u/harfordplanning

In the centuries past, there have been many who have come and gone through the lands that now comprise Ayetho. Of these groups, the Foxfolk, now most often associated with the northern state of Freeport, have been one of these visitors to stay for the journey.

In Ayetho, the Foxfolk would see a mixed fate. Being mistaken for a unique form of normal fox by some Demani, portions of the Foxfolk population would occasionally be taken as pets or livestock to be kept, and eventually would be selectively bred outright by the Demani.

Over more than a millennium, these captive Foxfolk would develop into a unique domestic variety, and would come to have several breeds in some regions.

The primary breed to be found nearly in every Nest which houses them is best known for droopy ears, curled tails, and splotchy white and grey fur. These Foxfolk are typically shorter and more juvenile than their feral counterparts, having developed neoteny from the centuries of selective breeding. Likewise, there have been internal developments thanks to these externally selected traits. Primarily, traits which minimize aggression and exaggerate agreeability have been selected for, leading to a generally docile demeanor, though only when treated properly.

Some particular breeds also exist, particularly selected for specific traits to be exaggerated, such as fur length or color, more extreme neoteny, and even more potent lactation to be used for milk. However, the vast majority belong to the simple, husky-like common variety.

Despite their domestic status, these Foxfolk retain a strong sense of cultural identity, having preserved traditions the best they can orally while being shuffled from Nest to Nest and between different Demani owners.

The domestic Foxfolk have a matriarchal family structure, with the mother being the absolute authority, in no small part due to Demani influence and preference. While the mother is away assisting their owners on hunts and in farming, the father is expected to stay back and tend to any young who are grown enough to be weaned off the mother. The fathers often are also charged with guarding the livingquarters of their owners, though have little ability to defend against anything a Demani Soldier failed against.

Likewise, with the mother often away, the father is often responsible for the passing down of old tales from before domestication, though such stories have gone under significant Demani influence since then. Such stories as the tales of the Great Goddess, often to be conflated with the Nest’s Queen, or the Divine Daughter, are often heard by the younglings, with many less universal deities having lost so much importance to the point of irrelevance. In their stead, Demani deities have largely filled that void, and may be taught by the father or by their owners directly.

Within the last millennium, a substantial enough population of escaped domesticates have gathered that a true feral Foxfolk society has likewise formed in Ayetho.

These feral societies have reformed many of the societal features lost to domesticates, though some terminology has developed differently due to Demani influences remaining in their culture.

At the height of feral Foxfolk societies is the Nest, a misapplied title delegated to the highest political unit of their lands. These Nests are led by a singular Queen, who is a daughter of the previous Queen, though which daughter inherits the title is subject to the whims of the current Queen of a Nest.

A Foxfolk Nest is a highly centralized place, with strict organization of labor and rigorous recordkeeping having been inherited from their former Demani masters.

Likewise, the subdivisions of the Nest are a title one could call incorrect, being titled Clusters. Each Foxfolk Cluster is made up of a handful of Herds, families of Foxfolk, and are led by a Princess.

The Princess of a Cluster is typically a secondary daughter of the Queen, but may also be a notable Matron of one of its constituent Herds. The Princess is advised informally by representatives of all ages and runs of life from the Herds she leads.

Cluster management is less strict than at the Nest level, with the majority of writing being for personal endeavors or tallying harvests. Much of the Princess’s duties are ceremonial in nature, leading processions on the solstices and equinoxes in particular.

At the level of Herd, the family is led by the Matron, the eldest female in the family. The Matron is typically the grandmother of the youngest of the Herd, with other members including the parents, children, aunts, uncles, and cousins, reaching up to fifty members in a Herd at times.

In the Herd, the women once again take on the active roles of society, such as hunting and farming, while the men take on roles that one would typically expect of Demani Tsatsiu and other homemaking roles, being obligate househusbands to their wives, caring for the younglings and primary creators of feral Foxfolk arts.

The religion of the feral Foxfolk is much more diverse than that of the domesticates, having similar figures like the Great Goddess, but also others like the Blessed Demon, the Phantom King, the Shepherd of the Underworld, and a variety of nature spirits. All of these deities, unlike in domestic culture, are represented in sacred totems, carved depictions of the deities to which one is meant to worship or pray.

The settlements of a Herd similarly take much inspiration from the Demani. A Herd’s settlement is centred on a fortified storehouse, with several wings branching off of it in which cooking, living, and domestic works may go on. Around these storehouse complexes, a series of farms and earthworks may be made, with ditches and mounds acting as barriers in the absence of natural defenses as needed.

The final major group of Foxfolk in Ayetho are the wild Foxfolk, decendants of those who were never captured and bred by the Demani.

The wild Foxfolk form Clans, as their ancestors had, which are led by a Chieftain. The heir to the Chieftain is the son of his sister, as to ensure relatedness. Further, this prevents a total centralization of power, like is seen in feral Foxfolk settlements, and permits greater personal freedom.

With this freedom, the Chieftain has significantly less political power than the Queens of feral Nests, and take on a largely ceremonial role. The Chieftains largely act as mediators in inter-tribal conflicts and as religious leaders for certain events.

At the Tribal level, each Tribe is made up of a collection of Foxfolk Bands. Each Tribe is led by a council of men from each Band within the Tribe. These Councils may vary in exact powers and functions, but generally are lawmaking bodies for the Bands within the Tribe, and pass on their decisions and judgements orally.

Each Tribe may form either a central or dispersed settlement, with the Bands within the Tribe being closer or further from each other.

In central settlements, each Band will be no more than an hour walk from the next Band’s settlement, often in a ring, and divide the hunting and farming grounds by the median point between their living spaces.

In dispersed settlements, each Band is situated at the centre of their hunting and farming lands, with the distances between each Band being much further, often a day’s journey.

At the Band level, there is often limited to no true leadership, however the most prominant man of the Band will occasionally be an informal leader of the Band.

Each Band is a family unit, much like the feral Herds, and similarly rarely exceeds fifty members. Unlike Herds, however, the Bands are much more patriarchal, not only being led by the men, but also having the women taking on the role of housekeeping and child rearing found in most races besides Demani.

The men of a Band will hunt, forage, and farm as necessary, with agriculture being relatively rare, while the women will cook, clean, and tend to children, with different crafts being divided between more masculine and feminine roles depending on their nature.

Likewise, wild Foxfolk religion lacks the Demani influences that domestic and feral Foxfolk have, with many of the deities' genders being inverted. The wild Foxfolk worship beings such as the Great God, Phantom Queen, Divine Son, Blessed Crow, and further still, the Sky, Earth, and Sea Gods. The Sky and Earth in particular being the fathers of all earthly things, from the birds and trees to the Foxfolk and even Demani. The Demani in particular have been interpreted as Demons who punish those who have abandoned the Sky, and reward those blessed by it.

This brings great fortune to the final group of Foxfolk who reach Ayetho, the latecomers. Over the last millennium, there have been many instances of Foxfolk from Freeport wandering astray and getting lost off the coast of Ayetho, or within its lands outright. While here, Demani will occasionally spot them, and for reasons unknown to the Foxfolk, relocate them to the nearest known wild Foxfolk settlement.

Thanks to the belief the wild Foxfolk hold of Demons of Punishment and Blessing, the unceremoniously relocated Foxfolk of Freeport find themselves in religiously significant positions by pure happenstance, though rarely taking on a major role in the Clan as a whole.

And, as time goes on, it is not unlikely that more earnest relations between Freeport and Demani may properly develop. Perhaps, even, between the various Foxfolk of Ayetho and Freeport as well.

Over the many centuries the Rockborn and Demani have interacted, there have been instances where the Rockborn have attacked or eaten Demani, and there have been instances where the Demani have attacked or eaten Rockborn.

The ultimate culmination of these interactions, perhaps, is the evolution of Demani fungiculture to involve Rockborn. Not as helpers, however, but as the crop itself. This has been most clearly demonstrated in five lineages of Rockborn that, as of modern day, exist only under Demani care in various nests.

The first of these varieties is cultivated for a mutation in its high silicate content in its stone shells, growing biological glass plates which Demani may use for windows and mosaics. This lineage is prevented from growing significant intelligence via the removal of higher thinking tissue, and by Rockborn standards would be a minor lineage for its fragile silicate structures.

The most valuable silicates, glasses, are produced from the lineage by intentional feeding of certain minerals including silicate rocks, volcanic ash, and limestone, while foodstuffs given to maintain the mycelial network of the lineage are kept as simple as possible to prevent contamination of the glass produced.

The second cultivated lineage is best known for its heavyset nature, forming tuberous growths inside its body which are very nutrient dense, thus desirable to Demani. This lineage does not greatly differ from any other minor Rockborn lineage beyond the nutrient sacs inside their bodies, but while in Demani captivity, are similarly prevented from producing brain tissue and regularly have the majority of their stone plating scraped off before it can grow to meaningful thicknesses, leaving only enough to maintain its core form.

The third cultivated lineage has over time adopted a unique trait when able to consume large quantities of leafy plant matter, kleptoplasty. These cultivated Rockborn, when intentionally fed leafy plant matter, will break down the cell walls of the plant, but preserve the chloroplasts, redirecting the chloroplasts away from their stomachs and into the numerous cerata which may grow from their backs, resembling a mossy rock once full of chloroplasts.

This lineage, because of the cerata, have very porous, thin stone plating, being nearly sessile in nature without Demani intervention. With Demani keeping this lineage fed, the Rockborn will spend nearly the entirety of their time lazily photosynthesizing with the kleptoplastic chloroplasts. The cerata will be regularly trimmed by the Demani for food and for the Rockborn’s health, with overgrowth of the cerata impeding its ability to properly photosynthesize.

The fourth lineage one would be forgiven for mistaking as the third, as it is a similarly green backed line of Rockborn. This lineage is known for not a kleptoplastic relationship with plants, but a symbiotic relationship. The Rockborn of this lineage have partnered with moss, not unlike lichens, and as such have adapted to live in such a way.

Being partial towards mosses, this lineage prefers humid, shaded areas away from direct rainfall, where the moss can be kept saturated while the Rockborn's stone plating remains safe from dissolving. Those of this lineage trade consumed nutrients for complex molecules and sugars produced by the moss, allowing a highly sedentary lifestyle, which Demani exploit.

Demani typically will harvest the moss from this lineage, but may further harvest the stone plating or mycelial flesh of the Rockborn in some instances.

The fifth and final lineage typically farmed by Demani are unique amongst the group for being closer to livestock or pets, rather than a crop like the other lineages that Demani have commandeered.

By Rockborn standards, this fifth lineage would be considered a “Major Lineage,” being of personable intelligence in almost all offspring and lacking significant physical defects which would hinder their survival in their native range. However, this has grown to change in their time under Demani care.

The fifth Rockborn lineage has over the centuries been selectively bred by Demani to better suit their needs, being selected to grow slower, grow brains sooner, be more passive, and to react better to Demani olfactory pheromones. Through the ages, these gradual changes have resulted in a diminutive Rockborn lineage which is far more amicable to socializing and much less likely to abruptly eat any small creature it finds without warning.

In this state, the fifth lineage has developed into a relatively common sight in the deeper portions of some Demani Nests, with the line of Rockborn growing slowly enough to be permitted inside the halls for several decades in the ideal conditions, before eventually getting large enough to finally be settled down for their final resting place outside the Nest itself, where like all long lived Rockborn, they die as they become entirely stationary, unable to properly feed or drink.

An Entry from a Forager's Log

One thousand seven hundred ninety eight seconds antinestward of the outermost farm two thousand four hundred seconds one third left, two thirds antinestward of the Nest.

Waypoints leading to this position; boundary stone twelve of outermost farm; creek flowing three quarters right, one quarter nestward, grassland made by wingless ones.

I discovered a new waypoint, there is a collection of very small Clusters in a small space, surrounded by the wingless ones’ grasses.

The wingless Clusters are poorly constructed of mud and grasses, the walls are of mud plaster over an unknown material, and the roofs of poorly bound grasses.

Each Cluster in the group is only large enough for one or two Solitary pairs, three at most, and spaced apart by a similar count of seconds.

The Clusters are aligned in rows of four, with forty Clusters total, surrounded by an earthwork. I estimate the wingless population to be between one hundred to two hundred adults. Perhaps two to three times as many children may be present.

The wingless ones appear to mostly be tending to their grasses at this Cluster, with their Nonyaon tending to children and other duties between the structures in shaded compartments.

The wingless Nonyaon active at this time seem to be weavers, nurses, and cooks, the rest must be inside or in the fields.

The wingless Cluster is mostly peaceful, but very worrisome in its placement. The wingless do not seem to understand the risk of flood or discomfort of being so exposed on flat land.

Should the wingless relocate in the future, which they certainly will with such a poor site selected, I would suggest advising them on how to build proper Clusters, and on how to pick better locations.

Logged by Noninyao, Spring of 1CE

Angels, as if imagined as an opposing force to the Demons, the Demani, are a similarly alien existence to the Human populations of Ayetho.

Seemingly small in number, Angels are between one and one quarter (1.25) meters and one and a half (1.5) meters, four (4) feet and five (5) feet, in height, situating them as roughly as tall as Human children, and taller than smaller types of Demani.

Angels are not apparently related to any other creature known, but are scarcely seen outside of regions which lack white speckled doves.

The Angels have a dizzying number of appendages to the average viewer, hosting the expected humanoid arms and legs, but also calcified antennae akin to the Demani, which form a partial ring at the top of their heads.

At the base of these antennae, a further two modified antennae with feathery bristles appearing akin to feathered wings sit, having a range of motion from covering the Angels’ ears to obscuring their faces. This set of wings is primarily used for grooming and socializing, helping exaggerate or minimize expressions to other species.

The face of an Angel is recognizable for similarly flat, broad noses, alike that of Demani, and mouths that seem just slightly more wide than should be natural. And, most notably, glossy, pitch black eyes that seem as endlessly deep as the oceans. Beyond these two large eyes, several smaller eyes also exist on Angels’ faces, but are not typically noticeable to observers due to other more prominent features.

Further, Angels have another set of modified appendages appearing alike wings at the back of the neck, which may be used for a range of motion spanning from the bottom of their major eyes to the ends of their shoulders. These wings function somewhat similarly to the Halteres of Demani, aiding in sensing micro changes to air pressure.

In a more similar location to Demani are the Angels flight wings, which are most suitable for migratory flights, and are feathered similarly to those of a white speckled dove.

A second pair of true wings sit where Demani host calypters and halteres, Angels instead hosting smaller wings which assist in finer movements in the air, but are not useful for flights lasting more than a few minutes in this manner, instead being most suited to aiding in in-flight steering.

At the waist, the base of the Angels’ tail is flanked by a further two wing like appendages, which may wrap around to the front of the individual Angel. These wings serve similar hygienic function in the wild, but are mostly redundant in developed settlements with hygienic practices.

The tail of an Angel is as long as the individual is tall, and is structured similarly to that of Demani.

The final set if wing like appendages is situated above the ankles of an Angel, and host a range of motion spanning from the back of the knee to the end of the foot. This set of wings purely aids in balancing the legs in flight, but may occasionally be used to dust off the lower legs or feet.

All sets of wings see at least minor use while in flight, giving the Angel substantial surface area for gliding across distances. When fully extended, the collection of wings may also serve as an intimidation tactic, giving the appearance of a much more impressive form despite their small stature.

Angels will primarily eat animal products of the settlement they exist in, whether that be livestock, hunting spoils, fishery products, or even just waste products of and from those listed above. In dire times, they may consume the ill or recently deceased, including those of their own kind.

Within a settlement, Angels strive to be the most sociable and likeable individuals of the community, going out of their way to learn the ways of their host species and aiding in simple chores and tasks, but shying away from strenuous labor when possible.

Angels, as may have been deduced from what has already been said of them, are a social parasite, and one of the life stages of the White Speckled Dove which may be found around both Human and Demani settlements. Their host species are encouraged to raise them by means of mimicry, pheromones, and behaviors, and in turn the Angel will exploit resources as necessary for survival and reproduction.

Angels, a reproductive phase of the White Speckled Dove, will have many offspring while in their host settlements, leaving their eggs in surrounding trees, shrubs, and crevices in and around the community. These eggs will hatch larval grubs.

These grubs will burrow into trunks, branches, roots, and fruit, awaiting a suitable host to begin the next stage of development.

When eaten by a suitable host, typically a woodpecker or other avian, a surviving grub will latch onto the inside of the bird and begin its next phase of life. From this position, the host bird will have its reproductive system compromised by the parasitic grub, with male birds infecting any female eggs fertilized, and females not requiring fertilization to begin laying eggs.

The infected egg will spawn a White Speckled Dove, which if surviving to adulthood, will act as a normal bird for one to three years.

If it survives this incubation period, the dove will seek a final intermediate host, a large carnivore.

Whether bear, wolf, or crocodile, the dove will intentionally force itself down the throat of the animal to consume it inside out. The remaining pelt along with secretions from the dove forming a cocoon, from with an infant angel will hatch.

Making sounds reminiscent of an infant and releasing pheromones, it attracts the nearest Human or Demani to take it in, by which it is raised to start the cycle anew.

Whether in Human or Demani settlements, the Angel will grow to better take on a superficially similar appearance to their hosts and develop at a rate similar to their hosts offspring to limit potential unease, and are highly empathetic to ensure adaptability to the hosts’ lifestyles.

Due to the Angels’ carnivorous nature, has been seen by humans hunting expelled Demani during times of famine, a major contributing factor to their naming. Angels in Demani settlements will only avoid being caught by Demani when hunting their kind, and will avoid being caught by Humans when hunting humans, leading to both populations having a generally positive outlook on the parasites.

Demani Nests in Ayetho will at times use construction methods which other races may describe as strange, or even alien. The ultimate example of this is the mycelial constructions in Ayetho. The mycelial construction methods practiced by the Demani can be subcategorized into a small number of different methods.

The first method is the formation of mycelial ‘bricks,’ or dead mycelium construction.

This method begins with a base, which may vary by Nest, but is typically a mixture of dried leafs, wood chips, and desiccated plant matter from various sources around the Nest. Some Nests specifically will include insect exoskeletons in their base mix to feed the mycelium. The way the base is structured can also vary, with the size of added material, orientation of fibers, and so on being varied between Nests and varied depending on application.

After the base is gathered, the mycelium is added. Like most other crops in a Nest, the specific type of mycelium is unique to that Nest, at times neighboring Nests even being unable to breed their varieties due to divergences since their initial domestication.

After being added to the base, the mixture is kept in a carefully maintained room in the nest, which is kept warm and humid at all times, though the exact temperature and humidity ranges of the space may vary to produce different effects on the final product.

After a number of weeks, or months depending on the conditions being practiced, the mycelium will seem to stablize, meaning it is preparing to fruit mushrooms and is ready to be removed for the final step in preparation.

Once removed from the room, the mycelial block is either dried or baked to kill the mycelium in the block, locking the structure created in place. Once dry, the block may be used as is, or be carved or cut into smaller blocks for alternative use. Many of the structures in Ayetho lack true masonry because of this practice, and greatly reduces the labor intensity of construction thanks to the material being approximately one tenth the weight of comparably sized masonry stone.

A second method involves allowing the mycelial network to remain alive, if relatively dormant.

This method begins relatively similarly, but with much lighter weight base material, favoring fresh leafs, softwoods, and similar materials. The base form does not take on that of a block like in the first method, but instead is shaped to the need of the object from the offset.

The mycelium is allowed to grow within the base for some days or weeks before the object is removed from the mold immediately ready for use. If or when fruiting mushrooms appear, they are immediately cut off of the object before they may sprout. 

These objects are favored for being waterproof and for having basic self-repairing capabilities, a broken instrument made using this method may be physically returned to its original shape and binded back together by the mycelial network in either half over a period of time.

This second method is seldom used in construction, but often in temporary structures and when in continuous contact with water to redirect the liquid.

Further methods go outside of a particular brooding room for the mycelium, such as direct application to specific surfaces, but this methodology is rare among Demani due to its substantial maintenance requirements. Where used, however, it is said to be capable of repairing damaged walls, floors, and ceiilngs, before being hardened into place with some manner of heat or poison.

And, seemingly found only in the primary Nest of Ayetho, a relatively young methodology uses the mycelium for a firmly non-construction use.

A base of fibrous bark from trees rich in latex and rubber are laid out in strips all in the same direction, to which the mycelium is added.

The mycelium chosen is fast growing, taking only days to weeks to interlock all of the fibers and break them down, creating a plate of latex and rubber rich mycelium.

This plate is then baked at a low temperature, but still enough to fully dehydrate and kill off the mycelium. Once baked, the plate is minced into very fine strips, which the weavers of the Nest can then use to produce a unique luxury fabric to the primary Nest.

The string is somewhat stretchy and is a reflective amber color after baking, when woven into fabric it takes to dye well and is difficult to tear, and is mildly hydrophobic to small amounts of water.

This fabric is particularly labor intensive, and the limited range of its production means very little is produced per year relative to the number of Demani who seek the cloth. Exact methods of production are unusually guarded by its inventors, likely due to it increasing the prestige and control the Aujo holds over the lesser Queens and Nests.

An entry from Nonemnyes’ Diary

Today was much more eventful than I had expected when it began.

The last caravan to the neighboring Nest this month had left yesterday, today having been when I had been planning to relax. But instead, the Aof on duty said a bird was looking to exchange goods! I could hardly believe her.

Going outside, I found she was being honest, with a rather large bird not only being there, but revealing it could speak! It nearly made my day. But alas, the bird- Oriol?, although not mute, was deaf, much like the wingless ones who are said to live on the lowlands.

Still, the bird Oriol expressed much interest in trade, making strange faces I assume meant eagerness, so I got to work, giving her and her companions a place to settle their strange flying baskets and discuss details, and even presented me a most lovely little carving of those wingless ones on one of their strange baskets- I should put it on my shelf when I finish writing.

The bird had many interesting things, but I did not recognize all the things being presented and had to invite others to see what they might like, and how much.

The weavers expressed great fondness for the thick fur and colorful feathers shown, though I do not know why they brought fabrics as well, the weavers did not dislike the pre-made material either. The cooks quite enjoyed the yellow fruit, ananas it was?, and the sugars, and were quite curious about the leafs present as well, some being fragrant, but others smelling rather bitter.

Some of our Tsatsiu were fond of the glossy beads and powdered dye the bird and her company had brought, as well as their charcoal colored dishes. I do hope they bring more of those little beads for them when the birds return, but I get ahead of myself.

After asking about some of the more curious things, I learned the thick fur is from something called a Wul, it must be a truly beautiful creature with such fine fur, and the leafs brought were for different medicines. The most peculiar of the dishes, having come with a small rod, was for grinding the leafs, and I was shown how the medicines were prepared, including one that the bird called Ti.

After these, the bird Oriol showed off the most fascinating stones I had ever seen before, the stone did magic on the bird's behalf! I am very glad I asked the bird to come again, I must simply speak to everyone about these stones to decide which we should prioritize trading for, no limit on what they might be made to do was said, just that they each do one task.

Once these stones were done being shown, the bird was still eager to see our things, which I was more than happy to share.

Since her company had brought finished textiles and carvings, I assumed it was only fitting to do the same, as unusual as that would usually be. I presented many of our most favored foods from our gardens, as well as some of the recently finished fabrics of the weavers, the rocks our Tsatsiu carve and decorate with, and even some of the nicer woods the carpenters had off cuts for on hand.

The bird's company discussed our things in another tongue, I think their faces changing shape was to show their interest in our things, or I hope so at least. There was much spoken interest in what the art on each fabric shown, but I do not believe my answers satisfied the bird, as each time I explained one, she would cease having questions of it anymore.

I believe things went well, however, as the bird Oriol agreed to return again, and accepted the exchanging of samples and hospitality.

After sharing a meal together, if an unusual one with the birds lacking hands, I was able to permit them to stay the night before they depart.

These birds are strange creatures, but I do hope to see more of them.

As evening had approached for our little foraging group, it was nearing time to reconvene with the Kanoan guide, Batli, and our hunting party. However, this would not be something that would come to pass.

Preventing our two parties from reuniting as intended, a group of Demons had spotted us foraging in the wooded hillsides, corralling us and confronting us once cornered together. Although we tried to lay down our foragings, the Demons were not satisfied with the peace offering.

The Demons would bind us and carry us off towards the heart of the woodlands, the short flight being a most dreadful experience. Once landed, we were forced into a small enclosure, perhaps meant to serve as a holding cell for criminals.

Though the Demons imprisoned us for several days, they did not leave our group destitute, providing us just enough food and water to rest easy each day. It would not be until the third day trapped in the cell that we would be taken out once more, and, once out we would be led to what seemed to be a stony clearing.

To our surprise, a Demon woman of some kind would approach us here, and stranger still, she would reveal herself to know the common tongue.

The Demon woman gave us the instruction, “To pay your theft, you will build new well at this place. Once the well is done, you will be returned your Nest.”

Although the Demon spoke strangely, the instructions would prove clear enough to give us direction. We were and are not warriors, just simple farmers whose field refused to take seed with the unusually dry months that had passed, and so, we took up the tools the Demons provided us and began to dig under their supervision.

The tools we were provided were rather strange, their heads being a peculiar ruddy stone which reflects light like a still lake, and was long and narrow like the bolts carried by our hunters. Likewise, the handle was similarly odd. The handle was hewn from a vibrantly wine-colored wood, where such wood might grow being unknown to me, and it had been intricately carved with different characters and images, as if telling the story of how the tool should be used.

Following the peculiar instructions carved into the very tools we had been given to use, we would begin to break ground for the well the Demons had assigned us to building.

The labor would prove extensive and long, the well the Demons desired being larger than the houses of our village, and deeper than a tree is tall. The stone we broke would then need to be carried out of the pit by hand, countless tonnes of these stones being broken off and carried away of the course of the next several weeks.

By the time this massive pit well were to be completed, the season appeared to be changing, and the air was beginning to feel less dry. At this time, the Demons, seemingly impressed by our work, rewarded us for the service we provided, provisioning our party with some baskets of hardy foods after returning us to the foothills of their territory.

By this point, the hunters and Batli the Kanoan had long since returned to the village, I presumed, so we were left to our own devices to find our ways back home. Fortunately, these foothills were still much higher land than our village, so to seek our homes, we headed downhill towards the river, from where we could then seek our village.

Perhaps to prevent such a harmful drought again in the future, it would be wise to make one of these pit wells for ourselves…

The dry spell had lasted far too long, leaving our little village with a percipitously smaller supply of grain each day. The animals have begun to be underfed, and are being slaughtered before they are useless. Although we may still rely on the river to feed some, as its flow slows from the absence of rain, it has become necessary to seek food beyond our lands.

To that end, myself, a band of some of our men whose farms have remained fallow, and a guide who hails from the lands of the Kanoans, named Batli, formed a small hunting party to seek forrage and game from the outskirts of the Demons’ hills, where the Demons seldom fly out to.

With Batli’s guidance, our little party soon enough would find itself at the outskirts of the Demons’ hills, the rugged terrain starkly contrasted between lush woodlands and seemingly useless, infertile, rocky soil. Here at the forest’s edge, we would begin our hunt.

The less capable of our men would be left to simple gathering, collecting what nuts, seeds, and fruit they might be able to reach, while the rest of the party continued onward with Batli to find any game near the outskirts.

It would take some time, but our party would soon enough come across a collection of peculiar deer. Their antlers not branching, but forming two semicircular plates akin to a shield, and their fur not the brown, but a yellowed coat speckled with ruddy orange clover spots, the cluster of them actually a bit difficult to make out their forms with such peculiar patterns.

Notching our bolts to our throwers, we take aim at an outlier of the herd. As the bolts fly forward ahead of us, the deer is struck once in its hind leg, once in the side, and a third time in its shoulder. Though the rest of the herd scatters, the struck deer is knocked over from the impacts and struggles to get upright with two injured limbs. Not seeking to see the beast suffer, we swiftly end its life so it may rest peacefully.

Although the nature of this hunt prevents our party from paying proper rites to the deer for giving its life so we may live, we still make time to pray for the beast’s safe passage into the beyond before collecting its remains to be brought back to the village.

Alas, this journey was not without its strife. Perhaps as retribution for failing to provide the proper rites to the deer, or maybe by the disturbance caused by the remainder of the herd fleeing so suddenly, or even just by sheer misfortune, our party was prevented from reconvening in the evening by a small group of Demons.

The Demons blocked our path with a swift motion, coming down from the air with nearly no warning to us. Communications broke down swiftly, none of our party knowing how to speak the Demons’ tongue, and the Demons not interested in negotiating in the common tongue. The only thing the Demons would willing part words with us for were demands to return what we stole, as if the entirety of the woodlands belonged to their kind. Though the gall of such an offer was insulting, to fight with a Demon is a fool’s errand. Forced to surrender the game we had hunted, we set the deer down on the ground and stepped away. The Demons would then drive us down the hillside, expelling us from where they consider their domain, as we were clearly undesired guests.

Although Batli preventend our party from losing our way after this, we would not succeed in reconvening with the other half of the party out foraging, and after a day and night of much more meager foraging ourselves while seeking where they might be, we were forced to presume the Demons did not show them the same mercy we had been shown in simply being driven away.

And so, Batli would guide our party back to our village, with the fruits of our labor minimal and overcast by the loss of our family and friends. The reason for the mercy we were shown is beyond our understanding, but can it really truly be called mercy when we are left to reckon with what was lost to receive it?

Demani do not practice traditional agriculture by what standards settled Humans use. In its place, a series of managed forests line the mountainsides throughout Ayetho.

In the regions furthest from Nests, Forest Gardening, infrequent maintenance of desired and undesired species of plants, is the primary means of agriculture. This consists of seven layers; Canopy, Understory, Shrubbery, Herbaceous, Surface, Rhizosphere, and Vertical.

Each layer is specialized to particular foodstuffs from all manner of parts of the plants.

At the top, the Canopy, the tops of the largest trees, is defined by treenuts and large fruits, followed by the Understory, amongst shorter trees, where treenuts begin to be less common and instead medium to large fruits are commonplace, and last among the woody plants being the Shrubbery, which is overwhelmingly dominated by smaller fruits and berries, though a number of herbs may also be found here.

The Herbaceous layer is named for its most dominant item, herbs. However, a number of grains, legumes, and a small number of berries may also be found here. Lower, the Surface layer is a mixed yield of fruits, gourds, and herbs, and the lowest layer, the Rhizosphere, is home to a diverse set of nuts, legumes, roots, and tubers.

The final layer, an outlier, is the Vertical layer. The Vertical layer is situated entirely of vines, leading it to be a good source of small fruits, berries, herbs, and even some nuts and legumes.

Closer to Nests, Forest Gardening gives way to Forest Farming, where simpler management is replaced with direct selection and cultivation of specific plants, many intentionally planted.

Within Forest Farms, specific cultivars of treenut, pinenut, and large fruit dominate its Canopy, with other cultivars of fruits making up the Understory and Shrubbery. The remaining four layers are less distinct from Gardened regions, but will have significantly less undesirable plants, will include far more edible fungi, and may have some specific cultivars depending on the Nest. These Farms are also the primary source of resin, sap, syrup, balsam, and rubber for Demani.

The true unique part to Forest Farming is the zoning of the woodlands to keep certain animals in certain areas, allowing for careful management of their populations and the breeding of distinct livestock while keeping predators at bay. Though less secure than a true Animal Farm, it allows the land to be much more productive for Demani, even when accounting for animals lost to predators.

Final amongst Demani agricultural practices, Urban Forestry occurs directly within and around Nests.

Inside Nests, it is primarily fungi which are cultivated, but in many Nests it is normal to have planters under entryways for herbs, or for plants which prefer cooler conditions, more humid conditions, or more shaded conditions. Some small livestock may also be primarily kept inside Nests.

Outside Nests, exclusively managed cultivars make up every layer of the Urban Forest. Every tree, shrub, herb, grass, root, tuber, vine, and fungus is a cultivar exclusive to that Nest. Though, some may be traded amongst Nests and other nations, or simply crossbred with other cultivars by pollinators. More various and specialized livestock may be kept in the forests proper, or in pens, kennels, or barns.

Going beyond Demani Nests, Humans also exist as inhabitants of Ayetho. Human agriculture is much more recognizable to outsiders, with expansive fields of grains in the lowlands and smaller gardens of specialized crops, as well as pens and pastures of livestock.

Humans also are notable custodians of Ayetho's rivers, making up for their substantially less diverse foodstuffs by seeking more from the streams, creeks, and rivers. Such methods primarily include netting to catch wild fish and crustaceans, or the construction of rock pools and shallows to trap particular species to grow or nurture, including some river grasses, algae, and even cyanobacteria.

Humans also are known to hunt, but due to the extensive control of woodlands by Demani, it is rare and even dangerous due to Demani protection of what they consider their livestock. This misunderstanding is proposed as one of the origins of the colloquial name of Demani amongst Humans, Demons.

It had been a several day's journey trekking up the mountainside, following toward the origin of where the Demons come and go. Had all gone well, I would not seek such distant shelter, but the springtime floods of the lowlands have left me separated from my village and without shelter.

As it would be, I happened upon a clearing not far from the Demons fortress. From where I was stood, I was able to see the remarkable immensity of their construction.

Outside the fortress, one could hardly miss the Daubers, Thatchers, and Weavers going about endless expansions to the wings, already more than half way wrapped around a substantial sinkhole. The entrance covered in meticulously carved patterns and vibrant paints, although I must say the colors clash to my eyes.

Following the building up, several more entrances for the flying Demons sit well above the surface, how these creatures build so high is beyond my simple education.

Alas, I could not sit and marvel at the fortress forever, and so I went to the Demons in hopes of refuge from the elements.

The Troop at the ground entrance greeted me with little tenderness despite my haggard state at the time, though to my surprise one of their young boys insisted I be helped before I could be turned away, allowing me the rare sight of the interior of a Demon's fortress.

Inside the fortress, the halls had all been built with barreled ceilings, the path tall enough that one would think one of the frightening Golems of the west were resident. Many more young boys were trotting about all throughout the halls, the women busy doing the household work seemingly paying no mind to the boys running about, color on and carving into the walls, some with impressive talent I might add.

The young boy who came to my aide led me to a sitting room near the entrance. Though what he said to me I cannot say, the lad appeared to be a worrisome one and insisted I stay seated. He then left and returned shortly with a woman, whom I can only presume was his mother, and a basket with a large flask and some fresh food. The boy handed over the basket of goods to me, to which I was most appreciative.

After having been fed and drank, the lad continued to motion me around and tug me along, as if showing me around or forbidding going certain directions. I was brought to a number of well ornamented halls and rooms, likely ones done by the boy if his peers are anything to go off. Though there seemed to be little rhyme or reason to why a given room was decorated, with even the storage rooms, vacant hollows, and a lavatory being meticulously bedazzled with artworks.

A small number of nights would pass with me going about like this, being led around by the boy and shown his art pieces, as well as babysitting him while he colored in other spaces of the fortress. Once some time had passed, though, he would lead me back to the entrance in the early morning, where two of that Troop were waiting.

Though I could not understand, the boy must have been wanting me to trust them without being startled, as the Troop then lifted me by my arms into the air, an experience I can scarcely say I would ever like to experience again, and the two flew me to a village some ways down the road from my home, parting me with a small purse of coin to pay for my faire back to my village.

Looking back upon this experience, I must say the men of the Demons spend far too little time with their boys, while their mothers and elders pay them little mind as they get up to mischief. I cannot say the same about their daughters, whom they hid with such secrecy that I scant saw a lass whom seemed younger than a marriageable age.

Despite these oddities, I cannot say the Demons were bad hosts, their sociable young lads tended to me as dutiful little hosts, even if they had to beckon their mothers or aunts from time to time for things they were not yet old enough to do. Should I ever have the opportunity to meet a Demon who freely speaks the common tongue, I would feel assured that one would be a pleasant company to have.

For the time, that is all I have to write on this matter to you learned folks in the city, it is truly lamentable that such kind folks shut themselves in with such voracious isolationism.

Yours truly, a wayward freeman

Demani society is defined by clear castes made up of distinct gender roles.

At the peak of Demani society is the Primary Queen, the Aujo. The Aujo is the founder of the first Nest, and in turn, the Colony. Her role in Demani society is complex, being the mother of near all other members of the Nest, but still needing to be flexible enough to fulfill the roles of the other Colony members before the Nest is established.

As such, the Aujo reflects her station in her appearance. The Aujo starts at the modest size of two (2) meters, roughly six and a half (6.5) feet, in height when the colony begins, not dissimilar to other Queens. Once fully mature, the Aujo may reach as much as three and a half (3.5) meters, roughly eleven (11) feet, tall. If measured from head to the end of her tail, a mature individual can reach over seven (7) meters, roughly twenty three (23) feet, in length.

The Aujo begins with larger than normal wings, better suited for long-distance flight, which do not grow with her as she matures, making Aujo increasingly reliant on their colony as they develop. Aujo wings are typically more vibrantly patterned to ward off predators, which grows more pronounced as the individual matures and cannot evade threats as easily.

The Aujo features marginally larger mammaries than other Demani, a trait shared by all Queen variants, and has twelve total. The Aujo will go through several gestational periods in a single year, younger individuals have litters of twelve (12) to eighteen (18), while a mature individual may have as many as thirty six (36) in a single cycle. The litter is born underdeveloped, and after being weaned will be looked after by specialized Workers within the Nest.

Below the Aujo are Auxiliary Queens, Augue. Augue are typically one and three quarter (1.75) meters, roughly five and three quarter (5.75) feet, tall when setting out to form a secondary Nest. The Augue may grow to be as much as two and a quarter (2.25) meters, roughly seven and a half (7.5) feet, tall, or up to five (5) meters, roughly sixteen and a half (16.5) feet, in length.

Augue serve a similar function to Aujo, but are subservient to the Aujo. Augue will similarly produce smaller Workers than the Aujo.

Further yet still are Subservient Queens, Auvuo. Auvuo serve the same functions as Aujo and Augue, as they are individuals formally of other Colonies which have been integrated as members of a new colony. The size of Auvuo varies based on their role prior to being conquered, but generally reduce in size by up to a full meter, roughly three (3) feet, in the years following subjugation. 

At a similar rank to Queens, there is the Kings, Agge. At the start of a Colony, there will be a singular Agge who aides the Aujo, and as the Colony develops, there may be one to several dozen Agge in a single Nest. While the initial Agge will typically be taller than others, all Agge may reach as much as three (3) meters, roughly ten (10) feet, in height, and six (6) meters, roughly nineteen and a half (19.5) feet, in length. 

The Agge serves as the fathers of a Nest, and ensure the Nest's Queen is protected and cared for, particularly before specialized Workers have matured in the colony. After the Nest is more mature, the [4] are relegated to more political roles of labor management and leadership, though may be overruled by the Nest's Queen.

To protect the various Queens and Kings, the Guard Demani, Aofjo, are specialized to the task. Aofjo have a substantial build, being more muscular and having comparatively leathery skin relative to other Demani. The typical Aofjo may grow to two (2) meters, roughly six and a half (6.5) feet, in height, and three and a half (3.5) meters, roughly eleven (11) feet, in length. Aofjo are typically much more aggressive in response to unexpected change, but remain intelligent beings and may be reasoned with.

To protect the Nest, Soldier Demani, Aof fill a similar niche to Aofjo. Aof are typically one and eight tenths (1.8) meters, roughly six (6) feet, tall, and three (3) meters, roughly nine and three quarters (9.75) feet, in length. Aof can often be found at the entrances to Nests, as well as patrolling the immediate area. It is not typical to see Aof more than a day's journey from a Nest outside times of war.

Within the Nests, the bottom of the hierarchy are the Drones, Tsatsiu. Tsatsiu are Infertile male Demani who rarely exceed one (1) meter, roughly three (3) feet, in height, and two and a half (2.5) meters, roughly eight and a quarter (8.25) feet, in length. Tsatsiu fill several vital social roles within a Nest, being highly affectionate and empathetic to the status of other Demani. Tsatsiu similarly tend to be more creative thanks to this, and will frequently be the source of toys, crafts, and trinkets that are given to children and sold at markets. Despite these benefits to the Colony, Tsatsiu are the least materially productive Demani, and as such are historically the first to be exiled in times of hardship, though this has gradually faded as a practice as interpersonal bonds between Demani have slowly begun outweighing the risk potential material loss in many Nests’ decision making.

Outside the Nest, Solitary Demani, Eyn are some of the easiest to meet. Eyn are typically small, being only one and a quarter (1.25) meters, roughly four (4) feet, in height, and two and a half (2.5) meters, roughly eight and a quarter (8.25) feet, in length. Eyn may be either Male or Female, and are fertile. Eyn will frequently live in marital pairs, or in polygamous clusters, in which the females will have a small number of offspring per year, who will leave the cluster when mature. Despite the solitary nature, Eyn are vital in a Colony for their inter-Nest communication and for the preservation of genetic diversity.

The final, and by far most diverse group, are Worker Demani, Nonyaon. Broad categorization of Nonyaon would not be untoward to call a fool's errand, with the specializations into various niches within and beyond the Nest for the benefit of the Colony as a whole in an ever changing and evolving world. Some roles are more common than others, however. Some of the most common Nonyaon to be found in a given Nest are; Foragers, Nurses, Plant Farmers, Fungus Farmers, Builders, Herders, Cleaners, and Medics. Though a vast array of other Nonyaon subtypes exist, these few are the ones one is likely to encounter when visiting a Nest.