Cor'Norai

Introduction

Exuberant and impulsive people of the sea, Cor'Norai are a predatory people who derive joy from sport and conflict in the name of their God, Lævos. You receive a Free Racial Merit for the Fathom of a Cor'Norai when playing as one.

Fast Facts

• Population: 8,400,000+
• Lifespan: 800 to 1,200 Years
• Height: Between 5 ft and 7 ft.
• Weight: Between 90 lbs and 400 lbs.
• Limitations: None
• Racial Merit: Cor'Norai receive a Free Racial Merit for Fathom or else a Duty if they never awaken it.

Note: in play, it is also acceptable to write AElf, aelf, etc. in place of the 'Æ/æ' symbol.

Racial Abilities:

Lævos' Gift

When Lævos adopted the Cor'Norai as His progeny, he uplifted them with the embrace of Imber through a ritual referred to as Daos; this opened their minds to the predatory, watery world of Lacon and its Godhead, forcing the Pact of Fathom to take hold in their being. Because of this, they are able to freely share their emotions or the sensations they feel with those they have formed a Link to at no cost to their Spell Reserves.

All Cor'Norai whom have made the pilgrimage to Lævos in Æntaris possess the Pact of Fathom.

Lacopia

Cor'Norai can see the differential hue Saol of all life beneath the sea whilst entirely submerged. This pushes back the abyss, making the water clear and bright to them where a human might see it as murky or dim. The coral of Coreadh make for beautiful, lush seafloor environs while fish and other creatures of the sea seem to sparkle or shine with pale white hues. The undead will appear as opaque, black wraiths in their vision, while the living are just as brightly lit with veins of pulsating life; those between life and death such as the Devorare appear dim and grey unless they have recently fed. Animists can also use this gift to see the aggression in a sea creature, but not a man, and warriors can see the vulnerable arteries of their prey at all times within the water. This ability does not function out of the water.

As A People

Biology

The Cor'Norai are athletic yet lanky humanoids with sharp teeth and the signature long, pointed ears Ælves are known for. Their glossy, always-damp skin is smooth and cool like that of a fish, often blue, white, or purple in hue. Their eyes are usually a wild yellow, turqoise, or cyan- more colors are possible, but they are always bright. Upon their necks are small slats which open up in the water -gills, while their hands and feet are webbed between the digits. Their hair is usually kept long, most often an azure blue or green, white, or black color; browns and blondes are quite rare.

If granted Fathom by Lævos, Cor'Norai may or may not manifest all manner of physiologies resembling oceanic fauna, from multiple eyes to fins, or tentacle-like limbs, or even outright fish-tails and crab legs.

Aging & Reproduction

Cor'ai live long, storied lives spanning centuries. They begin adolescence (10-12 years) and reach maturity (~18) on par to other races, and they will be treated as adults henceforth. Each Cor'Norai laments the time spent raising their child, 'enduring' the prospect of parentage to the point that they are more than happy to see off a rebellious 'seasquirt' who will no longer be their problem, but rather the problem of their family, and the greater Cor'ai society. As such, many Cor'Norai are raised communally or personally by their god, Lævos. Their birth rate is the highest among Ælves, and they are four times as infertile as a human. Many Cor'ai fail to live beyond their twenties as they rush headlong into danger, seeking grandeur and glory out in the world or in blood sport.

Sex & Gender

Cor'Norai may be male, female or intersex, with intersex individuals being far more common than any other race; part-way into their lives, they may even transition from one gender to another entirely in a process referred to as Sexual Metamorphosis. Gender presentation of individuals of all sexes varies from masculine to feminine per personal preferences, as one side is not valued more than the other. Due to their naturally more androgynous appearances, many among them find themselves most comfortable somewhere in the middle.

Cor'Norai worship the Arche of Lacon, Lævos.

Faith

Cor'Norai in the womb are brought to their living God, Lævos, Arche of Lacon. Henceforth, they are informed of the Daos- the rite that Lævos is their second father, a jovial being whom spends his time playing with and mentoring the children of the Cor'Norai and aiding them through adversity; he will even do so for foreign slaves and gladiators, eventually offering to adopt even them- this will do nothing to change their social status, however.

In spite of the way he appears, Lævos is an Abyssal who shares His thoughts and musings to all within Æntaris. He can hear their thoughts, and if He is conscious or doing little else of import, He is likely to respond.

Denizens of Æntaris are free to play out conversations with Lævos, who will respond with fatherly advice, though he will never yield any personal information and will refuse harmful requests outright.

Psychology

Cor'Norai are openly hostile to outsiders, save for those they have brought into the fold who might come to be treated like family. Even their own kind risk being drawn into impulsive conflicts- Cor'ai are a dramatic people, with a flair for outbursts and histrionics. Wielding their Fathom, they communicate with each other using their own emotions routinely, creating a unique, non-verbal style of communication.

Cor'Norai are rarely ever curious, learning more so by doing. They demand, and they act without thinking things through on impulse. When enticed with a shiny thing, their kind will swarm and pile upon whatever it is like piranhas following the proverbial scent of blood- this is how a routine spearfishing hunt can turn into a skirmish with pirates above the water, should they feel slighted. In spite of this, they emphasize with those they have brought into their inner circle, and especially famous figures such as the gladiators they have abducted to fight beasts and warriors beneath the sea.

Far removed from the Æld'Norai, the Cor'Norai do not have that same Fae aloofness, though a blindness for time, sadism, and mania are still common. They are impatient, and boisterous; so long as another race would admit to their might or else entertain them, they would accept them in spite of their short lives.

Further influenced by the Arche of Lycon, Lævos, the Cor'Norai have an almost cat-like obsession with sport. They watch, vicariously, violence and contest in all its forms. Unlike any other, they wish to be entertained. Colosseums, arenas, and training grounds live at the beating heart of Cor'ai culture, and those taken prisoner by them are exploited with gleeful reverie.

History

To be expanded.

Overview

Origin

Modernity

Modern Cor'ai believe themselves to be the sole inheritors of Lacon, and they hold a possessive embargo over every sea they reside upon. Many of them deign to conquer islands, locked in a perpetual war with Vokhai pirates and the navies of other lands. They are romanticized in fables, and reviled by the sailors they sink or exact a toll from. Living beneath the waves with a sense of superiority over all other races, they are often seen as dangerous enigmas. Very little is known about them, and what they do share is embellished to espouse upon their achievements and greatness.

Unlike their Æld'Norai progenitors who keep to themselves, Cor'Norai today feel a sense of dominion over the oceans and coastlines of the world. They wish to take, and dominate all they can; incursions by the seafolk are growing more common year by year.

Society

Technology

The Cor'Norai wield magic for function and beauty. In a sense, their inventions are generationally maintained and they tend to favor the old rather than the new. The Alkahest they dig from trenches on the seafloor is used to generate and extend bubbles of Psionic Force which hold back the water while preserving the wonders of marble aqueducts, pools, and fountains. They understand water pressure, laminar flow, and methods of plumbing better than any other civilization on Antarok. Due to their long lives, they tend to favor direct mentorship over the idea of training with manuals, and their libraries are mostly dedicated to historical anecdotes and accounting.

Through Coreadh, the Cor'ai never go hungry, and their cities are surrounded by colorful coral forests capable of producing every material or food source they could ever need.

Magic

Arcana is woven into the soul of each Cor'Norai, as they are granted Fathom through knowledge by the Abyssal Arche of Lacon through ritual while they are still in their mother's womb. There is no form of Arcana which is to them so unseemly as to be barred, and even Nekron would fair well among their kind if given the appropriate artistry; that is to say, the beauty in the way Arcana is expressed is important to their culture. Ælvenkind as they are, they readily accept what unavoidable risks come with these magical endeavors. The pursuit of magic is culturally considered mandatory. While not officially enforced, to abstain, or be unable to, practice magic entirely would result in being socially outcast.

Even the Cor'ai who have wandered away from home have a close relationship to magic.

Language

The primary language spoken by Cor'Norai is Æbyssic, which is similar to Lithuanian with elements of Latin and Ælvish.

Naming Convention & Titles

Cor'Norai names are listed as follows:

Title, Forename fyr’Surname

If a Cor’Norai lacks any special title, then their social caste will be used within Æntaris instead.

The forename is a standard given name.

Surname is one's family name.

Unlike the Æld'Norai, they do not have epithets.

Examples:

Išskirtinis, Rogeris fyr’Vændens

Gladiatorius, Casimir fyr’Kærdas

Mažiau'i, Marija fyr’Trænšėjos

Žvæjys'i, Skirgaila fyr’Jūræ

*It is common to use the ‘æ’ symbol in place of other vowels.
*The forename is typically going to be of Lithuanian origin, though names of Latin origin in general work.
*The surname ought to be Lithuanian or Latin. In-universe location names are also acceptable.

Notable Settlements

Æntaris

Æntaris is a city upon the seafloor within a bubble of Psionic Force which keeps the crushing ocean of Lacon at bay. It is here the God of Cor'Norai, Lævos, lives.

Related Articles

• Lævos
• Fathom
• Coraidh
• Abyssal

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