Erfu (Err-foo)
Elves native to Kirru, the realm of Air, they are also known as Tower Elves. Erfu are tall and lanky even by elven standards. They have golden or yellow skin. The erfu are known for their mastery of arcane magic and their legendary patience, and rarely does a erfu become distracted or lose concentration. The erfu try to blend both magic and science together, rarely leaving their large tower workshops, instead turning to astrology and the study of the sky. People speculate that the erfu are working on a way to easily ascend the World Tree and into the realms of the gods.
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
Many erfu learn to speak Auran instead of Goblin.
Shared customary codes and values
Erfu towers are segmented, with the towers closer to the top having much better standards of living, and with those at the bottom often living in a state close to poverty.
Average technological level
The erfu are astronomers, gazing at the sky from their massive towers and recording their findings on celestial bodies in vast archives. Thus, many erfu often carry a spyglass or even small telescope with them wherever they travel.
Common Etiquette rules
The erfu are sticklers for formality, and one must always follow the rules of Svanti Empire and of any specific tower they enter.
Common Dress code
The erfu prefer long, flowing robes, as they often become wizards or other traditional arcane spellcasters. The erfu place a lot of effort into their clothing and appearance, and those who wear shabby clothing will often find rude comments directed their way.
Art & Architecture
All efru buildings are towers, always built to head upwards. The erfu believe that the sky holds the key to salvation and purification, and that the earth is for the dirty and impure. Thus, the erfu will always prefer to ascend rather then descend, and few erfu would willingly enter into an underground area.
Birth & Baptismal Rites
An erfu's societal status is usually determined by the elevation or tower level it is born onto. A erfu is generally not allowed to ascend higher than the level of its birth, and thus those born outside erfu towers are often seen as impurities and are abandoned. Due to this, expecting mothers usually never leave the level of their tower for the entire terms of their pregnancy, so that they may ensure their child's ideal future.
Coming of Age Rites
Young erfu must make constant maps of the night sky, as well as keeping track of ecological and weather patterns to prove their worth to their elders. Those who show promise in training have opportunities to advance to higher floors and increase their standards of living.
Funerary and Memorial customs
Erfu crypts are built at the top layers of their towers instead of underground, just underneath the towers observatories. This is so that the erfu's spirit may be lifted up by the wind and carried to Skuith's divine realm in Ygg.
Common Taboos
An erfu that fails to live up to the standards of its tower floor runs the risk of being expelled to a lower floor, with little chance of returning to its previous lair. Such an action is likely to bring shame on an erfu and even have them disowned by their family. An erfu that attempts to court below their tower level is also likely to be disowned, and a erfu that attempts to court someone of a higher level is likely to be executed.
Common Myths and Legends
Most erfu worship Skuith, the elven god of the sky, but they often pay homage to other members of the elven pantheon.
Ideals
Beauty Ideals
The erfu maintain strict standards of both beauty and workload perfection, and those who cannot meet both standards quickly are demoted into more menial positions.
Gender Ideals
While the erfu have no inherent lesser view on either gender, many females fear leaving their tower for any extended amount of time, incase they become pregnant and bear a child on lower ground. Thus, many females spend their entire life in their tower, causing females to have a stronger leadership presence inside erfu towers, while males have a much larger presence in the rest of the realm.
Courtship Ideals
Erfu courtship often involves writing and delivering long poems about their potential partner, often inscribing magical script in the poems that come to life with pleasing effects when read aloud.
Relationship Ideals
The erfu are often friendly with others on the same level, while being dismissive of those a level beneath them and in reverance of those above them. Such friendliness can often transform into intense rivalries when the chance for advancement arrives, and thus many erfu have little true friends and many acquaintances. Many erfu parents are very strict with their children, encouraging them to succeed and move to a different level, even if it means leaving their parents behind in the process.
Major organizations
A majority of erfu work in some capacity for the Svanti Empire.
Random Erfu Homelands
| % Rolled | Homeland | Trait Gained |
|---|---|---|
| 01-80 | Mountain Tower | Arcane Dabbler |
| 81-89 | Valley | Stargazer |
| 90-95 | Forest | Seeker |
| 96-00 | Unusual Homeland | (Roll on Unusual Homeland table) |
Related Organizations
Related Locations
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