Malthuna (s. Malthun) are a forest-dwelling race of long-lived humanoids that are the chosen people of the god Mallestrade. It is said that long ago the Malthuna were not so different from humans, but they changed drastically after Mallestrade guided them into his forests.
Malthuna are generally tall and slender, with long faces that have four eyes. Two eyes are situated in a "normal" manner, while the other two lie above the others at a more extreme angle, causing the eyes to make an arc of sorts across the face. The extra Malthun eyes provide them with "wild sight", allowing them to "see" the history of the nature they are in, such as the passage of creatures and the roots of forests trees, as well as being able to divine past and future weather. Malthun skin varies depending on the type of Malthun that is born.
New Malthuna are birthed from trees that are imbued with the essence of a number of mature Malthuna, usually 2-4. Generally, only the strongest, heartiest trees are chosen as hosts for new Malthuna, as their life-forces will be forever tied from that point forward. After growing inside a tree for a period of around 20 years, a Malthuna will emerge, slipping through the bark of the tree, seemingly as an adult. On rare occassions, multiple Malthuna are birthed from one tree; these occurences are considered signs of great providence. If four Malthuna emerge, the children are assumed to be messengers of Mallestrade himself. A mathun's birth tree is extremely important to them, and effectively functions as a vessel for their soul. As such, if their birth tree is somehow destroyed, any malthun that were birthed from it will lose their live. The reverse is not true however, and if a malthuna's soul is strong, it is possible for them to become reborn once again. Some malthuna colonies birth many malthun from the same tree, taking great care to keep it healthy and growing. A malthuna's life can extend as long as its birth tree, as long as their life is filled with purpose.
Malthun are born into one of three types - Ellethwayna (rootborn) , Zylsanur (barkborn), or Aethlin (leafborn). A fourth type is possible, a Gythlan (palethorn), but these are rare, and considered ill portents. Rootborn are arbiters of tradition and heritage, and make excellent scholars and workers. The majority of malthun are rootborn. Barkborn are born protectors, and have naturally touch, bark-like skin. They are the only malthuna that have visible amounts of muscle mass. Leafborn are naturally dextrous, charismatic, and are prone to travel. Palethorns are often born with a penchant for magical pursuits.
Malthun often refer to the other races as "two-eyes", and generally look down upon those that are disconnected from nature, especially those that seek to exploit it.