According to some fey ballads, gathlains were one
of the first peoples awakened in the primal world of
fey. They were created from the seeds of an enormous
magical tree, with the tree's mistletoe grown into
their flesh forming their strange wings.
Mischievous and capricious, these creatures
have discordant temperaments. They act purely
to entertain themselves and sate their immense
curiosity about the world around them. That very
curio sity has caused many to migrate to the Material
Plane and adventure there. These gathlains seek out
and attempt to mingle with gnomes . However, gnomes
often find gathlains too undisciplined, random, and
foolish for their taste s.
Gathlains are among the oldest fey races.[1]
Ecology
Gathlains grow from the seeds of an enormous magical tree, which often drift for hundreds of miles before growing into a gathlain. The tree's mistletoe develops into the adolescent gathlain's wings. Gathlains have no biological sex and cannot reproduce sexually.[2]
Society
Gathlains are naturally inquisitive, place special importance on art, discovery, experimentation, and storytelling, and are usually led by popular explorers considered to be idols to be emulated and sources of gossip. Gathlains are mischievous and capricious, and act purely to entertain themselves and sate their curiosity, often engaging in raucous romances. Due to their lack of biological sex, gathlains are uninterested in gender, have no gender-specific names and find the gender roles or sexual orientation of other races quaint.[2][3]
Gathlains freely associate with other fey in courts where interesting or admirable members are given fancy titles. They usually stay in these courts only temporarily, whether for a season or decades. Gathlain adventurers usually migrate to the Material Plane or explore the strangest parts of the First World, and frequently seek out gnomes, who consider gathlains flighty, foolish, and undisciplined.[2]
Gathlains have learned to domesticate giant bees, which they use to travel long distances.[4]
Religion
Gathlains find religion strange. While they pay homage to the Eldest in exchange for protection, they consider such behaviour tantamount to giving offerings to petty monarchs.[2]