High Elves

Azari'cill (High Elves)
Nicknames	Anypsóste (The Exalted) Azari’Lefká (White Elves)
Spoken Languages	Azari Linguae (Elven Language) The common tongue
Average Height	1,87M - 2,20M (6’1ft - 7’2ft)
Average Weight	75 KG to 90 KG (165lbs -198lbs)
Homeland	The Enlightened Kingdom of Luminion
Capital	Luminion
Stat bonusses	+2 intelligence +1 agility

Introduction:

The Scions of Illumination, as the Azari’cill call themselves, invoke this name because their existence reflects the pinnacle of civilization under the Mother’s wing.

These luminous beings have blood that glimmers by magical properties. The glittering spires of the Azari cities stand like beacons in the lands where skill and enlightenment saturate the very air. The Azari’cill absorbed so much of this innate potential that when at war, it is said that the phalanxes of the Azari warhosts glow with robust power. An assault by an Azari’cill army is swift and carried out with flawless precision. The enemy is met with a forest of blades and barrages of elemental wrath.

This claim of mastery also carries a deadly arrogance. The Azari come in glory, but they hail from a broken land, their elegant spires toppled and their statuary crumbled into the dust of a dead empire. The stories tell that it was the scourge of Fineall that ravaged the lands of silver; it was unavoidable. The age of the fallen spires has turned the empire of enlightenment into a spell-haunted ruin.

Ever since the Time of Reinvention, the Azari’cill have managed to make peace with the lands they call home.

Appearance

The High Elves, or Azari’cill as they like to call themselves, are tall, fair-skinned people that mainly reside on the eastern plains of Eden commonly known as Arda or The Glade of Dragons. The average High Elven male can grow up to an average of 2 meters tall. Females tend to be a little shorter, coming in at an average of 1,85 meters tall. They have blonde or silver hair, yet none of them can grow any facial hair. The Azari’cill commonly has blue or green eyes. Some recorded cases speak of High Elves having silver eyes, however, those are extremely rare cases,  in which the ‘cill individual is seen as personally blessed by the Mother, the ‘cill’s patron Goddess. The most distinguishing feature of an Elf is a pair of long ears with a pointed tip. Elven ears can grow up to an average of 15 centimeters.

The Azari live significantly longer than the other races on Eden. To put that into perspective, Azari’cill scholars created something known as the Elven year, this is to put their lifespan into perspective with that of the other races. While the Azari’cill still count in common years, it is not unheard of to hear an Azari’cill suddenly count something in Elven years. This is usually reserved for the academic scene. Most Elves prefer to use common years for more mundane things like counting their age or to refer to calendar years. One Elven year roughly translates to around 5 common years. Elves reach adulthood at 120 common years and can live up to 500-600 common years. The Azari'cill keep their youthful appearance for most of their lives, only starting to show visible aging when they reach the age of 500.

Language

Elves generally speak the common tongue. This language, through its extreme popularity, has been adopted and normalized in Elven culture. A dialect has sprung up in Aerial of a combination of Ancient Elvish and the common tongue. The ancient elven language is a mostly forgotten one. Scholars in Aerial are trying to rediscover their ancient language and bring it back to the vocabulary of the Elves.

Often used ancient elven words that found their way into common speech:

Greetings

Vale    - Hello/Greetings

Vale’tar  - Farewell

Fílo(s)  - Friend(s)

Races

Azari    - Elf

Azari’cill    - High elf/pure elf

Azari’cerr    - Wood elf/wild elf

Azari’lunn    - Dark elf/Moon elf

Azari’soll    -    Fire Elf/Sun Elf

Dur’arum(s)    - Denur

Vari(s)    - Human(s)

Ghesiri(s)    - Faulskins(s)

De’nevir    -    Tiefling

Titles

Bessi’inn    -     Blessed one

Scin    -      (Young) Student

Scini  -  (Older) Student

Scinar  - Priest

Scinari  - Priestess

Scinar(i)’cilus    - High Priest(ess)

Ar’mágoi    - Mage/Magic user/Spellcaster

Ar’mágoi’cilus  - Arch-Mage/Magic user/Spellcaster

Visera    - Minister

Nobicilus  - Noble

Pricecilus  - Prince

Therri’cill  - Guardian of Purity/King

Aeri’cill    -  Mother of Purity/Queen

“Cilus” is a word without a specified meaning. When someone bears a title with the word “Cilus” in it,  it is generally seen as a high ranking person.

Culture & Society

Structure of Elven society

Modern Elven society is centred along the lines of progress and purity. All Elves are part of a bigger whole and no Elf is more important than the progress of the nation. All this is done because the Elves of Aerial know that when they reach the highest, most pure levels of existence, clean of their flaws and impure cousins, only then will the Elven Pantheon of Gods return to Eden to guide their people.

Every Elf is constantly trying to improve him/herself, always trying to be the best of the best. Elven life is split between constantly learning and improving yourself and excelling in your craft. Whether it is Archery, swordsmanship or being a scholar teaching the new generation, all lives are valued equally in Elven society as long as you are trying to reach the most enlightened state of existence.

One of the most pure tasks in High Elven society is being part of the Temple of the Silver Phoenix. These priests are able to directly connect with the Mother and translate Her Will upon the Elves of Aerial. The highest of these positions is the “Silver Phoenix.” This priestess is the most important link in Elven society, as it is her task to produce the next generation for the throne of Aerial. When a new king takes the throne, it is her task to marry him and bring forth the most pure child in existence. Only he will be up to the task of leading the Elven people to a higher level of enlightenment.

Every Elf is required to go to the University of the Silver City. Since the Elven race is flawed from the very core,  they need to reinvent themselves. The Elves need to be reborn into a more aware being that will be able to see the magic that fills the air. Which will, in turn, help them reach opportunities once seen as impossible to grasp. They need to become the “Scions of  Illumination”.

The armies of the Azari are formed largely of citizen warriors. Each Elven individual leads a rich and fulfilling life outside the call of battle; were it not for the dire state of the Azari realm and the omnipresent threat of Fineall, it is likely they would not go to war at all. The vast majority of the Azari prefer to spend their time in pursuits of the mind and soul rather than the body. Physical conflict has always been seen as rather brutish and unrefined in the high society of Azari.

Outside the times of war, the Azari are at peace with the mind and soul. These are times of celebration and joy. Every Elven year, the disciples of the Pantheon organise the Wine Festival. The gates of the silver spired city swing open for all of Eden to arrive and celebrate a new year of harvest. The newest wines are sold during the celebration while old bottles which have laid around for dozens of years, are finally opened for this special occasion.

Romance and marriage

Azari are massively focused on procreation. The gifts of Mothers and Daughters sprawl through elven society and its populace. It is very common to see Elves pair with each other when they reach adulthood. Elves are creatures that are easily captured by the sin of lust, which can be seen in their lives, where elves tend to switch partners a few times in their younger years before finally settling down. When Elves finally decide to get married, the entirety of the Silver City rejoices at the dawn of a new generation. An Elven wedding is quite the affair, which can last for even a week when it is a person of importance.

Marriage in Elven society is final, as it is a promise before the face of the Pantheon that you will serve them and will safeguard a new generation of Elves. Divorce is therefore unheard of; it is seen as the ultimate betrayal in the face of the Pantheon. The families of the divorced couple will be looked down upon for the foreseeable future and the pair will most likely be executed. The only way to ask for forgiveness of the Pantheon, after committing this crime, is to give them your most valuable possession: your life.

Life & Reproduction

After a wedding, the first task for a newly founded elven family is to put a child on Eden to further their family name. Elves, however, have an extremely complex reproductive system. Female Elves are only fertile one week per year and only become fertile around their 20s and remain fertile up until the age of around 400. Males tend to lose their fertility a little earlier around the age of 350. The pregnancy of a 'cill usually lasts around 10 months. Most elves are eager to see if the mother will bless them with a young life each year. Reproduction is so important in elven culture that once per year, a giant festival will be held to celebrate a new year of elven fertility.

Death & Funerals

Elves, despite their extremely long lives, can die due to natural causes. When they die, a huge burial ceremony will be held by the family of the deceased elf. Elven bodies are burned after death. This is done to return the body and spirit to Aerièlle so that it may live on forever in the pantheon. Elves believe that the spirit is trapped inside the body as long as it is still on Eden.

History

See: The Enlightened Kingdom of Luminion