Hailing from the island Republic of Phoenice, Phoenicians (for the most part) resemble humans except from the knee down their legs become like the talons of a bird and from their should blades sprouts a large pair of wings covered in red and gold plumage. Their skin and feathers are hot to the touch and can be seen to glow slightly in darkness.
Phoenicians have a life cycle which mimics that of the phoenix. They live short lives, usually between 5-7 years, growing to maturity within the first year and deteriorating rapidly into old age as they enter their final months. Upon a natural death, the Phoenician bursts into flames and is reduced to a pile of ash. Nestled within the pile is a large egg, from which the Phoenician soon hatches, possessing the same memories, personality and soul but a new body.
In the event of a near-fatal disease, poisoning or trauma, the body will hastily attempt to gather the energy necessary to perform an emergency rekindle. Depending on the severity of the injury or disease, the rekindling may succeed, go awry (producing such curiousities as Phoenicians with the bodies of animals) or fail completely, with particularly violent deaths such as decapitation almost never succeeding. No matter the cause, if a rekindling approaches, the person will usually be made comfortable by their friends and family within a nest of dry wood and flammable material to assist in the process.
Fire does not burn them, only energising them with life force. Indeed sufficiently hot flames have the curious effect of turning back their body clock, making them appear years younger, if only for a short time. Strong spirits have the same effect, combusting internally, and it is highly recommended for anybody attempting to pick up a Phoenician to check that the person they take home from the bar at the end of the night is the same age as when they met earlier that evening.
Despite growing to physical maturity in a year, newborn Phoenicians are generally not regarded as adults until they have gone through two or three life cycles. It is common for youngsters to have their wings clipped to help parents control them better and to signal to others that this person is to be treated as a child.
Until only recently the Phoenicians were not a race, but a nation of humans, The Republic of Phoenice, which sits out in the warm, tranquil waters of the Hadriatic Sea upon the slopes of an island volcano. Within the volcanic caldera dwelt a phoenix to which the early human settlers of the island would make offerings as a means of appeasing what they took to be the mountain spirit. Over time these offerings became grander, ultimately spurring the formation of a grand maritime trading empire as they ventured further afield to find exotic gifts. Their merchantile fleet even began to rival the goblins flotillas.
All was going well until the cataclysmic shattering of the Kingdom of Horr. The earthquake triggered the eruption of the volcano, burying the capital of the republic beneath lava and ash. When the dust settled, the phoenix ventured down from the mountain to discover the bodies of the humans who had treated it so well over so long, sealed in molds of hardened ash.
Stricken by grief, the Phoenix sacrificed itself in a final death, imbuing its immortal flame into the bodies. The stone casts broke apart, birthing forth the first generation of a new race.
Since that day, they have worked to rebuild their destroyed republic with a fiery optimism. With the goblins now dominating the seas, the Phoenicians have turned to a new technology - airships.
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