Sheepfolk

Sheepfolk are a sub-race of Chimera, native to the plains and lake coastline of what is now southern Axias, most sheepfolk now live in the plains area within Northi between Axias and Eisenstadt. Born with a natural sensitivity to magic, Sheepfolk have historically built settlements and migrated along major leylines. They were of critical help to sages in mapping and studying these invisible rivers of magical energy and many airship captains today feel it is good luck to have a sheepfolk on board. This deep sensitivity to magic comes from unique spirit circuits linked to their hair follicles, allowing unprecedented detection ability to magical energies and signals. Additionally, this sensitivity (and the natural talent to send magical signals as well) allows a sheepfolk to sense and smooth away the chaotic magical rhythm of physical exhaustion and mental fatigue. It’s said that the best night sleep a person can get is in the arms of or resting on the lap of a sheepfolk.

However, this magical sensitivity made sheepfolk uniquely useful in one very critical field: communications. With their innate ability to sense and send magical signals, they are commonly hired, trained, or conscripted into militaries. Historically, the use of sheepfolk and advancing artifice communication technology allowed Northi to dominate conflicts with accurate maneuver warfare. Only the overwhelming might of Westrian paladins and the scouting and aerial advantages of the demon aerial mages prevented Northi domination of the peninsula in full. This paradigm nearly changed radically during the Four Swords War. Sheepfolk communication specialists began utilizing new jamming artifices. Not only were these specialists key in continuing Northi’s domination of communication range and quality, but they were also able to use these new tools to isolate Sorthen communication signals and adaptively jam them. This removal of critical communication ability combined with the joint strike with Westrian forces and newly implemented aeromancers finally allowed the demons to be pushed back.

A major setback in the conflict drew the attention of sheepfolk after the war’s conclusion. Somehow, someway, the demons had briefly established completely untraceable and secure communications between their command posts in the south and their last general in the field. This limited communication allowed the demons to organize a blocking action at the Battle of Three Passes where General Ar’Golan’s battalion was able to hold back the invasion for weeks, allowing the evacuation of the remaining demon forces to Marlone Bay. This feat, which suddenly failed at the end of the battle, was investigated and the work of Aetherie Lu’Pana was discovered. Since the end of the war, the techniques and technology of the Aetherie has spread like a blaze through the sheepfolk communities, building on and allowing them to improve their own innate abilities to levels they’d never gone before. It is commonly thought among the sheepfolk that the late Aetherie Lu’Pana must have had sheepfolk help or had studied sheepfolk extensively to develop what she had.

Sheepfolk adventurers are often quiet, having grown up where needing to speak up to be heard was unnecessary, and they tend to shy away from those who are loud (both in actual volume and in showing off their magical energy). They will also think it is quite normal for groups to request them to act as a communication hub, even among new parties or strangers. But their comforting embrace and comfortable dreams are only for friends.