Long ago the god of the feys Tamatoea The Happy manifested in the material plane as a tree, and quickly shaped and mutated the island of Veliko. The tree is massive, just like Tamatoea, and its magic had a profound effect on the surrounding environment. Instead of trees, the grass and local fungi grew to the size of towering trees, and the insect life on the island grew to an unimaginable size, from human-sized to Wooly Worts!

‍

This magic also brought about sentience and intelligence to some members of the newly giant insects, who were the ancestors of the Saymora. At first, the Saymora were made up of insects of all types, but after generations of living together and interbreeding, all modern Saymora look like a crossbreed of varying insect species. This mix of insectoid traits seems to manifest after their larval stage in a mysterious metamorphosis that nobody is quite sure on exactly how it works.

‍

Once the Saymora reach maturity, they take on roles in their community that are most suited to their metamorphosis. Those with mostly strong insect qualities do most of the manual labor and fighting, often adorned with weapons and armor made from special amber acquired from the Tatoe tree, while individuals blessed with better dexterity or craftsmanship take on other roles such as hunter-gatherers, artists, or mages.

‍

The royal family was established among the Saymora even before they became what they are today. The city of Theranda was founded in the ancestral age by the scarab tribe, and when it was established and started to draw the other insectoid tribes to it, the scarabs were declared the leaders as was their right. As their crossbreeding progressed over generations, the leaders have always remained of the scarab line, almost as if it was made a magical bind to the royal bloodline.

‍

The Saymora are hard-working people, able to complete projects in expert time thanks to their unique communication style. Special pheromones that they secrete allow them to let each other know what tasks need to be done, where, and when without even uttering a single phrase or stopping. The pheromones also work well with their military which is known for its deadly precision in combat. When talking to other species, however, they use a variety of clicking sounds and sign language.

‍

Other insects that were mutated did not take on the Saymoras' intelligence and ended up being put to work and becoming livestock and transportation for the Saymora. The most common transport Insect is known as the Craggle horn. This Eo-sized creature has tremendous jumping power that the Saymora use to jump from mushroom top to mushroom top. Despite the Craggle horns' lack of sentience, the Saymora can still communicate with any insect creature utilizing their pheromones.

‍

The Saymora city, known as the Hive City of Theranda, is located amongst the fungal forest beneath the Tamatoea The Happy's tree, which they worship alongside the Nature goddess Yena. The city is made to accommodate all forms of insect people. There are towers of interconnecting bridges for Saymora more suited for climbing or flying, mine tunnels for burrowers, and simple houses for terrestrial insects. As far as food goes in the city, the Saymora eat mostly mushrooms collected from the nearby forest, honey or fish caught from the sea. For water, they collect giant dew drops that gather on the edges of the giant mushrooms.

‍

Beware, though, certain areas of the mines have been closed off as an ancient enemy resides there. Legions of Saymora, possessed by a higher intelligence that controls their puppets like a hive mind. The Saymora do not know what created the All Mind, but they know it wishes to destroy Tamatoea The Happy's Tree with dark magic brought from deep below Crius's Crust.

‍

In the vast and wondrous world of Crius, few creatures have made quite as much of an impact as the Saymora. These insectoid beings are a true marvel to behold, with their diverse array of appearances and skills making them one of the most dynamic races in all the land. Despite rarely venturing beyond the shores of their beloved island of Veliko, the Saymora have gained a reputation as hardworking, efficient, and highly capable beings who are always up for a challenge. With their unique pheromone-based communication style and a deep respect for tradition and duty, the Saymora are a force to be reckoned with, and one that has left an indelible mark on the world of Crius.

‍