Elviani
Founded by Elviarn, the first-born, the Elviani found their home along the northern coast to the east of the mountains near growing human settlements. Finding a purpose in helping maintain peace among their contentious human neighbors, they honed their skills in the element of Spirit.
As time passed, they began to resemble their human neigbors more. Their skin remained fair, but it lost its marble quality and their hair changed from white to the yellows of gold, sunlight, or wheat.
Merandi
The second-born, Merandene, took her people to the western of the two islands south of the continent where she found hostile Water Elementals dwelling. After these sirens of the surrounding ocean kidnapped her love, she contested them in battle, freeing him and winning her people the right to stay. After that, a love affair with the ocean rose among her people and the element of Water became their strength.
They took the name Merandi as their hair changed to the blues and greens of the sea and their paleness changed to pearl and corral.
Dryani
Dryan, the third-born, took his wife Grevana and his people into the forests west of the Great Mountains, unknowingly settling in the midst of the Sondani, the sentient trees. Making a deal with them, Grevana and the other female Faerani learned to merge with them, allowing the sentient trees to experience through memory, the senses of sight and sound. The males then acted as guards for the forest, sometimes even shape-shifting into trees if the need arose.
Olive-skinned with auburn hair ranging from the red of autumn leaves to the brown of earth and bark, their affinity is in the element, Earth.
Firandi
Firanyre, the fourth born, took his people to the eastern island south of the continent into the territory of a Fire Elemental whose home was the island’s volcano. She did not welcome their presence on her island and tried her best to drive them off. Firanyre, as leader, went to confront her, and after falling in love with her beauty, he convinced her to marry him, and she agreed to let his people to settle there.
Specializing in Fire, their skin darkened to the color of obsidian and their hair to the bright shades of lava.
Birshandi
The fifth born, Birshara, was loathe to leave the mountains whose peaks touched the skies, so she moved her people along the mountain paths to the farthest end from the Dwarven kingdom, using the rock face itself for their homes. The birds of the mountains became their friends, and by their influence, her tribe changed. Becoming tawny-haired with tanned golden-skin, they found their strength in Wind.
Waerani
The twins, Waeron and Launa, were the closest of Faeron’s children, and could not bear to be parted, so together they took their portion of the Faerani to in the plains west of the mountains. There they found humans and wolves warring against each other for resources and land. Befriending both species who shared the twins’ love of family and neighbor, Waeron and Launa learned to shape-shift between their humanoid form and that of a wolf. In this way, they acted as ambassadors between both species and created a peace between them.
Since Spirit is the element that allows shape-shifting, their identity is not tied to a specific element like the other Faerani. Instead they see their affinity and thereby identity tied to the concept of Peace. Like the Elviani, the Waerani’s appearance began to resemble that of their human neighbors. Their pale skin became more sun-touched, and their hair darker. Reflecting their wolf coats, their hair is usually black, brown, or gray.
Petiani
The last of Faeron’s children, Petyna, either because of her own subconscious reluctance to leave or a poor sense of direction, led her husband, children, and people further into Dwarven territory. On the verge of being caught by the Dwarven army, inspiration and necessity led Petyna to the solution of size-shifting. Then when the Dwarves’ war feelings waned, Petyna opened a dialogue with them and established a symbiotic relationship. In return for letting them stay in the area, Petyna promised to use their size-shifting not only to limit their need for resources, but also to watch over their shared crops. Like the Waerani, since their size-shifting is a product of Spirit, they do not tie their identity to an element, and instead tie it to the concept of Life. They see it as their place in the world to protect the little things in life.
As for looks, it was their admiration of the Dwarves’ colorful appearances that influenced them. As a result, they, like the Dwarves, have no uniform skin or hair color. However, after the Petiani divided further with Petyna’s three children, there are recognizable traits that set the Petiani apart.
Sprites
Petyna’s eldest, Sparitina, founded the nurturing pastel-colored butterfly-winged Sprites.
Pixies
Pix founded the inquisitive electric-bright dragon-fly-winged Pixies.
Brownies
The protective Brownyth founded the earthy-colored lady-bug-winged Brownies.
The Worlds of Amy Britton Mendoza 