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The Kin

These are the supernatural species and their unique races that were created by the gods. These beings have innate magical abilities that allow them some measure of power. In exchange for these gifts, they have spiritual bans that compel them to behave in a certain way.



◈Elves

They are tall, with pointed ears and sharp eyes that can see as well as a therian. Known for their grace and esoteric knowledge, this secretive race is known to be cold and even hostile to outsiders.

Known Settlements

There are two small kingdoms, a Sibesonan port territory, the three northern Sibesonan Protectorates (broadly called “The Elven Protectorates”) and one small clan to be found.

  • Lekeid, off the western coast of the Sibesona.
    • Ajonne, the port territory of Lekeid.
    • Besmar, the westernmost protectorate.
    • Tourienne, the northernmost protectorate.
    • Raen, the easternmost protectorate.
  • Rhythlgard on the northern tip of the Erminian continent.
  • The Ukail Clan is found on Isilren, the northernmost continent.
  • Legends and rumors speak of at least one other wandering clan on Talmor, but either they are misguided, or the clan wishes to remain hidden. No one knows their name or where they originated from.

Elves are a secretive species that guard their knowledge and resources shrewdly, for they have been around longer than most civari and know many things others would kill to know. For this, each of the elven communities has their homes protected by cloaking and barrier spells, which are re-configured nearly every day to prevent easy detection. So even a person who has managed to find the elves must fight once again to return unless escorted by a member of the community.

Spiritual Ban: Elven Boons

Elves are the most advanced, and it is said that their spiritual ban compels them to share the fruits of their marvels with non-elves. (Note—they only share the rewards of all their technology and wisdom–they do not reveal how such things are made or acquired.) It is for this reason that elves are often very distant, withdrawn, and even hostile to outsiders.

Elves must share the fruits of their society’s discoveries in relevant situations with those they consider friends or comrades in arms (for example: someone is hurt and they know a special elf tonic that could help them). This only counts for personally known elf skills or general knowledge. Elves are not compelled to share the recipes, designs, or theories of their technology, nor the source for their wisdom or intellectual knowledge.

Examples in Eikasia:

  • Marquis, the ex-vagabond turned merchant - Though Marq’s banishment from the Elven Protectorates barred him from learning many of the advanced artisan skills elves are well known for, his grasp of the Common language was enough of a boon to impart to a young Nyx, allowing her to quickly learn to read, speak, and write it despite no one in her village knowing it or being willing to teach it. Not only this, but he was able to assist her in speaking without an Ailuran accent, though her diction is faintly reminiscent of the northern Elven Protectorates. In addition to the gift of Common, Marquis also used his knowledge of CPR to resuscitate Nyx after she first attempted to kill herself. (This knowledge is not widely known in Gaia, though it is hardly an Elven secret, making it a humble boon.)
  • Daedalus, the artisan inventor. Known in Belcliff for his fine metal and jewelry work, he is not merely gifted in trinkets but is capable of very intricate works of magic and machinery. After Lethia Artaud cut off part of her arm, he worked to create a new artificial one capable of fine motor control and was even equipped with combat modifications. In addition, when Lethia and her comrades needed to flee the Sibesonan continent, he generously provided them with his life’s crowning achievement: a small airship.

Supernatural Abilities

While most elves have at least one of these supernatural abilities, it is rare for any to have more than one, and it is unheard of that they should have more than two. An elf born without any of these abilities is considered to be a shame and a burden on elven society. They are called the Ungraced. (Maybe Marquis could be one of these? Maybe that’s why he started out as a criminal?)

  • Magical Sense - Elves may identify an area or a person within thirty feet of them who cast a spell within the last twenty-four hours. A trained elf magic practitioner may also determine just what the spell was that was cast. This does not reveal when the spell was cast.
  • Otherworldly Grace - Those with this ability are surefooted, graceful, and agile. Never will you see one with this ability unintentionally drop an object or stumble. Elves with Otherworldy Grace are also said to be the most beautiful of their kind.
  • Uncanny Luck - Blessed with a strange fortune, elves with this ability are supernaturally shielded from bad outcomes. It does not work consistently or reliably, but it happens often enough that these elves are the envy of others. They always seem to find enough money for their needs, avoid injuries, and usually enjoy some success in their pursuits.
  • Beast Tamer - Elves with this ability are gifted with animals and even some monsters. They are capable of taming and training creatures in a short amount of time and have a supernatural sense of their feelings and needs.
  • Fleet Foot - While those with Otherworldly Grace may boast quick and graceful bodies, they still pale in comparison to those with this ability. Fleet Foot elves have been recorded as being so quick as to blur when they run, making them ideal messengers and couriers. They cannot move this quickly for too long, usually up to three hours, but most messenger elves with this gift use it in bursts spread out during the day.
  • Forest Tender - Elves with this ability are in tune with the forests and nature around them. They feel what is happening to the plants and the surrounding area, and can provide some small spiritual aid in their growth. Many with this ability are farmers, true, but some also use this unique skill as a form of reconnaissance.
  • Wind Reader - A very mysterious ability not fully comprehended even by the elves, but it is one of the most respected. Wind Readers possess a form of clairvoyance that visits hidden knowledge and hints of the future. They may have a sense of impending danger or have ideas of what people’s hidden desires are. Some Wind Readers live simple and content lives, but the most powerful of them tend to be fairly complicated and depressive people. Not all knowledge visited upon them is of the light and pleasant sort.
  • Truth Sense - As the name suggests, elves with Truth Sense do not require truth potions or spells. Their innate supernatural sense gives them a perfect understanding of those being untrue. Elves with this ability are perhaps the most miserable of all their people, even more so than some Wind Readers, for they are often isolated for their talent. While it's an important ability to have, those with Truth Sense are guarded even with their own kind due to how often they’ve felt hurt or betrayed.

◈Ailurans

A race of therians and one of the Moon-kin, they are feline shapeshifters native to the western Sibesonan heartlands. Their lands include the Kreut Forest, a dead forest plagued with black nymphs as a result of some strange pollution that came from the Torreth Mountains surrounding it.

Known Settlements

  • Himitahl is the nation’s capital city located at the heart of the country. Here the Illuminati operate, having the final say on rule across the nation. They are the nation’s record keepers, historians, scholars, and tacticians. Half of the Ailuran Nation’s top generals, politicians, inventors, and strategists have come from Himitahl.
  • Opet, the city-state located to the west, nearest the Dorée Seashore. Home to skilled fishermen and boatwrights, this is where the Ailuran’s modest but fierce naval forces defend from seaborne threats.
  • Mied, the southwestern-most city-state. Of all the cities of the nation, this place has suffered the most from the Fiamman-Ailuran War, but its people are yet unbroken. Due to the constant threat of invasion, the citizens of Mied are the most militant. They train their young to do battle the moment they can speak, they commit some of the largest numbers of troops to the cause, and they are, by far, the best warriors the nation has to offer.
  • Dessiet, the city-state to the east of Himitahl within the deepest Ailuran lands. They are farmers and woodworkers. They run some of the largest farms in the nation, and they also harvest trees from the local forests, carving the army’s bows, shields, staffs, and furniture.
  • Erui is the northernmost city-state nearest to the Wild Lands. Of the nation, they have the closest relationship to the Elven Protectorates to the north, and this relationship has resulted in the city gaining knowledge in magic, as well as magical artifacts. Of the magic the city has become known for, they primarily produce sorcerers and alchemists, though there have been a small number of wizards who have come from the city as well. Here is where the majority of the nation’s magic users come from.
  • Tosmai is a simple village to the southeast of Dessiet, and just south of the Kreut Forest. This is Nyx’s place of birth. Tosmai, while not as large or formidable as some of the nearby towns, boasts two things: being one of the biggest providers of honey, and also being the home village of Nyx’s deceased eldest brother, the famous war hero, Thaddeus.

Spiritual Ban: Compulsory Full Moon Transformation

Every full moon, like their distant cousins, the Lycans and Aquilutri, Ailurans must shapeshift every full moon night.

Supernatural Abilities

The Sacred Five of the Lunar Hall:

This phrase is commonly used by therians of the moon, referring to the five distinct forms that Ailurans, Lycans, and Aquilutri can shapeshift into, each associated with a specific moon phase. These forms are:

  • Civarian (Einaudi): Attributed to the new moon, this form features a furless, upright figure with opposable thumbs, resembling humans.
  • Near-Civarian (Eikadi): Aligned with the crescent moon, this form incorporates talons, fangs, claws, a tail, and other beast-like qualities. Despite these changes, the ability to stand upright, limited speech, and opposable thumbs are retained.
  • Beast-Man (Ekilluos): Linked to the quarter moon, this form achieves a perfect balance between the beast and civarian halves. Described as reaching oneness with life, it entails an increase in size, strength, intellect to conquer instinct, and powerful senses. Emotions manifest as intense ecstasy.
  • Near-Beast (Ekikos): Corresponding to the gibbous moon, this form involves a larger version of the true beast, forfeiting the ability to stand upright and speak. Although lacking complex thought, the subject retains enough intelligence for the primal personality to use it. This form is the second most dangerous to the beast-man.
  • True-Beast (Ejagri): Attributed to the full moon, this form transforms the subject into a normal-looking animal in both size and intellect. For example, Lycans turn into ordinary wolves during this phase. The true-beast form is consistently assumed during the full moon.

While each race and clan may have their unique names for these forms, the Sacred Five of the Lunar Hall serves as a universal concept shared by all.

 

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