Editing String People

'''String People''' or '''Stringfolk''' are one of the [[Races]] of Innworld. They are native to [[Chandrar]]. Currently, their largest kingdoms are [[Nerrhavia|Nerrhavia's Fallen]] and the [[Empire of Sands]].

== Physiology ==
String People are unique in that their body parts are detailed pieces of cloth that become real flesh and blood when attached to their body. Stitch People can feel, smell and bleed like the other races, but if they think it’s a bother, they can remove their body parts until later use. That makes them formidable foes, although their species is deathly afraid of fire, which can mean a swift end. However all String People possess an life-thread, from which they are first made. Damage to that is fatal, and the body part that it resides in cannot ever be changed.<ref name=":0">[https://wanderinginn.com/2020/02/19/7-08-k/ Chapter 7.08 K]</ref>

Unlike [[Dullahans]], String People's detached body parts become inert and lose their life-like appearance. They become spare parts and only return to their flesh-like state when attached to a body again. This physiology allows String People to alter their body by adding or removing muscles. This complex process of changing their body requires expert knowledge of their body and can mess with their balance and other senses, so most String People don't alter themselves on a regular basis.<ref name="2.12">[https://wanderinginn.com/2017/04/14/2-12/ Chapter 2.12]</ref>

=== Appearance ===
Stitch People look exactly like Humans, with the exception of having stitch marks on various part of the body. Their bodies vary depending on the quality and craftsmanship of the cloth from which their parts are made. Poor-quality cloth means rough skin or deadened reflexes. On the other side of things, exceptional goods like silk can produce otherworldly results.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2018/10/19/glossary/#S Glossary]</ref> 

String People's bodies are basically very detailed copies of biological physiology: In case of Octavia's arm, for example, her 'bones' are stuffed yellow cotton, with woven/stitched 'muscles' and 'sinews' attached, and strings of red woven into the arm to resemble blood vessels, then covered by the cotton skin. This results in a overall solid and stable body much like a humans - except made from cloth.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2017/04/09/2-09/ Chapter 2.08]</ref> Stitch-folk skin still feels slightly like fabric even in its flesh state.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2023/10/24/9-63/ Chapter 9.63]</ref>

=== Physical Qualities ===
String People can't be killed by swords easily, even if they are cut in half.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2018/04/21/4-30/ Chapter 4.30]</ref> However, cutting them apart in fine enough pieces will results in their death, as will removing too much of a String Person's body. Their head is apparently most susceptible to damage, and the severed head of a String Person can still feel for five minutes before they die.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2023/01/18/9-32/ Chapter 9.32]</ref> The identity of a String Person is defined by the majority of the cloth they are 'made' of. The amount of cloth necessary to keep an intact identity has sparked philosophical debates among their kind.<ref name="2.12" />

It is implied that in wars, String People are cut up and rewoven often enough that their appearance and personality may change drastically. While it is possible to stitch String People together that resemble other creatures, things can apparently go horribly wrong, and Octavia heard horror stories on the topic.<ref name="2.12" />

String People are able to live hundreds of years.<ref name=":0" />

==== Reproduction ====
To reproduce, Stitch-folk share lifestrings. Reproducing is mentioned to be a painful and sacrificial process for the parents, due to the permanent sacrifice of lifestring involved.<ref name=":0" /> When copulating with other species, the sharing of lifestring means that the children will sometimes be Stitch-folk.<ref>{{VERef|9.58 O}}</ref>

=== Magical Qualities ===
The life-thread, or lifestring, in a String Person is the most magical part of their body. It grows with time as the person ages. An old String Person at the end of their life could have a small skein's worth of lifestring inside of them. The life-thread turns to dust shortly after the person's death. The lifestring is irreplaceable, and will not mend if damaged.<ref name=":0" />

=== Special Abilities ===

=== Weaknesses ===

==== Fire ====
As String People are mostly made of cloth, they succumb to fire.

==== Water ====
While water is not technically a weakness, String People dislike getting wet that much as it makes their cloth rot or shrink.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2020/09/13/7-46-k/ Chapter 7.46 K]</ref>

== Behavior and Culture ==
String People value their own highly.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2018/03/17/4-19/ Chapter 4.19]</ref> Still, their society is caste-based, one of the few societies that practices such systems. Those who are made of rare cloth such as silk will quickly rise to the heights of society. Then common fabrics such as cotton, and finally and those that are made of lower cloth like Hemp, are at the lowest caste.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2019/10/26/6-52-k/ Chapter 6.52 K]</ref> Indeed, despite the ability to change limbs and even bodies, most String People cannot change their heads which will always reflect the caste in which they are born.<ref name=":0" /> The general population distribution among Stich-folk is a ten-to-one ratio of Hemp for every Cotton and Silk Stitch-folk.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2023/09/17/9-59-o/ Chapter 9.59 O]</ref>

In their society, calling someone a Stitch-Brother or Stitch-Sister, is a high compliment for a flesh-based person to receive.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2019/10/29/6-53-k/ Chapter 6.53 K]</ref>

String People cremate their dead, as they believe it will prevent the deceased from being tarnished.<ref>[[Chapter 8.38 H]]</ref>

In their native continent of Chandrar, Stitch-folk are more adventurous with themselves, such as dying their hair or skin a different color or looking like a half-Elf. However, in Izril, they choose to look Human in order to fit in better.<ref>[[Chapter 8.54 H]]</ref> Whether binding thread should be obvious or concealed is a contentious topic among Stitch-folk. Some argue that they should have bright stitches to make assert that they are Stitch-folk, while others try to blend in with humans. The latter are derogatorily called Fleshies.<ref name=":1" />

Because String People can look however they please, their standards of beauty are much higher than other species. What is beautiful to humans, for example, will not impress a String Person.<ref name=":1" /> And because they can so easily reattach body parts, dismembering a hand is mearly seen as an insult.<ref name=":2">{{VERef|10.17}}</ref> They're also generally indifferent of homosexuality,<ref>{{VERef|10.43 – RNG (Pt. 1)}}</ref> and accepting of transgender due to the normalcy of body modification in their culture and the ease with which they can change themselves.<ref>{{VERef|10.47 S (Pt. 1)}}</ref>

=== Alterkinds ===
Alterkinds are a minority of Stitch-folk that take on non-human appearances and features, such as looking like Stitch-[[Drakes]] or stitching on wings. Because of their experimentation, they are even more knowledgeable in Stitch-folk body modification. It is often a phase. Stitch-folk societies discriminate against Alterkinds, some deeming them disgusting or profane, while others are tolerant of low-level alterations.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2020/04/12/7-17-s/ Chapter 7.17 S]</ref><ref name=":1" />

== History ==

=== Origins ===
String People originated from Cloth Golems that were made by masters of the craft, such as [Golem Artificers], [Weavers], [High Mages] and [Witches], who would later be known as the Threadmakers.<ref>[https://wanderinginn.com/2019/08/27/6-41-e/ Chapter 6.41 E]</ref> They had desired perfect servants, though they tried to avoid giving them too much of a mind. Over time, as more Cloth Golems were made, their limited intelligence were able to gather together, which eventually led to the creation of the lifestring, the root of what gave String People sentience. The first String Person to rebel was named Destre. Sixteen more tried and failed before Elucina succeeded, becoming the [Rebel of String]. The String People's recognition as a true species took centuries of war.<ref>[[Chapter 8.22 HE]]</ref>

The exact date when this occurred is not clear - Thatalocian and Shaullile's pasts imply that the Long Night when magic died occurred before  Elucina's rebellion, while the great [Blademistress of Ancients] Zeladona, herself a String Person, is said to have lived ~1000 years before magic was restored. 

== Relations ==

=== [[Truestone Golems]] ===
During Nerrhavia's era, Stitchfolk and Truestone Golems hated each other, comparably to the animosity between [[Drakes]] and [[Gnolls]] or [[Agelum]] and [[Lucifen]].<ref name=":2" />

== Trivia ==

* While [[Belavierr]] the Stitch Witch was not one of the Threadmakers, she did gave them something.<ref name=":1">[https://wanderinginn.com/2020/03/29/7-15-r/ Chapter 7.15 R]</ref>

== References ==
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[[Category:Species]]
[[Category:String People]]