folmen

Folmen are a fictional class of woodland beings described in contemporary fantasy literature and role-playing game lore. They are typically depicted as small to medium humanoids, roughly 0.4 to 0.6 meters tall, with bark-like skin, leaf-like hair, and eyes that glow faintly at night. They are imagined as living in old-growth forests, especially in the coastal and montane regions of the fictional realm of Elderglade, where they form loose communities within hollow trees and networked root systems.

The name folmen derives from a constructed Old Tongue, with fol meaning forest and men meaning people; the term appeared in late 20th-century works and gained prominence through game supplements and encyclopedic compendia.

Biology and ecology: Folmen are described as nocturnal and agile climbers. They feed on a diet of berries, fungi, sap, and small invertebrates. They are said to possess keen senses and specialized adhesive pads on their hands and feet for climbing bark and moss-covered surfaces. Socially they favor loose kin-based groups called groves; communication includes a combination of chirps, whistles, gestures, and bioluminescent signals produced by embedded glow moss.

Culture and interaction with humans: In folklore, folmen are guardians of forest paths and knowledge, though some tales portray them as cautious or trickster-like. Rituals often involve offerings of berries or carved wooden tokens left at trail junctions to request safe passage or guidance.

In media and gaming, folmen appear as characters or factions in fantasy novels, tabletop RPGs, and digital games, where their role ranges from wise guides to enigmatic scouts. See also forest spirits, woodland beings.