Guhl

{{Peoples
 * synopsis = Guhl are a unique people native to Templehelm. Though very similar to Goblins, the Guhl are a changeling race that can shift their appearances at will.


 * characteristics = Guhl are fairly short beings, with heights ranging between 3'5" and 5'2". They have skin, like most peoples of Ateon, which is always green but ranges in hue from a verdant leaf-green to a more pale cactus-flesh-green.

Like many indigenous Helmian peoples, Guhl have pointed ears, and compared to other halfling and goblin races, Guhl typically have less hair and fairer features.

Lifespan
As with all peoples indigenous to Templehelm, lifespan holds very little meaning. Some Guhl are born and die within an Emeraldite Year. Others remember ages past before the modern forests had sprung from the earth.

Changeling Nature
Guhl, being a changeling race, can shift their appearance at will. The extent of this ability can vary from Guhl to Guhl, and, like most physical skills, it is something that can be trained. Most Guhl can shift the forms of their bodies fairly easily, though changes in height beyond an inch are difficult, as is intense changes in skin-tone. Guhl cannot change the appearance of their hair in this way - haircuts and hair-dye are common.

Most notably about the Guhl is the shiftable nature of their bones, allowing them to sharpen teeth, elongate or reinforce limbs, and even change their height. Though inherent to all Guhl, this ability is one that must be honed and practiced for any meaningful use of it. At its most basic, Guhl can use this to shift their facial structure and general builds.

Reproduction
Guhl are a biologically genderless people, and they often shift their forms to seemingly-drastic and different ends and combinations of masculine or feminine forms. Their reproductive organs are multi-faceted and all Guhl are born with the ability to fertilize or incubate Guhl young.


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Gender & Caste
Early scholars who studied the Guhl believed them to be a gendered people, writing up books upon books about the womenfolk and the menfolk. Even later, when contact with the Guhl improved, gender was assumed for a long time and the lack of its mention attributed to a small linguistic difference.

This confusion is understandable, as Guhl society is typically structured into castes that many other peoples would initially see as gendered. Across most tribes there are three main castes - Shamans, Hunters, and Child-Keepers. Early scholars believed the Child-Keepers to be women and biologically female, as this group typically would present a feminine form in order to feed the young they cared for. Hunters typically presented more heavily-muscled, masculine forms, and scholars assumed that they were men and biologically male. Shamans were rarely seen by scholars, though most assumed them to be men as well - due to their own patriarchal systems of worship and hierarchy.

In reality, the caste system within Guhl society is not a strict one, and Guhl are not born into their caste. There are even many Guhl who have switched castes due to the needs of the tribe.

Language
Guhl had their own language millennia ago, but it has since been replaced with common. Even so, many proper names and cultural phrases have been maintained, as well have certain speaking patterns and other nuances of their language use. Guhl itself is an interesting word which can mean 'Person', 'Leaf', and 'Gift' - Guhl rarely regard other peoples as separate from them, and even those well-travelled will often refer to Humans as Pale-Guhl, Orks as Large-Guhl, etc.

Saegh
Guhl believe in Saegh, an ancient force/being whose worship had already fizzled out long before the arrival of the Emeraldites. Though often viewed as a deity by outsiders, the Saegh is not personified by the Guhl. A true translation of the word 'Saegh' is difficult to achieve, but it means something like 'God', 'World', 'Now', 'Death', and 'Fate'. Some early translations of Guhl texts hold it to mean 'World-Tree' or 'Ever-Present Branches', and, though this may be a more literal understanding and useful in context, it does not capture the true nature of this belief.

Saegh'Kha
The Saegh'Kha is a holy tree that once towered above the land of Templehelm. Its significance eludes most scholars, as Guhl would take pilgrimages across the land to see it, yet claim 'It is a tree, like any other.'

The Saegh'Kha was lost to the ages, long ago when Guhl were plentiful and they were often hunted for sport, labor, or for the supposed magical benefits of their hides. Some tales hold that a seed of the mythical tree still remains - that it is held by the Guhl'Dou, the traditional keepers of the tree.

Saegh'Akou
Literally meaning, the Voice of Saegh - Saegh'Akou is a true deity that is honored by the Guhl. Also called Dae'Guhl, Aeloush, and the Verdant Tongue, Saegh'Akou is the sole deity honored by the Guhl Tribes.

Tribes & Clans
There were once countless tribes of Guhl, but most have been lost to history.

Guhl'Dou
The Guhl'Dou are a well-known tribe among the Guhl at large. They once tended to the Saegh'Kha, and their tribe was known for its excellent shamans and its impressive adherence to and reverence for Saegh'Akou.

Guhl'Mrae
The Guhl'Mrae were a warrior-clan, which once protected the jungles that the Guhl called home. At one time, all Guhl tribes would pay tribute to the Guhl'Mrae, and the Guhl'Mrae would exclusively guard their lands against malicious outsiders. This tribe was one of the first to fall when the Great Hunt began. When the other peoples of Templehelm came to conquer or kill the Guhl, the Guhl'Mrae fought them to their last Guhl. To this day, to be compared to the Guhl'Mrae is a great compliment for a warrior.

This tribe primarily believed in Dae'Guhl - a version of Saegh'Akou that was a god of life and champion of the Guhl. A kind of warrior-matron.

Guhl'Zei
The Guhl'Zei were unique among the Guhl, as they were known for living among the fresh-waters of the jungles and dense forests the other Guhl called home. Fine fishermen and thrill-seekers, the Guhl'Zei were often targeted by river beasts - crocodiles in particular. They were also skilled craftsguhl, creating fine fishing rods, boats, clothes, armor, and baskets.

Animal Husbandry
Animal husbandry among the Guhl was widespread, with many keeping wolves, foxes, birds, and cats as hunting companions. The Guhl-Mrae in particular were known for their war-pandas, which they would equip with thick leather armor and ride around the boundaries of the jungle to keep watch. The Guhl'Zei sometimes trained birds to help them fish, and there is some evidence that they attempted and succeeded (in a limited capacity) to tame the crocodiles that otherwise would hunt them. If this was the case, however, it was the exception, not the rule. Guhl have had a minor presence throughout the modern history of Templehelm - what few of them remain have kept hidden within the dense, verdant wilds, content to keep apart from those they share the land with.
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Base of the Saegh'Kha
Deep within the Guhl Jungles, there sits a sapling born from a seed of Saegh'Kha. At its base lives a single Guhl who hopes to find more of their people and keep their honor and traditions alive.

Agu'Dou
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