Gancanagh

Gancanagh have a rather humanoid appearance. Their skin is incredibly pale, and their hair is long, wavy and a pale blonde in colour. Their eyes are a vibrant green, that appears to glow in a certain light.   They have slender frames, with a moderate amount of muscle. Their ears are not pointed. Both male and female Gancanagh are said to be supernaturally attractive.

Gancanagh are capable of communicating with plants and animals at will, and are immune to poison. They can teleport short distances at will with but a whisper, up to about ten metres. Gancanagh are immortal, and do not appear to age whatsoever.

Making their home in the dense forests of the Ceilic Region, Gancanagh tend to favour living in areas of natural beauty, such as at the edges of lakes, near waterfalls or even atop forested mountains. They live in quiet places with little chance of large groups of mortals finding them.

Gancanagh do not need to eat, and they rarely do. Whenever they do, it is often berries and small fruit. They do this more out of enjoyment than a genuine need to eat.

When dealing with strangers, Gancanagh tend to be extremely timid and untalkative. It is only by visiting the area the Gancanagh lives repeatedly does the Gancanagh begin to feel more comfortable. They watch strangers with great interest, trying to figure out if they can be trusted.   Once a Gancanagh has made certain that the stranger in question is not violent and is good natured, they may confidently introduce themselves. It is at this point that Gancanagh cease all their shyness and become extremely friendly and extroverted with their current social target. They are kind, humourous, sensitive and many are rather flirtatious.   When a Gancanagh lives close to a settlement of mortals, they tend to act in a mischievous, playful manner. They enjoy pulling pranks on mortals from time to time, from simple tricks such as dyeing their livestock green during the night, to more impactful pranks such as pouring large quantities of alcohol down town wells.

Gancanagh tend to live one of two life styles. Some Gancanagh prefer the company of animals to that of their own kind and live alone, with many of these Gancanagh eventually making friends with the mortals they come across.   The majority of Gancanagh live in pairs with their romantic partner. They form close romantic bonds with either another Gancanagh or with a mortal. These relationships are incredibly close, to the point where most Gancanagh would immediately commit suicide if their partner were to die.

Gancanagh are rather intelligent, as to be expected for creatures that can live for thousands of years. They are particularly knowledgeable in areas such as nature, history, geography, medicine, alchemy and magic. Many are also skilled musicians.

Many Gancanagh have a fascination, bordering on obsession, with mortals. This occasionally leads to the Gancanagh developing romantic feelings toward a mortal. They will only approach this mortal when the pair are completely alone, and will behave in a friendly yet flirty manner, often offering the obect of their affections wildflowers that they have picked as a symbol of their feelings.

Once they have entered a relationship, with either a mortal or another of their own kind, Gancanagh tend to be incredible affectionate and become extremely attached to their mate very quickly. Gancanagh mate for life, and grow so attached to their partners that many take their own life after the death of their mate.  

"If you ever fear about any future partners being unfaithful, just wander into the woods and find a Gancanagh to bed." ~Hugon Edanis, Chieftain of Clan Laoc.

There are two distinct cultures within the Gancanagh: those who live in the Faewild, and those who live in the mortal realm.   The Gancanagh of the Faewild are far less timid and peaceful. While they are far more level-headed than Faeries, they have no aversion to violence or disruptive behaviour. They are more confident and can comfortably live their lives in the presence of others.   The Gancanagh of the Mortal Realm are quieter and more thoughtful. They have more of an appreciation for peace and natural beauty. They are far more sensitive than the Gancanagh that live in the Faewild, and aren't as experienced in conversing with others.

While the Gancanagh do not have much in terms of personal history, having never fought in wars or created governments, their existence has led anthropologists to many shocking conclusions.   Many believe that the Gancanagh are the ancestors of both the Changelings and the Merrows. Anthropologists believe that through generations of interbreeding with the mortal races, there was an evolutionary divergence within the Gancanagh, where some lost their immortality but gained the mortal quality of adaptability, allowing them to live in more places than just the forests. The Merrows now inhabit the seas and the Changelings now inhabit the civilized land.

The Venatorians see Gancanagh as little more than forest daemons, with no motivations but seducing and corrupting mortals. The legionnaires that have entered the Ceilic Region have been instructed to kill any Gancanagh on sight.   The Authenians have had little contact with the Gancanagh, but have heard tales of them from the clans of the Ceilic Region. They have become the topic of many books, ranging from anthropological documents to romance novels.   Most of the clans of the Ceilic Region revere the Gancanagh as lesser forest gods, who deserve respect. Others see them as beautiful creatures that make the Ceilic Region such a magnificent place. Clan Ráille see the Gancanagh as distant relatives, due to the fact that they are both lesser divine beings that are aspects of nature. They respect and welcome the Gancanagh, but they see them as equals, not beings to be worshipped.