Mythrin


Like wood elves, Mythrin are one of the original species that lived on Lath before humans came. They use to live separate from the wood elves but traded often with them. While the wood elves were partially agrarian getting half their food from farming, the mythrin were hunter/gatherers that rarely had much to do with farming. Farmed foods only came into their diet through trade. When the humans showed up, they enslaved all the mythrin and now each group works for the rulers of the province they live in.

Appearance: On the outside, most mythrin do not look any different than humans. Upon close examination, they look like they might be a quarter elf since their ears have a little point to them. It is only when one has magic that they can figure out that someone is a mythrin. Most magic is nullified by their presence so those that are sensitive to magic can sense the shift in magical energies when a mythrin is near. Mythrin auras prevent most low level and some high level magic from being used when they are near. However, magic that can be used around them is extremely painful for a mythrin. Mythrin are highly sensitive to magic and it does a considerable amount of damage to them than it would to a regular person. Even healing magic is painful for them.

There are only two other ways to single out a mythrin out in a crowd. The first is by scent. Creatures with very sensitive noses, such as animals or beastmen that favor that are more animal like, can detect their more bestial scent. The second is when a mythrin shifts. All mythrin are born with the ability to shift into a single animal form. This form in inherited from their parents, so if their parents can turn into wolves, the child can turn into a wolf. Mythrin can not breed with any other species, so it is not possible to be a half mythrin.

What is most unique about mythrin shifting is that their clothing and items will shift with them. All other shape shifters can not shift items with their bodies. So why can the mythrin? According to the mythrin, they use a special technique to wash their items so they can be shifted. In truth, no one except the mythrin actually know how it works. The mythrin carefully guard this secret and will lie about it even when tortured. What is known is that the mythrin have to do something to an item before it can be shifted with them. Items that have not been treated do not merge with their bodies when they shift into animal form.

Culture: Originally, mythrin would mingle with different groups of mythrin all the time. They traded quite freely and often married their children, occasionally producing the rare double mythrin (mythrin with the ability to shift into two different animal forms). This came to an end when they were enslaved by the nobles. The nobles forced the groups to isolate themselves from each other and often made them work directly against each other.

Today, due to their high degree of isolation, mythrin do not see other mythrin groups as allies. They avoid each other when possible. In most cases, when they meet each other, they try to avoid a fight, though they will rip each other apart if they think it is necessary.

Each group has since developed their own beliefs and traditions since their isolation, and they all closely guard their information from outsiders. Unlike wood elves, they have managed to keep their languages in tact. They have also been able to keep alive some of their traditions. This is due to the fact that the princes and princesses that own them do not care much what they teach their children so long as it does not interfere with their work protecting their masters.

Life Span: The average mythin lives between 120-140 years of age. Different groups live longer/shorter than others. The longest lived mythrin was 178 years of age.

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