The characters of From the Waters are all this species.
An aetri combines a human soul, an essence, and aeryn in order to create an aelinuan. The aelinuan body is powered by a core, the aelinuan's heart, which keeps everything running and replenishing properly, including aerynian system. The body is always physically male like in appearance.
The aetris gives their creations various additions to the human-like body including; wings, flairs and the vecruciant. In certain cases twists can occur in aelinuans due to an inconsistency when an individual is being developed by their aetri.
Aelinuans have a circulatory system and blood, however unlike humans there is no blood group variation and all aelinuans are O positive.
Aelinuans can be born with a variety of unusual colourings in terms of their physical form. Their hair and eye colours can range across any variations, from human blue or brown to bright orange or metallic silver. Their wings will either match colour with their eyes or hair. Patterns and unusual combinations or variations in colourings are common, for example two-tonal hair and heterochromic eyes.
The aerynian system is a collection of organs that keep the aelinuan body whole and functioning, managing the aeryn used by the body. It consists of two organs, the entiphore and the vecruciant, both of which work in tandem with the respiratory and circulatory systems.
The entiphore is responsible for the absorption and distribution for the body in general and the vecruciant is an organ that powers the vecrucia, an aelinuan's magic. There are five types of magic and five equivalent chambers in the organ itself to power them; abilita, embodia, intellica, uniqua and vitalita.
Aelinuans have many of the same natural limitations as humans; for example they need to breathe, can be injured, bleed, and become thirsty. They also have the requirements of a human body, such as drinking and waste, but they also have natural regenerative capabilities beyond what they possessed as a human.
Their bodies constantly attempt to revert to the original version of their body as it was when they were created, for example an arm that has been chopped off will eventually regrow. However, this is also true for any flaws the body has, such as poor eyesight.
Drinking water is an essential part of the body's replenishing process. The aelinuan body is 30% water and as such requires water as well as aeyra in order to stay healthy.
When aelinuans die their body will fade in around three days when it runs out of aeryn.
The aelinuan body is able to produce anal lubricant when aroused. It is produced by two glands, the plesial gland which is situated just inside the rectal sphincter and the recricant gland which is situated on the rectal wall just beyond the prostate. Anal lubricant is colloquially known as gloss.
Roughly 69% of aelinuans produce ejaculate when they orgasm, however the remainder do not as they have no seminal glands.
An aelinuan also may or may not be born with a foreskin; 36% of the population are born without.
An aelinuan's wings are a physical part of their body and are therefore formed of aeryn, however they are not always corporeal. An aelinuan has the capability to manifest (commonly known as summon) and sequester (commonly known as banish) their wings at will; this is a natural action, much like controlling any other part of the body, and does not have to be learnt.
Wings can only be banished if nothing has physical contact with them, e.g. if a person is holding the wing of an individual then that person would be unable to banish their wings until they have let go. When wings are absent there are two narrow, straight superficial protrusions around 11cm in length where they would connect to the body. These are commonly referred to as wing ridges.
Wingspan is typically twice the aelinuan's height, and they have an average flight speed of 50-60 mph. Wings differ in colour depending upon the individual, however they will match either the aelinuan's hair or eye colour. Wings are the only part of the body that cannot be completely regenerated; torn out feathers or breakages can heal, but if a wing is cut off, it will not regrow. This is because wings are not included in the original template the body was created from.
While being formed, aelinuans are attached and held down by the aetri's roots and exist in a buoyant cocoon until they are fully developed. Every ten years, the aetri releases any fully developed aelinuans at which point the aetri's roots detach from the cocoon and it is then able to float to the surface of the water to be retrieved.
It takes around ten years for an aelinuan to fully gestate, however it is occasionally possible for them to be over or under developed at the point they are detached. This is believed to be the cause of most twists and other congenital defects or conditions.
After the ten year gestation period aelinuans are released from their aetri's roots and float to the surface where they are released from the amniotic sac, blessed by the Oracle or a priest and taken away for initial medical exams.
Aelinuans are vulnerable in their early years, they get sick easily and often die during their first several decades.
At first they are mentally a blank slate and are physically weak. Their personality develops slowly between the age of twenty and forty; it often happens in fits and starts, and it can take shorter or longer periods specific to the individual.
Vecrucia development occurs between and sixty years of age in two groups, with an order specific to the individual. Intellica and vitalita manifest between twenty and forty years. Abilita, uniqua and embodia manifest between forty and sixty years and with several years between each.
Sexual maturity occurs at around sixty years old and flairs begin to manifest at around eighty or ninety.
This development is why in most countries aelinuans are not treated as fully mature until eighty or ninety years old.
When an aelinuan dies their body will fade away. The bonds between aeryn and essence dissolve, the mind dissipates and the essence leaves the body and returns to the aetri from which they were born. As a result there is nothing holding the physical form together and due to the remaining aeryn composing it expiring into aeydl, the body will cease to be. This process takes an average of three days to occur, depending on the manner of death.
Bodily fluids that remain within the body upon death also fade, however any bodily fluids that are external to the body do not. For example, an aelinuan who died in a pool of their own blood, once the body had faded the blood that was spilled would still remain.
The essence of the deceased is reabsorbed into its aetri and becomes a bud which blossoms into a ribbon on one of her branches. The amount of time it takes for a ribbon to appear following death can vary from soul to soul.
The vecrucia are the chambers of the vecruciant, an organ in the aelinuan body that allows the individual to use magic. There are five types of aelinuan magic: abilita, embodia, intellica, uniqua and vitalita.
The vecrucia vary in capacity, within a set limit, in a way that is formed at rebirth. The overall capacity of each aelinuan's vecrucia is the same, however the distribution across the vecrucia varies between individuals.
The levels are relatively consistent for individuals from the same aetri, with the highest and lowest level vecrucia always coming in sets; e.g. an aelinuan born from Aeternia with level 5 vitalita will always have level 1 intellica. The levels of other vecrucia have strong trends but are likely to vary.
In Aelin those with the same highest vecrucia level are grouped into ranks, barring a few exceptions, and having a certain level five will make locals automatically assign even outsiders to those rank groupings. The proper way to refer to those with the same highest vecrucia is as follows:
Some aelinuans can have a flair, a natural capability to do something that is beyond the norm. They cannot be taught to those who do not possess the flair, they are ingrained in the individual. Flairs appear in individuals based on their level five vecrucia.
When a fully mature aelinuan with this flair comes into contact with an aetri's waters they will begin to hear the Lament.
Almost all velures have the flair for entering a trance-like state that comes into effect during velurea. This capability makes it easier for velures to cope with their velurea.
A flair that allows the user to sense the potential in humans for becoming an aelinuan. This can be used in order to choose which humans to present to aetris for velurea. In Aelin this role is performed by Blue Celestials.
An anaro is an object that a velure's soul chooses. There is only one for an individual and it must be physically touched to be identified. The object, through touch, soothes that individual's soul.
The aelinuan meant to become the Oracle has a flair that allows them, as a nulierin, to remain sane and alive while inundated with hearing the Lament. The Oracle also becomes the Blue Eminence.
These particular aelinuans have a flair for being able to read nomnatures. This allows them to know the names of those who have died by reading the ribbons left behind on the aetris. In Aelin this role is performed by Blue Celestials.
Innately gives additional resilience in terms of basic needs, for example not needing to sleep as much as other aelinuans, resistance to illness and general hardiness.
Gives the ability to form familial attachments.
Born with a fated ideal match called a True Pair. They also instinctively know the status of their True Pair when asked the question "where is your True Pair", known as the True Question.
Allows individuals to become Adomarains and have a chance at a second chance True Pair. This flair means that those with the same level 5 uniqua know who the Adomarains are.
The Sun and Moon Adomarain are able to effectively pair others because they have the flair to sense the compatibility between two people. They are also able to give Pairs their pairame and Solos their solome.
This is an art used by those with level 5 vitalita that allows them to see and materialise an impression upon another person.
A flair possessed by those with level 5 vitalita that allows them to sense that they need to step up into a hierarchical position, such as a High or a Warlord in Aelin.
Twists are conditions that some aelinuan are born with that are not the norm. They occur as a result of an aelinuan being developed abnormally by their aetri.
There are three different kinds of aetri-driven embodia-based matches. These matches are colloquially called locks and represent predetermined connections between two or more aelinuans. The one who initiates these matches is the originator and known as the lock and the recipient of the match is considered the key.
When aelinuans are bonded, it forces all three locks to exist between the damoreau.
It is possible for a naturally occurring one-way bonding to exist in which an aelinuan finds a mind match who also happens to be their essence and body match. This is, of course, extremely rare.
A body match is colloquially referred to as "bang and make happy". This is a reciprocal match, where the recipients are known as the 'desire keys'.
An aelinuan has several body matches. They can all occur simultaneously and as the match is reciprocal, at any one time several aelinuans will each be the other's locks and keys.
Sex between body matches is noticeably and naturally better than normal. After being together there is a lingering increase in physical well-being, which eventually wears off.
Locks and keys for this match do not necessarily have to like each other, the physical sensations will be the same regardless.
An essence match is colloquially referred to as a "soulmate". This is a one-sided match, where the recipient is known as the 'beloved key'. This match is very rare and there can only ever be one in an aelinuan's lifetime. This is the only match that is carried from the aelinuan's previous life, which means humans can also have essence matches.
The essence match bond only becomes permanent once it has been physically consummated and the death of their key once that has occurred will also kill the lock. The key, on the other hand, can survive the loss of the lock.
Essence matches are one-sided, however the key will gain a sympathetic bond in response if they spend enough time together. The key tends to feel dissatisfied when in a relationship with someone who is not the lock.
After being with their soulmate a lock will have a lingering increase in well-being, both emotional and physical, which eventually wears off. If an aelinuan is actively with their soulmate and they are separated, they will start feeling emotional withdrawal after a short period and will slowly deteriorate with increased time apart until they die. This is referred to medically as soul ache. Death usually occurs after around a month of constant separation.
It is slightly more likely that an aelinuan with an essence ability will also have an essence match, however it is not necessary.
A mind match is colloquially referred to as "love at first sight". This is a one-sided match, where the recipient is known as the 'harmony key'.
Loss of this match does not kill the survivor, whether key or lock. There is usually only one harmony key at any one time for an individual, however there have been instances with more than one, for example with a Pair.
The eyes of each party have to meet for it to take effect and the key has to be open to the idea of having this match in order for it to occur.
This match is all about what is right for the individual at that time; if this match is ignored then it can fade on its own, at which time as long as the bearer is still open to the idea of another they could conceivably meet their next match.
The effect of a mind match is a 'tug' towards the other person. So if the mind match was gone, the tug will no longer exist but the love accumulated will remain. After being together there is a lingering increase in mental well-being, which eventually wears off.
There is a mild version of the tug for the non-reciprocated member, referred to as the 'key tug'.