Lunatan cyclopes

"Lunatan cyclopes are fortunate, most of the alliances between our kind and teh two eyed mortal races have ended in treachery but our ancient alliance has ended in prosperity.
We are fortunate to have the grey elves as allies and they are fortunate to have us as allies. Long live the Empress!"
-Tridal, cyclops pirate hunter

This is the only branch of the cyclopes species whose numbers are growing. There are roughly 10,000 Lunatus cyclopes and their population is growing about 1% a year.
According to these Cyclopes, their kind was created by Greymoria with aid from Phidas. Greymoria intended for cyclopes to be a plague on elves and the other humanoids of the Second Age. Eventually Mera convinced a large group of cyclopes to seek a peaceful coexistence with the other humanoids of Scarterra.
A lot of elves were skeptical of these supposedly peaceful cyclopes, but at the very least, the cyclopes kept their distance from elves which the elves were okay with.
When the Second Unmaking came, these cyclopes recognized the threat that Void Demons presented everyone and they fought against the Void Demons side-by-side with the elves. As recognition for their courage and valor, the elves of Lunatus bequeathed the brave cyclopes that fought by their side a fertile island to dwell on in perpetuity, creatively named “Cyclops Island”, only you know in Elven.
Cyclops Island is now a part of the Elven Empire , but allies or not, the cyclopes are still scary. Elves rarely choose to visit Cyclops Island. The grey elves are content to let the cyclopes here manage their own affairs. For their part, the cyclopes generally view the elves as being stuck up and prone to be overly mistrusting of Cyclops-kind and they are content to leave the elves alone too. Once in a while, the elves will sail in with several ships full of livestock and metal ore, and sail away with ships filled with cyclops-forged weapons and armor.
There are roughly 10,000 Lunatan cyclopes. At any given time, roughly 3,000 cyclopes are sailing or traveling abroad while the rest are on Cyclops Island.  Many Cyclopes serve on Imperial warships, one of the ships has an all-cyclopes crew, the famous Eye of the Empress.
Lunatan cyclopes view Mera and Hallisan as their favorite deities, viewing them as equally important. More than a few cyclopes have an adventurous streak and a love of the sea. A few ships in the Imperial navy have a cyclops crewman or two. Sometimes cyclopes opt to hire themselves out as mercenaries or adventurers and go even farther afield than the trading routes of the Elven Empire.

Ideals

Gender Ideals

There are exceptions among both genders, but most cyclops metal smiths are female and most sailors and soldiers are male.  It's a point of pride for male warriors if all their weapons and armor are made by their wives or the female members of their family.
Work with farming, herding, fishing, and other food based professions are expected to be shared by both sexes. Cyclops Island has very little mineral resources, so it's rare for cyclopes of either sex to pursue a career in mining despite that is something their ancestors did quite often.

Encompassed species

• cyclopes

Related Organizations

• Elven Empire, government

Languages spoken

• Elven

Related Locations

• Elven Empire, territory