Wood elves
The Wood elves or the Elvana(Free) as they call themselves, are the decendants of those who followed the teachings of Gethwen, and forsake the corrupt ways of the empire, they sought to distance themselves from the rigid hierarchies the endless wars and the lust for power, they wanted simple lives to live free from the noble and princes of the empire. However according to the Elvanon they did more than just leave, they went in into their woods and made dark rituals to steal the immorality of their kin and thus they were hunted.
The Wild Woods
The Wild Woods are a concept to the elves, it is where the dormant spirits of the world awaken, were the primal world becomes manifest once more, it is a place where time ceases to hold true meaning, where the Wild Wood is allowed to thrive the world itself begins to revel in the chaotic nature of a time long past, the trees grow thick, tall and strong, their barks hum with power from different planes, they become harder than steel, animals grow stronger, more intelligent and often more dangerous, the desert winds carries sand sharp as steel and water flows were should not, such places are not places where civilization is pushed back, to survive in such conditions one cannot fight nature, one can only embrace it.A Timeless People
The Elvana, rarely go beyond the Wild Woods, thus they live in a perpetual limbo, where the forest stands still in time and the world moves past it, often leaving them lost and confused to the changes outside when they finally venture out, many become more withdrawn from the outside world as a result.Targets of Worship
The Father-Creator & Mother-Creator
The dead creator gods are given great reverence, great ceremonies of mourning is given in their name, but they are rarely worshiped actively, their worship is symbolic of their grieve.Gethwen The Saviour
Gethwen's ascendance as Nurin and the subsequent pact with Wild Woods, saw him taught in ways of the Wild Woods by the very forces of nature itself, thus did he become the first Druid and first of the Elvana. He is defied as the very personification of their race, the epitome of all it means to be one of the free kin. His worship is done out of reverence and his advice is often sought by the Elders on matters regarding the Wild Woods.The Wild Woods
The Wild Wood itself is an object of great reverence by the Elvana, for it was the Wild Woods that saved their people, it along with Gethwen showed them the path of salvation. Though the Wild Wood is revered, and worship is often thankful, it is also a necessity, for the Wild Wood is capricious, for it is the incarnation of the primal chaos of an old world, their worship is done to anchor it's spirits to the Elvana, to keep their bonds strong, for should they fade, so will the elves.Vennesia The Pathway
The Elvana give thanks to Vennesia has the Pathway, because she first showed Gethwen the way to enlightment, and though she is not fond of teaching, she has taken well to her new followers, viewing the Elvana has extended family and children.Dailia The Swift Blade
Dalia is viewed with great sympathy and is god to be grieved for by the Elvana, for she was always of good and kind heart, only to be tarnished by events outside of her control, much like they themselves were. Though her worship is often viewed as a dangerous thing, there are many of the warrior orders that worship her old aspects of martial perfection and skill.Jarna The Younger
Basic Information
Genetics and Reproduction
Elven infertility is perhaps almost as famous as their lifespans, the chances of succesful inception are generally slim to non, both malese and females become fertile around the age of 160 and as they age the chances of successful inception only become smaller. Elven ovulation cycle can take around a year, as such elven generations a typically quite small and far in between. Due to the hardships of reproduction elves hold it quite sacred, and according to some elven mating rituals can last days.
Growth Rate & Stages
The older the Elvana become the more saturated with the power of the Wild Woods, or in some cases they are especially blessed for reasons beyond the knowledge of all saved the blessed. Those blessed by the Wild Woods power have abnormal growths, such as antlers, flower patterns on their skin, some even begin to grow bark skin, these mutations are extremely varied and not always beneficial.
Dietary Needs and Habits
The Elvana how a unique diet, as their pact with the Wild Woods forbid them to eat of the forest without it being a gift directly to them, therefor there diet is primairly based on meat. The Elvana have become expert huntsmen, sprining lethal ambushes, traps and the speed to run down fast prey. They do not hunt for more than they need, for they know that if they act in accordance with the Wild Woods, they will not go hungry.
Biological Cycle
The Elvana, do not experience the dreaming, their meditation shows them nothing, a factor that many of their kin says, show that they do not have a soul.
Additional Information
Social Structure
The Social strucure of the wood elves is very dependant on the clan or path they walk. But it is rare for the wood elves to define themselves in rigid social structures, they often interact with one another in ways that would suggest that the leader of clan is merely that of close friend to even the lowliest of hunters. Though some positions are considered sacred by them such as druids.
Those who walk the path
They are the Hanal, those who walk the path, for as was struck in ancient pact all those who follow the path of Gethwen shall find peace in the woods, their spirit shall become one with that of the woods and their place amongst their ancestors shall be secured. The Path one walks is detirmed when a child comes of age, and the forest in communion with the Hanal'Ghilana'Emma decide the path of the young elva. as such these titles are not inherited or controlled, but simply given by the wisdom of the Wild Woods.Hanal'Ghilana'Emma
Meaning roughly translated as "Those who guide the many on the path" or pathfinders, they are the guides and wisemen of their respective clans, such individuals are usually soccerous who guide the village like priest or literally priest of their clan's favoured god. It might also be a druid, as many of the elvana revere the forest they are highly respected for their insight. They are essentially the ruling body. Though all of the Elvana have no true leaders, the Hanal'Ghilana'Emma the strongest authority within a clan. For they also serve as diplomates with the woodland spirits, and to convey the wishes and needs of the wild woods with the clan. It is up to them to remember and record the Elvana’s histroy and teach the young ones of their past.Tu'na
Though they hold little direct authority over the path, they are essential to it, for the Tu'na are the shapers, they alone are gifted the knowledge on how to shape the materials of the forest spirits into powerful weapons and tools of the Elvana. Indeed ) they are sourcerous and craftmen who shape the veilwood and the ironwood. They are also the sacred makers of woodmen, though they are a small group they are highly respected, both by Elvana for creating all of their tools, and by the spirits for caring for them.Hanal Hahren
The Path Elders, this is the path of druids, those who follow the wild woods upon coming of age. Those who walk the path of the Hahren are inrecdibly respected but they do not nessesarily belong to the first path for some of them distance themselves from all but the druidic circle. In Elvana myth, they say that those who become druids are in fact the blessed souls of ancestors who return once more to serve the wild woods, therefor they are called the Elders(Hahren). Druids are essential to the way of life for the Elvana, for only they can truely communicate with the wild woods save truely gifted individuals, and they alone can truely serve the woods as they need it.Hanal Veshana
Those who guard the path; Those who walk the path of the Veshana, are different from the other paths of life, it is path that some come to and others leave. Such people swear themselves to be grove wardens, dedicated defenders of the forest realm, though all elves can fight, thos who walk the path of the Veshana dedicate their lives to fighting. Over the history of the Elvana those who fight in similiar styles have banded together to form orders and cults of their particular style there are hundreds of such orders each with their own veterans and novices, they usually form a small but potent army. But those who walk the path, forsake their clan, for to dedicate once life to fighting, to the forest, one must cut ties with all else. Uniquely among the paths it allows the Elvana to come and go, to return back to onces old life, though once the Elvana dedicate themselves to a life of fighting hate, it is rare for them to return to their previous lives.Bel Bor'assan
The Many Bows is the most common path one could say, these form the hunters and day to day gatherers, they are the common folk of the different clans, those who are not destined for paths of great burden, but those who undertake the must sacred of all undertakings of the Elvana as Gethwen himself said it "To survive any night, to simply live and survive that is our greatest achievement, to find once own joy with those we care for.". Indeed their is no shame amongst the Elvana to not be chosen for great things by the wild woods, to simply live and experiance life that is all one can ask for.Revas Elgaras
Those who do not walk the path are the Free Spirits, though it is not encouraged there are those born with a soul so old that it cannot be tamed, and it is better to let such elves walk their own path, until they are ready to come home and rejoin the clan. Such individuals are often mistrusted by other clans, but they are still Elvana and therefor always welcome anywhere in the wildwoods, so long as they are willing to give help in turn.Uses, Products & Exploitation
The Mutated flesh, heart, hair and liver of the wood elves are highly sought after reagents by more depraved alchemist and wizards. For their body is soaked in the magical energies of the Wild Woods.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
The Wood Elves unlike their other cousinsh have, larger more rounded eyes, that allows them to retain great vision low light envoirments, and a even sharper sence of hearing and smell, being able to smell blood from over a mile away, their hearing sharp enough to pick up the ligthest of disturances around them, indeed high pitch voices close to them can even bring them physical pain.
Civilization and Culture
Beauty Ideals
The Elvana believe that beauty is something which shows devotion, or that devotion shows beauty, e.g: Marks of an old hunt, they show dedication to the clan in even deficult situations, a ruggedness of appearence, somewhat dirty skin, rough hair and frame, shows that an individual is willing forego their own personal interest to that of others.
In general one could say that they frown upon taking care of yourself excessively and that signs of hard living is considered attrative to potential partners looking for an honest hunter that can provide.
That is not to say they do not take personal hygine in to account, as it usually is with elves, it is much more complicated, they seek to strike the perfect balance between the two.
Signs of blessings by the Wild Woods are also considered incredibly attrative.
Courtship Ideals
A traditional though somewhat old courtship ritual is that of the Uth-Ghi'myathe(long hunt), in which the would be courtier, would ask the forest for a flower, if granted the forest deems them ready to persue courtship, after which they take said flower to the target of their admiration, if accepted, the courtier must embark on the Uth-Ghi'myathe, they must track down a prey that they deem worthy to show their admiration and affection, and the prey they bring must also signify something about themselves, to bring back a bounty of good meat to eat, they show themselves as caretakers, ready to start a family and take care of the clan and their would be mate, to seek a target of danger to the clan means they're a protector for example. The courted must then decide wether or not the prey was satisfactory and if they believe that courtier chose appropriatly, if they accept then they are bound in weedlock by the forest, until their love fades and the flower withers.
Relationship Ideals
Relationship ideals are largely depentant on the hanal which the pair walks, if the same at all e.g: two who walk the hanal of Bel Bor'assan, will seek a competant hunting partner, someone they trust to have their back and someone they work will together with on the hunt, while a Bel Bor'assan and a Hahren will have the hunter bring home food, and the elder is expected to be able to support their partners through deficult time and to ease their struggles by establishing a safe and strong community within the clan and home, so that the hunter may relax their weary souls and bodies. In general the Ideal Elvana relationship is one where the pair can either enhance their existing attributes or supplement their lacks, for like many things for the Elvana, pairs are made to increase their chances of survival.
History
Followers of Gethwen
The Elvana are followers of the teachings that Gethwen gave to them, a new way to live and surgive in even the deadliest of envoirments. It meant to forsake the luxiours of the old world and embrace the primal. Atleast initially, it was only meant to be a different way to live, no one had forseen what would happen to those who listed to his wisdom.The Severing
After the Great Sundering, as magic seeped away from the world, the elves would weep for their immortality waned, they children were born weak, and chaos reigned as the elders died, honorable nobles drank the life of their servants to extend their lives and pretend that immortality was still theirs. To save their people, Gethwen called upon all his followers to save them, many flocked to his banner for salvation. He saw only one way to save his people and his race at large, their bodies had grown depended on the natural magic of this world, therefor that dependancy had to be removed. By all of his followers of and his own magical prowess did they begin a great ritual, funnel all of their energies into a great storm with Gethwen at it's nexus, however the ritual did not succeed in full, for they were betrayed by those who sought to utilise the storm to increase their own strenght, they sought to harness it's power rather than save the elven people, in a desperate attempt to stop this gethwen broke his concentration and struck down the interloper, but broke the ritual. Though the elves of the world no longer died, they were no longer immortal, no longer born of great power, they had been left weakened and afraid, while the followers of Gethwen had grown hollow, they longer felt their soul, no longer felt the magic of the world, they were completly cut off from it's power, and Gethwen.. He had become Nurin.The Scouring
In the Wake of their great ritual the Followers of Gethwen had been left confused and bereft, the world they had always known was now gone, they felt naked and afraid of a world more uncertain then even the worst of days since the great Sundering. But it had only begun, for the next decade they would be hunted by the people they had sacrified so much for, the Followers were scoured from the empire, driven away from it's land and hunted into deep into the woods.Born of the Pact
Hunted by their kin, and driven by desperation, Gethwen lead his flock deeper into the woods to hide from the Empires hunters. There they found something long thought gone, a relic from the days of the War of Creation, a piece of a great spirit, it spoke it in deep rumbles, and forest whispered it's words, it spoke of pact, to care for it and it's children till the day it could walk the earth once more, to allow the forest and nature the nurture it had been deprived of since the elves twisted it serve their needs and in return, it would always call the elves it's children and protect them. Though cautious of it's word, they realised that they could sign it's pact or they would die at the hands of their kin, and so it a pact was sealed, and the Elvana were born, and since that day they have served the Wild Woods and it's countless children, and they have thrived while their cousins fade.
Genetic Ancestor(s)
Scientific Name
Elvana, Wood Elves, Elva.
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