Leshies are one of the major ancestries found on Kishar. NEED AT A GLANCE SENTENCE
Appearance
Leshies take incredibly varied forms. Some appear tree-like, while others are more akin to mushrooms, flowering or fruiting plants, seaweed, cacti, bamboo, reeds, vines, or something else. This physical form affects their abilities and to a lesser degree their personality.
Culture
Society
Leshies largely do not see themselves as tied down by broader cultural expectations, and as a result they often try to find their own way in life. Many travel for years at a time, seeing the sights of the world and making acquaintances, before eventually finding a place or role they like and settling down. Once they have found a new home, however, leshies may remain there for an equally long time.
Names
Nearly all leshies give themselves their own names, sometimes multiple times throughout their long lives. Leshy names typically reflect their personality or role, or they may simply reflect something they admire or find beautiful - natural phenomena are particularly common subjects for this. It is not at all unusual for leshies to have very long names by the standards of other peoples, especially as they occasionally add words or phrases to their existing name when the inspiration strikes them.
Creation and reproduction
Leshies can be born in one of two ways. The first, and perhaps best known, is through a ritual performed by a druid or other practitioner of primal magic. Some claim this ritual binds a nature spirit to the plant-form of the leshy, while others dispute this and say the sapience is granted directly to the plant - as with many other aspects of primal magic, even those the most adept at it barely grasp how it truly works.
The second method by which a new leshy can come into being is through propagation. The energy and time expended to do this is immense, and therefore it is rarely done, but each leshy can remove part of its own form and slowly nurture it into a new leshy. It can take decades or even centuries for a new leshy to grow this way, all the while their parent must devote nearly their entire life to ensuring they have the nutrients and stimulation they require. Propagated leshies are typically seen almost as children by those who care for them, even after they are fully grown, though most quickly find their sense of independence and seek to lessen the protective hold over them.
Lifespan
Leshies are theoretically immortal. In reality, however, few wish this to be the case, and many intentionally return their plant-forms to the earth or the water once they view their lives as complete.