GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT Females are very rare, and are so nearly indistinguishable from
males it may be that they are just not recognized. The same stature and
form as males, the only difference is in their genitals and that they
have slightly enlarged versions of breasts compared to the male. When a
female encounters a male holim or another being that is compatible to
mate with her, she may desire to do so and can use her power to seduce.
Mating is passionate and energetic. She knows instantly if she has
successfully mated, and can store the seed for several Pentawaeks
before allowing the gestation to begin. Perhaps for as long as 7
Pentawaeks.
She will eventually be is massively bloated, almost unable to walk, so
before this stage she looks for safe habitation. Once assured she has
enough stores and will be secure from marauding creatures or evil
beings, she allows the gestation to take effect. Once the gestation
begins it happens quickly,
she bloats within Waeks, usually around 4 days it is noticeable and
after 25 days is undeniable. She will remain in discomfort for between
70-110 days where she will give agonizing birth to the runtling. The
runtling is 82% likely to be male, but the mother cares little and
treats all similarly. Fed from her breasts, or from that of a surrogate
mother, either another holim, male or female, both can give milk, or
from a volunteering or captured servemenoid. But the surrogate must be
able to give milk naturally. Jug-fed milk or animal milks causes the
runtling to wither and die over the course of a Pentawaek. Assuming all
is well and the runtling is fed several times a day, it grows quickly,
around 2-3 feet tall and able to run within 10 days, call for help, in
a bleating, raucous way, and even begin to investigate its surrounding
world. The mother is usually quite strict, for many adventurous
runtlings accidentally leave their safe habitat and find themselves
prey
of animals or killed out of ignorance by surprised hunters or trappers.
After 70 days it is around 4 feet tall and can talk in a primitive
fashion, and is now very agile. Now is the time where female or male
runtlings are treated differently. For the mother will confide all
secrets to female runtlings, but male runtlings they divulge little.
Any present male holims will usually, perhaps through instinct, begin
to favour a male runtling over a female, and they divulge the runtlings
future to them. These secrets or futures are the skills, crafts, and
explanations of their possible traits that they may develop when
matured. It is their training needed to become successful holims.
At 140 days the runtling has become a holim, full-grown and after being
given a gift from their parent, or parents, they are abandoned by such.
They, themselves, feel less and less attachment to their parents as
they reach this stage and become argumentative, difficult and more and
more adventurous. Once they have been abandoned, or they have left of
their own volition, they are considered holim. It is also at this
stage that they develop their powers and gifts and many alignments
morph to fit these traits at this time.
Holims live from this start of adulthood until a great age. They are
not immortal but can live for up to a Pentacade or such. As they age,
their powers and abilities grow, and their amassing of knowledge can
make them great scholars, almost by accident.
If a male holim copulates with a female of another race, there is a 40%
chance it will be pure holim, otherwise it is normal to that race,
although it may be thin and pointed in looks and have an interest or
calling towards the woodlands or wilderness. Gestation is normal for
that race or half the normal time if pure holim (assuming normal
gestation is longer than that of a holim).
SOCIETY, Holims are by nature solitary creatures, but are very gregarious
when encountering others. They are charming, even the evil ones, and
love the game of flirting, bantering, debating, or seducing. Holims
make no society of their own, although two or more may reside in the
same complex for shelter when seasonal weather is bad, or if dangerous
creatures are currently in the area. Aside from this mutual protection,
holims only seek out other holims when they need something or for
mating. Females and males have hungry sexual desires, but their ability
to copulate with any compatible being, from serevmen, to trallish, to
goats and cattle and everything in between. This does not mean they
particularly desire to copulate with all these creatures, most have a
limited preference, but they have successfully mated with all these
creatures noted. Their intelligence allows them to get on with whomever
they wish to, and they can be cunning in disguise and in using their
glamour abilities. They have been discovered living among other races
for many Dodecates, often only their long lives giving them away,
unless they are careful. Holims have no hierarchy beyond that of
respect for age or achievement. Older holims are considered very
successful and as their powers increase with age and time, they are
usually very powerful.
Holims rarely like to ride mounts, travel in long river journeys, or
levitate. They also avoid breaking the law when living in a settlement,
as any form of arrest or confinement to a single room makes them
depressed and unpredictable.
Holims use any armour, weapons, Manc as they wish, and as long it is
suitable for their form and size. Holims never manufacture their own
equipment except in desperate situations. They prefer barter, trade, or
stealing to acquire such items. They prefer ranged weapons, especially
bolas, nets, slings, and bows. For melee they prefer spears, staves, or
flails. Most armour interfers with their Plant Master power so avoid
it, but may utilize it if the situation requires. DWELLINGS Holims will reside in built houses, trees, caves and tunnels,
dells,
deep forests, or anywhere that is safe, is near to resources and has a
natural connection. They would not feel at home, for example, in a
tower on a small rocky island. They usually sleep on beds, but
appreciate the softness of blankets and such. When they do live alone,
it is commonly within a days travel of another society, else they
become saddened and more mischievous. LANGUAGE Their power allows them to speak any language given a short
exposure to it, including being able to read simple languages, but
their own language is called Chue-Gorth or Deepwood in Common. This
language is only a spoken language and is guttural, slightly bleating,
and smooth. Their written language, for some unknown reason, is
borrowed from Galandrin, but Old Tongue is also often used as a base
written language. Some holims have so little exposure to Chue-Gorth
that they almost lose its use. MUSIC Holims are very musical, like the galaniŕ they enjoy a good
feast or singing circle and are often attracted into wood camps if they
are reveling. Skilled in learning music by ear, they are expert
whistlers, pipers, drummers, and have a beautiful singing voice. Given
the chance they will often learn many instruments and build up a
memory-committed song book of ditties, ballads, and poems. MANC Holims are naturally Manc creatures and give off an aura similar to
a Level 2 Mancer (druid-like), regardless of their power. Holims have a
range of natural abilities and Lore or Manc-like powers:-
Home Navigation: Holims can naturally tell the direction
they are travelling, not by compass reference, but by mission. That is
should they wish to visit a known resource far from their land, they
always know which way they started from and can thereby navigate
towards any place they have been to before. In this way they can find
their way home using specific points of travel, unless they should
become disorientated for an extended time through injury, illness, or
Manc travel.
Learn Language: They can naturally quickly learn spoken
languages when exposed to it for at least a day, of casual attempts at
conversation (assume 5% of skill per Passage exposed to a maximum of
65% thereafter it is improved normally). Written languages take longer,
around 3-5 days for basic language written skills (assume 1% of skill
per day of attempted reading, quadrupling if being trained by a skilled
teacher to a maximum of 65% thereafter it is improved as normal).
Plant-Master: Holims have the ability to control their
environment while in woodland. The woodland must be larger than a
copse, or composed of lush plant growth in both height and spread.
While in this environment the holim can:-
Pass without leaving a trace of passage 10 times a day
(Critical Success of skill Ratings over 90 reveal something 'too
perfect' about the path taken by the holim for 1D4-1 yards, minimum = 1
foot).
Become motionless and camouflaged perfectly, even from multiple
angles INT times per day (does not protect from life, heat, or
alignment sensing Manc or abilities).
Cause living leaves, branches, or other fresh plant materials
to form a cover or dome in which to rest or hide (similar to Alter
Form: Plant).
Sense water, food, poisons, and supernatural forces in the wood
(range = INT of holim x2 feet).
Lore: Holims commonly have several lores. They never roll
on the normal lore tables. Holims have a 60% chance of having either a
wood, plant, earth, or stone lore. They have a 40% chance of an animal,
heat, water, or aeromancy lore. There is a 15% chance they have one
from both of these previous lists. A 5%chance of a nature lore
(replacing any lore previously rolled).
Glamour: Holims are naturally charismatic, but they can
also charm others using this power. This power allows them to change
their form (as a Phantasmal Force Manc) how they wish. They may become
more beautiful, ugly, change their physical look to mirror others form,
change their sex, or race, but they can not alter their height or mass
beyond that of half their normal size. (I.e. they can seem to be half
as big or smaller than they actually are, but they do not physically
change). With this change they can alter their voice and smell to match
their glamoured form. If the holim has only met one example of the race
they are mirroring, there will be a resemblance. Holims rarely copy a
new race after a single meeting because of this. Regardless of their
target glamour, they still retain a taint of their natural looks,
usually their thin featured face, hirsute body, large ears and eyes,
and their thin tongue - when compared to their glamoured race. Once
glamoured, they may cause a single target to become attracted to them
in this form, but this attraction may be simply a liking for their
character or morals or all the way to full-blown lust. This level of
attraction is dependent upon the sexuality, situation, age, and
alignment of the target and all get a Save Vs Manc once per day,
becoming immune to the glamour if they Save 5 days in a row.
