The Exalted

Mages are those whose souls strike a chord with the Great Wolves and their ideals. Their aspirations stretch beyond the material, a profound longing for something more. And yet, for almost every mage that has ever lived, their only real interactions with the Wolves lie in the talismans which mark them as mages. The exceptions to this rule are the Exalted - once mortal, they each encountered a Great Wolf and were transformed, gaining immortality and power beyond their wildest dreams. Now that their masters have vanished, these demigods may be Wyral's only defence against old dangers growing strong.

Those Who Ascend

Memory in Relic

There has not been a new Exalted in many centuries, not since before the Endwar. The most likely cause is the disappearance of the Great Wolves - whose presence is required to grant a mortal this gift. But many or most of the Exalted are far, far older than that, their lifespans stretching back to Arkan's first studies of the paths of the stars, and even before the sun and moon were at peace. Here follow the records of the most notable Exalted.

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The first Exalted being was the Nameless, previous chosen of Nox and Exalted of starlight. He roamed the world in the time when the sun did not cast shadows, and the stars were concealed from the night sky. Very little is known of him - after the Lirustime, he was killed by his own patron Wolf, and his name was wiped away.
Related to the Nameless is Arvus, the Grey Spider, chosen of Sol and Exalted of illusions. She ascended in part due to the actions of the Nameless, walking the line between truth and fantasy. Her eyes pierce the soul, and she knows the desires of all that pass before her; she weaves illusion into reality. Like so many of her kind, she has secreted herself away in her own domain for many years.
An Exalted from just before the Lirustime, Alea, the Amber Serpent, chosen of Lapis and Exalted of gemstones, is one of the most well-known of her kind. She lived among mortals for a time, aiding them in ways uncountable, and shed the invaluable crystal, okai. But her compassionate heart led her astray when she witnessed the catastrophe of the desert, and beheld the darkness at its core.
Freya, the Viridescent Hare, chosen of Aura and Exalted of time, is unique in that she has 'children'. Whether these are her biological offspring or simply mortals that she blessed, none can say, for she is nearly as old as the Nameless and her origins have been lost. Gifted with both foresight and remembrance, she peers into the streams of time; her 'descendants' are the only sky mages who can somewhat replicate this ability. She has vanished, leaving behind the 'children' of the Verdigris Tower, who increasingly strain against mortality.
Nur, the Golden Sunbird, was the previous chosen of Sol and Exalted of aethereal fire. He tended the flames of his patron Wolf, keeping the Crucible alight through the long years of darkness. Where his stray feathers landed, warmth dwelt, and none could meet his burning gaze. He too has vanished, and the Crucible has long lain dormant - yet now that it has burst back into flame, his long-delayed resurgence may be nigh.
Uanda, the Sable Fox, chosen of Lyra and Exalted of silence, steps unnoticed through the pages of history. His coat black as night and his footfalls unheard, he observes from a distance, hearing all and speaking not. He has aided mortals in many ways since his ascension, but few are discerning enough to perceive him. He treads the deep places of the world and feels no fear, ever keeping a silent vigil.
Axhal, the Silver Otter, chosen of Imber and Exalted of frost, is the youngest of his kin, ascending only decades before the Endwar broke out. He dances in the chill waters of the north, and the drops that fly as he shakes his fur dry turn dew to frost. When winter sweeps the world, he dives through all the oceans, granting mortals boons with abandon and gilding the waters' surface with ice. But in recent years, even he has become reclusive, and the winters he heralds have deepened.

Healing in Slumber

After the court of the stars was re-established and the Midnight was once more sealed away, Wyral experienced a period of relative peace. The Exalted guided mortals onward to new heights, healing the terrible scars left over from that dark time. But as the tides of time wore on, the Wolves realised that their vassals were... changing. The Nameless had already been killed, and the Amber Serpent had secreted herself away, by the time the Wolves intervened. And so Nox bowed his head, Lyra raised her voice, and Aura carried the Slumbersong far upon the winds.
The Slumbersong was not meant for mortals, yet those in high-up or windy places who heard Lyra's melody and sensed Nox's shade fell into a deep, healing slumber. As more of the Wolves joined in the casting, the land itself responded to the music: animals lay down and rested, the turbulent oceans were still, and the barren earth once more bore fruit. As for the Exalted... they were cast into a hibernation which would protect them from the inexorable weariness of their still-mortal minds.
After a long, long time - Axhal, the youngest Exalted, had ascended and immediately fallen under the Slumbersong's influence - the Exalted began to wake. To the mortals of the day, it was as if millennia-old stories had come back to life. Except for the Amber Serpent, all the remaining Exalted emerged just in time to fight in the Endwar. But the Crucible was abandoned, and the Verdigris Tower was constructed, as Freya and Nur vanished soon after; all those except for Axhal eventually retreated into their own domains.

Aspects of Power

Each Exalted, upon ascension to immortality, is granted a shard of their patron Wolf's power as a Dominion. As each Wolf has multiple aspects, they can each have multiple Exalted tied to them - although, with the exception of Sol, this has almost never occurred in practice.
Despite only having Dominion over certain parts of their Wolves' power, the Exalted still fully embody the core ideals of their patrons. If the Wolves are considered the 'ousia' or basest being of their elements, the Exalted may be considered 'hypostases' or pure yet distinct expressions of the Wolves they belong to.