Fairies are one of the three main sapient ancestries in Hanaq, characterized by their pink blood and hooved anatomy. They appear with pastel-like, cartoonish features.
Fairies have a historically tense relationship with Dragons, marked by deep-rooted mutual suspicion despite Esperanto's attempts to alleviate this prejudice. This tension remains significant in modern politics, as seen in interactions between fairy-dominated Esperanto and the dragon-ruled Warden.
Fairies encompass several distinct subtypes:
Graceful, sturdy, and often cosmopolitan, Equines are the most populous fairy subtype. Most are highly social, value tradition, and are drawn to communal living and harmony.
Ruminants are gentle, grounded fairies with deep-rooted ties to the land. They are often community-focused and prefer peaceful, rural lifestyles.
These resemble Equines but have insect-like features such as wings, body patterns, and—most commonly—solid-colored eyes. Despite appearances, they are still soft-bodied. Bugponies are unique in that most cannot reproduce with each other; the few that can are capable of producing thousands of offspring. Bugponies that normally can’t reproduce with their own kind can still have children with other ancestries, though the mortality rate of this practice for the mother is very high and regarded as taboo.
Fairies can produce viable offspring with both Dragons and Beasts. For example, hippogriffs are a notably common hybrid of Griffon and Equine, and a fairly common sight in Hanaq.
Kirin are an uncommon cross between a fairy and Dragon. Due to the association, many face prejudice.
Their most distinctive biological feature is their pink blood, which sets them apart from Beasts (red blood) and Dragons (purple blood).
Fairy culture is usually described as open-minded, humble, and prioritizing harmony. This isn't monolithic though, but some beast cultures view fairies as soft and overly cautious while some dragons view fairies as weak and degenerate.
Fairies don't have claws of any kind, so they will often hold objects with a mouth, which is surprisingly dexterous. While fairies can holding things in their hooves, it's not preferred, and a little awkward to walk with.
Fairy societies tend to be matriarchal, with a queen typically serving as head of state. Most fairy-dominated republics have a female president or prime minister. In more traditional fairy cultures, stallions are often seen as too carefree to manage domestic or political responsibilities, and are instead encouraged to focus on cultivating personal skills or tending to nature.