Velsen

Velsen are a somewhat common mortal species on Deus, particularly in their original ranges of Astra and Aurum. They are one of the four Second Course species, alongside Eagen, Humans, and Profundem, and were the last of these species to be created.

Velsen are similar in shape to other mortals, though in place of the flat feet most mortals possess, they have furred legs with four toes touching the ground, similar to those found on some species of horse. They also all have long tails, with long fur trailing off the tip, and their skin has lighter patches which can be made to glow. Nearly all Velsen have loosely curled hair.

There are two races of Velsen, Moon Velsen and Sun Velsen. Moon Velsen are native to Astra and have dark, purple-black skin with silver spots. Most Moon Velsen have starlike freckles. Their fur is longer, especially at the tip of their tail, and is black striped with silver. Sun Velsen, on the other hand, are native to Aurum and have golden or bronze-colored skin, with stripes in a paler shade of their skin tone. Their fur is shorter and striped in shades of gold, reddish brown, or both.

Velsen mages are no more or less common than other species'. They have the ability to manipulate light outside of their glowing patches, which includes both summoning and extinguishing it.

A unique feature of the Velsen is their language, Yvelse. This language was created by Deixre alongside the species, making it the only Dean language created by a lesser god.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Most Velsen names can be used for either gender, though names beginning with a vowel tend to be seen as more feminine and those beginning with a consonant as more masculine. Their names are almost always nouns from Yvelse, though on occasion one will go by the Dean translation of their name. Surnames consist of a noun and a verb with the -ru suffix, and are almost always given in translation.

Masculine given names include:

• Lavel (Dusk)
• Nym (Air)
• Shenve (Fear)
• Syla (Rabbit)
• Tsetsa (Star)

Feminine given names include:

• Uto (Rain)
• Ysha (Water)
• Ontme (Tower)
• Esco (Truth)
• Afel (Sunrise)

Velsen surnames include:

• Truthseeker
• Cloudchaser
• Skypainter
• Rabbitwatcher
• Birdeater

Major Language Groups and Dialects

All Velsen speak Yvelse, though fluency varies depending on whether their community at large speaks Yvelse commonly. The two races have each developed their own accent and dialect over time, referred to as Moon Yvelse and Sun Yvelse respectively, though the dialects are generally easily mutually intelligible.

Culture and Cultural Heritage

Many Velsen writers have produced famous Yvelse literature and poetry, the latter of which sometimes occurs in formats unique to the language. One such famous poem is Felm shu Sonso, written by Felm Namekeeper.

History

Velsen have had a long cultural connection to the sky. They are often stereotyped as a monolith of absent-minded stargazers, though any Velsen will of course take offense to such a notion—they are a diverse group, each member with their own interests and personality, of only occasionally absent-minded stargazers.

Many famed astronomers and theorists on realms beyond Deus were Velsen. One particularly notable individual was Ysɾa Starfinder, who conclusively discovered that the sun and stars were set within a simple crystal sphere rather than being solid bodies of their own, as was the popular theory of the time.

A common idea within Velsen culture is that of a longing to live in a world beyond Deus, which may have lent itself to their reputation—and reality—of a focus on the stars. This idea is not always realized in extraplanetary wanderlust, however—many famous works of Velsen literature toy with the concept in different ways.

Creator
Deixre

Lifespan

80 years

Average Height

5'1"–5'4" (female), 5'4"–5'7" (male)

Notable Individuals
Felm Starchaser