Culture
The FioAos live in a fluid but predictable manner. As they have different life experiences and grow in different strengths, they will change the work they do and the roles they fill within their villages as well as move around between the different villages within the forest to be where their skills are needed most. Instead of having a solid cast or tiering system they see each other as all parts of the same ecosystem serving their roles and maintaining balance in the forest. Because they are so aligned in goals there is little in-fighting within the groups and the only disagreements would be different ideas around how to achieve the same goal.
Construction, Crafting, and Arts
The FioAos are one with nature. This does not mean they are against cutting down trees or against others eating plants or animals, as that too is part of the cycle of nature; however, they do so in community and communication with nature. Instead of just cutting down what they need, the FioAos will first confirm with the forest ecosystem that it will be able to support and repair what they take. FioAos villages are crafted in and amongst the trees of Iath using different plants and taking advantage of each of their strengths in village building construction. What is most notably absent is the use of stone and metal works. This is due to the fact there are no mines within the forest. They do not frequently trade but sometimes metal and stone items find their way into the forest and some FioAos covet and enjoy these exotic items from the beyond. Therefore all buildings and tools are created from wood, chitin, and different items they can collect and find in the forest from its diverse ecosystem.
FioAos art focuses on the art of living tree sculpting. The ability to make a tree or bush grow in a beautiful way pulling the most out of its potentials as well as showing how it can be done to the hardest to tame parts of Iath is of great value. These trees will not be uprooted but sculptures they leave behind once done and are designed to be beautiful in their planted locations.
FioAos art focuses on the art of living tree sculpting. Trees and bushes made into art will not be uprooted, but will be sculpted where they are planted using non-harmful methods of guiding the growth of the tree or bush into beautiful shapes and patterns. This practice not only displays the maximum beauty of each tree but is seen as adding overall value to the forest of Iath. Experts of this craft are known for using the hardest to tame plants of Iath to show off their skill.
FioAos also love collecting dead insectoids of the forest due to their diverse shell colors and shapes. They have been known to display collections in geometric patterns within their homes or in large communal areas with bright vivid colors on fully intact shells. In addition to dead insectoids, FioAos will sometimes find small fighting bugs in the forest and then raise, nurture, feed, train, and direct them in fights against other insects to practice skills the FioAos would need to defend the forest.
Clan and Family
The FioAos do not have a tight family structure but instead a village community. As they do not know their parents, they are raised instead by the village that finds them after they emerge from the tree they were grafted onto. That village will raise the found FioAos with all the other saplings in the village. They will train and prepare the saplings for the defense of Iath. They will form bonds within the village, but rarely do they form anything close to a romantic relationship with another. The mentor and mentee relationship is much deeper than any other bond among the FioAos as they spend most of their time with those who train them. If FioAos move between villages, as there is a need, they are known to still travel to other villages to visit their mentors and other FioAos they grew up with as saplings.
Religion
All FioAos worship and reverie Ethelreda, the goddess of the forest. When a FioAos makes a valuable contribution to the forest or is recognized by a mentor for a major achievement, will make a pilgrimage to find Ethelreda’s spirit as it moves around Iath to see if they are worthy of a blessing or boon. Depending on how much Ethelreda values the contribution she will grant boons to them to show her gratitude and reward their devotion to the forest or their own growth. Worship of Ethelreda looks like cultivating and stewarding the forest of Iath as well as any fighting in its defense. It is rare but there are rumors and stories of FioAos who for some reason have been cut off from the forest and have on occasion sought protection or life from other deities or have given themselves to exploring without it serving any benefit for the forest.
Relations
The FioAos have a distrust and are aggressive against any who would enter the forest. Human explorers are seen as a pest as they always try to infiltrate and investigate the forest to see what it hides. The FioAos at a stalemate with the Fuzang-Zhian would be hostile to them; however, they do not want to initiate another fight as that would be detrimental to the forest.
Well Known FioAos
- Silent Lilly – Leader of a prominent scouting band
- Flowing Voice – Prominent Bard
- Crunched Arm – Village Mentor
- Ashen Face – Famous Magic Item inspector
- Shatter Proof – Famous weapons / armor maker