Elf

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Elf

The Elves - who call themselves the Syr, which is pronounced sir - are an ancient race of the Stia?.

Elves, unlike the other sentient species who inhabit Ano, are not biologically inclined to die after any specific duration - indeed, the oldest among their kind have lived for tens of thousands of years, although the three specters of accidental death, purposeful death and the fugue tends to limit the practical lifespan of an elf to the upper one-thousands.

Physiology

Elves do not age as human beings do - they progress from infancy to young adulthood at three-quarters the usual rate, pregnancy requiring some fourteen months to complete.

Once an elf has matured, he or she does not significantly change in appearance afterward - although many diseases and substances may artificially introduce this aspect of human existence, including materials found in tobacco, poorly-made alcohols, and many street drugs.

Elves require much less sleep than a human being; they can function quite happily on five hours a night, although more may be partaken of by choice.

In addition, elves require markedly less nourishment than human beings; an elf may be fully fed by one-half the daily portion of a comparable human.

The cause for this is the dramatically slower Elven metabolism. It also manifests with a lower core body temperature (96' fahrenheit) and reduced self-healing and immune capacity.

The fugue

As stated above, elves do not naturally progress beyond youthfulness; to the untrained eye, there is very little difference between an elf of one thousand years' age and a human of twenty-five. However, even in a healthy body may come deep exhaustion of the mind and soul - which progresses naturally to the fugue.

An elf in fugue will typically grow more and more detached from the world, taking little pleasure from anything in it or their thoughts; and eventually, provided nothing revitalizes their interest in living, the creature in question will die quietly and painlessly. Although the fugue is by nature an unsettling concept to elves, it does not come until an elf is psychologically and spiritually ready to die - and is therefore seen as something of a boon by those who are sufficiently enlightened.

The fugue is partly mental, but also a physical function of the body; it typically is not a trait passed on to Argonesh? children.

Language

The language Syaeril is heavily dialected between regions, and is the basis for almost any number of mutations; but the tongue at its core is artistic, if carefully set down; and simple, if difficult to explain. Practically no words begin with P, G, or J - X is unheard-of.

Vowels are usually used in pairs - ie, io, etc instead of e or i or o; they are also not often used in a row, meaning that a ratio and pattern of one consonant to two vowels is often observed.

Words are usually one, two, five or eight syllables long; major exceptions are usually words borrowed or adapted from other languages.

Syaeril is a very lyrical language, and grammar is dependant not only on how the words are placed in the sentence, but the sense of rhythm given to the words by the speaker - furthermore, if the resulting sentence sounds ugly or unbalanced, it has been said improperly regardless of other factors.

Example: Aerel teinadri eo, nar yaeli eo

Culture

It would be a grevious error and injustice to refer to any sort of blanket elven culture, for it is nearly as varied and manifold as our own. Nevertheless, there are a few common elements - which shall be touched upon before going into greater detail on the five major Syr peoples.

Elven culture is almost universally marked by a reverence for time and its passing, being as they are a race that moves through it at an altogether different pace from the other folk of the world.

Time is expressed through their art, through their language, through their manifold ways - for if something is worth doing or expressing, it is undoubtedly worth expressing well, and worth honouring the time spent in the process.

Maearina

The rite of Maearina is potent, and rife with personal meaning. At its most basic element, it is an oath taken as part of marriage, swearing that the individual will never marry again - even if death, change or unpleasantness should mar the joining.

Maearina is discussed with the families of each party, and never chosen hastily. Maearina may never be invoked for an arranged marriage, nor may it be invoked against the wishes of the partner. Typically, Maearina is used by bride and groom alike, although this is not an absolute requirement.

Physically, Maearina is made fast via a short, personal affirmation (whether spoken or silent, it matters not) and the application of a tattoo to the top edge of one or both ears, typically the left in the former case.

It is of exceptional rarity among elves, and those of diluted heritage invoke its oath even more rarely.

Breaking the oath is the greatest social wrong one can commit in nearly any elven culture; worse even than murder, theft, torture or perversion and twice as impossible to escape.

Maearina between an elf and a non-elf is nearly as taboo as breaking Maearina - but it is nonetheless binding. No elven tattoo-artist would willingly perform the creation of a Maearina tattoo for such a person.

Major regional cultures

Errani

The Errani are the elven people of northern Runne, as well as parts of Ihne? and Ansica. characterised by their tendency to mingle with other kinds freely. Most Errani are culturally inextricable from their human-and-otherwise counterparts - there is no real distinction, other than that a given Errani will outlive any number of human generations.

Physically, the Errani exhibit softened features, a result of the dilution of bloodlines by frequent human interbreeding. In addition, their skin-tone - as well as the shape and colour of eyes and other features - typically approximate that of their human counterparts for the same reason.

Venar

The Venar can be found in southern Runne, as well as Artemia?, Weiss? and Schassi?. Unlike the Errani, the Venar are made distinct by their deliberate segregation of culture from the surrounding people. Venar typically maintain their own churches, temples, and common-buildings wherever they settle, although they stop short of denying other peoples access to these places.

The Venar appear thin, with finely-structured faces and long necks. Most Venar are extremely tall, falling between six and seven feet in this regard.

Jerasare

The Jerasare occupied the city-nation Ganduin in times past, forming the backbone of the nation's society. Jerasare families contributed to all walks of life - from the scientists and wizards of the academies to the governmental and judicial systems.

The Jerasare proper were wiped out with the mysterious fall of Ganduin, although some members of their families on journeys afield at the time of the disaster survive. Members of the Jerasare bloodlines who moved residence outside of Ganduin were not considered to be of the same race; these elves are called the Enmesare, of whom a reasonable sampling may yet be found.

Jerasare physical characteristics include very pale skin, and small - if still pointed - ears. Most Jerasare were also of reduced stature compared to other races of elves.

Anbonain

Originating from a location geographically coterminous with the Draffen?, the Anbonain are a culture concerned heavily with craftsmanship and music, as well as their relationship with other breeds. Producing a large quantity of art (especially sculpture and jewelry,) Anbonain are often a cornerstone of any given artistic community.

Minor regional cultures

Enmesare

Descendants of the Jerasare, the Enmesare are genetically identical to their forebears - and therefore appear with the same physical characteristics. The Enmesare are by definition those who sought to travel and settle new places - and therefore are much more prone to mixing culturally than more cohesive races like the Zaali and Venar.

Enmesare culture is characterised by a veneration of knowledge, expertise and science, with a powerful appreciation for expression and art which is nonetheless clearly and distinctly secondary to the prior.

Zaali

The Zaali are a nomadic folk, traveling along the coast of Isenna from roughly where the Wilds? border Tsuruku, to the border between Kelfast? and Eastland?. Their path is across the shore, part of their number traveling by caravan and another by boat, although the groups never travel out of sight of one-another.

The Zaali adhere to a strict tribal system of government, and admit no allegiance to nation or people - to the Zaali, the Zaali are sovereign.

Although there are several Zaali tribes (which do not concern themselves with the survival or wellbeing of the others) they consider themselves to be one people, occasionally holding festivals whenever they meet on the sands and sea.

The Zaali worship Iiyanara-the-moon, who watches over them and lights their way at night. They have a degree of respect for Mayah, although they do not afford her the same reverence.

Eringmar

A people of less-than-average height, the Eringmar Syr have dark skin and fine features, living in tribal encampments throughout Ihnladri?, as well as Stromai? and Weiss? - although not all these tribes claim or admit to any kinship with the other Eringmar.

Interestingly, there are some of Eringmar shape who travel with the Zaali - and several tribes of each are aware of, or occasionally travel to meet with one-another.

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