Feidh

The Feidh are a species of highly intelligent deer, created by the Goddess Fentire, one of the conjoined triplets who make up the God Tribien. They appeared on Azgaar in the region of Comhalla during the Age of Civilisation.

Of the three Hallan species, the Feidh are the most flighty. They can possess magical abilities, though this is undefined and not genetic, meaning that two mages are not guaranteed to have a magical child. Mages are considered highly regarded, as are melanistic and leucitic colour variants.

Physiology
Feidh are ruminants, charicterised by a four-chambered stomach. They are able to aquire nuterients from plant-based food by fermenting it in a specialised stomach prior to digestion. The process, which takes place in the front part of the digestive system typically requires the cud to be regurgitated and chewed again.

Males are typically 175 to 250cm long and weigh between 160 and 240 kg. Females are 160 to 210cm long and weigh 120 to 170 kg.

Adapted to woodland, Feidhes have long, powerful legs, a diminutive tail and long ears. Coat colour generally varies between red and brown, though it can be as dark as chocolate brown or have a grey tinge. Although melanism and leucism are random genetic varients, they are highly regarded, and the Feidh will often elevate those displaying these pigmentations, for example, to clan leader or elder. Genetic veriation denotes where fur stops and skin starts on the chest- sometimes, it is bellow the belly, and sometimes up to the neck, but their faces rarely have any fur. Above their forehead and down to the base of their skull, they grow hair, thicker than the fur on their bodies, and unlike their pelts, their hair never stops growing.

Antlers begin growing in the spring and are shed each year, usually at the end of winter. They are made of bone, and are covered in a highly vascular skin called velvet, which supplies oxygen and nutrients to the growing bone. Antlers are testosterone-driven, meaning that males are likely to have larger antlers than females, though both do grow antlers. It is unknown what denotes the style of antler or the amount of tines. The horns have no nerve endings and can be removed. In the autumn, the velvet is shed and the antlers stop growing.

Behaviour
The Feidh are a skittish race, as they tend to not be able to rely on brute strength, unlike their Hallan kin. Unfortunately, this has been known to lead to issues with mistreatment by other races, such as being forced into servitude, being unable to join organisations or hold decent jobs.

The Feidh do not have a class system, and so, do not have nobility. The only level in their society above a civilian is a clan leader, which is usually reserved for a mage, or, superciliously, a Feidh with melanism or leucism. Elders are also regarded in Feidh society as they generally have more experience in life, and they teach the young about enduring change, handing challenges and the traditional ways of living

Very few Feidhes are warriors, and two-handed warriors are almost unheard of. The Feidh cannot produce young by mating with any other species.

Family Ties
Feidhes live in communities of various families. These usually consist of a mother, father and their children. The children leave home when they reach adulthood, and may take a husband or wife and have children of their own. When the parents become old, they will move into one of their children's homes until they die. Children are expected to provide for their parents when the parents become too old to look after themselves.

Any Feidh is able and allowed to marry any other Feidh, and if procreation is possible between the couple, pressure is generally not put upon them. Monogamy is considered an important part of a marriage, and failure to remain faithful to their wife or husband can result is expulsion from their clan. On top of this, consensual relationships between three or more Feidh are frowned upon.

Religion
The Feidh religion is a complex system of tritheistic beliefs and rituals that form an integral part of their culture.

They follow the doctrine of the God Tribien. They believe in the Gods Stallis and Viribus, but they feel the most love towards Fentire, Goddess of Instinct.

Education
Feidh have an oral tradition in which much of their knowledge and tradition is passed along, but never actually written down. Teachers instruct through use of lore and storytelling. Elders, keepers and teachers are responsible for keeping lore and magic alive, and will meet together and exchange knowledge with other clan leaders in a meeting called The Eolas.

During The Eolas, the clans will recall and record any lore they have relearned since the past meeting, along with reiterating what lore they know already to keep their traditions as accurate and alive as possible. During such time, the clans will exchange relics and clan memebers. These trades are seen as an act of sharing with their kin, and children who display promising specialised abilities, such as hunting and magic, may be passed to other clans as an act of good will.

Professions
Within clans, Feidh use their skills in hunting, agriculture, gathering and childrearing to further their clan. They are not specifically assigned jobs, but tend to lean towards jobs they are more skilled in.

In the larger Hallan society, you will often find female Feidh as servants, prostitutes, cooks and housemaids, and male Feidh as servants, spies, messengers and farriers.

Relationship with other species
Being herbivorous, Feidh do not hunt or keep livestock, but they have been known to keep many smaller species of animals as pets, such as Graineag, Babbits and Lannan. They also are known to train the Eun to be messenger birds.

Aside from the two other Hallan species, the Mellta and the Mathan, the Feidh have never encountered any sentient species inhabiting the planet. They consider the Mellta and Mathan their kin, due to their religious beliefs.