The Dryads

The Dryads are one of the most unique races on Ecumene, originating in Western Oriens, but now being forced into diaspora throughout the continent. As one of the Intelligent Races, they have achieved a high level of technology, intelligence, and society that not many other species have, but this has not saved them from a history full of suffering and shame. They are a member of the very broad "Demihuman" group of Races, which includes races that are not entirely bestial in appearance, but not entirely Humanoid. This group also includes Centaurs and Satyrs, although the three races are only distantly related.   Where Satyrs take parts from goats and Centaurs from horses, Dryads are split between a Humanoid upper half and a Cervine (deer-like) lower half. Save for translucent body hair and head hair, the upper body of a Dryad does not have the thick fur of the lower body. Instead, it is covered in something much more interesting: algae. Within the bogs of Western Oriens, there was a species of asexually reproducing algae, now known as "Dryad Moss", that was able to find an excellent home upon the bare skin of Dryads, but not within their hair or the skin of any other race. Before the Age of Divinity, the Dryads were Animists, so those whose skin was covered in this algae were seen as blessed. Before long, all Dryads had their skin covered in this algae, which spread upon contact, and although baby Dryads are born with white skin to this day, they are turned green very swiftly as the algae of their parents spreads onto their skin.   However, the algae is not just for looks. Dryad Moss and the Dryads themselves have a symbiotic relationship that might go back millions of years. As for the algae, it gets a permanent home upon the skin of a Dryad and holds fast there. Algae will only fall off a Dryad's skin when it has died or move onto the skin of a Dryad without algae, and no matter how hard a Dryad's skin is rubbed or washed, live algae will stay on. However, stuck as it may be, the layer of algae upon a Dryad's skin is thin and offers no real protection in of itself. As for the Dryads, the algae upon their skin actively feeds upon harmful bacteria. While Dryads can easily be laid low by viral infections, it is impossible for a Dryad to be stricken with a bacterial infection.   Other than their green skin (and antlers that will be covered later), the upper half of a Dryad is fairly normal for a Demihumanoid. Most Dryads have verdant green eyes, although some have dark brown ones. As Dryad Moss is unable to survive nearly as well in hair as it is on skin, the head hair of all Dryads is some shade of brown. This hair grows out from behind a Dryad's previously mentioned antlers. No matter their sex, every Dryad boasts a pair of antlers connected by a "boss", which is a shield of sorts that sits on the forehead and is able to absorb impacts. Each antler then grows up in a curved shape around the head, but unlike deer, the antlers of a Dryad do not branch out.   The antlers themselves are extensions of the skull, and are first little more than nubs of cartilage, but as the antler becomes fully formed, that cartilage turns to bone. As the antler is growing in the Spring and Summer months, it is covered in blood-filled skin known as "velvet" (upon which the algae that covers the body makes a home). The velvet supplies oxygen and nutrients to the growing bone, but as it reaches its full size, the antler begins to mineralize and the blood vessels upon it are blocked. As this happens, the velvet begins painlessly to fall off in the Fall, although there is a good bit of bleeding and itching. This leaves the antler without any velvet for a period of a few months. In the mid-Winter, a Dryad's antlers will fall off entirely and then begin to regrow from the boss only a few weeks later, starting the cycle again. While the first time a Dryad grows their antlers is painful, further experiences are not, although antlers are filled with nerves. As such, breaking an antler is incredibly painful, but not deadly.   These antlers are also finely tuned to atmospheric pressure. If there is a storm of any sort coming or going, all Dryads in the area will feel a slight aching in their antlers around an hour before the change actually happens.   The race also exhibits pointed ears. They are six inches in length, and due to their pointedness, can pinpoint the origin of a sound much easier than ears without points. The ears cannot point upwards due to the antlers being in the way, so they point downwards instead. However, they are stiff and do not bounce as a Dryad moves.   Despite their uniqueness, Dryads are still Demihumanoids and, therefore, have a bestial lower half. While the skin below the fur serves as a good habitat for Dryad Moss, the fur itself does not, so it retains its brown shaded color. The color of a Dryad's head hair and fur is always the same. However, all Dryads also have a short tail, the underside of which is a stark white. Compared to the rest of their body, a Dryad's legs are very long, due to the race's deer-like attributes. While nowhere near as fast as a Centaur, Dryads have very long strides and can accelerate very quickly, and can leap very well if given a running start.   A Dryad's animalistic traits do not end at its furry lower half. Instead of feet, Dryads have crescent-shaped, cloven hooves akin to those of a reindeer. The two main toes of a Dryad's foot (as they have four, including their dewclaws) carry most of its weight. Due to the curved shape of their hooves, they offer excellent support on wet ground, which proves invaluable in the boggy home of the race. If not sufficiently worn down on hard turf, a Dryad will need to file down their hooves around once every month.   While both males and females have antlers, there are considerable differences between the two. First of all, an average male Dryad's antlers are, on average, at least two inches longer than those of a female. Male Dryads also grow long canine teeth that just slightly protrude and fit snugly over their bottom lip. In addition to these teeth, they can grow facial hair, with most male Dryads also growing a thick coat of hair around their neck. Females exhibit Humanoid breasts, and the race as a whole exhibits a mammalian reproductive system. As members of the Intelligent Races, Dryads can feel attraction to all of the other races, though they can only breed with members of their own species.

As a mammalian race, Dryads have a mammalian reproductive system, specifically one most similar to deer.   The gestation period of a Dryad is about 9 months, but as soon as the child comes out, it is able to walk (though not without stumbling). However, they cannot do much else on their own until they are about a year old. When they are born, Dryads are covered in freckles that show through the algae covering, but these go away after a few years. Dryads are considered toddlers until four years old and are children until around 14. A Dryad reaches full adulthood at around 23 years and seniority at 80. As a Dryad reaches old age, their fur and hair begin to go grey and their skin becomes wrinkled.

Dryad cuisine is deeply interesting. As many Dryads are more or less nomadic but live within a non-nomadic society, the ingredients they have access to often vary from location and location. Over the years, their traditional cuisine has also been fused with Elven and even Nereid eating habits, but the central core stays strong, much like in the rest of their culture. Most food (even within sedentary communities) is cooked within small, easily handled pots, which allow stewing and braising to prevail, although the pot is, of course, not the only way Dryads cook their food. Pork is very common in Dryad cuisine, as are lamb, goat, chicken, and, in lesser part, unicorn. Interestingly, Dryads are known to eat hedgehogs on days of importance. When possible, dishes are heavily spiced, with paprika, garlic, hot pepper, grape leaves, onion, oregano, thyme, rosemary, basil, lavender, coriander, mint, and even yogurt being common choices. Chicken fat is also a major ingredient in many Dryad dishes, being used similarly to how olive oil is used elsewhere. The bagel, as a Dryad invention, is quite popular within their communities, as is black bread and fried dough. Potatoes are one of the most common ingredients in Dryad cooking due to their commonality on both the Arkadī Isle and within the rest of the Sylvan Empire. Other common vegetables include cabbage, hot peppers, cucumber, beets, carrots, cauliflower, turnips, spinach, peas, beans, asparagus, broccoli, leeks, mushrooms, tomatoes, and eggplant. Interestingly, many common Dryad dishes involve stuffing meat and other vegetables into cabbage and peppers, something not really seen anywhere else.   As with most of the world, tea and milk are the most common beverages. As for alcohol, the habit of drinking cider has been adopted from the Elves, although wine is a fairly far away second-place winner.   Dryads traditionally eat three meals a day. The first meal of the day is Taştê (Breakfast), a lighter affair made up of bread, cheese, yogurt, and tea. Of course, the largest meal of the day is Firavîn (Lunch). The central piece of this meal is often a stew or other meat dish served alongside vegetables and fried dough. The final meal of the day is Şîv. It, like breakfast, is a smaller meal of less extortionate meats, vegetables, and cheeses.

The intriguing thing about the Dryads is that, depending on where they are, they live very different lives, much more so than any other race. First things first, we will look at the Dryads of the Arkadī Isle. The Kingdom of Kaiserwerder (known to the Dryads as Arkadija) is the only of the Sylvan Empire's Kingdoms in which they are a majority. However, this is not to say that they have power here, as Arkadien is a cruel apartheid state. All the land is owned by Elven nobility, and the native Dryads are routinely denied opportunities to make their standing within the Sylvan Empire better. Almost every Dryad on the Isle lives as a serf, and while there are a few skilled laborers among them, Elven immigrants to the land are always given better opportunities by the ruling class.   After the Western Clearances were over, and millions of Dryads living on the continent were removed from their homes at gunpoint, they began to follow two paths. Some would take their things and travel to Elven (and even Nereid) cities, setting their roots down there. Most would become industrial laborers that were willing to take a much lighter wage than Elven workers, while others (who were mostly skilled laborers in their homeland) would open up small shops. A minority would enter the business of urban landlordism. This may seem odd, but imperial law is unclear as to the status of urban landlording, and there is much debate as to whether or not it falls under the purview of Ritters or Hanseatics. On one hand, Ritters are local nobles who own land, but some state that the Hanseatics, a caste of merchants, should be in charge of renting out housing due to the fact that it is not technically land, but rather a building. Either way, this has allowed Dryad immigrants (who are not a part of the Caste System) to swoop in and become fairly rich. Of course, this practice has given rise to a very nasty stereotype of greedy, crafty Dryads that work to undermine Elven workers through less than ethical business practices. Of course, there are many Dryad landlords who utilize rather underhanded tactics, but this is common among all landlords, no matter their race, and only exists due to that of an urban landlord being a notably Dryad profession.   After leaving their homes in the West, most Dryads would pack their things into wagons and wander. Not wanting to serve the Elven nobility that kicked them from their homeland, they would refuse to sell themselves into serfdom, and would instead form into "Caravan Clans". These are groups of 10 or more Dryads who travel in one unit, often with their families. All the Dryads within the Caravan Clan are bound to each other by the principle of "Erebewali", a recited, binding pledge which states that they cannot abandon the Caravan Clan unless they marry into another or are physically forced to, either by the Clan itself or an outside force. Each Caravan Clan is led by a "Rom Baro", the eldest male in the Caravan Clan. He orders where the Caravan Clan moves to next and is thusly responsible for knowing the area well enough to navigate his Clan through it. Those under him will often look to him to settle disputes, give advice, and expel those who cause trouble within the Clan. Most Caravan Clans make their money by selling homemade goods to communities they travel into or performing in a traveling show of some sort. This rather unique lifestyle has given rise to much suspicion within Elven communities, and most Elves are firm in the belief that Dryads are thieves masquerading as craftsmen or entertainers. While the existence of some criminally oriented Caravan Clans is undeniable, this is largely a stereotype that has no real bearing on true Dryad society.

Dryads follow the naming system used throughout Oriens for almost all of history due to their long-standing tradition of gender equality. Instead of having a Dryad's surname be patrilineal or matrilineal, it is simply a union of the two, with the first surname of each Dryad forming a new family name. This is done not only by the child but also by the parents, who take on their partner's surname upon marriage. It is up to an individual family whose name will be placed first on the official documents. For example, a male Dryad's name could be something like "Hawar Mukrî-Dilok" or "Werzêr Dildar-Sêro", whereas a female Dryad's name could be something like "Serfiraz Hewal-Ako" or "Jînê Dilciwan-Zimnako".

As a race that hails from Northern Oriens, the Dryads have practiced complete gender equality for almost their entire history. All Dryads have been socially conditioned to see no real difference between genders (aside from sexual organs) and see any discrimination or pandering based on gender to be barbaric. Dryads are, simply put, Dryads, and nothing as silly as their reproductive organs should divide their heritage. Married couples stand on equal ground, own everything in common, and often do equal amounts of work.   Due to this sweeping equality, marriage can an odd thing. If a Dryad is a serf or lives a sedentary life in the city, it is not complicated at all. However, due to the principle of Erebewali on which Caravan Clans operate, it is much more complicated. Marriage is, of course, one of only two ways a Dryad leaves the Clan in an honorable way, but it is a big decision regarding who leaves the Clan to join their partner's. Traditionally, the two Clans will gather in an open area, and each Clan's Rom Baro will face each other in the middle of the two clans. The younger of the two will flip a coin, and the older will call it. If the older Rom Baro calls the coin correctly, the newlyweds will join with his Caravan Clan, but if he is wrong, they will join with the younger Dryad's.   While homosexuality is not stigmatized in Elven culture as it is elsewhere, this does not carry into Dryad culture. While the United Orienal Temple (the denomination in which most Dryads are a part) does not see homosexuality as sinful, the Dryads themselves do. Homosexual behavior has long been seen as an act of disrespect not only to yourself, but to your family, and homosexual Dryads bear a massive (and oftentimes violent) social stigma on their shoulders. Interestingly, homophobic acts among the Dryad community steadily rose after they were annexed into the Sylvan Empire, so it is not that much of a stretch to say part of it is a rebellion against what many Dryads consider to be "Elven" behavior.

As with most of the world, arranged marriages are practically extinct. Sex before marriage is not looked down upon within Commonalist society, but marriage is still an important event for many Dryads. To declare your intent to marry someone within both Dryad and wider Commonalist culture, you will buy (or sometimes make) matching necklaces for both you and your loved one.   Dryad weddings, interestingly, have two ceremonies. The first comes after the agreement to get married and serves as a public announcement of the union. It is a much smaller ceremony than the actual marriage, being more akin to a party, where the parents of the bride and groom will give their child-in-law a gift. The actual wedding will take place some amount of time later, though as most Monks are Elven, a Monk will not be in attendance. This, however, is not to say that Dryad wedding ceremonies are non-religious. After walking together to a podium, the bride and groom both speak their individually written vows. After this has been done, the three groomsmen and three bridesmaids will, one at a time, recite a Commonalist poem wishing health on the new family. After this is over with, the entire party will feast and dance to the sound of traditional Dryad music.

The Kingdom of Kaiserwerder is a fairly well-industrialized area, with many railroads and telegraph lines. Those in the Arkadī city of Sijacht (Sjataç in the native tongue) or in Elven cities on the mainland obviously have access to a good portion of modern technology, but those in Caravan Clans often do not have such long-term access due to their nomadic lifestyle.

Dryads speak a language known as "Dryad" which is in essence real-life Kurdish. This language uses an alphabetical system of writing known as "Runic", which utilizes 40 letters to form words and phrases, with the letters themselves looking quite like those used in the real-life Deseret Alphabet.

The traditional greeting among the Dryad race is a wai, similar to how Elves will greet those of a higher caste. However, all Dryads, no matter their social status, are greeted in the same way by other Dryads. However, it is expected that you stand up and greet an older person when they enter the room as a sign of respect and acknowledgment, although you can sit back down right after. Interestingly, personal space is not really much of a concept within Dryad culture. It is considered incredibly rude to step away from someone if they step closer to you, and hand-holding is seen as a sign of close friendship, not love. As such, it is not too uncommon to see two Dryads of the same sex holding hands in public. Other Dryads are always welcome in a Dryad's house or wagon for as long as they need, but oftentimes, this hospitality is not extended to people of other races. It is also tradition to give your host a flower when you visit them, although this is more of a summertime tradition, for obvious reasons.

Most Dryads continue to dress in the traditional manner of their homeland, although this traditional manner of dress has evolved some throughout the centuries. While such clothing is easy to find on the Arkadī Isle, the sedentary Dryad diaspora often make their own clothing or purchase it from traveling seamstresses. As the race does not see social distinction between men and women, they will dress the same. As for their shirt, Dryads will wear something called a "kameez", a long tunic with a Mandarin collar. In addition, they will also wear a "sirwal", a very baggy pair of trousers, the bagginess helping to keep their fur-covered legs cooler. A sirwal is kept to the body by a drawstring, which allows it to either be worn at the waist or at the hip, although many Dryads will also wear a cummerbund. In colder weather, they will also wear a "chapan" coat. As Dryads are a hooved race, they will not wear shoes. Commonly, both male and female Dryads will be tattooed in the traditional deq patterns upon marriage, the tattoos showing their devotion to their family. Tattoos are usually applied to the head, neck, and hands. The algae that cover a Dryad's bare skin will avoid tattooed areas, allowing them to stay uncovered by new growth.   Most male Dryads routinely shave their entire head, whereas female Dryads while often grow their hair down to their shoulders. Interestingly, many female Dryads will tie leaves and flowers into their hair, with their hair itself not often being braided or tied. As for facial hair, male Dryads will often grow out a thick mustache, although beards are quite uncommon.

Houses And Architecture
Most Dryads living within the Grand Duchy of Kaiserwerder own small houses in the countryside. Homes built in the traditional Dryad way look quite like those of the real-life Waldlerhaus style. Most are two-storied, the ground floor made of stone, the upper story made of wood. Dryad houses will also be built with a gabled roof with broad eaves so as to shrug off the common rain and snowfalls that assail Western Oriens. The roof itself is most commonly made of stone tiles. These houses will also commonly have a small balcony. The Dryad diaspora living within Elven cities will more often than not live in Elven-style houses, and much of the ancient Dryad city of Sjataç has been renovated to be more Elven in style.   However, the living situation of the millions of nomadic Dryads on the continent is much different. Most of them live in "vardo wagons", a large, elk-drawn wagon that has been specifically made so that the owner can live within it. The wagon itself can take on many forms, with the intricacies being up to the craftsman. They can have straight sides, sloped sides, a flat roof, or an arched roof, etc, etc. However, most vardo are incredibly beautiful to look at, with intricate carvings and brightly painted wood being the norm, not the exception. After all, if you're going to be living in a wagon your whole life, it might as well be something you're proud of. The interior is also highly decorated, but also incredibly efficient to the fairly small space a wagon has (with the average Dryad vardo being about 10 feet long). Seats, cabinets, and wardrobes are built into the wagon walls, with beds being positioned in the back of the wagon. Oftentimes, they will have windows on each side of the wagon. Vardo also have a wooden stove on the left side of the wagon, which is connected to a chimney. This is primarily used for heating and light during the winter months, with food being prepared outside on the ground during the summer.   Music And Art
Dancing has always been a large part of Dryad culture, with most holidays or celebrations including some sort of dance routine within their proceedings. Traditional Dryad dances are incredibly fast-paced, and those partaking in them will often wear intricate and flashy costumes. These dances often tell a story of some sort, with religious or cultural tales being the most common, although more comedic performances are often shown off by traveling entertainers. However, dancing is nothing without music, so the Dryads have developed quite a musical tradition. Instruments such as tembûr, kaval, kemenche, tar, donali, dozaleh, bendir and daf are all common both within islander and continental Dryad communities. Of course, jazz has also made inroads within Dryad communities.   Sports And Games
Rugby is, obviously, the standard sport within all Dryad communities, but they have a few traditional sports of their own. Disc throwing, pankration, kabaddi, alak-doulak (gillidanda) and elk races are all also common.   Funerary Traditions
Upon the death of a Dryad, their body is brought to a crematorium and incinerated after everyone who desires to has taken a last look at the body and says whatever they need to say. During the incineration, the Dryad is draped in white rags as a symbol of purification. Afterward, their ashes are to be gathered up and sprinkled around a nearby forest as a sign of respect to the Gods, as well as to express hope that their deceased family member has found their Eternal Peace. Within nomadic communities, it is tradition to also burn the wagon and everything in it if no one else lives in it.   Philosophy
For better or for worse, the Dryads are a stubborn people. Centuries ago, their dying nation was finished off by the Sylvan Empire. Centuries ago, their people were thrown from their homes. And yet, through it all, they have stood by their culture. Above all else, Dryads love their heritage and their people and will stand by them to the end of time. While they may not have much, they have infinite hope for a better future where they are free from their shackles. Not one Dryad has any love for the current situation, and while they are making due, they long for a day when the nation of Arcadia stands strong and free once again. Most of all, though, the Dryads resent all others. They despise the Elves for putting them into the shackles they still bear, and they despise all other races for not raising as much as a finger to assist them in their time of need. Indeed, while Dryads will trade and interact with others, there is always a simmering hatred in the back of their minds. In their search for freedom, the Dryads have rejected the rest of the world and have isolated themselves, and in a horrible twist of fate, have become just as hateful as the Elves who oppress them.

Offensive Slurs And Insults
Slurs for the Dryads include "Slimeskins", "Branchheads", "Leaf-Lickers", "Weedwhackers", and "Green Elves".   Dryads often refer to other races as "Xerîb" (the Dryad word for Stranger) or "Helots".   Cultural Taboos
While Dryads will do business and interact with people of other races, that distrust is still there. Of course, Dryads will be more than hospitable to their own people, but they will be much less so to others. In fact, if a Dryad proves to be too close to others outside of their culture, they will be shunned by their community. Additionally, most Dryads will not tolerate any insult to their race or family (or Caravan Clan). In fact, part of the Besa oath states that nomadic Dryads are obliged to defend their Clan from insult by whatever means possible, a practice the Elves have used to satirize and demonize Dryad culture.   When a Dryad is born, it has white skin, for the algae that cover the skin of most Dryads has not yet had a chance to grow. To be a Dryad without green skin is a shameful thing, so while they will contract it soon, it is considered bad luck for both the child and the entire family if anyone but medical practitioners and the child's parents see the baby while it still has white skin. Furthermore, the Dryads also have another taboo related to their bodies: that of velvet shedding. While their antlers are shedding their velvet, Dryads must wear a turban over their antlers, lest the blood and mess of drooping velvet be seen. The velvet itself is to be collected and burnt, symbolically representing a new beginning for the Dryad, as velvet shedding occurs every year.

As they are an Orienal race, Orienal Giant Elks are the most common mount amongst the Dryads. Whether you're a farmer on the Arkadī Isle Isle or a nomad on the continent, you most likely own a Giant Elk. Nomads are especially protective of their Giant Elks, as their way of life depends on them, with Caravan Clans often meeting up to breed and trade incredibly high-quality elk for high prices.   Obviously, Dryads have white-hot hate for the Elven race. To the Dryads, no race bears as much sin as the oppressive, imperialist, rapidly racist Elves who stole their homes and kicked them from their lands. Even now, Dryads face near-daily hatred from the Elves no matter where they are, so perhaps it is no wonder that the Dryads have become just as suspicious of other races. However, the Dryads do not hold great love for any other race either. The way they see it, when they were in their time of need, no other race came to their aid. This cannot be forgiven, and the Dryads are now hell-bent on liberating themselves, for if they accept help, the betrayal of 660 will happen again.