Nylans

Forged by Nightmares

Reborn in Dreams

Though our memories may fade

May you find the warmth taken from me

Many would expect the seeds of Memory Fruit to bear similar trees, as with most plants that grow across Verail, but Memory Trees are no ordinary plants, and what grows from their seeds are not trees, but the strange Kelaloid life forms known as the Nylans. A deeper study of Nylans will prove that their bodies are in fact plants, as much as the Kelalin are animals, though at a glance they tend to appear closer to children with perhaps a few plant-based accessories.

Popular legends once stated that when a young child died, Kelviena would regrow their spirit would be reborn as a Nylan. The legend has been mostly proven true, as nylans are grown with inexplicable memories of another life, and while rare, a few nylans have even managed to reunite with people from their previous life. Much remains unknown about this reincarnation though, as the only common thread amongst those who have reclaimed their past is that they were children who died at a young age.

The prevailing belief was, as the legend stated, that Kelviena was responsible for the growth of Nylans, but their growth from the seeds of Memory Fruit have continued even after Divinity’s End. Perhaps it is simply luck, or perhaps it is the will of the Memory Trees themself, but as few Nylans can be definitively connected to their past life, and fewer still are willing to be studied, their exact nature remains elusive.

Biology

Nylans are, for all purposes, a form of plant life. Their body is comprised mostly of something resembling vines, with the seed that sprouted them at the center of their body. Closer to the seed are the nylan’s “roots”, existing inside their body rather than underneath it like most plants. While this is convenient for allowing them to move easily, they must drink water much like most other Kelaloids do in order to survive.

The fine strands atop their head which are typically identified as hair are actually a form of very thin leaves. Nylans do not require food, as they can sustain themselves from photosynthesis similarly to most plants, though their roots are capable of breaking down other nutrients, such as from more typical foods, in the event they are unable to reach sunlight for extended periods of time.

The seed that remains at the center of their body houses the complex network of fibers which acts similarly to a brain for other races. So long as this center remains intact, a Nylan can regrow most other injuries given enough time, but they will die if it is severely damaged or destroyed.

The membrane covering the Nylan’s body, which closely resembles skin, is comprised of numerous small receptors that allow it to experience something similar to touch, those these receptors are considerable more sensitive than regular skin.

They are incapable of reproducing on their own, and the only source of the seeds the grow new Nylans seems to be the Memory Trees. Each tree tends to only produce roughly 20-30 new Nylans per year, though fortunately it is rare for a Nylan to truly die.

Despite their nature, nylans typically resemble a child of another kelaloid species, in most cases, they appear similar to their past life prior to their death. A few exceptions to this have been observed however, and a prevailing theory is that their appearance does not grow to resemble their former self’s physical body, but rather the way they saw themself. Some nylans may develop a greener shade to their “hair” or “skin”, but this is not always the case. Regardless, they can usually be identified by a few more recognizable leaves that grow near the top of their head alongside their “hair”, and it is not uncommon for a few flowers to form near the top of their head as well, although they can never bear fruit, and are much closer to leaves growing in a flower-like shape than actual flowers.

Nylans are functionally immortal, or at least no definitive limit to their lifespan has been proven. However, their “brains” have difficulty retaining more than a couple hundred years worth of memories. Past this point, they will usually forget much of their experiences within a few moments, though their previously stored memories remain clear and intact. The majority of Nylans will partake in a rite known as the Rejoining, where their memories are sent into the Memory Tree they were grown from.

Some Nylans have been known to avoid the Rejoining by allowing only parts of their memories to be rejoined at a time, though this is frowned upon in Nylan culture. A rare few Nylans have learned to instead connect themselves to their Memory Tree,  allowing themself to retain seemingly unlimited memories through the tree, though if they venture too far from their tree they will enter a comatose state. These Nylans are highly revered, and are typically known as Elder Nylans.

Sociology

Nylans are greatly protective of the Memory Tree that grew them, and to a lesser extent all of the Memory Trees. This is not particularly surprising, given their species would slowly die out if the trees were destroyed. As a result of this, and the fact that all newly sprouted Nylans, or Nylans who have undergone the Rejoining, start their lives near one of the trees, the most prominent Nylan societies are those that have formed adjacent to the five Memory Trees.

Nylans require little to survive, save for water which is plentiful around the Memory Trees, and having no need to struggle for survival, they have formed a docile and communal society. There is very little they value save for the Memory Tree and their siblings, that is to say, other Nylans grown of the same tree. Conflicts that do arise will usually be mediated by other Nylans, sometimes Elder Nylans if the conflict is large enough.

While they have no true leadership, Elder Nylans tend to serve as the closest thing, and are respected by their siblings. They are often responsible for helping the newly sprouted and recently Rejoined nylans adjust to life near the Memory Tree.

The Fragmented, as Nylans call those of their kind who sacrifice pieces of their memories to stave off the need for the Rejoining, and scorned by most Nylans. To them, such actions only mean their memories are cut into pieces, rather than allowing a cycle of one’s life to join with the Memory Tree intact. And it is ultimately a pointless endeavor, for if one’s memories and experiences become part of the tree, then nothing is actually lost, only put into a new form. Still, depriving one of their kind from proximity to the Memory Tree is a far greater crime than the actions of the Fragmented, so the Fragmented are still allowed to remain a part of their society if they wish to. They will simply find many cold glances. But for a society that values community as much as Nylans do, this may be the greatest punishment one could face.

Past Memories

Every newly sprouted Nylan has some amount of memories of a childhood as some other species. The memories are hazy, but clear enough they may be able to pull some important names or places out of it. This gives them some amount of experience, language, and basic skills, though much will need to be relearned to stay amongst Nylan society.

Despite this, these memories are not always beneficial to them. All of them depict a childhood cut short, and if they are fortunate most of these memories will be happy ones until the end. For many however, these memories are a source of pain. Years wasting away from an illness no healer could cure, a life under parents who did nothing but cause them pain and fear, or an existence of struggling just to find the next meal. Even for those who lived mostly happy lives, the pain they felt at the moment of their death is often the most vivid of all.

Fortunately, for most Nylans, the memories of a life cut short will fade into a distant dream within a few years. They may still recognize if they went to a familiar place or met a familiar person, but otherwise will mostly become impossible to remember. By extension of course, it will become impossible to seek out their life. For those who do wish to return to their old life, or at least get some form of closure for it, the more they think about it, and the more time they spend amongst traces of it, the harder it will be for them to fade away.

It is few and far between that a Nylan will consider this worth the pain. Even if they had something or someone they wanted to return to, they must ask if that is truly worth etching the moment of their death into their mind. There are those that still do embark on a quest to seek out their past in the early years of their new life while they still can, however. The majority will struggle to find anything, but those who do manage to reunite with their past and stop the memories from fading completely serve as proof that the memories are real, and hope for grieving parents that their child lives a new life at the base of a memory tree, even if they might never be reunited.

For Nylans who have undergone the Rejoining already, their original life’s memories will be gone, even if they had managed to retain it until that point, however they awaken with similar memories of their previous Nylan life. These memories, too, will fade away within a few years however, and even though they are typically surrounded by the place they dwelt before and the people they knew as siblings, the memories retained after the Rejoining are almost impossible to hold onto in any meaningful capacity.

Noteable Cultures

Ansalvia

When most people hear about Nylans, the image and concept that comes to mind is, in most cases, that of a Nylan sprouted from Ansalvia. This likely comes from the fact that Ansalvia Nylans live in close proximity to the nation of Agarus, and live closely to the people of Agarus not just physically, but culturally as well. Nylan healers are especially renowned in Agarus, with many sick or injured seeking the aid of the Nylans.

The Nylans operate a sort of informal orphanage as well. It is not uncommon for orphaned or runaway children to venture into Ansrivarr Forest in search of the Nylans, seeing them as kindred for their childlike appearance and carefree nature. The Nylans readily take them in and treat them as their own, though they have little concept of parenting save for faded memories of their past life, so the children who live amongst Nylans will typically reach adulthood within Ansrivarr Forest. While some may eventually go back to Agarus, many continue to live their lives amongst the Nylans, acting as guardians of the tree, and the forest as a whole.

Crystalseed Nylans

The Crystalseed Nylans, as they tend to refer to themselves, is a Nylan subculture not formed from any tree, but rather, defined by their own disconnection from the Memory Trees. Some Nylans, whether out of curiosity or pursuing answers to a past life, will venture into other societies, and may find they prefer the more developed civilizations to their quiet life near the tree they grew from. A common association with Crystalseed Nylans, though not always the case, is that they are Nylans who have reunited with someone from their past life, and chose to continue that life the best they can.

Crystalseed Nylans are much more likely to become Fragmented, and do not have the same negative connotations with the practice that other Nylan societies do, largely because they are not as closely connected to the Memory Trees.

Vrak’tor

The Nylans of Vrak’tor are the most wary of the Nylan cultures, and will turn away most visitors to the tree. They enjoy practicing with weapons, and spar with eachother regularly, honing their skills, or simply enjoying the thrill of combat. This is not to say they are violent. While a bit mistrustful, Vrak’tar Nylans prefer to fight in friendly duels, and will attempt to turn away unwanted visitors peacefully if at all possible.

Vrak’tor Nylans place great value in loyalty. Those you fight well together with should be kept close, and when one undergoes the Rejoining, the other should be by their side to teach them to fight again.

Defeating an Elder Nylan in combat is the greatest possible achievement most of the Nylans living near Vrak’tor can imagine, though few save for other Elder Nylans can win a duel against one with hundreds if not thousands of years worth of practice.

Yyktria

The Nylans of Yyktria are accustomed to life in harsh conditions, while they can survive the cold, the sunlight that other Nylans take for granted is not always as readily shining near Yyktria. At the times where the sun shines again after a long storm, the Nylans will have a Sunglow Celebration, dancing and playing under the sun until it sets for the night. The tradition likely started out of a need to absorb sunlight after periods of starvation, but has since grown into something with deep importance to them.

Outside of Sunglow Celebrations, Yyktria Nylans are typically known to be very quiet and introspective. Books have become especially popular in their society. It is rare for a Yyktria Nylan to be seen without a collection of books in their homes, and the latest stories they have read is a frequent topic of conversation for them. A number of authors have come from the regions surrounding Yyktria as well, and their Elder Nylans especially are typically expected to write at least a few books, even if they may have had no interest in writing prior to becoming an Elder.

Attire

Due to their sensitive receptors, Nylan attire is characterized by being simple and comfortable. It is rare for a Nylan to wear armor, even if they venture beyond the reaches of their Memory Tree, as the armor causes them discomfort, and is distracting. At most, they will usually wear thick cloth armor made to avoid agitating them. Vrak’tor have perfected various forms of cloth or light leather armor that Nylans can wear comfortably.

Nylans living around Yyktria wear heavy, warm clothes, usually woven from the wool of the Syvnar Rabbits native to the region. Other Nylan societies mostly use plant-based fabrics grown near the Memory Trees, though Vrak’tor Nylans have been known to hunt for animal hides on occasion, especially for use in crafting armor.