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Elves

Igniting their Spark; Dancing with Dragons

"Our stories are separated by both blood and time. But I refuse to let that deter me. I have shared songs with many Knights, and I have shared glory with many Valkyr, all of whom I love and would give my life for. Does that not make them my kin?"

T
he air was thick with incense and alcohol as the parade flowed through the streets like a river of blues, reds, and pastels. Elemental specters in the visage of dragons, chaotic displays of Wildshaping, the voyage of masked flowers, all making their way to the city's center. Progress was slow with a crowd like this, meaning nightfall would surely beat them to the Shrine. But that was the least of their concerns. The Lotus Festival had finally begun. It was the celebration of a new year, dedicated to their heritage, and not a single
stop was to be left un-pulled. The festival would always send the city of Yasurun into an uproar filled with music, dancing, fireworks, and a concerningly large amount of wine strong enough to put a Valkyr to bed and a Knight to a coma. Never a dull moment when it came to Elven parties. The excitement only grew as night fell, everyone knowing it wouldn't be long before the lanterns were lit, allowing them to bloom high above and decorate the sky with symbols of flowers, fireflies, stars, and the elder dragons who called them family; a distant memory that, as long as even a single Elf calls this world home, will continue to be passed on 'til the end of time itself.

The mission was simple, but no less urgent. A mother in hysterics had told the hunters her two boys were lost in the forest surrounding the city. Night had already fallen. Heart racing, he passed the tree line and was immediately hit with a sea of pastels and scattered moonlight. The manabloom had already revealed their petals, jumbling his senses and no doubt luring the first onslaught of demons. Every second was precious. All he could do was follow the trace of magic he felt while narrowly dodging overgrowth. A screech like a choir of suffering pierced the night. His blood went cold. Not from finding the demon, but from finding the older brother shielding the younger with a blackened arm. "Shit, SHIT!" The beast looked emaciated but rivaled a Runeclaw in size, upper body devoted to skeletal jaws and far, far too many eyes. It barreled forward, savagely clawing at every surface and leaving death in its wake. He was too far. Too late. His mind blanked at the sight of the brothers bracing themselves, a primal instinct gripping his katana and overclocking his body. Not even a second had passed before realizing he was suddenly between them, engulfing the demon in a raging inferno discharged from the blade. In that moment a decision was made, even if it meant a gruesome death, these boys would see their mother again; his spark had ignited, passion fueling flames hotter and brighter than he ever thought possible.

The meadow was particularly nice this time of year, so it was such a shame she had to focus on her studies instead of frolicking in the fields. Sunlight poked through the gaps in the leaves she sat under and a calm, floral scented breeze playfully nudged the pages of her book. She had hoped her tea would aid her in focusing, no such luck. Realizing she had been reading the same line of text three times in a row, nowhere closer to actually comprehending the words, put her more on edge than the tea could ever compensate for. First came the tapping of her finger, then her foot, then the caressing of a seam in her robe that suddenly felt a lot more interesting at the moment. At some point it felt like she had actually been making progress, but the brief glimpse of the squirrel that decided her tail was an excellent spot to nap upon immediately ripped her away. Enough was enough. Before she could throw in the towel and decide the books could wait, her friends voice called out to her. All of them, in fact. With books of their own and a plate of snacks, they each picked a spot by the tree ready to help each other with their studies. She could finally focus. Her friends had unknowingly saved her afternoon. She loved all of them so much, even more than she loved the world that constantly demanded her attention, she loved them more than they could ever imagine.


Elves were the first to call this world home and the last to call dragons their peers, the memory of whom they're devoted to keeping alive. They're a love story brought to life with a unique connection to the elements that shaped the world. Wild, chaotic, and full of love to share, Elves wear their hearts on their sleeves.


Origin


A Love Story Given Life


Their story begins when the world was still in its infancy. Back when its only inhabitants were dragon and fae, and all corners of life were still finding their bearings in this new, chaotic existence. Something delightfully unexpected happened. Love had blossomed. The youngest of the Elder Dragons, Ushkazir, had found herself falling for a rather mischievous faeborn. Being the aspect of fire, she possessed a passion unlike any of her kind, a burning passion that tempered their bond into something utterly unbreakable. Ethleone, the Elder of Life, witnessing their love and being reminded of her own with Grysudan, had decided to bestow to them her blessing. The miracle of Life. With the faeborn's spirit and Ushkazir's spark of life, the first Elf emerged from the waters of the shrine in which they met. She was ethereal, much closer to fae than dragon, a humanoid with a tail as long as she was tall and covered in silver scales that glimmered like rare gems and twinkled like starlight. They named her Edene, a symbol of their unity.

As time went on and more Elves were born, the city of Yasurun would quickly develop with the shrine at its center. They happily lived alongside the dragons. As family with the Elders, as friends with the true dragons that accepted them, as inevitable adversaries with the draconic beasts significantly more animalistic, and as whatever relationship you could theoretically have with fae that doesn't result in life-altering chaos.

But all good things will inevitably find their end. The Elders had considered their work finished, as did the rest of the true dragons, and believed that the world was finally ready to thrive on its own. With their decision made, the dragons left this world. Those who witnessed the event at the time describe the dragons simply laying down, sighing deeply, and fading away into what they could only assume was stardust. Ethleone and Grysudan were the first, then followed Olzathun and Ushkazir, then followed the true dragons and wyverns, and ending with the eldest son, Goldrakun, following his pilgrimage to The North.

This event, now known as The Last Goodbye, was the single most impactful that had ever happened thus far. While the recovery was no simple feat, the Elves have had more than enough time to grow from it. This story is not without a happy ending, however, as a new belief spread like wildfire in Yasurun. You see, following their disappearance, four nebulae had formed around Oniran. One for Ethleone and Grysudan, and three for their children. There isn't a single doubt in the hearts of the Elves in Yasurun that they're the souls of the dragons painting the night sky in its brilliant colors; when the time of an Elf has come, they'll join them amongst the stars. All except for one, at her own request no less. It's said that Edene loved her people so strongly she had wished to be with them until the very end, this love manifesting into an endless cycle of rebirth. Whether it's her blood, soul, or spark, Edene is believed to reincarnate again and again until she is the last of the Elves, in which she'll finally reunite with her family.


Corruption of Life


The fading of dragons brought a consequence impossible to predict. Not even by the Elders. In short, the magical potential of dragons was unmatched in purity, even by the world itself. Meaning their sudden absence left the world in an unprecedented state of unbalance. For a time magic was rendered extremely unstable and even more unpredictable than what was considered normal. So unstable, in fact, that during this period a new pseudo-element had developed. Corruption.
The Finer Details
The idea of magic may not have a plethora of rules in regards to how it functions, but there are still rules nonetheless, Corruption respects none of them. Corruption will ignore the rules, alter the rules, add rules, alter the added rules, and will even decide to follow the rules for no other reason than to leave you at a loss for how it may function. It is simultaneously the absence of magic and a slandering of everything magic is and represents. The elemental manifestation of chaos itself. Corruption has only two constants: it will always appear in the form of rifts that periodically tear into reality, and it is utterly incompatible with life.

A living being, either animals or people, that Corruption has taken a firm hold of will lose any and all resemblance of what they once were. Twisted and morphed into a mindless beast, their mangled and emaciated bodies with unexplainable anatomy shrouded in a thick, black aura that seems to stutter and glitch as if its existence is actively being rejected. Their very existence corrupts the life in their immediate vicinity, leaving it to wither and die. These creatures became known as Doh'krah, or Demons in the common tongue.
Demons are without question the single most dangerous beasts in Oniran. They will attack on sight and without remorse, refusing to relent, immune to exhaustion and functionally immortal, their magical nature rendering them invulnerable to most forms of damage, and the strongest of them possessing abilities both deadly and unpredictable. The latter being the reason Elves identify them not by their looks, but by what they do and are capable of.

But this doesn't include their most important trait. Demons are fundamentally mindless, but they're not without a goal. From the moment a demon is born it will begin to wander the earth. Their destination will always be the strongest and/or closest source of magic it can detect, however their range of detection is unknown. "Source" is the important disclaimer here, as their senses exclude the ambient magic ever-present in the world. Whenever they fail to sense any nearby, every demon will find themselves passively drawn to what amounts as a beacon, the strongest presence of magic in all of Oniran. Once they have encountered a source, the next step is ultimately a simple one. Destroy it at all costs.


Core Trait


Stellari kun Hibana


As the Elder of fire, Ushkazir's original purpose was to bestow her spark of life into the creations of her family; gifting them a soul, a purpose, a drive and will to live. But Elves were her magnum opus. To them she bestowed a piece of her own. Because of her gift, Elves possess a connection to the world and its magic unlike any other being in Oniran, one rivaled only by the dragons themselves. This connection was given the name Hibana, their spark.

The spark is at the core of every elf. Practically speaking you can describe it as a fragment of pure draconic magic that fuels them and gives them a unique connection to the elements. A specific element in fact, though going out of your way to try and identify the element you're connected to is often met with failure. In everyday life, the spark simply means Elves give off a sort of innate magic akin to an aura, as well as some having traits like a magic sense; what some who study Wizardry might describe as a passive Detect Magic.

But for the few who may find themselves in some life changing event, often when lives are at stake and in a moment of no return, their spark will ignite. "Stellari kun Hibana", Igniting your Spark. It can happen to anyone, but can never be forced. Even Elves who spend their entire lives mastering the art of magic may never experience it. In the heat of the moment they rarely realize it's happening, when their mind blanks, when primal instinct takes over and overclocks their body, when they're suddenly able to perform feats they never thought possible, and when they unleash an elemental surge of pure draconic magic, finalizing the bond between Elf and dragon. A bond visualized by the colors of their eyes morphing to that of their spark, and a newfound mastery of their element.

"Every inferno begins with a spark, every spark begins with a moment of action, every moment of action begins when you truly believe."
Hanafuda Earrings (Flavor Text)


Culture

Disclaimer
It's important to note that the cultures described in these ancestry articles are based on the civilization most relevant to them. For Elves, this is the Ancient City of Yasurun. While a single culture could never apply to every last Elf, it's still, at the very least, the core of what I want them to be and represent.

Ideals


Draconic Heritage


To grossly oversimplify, Elves find themselves in a rather unique role than that of Valkyr and Knights. They were the first and last to know the dragons, what they were like, how they affected the world, the stories of living among the elders and of the draconic creatures they hunted, and found themselves determined to keep those memories alive. These memories in some way shape or form bleeding into almost every single aspect of their culture. Whether it be through their stories, music, clothing, food, traditions, or their language. To the point where, if we were to be completely honest, some would describe it as simultaneously obsessive and endearing. A majority of the stories they share about dragons are believed to be factual, although after so long word of mouth can be a quirky thing. Regardless, at it's core there is one all-encompassing thing to take away from their culture, Elves are proud of where they came from, and they wish to share that pride with all who find themselves curious.

Faeborn Impulsiveness


With all this being said, the draconic is but one side of the elven coin. With the other half being that of fae, Elves have no shortage of chaotic traits. Generally speaking, they have a vibe often described as wild, impulsive, sometimes hyperactive, and valuing the pursuit of personal freedom above most things. All culminating into some rather chaotic behavior from an outsider's perspective. For example, unless they find something particularly fulfilling it's not often an Elf will stick to just one thing, to them new passions and interests are extremely quick to take hold and it's often what drives some of them to adventure. However, you'd be wise to not let this impulsive nature be a deterrence, for most, it comes from a place of passion and wanderlust. To put it simply, Elves wear their hearts on their sleeves.

"Not all who wander are lost, Tank. Sometimes I'm just really fuggin' drunk."
— Vokuma, while drunk


Bonds


Love Forever Blossoming


Because of their history, the single most important aspect of Elven culture is far from a surprise in any sense of the word. Love. The idea of love is one more important than even the memory of dragons. But this is where many find themselves at a misunderstanding, assuming that this idea is damn near sacred, for lack of a better term. That Elves hold the idea in such high regard that its use and expression is selective, something only reserved for the most intimate bonds and relationships. If you squint this might even be an accurate way to describe it, the only caveat being how downright irresponsibly broad their interpretation of "intimate" is.

Love is something to be shared with everyone. Love is a blissful moment of peace and comfort shared with friends and family, a meal and conversation with a stranger you may never see again, the excitement in a child's eyes when you give them praise for their accomplishments, the connections between allies and rivals and perhaps even enemies, discovering new hobbies and potential passions, its the feeling of fond memories and simply existing in an interesting place with interesting weather and interesting people going about their daily lives. Love isn't something the Elves can describe with just one word. So they don't. No matter how obscure an interpretation, you can be confident that there's a word to describe it. Some may be valued more than others, that much is inevitable, but there is one word that triumphs all. One used as an idea, a nickname, or just a dream. Edene. What was once just a name for the first Elf evolved into a declaration of true love, perfect unity, or simply an unbreakable bond. Not to be used lightly, as the realization of finding your Edene is one considered to rival even the love between Ethleone and Grysudan. The love that shaped the very earth itself. Edene describes a destiny, one of finding those who complete you so perfectly you can never be separated again.

"I've met so many elves at The Mead Meadow. Most of them being adventurers eager to see the world, and all of them with stories and cultures that I just adore! Though, one theme in particular has always struck me as simply magical:   From what I gather, if an Elf so much as likes you, they'll stick by you 'til the world ends twice over. But if an Elf calls you their Edene, they'll sooner slay a god than be separated from you."
— Story Knight of the Runedom Guild


Flaws


Tradition vs Change


It's joked that Elves are living proof that opposites do indeed attract, and while for the most part the traits both draconic and fae work to compliment each other, they'll clash just as often. The draconic traits, importance they place on traditions, honor, and the preservation of their heritage, will sometimes find itself at odds with the faeborn traits, impulsivity, the desire for change, and the pursuit of personal freedom. The result of this is a culture that finds itself rapidly morphing and adapting while simultaneously finding new traditions and ideals to fiercely adhere to. Or rather, the gradual change that literally any other culture would go through over time is essentially accelerated for Elves. A desire to refuse change while seeking it out in the same breath. With the exception of the beliefs previously described, which have miraculously remained set in stone. A common explanation is the idea that the Yasurun of the past would see the present day as complete sacrilege, blasphemy even, whereas the Yasurun of today would see the past as nothing short of a societal prison.


Clothing


Comfort and Aesthetic


It doesn't necessarily take a high perception to notice that an Elf's draconic features rarely sprout up in the most convenient places. This is made even more annoying by the lack of consistency from person to person. The spines are absolutely dreadful in this regard, since they can show up along the forearms, legs, shoulders, and down the length of their spine, meaning options are limited for what Elves can wear while also staying comfortable.

The solution is a style of clothing that's loose and breathable. Large amounts of fabric, usually cloth or silk, draped haphazardly over their bodies and kept in place with smaller strips of fabric or decorative rope. This style also came with the added benefit of hyper-customizability, as the fabrics are crafted in a large variety of colors and patterns depending on your tastes as well as options for what parts of their body an elf may want to cover. The most
common of these is called a Nikana, a large, thin silk robe with oversized sleeves either wrapped around the body and tied in place or worn loose over the rest of an outfit. More traditional styles of Nikana would have sleeves that emulate dragon wings or additional cloth to drape over their tails. For the most part, nowadays at least, there isn't a distinction between casual and formal wear. Also they're draconic so of course jewelry is popular.

Reading Time: 30+ min. (6400 words)
The opening/vibes is all you need for a perfect understanding!

Table of Contents

Main Body

  • Vibes
  • Culture
  • Magic System

  • Sidebar

  • Attributes
  • Anatomy
  • Bonus Lore


  • Vokuma

    Attributes

    Ancestry

    Draconic/Faeborn

    Lifespan

    130-150 years

    Height

    5.5-6.5ft

    Stats

    In terms of physical capabilities, Elves have proven time and time again to be quite Dexterous in both speed and coordination. In addition, the combination of draconic and fae blood has given them a natural inclination of Wisdom. Whether that be referring to a more literal definition or for generally heightened senses varies from Elf to Elf.

    Anatomy

    Traits

    Elves share traits from both their draconic and faeborn heritage. They're humanoid with skin in a range of different flesh tones. There doesn't seem to be any limit on the colors of their hair and eyes however. That being said, their most prominent features are the draconic.

    All Elves are born with scales, ridges, and spines similar to most reptiles, as well as a tail. The scales primarily show up on the face, ears, neck, chest, and shoulders (Basically anywhere an artist would draw blush). In addition, most Elves will develop horns as they grow. Though the species those horns will resemble is not exclusive to draconic. As far as anyone knows, the colors are completely random and aren't influenced by any outside force. The horns however will change based on the environment, such as an Elf having antlers in the forest, coral near the coast, or ram horns in the mountains.

    Elves have a unique interaction with Wild-Shaping, however. As an Elf grows more skilled at the art and the stronger their magic becomes, the more draconic features will develop on their body. As if mastering the art brings them closer to the dragons that inspired it.

    Eyes

    The eyes of an Elf are damn near magical. A vibrant mix of multiple colors with no consistent shape; their pupils bright, saturated, and contrasting against the iris in a way that demands attention. A closer look into them is like looking into a swirling pool of magic, constantly moving and faintly hue-shifting.

    Elf Eyes

    Bonus Lore

    If it's not stories about dragons, its stories about love. Forbidden romance, soul mates, childhood friends, enemies becoming lovers and lovers becoming enemies. The most well known of these speaks of a demon hunter fighting his way through unimaginable horrors in some sick and twisted pocket dimension that loops time whenever he is slain. Yet he persists again and again to both find and save his Edene, who's voice is a guiding light leading him through otherworldly lands.

    Flower


    Butterfly Bush. Vibrant, colorful, a resemblance of dragon tails and an association with the fae. Welcoming to other species, even protective, and adaptable in nearly any environment. Rich in nectar that attracts butterflies and bees and sometimes even planted to prevent other flowers from over-harvesting. They enrich the places they're planted, letting the world around them flourish in the process. Symbolic of rebirth and new beginnings.

    Traditions

    The Lotus Festival is their New Year's celebration. It begins early in the morning and often lasts until the following morning, with the main event being a city-wide parade starting from outside the walls to the center, ending at the Shrine of Yasurun. After this "pilgrimage" is made the floating lanterns will be lit, symbolizing the transition from an Elf's soul to the stars that make up the souls of the Elders. The name comes from the symbolic meaning of the lotus, resilience and rebirth, which they believe represent their draconic heritage beautifully.

    Interactions

    Cultural mingling with Knights led to an innovation in regards to Dragonkin Masks. It's now common to see demon hunters, samurai, or just Elven adventurers in general, charging their masks with spells much like Knights and their Runic Gear. To them, Knights are the culmination of everything magic stands for wrapped up in a delightfully friendly package.

    Although they aren't cold blooded like most reptiles, they might as well be. Elves have a particularly harder time in colder climates. With this being the case, they often rely on the kindness of Valkyr to survive in the harsher climates of The North. To them, Valkyr are just as close to the dragons as they are and even more resilient, if ancestries could be siblings it would certainly describe their relationship.

    Adventures

    Elven adventurers are fueled by wanderlust or some self-imposed responsibility. Some may want to simply travel the world and see what it has to offer, no destination or overarching goal in mind. Others may be travelling for the purpose of hunting demons, either sporadically or by venturing into non-Elven civilizations and keeping an ear out for any quests or rumors that sound just a little too chaotic and unexplainable to just be some wild animal. Others may be adventuring for the sake of others, whether they be party members or a special someone back home, with nothing but their love keeping them going. Perhaps that love might even be for their Edene, or even the Edene they have yet to meet.

    Roleplaying


    Honestly you could boil down their vibes to "Heritage and tradition are important, but also they have ADHD and are a bunch of hopeless romantics.". You can do with that info what you will. Whether you play up the draconic side and focus on honor and tradition, or the faeborn side and focus on mischief and chaos, is up to you. Important note: "Edene" is not exclusive to romance or a single person. If an Elf cares about their party, and I mean really cares, as in they've gone through like 85% of a campaign and would quite literally fight a god for them, they would absolutely consider the party members their Edenes.

    Here's the most important takeaway if you're playing a TTRPG and want to use Wild-Shaping. If that TTRPG is Pathfinder 2e then OH MY GOD PLAY A MAGUS OR KINETICIST THEY'RE ACTUALLY PERFECT. The way Spellstriking works in PF2e is such a perfect fit for Wild-Shaping that I deemed it necessary to reference it in the lore. Otherwise play a melee sorcerer or magic fighter idk.


    Master Jontaro

    Jon
           
    While I would love to go on an adventure, writing them is enough for me.

     
    All the art is made by me unless labled otherwise!

    A Cultural Motif


    There's no better example of the cultural acceleration that Elves experience than Dragonkin Masks. The masks themselves are simple, expertly shaped and carved wood or metal decorated to mimic dragons, fae, animals, spirits, and demons. Their origin is rather hazy, made even more confusing by the animals and demons in the wild with faces that seem to copy them directly to the point where it's unknown which came first.

    But their initial inception was meant solely for rituals and other such traditions. So much so that wearing them in any other context was considered taboo. The exact reason this standard changed is poorly documented since, if we're being honest, it's pretty inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. Nowadays the masks are more of a motif of Elven culture, just another accessory to wear. Despite their much more casual treatment, the craftsfolk who make them are still highly respected and praised for their skill, you'll seldom find masks of better quality from anyone else.

    "These masks are worn during formal events, celebrations, or even just casual wear. Colorful ribbons are used to keep them secure and are often personalized."
    — Dragonkin Mask (Flavor Text)


    Magic System

    "By all accounts, demons are the apex of every danger this world can bring. They're bloodthirsty, relentless, damn near invulnerable, and eternally drawn along a quest to destroy magic itself. So we'll just close the distance and take the magic to them. Fight fire with fire, and they die like any other beast."

    Dance of the Demon Hunters


    Demons will always be drawn to the closest and strongest source of magic. When there's no source directly nearby, they'll be drawn to a single point in Oniran as if it were a beacon. Because of the draconic spark inside every Elf, that beacon is and will always be Yasurun. And this isn't even including any villages and cities that just so happen to have a large amount of Elves living in them, or for any adventuring parties that happen to include at least a single Elf. For this reason, the intertwining of Elves and Demons seems almost intentional, as if it were a final test for the Elves to protect the dragon's legacy. At first glance, this battle seems almost unwinnable. Because of their magical nature, Demons are functionally immortal and immune to most forms of damage. But it wasn't hard to learn that their magical nature was also their greatest weakness, the one rule that even the corruption couldn't break, for what is created with magic must be destroyed by magic.

    This never-ending conflict is what led to the first magic system of Oniran, Syotel. The word was originally meant to refer to a style of ribbon dancing performed between Elves and dragons, an art form really, where the Elf would move gracefully as if directing the flow of an ocean's waves that could violently crash upon them at any moment. At it's core, the dance symbolized a display of trust. Those who've mastered it make the hunting of demons resemble that art, and in a more spiritual sense, it's treated like a dance with dragons; the last real connection they have. Nowadays the practice is known as Wild-Shaping, but it maintains its significance as an art form to this day.

    The specifics of how it works doesn't necessarily make the practice very accessible, but it's not impossible for non-Elves to learn. The core concept is mimicking draconic magic as closely as possible. Elves achieve this by channeling ambient magic into their bodies, filtering that magic through their spark and thus empowering it with draconic energy, and then utilizing that magic in one of two styles. This process also means this system is strictly elemental, Life, Death, Nature, Fire, and Water.
    The first style is performed primarily through physical actions. Taking specific stances to form runes with your body as well as choreographed motion to maneuver magical energy through yourself and the environment, conceptually similar to a traditional martial art. The efficacy of this style is usually dependent on the environment you're in and what element is being utilized. In addition, the spells cast with this method rarely stray from Evocation, dramatic and explosive displays of elemental control. This style is the easiest of the two to learn, but it's situational usage and unpredictable application make it difficult for demon hunting specifically. It's for this reason that the style is used more for performance art and combat sports in controlled environments.

    The second style of Wild-Shaping is what's used for demon hunting for one reason, the only way to truly kill a demon is to destroy the head by any means necessary. The first style can still accomplish this, but due to the nature of demons it's ironically safer to quickly get up close and concentrate the magic into a single attack. In some circles this is referred to as Spell-Striking. This style is performed with a weapon specifically made for Wild-Shaping, utilizing a special blend of metal fittingly named Dragonsteel, making it inherently magical (On it's own this would be enough to harm a demon). The main quirk of these weapons are the ability to form runes in thin air as if you were painting on an invisible canvas. The spells used for this style are to perform impromptu enchantments on the weapon in the heat of combat. These enchantments range from giving the weapons elemental properties, such as damage types, to giving them unique elemental abilities as if they were rare magic items. Naturally, this style is exponentially more difficult as it requires the ability to quickly channel magic into a much more concentrated point, as well as swapping between different enchantments and abilities to adapt to different situations.

    "A blending of pure steel, petals of manabloom, and refined runestone, tempered with dragonfire, inscribed with ancient runes that ripple across like calm waters and simmering flames. Elven forged weapons are the perfect union of might and magic, capable of painting runes into the air itself."

    Comments

    Author's Notes

    Since I have these ancestries in a specific order, I'm gonna write these author's notes as if the reader is following that order, starting with Elves. So you might be wondering why I decided to include Elves in my fantasy world when the other two ancestries are seemingly unique creations (They're not lol), like, why did I just default to Elves when I needed a new fantasy race??? I just like Elves. Love them, even.

    I've always loved the vibes of Wood Elves but ironically have never fully liked how they were written in a lot of the fantasy media I enjoyed. Elves are always treated like the pretentious assholes who are good at everything and treat others with a nice splash of thinly-veiled racism. Don't get me wrong, I love Elves too much for this to have ever been a turn off, and in some cases I think it's done pretty good. But with a world of my own that means I get to make the rules. >:)

    So what did I do? I just decided to make them more relatable by giving them ADHD and making them hopeless romantics. And for flavor? I just gave them a nice healthy dose of shonen anime, (Demon Slayer is currently my favorite anime of all time). In terms of the big update, Elves were ironically the hardest. Specifically for coming up with a Core Trait and giving them a flaw/taboo, but also cause the original article just FEELS bare bones, even when I originally wrote it. Like, I actually can't believe I let myself sum up their importance of love in like 4 sentences and end it with "Oh yeah btw the most important word is Edene". This issue showed up with the Knight article too.

    But I did it, and in the process I feel like I enriched their lore SO much more. I just hope everyone else gets the same vibe that I do. If you got this far, nice. That's all, have a good one!
     
    Elves Archive
    Species | Dec 29, 2023

    Descendants of Dragons, Elves are an ancient love story given life.


    Please Login in order to comment!
    Jan 3, 2024 18:32

    I wish I could like this article multiple times because god I love how you took something as common as Elves and made your own take with them. I love the lore, love the art, love the formatting and article design, really I just love everything about it! Even the little things like adding some roleplaying information.   My favourite aspect of it all though is the idea of making them half dragon and even small details how clothes would work with their bodies, really makes them stand out on an aesthetic level alone. That and the detail of their eye shape, makes them feel even more weird.   The only feedback I could really give is perhaps moving the TOC for the main body to the main body but I can see why it is in the sidebar for convenience. That, and I think you might have forgotten to underline "magic system" amongst the TOC headers.   Either way, I absolutely love this and can't wait to see more of this setting!

    Jan 3, 2024 21:57 by Jon

    Thanks so much! The roleplaying sections are definitely one of the most fun ideas I had for the reworks since it gave me an opportunity to break the 4th wall a bit and further contextualize how each ancestry sort of operates in-universe, like, in a "so we know how they work in general, but what does this look like in practice?" sense.   Here's a fun fact about the clothing bit, I knew from the beginning I wanted them to be half dragon and I knew that I wanted to shamelessly steal the aesthetic of demon slayer, but the realization that their draconic heritage would basically FORCE them to wear those kinds of clothes regardless was an unironic brainblast. Like, everything just immediately came together after that and it felt SO good.   Also oh my god I see what you mean with the TOC, originally I didn't underline it cause there weren't any sections under it but now I can't unsee it, I'll make that change now XD. Thanks so much for the feedback! I'm really glad you liked it!!!

    While I would love to go on an adventure, writing them is enough for me.