounds in their speech that human cannot make? Like some wood cracking or something like that? I'm curious about their philosophy, since it doesn't sound as if they would go to war against or for their neighbours, but you say they have done so occasionally. Are there particular circumstances that makes them do so in those cases? The treekin have roots in their feet, right? Can they push them into the ground to get more nutrients?