The land known as Figlyn is one of the Northern Kingdoms, though it is occasionally omitted from their number. The Figlyns are a mysterious people and rarely come into contact with foreigners. The nature of both individuals and the nation is calm, and it seems that although they have participated in many wars throughout history, none were ever initiated by them. This is not because they are strangers to expansionism or aggression, but rather because all their attention is directed toward their own state and its internal political affairs, about which the outside world often knows nothing.
However, the Figlyns are known not so much for the nature of their self-centered and scheming state as for who they are themselves. For the Figlyns are not like other humans. No one knows where they came from, but one thing is certain—among their ancestors, there are no humans of the kind that populated the rest of northern Qurand. It is now time to say something more specific about the appearance and nature of this peculiar people.
Whoever walks the main streets of Lagan, the capital of Figlyn, will gain their first impression of the people there: men and women with long, flowing hair in various aesthetic styles, wearing long, loose robes of delicate colors, strolling at a leisurely pace through avenues of trees and conversing with one another. If we peek beneath the surface, we discover the peculiarities of this race!
Men and women resemble each other more closely than in the human race; both genders possess smooth, beardless faces and graceful eyebrows throughout their lives. Every Figlyn child is born with long hair as black as pitch. In puberty, however, the hair gradually begins to lighten, and by around the age of twenty, most young men and women have hair of a deep chestnut color. This tendency does not stop there; by the time of their greatest maturity and strength, every Figlyn’s hair is as red as fire. After the age of forty, as life experience deepens and physical strength wanes, the hair turns golden, reaching the color of ripe grain. As the years pass, even the gold fades and recedes until only pure white remains. Extreme old age is then recognizable by a snowy whiteness that can hardly be rivaled even by freshly fallen snow. It is worth noting that this stark white hair is the only sign of age, for no wrinkles appear on a Figlyn’s face after their thirtieth year, though their eyes may lighten to a senile azure.
Such is the secret of Figlyn life: the color of their hair corresponds to their inner life. Thus, in the time when chestnut curls ring their temples, they indulge in the pleasures of the flesh and the joys of the world; when their hair is the color of fire, their body and soul are full of strength and power to lead a successful life; and in the time of gold, they turn toward wisdom and serve as elders and leaders of their fellow citizens. In the time of white hair, they turn away from social life and dedicate themselves to the unknown matters concerning the fate of man after death and before birth.
Another mystery of their being is that, although we mentioned the transformations of their lives in connection with human age, this was only an average estimate. The truth is that each individual’s age is governed by an unknown destiny; while one may remain long in the age of pleasures and then suddenly turn white and die within a short period, another may lose their color early and dedicate themselves to the secrets of their race for many decades. Some also live longer, especially their kings and queens, while others live a short time, particularly their bards and poets.
