There is a place not far from here where kindly creatures roam.
Where the wind will speak with anyone who calls the Earth their home.

The waters and the grasses are the teachers and the guides.
And we listen to the forests and the poems of the tides.

The Earth is us, and we are Earth, and from it we will learn.
And when our time on Earth is through to earth we shall return.

- Miriconian Author, Unknown


Prologue

As one of the few Iridians (humans) who have had the considerable fortune to journey far into the Lands of Mirico, upon my return to Iridia I felt it my responsibility, moreover, my obligation, to put into account the many experiences and individuals I encountered during my time there. Hence, a collection of stories and limericks, histories and mythologies, songs and images find themselves put together, hopefully with some measure of grace, in the present volume.

As for the genre in which this book and any of its companions may be categorized, and in the interest of those who must put such labels on things, this work will most likely be identified as 'fantasy'. But it seems to me that too much emphasis these days has been placed on the fantastical, and that writings within the realms of fantasy have largely been presented with intent to entertain, or as a form of escapism. While the Lands of Mirico are themselves highly entertaining, and while it is indeed a wondrous place to escape to, Mirico is not in the slightest a 'fantasy'. It is simply a world which has existed, in complete reality, outside the constructs in which we Iridians tend to focus. That I have been there is a simple fact, and I have put down in writing, illustration and so forth the things which I felt possessed the greatest value, the most information, and which had the most potential for expanding awareness of a decidedly precious and largely unknown world. Whether or not you as the reader wish to know more about such adventures is entirely up to you.

Now, it is easy to dispell that which is unexplainable or unusal and call it magical, and it is also simple logic to say that experiences which seem abnormal may be best explained as daydreams, or perhaps as visions. But in the case of the Lands of Mirico, that which might appear at first to be a fabrication of the mind, is in fact altogether real. Some Iridians who in the past have stumbled upon Mirico have recounted their experiences as dreams, and others, who I am absolutely certain have spent time in Mirico, have, when put to it, vehemently denied their awareness of any such place. There are still others, who, when granted access to Mirico, find that it is a far more suitable place to live than the world with which they are familiar, and in many cases have chosen to remain in Mirico indefinitely. There are also those, who, during such times as it was sanctioned, went often from the world of Iridia to Mirico and back again. But this was in a time where it might be said that our Iridian world was itself a 'fantasy'; a world of simpler ways and far gentler motivations. Sadly, this simpler and gentler world has all but disappeared. But for its own part, the Lands of Mirico have retained the earthliness and kindness, and perhaps even the innocent whimsicality which over time has been leeched away from the worlds of Iridia. Perhaps this is the reason why Mirico's reality is now mistaken for fantasy, simply because it seems that a realm so unpretentious, benign and pure could hardly be real.

I should not take it upon myself to attempt to make you believe in such a place as Mirico, but rather, I feel that I should provide you with the necessary information that might make Mirico accessible to you. For it is not so difficult to find as one might think, and the peace, joy and fellowship that you will likely find there, even if recounted later as a flight of fancy, will be at worst a pleasant fiction.
The Land of Mirico

If you look at a map of the Iridian (or Earth) world, the Miriconian world is there before you as well, but is simply present in 'reverse'. For example, the continent of South America, as it is known (and visible) to humans is a body of land. In the Lands of Mirico, however, this is a large body of water known as the Anqu'san (or the Sea of Anqu'sa). Likewise, the island of Madagascar is the Sea of Thagalo, the Great Lakes of the United States are the Islands of Firin(brad), and New Zealand is the North and South Sea of Straith. The Himalayan plateau of the Iridian world is in Mirico the deepest trench of all the Oceans, and the Mariana Trench is Mount Em'uri, the highest peak. and The Dead Sea, on the Borders of the Iridian countries Jordan and Israel, is one of the the rooftops of the Miriconian realm, and perhaps the most profound opposite of all is that Antarctica (or Copernikha as it is known in Mirico) is water surrounded by land, and the Artic Circle of the Iridian world is in Mirico called L'wambwahna, and is a body of land surrounded by water. Rivers, basins, ponds, lakes and other water systems in the Lands of Mirico are governed by the climate and topography, and behave in very much the same way as those of Iridia. Tectonic hotspots, superplumes and other igneous provinces remain the same in both Mirico and Iridia, except that undersea volcanic activity would manifest on dry land.
Because the Lands of Mirico are present on the same earth which experiences seasons governed by the analemma of the sun and the tilt of the planet, seasons are not dissimilar in Mirico. There are fewer 'observed' season in most Miriconian cultures, and instead of 'Spring', 'Summer', 'Autumn' and 'Winter' there is instead 'The Wandering Time' (which is warm) and 'The Settling Season' (which is cold). There are tribal cultures who observe more than twenty 'seasons' within a single Iridian calendar, and there are also many in Mirico who observe the Wiccan / Pagan 'Wheel of the Year', celebrating the Solstice and Equinox, as well as Imbolic, Beltane, Lammas and Samhain.
Climates tend to remain the same as those typical to an earthly region, except in cases where large earth bodies, such as mountain ranges, would create climatological variation by altering prevailing winds, affecting vegetation growth, or trapping rainfall in neighboring valleys. Deserts might emerge in unusual places on the Miriconian side, and fragmentation of habitat would present new opportunities for many highly adapted endemic species.
Bodies of land reversed to water would have a 'rimming' effect, creating a greater intensity of biodiversity near shorelines and in bays. Waterways feeding from these into the reversed topography would also govern where towns and cities were built for access to hydraulic power and waterway trade. Air mass influences would play a significant role, since water and land radiate and exchange precipitation differently. Altitude, solar radiation, and high and low pressure zones would also be factors for determining a given Miriconian climate. While developing the realistic world in a visual sense, global models could be generated in a digital field to more realistically represent climatological patterns.

The one exception to the rule of reversals is the great Dillydell Marsh, which in Iridia is known as the Pacific Ocean. Rather than being a continent on the Miriconian side, The Dillydell is an endlessly shifting intricacy of moveable isles, shifting sandbars, mangroves, and treacherous bogs. Navigation of this expansive brackish marsh is attempted by only the most daring adventurers, and even some of these have met with an early demise, as the Dillydell has in it few set landmarks, no reliable outposts, and only a handfull of freshwater sources.

Because of the fact that the Iridian and Miriconian world share numerous biological links, and because both of these worlds exist in tandem, there are many similarities to be found. However, because the Miriconian world is in a way an 'endemic' biosphere, and because for a time there has been a disconnection between the worlds of Iridia and Mirico, the Miriconian realm in many cases is unlike anything an Iridian visitor may anticipate. For example, there is a Miriconian species of highland tree thought by Miriconian botanists to be a hybrid of the Iridian bristlecone pine and Baobob, which has for centuries grown 'fur' on its trunk and branches to survive the extreme temperatures in its mountain habitat. Because of this adaptation, the 'Razzletree', is the only plant which prolifically grows above the tree line in most known Miriconian mountain ranges.





Land for Water, Water for Land - What is What? (Some Examples)

Greenland - The L'wambwahn Sea

The Great Lakes - The Firin - 'Imyn' (around), 'Frisyn' ('through'), 'Iaryn' (across), 'Leisyn' ('against'), and 'Uasyn' ('over').

North America - The Bo'yepikti ('backward water')

Africa - The Zun Sea The Pacific Ocean - The Dillydell

Madagascar - The Sea of Thagalo The Atlantic Ocean - The Burkhlins ('roving grass')

Australia - The Arkholo Sea The NW Indian Ocean - The Ocycan (crystal) Desert

South America - The Anqu'san The NE Indian Ocean - The Dowladar ('breath place')

Antarctica - The Copirnikhan The Drake Passage - Vonnvail Straights

Lake Victoria and Surrounding Waterways, Africa - The Naku Islands

New Zealand - N. and S. Seas of Straith Sri Lanka - Lake Ebuktu

Straits of Magellan - The Path of At'holo The Peninsula of Alaska - The Twyzle

Tasmania - The Creatol Papau New Guinea - The Sea of Ehlkvelk

Lake Baikal - The Isle of Behruh Portugal / Spain - The Valkirk Sea

Iceland - The Okspeth Canadian Uplands - The Breeks

The Aleutian Islands - The Bythes

The Mediterannean - The Pirrinian Interior

The Isle of Britain - The And'yoleken Ireland - The Tear of Roah

The Phillipines - The K'valt Sicily - Lake of Ikst

Islands of the Carribean - Nepurrut, Ulup'e, B'ym, Trayien, Q'varya, Oe'be

Hawaiian Islands - Suryama's Tears The Gulf of Mexico - The Lanoran Jungle

The Southeast Indian Ridge (tectonic) - The Yirdil Range




Predominant Vertebrate (and *non-vertebrate) Species in Mirico

The Lizabards, (Ehbru / Ehpsu-Yemounin) possess more scales than feathers, and some sort of reptilian tail. either bipedal or quadrupedal.

The Amphibidores, who are any creature who may freely pass from water to land and back again. This includes the Shelkie and the Siltweed Shoehorn (when not in its aquatic phase)

Tuthicans - Sharks, rays. Polkin - Distant cousins of the lama and the camel.

Roakes - The Mongolian horse, the only horse to be introduced in Mirico. The Antenneans, arthropods displaying antennae of any kind.

The Buzzles, any creature of insect ancestry, but who are devoid of antennae.

The Scutians, any creature possessing no arms and no legs. Worms, segmented lizards, legless salamander species, snakes, eels and serpents.

The Netches - The Bee folk. E'Matwa - The Moose Folk. Ou-li - The Owl People. The Iy'lypu - Wasp Folk

The Minu'ok - The Heron Folk. The Egrettu - The Egret People. The Ta'me - The Frog Folk. Ac'happappa - The Hummingbird Folk

Inukkulolik - icelandic Feathabees, have had no interaction with Iridians other than the Inuit.

*Brineflies / Zetchums - harmonious swarms of insects found in every climate except the Polar regions.

Accabba - The Maccaw Folk - Three distinct clans in three defined geographical areas.

The Terripians, any creature with both soft tissue and a hard shell. Tsma-sng-puh, Dillydell.

The Fehruksha, or any creature with antlers, or possessing short fur and four legs.

The Plurqunians, or any creature of the Siltweed family. The Furkhs, any creature with more fur than bare skin.

*The Carapacians / The Clawkans, any individual with a tough outer shell or 'carapace'.

The K'marinhe / Gillifurks, any creature dependent solely on a water habitat for survival.

The Mandalucians ( and the Ta'Galan), any creature with a near-equality of bird and lizard traits, possessing a bioflint and pair of remnant 'fire' lungs.

Shelkie - a mollusk people of the Dillydell Marshes. Fully retractable bodies, stemmed eyes.

Kew'qa - The Little Kiwi People. Exclusive to the Creatolan / Seas of Straith region

The Feathabees, who are any creature with a bill of keratin who possess prominent body feathers at the elbow and tail. This includes the mammalian subspecies, and marsupial subspecies.

Stalactians / Jzijzu - The Bat Folk


While the inhabitants of the Lands of Mirico are numerous, and while each is in itself deserving of some sort of formal introduction, for the purpose of this prologue the spectrum of species will be limited only to the most predominent. Among those listed above, the most prolific, and perhaps the most influential of all in the Lands of Mirico are the Feathabees.

What is a Feathabee?

Feathabees are a highly intelligent, bipedal and flightless species possessing both 'bird' and 'human' traits. Biologically, the largest differences between humans and Feathabees are the presence of multiple tympanic membranes which diverge from the base of their trachea (to create highly varied 'bird' calls) and the lack of a urinary bladder. Feathabees have a highly unusual but universal blood type, CH2, which is quite similar to earthly bird blood types in most respects, but which possesses an odd double-nucleic structure in the red blood cell. This means that beside each red blood cell's nucleus there is a tandem, or helper cell, which when broken down, is crystalline in structure.

In the Lands of Mirico there are many species and morphological subspecies, which are the result of many microevolutionary divergences. Thus, in appearance among Feathabees there are infinite genotypical and phenotypical variations. Most feathabees are broad-chested, bony-jointed and lanky, and at maturity can be anywhere from just over one meter to two-and-a-half meters in height. They have slender, flat palms and five fingers on each hand, with four toes on each foot. They are a digitagrade species, meaning that they walk on their digits. Their beaks are composed of a thick sheath of keratin, with two small respiratory 'nares', or nostrils, on the uppermost part or 'cere' of the maxilla. The shape and length of the beak depends largely on diet, migratory range and lineage.
The temperate species are typically covered in fine, densely layered body feathers mostly in earth tones, but their plumage may also display mixtures of gray, copper, white, pale cream, faint yellow or occasionally pale blue. Subtropical and Tropic species are far more exotic and display dramatic plumage coloratinos varying from red-orange, purple, deep blue, green and pink. At the onset of maturity most Feathabees develop more significant plumage growth (or 'remnant wings') at the joints of the elbow. Tail feathers are universal, and are utilized for communication, theatrics and balance. Hatched with a single 'tuft' of feather on their hindquarters, Feathabees sprout a new tail feather approximately every other year until they are about twenty Iridian years old. Some island cultures, such as the Onepalipans and the Credgewee, pluck their body feathers in a kind of reverse scarification, creating intricate and symbolic patterns on their bodies. Others, who see a show of feathers as a form of vanity, pluck out all prominent plumage.

Senses

All Feathabees have a highly sensitive inverted reptilian ear just behind and beneath each eye. They lack the protective nictitating membrane common in Iridian birds, their eyes being sheathed instead by a lid very similar to that of humans. The Feathabee eye is typically large and deeply set, and unlike many Iridian birds, is able to rotate in any direction. Most species have two retinal fovea, and their eye 'sockets' are surrounded by a sclerotic ring of bone. Their field of vision is usually broad and their sight highly sensitive, although a good number of Feathabees have been known to be near-sighted, requiring corrective lenses to see properly. Their smell, sight, taste, touch and hearing are not dissimilar from hominids, but some Feathabee senses can be accentuated, especially in the case of Earth Speakers, or individuals who communicate openly with the natural forces present in the earth. This additional 'sense', often referred to as a third 'hand' or 'ear' is highly regarded, and expressed in many Miriconian accounts of myth, poetry and

I send my ear into the earth to know the root of trees
and listen reaching out with one, then two, then hands in threes

- Akhupekhto, Feathabee philosopher and poet. Friend to Socrates.

The Miriconian Diet

Most Feathabees and many of their brethren are strict herbivores. However, because by the laws of Nature nothing should ever be wasted, it is common for some Feathabees to be rather opportunistic when it comes to food. In some Miriconian societies this behavior is looked upon as uncivilized, and has given rise to the term 'chinker' (which is derived from the Old Miriconian word 'chi^ink'e, which means 'desperate'). There are omnivorous cultures in the Lands of Mirico, and some of them are quite voracious, but because most of these are aboriginal and thus much removed from the world, their dietary habits have little effect on the Miriconian ecosystem as a whole.

Reproduction

All 'true' Feathabee species are egg-laying, but gestational periods, nest-building habits, building materials and parental duties vary greatly from one culture to the next. In more social Feathabee groupings there may be as many as a dozen 'sitters' on the developing eggs, while in outlying and more 'primitive' cultures there may be times where an egg is left in a warm place unattended. Hatching and rearing of the young, or 'wees' as they are often called, is usually a shared parental duty. In highly sophisticated societies, in addition to the nuclear family there will also be 'second wings' or nannies whose sole purpose is to mind the developing young while the Feathabee parents forage, till the soil or trade goods at a local market.
The Feathabee lineages tracing roots away from the 'true' lineage, such as the Amnamar, are marsupial birds with chest pouches. The seven subspecies of marsupial Feathabees did not cross-breed with the egg-laying lineage for centuries, since the marsupial subspecies remain clan-specific and do not mate beyond their tribe.

Lifespan

While no great record has been kept in the matter of lifespan in Feathabees, the smallest among the subspecies, namely the Twerdandler clan, have known elders who lived well beyond one-hundred-and-fifty years. Such longevity in Feathabees, although fluctuant, has been attributed to their highly adaptable, mobile, organic and minimalist lifestyle. The Wyandolorians, a boreal culture of elegant toughness and physical grace, are rumored to live between 130 to 150 years, and the Onepalipans of the Naku have been said to live 95 to 110 years.

Range

The Feathabees have proven highly adaptable to all Miriconian climates and can be found in nearly all regions of the known world. There are several subspecies, such as the Churani, the Wyandolor, the D'Lukin and the Ta'galan, who are of particular hardiness and thus are better suited to the harshest of environments. Having nurtured long-standing symbiotic relationships with many plants and creatures, whom in some cases thrive in environments otherwise uninhabitable, it has also been possible for the Feathabee species to establish communities and even great cities in very unusual places, including grand underground caverns, on the ocean floor, and inside freely floating icebergs.

Concerning (Mythic) Origins

Feathabees and their many brethren are very much in tune with their natural surroundings. Rather than saying 'I am from the Pirr River Valley', a Miriconian will usually say 'I am the Pirr River Valley'. If they migrate to a new area (which they often do, being rather nomadic) it takes a while for them to feel they 'are' the new place in which they live. There are many different mythical applications to origin, the most predominant 'male' form appearing as Feathabee, a creature who gave his wings to the sun and moons so that they could stay aloft in the sky. The most predominant 'feminine' forms are either Chimaquatka, the Universe itself, or Glynmarra, one of the many children of the Universe. Glynmarra is believed to have been a sort of patchwork being, who flew through the space of the unmade and left tatters of herself behind. Some subscribe to the belief that Mirico 'sprouted' from the back of Glynmarra, and that she still wings along through the outer reaches of the Universe with earth upon her back, looking for a place to land.

There are fifteen primary 'Originators' or 'Children of Chimaquatka'.

Glynmarra - The Patchwork
Responsible for creating worlds, stars. She is perhaps the earth itself.

Oraphau and Tyambulara - the light and the dark
Two great moths, one yellow, one black. Oraphau ate stars and created suns. Tyambulara ate stars and created moons.

Akhenn - the origin of all sound. The concentric circle
Usually depicted as a drop of water about to drop onto a water surface, or as a series of rings, he began as one sound that rippled outward.

Minotajo - the space in between things
A winged insect at first, Minotajo endeavored to order the Universe Glynmarra had created, got his wings stuck and lost them. He was supposed rewarded for his efforts by earning eyes on the front and the back of his body.

Suryama (the beads) - she who keeps everything from happening all at once
She is time itself, broken into increments, or beads. When she 'broke', some of the beads of her fell into the earth, sprouted, and became Atterberry plants, which have strange and magical properties.

Chichiari - the Universal trickster, the Child
This Originator likes to play jokes on all the other deities, and on unsuspecting Miriconians as well. If you're sure you put something where it belongs but it isn't there, Chichiari has paid you a visit.

Q'yla and Oturra - The Wombs of Opposites
These twins are the balance and flux of the natural realm. Playing a sort of Universal game of see-saw, they exchange the energies that throttle the Universe forward into space and time.

Khoraseckou - The Fire, and Iquatha'apir - The Embrace - Air L'wambwah and Creatoli - Water and Earth
The elemental Originators. While these beings are at times paired, they are also individually responsible for the properties and behaviors of their particular 'element'.

Qi'dala - Mother of the Muses, The Painter
She is inspiration, vision, imagination and play. Thought to be the Mother of Chichiari.

Etteko - The Cycle Keeper, The Repeating One
Responsible for the earth's currents, seasons, water cycles and other biospheric repetitions.

Greetings

While there are many languages spoken in the Lands of Mirico, the most common one is Old Miriconian. One of the most important words to know is 'Annukha', which means 'Greetings'. You might also bow, create wing shapes with your hands before you and say 'Glynmarr' toh'katho'fa' (which means 'Under the Protection of the Great Bird's Wing'. Other common exchanges include 'Tsu'cre'a' (simply meaning 'good day'), and an even more informal passerby might just call out 'Dilly day!' which means 'may your day be fertile'.

For more language references, refer to the 'Languages' Packet.

Expressing Love

In the Lands of Mirico there is no word for 'love', since such a feeling is considered too expansive, sacred and free to cage in a realm of words. To express such a sentiment, one usually says 'Amna twan t'len yutero', or 'For you I keep the endless feeling'. A more 'friendly' way of expressing this between non-partering members of the Miriconian society, is to say 'K'un a'yuterot'k y'noush', which means 'I am (or 'I become') love with you'.

Iridians in Mirico

Anyone from Earthly realms is considered an Iridian, but until recent times, very few were admitted into the Lands of Mirico. The actions of an Iridian individual will largely determine whether or not they will be allowed to remain, and most will be given a grace period in which to prove themselves. If an Iridian remains in the Lands of Mirico long enough, they usually earn a Miriconian name, and are given the option to adopt this new name in place of their Iridian one.

Throughout Iridian history many spiritual, creative and political individuals from Earthly realms have made appearances in the Lands of Mirico throughout history, including:

Michelangelo , Darwin, Abraham Lincoln, C.S. Lewis, Einstein and Saladin. Also, Ghandi, John Quincy Adams, The Roman Emperor Augustus, Jacque Cousteau, Black Elk, Homer, Martin Luther King, Captain James Cook, Vasco da Gama, Carl Sagan, Galileo, Che Guevara, Amelia Earhart, Erasmus and Georg Ohm. Other well known individuals include Oscar Wilde, Van Gogh, Mother Teresa, Pope John, Paul, Sir Isaac Newton, Imhotep, Plato, Mohammed, Remedios Varo, Archimedes, Siddhartha, JFK, Whitman, Jimi Hendrix, Winston Churchill, Duke Ellington, Sir Edmund Hillary and Jesus Christ. Either by leaving behind some evidence of their visit (such as a signature on a Miriconian document) or by some other form of influence, these historical Iridians are but a few of those who spent time in the Lands of Mirico.

Remaining Iridian Factions in Mirico

There are several specific groups of human beings living in the Lands of Mirico in present times. They include:

Tibetans of the Hyinyi

A group of about 1000 Buddhist Monks and Tibetans who escaped from the People's Liberation Army in 1950 shelter high in the Hyinyi Mountains and are completely self-sufficient. Though a raid on this area has never been attempted, they are guarded by a small group of Feathabees living in the Petrified Towers of the Hyinyi foothills. Because of their isolation, few in the Buddhist practice have had the opportunity to send the teachings of Buddha into the world. But by a circulation of books, and through the occasional visitor, the Dharma moves gradually through the Miriconian world.

Jewish Tribes

As many as 300,000 human beings fleeing from the Nazis were channeled into Mirico and harbored during the Second World War, though this was largely done by Iridian sympathizers. Because of the struggle also going on between Iridia and Mirico at the time, many of those fleeing were simply moved through the Land of Mirico to a safe place on the Iridian side. Those that remained, many of them Jews, dispersed into the Lands of Mirico to form the Mishpakha (which in Hebrew means 'family' or 'tribe'). These highly adaptable clans break off by denomination, and celebrate their Iridian spiritual practices just as they did in their homelands. They speak Hebrew exclusively, or a mixture of Hebrew and Miriconian.

Native Americans

The Oglala Sioux, Ojibwa, Iroquois, and the the Shoshone Indians were said to have moved freely back and forth from Iridia to Mirico for as long as the tribes existed. Some Feathabees surmise that many of the Native American tribes were 'born' in the Lands of Mirico, and later found homes in Iridia. Winter camps were often shared with Feathabees, and as a result many of the Native American dances and customs reflect the Feathbee influence. Likewise, the art, oral tradition, song and ceremonial dances of the Feathabees were affected by Native American lifestyle. In remote grassland regions of the Lands of Mirico, there remain small groups of Native American humans. Apart from the usual trade of goods, they too are wholly self-sufficient. The Native Americans are the only individuals in the Lands of Mirico allowed to hunt, and were given express permission by the creatures on which they prey - the highland Polkin.

The Clan of Kinnar

One of the more recent human tribes to develop in the Lands of Mirico, some of the Kinnarit can count their lineage back as much as seven hundred years. The word 'Kinnar' in Miriconian means 'resist', or 'friction'. Made up of human beings from all backgrounds and from every corner of the globe, the Kinnar are comprised of at least seventy different groups. There may be as few as a dozen individuals in a particular clan, or as many as three-hundred. They live in all regions of the Lands of Mirico (including underwater and underground cities, and the Polar regions). Some clans are more agricultural than others, while some depend on a gatherer's way of life and plant a cyclical rotation of crops they will return to later. There are religious (but not extremist) factions, as well as groups of other political or spiritual motivation. When groups of varying belief encounter one another, whether they are a sister belief or vastly different, a ritual of tolerance is observed, where symbols from each belief system are presented together. Often, after such a ritual is observed, the symbols of each group are left behind as a sort of pact, showing that there is no lack of peace between the differing belief systems. The Kinnar, for both lifestyle and for safety reasons, are nomadic, and have many ties to Iridian sympathizers throughout the Lands of Mirico. Often, when on the move and approaching their next temporarily living site, a Kinnarit group will meet with Miriconian scouts who have gone ahead to be sure that the site in question has not been compromised or set up for ambush by extremists of the Iridian Edict.

Hindus

There is also a Hindu faction of Iridians, calling themselves the Yiryan, who live in a simple ashram society. Unlike the Hyinyi humans, the Yiryan live in an unprotected region and have repeatedly been encroached upon by Iridian Oppositionals, the Amnamarans and others. A good number of these people disappear each year but those remaining adhere to a strict life of kindness and nonviolence. Among them live a number of deeply spiritual Miriconian guides, shaman and earth speakers, all of whom are staunch supporters of a unified Iridian and Miriconian world.

Christians

Factions of Christianity have flowed easily through the Lands of Mirico, and the moral emphasis of their belief system has had surprising effect. Missionaries entered the Lands of Mirico in droves beginning in the 11th Century A.D., and apart from a brief period of fierce opposition on the part of diasporic tribal clans, they were allowed to remain. Although most of the Christian groups living in Mirico do not announce themselves as such with great fanfare, they make it a point to be as charitable, peaceful and tolerant as possible in the Miriconian world. Some Miriconian Christians, aware of the sacrifice of the ancient individual Feathabee, have been known to create their own unusual version of the Christian cross, on which a lesser 'bird' figure is shown suspended beneath the figure of Christ.

Some of the great stone Missions, Cathedrals and Monestaries built in Mirico during the first influx of Christianity still remain, but after the passing of the Edict they were all but abandonned, after repeated raids and attacks forced the peaceful human occupants out. For a time these incredibly beautiful structures stood vacant, until the idea to convert them to 'adjournment facilities' was put to the test. These facilities, meant to house and traffik humans as they were sent out of Mirico, soon became little more than work camps and prisons.

Miriconian Belief Systems

The belief systems of the Miriconian realm have always been numerous, from highly isolated primitive and aboriginal practices to strictly orthodox structures. But among these there are three predominant ideologies. Those who followed what they referred to as 'the most ancient constructs of the Universe' were known as the Chimaquatkans or The Chimaquts. This ancient Order established a complex, deeply pacifistic society built on the infinite possibility they believed existed in every moment, every action and every reaction. Another group established themselves under what they called The Glynmarran Law, which greatly strengthened its foundations with the writings and theories of an Iridian scientist by the name of Darwin. Still another group, made up of both Miriconian and Iridian philosophers, ethicists, spiritual guides and clan leaders called themselves The Miriconian Council and devised an amendable system of spiritual laws in an effort to sustain peace; what the Council called 'Ky'valiktha'hupetua' - 'their greatest resource'.

A fourth world view does exist in tandem with the three primary belief systems, and in the last several centuries its ideologies have been gaining a foothold - These are the beliefs of the Kinnarit People, or Iridians, and the religions and philosophies of these human clans have begun to influence even some of the oldest Miricon practices.
Despite the fact that each of these groups, whether Iridian or Miriconian, shared very similar rules and governing factions, over the centuries ugly disputes have often erupted. When friction between the Glynmarrans and the Miriconian Council caused an erosion of diplomacy, raids and wars became more common. Natural disturbances in the patterns of Earth caused food source crashes and vastly changed many landscapes, spurring tense and often bloody territorial conflicts. Eventually, something as simple as a fluctuation in trade routes was cause for fierce contention. And when Iridians began to flow too numerously into the Lands of Mirico, former hospitalities waned, and the struggle for survival overshadowed all. Even the Chimaquatkans, who by the very nature of their laws were strictly against violence, at times reduced themselves to acts of brutality.

Other Belief Systems

Bremothtirion
A lifestyle and philosophy based on scavenging to survive.

The Earth Speakers
They refer to earth as God. Also referred to as Pagans, Druids and Wiccans.

Naran
Creatures are Gods and Goddesses.


Yirdilian -
The Cosmic Tree which grew 'downward' from heaven

Aboriginal Diaspora
The fleeting presence of the divine is everywhere.

The Rastafarians
Established by Iridians of the same belief system.

The Jev'emeyin
Adhere to belief in Afyakhu, Eberra and Ahnmahn
The canopy (the after life), The trunk (the during life), The roots (the before life)

Sikh
Unchanged from the Iridian practice.

Confucianism
Ancient texts pertaining to the Iridian of the same name are kept in the Silken Citadel of Ochelochka.

Visican
A Miriconian division of Catholicism.

Muslim
Nearly unchanged from the two predominant Iridian practices.

House of Cothebert
Monastic Order dedicated to vows of extreme poverty and humility.

Minhugi
Very similar to Amish lifestyle.

The Behruhn Monastic Order
An Orthodox Christian group.

Ehdyelu
Worshippers of the 15 Divinities. 'Ehdyelu' means 'Everyone' in the Old Bynsch language.

The Iridae
Adherants of Ghandi's teachings.

House of Glynmarra
A belief system based on the scientific principals and laws of the natural world.


The above list is not an accurate representation of the dichotomy true to the realm, and highlights predominances only.







The Iridian Revolution / The Dystopian Hypothesis

Relations between Mirico and Iridia were already strained at the onset of the second Industrial Revolution of the 1850's, but the dramatic shift of interest on the part of Iridians in this era further weakened their standing among Miriconians. For Iridians, taking from the Earth became far more important than being a part of it, and bitter clashes began between many Miriconian and Iridian cultures. The century that followed was tumultuous and destructive, as human beings increasingly sought to exploit what they saw as the riches of Mirico. In the process the most ancient and sacred of woodlands, wetlands and jungles were decimated for Iridian lumber interests. Mines for coal, oil and precious metals were opened in Mirico, expressly against the decrees of the Glynmarrans, the Chimaquatkans and the Miriconian Council. Feathabees and their bretheren were captured, and taken by humans simply for amusement. They were horribly mistreated, abused and in some cases even killed.
It was at this time that an urgent summons went out, not only to the diplomats, ambassadors, Shamen and spiritual guides of every Miriconian society available, but also to every member of the Miriconian order. It was to be called The Assembly K'U Na'Miridae, or 'All of Mirico Gathered'. Never before had a group comprised of so many Miriconian backgrounds been called together, and although diplomacy was sworn by all in attendance, tensions were high nonetheless. Friction rose to a fever pitch, however, when it was revealed that none of the Iridian Council members, no matter how highly regarded, had been summoned to the meeting.

D'Tsul Ochin Ab'rimihva yir D'Tsul Ochin Su'emenaba'ea - The Three Disconnections and The Three Destructions

The K'U Na'Miridae presented many arguments and discussed many issues, the first among them being the well-known Miriconian dystopian hypothesis of The Three Disconnections, and their counterparts, The Three Destructions. The Three Disconnections, as taught among academic and philosophical circles within the Lands of Mirico, are:

1) Disconnection from Earth
This disconnection promotes wastefulness, promotes greed, spurs ignorance and brings about the obliteration of Nature

2) Disconnection from Others
This disconnection encourages selfishness, feeds aggression, promotes bias and assumption and cultivates divisiveness

3) Disconnection from Self
This compounds unhappiness, bolsters addictions, nurtures puposelessness and feeds fanatical urges

It is believed by many in Mirico that once the Disconnections are set well in motion that, being directly linked, The Destructions are imminent. These Destructions are believed to be:

1) The Destruction of Earth
which leads to

2) The Destruction of Others
which inevitably leads to

3) The Destruction of Self

Five days were spent in deliberation concerning the presence of the Disconnections and Destructions in human realms, as well as in human behavior. Miriconian scholars of the Churani clan cited dramatic increases in intolerance and violence, and the general decline of peace in Iridian lands. A well-respected Miriconian chemist and Professor from the Lukin clan spoke of the ever-increasing use of mechical and chemical warfare by Iridians. A marine biologist from the Onepalipan clan submitted dramatic evidence of aquatic species range change, and exhibited profound shifts of ocean salinity, temperature and sea level. Earth Speakers of Arkhalorko presented troubling statistics concerning Iridian overfishing, deforestation and pollution. Ambassadors of Wyandolor gave scathing speeches regarding the Iridian's destructive methods of obtaining highly pollutive fossil fuels.

Representatives of the Amnamar clan proposed that war should immediately be waged on the Iridians, with intent to eliminate humans completely. There were some grumblings of agreement in the Assembly, until it was noted that this behavior would play Miriconians into the hands of the Second Destruction. In a profound gesture of optimism, appointed speakers of the Iridae clan proposed a mass march of peace into the Iridian realm. Again, there were grumblings, and the Iridae were quickly disuaded. At last, high-ranking officials of the Glynmarran Order suggested that the Miriconian world should cut off all contact with Iridians, with the hope that the Iridian world would implode upon itself in the disconnection.

Then, on the eighth day of the K'U Na'Miridae's deliberations, five Iridians, two men and three women, arrived, and were introduced into the Council chamber. It was then that a riot broke out among the Miriconians in attendance. It was some time until order prevailed.
The Iridian who spoke for all her brethren was called E'lyn, and it was with deep sadness and regret that she suggested all Iridians should be sent peacefully to Iridia. She further stunned the Council by recommending that the ways into Mirico by way of Iridian lands should forever be closed. All were shocked, but the resolve upon the faces of E'lyn and her Iridian comrades was the same, and they themselves volunteered to be the first to leave. Thus, the Iridian Edict was put down in writing. It was a painstaking account of all wrongs done to Mirico by Iridia, and was also a unanimous decree ordering all Iridians to be escorted from Miriconian lands.



The Seams

To divide Iridia and Mirico, and to make former thresholds between worlds impassable, the task was given to Miriconian Earth Speakers in all corners of the land to locate what they called the Seams. A Seam was any place in the patchwork of the world which was tattered, standing like a door ajar between the Miriconian and Iridian worlds. A seam could be found in massive arcs of stone, in a silvery waterfall cascading down a cliffside, or as the entertwining branches of two gargantuan trees. It was through these earthly formations that Iridians were sent, and thus, the 'tearing apart' of Iridia and Mirico began. When enough Iridians had been sent through a given Seam, the Earth Speakers then sewed the Seams closed, and the Land of Mirico was shrouded deeply in sorrow.
Terrible disbutes broke out - Some Miriconians opposed the Edict and hid away many of their Iridian friends, channeling them to safe passage in remote Miriconian locations. Other Iridians refused to leave and were taken by force or killed. Still others marched sadly to the doors of Iridia and passed peacefully. A small band of Iridians managed to escape the clutches of their Miriconian captors and went deep into hiding, or joined the Clan of Kinnar. Divisions of extremist Miriconians, who had seen the worst of human behavior, were callous and set solely upon revenge. They ceaselessly sought any Iridian remaining in Miriconian lands, and cast them out of any remaining door.

The following is a heavily maligned version of a rant originally written by a high-ranking Iridian in despair for her own kind. It was writings like these that elevated groups such as The Arahuans and the Amnamar to thoughts of vengeance, retaliation and bloodlust.


The Chant of The Arahun,
Translated by Kalile B'Urendi

Scratch out all names Iridian, each word and mutilation
withdraw the way of any human hand and its creation

Loose the same upon them, as was done, to them return it
We sworn of oath whatever theirs do mangle, end or burn it

Torrential rain upon them they who drowned the Mir in sorrow
now blot them out that perish may their wrongs from our tomorrow

Which petition we have writ with hand of Mir so many
its prosecution seek to sever bonds to humans any

Edict, cleanse the Land afar a'near and stone each under
wasters, all be sent away, their world and ours asunder

Let hasp and latch catch every door and bar its ways forever
so come again Iridian to Mirico shall never

Foster not the vulgar, all with malice meet them ready
in herd of tears shall send them holding Edict ever steady

Break not from word of Edict's law, by solemn rule abiding
and live by ways of Mirico, its Edict ever guiding

Be warned, who make acquaintance shall by law be not acquitted
and to the Lands Iridia shall also be submitted

In the Iridian year of 1940 the Clan of Kinnar organized an uprising of more than 8,000 humans. Emerging from their hideouts and banding together in broad daylight, they marched weaponless for the Capital of Myran, where the Iridian Edict had been set down. So numerous and prepared were the Kinnar that even a clan of Amnamarans could not overtake them. Pledging to act within the laws of the world from which they had come, not one in the Kinnarit raised weapons on their attackers, and, in a response unheard of in Amnamaran history, the Kinnarit were allowed to pass, unharmed.

Marching directly to the steps of the former Miriconian Council, The Kinnar claimed it was unlawful to cast out Iridians born within the Lands of Mirico, for they were not from human lands and could not well acclimate to them. By then many of those who had served on the Miriconian Council had fled or been sought after and killed, and there were no Iridians left on the Council to speak.
But in a nearly unanimous vote the Council surprised all by amending the Iridian Edict, and by allowing Miriconian-born humans to remain. The civil wars that broke out in the years following this amendment were more brutal than any the Lands of Mirico had ever seen. For who could truly prove whether they were Iridian or Miriconian, if they were human in appearance, as there was no way to physically tell a Miriconian human from an Iridian one? In light of the explosive violence, and after many who had amended the law were hunted down and eliminated, the Council of Mirico was disbanded permanently, and even the original table at which they sat was destroyed.

While the removal of all Non-Miriconian humans was, for the most part, done with the best of intentions, it also meant that as each Seam was sewn and thus made impassable, the task of sending Iridians away became more and more arduous. Caravans of Iridians, some of them in chains or even in cages, were sent along trade routes for the fastest removal, and in the process many Iridians died of exposure, malnutrition and exhaustion. Those that escaped sometimes made their way back to the Clan of Kinnar, whilst others became wholly hermetic and lived out the rest of their lives in solitary wandering.

The last Miriconian Seam was said to have been sewn in the Iridian year of 1985, and thus, the link between Iridia and Mirico was severed for all time, or so it was believed. But of course, as the worlds of Iridia and Mirico were forever linked, the deeds of man in Iridia still had effect on those remaining in Mirico. Those who still knew of the Seams, or those who hoped to be reunited with friends and loved ones, looked toward a time when perchance the ways into Mirico would be opened once more. As our story begins, you find yourself upon the threshhold of just such an awakening, and those who witness it will likely be the ones who determine the futures, and perhaps the reunions, of both Iridia and of Mirico.

What is 'N'Miridin'?

"What is N'Mirdin?"

Like the question 'Who is God?', 'What is N'Miridin' will prompt a kaleidoscope of responses. An individual posing this question will be left to determine the validity and applicability of such responses, as they are urged forward into a journey of further inquiry, where later they may decide for themselves upon a separate, but ultimately equal, truth. For, like 'God', 'N'Miridin' makes itself fleetingly evident in ethical, spiritual, physical, emotional, and metaphysical ways. The very nature of it is to keep to a sort of moral vapor, being a palpable, attainable state that can be experienced but never grasped. Also like God, it can be sought through disciplines of prayer, meditation and study, and it will reveal itself to these exertions. But it prefers to emerge in fellowship - in the communion that occurs when self voluntarily disappears, and a 'many-self' perception of existence prevails.

The word 'N'Miridin' appears often in the stories I am currently developing: 'Iridia', as Act One, and 'Mirico', Act Two. N'Miridin takes the title of Act Three in the series. It reveals itself by degrees in Act One, and then threads itself through Act Two, especially in the latter chapters when it seems the boundaries between humans and nature may at last be breaking down once more. Essentially, there is no one defining explaination of 'N'Miridin', and throughout the course of the tales I hope to provide insights as to what it is (or might be) in various texts, dialogues and experiences. Ultimately, I am working toward the goal of leaving readers the idea that N'Miridin is something worth seeking, and worth having, but that it is, like many esoteric concepts, something that should be defined in the mind that discovers it. Some definitions, as I have discovered them in the minds of a good number of characters I'm developing, are as follows...

* * *

"It has been mistaken for the divine, but it shrinks from ritual and worship, and keeps instead to the kindness of a thought, the selfless act which turns foe to friend, or the sacrificial action which has no bend within it for reward or compensation. It does not have within its constructs the idea of failure or defeat. It does not concern itself with immortality because it is inherently eternal, a malleable, unbreakable thread which passes itself through the fabrics of the Universe. If, in one thing, which ends, it also finishes a chapter, N'Miridin is also in whatever continues to write in the book of existence. It permeates and bonds. It has had a multitude of faces and shapes and forms. It lies dormant but it does not sleep. It is endless."

* * *

"Must you believe in it to see it?"
"No. N'Miridin is simply the place in your mind where the quiet lives. It is the room in the house of your thoughts where worry and trouble have never entered."

* * *

"... it is finding yourself in a tree, seeing your desires in the exertions of a smaller creature, or finding a mirror of your experiences in another person."

* * *

"N'Miridin is the belonging of all things to something, and it is the place that each thing knows to be its place."

* * *

"It is nameless, invisible, but omnipresent. It is what becomes still, and what sees without eyes. It has no hands but it touches everything. However, it can be driven out. If it has been driven out, it is not extinguished, for it cannot be denied or undone. It will keep to the seed of itself and wait to emerge once more, when the time is right."

* * *

"It moves about in the shadows of all we do, and when our deeds stand upright it helps us to know this - It is the inherent sense of what is good, and right."

* * *

"N'Miridin is what was - before. Before the human race cut the umblical from Nature and became the world of Iridia, and before Nature lost its children and shrunk away to become the Lands of Mirico. N'Miridin is not a place, or a belief, or a species. it is the flower as much as it is the sky, and it is also the bee which knows both the flower and the sky to be a part of itself. It is the constantly shifting structures between balance, fluctuation, statis, and change. It is also the effort which must be exerted on behalf of peace, within the deepest thoughts of one mind, and in the most open declarations of all mindful beings. It is you, and it is me. It is the thread which knows how to sew all things together. But we must be the needle which guides it through not only ourselves, but through others, and through all the world."

"You said it was. Before. Is it not, anymore?"

"Where it once sang aloud, and with every voice, now in faint shadows it whispers. In some places it is silent, and it has not spoken for many long years. But even in silence it is not dead. If within one person there is N'Miridin, it is possible for all of us to find - and to be it again."

* * *

"It has every name, and it has no name. It is everything and nothing. It is everywhere and nowhere."

* * *

"N'Miridin happens when a singer becomes his song, when a painter becomes his painting, when a mason becomes the stone in his hands."

* * *

"It is the one world, the Organism, the Gaia that is earth. It has no boundaries, no dominions separate from itself. It is a shifting, enormous, glorious energy made up of infinitely smaller parts, and these infinitely smaller parts play off one another, creating favorable conditions, exchanging energies in environments in which they have adapted to live and thrive. N'Miridin is this favorable condition, this optimal stability of atmosphere, temperature, and other habitability factors."

* * *

"An enemy to N'Miridin is aggression, since anger is the mother of division. Another enemy is selfishness, which keeps the bounty meant for all within proximity of a chosen few, and which halts natural distributions of resource, energy and comfort. N'Miridin's enemy is also the objectification and fragmentation, real or implied, of lands, resources, peoples or creatures. N'Miridin is threatened by the projection of imagined importances, and by implied material needs which are imposed for greed's sake."

History of the Artist

When I was about 12 years old I came upon the seed of an idea, a collection of thoughts that would expand and evolve 'in hiding' for more than 20 years. Being exposed to highly imaginative 'world' writers and artists such as C.S. Lewis and Jim Henson, I absorbed that way of creating and thinking, and over time little bits and pieces of my own world manifested. They seemed like puzzle pieces from different pictures, however, and none of them were cohesive enough to blend together.

As a young woman I saw other young women pursuing the norms of schooling toward a profitable career. I saw my peers seeking relationships that they hoped would lead to marriage, and saw them building toward the time when such marriages would lead to children, a big comfortable house, an SUV, pets, a 401K and so on. Watching others successfully create such a life for themselves, and seeing that it seemed to bring them a fairly consistent level of happiness, I pursued these things for a while, only to discover that in my case the fabric of it all unraveled again and again. Though I didn't realize it at the time, this was because I was pursuing the wrong dream.

On a snowy Winter night several years ago I was 'visited' by something that seemed far greater than myself. It spoke to me about who I truly was, and made me painfully aware of a truth I certainly did not want to be true. Reduced to tears and weeping harder than I've ever wept before, I said aloud "I give up. I let go. I'm listening. Whatever it is you ask of me, I'll do it."

The important thing, it seems, is not that anyone was there to hear me, but that at last I listened to myself, because although things were not immediately and dramatically altered by this experience, every day after that day was different. It wasn't long after that the creative door seemed to swing open wide, and it has remained an open channel since.

The ideas that had for so long remained elusive and disconnected suddenly seemed to shape shift, blossom and click into place. I filled whole notebooks with spontaneous ideas devoid of any major alterations. Song lyrics poured out effortlessly. Paintings of characters, landscapes and ecosystems seemed to just 'happen' as if they had always existed and I had suddenly stumbled upon them fully realized. It continues to this day, and my hope is that the energies and ideas that keep arriving and asking to be realized will recognize my willingness to bring them to fruition.

Creating Worlds


As a child I loved the creation of worlds, or going into worlds created. When I first discovered the realms of the Feathabees I ventured in mostly with the hope of finding a joy that I see only in the child or the child at heart. The deeper I ventured into the world of the Feathabees the longer I stayed and the richer my understanding of them became. Upon my return the ideas that flowed from my pen, my piano, my brush and my clay were surprising and delightful to me. In keeping with my desire to life a simple, non-harming and creative life, the Feathabees mirrored a lifestyle of bohemianism and environmental symbiosis with a slight flair for the dramatic.

When I felt brave enough to share what the Feathabees had revealed to me in their eccentric, sincere and colorful world I found there were a surprising number of people who craved some sort of innocently whimsical diversion, and that the Feathabees brought them just that. I also discovered individuals eager to see the world I had discovered more fully realized, and was pleased to find myself expanding personal and artistic boundaries by collaborating on many levels.

As people continue to interact with the Feathabees I see that individuals of every age and background want truly to believe in and enjoy these quirky, earthy and spiritual beings. In this way the Feathabees are no longer a secret world into which I escape, but rather they act as emissaries from a pure, playful and gentle place with an appeal to the child in each of us.

The Q'dahla

Usually found at the end of an Miriconian book to further explain ambiguous or newly introduced subjects. Any student of the Old Miriconian language, and any traveler of the Feathabee lands should familiarize themselves with the colloquialisms and names given to things in the Lands of Mirico.

Pilk - This soft and malleable metal is easily hammered into thin sheets. and is commonly used for indoor accent pieces and jewelry. It is also found in cart construction and roof flashing.

Razzlefur - Incredibly knarled but nearly indestructible, the Razzletree survives in inhospitable climates by growing a thick layer of 'fur'. As the warm season approaches the trees shed this fur, which Feathabees gather for use in decoration and for warmth.

Chichiari - This troublesome but well-meaning Originator, said to have been one of Chimaquatka's firstborn, often caused great upset by meddling with the creations of his celestial siblings.

Paukans - Because of the surrounding Paukee mountains, wind almost never occurs in this region. This arid lowland was in times past a deep and vast lake. The caves and gorges left behind after the water receded are now home to numerous cultures.

Sherph - This clan of Feathabees lives mostly in the caves of the Paukee region and are less nomadic than many of their brethren. Highly agile and very resourceful, the Sherphs are best known for the elaborate baskets they weave from Paukan Caveroot.

Curlyflies - These rambunctious insect-lizards are found in temperate regions of the Lands of Mirico and have both curled mouthparts and tails. In large numbers they can be problematic for Dreycroppers, but their one weakness is music, which when played to their liking will lure them away in a trance.

Akhenn - This ancient Originator, or universal deity, is believed to have begun as one sound that gradually moved outward to become all things audible. A difficult being to capture in works of visual art, Akhenn is usually depicted as a collection of concentric rings.

Pernatcher - This colloquialism, common especially among the Twerdandler clan, from whom it seems to have originated, describes anything thought to be mysterious or unanswerable.

Dillydell - Directly translated, this means 'fertile bog'. These exist in several regions of Mirico and are all known for their rather treacherous expanses. The lands of the Dell are made up of uncountable islets, which are in a constant state of flux. Landmarks are nearly impossible to place here because the trees of the Dillydell can simply uproot themselves and walk away.

Netchcombed / Netched - Netches are small, hard-working colony insects that create wax-like bridge homes over fresh water. Some netch colonies are so enormous that Feathabee carts and caravans can cross over them. The wax or ‘netchcomb’ is collected and used as a sealant, a moisture repellant and even in ephemeral arts.

Palumar - This deep blue, opaque and easily carved stone is exclusive to the Napaloe Mountain region, and is believed by some to be the last remnants of L’wambwah the Water Serpent. When struck by the right material, Palumar is highly resonant, and is often used to create flutes, drum-surrounds, pipes, thumb pianos and byngs.

Glassfish - Docile mammals of the Zun Sea, these enormous fish begin life with opaque bodies and gradually 'shed' their opacity, becoming fully transparent (and fifty polkins long) in about ten growing seasons. Each time they shed, they leave behind an exoskeleton burrowed in the silt of the ocean floor. Because the exoskeletons tend to trap air and nutrients in them after the glassfish have emerged, these abandoned exoskeletons create unique ecosystems both in and around them.

The Breeks - A frigid, isolated land far to the North consisting mostly of ice and stone. It is famous for its lichen-covered caves, which in the warmest months of the year produce some of the most beautiful flowers known in the world.

Grabbles - These small, opportunistic crustaceans live primarily in the oceanic sands of the temperate and tropical regions of the world. They come in with the morning tide, stay on the shore for most of the day, then leave with the tides of the evening. Some boreal grabbles are quite large, but most are only a handful.

Landocrine - This beautifully shiny deep gray metal, which is volcanic in origin, can be hammered to amazing thinness and is most often used in sculpting and handcrafts. It is most often pressed into large circular and notched discs or 'byngs' which preserve primitive recordings of Feathabee music.

Arkhalorko - This Subequatorial land mass consists of seventeen main islands and approximately eleven hundred seamounts and atolls. The major port is Beyhnbern on the second largest island of Zarkholi in the North. Mostly subtropical with many endemic species, itsSouthern islands are nearly surrounded by impassably wild Seas.

Chipricot - This tenacious climbing vine produces tiny sweet green berries at the beginning of the Wandering Season and pale orange flowers followed by a pale orange berries at the onset of the Settling Season. This plant is highly sensitive to drought and at times will require watering to produce a reliable harvest.

Cogfish - In days past, a small four-legged creature with large ears and a long snout, known as a Cog, gazed into a pool of water and saw a fish, which it quickly came to adore. The offspring of these creatures are entirely water-dependant, agile, highly intelligent and quite secretive. They travel in pods and love to spit water at the backsides of unsuspecting waders.

Reddik’s Arch - One of the first metal-hinged bridges in the North country spanning a broad gorge, it was built under agreement by the Bluebard and Twerdandle clans. Reddik Bluebard, the project’s architect, was lost during the bridge’s construction.

Bythepalm - This tall tree grows diagonally with a stout base and multiple sets of arched, downwardly spiraling leaf pods. Its marrow has multiple uses for cooking, house framing and decorative carving.

Beablefloss - This thick, resilient thread is wound by the larvae of the Beable moth when passing into the chrysalis phase. The floss is unwound by the emerging moth and discarded. This material is nearly indestructible and can reliably mend and decorate all clothing types.

Abingswoll - This enormous Feathabee cultural center is known worldwide and sits exactly at the Equator.

Zun Sea - a deep, pale green and clear body of Equatorial Water surrounding the Naku Islands. One of the largest seas in Mirico.

Keckle - This leaf-like insect is gifted with multiple sets of wings, which molt and regenerate several times throughout its rather extensive lifespan. The cast-off wings are collected and have a number of functional and ornamental uses.

L'wambwah - Thought to be one of the Originators that caused the Universe to find its order, L'wambwah is most often depicted as a massive serpent made of the many forms of water. She is usually referred to as the counterpart to Creatoli.

Suryaman Beads - Usually kept in multiple strands and carried by their keeper as a reminder of beauty in every moment, these beads, said to be gifts of the Originator Suryama, can be made of anything from small river stones to hand-poured precious metals. They are most commonly made out of Atterberry seeds.

Hello, I’m a Feathabee, so nice to meet you!
I’m honored to be here and bow as I greet you.
It’s likely you haven’t seen my kind before,
but before we’re all done you will know a bit more
About Feathabees and their most wonderful land -
Where rivers can talk to the whimsical sand
Where trees can take walks and where insects wear hats
where with grass and with wind you’ll have meaningful chats

It exists now, right here in the place where we sit
But it hides from your eyes just a wee little bit
See, you have to forget that it’s there just to find it
Invisibly special is how we designed it
We Feathabees are all around you, it’s true
We keep to ourselves and we do what we do
Yes we’re kind of a secret, but we’d love to invite you
and we’re sure that our world would amaze and delight you

To get there you don’t need a map or directions
Just be yourself and you’ll make the connection
You can go back and forth between your world and ours
without clicking your heels, without following stars
But your heart must be good and must also be kind
you must hold a small flower of love in your mind
You must not be grumpy or grouchy or rude
or be in a what’s-in-it-for-me sort of mood

You must take a step forward and look without eyes
and then, oh my friend you’re in for a surprise
Now we’re not ghosts or fairies or pixies or gnomes
we don’t turn old shells into suitable homes
No, we Feathabees are in a class by ourselves
You won’t find big books about us on the shelves
We show up most often in stones or in trees
We laugh in the wind and the buzz of the bees

We’re unique and eccentric and much worth befriending
We dance, we tell jokes and are great at pretending
We’re patient, and most are exceedingly wise
We range from this small to the biggest in size

We’re birds of some sort, and walk tall on two legs
we come in all colors and hatch from small eggs
and when we are small we need lots of help growing
our grandfeathers teach us the lessons worth knowing

and though we might seem to grow up big and tall
in our hearts and our minds we still try to think small
for a mind full of little things has room to spare
for all the grand things that the world has to share

It’s important, we think, to be peaceful and kind
And to all live together with friendship in mind
And being this way doesn’t stop where we stand
For of course we must also be kind to the land

And be kind to the plants and the creatures and seas
For we are an equal to any of these
We Feathabees all do our best to do good
Not just because but because we all should

And sometimes it’s hard, we admit that is true
But we want to be us and want you to be you

Well, now I’ve said enough for the moment at least
we’ve been introduced and the mystery decreased
You’re welcome to visit whenever you please
in the land of the creatures we call Feathabees.