Who are the Alecani?

Currently Alecani are a CLOSED SPECIES! I plan on making them an open species in the future, but I need to develop their 12 distinct clans before that. If you want an Alecani character, please wait till all the information is available!

The Alecani are the main species in TeaFeathers, a race of sapient, winged, canine creatures with a love for song and tea! I made this guide as an introduction to the species. Let’s get started!

The Basics
Alecani are typically between three and four feet tall when standing upright (some are as tall as five and a half feet), though they are just as comfortable walking on four legs. They have large, powerful, feathered wings and a set of tail feathers located at the base of their fox-like tail that can open and close to help them steer while flying, just like a bird. Tail feather shapes can vary greatly between individuals. They are fairly light-weight animals with the hollow bones of a bird, but with surprising strength and tenacity for their size.

Physical Traits

Head and Face
Most Alecani have faces and head shapes similar to the crab-eating fox of South America: wedge-shaped and sleek (though some can look rather wolf-like). Their pointed fox-like ears are held in a swept back position when at rest, but they do move their ears around for expression and to hone in on sounds. They have a crest consisting of a single row of wide feathers, starting at the front of the head and ending at the base of the neck where the shoulders begin. This crest also aids in expression, laying loose and flat when relaxed.

They have very large eyes with round pupils; the sclera (whites of the eyes) are not very visible most of the time. So their eyes are like large, glassy, colored orbs in their heads. Think domestic feline in terms of eyes-to-face proportion: big and forward-facing.

Torso, Arms, and Legs
In this regard, they are more critter than human. Their shoulders are very narrow and sloped, not wide like a human’s. They lack a collar bone, and their arms are very flexible much like a cat’s limbs. They have shorter upper arms reflecting a more animalistic appearance than a human one, and their legs are digitigrade (like a dog’s).

Hands and Hind Paws
An Alecani’s hands are very deft, sporting opposable thumbs like humans. In place of dog-like paw pads, the palms and bottoms of their feet are bare of fur, much like a squirrel or raccoon. Each digit is tipped with a curved claw. The rear feet are something of a meld between canine and bird feet, with the thicker toes of a canine being lengthened some to have the grasping capability of a bird’s. They have a fifth toe that is semi-opposable so they can pick up objects with their feet.

Colors
There are 12 different regional clans, all adapted to a different environments (I will cover the clans later). Colors vary depending on which clan they descend from, which depends on the geographic origin. Some will shed and regrow their coats in creams and whites for the winter if there is a snowy season where they come from. Coat and feather colors are limited to“natural” colors, such as various blacks, browns, greys, tans, and creams you would find on most mammals. No bright bird coloration! Some Alecani, however, may have some iridescence to their feathers, like you may see on a crow. Skin color and patterns range between pinks, browns and greys, with possible splotches like you would see in a dog.

Alecani might bleach and dye their feathers for various reasons (fashion, ritual, etc), but no bright colors, such as orange or blue, are naturally occurring.

Markings on Alecani are pretty diverse. While they can’t have solid patterned fur like rosettes or tiger stripes (let’s leave that to the Pylura), you can find a pretty wide variety of patterns and markings in their fur and feathers. In addition, all Alecani have round eyebrow markings above their eyes, unless they are solid black or albino.

Diet
Alecani are omnivores, with a high need for animal protein sources over plant. Their favorite foods are fish, eggs, and root vegetables, but they enjoy a huge variety of plant based foods like leafy greens and fruits. They’re extremely good at fishing and foraging, and as large airborn predators they are fierce hunters as well. Alecani grow a lot of their own foods, but with an abundance of wild places, they also have ample space to hunt and forage.

Voices and Singing

Alecani have a respiratory system similar to birds. Their breathing is circular rather than in and out, which allows them to provide more oxygen to their muscles for the athletic act of flying. This also allows them to perform continuous songs without pausing to breathe in.

They posses dual voice boxes, which makes them capable of some pretty advanced mimicry and singing. They can harmonize with themselves and create very beautiful natural song. Howling, human-like singing, bird song, and other sounds comprise their natural range, but they enjoy mimicking as well.

Alecani have a strong knack for picking up new languages, including those of other species. As a result they are great communicators, and have learned to speak with a variety of species.

Quick Culture Overview
The species consist of 12 clans, all with their own unique traditions, which I will detail later. Here are some of the commonalities that bind the species together as a single culture.

Alecani live in a world saturated with nature spirits, who are very much respected. They often pay tribute at shrines with offerings of food, tea, song, or incense. Spirits inhabit so much of the natural world, that expanding any settlements requires an agreement and an exchange with the spirits in the area. The very few large Alecani cities in existence are occupied by powerful patron spirits, who watch over the inhabitants.

All clans have different sorts of homes, ranging from elaborate dens dug into the side of hills (think hobbit holes) to built up nests and tree house complexes. Nym’s clan carve their homes directly into the red canyon rock of their biome. Though their homes will vary, each one has similar comforts; sleeping chambers for individuals, a common area a kitchen, and lots of tea!

Alecani are not alone in this world. They live side by side with the Pylura, a sapient race of cat people who value discovery, metallurgy, and curiosity. They have been together so long that the first meeting between their kind has passed into legend. I’ll discuss Pylura more in their very own species profile.

The economy is very trade based, valuing spices and tea over most other commodities. In areas with a higher population, a more common currency of metal rings has arisen, sometimes supplemented with rations of salt. The farther into the wild areas you get the less the metal rings are used.

Alecani LOVE song, stories, and language. It’s common to find talented singers and bards performing for small crowds. A singing Alecani tends to attract small spirits into the audience as well. The better the voice, the larger and more powerful of spirits are attracted. The very best singer/storyteller of each generation is called The Harp. The Harp attracts a special large spirit, one that can only be called by the sweetest or most compelling voice. This spirit performs alongside the chosen Alecani by manipulating strings of the individual’s soul and playing them like a harp, a truly stunning concert to behold.

Magic
Half of all Alecani possess the ability to use magic. Magic in TeaFeathers consists of energy from the spirit world channeled through the individual’s body in an intuitive manner. It manifests in an elemental fashion, in a way that reflects the individual’s personality. Water, steam, air, trees, gemstones, sand, storms, flowers, and things along those lines. For instance, Nym’s magic manifests as leaves and ferns, but doesn’t consist of REAL leaves and ferns. It’s just spirit energy in that shape, which exists and interacts with the world only as long as she puts energy into it.

Fire and heat based magics are extremely uncommon in Alecani (less than .001%), but prevalent in Pylura. Usually elemental magic users with fire, magma, or lightening are ostracized from Alecani society.