Test: Difference between revisions
Robyn.Blaber (talk | contribs) No edit summary |
Robyn.Blaber (talk | contribs) No edit summary |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{Infobox strain | {{Infobox strain | ||
| title = Aelf | | title = [[Aelf]] | ||
| subtitle = Player Strain | | subtitle = Player Strain | ||
| caption = The | | caption = The [[Aelf]]es (🔊 ALF ) are a northern strain occupying the mountains, forests, and seas. Legend tells that the first [[Aelf]]es were created by [[Woden]] the All-Father. | ||
| strain = Aelf | | strain = [[Aelf]] | ||
| scientific = Homo Aestheticus | | scientific = Homo Aestheticus | ||
| plural = | | plural = [[Aelf]]es | ||
| possessive = | | possessive = [[Aelf]]en | ||
| substrains = [[Brim[[aelf]]]], [[Dun[[aelf]]]], [[Frigg[[aelf]]]], [[Wod[[aelf]]]], [[Wyrm[[aelf]]]] | |||
| image = https://imagedelivery.net/TNzzP2IqyQLYoHEs2ZN5aQ/0bd67ce2-bc07-4c4f-5e49-f9597bfa3100/wiki#.png | | image = https://imagedelivery.net/TNzzP2IqyQLYoHEs2ZN5aQ/0bd67ce2-bc07-4c4f-5e49-f9597bfa3100/wiki#.png | ||
| eyesight = Farsight, Deepsight | | eyesight = Farsight, Deepsight | ||
| Line 20: | Line 21: | ||
| build = Slender | | build = Slender | ||
| distinctions = Air of distinction. Slender build. Pointed ears. Often very physically attractive. | | distinctions = Air of distinction. Slender build. Pointed ears. Often very physically attractive. | ||
| language = Aelfen Language,Otani Language | | language = [[Aelfen Language]],[[Otani Language]] | ||
| climate = Temperate | | climate = Temperate | ||
| terrain = | | terrain = | ||
| location = | | location = [[Aelfg[[ara]]d]],[[Aelfwode]] | ||
| disposition = Aesthetically driven. | | disposition = Aesthetically driven. | ||
}} | }} | ||
The | The [[Aelf]]es were created and scattered upon the lands of [[Otan]] by [[Woden]] the All-Father. The [[Aelf]]es soon found that they were driven by their preferences, and a schism developed between them. The [[Wod[[aelf]]]]es preferred the forests granted to them by [[Woden]], decrying that nothing on [[Otan]] was more beautiful than [[Woden]]'s creation. | ||
The | The [[Frigg[[aelf]]]]es had meanwhile come to the conclusion that art was the domi[[nan]]t aesthetic and that [[Aelf]]en art was certainly more beautiful than [[Woden]]'s creation; [[Woden]] s[[imp]]ly provided the tools to create art. The schism advanced until the two main tribes sep[[ara]]ted completely. [[Wod[[aelf]]]]s stayed mainly in the forests while [[Frigg[[aelf]]]]es preferred coastal shores. | ||
== Society and Culture == | == Society and Culture == | ||
{{LoreImage|https://imagedelivery.net/TNzzP2IqyQLYoHEs2ZN5aQ/91e702e0-5db2-400d-9f62-1f1c737c3500/wiki#.png|350px|left}} | {{LoreImage|https://imagedelivery.net/TNzzP2IqyQLYoHEs2ZN5aQ/91e702e0-5db2-400d-9f62-1f1c737c3500/wiki#.png|350px|left}} | ||
[[Aelf]]en society is heavily vested in aesthetics. The bodies that form [[Aelf]]en governments concern themselves with aesthetics above all but the most dire needs of their charges. Securing a village from an [[imp]]ending attack, for example, would involve two parts setting up defensive archers and blockades. One part would be devoted to making those blockades and ambuscades "look visually interesting". | |||
The governments of the two nation-states controlled by | The governments of the two nation-states controlled by [[Aelf]]es are [[Aelfg[[ara]]d]] and [[Aelfwode]]. [[Aelfg[[ara]]d]]e's Council of the Arts makes all but a few decisions for the nation, the remainder of which are made by the king (or queen). Decisions too small for the Council of the Arts are made by smaller and smaller councils. Few decisions in [[Aelfg[[ara]]d]] are made by a single individual. | ||
In contrast, | In contrast, [[Wod[[aelf]]]]es are satisfied to let nature take its course. Believing that the only true aesthetic is that which is produced by nature itself, they are content to let things slide. Individuals in [[Aelfwode]] are more likely to take initiative in big decisions and trust in those decisions is handed over to nature or the gods. | ||
== Physical | == Physical Ch[[ara]]c[[teri]]stics == | ||
{{LoreImage|https://imagedelivery.net/TNzzP2IqyQLYoHEs2ZN5aQ/917a6fad-fa60-4738-9f58-d82b0f397e00/wiki#.png|350px|left}} | {{LoreImage|https://imagedelivery.net/TNzzP2IqyQLYoHEs2ZN5aQ/917a6fad-fa60-4738-9f58-d82b0f397e00/wiki#.png|350px|left}} | ||
[[Aelf]]es could easily be [[mis]]taken for [[Human]]s if not given a second look. They are generally more slender than their [[Human]] cousins and sport small pointed ears. Their biology is similar to [[human]]s and they are able to [[sur]]vive on both [[plant]] and animal protein. [[Aelf]]es are more agile than [[Human]]s, though this is a gener[[ali]]zation as they do not possess super-[[human]] agility. | |||
{{-}} | {{-}} | ||
=== Natural and Latent Abilities === | === Natural and Latent Abilities === | ||
{{LoreImage|https://imagedelivery.net/TNzzP2IqyQLYoHEs2ZN5aQ/6bedced1-8275-43d5-9239-9233d0727e00/wiki#.png|350px|right}} | {{LoreImage|https://imagedelivery.net/TNzzP2IqyQLYoHEs2ZN5aQ/6bedced1-8275-43d5-9239-9233d0727e00/wiki#.png|350px|right}} | ||
Perhaps the greatest of all | Perhaps the greatest of all [[Aelf]]en abilities is to create the perception that they are more able than others at all things. While they almost certainly exceed the rest of the realm in their aestheticism, it's commonly believe that [[Aelf]]s are more agile, resilient, wise, intelligent, [[psychic]], and beautiful than any of the other strains of man. While this is patently untrue, a typical [[Aelf]] does not deny a jot of this. | ||
{{-}} | {{-}} | ||
== History == | == History == | ||
{{LoreImage|https://imagedelivery.net/TNzzP2IqyQLYoHEs2ZN5aQ/65fc7007-230b-4a92-7d44-a8be787f3c00/wiki#.png|350px|right}} | {{LoreImage|https://imagedelivery.net/TNzzP2IqyQLYoHEs2ZN5aQ/65fc7007-230b-4a92-7d44-a8be787f3c00/wiki#.png|350px|right}} | ||
For | For [[Aelf]]es as all the people of [[Otan]], history began in the first year IM. After the Great Era[[sur]]e, the [[Aelf]]es woke to find their people split into two countries. They quickly re[[ali]]zed why as the [[Wod[[aelf]]]]es and [[Frigg[[aelf]]]]es had very different views about how an [[Aelf]] should live. | ||
The | The [[Wod[[aelf]]]]es did eventually side with [[Human]]s in the [[Grendel]] War, where the [[Grendel]] had ravaged [[human]] settlements in the North. The [[Aelf]]es may have acted from com[[pass]]ion or possibly because they believed that they would be the next victims of [[Grendel]] aggression. Since that war, [[Aelf]]es and [[Human]]s have been less reluctant to trade and interact. | ||
{{-}} | {{-}} | ||
=== | === [[Wod[[aelf]]]] Substrain === | ||
{{LoreImage|https://imagedelivery.net/TNzzP2IqyQLYoHEs2ZN5aQ/bb1561f2-1edc-4ede-2495-7179e7a0a200/wiki#.png|350px|right}} | {{LoreImage|https://imagedelivery.net/TNzzP2IqyQLYoHEs2ZN5aQ/bb1561f2-1edc-4ede-2495-7179e7a0a200/wiki#.png|350px|right}} | ||
'''Description:'''The | '''Description:'''The [[Wod[[aelf]]]]es (🔊 WOAH-dalf) grew distant from their [[Frigg[[aelf]]]]en cousins due to an aesthetic rift. They prefer natural beauty to anything artistic. They reside primarily in [[Aelfwode]]. | ||
'''Overview:'''The | '''Overview:'''The [[Wod[[aelf]]]]es are the tradition[[ali]]st heart of the [[Aelf]] strain, defined by their unwavering devotion to the natural world. While their cousins, the [[Frigg[[aelf]]]]es, believe that art is the domi[[nan]]t aesthetic, the [[Wod[[aelf]]]]es maintain that nothing on [[Otan]] is more beautiful than the raw, untamed creation of [[Woden]] the All-Father. This philo[[sop]]hical rift led to a total sep[[ara]]tion between the tribes long before the Great Era[[sur]]e, leaving the [[Wod[[aelf]]]]es to dwell in the deep forests while their kin moved to the northern coasts. | ||
Even with their history lost to the Great | Even with their history lost to the Great Era[[sur]]e, [[Wod[[aelf]]]]es woke with an [[inn]]ate preference for the aesthetics of the wild already etched into their souls. In [[Wod[[aelf]]]]en society, the "Great Masterpiece" is not something to be built, but something to be protected and inhabited. Their culture is deeply insular and rooted in the ancient groves of their domains, where they live in harmony with the flora and fauna provided by [[Woden]]. | ||
Unlike the structured hierarchies of | Unlike the structured hierarchies of [[Aelfg[[ara]]d]], [[Wod[[aelf]]]]en life is governed by the rhythms of the forest, leading many outsiders to view them as primal or myst[[erio]]us. However, this s[[imp]]licity is deceptive; they possess a fierce, protective grace and are known to produce "[[Brute]]s" who, while strikingly beautiful to behold, are horrifically dangerous when the sanctity of their woods is threatened. Physically, the [[Wod[[aelf]]]]es mirror the slender, pointed-eared appe[[ara]]nce of the [[Aelf]] strain, yet they carry a wilder, more organic presence than the curated [[Frigg[[aelf]]]]es. | ||
In the wild, they are often accompanied by the great | In the wild, they are often accompanied by the great [[beast]]s of the forest, and it is said that their most skilled [[hunter]]s and warriors can move through the undergrowth with a silence that borders on the supernatural. For a [[Wod[[aelf]]]], every tree, river, and mountain is a [[divine]] work of art that requires no further refinement from sentient hands. They remain the silent sentinels of [[Woden]]’s original vision, preferring the rustle of leaves to the grand spires of the city. | ||
{{-}} | {{-}} | ||
=== | === [[Dun[[aelf]]]] Substrain === | ||
{{LoreImage|https://imagedelivery.net/TNzzP2IqyQLYoHEs2ZN5aQ/79b2ddb0-b5f3-4fbf-a65b-ccee11e7f300/wiki#.png|350px|right}} | {{LoreImage|https://imagedelivery.net/TNzzP2IqyQLYoHEs2ZN5aQ/79b2ddb0-b5f3-4fbf-a65b-ccee11e7f300/wiki#.png|350px|right}} | ||
'''Description:'''The | '''Description:'''The [[Dun[[aelf]]]]es (🔊DOON-alf) grew distant from their [[Aelf]]en cousins due to a difference in aesthetic sensibilities. They reside primarily in [[Aelfg[[ara]]d]]. | ||
'''Overview:'''The | '''Overview:'''The [[Dun[[aelf]]]]es are a striking contrast to their [[Frigg[[aelf]]]] kin, defined by a mahogany-dark complexion and a cultural obsession with the higher aesthetic of engineering. While they share a lineage with the [[Frigg[[aelf]]]]es, the [[Dun[[aelf]]]]es have turned their intellect [[awa]]y from the sea and toward the forge, the gear, and the blueprint. | ||
They believe that the ultimate expression of | They believe that the ultimate expression of [[Frigg]]’s wisdom is found in the perfection of the machine. They take delight in transforming raw ma[[teri]]als into complex, functional wonders. To a [[Dun[[aelf]]]], a well-[[tun]]ed engine or a perfectly balanced clockwork mechanism is as beautiful as any sunrise. | ||
Living primarily in the industrial and urban hubs of Otan, the | Living primarily in the industrial and urban hubs of [[Otan]], the [[Dun[[aelf]]]]es are the preeminent architects and inventors of the realm. Their society is a meritocracy based on technical skill and [[inn]]ovation; status is earned not through land or birthright, but through the efficiency and elegance of one's designs. | ||
They view the | They view the [[Wod[[aelf]]]]es’ "stewardship" as a [[pass]]ive waste of potential, believing instead that the natural world provides the components which sentient minds must refine into a more orderly, productive existence. Their homes are often filled with the rhythmic ticking of prototypes and the low hum of experimental power sources. | ||
Despite their focus on cold iron and brass, the | Despite their focus on [[cold]] iron and brass, the [[Dun[[aelf]]]]es maintain a deep sense of social duty, often providing the infrastructure. They are known for their aqueducts, [[bridge]]s, and defensive siege engines, which keep their cousin [[Aelf]]en substrains safe. They are the "builders of the framework," providing the skeleton of civilization upon which others live. | ||
{{-}} | {{-}} | ||
=== | === [[Brim[[aelf]]]] Substrain === | ||
{{LoreImage|https://imagedelivery.net/TNzzP2IqyQLYoHEs2ZN5aQ/1fca572b-f472-497f-ebdd-42dfb7091400/wiki#.png|350px|right}} | {{LoreImage|https://imagedelivery.net/TNzzP2IqyQLYoHEs2ZN5aQ/1fca572b-f472-497f-ebdd-42dfb7091400/wiki#.png|350px|right}} | ||
'''Description:'''The | '''Description:'''The [[Brim[[aelf]]]]es (🔊BREEM-alf) are the coastal sea [[Aelf]]es, who live off the coast of [[Aelfg[[ara]]d]]. Their habitats are primarily underwater, with occasional beach habitats. | ||
'''Overview:'''The | '''Overview:'''The [[Brim[[aelf]]]]es are the sovereign masters of the [[Otan]] depths, possessing a sleek physiology that mirrors the shifting moods of the sea. From the shimmering teal of a sunlit bay to the deep, ink-like indigo of the abyss, they add an entirely new dimension to what is [[Aelf]]en. | ||
Though they are expert swimmers capable of enduring the crushing weight of the deep, they maintain a unique dual nature. They are a people of two worlds, occupying the vast waters between | Though they are expert swimmers capable of enduring the crushing weight of the deep, they maintain a unique dual nature. They are a people of two worlds, occupying the vast waters between [[Aelfg[[ara]]d]] and [[Ara]]ldar, they are governed by a rigid Monarchy and swearing fealty to a single King or Queen. The royal throne sits within sprawling underwater [[citadel]]s of glass, pearl, and living coral, serving as the heartbeat of a hidden empire that remains a mystery to those who dwell under the sun. | ||
While these grand cities are submerged, they are designed with a profound understanding of | While these grand cities are submerged, they are designed with a profound understanding of [[Aelf]]en comfort. Many districts consist of enclosed air-habitats, pres[[sur]]ized vaults kept dry for those who prefer to use their lungs while they labor at their crafts or retreat into the restorative silence of sleep. | ||
These architectural marvels allow the | These architectural marvels allow the [[Brim[[aelf]]]]es to maintain their terrestrial refinements even in the heart of the ocean, creating a culture that is as intellectually [[sop]]histicated as it is physically formidable. To a [[Brim[[aelf]]]], the "dry" home is a sanctuary where the mind is sharpest, [[sur]]rounded by the muffled, rhythmic thrum of the ext[[erio]]r currents. | ||
For the | For the [[Brim[[aelf]]]], the ocean provides the only aesthetic relevance worth pursuing. They believe that true beauty is not invented by hands, but harvested from the tides; their art, fashion, and architecture are entirely defined by iridescent s[[hel]]l-work, bioluminescent blooms, and the mathematical perfection of reef-growth. | ||
To them, any beauty born of the dry land is static and lifeless, lacking the fluid grace of the water. This singular focus allows them to walk the | To them, any beauty born of the dry land is static and lifeless, lacking the fluid grace of the water. This singular focus allows them to walk the [[sur]]face docks of [[Otan]] with a regal, detached confidence, knowing that the terrestrial world is merely a shallow shore compared to the infinite, tide-crafted empire they command below. | ||
{{-}} | {{-}} | ||
=== | === [[Frigg[[aelf]]]] Substrain === | ||
{{LoreImage|https://imagedelivery.net/TNzzP2IqyQLYoHEs2ZN5aQ/d9bd9e53-cbc0-4895-e141-0b696bd9f100/wiki#.png|350px|right}} | {{LoreImage|https://imagedelivery.net/TNzzP2IqyQLYoHEs2ZN5aQ/d9bd9e53-cbc0-4895-e141-0b696bd9f100/wiki#.png|350px|right}} | ||
'''Description:'''The | '''Description:'''The [[Frigg[[aelf]]]]es (🔊 [[FRIGG]]-alf) grew distant from their [[Wod[[aelf]]]]en cousins due to a difference in their art-driven aesthetic sensibilities. They reside primarily in [[Aelfg[[ara]]d]]. | ||
'''Overview:'''The | '''Overview:'''The [[Frigg[[aelf]]]]es are the primary artistic and cultural branch of the [[Aelf]] strain (*Homo Aestheticus*), defined by a fundamental philo[[sop]]hical schism that likely occurred before the Great Era[[sur]]e. While their kin, the [[Wod[[aelf]]]]es, believe that the natural world created by [[Woden]] the All-Father is the p[[inn]]acle of beauty, the [[Frigg[[aelf]]]]es maintain that art is the domi[[nan]]t aesthetic. | ||
To a | To a [[Frigg[[aelf]]]], nature provides only the raw tools; it is through sentient craftsmanship and the homage paid to the goddess [[Frigg]] that true perfection is achieved. This dedication to manufactured beauty is so deeply ingrained that even the loss of historical records during the Great Era[[sur]]e could not diminish their [[inn]]ate drive to create. | ||
In practice, | In practice, [[Frigg[[aelf]]]]en society is entirely structured around this pursuit of aesthetics, with its government, the Council of the Arts, prioritizing visual and symbolic excellence above nearly all else. This cultural mandate extends even to the most utilitarian tasks; for instance, a military fortification in their northwestern nation of [[Aelfg[[ara]]d]] is rarely built for defense alone. Instead, engineers are required to en[[sur]]e that blockades and defensive positions are "visually interesting," treating a battlefield as a canvas for symbolic expression. | ||
This fixation on high art and rigid theory eventually led to further internal rifts, such as the | This fixation on high art and rigid theory eventually led to further internal rifts, such as the [[Dun[[aelf]]]]es, who broke [[awa]]y to pursue a more whimsical style of creativity. | ||
{{-}} | {{-}} | ||
=== | === [[Wyrm[[aelf]]]] Substrain === | ||
{{LoreImage|https://imagedelivery.net/TNzzP2IqyQLYoHEs2ZN5aQ/d85afc2b-77a2-4f03-0604-a744466b1b00/wiki#.png|350px|right}} | {{LoreImage|https://imagedelivery.net/TNzzP2IqyQLYoHEs2ZN5aQ/d85afc2b-77a2-4f03-0604-a744466b1b00/wiki#.png|350px|right}} | ||
'''Description:'''The | '''Description:'''The [[Wyrm[[aelf]]]]es (🔊 VERM-alf) are a variety of the [[Frigg[[aelf]]]]es, but infected by Draconic Essence. They resist becoming full [[Aydahar]] through prayer and force of will. | ||
'''Overview:'''The | '''Overview:'''The [[Wyrm[[aelf]]]]es are the tragic scions of a spiritual and physical blight known as "dragon seed". While [[human]]s who are tainted by draconic essence succumb entirely, warping into the fully draconic strain known as the [[Aydahar]], the [[Aelf]]en spirit is resilient enough to forestall this [[corruption]]. The result is a lineage caught in a permanent state of transition. | ||
[[Wyrm[[aelf]]]]es are not marked by hardened scales and transformative bone structures, but rather more subtle changes. For the [[Wyrm[[aelf]]]], their very blood is a battlefield where [[Aelf]]en grace and draconic savagery fight for every inch of their identity. The visible change is often limited to a violet complexion and snow-white hair. | |||
Their inherent | Their inherent du[[ali]]ty defines [[Wyrm[[aelf]]]] society as one of simultaneous pride and self-loathing. They are a people born of a violation, possessing a strength and longevity that make them formidable warriors, yet they view these gifts as symptoms of a terminal rot. While a small, radical few "accept the [[fire]]" and willingly descend into the [[Aydahar]] form, the majority live in a state of hyper-vigilance. | ||
[[Wyrm[[aelf]]]]es treat their draconic kin with a complex mixture of reverence and b[[itter]] resentment, acknowledging the power of dragons while loathing the "seed" that stole their purity. To [[sur]]vive the daily encroachment of the [[beast]], the [[Wyrm[[aelf]]]]es have turned to [[Frigg]] with a desperation that borders on the f[[ana]]tical. They do not worship for mere comfort; they pray for stasis. They use their religion as a [[shield]] against their own marrow, and their rituals are designed to cleanse the spirit in hopes of one day purging the flesh. | |||
{{-}} | {{-}} | ||
== Aelf Occupied Regions == | == [[Aelf]] Occupied Regions == | ||
=== | === [[Aelfg[[ara]]d]] === | ||
{{LoreImage|https://imagedelivery.net/TNzzP2IqyQLYoHEs2ZN5aQ/8c8f5236-9b05-4c92-6361-76e0dee04700/wiki#.png|350px|right}} | {{LoreImage|https://imagedelivery.net/TNzzP2IqyQLYoHEs2ZN5aQ/8c8f5236-9b05-4c92-6361-76e0dee04700/wiki#.png|350px|right}} | ||
'''Description:''' | '''Description:''' [[Aelfg[[ara]]d]] (🔊 ALF-ga-rahd) is a country in the the northwestern corner of continental [[Otan]]. It is predomi[[nan]]tly populated by the [[Frigg[[aelf]]]] substrain of [[Aelf]]s. | ||
'''Overview:''' Coming Soon | '''Overview:''' Coming Soon | ||
{{-}} | {{-}} | ||
=== Aelfwode === | === [[Aelfwode]] === | ||
{{LoreImage|https://imagedelivery.net/TNzzP2IqyQLYoHEs2ZN5aQ/59db3396-e598-4353-c8ab-6ebf69e77a00/wiki#.png|350px|right}} | {{LoreImage|https://imagedelivery.net/TNzzP2IqyQLYoHEs2ZN5aQ/59db3396-e598-4353-c8ab-6ebf69e77a00/wiki#.png|350px|right}} | ||
'''Description:''' The central landlocked country of Aelfwode (🔊 ALF-wode) is almost entirely forested. It is bordered by 5 countries and populated with | '''Description:''' The central landlocked country of [[Aelfwode]] (🔊 ALF-wode) is almost entirely forested. It is bordered by 5 countries and populated with [[Wod[[aelf]]]]s. | ||
'''Overview:''' Coming Soon | '''Overview:''' Coming Soon | ||
{{-}} | {{-}} | ||
{{Copyright notice}} | |||
[[Category:Strains]] | |||
Revision as of 02:15, 20 February 2026
| Strain | Aelf |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Homo Aestheticus |
| Plural | Aelfes |
| Possessive | Aelfen |
| Substrains | [[Brimaelf]], [[Dunaelf]], [[Friggaelf]], [[Wodaelf]], [[Wyrmaelf]] |
| Eyesight | Farsight, Deepsight |
| Location | [[Aelfgarad]],Aelfwode |
| Language | Aelfen Language,Otani Language |
| Climate | Temperate |
| Height | 9-11 Kol (140‒170 cm) |
| Weight | 4-6 Tas (37‒68.9 kg) |
| Skin Color | Porcelain, Fair |
| Hair Color | Blonde, Brown, Auburn, Red, Blue, Aqua, White |
| Eye Color | Blue, Silver, Brown, Green, Hazel, Gray |
| Build | Slender |
| Distinctions | Air of distinction. Slender build. Pointed ears. Often very physically attractive. |
| Disposition | Aesthetically driven. |
The Aelfes were created and scattered upon the lands of Otan by Woden the All-Father. The Aelfes soon found that they were driven by their preferences, and a schism developed between them. The [[Wodaelf]]es preferred the forests granted to them by Woden, decrying that nothing on Otan was more beautiful than Woden's creation.
The [[Friggaelf]]es had meanwhile come to the conclusion that art was the dominant aesthetic and that Aelfen art was certainly more beautiful than Woden's creation; Woden simply provided the tools to create art. The schism advanced until the two main tribes separated completely. [[Wodaelf]]s stayed mainly in the forests while [[Friggaelf]]es preferred coastal shores.
Society and Culture
Aelfen society is heavily vested in aesthetics. The bodies that form Aelfen governments concern themselves with aesthetics above all but the most dire needs of their charges. Securing a village from an impending attack, for example, would involve two parts setting up defensive archers and blockades. One part would be devoted to making those blockades and ambuscades "look visually interesting".
The governments of the two nation-states controlled by Aelfes are [[Aelfgarad]] and Aelfwode. [[Aelfgarad]]e's Council of the Arts makes all but a few decisions for the nation, the remainder of which are made by the king (or queen). Decisions too small for the Council of the Arts are made by smaller and smaller councils. Few decisions in [[Aelfgarad]] are made by a single individual.
In contrast, [[Wodaelf]]es are satisfied to let nature take its course. Believing that the only true aesthetic is that which is produced by nature itself, they are content to let things slide. Individuals in Aelfwode are more likely to take initiative in big decisions and trust in those decisions is handed over to nature or the gods.
Physical Characteristics
Aelfes could easily be mistaken for Humans if not given a second look. They are generally more slender than their Human cousins and sport small pointed ears. Their biology is similar to humans and they are able to survive on both plant and animal protein. Aelfes are more agile than Humans, though this is a generalization as they do not possess super-human agility.
Natural and Latent Abilities
Perhaps the greatest of all Aelfen abilities is to create the perception that they are more able than others at all things. While they almost certainly exceed the rest of the realm in their aestheticism, it's commonly believe that Aelfs are more agile, resilient, wise, intelligent, psychic, and beautiful than any of the other strains of man. While this is patently untrue, a typical Aelf does not deny a jot of this.
History
For Aelfes as all the people of Otan, history began in the first year IM. After the Great Erasure, the Aelfes woke to find their people split into two countries. They quickly realized why as the [[Wodaelf]]es and [[Friggaelf]]es had very different views about how an Aelf should live.
The [[Wodaelf]]es did eventually side with Humans in the Grendel War, where the Grendel had ravaged human settlements in the North. The Aelfes may have acted from compassion or possibly because they believed that they would be the next victims of Grendel aggression. Since that war, Aelfes and Humans have been less reluctant to trade and interact.
[[Wodaelf]] Substrain
Description:The [[Wodaelf]]es (🔊 WOAH-dalf) grew distant from their [[Friggaelf]]en cousins due to an aesthetic rift. They prefer natural beauty to anything artistic. They reside primarily in Aelfwode.
Overview:The [[Wodaelf]]es are the traditionalist heart of the Aelf strain, defined by their unwavering devotion to the natural world. While their cousins, the [[Friggaelf]]es, believe that art is the dominant aesthetic, the [[Wodaelf]]es maintain that nothing on Otan is more beautiful than the raw, untamed creation of Woden the All-Father. This philosophical rift led to a total separation between the tribes long before the Great Erasure, leaving the [[Wodaelf]]es to dwell in the deep forests while their kin moved to the northern coasts.
Even with their history lost to the Great Erasure, [[Wodaelf]]es woke with an innate preference for the aesthetics of the wild already etched into their souls. In [[Wodaelf]]en society, the "Great Masterpiece" is not something to be built, but something to be protected and inhabited. Their culture is deeply insular and rooted in the ancient groves of their domains, where they live in harmony with the flora and fauna provided by Woden.
Unlike the structured hierarchies of [[Aelfgarad]], [[Wodaelf]]en life is governed by the rhythms of the forest, leading many outsiders to view them as primal or mysterious. However, this simplicity is deceptive; they possess a fierce, protective grace and are known to produce "Brutes" who, while strikingly beautiful to behold, are horrifically dangerous when the sanctity of their woods is threatened. Physically, the [[Wodaelf]]es mirror the slender, pointed-eared appearance of the Aelf strain, yet they carry a wilder, more organic presence than the curated [[Friggaelf]]es.
In the wild, they are often accompanied by the great beasts of the forest, and it is said that their most skilled hunters and warriors can move through the undergrowth with a silence that borders on the supernatural. For a [[Wodaelf]], every tree, river, and mountain is a divine work of art that requires no further refinement from sentient hands. They remain the silent sentinels of Woden’s original vision, preferring the rustle of leaves to the grand spires of the city.
[[Dunaelf]] Substrain
Description:The [[Dunaelf]]es (🔊DOON-alf) grew distant from their Aelfen cousins due to a difference in aesthetic sensibilities. They reside primarily in [[Aelfgarad]].
Overview:The [[Dunaelf]]es are a striking contrast to their [[Friggaelf]] kin, defined by a mahogany-dark complexion and a cultural obsession with the higher aesthetic of engineering. While they share a lineage with the [[Friggaelf]]es, the [[Dunaelf]]es have turned their intellect away from the sea and toward the forge, the gear, and the blueprint.
They believe that the ultimate expression of Frigg’s wisdom is found in the perfection of the machine. They take delight in transforming raw materials into complex, functional wonders. To a [[Dunaelf]], a well-tuned engine or a perfectly balanced clockwork mechanism is as beautiful as any sunrise.
Living primarily in the industrial and urban hubs of Otan, the [[Dunaelf]]es are the preeminent architects and inventors of the realm. Their society is a meritocracy based on technical skill and innovation; status is earned not through land or birthright, but through the efficiency and elegance of one's designs.
They view the [[Wodaelf]]es’ "stewardship" as a passive waste of potential, believing instead that the natural world provides the components which sentient minds must refine into a more orderly, productive existence. Their homes are often filled with the rhythmic ticking of prototypes and the low hum of experimental power sources.
Despite their focus on cold iron and brass, the [[Dunaelf]]es maintain a deep sense of social duty, often providing the infrastructure. They are known for their aqueducts, bridges, and defensive siege engines, which keep their cousin Aelfen substrains safe. They are the "builders of the framework," providing the skeleton of civilization upon which others live.
[[Brimaelf]] Substrain
Description:The [[Brimaelf]]es (🔊BREEM-alf) are the coastal sea Aelfes, who live off the coast of [[Aelfgarad]]. Their habitats are primarily underwater, with occasional beach habitats.
Overview:The [[Brimaelf]]es are the sovereign masters of the Otan depths, possessing a sleek physiology that mirrors the shifting moods of the sea. From the shimmering teal of a sunlit bay to the deep, ink-like indigo of the abyss, they add an entirely new dimension to what is Aelfen.
Though they are expert swimmers capable of enduring the crushing weight of the deep, they maintain a unique dual nature. They are a people of two worlds, occupying the vast waters between [[Aelfgarad]] and Araldar, they are governed by a rigid Monarchy and swearing fealty to a single King or Queen. The royal throne sits within sprawling underwater citadels of glass, pearl, and living coral, serving as the heartbeat of a hidden empire that remains a mystery to those who dwell under the sun.
While these grand cities are submerged, they are designed with a profound understanding of Aelfen comfort. Many districts consist of enclosed air-habitats, pressurized vaults kept dry for those who prefer to use their lungs while they labor at their crafts or retreat into the restorative silence of sleep.
These architectural marvels allow the [[Brimaelf]]es to maintain their terrestrial refinements even in the heart of the ocean, creating a culture that is as intellectually sophisticated as it is physically formidable. To a [[Brimaelf]], the "dry" home is a sanctuary where the mind is sharpest, surrounded by the muffled, rhythmic thrum of the exterior currents.
For the [[Brimaelf]], the ocean provides the only aesthetic relevance worth pursuing. They believe that true beauty is not invented by hands, but harvested from the tides; their art, fashion, and architecture are entirely defined by iridescent shell-work, bioluminescent blooms, and the mathematical perfection of reef-growth.
To them, any beauty born of the dry land is static and lifeless, lacking the fluid grace of the water. This singular focus allows them to walk the surface docks of Otan with a regal, detached confidence, knowing that the terrestrial world is merely a shallow shore compared to the infinite, tide-crafted empire they command below.
[[Friggaelf]] Substrain
Description:The [[Friggaelf]]es (🔊 FRIGG-alf) grew distant from their [[Wodaelf]]en cousins due to a difference in their art-driven aesthetic sensibilities. They reside primarily in [[Aelfgarad]].
Overview:The [[Friggaelf]]es are the primary artistic and cultural branch of the Aelf strain (*Homo Aestheticus*), defined by a fundamental philosophical schism that likely occurred before the Great Erasure. While their kin, the [[Wodaelf]]es, believe that the natural world created by Woden the All-Father is the pinnacle of beauty, the [[Friggaelf]]es maintain that art is the dominant aesthetic.
To a [[Friggaelf]], nature provides only the raw tools; it is through sentient craftsmanship and the homage paid to the goddess Frigg that true perfection is achieved. This dedication to manufactured beauty is so deeply ingrained that even the loss of historical records during the Great Erasure could not diminish their innate drive to create.
In practice, [[Friggaelf]]en society is entirely structured around this pursuit of aesthetics, with its government, the Council of the Arts, prioritizing visual and symbolic excellence above nearly all else. This cultural mandate extends even to the most utilitarian tasks; for instance, a military fortification in their northwestern nation of [[Aelfgarad]] is rarely built for defense alone. Instead, engineers are required to ensure that blockades and defensive positions are "visually interesting," treating a battlefield as a canvas for symbolic expression.
This fixation on high art and rigid theory eventually led to further internal rifts, such as the [[Dunaelf]]es, who broke away to pursue a more whimsical style of creativity.
[[Wyrmaelf]] Substrain
Description:The [[Wyrmaelf]]es (🔊 VERM-alf) are a variety of the [[Friggaelf]]es, but infected by Draconic Essence. They resist becoming full Aydahar through prayer and force of will.
Overview:The [[Wyrmaelf]]es are the tragic scions of a spiritual and physical blight known as "dragon seed". While humans who are tainted by draconic essence succumb entirely, warping into the fully draconic strain known as the Aydahar, the Aelfen spirit is resilient enough to forestall this corruption. The result is a lineage caught in a permanent state of transition.
[[Wyrmaelf]]es are not marked by hardened scales and transformative bone structures, but rather more subtle changes. For the [[Wyrmaelf]], their very blood is a battlefield where Aelfen grace and draconic savagery fight for every inch of their identity. The visible change is often limited to a violet complexion and snow-white hair.
Their inherent duality defines [[Wyrmaelf]] society as one of simultaneous pride and self-loathing. They are a people born of a violation, possessing a strength and longevity that make them formidable warriors, yet they view these gifts as symptoms of a terminal rot. While a small, radical few "accept the fire" and willingly descend into the Aydahar form, the majority live in a state of hyper-vigilance.
[[Wyrmaelf]]es treat their draconic kin with a complex mixture of reverence and bitter resentment, acknowledging the power of dragons while loathing the "seed" that stole their purity. To survive the daily encroachment of the beast, the [[Wyrmaelf]]es have turned to Frigg with a desperation that borders on the fanatical. They do not worship for mere comfort; they pray for stasis. They use their religion as a shield against their own marrow, and their rituals are designed to cleanse the spirit in hopes of one day purging the flesh.
Aelf Occupied Regions
[[Aelfgarad]]
Description: [[Aelfgarad]] (🔊 ALF-ga-rahd) is a country in the the northwestern corner of continental Otan. It is predominantly populated by the [[Friggaelf]] substrain of Aelfs.
Overview: Coming Soon
Aelfwode
Description: The central landlocked country of Aelfwode (🔊 ALF-wode) is almost entirely forested. It is bordered by 5 countries and populated with [[Wodaelf]]s.
Overview: Coming Soon
| Copyright © 2021-2026 by Robyn Blaber and Will to Power Games. All rights reserved. Content on this website may not be reproduced without written permission of the copyright owner. |
