Ta'at

The Ta'at are a thede of Ym with a reputation for being more at home in the wilderness than in towns and cities. Of course, many Ta'at do defy this reputation and get along quite well in urban environments, but there are still quite a few that live nomadically outside them. The Ta'at originated in the forest, and seem to still prefer such environs, though they are adaptable enough to have spread, in relatively small numbers, to other terrains.

Originating in northern Walland, the Ta'at unsurprisingly made their first home among the forests that grow on the shores of the Dry Sea. Many Ta'at still remain in the forests of Walland—exactly how many is difficult to say, since the forests seem to be pocked with multum in parvo pockets, to an even greater degree than most of Ym, such that their exact area is impossible to estimate, and their depths difficult to plumb.

Description

The Ta'at have a lanky build, and are on average among the tallest of the major thedes, surpassed only by the Olkhan and the Shan, though both these races tend to be far bulkier than the Ta'at as well as taller. Ta'at have long fingers and toes, and tend to have a somewhat bony appearance, with prominent elbows, knees, ankles, carpi, and cheekbones. Their eyes have prominent epicanthal folds, and their ears tend to be small and round, their earlobes slight and usually attached.

The Ta'at have pale brown or yellowish skin, sometimes with an almost greenish cast to it. Their hair ranges from brown to black, seldom lighter than a medium brown, although some rare sports do have bright green hair, an apparently recessive trait that seems to run in families but sometimes appears in individuals with no known green-haired relatives. A Ta'at's eyes are usually brown or golden in color, though green or blue eyes are uncommon but not unknown.

Culture

While not all Ta'at now live in the forests of those ancestors, even those Ta'at who live in cities prefer to keep gardens or some vestige of a natural environment near their dwelling—though they don't actually require this, and Ta'at living in close quarters where gardens and similar means are impossible do get by without them. Cities with large Ta'at populations often have enclosed wooded areas called "yellow groves" that resident Ta'at can visit from time to time to fill their desire for contact with forested surroundings.

Ta'at almost always have pets, though they prefer to call them s; most Ta'at have more than one companion, and it's not uncommon for them to have a dozen or more. These companions may be common domestic animals such as cats and dogs, but may also be local animals not usually domesticated; wealthier Ta'at may import as companions exotic organisms from distant lands. Companions are important to Ta'at, and are treated almost like family members, to a greater extent than is true for most people and their pets.

The Ta'at put a great value on the sense of smell, and fragrances play a heavy part in both their art and their food. Ta'at sculpture and even paintings incorporate scented elements, and some Ta'at art is actually more focused on the olfactory than on the visual; producing a novel and pleasing scent is considered an artistic achievement in itself. Ta'at cuisine makes heavy use of aromatic spices, and the Ta'at, at meals, generally set apart a brief period of time (typically around ten minutes) to simply enjoy the smell of the food before they begin actually eating it. Incense and potpourri are common appointments of Ta'at homes.

Powers

The Ta'at have a reputation as having power over nature, and it is a reputation not entirely unearned. Some Ta'at do have the capability of commanding beasts to do their bidding, and a few can even make normally immobile flora move at their volition, albeit in limited ways. These are not the only thedy powers found among the Ta'at, however, or even the most common. Many Ta'at have the ability to read the minds of wild beasts, or to communicate telepathically with them without being able to exercise any direct control over them. Others have heightened senses of smell, or can accelerate the growth of plants. Some Ta'at can change into the form of an animal (or, rarely, a plant); most such Ta'at shapechangers can only take on the form of one specific animal, but a few have several such forms to choose from, and some gifted individuals seem to be able to change into the form of any beast they want to.

Known Ta'at powers that arise less commonly include the ability to control the weather, and the ability to change others into the form of a beast, either temporarily or permanently. A few rare Ta'at have the ability to alter beasts in novel ways, granting wings and flight to animals that normally lack them, for instance, or causing normally inoffensive animals to sprout dangerous claws and teeth. This power is often seen as unnatural and unwholesome, however, and those with this power are often shunned by their fellow Ta'at (and may choose to keep their power hidden for that reason).

Subraces

A number of subthedes exist within the Ta'at. The O seem to be somewhat hairier than most of the thede, and have somewhat thicker limbs. They are especially likely to be able to transform into beasts, but even those O without this power often are able to partially transform, changing their teeth into fangs or altering the proportion of their limbs to better be able to run quickly on all fours. The Eje are not as tall or as bony as other Ta'at, and have a greener cast to their skin, with some rare Eje having a distinctly smaragdine complexion. Eje frequently have power over plants, and some may even be able to grant plants a temporary motility and freedom of action similar to that of lively fauna. The Ulo are dark-complected and gaunt, with sunken eyes. They sometimes have some power over death and decay, and a few Ulo can even create undead. The Sa'ai have skin tending toward the yellow, and have somewhat flattened limbs. Their powers, if they have them, often lean toward dealing with aquatic beasts, and some Sa'ai can breathe underwater, or grant others the ability to do so.