AERLY

''"An enchanting butterfly-like race. They are all at once young and old, as their appearance upon the worlds fits no known pattern or necessity. Their 'parent tree' seems to randomly settle on the Waking World, and from their prisma color flowers and fruits spring the life of its people, the Aerly." ''

BACKGROUND
Born of special and rare trees, this butterfly-like race defend their home and range with powerful glamour, illusion and nature magic (and arguably, chaotic magic). Their active hours are any time after dusk, and any time before noon, loving the rise and setting of the sun, the moon and stars, but will hide and slumber at the peak light hours of the day. They are especially attracted to places of magic, and both their Parent Tree and their homes can often be found on Ley Lines, and/or incorporated into Places of Power.

Their lifespans are not counted as most other races, instead in ‘eras’: larva which are muted in color and their designs reflect and change in order to camouflage them with their surroundings, and they cannot fly (their transformation allows for fluttering as a tiny butterfly) / pupa which makes their skin a rock hard chrysalis and their adult designs begin to outline (there is no flying in this stage, even when transformed into a butterfly) / and finally the adult stage in which their colors, designs and wings are fully formed. Between each three beginning stages is a Dreamtime in which the Aerly will enter a cocoon state, sleeping for up to three months (depending on the drasticity of the change), and wake up in their new form. After the first three, upon reaching adulthood, the Aerly will enter 13 more Dreamtimes throughout their lives, the span between them commonly lasting between 15-and-150 years, and the Aerly awake to renewed life and often changed colors, design and even wings. When they finally do die naturally, no one but the Aerly seem to know where they go or what happens.

As fledglings, they get along well with the Torwik, and oddly enough, young Dhivon.

Average Height:
Aerly have the ability to change their size, at whim, anywhere between 5 inches and 4 feet, as well as transforming into gorgeous, otherworldly butterflies. So it is quite difficult to ascertain average height for this race at any age, save adults: 4 ft.

Average Weight:
Like their height, Aerly have such varying weights that it is difficult to pin down what it is for what age. They are quite light, though, and their adults average 70 lbs at their heaviest.

Average Outlook:
While an Aerly is immensely curious about the world around it and the people in it, though many lose their adventurous natures as they mature. They become invested in their parent tree, personal projects, and teaching the next generations; unless exposed to it when young, you’d be hard pressed to push an Aerly outside their daily endeavors of whimsical pursuits and into the great wide world(s).

Language(s):
Varies; Aerly are positively captured by the vocal word, and even choose their own names by some of the first words they learn, regardless of language.

DGR:
Not born with any gender. May change their gender through Dreamtimes.

Racial Leader(s):
Reverie Courts: Apilleon (Oulisses), Schmettingr (Traume), Hanyu (Ki-Mizuki), Ochka (Huafenne), Ariposessa (Fenoche), Gwilthel (Narsilore).

Capital(s):
Aerly are marked by five Dream Trees that are believed to represent the oldest of their ‘Parents’; the First Dreams. As the ‘first trees to dream’, they are as close to God Worship as the Aerly race gets (though individuals may find faith in other beliefs, it is uncommon). The First Dreams bear special Aerly, those that are known as the Murmur; they are attuned to one of the First, and as such are actually hollow Aerly, being instead the host of the First Dreams’ will. They do not often leave their attuned tree, and spend much of the space between Dream Times cultivating their people. Their affairs and plans are usually quite outside those of the Waking World (the world they refer to as belonging to the other races). It is within the realm of the First Dreams that the Aerly consider their capitals.

Famous/Infamous:
Coming Soon!

Mount(s):
Alongside the Aerly, Dream Trees can occasionally produce fantastical creatures in which some Aerly may consider pets, mounts, familiars and/or companions. Such beasts are not automatically adhered to only Aerly, and other races may, on extremely rare occasions, be blessed by being chosen by a Dream-Touched Beast. More than likely, however, Dream-Touched will prefer their freedom over binding to a Spellweaver.

Quote(s):
''“ I’ve heard your kind say some things never change. What things? Those poor things. Everything should change eventually, be it slow or fast. Change is necessary. Change moves the worlds.” ''