Högni

Högni vary in their makeup greatly, with some arrangement limbs between four and eight in count, with the individual limbs typically being stronger the fewer there are. All högni have one eye, and most stand between four and six feet in height. Their bodies do not necessarily appear natural or organic to Displaced humans, but they very much are, despite the gears and cogs and glass that may adorn their frame.   The skin of the högni varies just as much as their number of limbs, ranging from a sort of bony, almost stony texture to distinctly icy and crystalline. The flesh beneath is not particularly sensitive to pain, and it is common among the högni to carve runes, glyphs, designs, blueprints, or simply decorations into their own flesh. Going to deep can be painful, but there are those högni who have taken it to an extreme and carved entire sections of themselves out over many years.

Högni reproduce through a peculiar method, even among foundlings. Bonded pairs or groups will come together to fashion what is known as a Brilft together. This brilft is complex, bizarre, and utterly esoteric in nature. Once it is finished, it is wound tight, and set into a prepared crib which is left overnight. In the morning, an infant högni will be in the crib, clutching their brilft.   The composition and intent of the brilft usually has a severe impact on the skin and bodily arrangement of the child once they grow to maturity, often with the skin of a högni perfectly matching the material of their brilft.   Each brilft is incomplete, incorrect in some way. It ticks irregularly, will stop and stutter and start again. It is thought by some that each högni's life mission is to complete their brilft, and to work toward any other goal is foolish. Regardless, it is known that on the day a högni dies, their brilft ceases its mysterious ticking. The completion of a brilft and what effect it may have varies, and is a deeply personal secret for all högni.   If a högni loses their brilft, or it is destroyed, they may enter a frenzy of creation in order to replace it with a new one, called a silft. Silfts are considered somewhat shameful, unless they can be completed as the brilft ought to have been.

Young högni grow into adolescence by their tenth winter, and are typically considered adults by their sixteenth. Usually, högni arrive simply bipedal, and grow into and limb changes they will experience before adulthood. Their skin hardens by their twenthieth winter, which is when they may begin carving in it without suffering pain or harm.

Each högni has an innate need to craft each and every day, lest they go mad and expire. They can go a few days without, but at a certain point the compulsion will override the need for sleep and self preservation. Aside from this, högni have no need to eat, though they are capable of it. They are also able to derive energy from the maintenance of items they have created or had a hand in created.

While any given högni may not have exceptional or extraordinary senses, it is common for högni to have tools and implements built into their bodies matching the craft of their brilft. Some have a telescoping eye capable of zooming and focusing, others may have ears which naturally shut to dampen the sound of forging; the list goes on and on.