Enari, Skylands
The Ghost Elves of the Craggy Tei-oru Islands, Coreward of the Skylands
Clan Status: Not a clan; a close-knit collection of nomadic tribes inhabiting the mountains and craggy islands to the Coreeast of Asura’s Wall
Totem Kami: None, though the enari have particularly strong spiritual ties to certain fauna, including narwhals, walruses, orcas, great ravens, arctic foxes, moose and bearcats
Colours: No official; generally wear the whites, greys and tans of their local furs and leathers
First Kannushi: None; three Commonwealth ambassadors with the Setsu, Shan and Naru, named Slow Aiyu, Stubborn Rem and Sagacious Sei, respectively
Vassal Clans: None; no known inter-tribe heirarchy
Reputation: Direct to the point of rudeness, untalkative, savage, stupid (?), strong warriors
Preferred classes: Ranger, barbarian, druid, witch (mountain, steppe, cave, tundra), monk, sorcerer
Imagery: Enari Image Gallery (External)
Often called “ghost elves” or “snow elves” by Commonwealthers, the Enari of The Skylands lead an arctic-nomadic lifestyle similar to their cousins in the Ar Shau ("The Autumn Isles") and Tiam's Cradle, likely due to a shared genetic dislike of warm temperatures and city bustle. These proud hunter-gatherers used to populate vast swaths of the tundra and boreal meadows east of Asura’s Wall, but have lost ground to the Arakh tribes and their flesh-and-blood God-Chieftains over the millennia, and now mostly reside along the far Coreward Tei-Oru ("Illusionary Islands").
The Tei-Oru Isles are not in fact illusionary, though Maraian explorers have insisted they are able to move about, evade discovery and disappear. More likely, their boats are sent off course by subtle, imperceptible changes in ocean current, directed by enari witches uninterested in receiving visitors.
Diplomacy with the Commonwealth
Though distrustful of humans and uncomfortable in the more temperate climate of the Heartlands, the Enari do understand the antipathy they share with the Commonwealth toward the arakh tribes, and have been exploring the possibility of partnership in their own careful, ponderous way. They have ambassadors with The Setsu, Shan and Naru, and if the ghost elves have an opinion on their conflicting approach to the arakh, they have not voiced it. The Shan’s desire to steal the arakh’s ancestral relics and bring ruin to their God-Chieftains would suit the Enari’s warrior spirit, but they are not stupid, and may see sense in the Setsu’s plan to placate the arakh and return any stolen property. For now, they are happy to keep their visits short and concise.
Of particular note is the Setsu ambassador, Slow Aiyu, who is an U'shu'e: rare individuals born with powerful innate magic, deep ancestral memories and bizarrely patterned, multicoloured skin (though she hides all three behind feigned obliviousness and illusion magic). They are considered a type of Aspected birth, like aasimar, tieflings or elemental scions. As the U'shu'e generally have more curious and adventurous dispositions than their reclusive siblings, Slow Aiyu may yet become a force of great change between Marai and The Skylands.
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