Appearance: Tersids are slim, only those rare few who are not of the Psychic element possessing much muscular capacity. Though they are not very strong, they have some muscles, quite pronounced under their tight skin. Said skin is usually very pale, if not completely white, due to uncounted generations being spent underground. However, their skin is fairly tough from living among the rocks for so long. Subterranean life has also given them large eyes, about twice the normal size, with large pupils. Their hair is always white, and they usually let it grow to about waist length and keep it in intricate braids, which are woven with other things to signify position or family ties. Tersids are usually about the height of humans, if not a bit taller.
Abilities: Tersids do not have much strength, but are quite intelligent, usually more so than other races. They have a great capacity for imagination and abstract thinking, making philosophers, scientists, and scholars placed quite high in their society. They all have an advanced capacity for magic as well, though those few not of the Psychic element are sometimes bereft of this advantage. With very few exceptions, all Tersids know at least some magic. They also have a very long lifespan, nearly rivaling that of the elves, though not quite. The average Tersid lifespan is about 800 years, a little more than 1000 years being the longest any Tersid has ever lived.
History: Unknown ages ago something happened to drive the Tersids underground. Perhaps it was some cataclysmic event that destroyed the Psychic continent, if there ever truly was one, or perhaps the wrath of a god. Either way, they ran down, into the ground, even into the earth below the waves. They managed to hide themselves, changing and cultivating plants and animals that they brought with them to live in the new environment. Though they do have a long written history, even the Tersids nor the few ruined temples that dot the modern landscape record the truth of the event that drove them underground.
Transportation: They never found much a need for airships, living underground. Instead they used the Kerin Fly, an animal they took underground with them and bred to the new environment. It is a large insect, big enough for two Tersids to ride on, with six wings. These wings are see-through, but have a unique build that catches most light, making them the ideal material for the strange goggles the Tersids wear when above ground. The Kerin Fly is only for short distance travel, though, and they use Teleportation for longer distances.
Religion: Though the Tersids pay some respect to Thanatos, who, as their myths tell it, was a Tersid who gained the powers of a god before the rest were driven underground, they primarily worship Primus. Every Tersid city is built around a large temple to Primus, which serves not only as a religious center, but a political center as well.
Language: The Tersids have their own language, though have quickly learned others since their reappearance into the above ground world. Aside from their official language, called simply Tersidian, there is also the High Language. This is a very old language and most often used in worship services to Primus.
Society: Their society, as far as families are concerned, is organized into clans. Each clan has a symbol, which is embroidered on clothes made from strange underground plants and braided into the hair of a Tersid when they reach maturity. When they marry, the female Tersid will take the clan symbol of the male. They also wear another symbol, one of their professions. The most respected are the Priest Kings, one of which rules each city, which functions essentially as it's own kingdom, though all Tersids live in harmony. The priests of Primus are next on the ladder, and quite respected. The scholars, philosophers, scientists, historians, sorcerers, and other learned individuals come next, usually commanding positions of political power. The artisans and other 'hard' laborers, though very few things the Tersids do can be considered hard labor, are on the bottom rung, though if they produce good products they are still respected widely. Females truly have as much power as males in Tersid society, and though class distinctions can be made, they are usually disregarded, and do not serve much as a barrier.
In The Above Ground World: Tersids travel in heavy garments that protect them from the sun which can damage their skin easily, earring goggles made from Kerin Fly wings to protect their eyes. Some simply chronicle what they see, while others use their abilities to help society. There are, however, those who use their powers to open gambling halls and take the money of unsuspecting people, or con them in others ways. There are even a few more Tersids of other elements due to crossbreeding in the last few years, bringing about violent and physically powerful Tersids who still have a keen mind. These usually have skin, which is darker and slightly smaller eyes, as well as more filled-out frames. These Tersids can be fearsome warriors or strategists, and powerful foes.
