Æld'Norai

Introduction

A traditional and spiritual people, elves, or 'Ælves' as they refer to themselves, draw upon fonts of great power to sustain their lives through eternity.

Fast Facts

• Population: 400,000+
• Lifespan: Indefinite
• Height: Between 5 ft and 8 ft.
• Weight: Between 90 lbs and 500 lbs.

Racial Ability: Lifesight

Æld'Norai with enough contrasting darkness can see the white glow of Saol in all things. The forests at night appear as a lush, brightly lit emerald paradise, as do the underwater caves and their corals, and the subterranean mushroom groves of the Ur'Duun. The undead 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 beast, but not a man, and warriors can see the vulnerable arteries of their prey at night. This ability does not function within Ælphyne.

Innate Druidism

Through their bond to the dragon at the heart of Ældrassil, the Æld'Norai are afforded a taste of the Glamour they once possessed as Fae. The dragon's Grist grants them access to a unique form of Druidism shaped by the peculiar circumstances of its creation. As such, all Ælves are innately capable of practicing Druidism. With this advantage, many Ælves use their Druidism as a springboard to pursue additional magics, seeking to both push their personal limits and find unique ways to combine their innate magic with others. Generally, the more innovative and complex an Ælven mage is with their magic, the more social accolades and respect one gets.

As A People

Biology

Examples of the original, more common, arboreal variant.

The Æld'Norai are lithely built, often androgynous humanoids whose most defining physical features at a glance are their long, pointed ears, stone or jewel toned skin, and vibrant eyes. The Ælves native to the caves tend to be a tad paler and less colorful than their forest counterparts, though the usually subtle differences are harder to tell apart by outsiders.

Aging & Reproduction

Ælves are, in every sense of the word, immortal. Once they reach maturity, the aging process ceases entirely. Despite this, they begin adolescence (10-12 years) and reach maturity (~18) on par to other races, though they won’t treat individuals as proper adults socially until they are at least 50, and even then many older Ælves regard all under 100 to be as children. The elders are even pickier. In turn, their birth rate is incredibly low. Years often pass between individual births even across the entire population of Ælheim.

Sex & Gender

Æld'Norai may be male, female or intersex, with intersex individuals being more common amongst them than among mortal races. 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.

Examples of those that live in the caves.

Psychology

Ælves are a secretive and hostile folk when it comes to dealing with outsiders, though amongst themselves they are, in stark contrast, quite open, wanting to foster a close-knit society wherein individuals support one another. As such, many foster a sharp “us vs. them” mentality when it comes to dealing with non-Ælves.

They are inquisitive, curious and wild. Though many are scholarly by nature, their approach is almost never as rigid as the word often applies. Typically employing methods that are unorthodox, their empathy appears to only extend towards one another. And because of those methods, many are also thrill seekers, taking great pleasure in hunting those who wander into– or even too close to– their forests.

Due to their Fae origins and long lives, many also maintain a lot of the Fae’s whimsical aloofness and strange attitudes towards the passing of time. Whether they are patient and meticulous or chaotic and free, ambitious or lazy, careful or reckless, they never appear to be in any sort of rush. This further isolates them from many other races, as they look down upon those who do not share their immortality.

Perhaps due to the influence of the dragon to which they are all bound, many of them are also quite covetous. To name a few examples, this can be highlighted by the collections many possess and the maximalist, art deco nature of their architecture. Caveat emptor: one should never get in between an Ælf and anything they hold dear.

History

One of the oldest races, the tale of the Ælves is a vast tapestry that began far before the dawn of recorded history. However, they, as a people, are secretive and insular– from an outside perspective, it’s hard to parse fact from fiction, legend from reality.

Overview

The Æld'Norai were once a conclave of Sidhe Fae exiled from their homeland, stripped of their Glamour by the Fae Courts. Without a home and their connection to Ælphyne sundered, they fled to the Myrkvior mountain range within which they sought to find an old friend. That friend, now the massive tree of Ældrassil, formed a covenant with these wayward former Fae, binding all of their souls together and restoring their immortality.

In time, the Æld'Norai leaders, the Ældar'i, warred with the progressive, rebel factions of their own kin; those they captured, they flesh-wove into the first humans. Ascended rebel magi who fled and escaped the Ælfblood Cleansing severed their ties to Ældrassil, fostering the Cor'Norai and Jin'Norai.

Origin

While the exact time this happened has been long lost to history, at some point a mischievous band of Galdr-wielding Sidhe Fae came across the Myrkvior mountain range during their search for a suitable ‘grave’ location. An ancient draconic Meridian, a rare friend to these Fae folk, sought a place to slumber. The dragon struggled with wanting to attain final rest and the concept of letting go of himself, so in a bizarre sort of compromise, he decided that he’d become one with the land. These mountains, the group thought, were perfect. With a suitable locale found, the strange menagerie began the process of reshaping the rock before them. They tunneled until they found the mountain’s center point and then began to clear out a basin from within. Once completed, they found themselves surrounded by staggeringly tall walls of rock and collapsed the tunnels they used on their way in. The basin was now only accessible via an incredibly arduous flight in or teleportation.

Working together, the Fae and the dragon warped the dragon’s body, combining it with a sapling brought with them from Elphyne. The dragon, now somewhere between plant and animal, drifted off into a dreamy slumber, blissfully achieving his goal. Bidding him farewell, the Fae then departed, thinking only that those with attachments to him would visit from time to time.

However, the next time this once merry band returned was under circumstances none of them had foreseen. Banished from Elphyne and stripped of their Glamour, these now former Fae fled to the grave site of the old dragon in a desperate bid to commune with the beast. They prayed that their old friend would, in some way, somehow, offer them succor, despite how deeply his soul had been buried.

It took ample expenditure of the magic they still possessed to reach him, but they did, eventually, succeed. Confused by this awakening, the dragon, once informed of their circumstances, formed a pact with these wayward beings, binding all of them together. In turn, they regained their immortality and a modicum more of magical potency– their Glamour, however, was lost for good. And once this rite was completed, the dragon returned to its dreams. Going forward, the former Fae– now dubbing themselves Æld’Norai– would have to forge their own fate, the slumbering dragon being a font of power, not a guide.

Early Struggles

The Bloom

Splintering Factions

Ælfblood Cleansing

Modernity

Modern Ælves are secretive people who are, to most of the world, enigmas. Despite their longevity, not much is known about them simply because they are so tight-lipped about their past and are prone to deliberately weaving tall tales, further obfuscating the truth. The main takeaway outsiders have, generally, is that they are to be feared as much as they are to be admired.

Within their own people, however, their history has been meticulously tracked and stored in vast libraries ever since they were capable of recording it, though few have access to the full breadth of their records. In recent years, they have become more reclusive than ever before as a result of splintering sub factions and the civil war which led to the Ælfblood Cleansing.

Society

Technology

Ælves shirk technology in the traditional sense, instead taking a much more organic approach to progress by embracing their connection to magic. The advancements their mages have wrought over the years rival, and even surpass in some regards, the technology of Dullahan. Due to their long lives and extensive records, they have also skirted the consequences of losing libraries or knowledge dying with individuals, thus granting them a cutting edge above the rest of the world. Education

An Ælven child is an incredible rarity, and thus are given every opportunity to pursue anything their heart desires. Ælves are a free spirited people and prefer to allow their children to define their own futures rather than heavily guide them, so many youths are encouraged to explore a variety of fields before settling for anything in particular. They are also encouraged to take their time.

Education is considered a communal affair. Literacy is achieved very young and from there, the child is encouraged to experiment with whatever interests them through a robust apprenticeship system. For most, there is no shortage of potential teachers as many older Ælves are eager to impart what knowledge they’ve fostered over the years onto the novelty that is an Ælven youth.

Employment

Due to the apprenticeships everyone ends up going through in their youth, Ælves find a way to support both themselves and their society one way or another, whether these careers be practical, artistic, academic, social or what have you– all eventually find their place. And if one is struggling to find a career, many elders take it upon themselves to help guide those who feel lost.

Economy

For the most part, the Ælven economy is facilitated through a barter system. While coins and banknotes exist, most prefer to trade directly with objects or services when applicable. Since Ældrassil’s unique environs ensure that resources are always plentiful, everyone’s basic needs are provided for at no cost to them. Therefore, the ‘value’ of an object or service when trading is entirely subjective and at the whimsy of those involved with whatever deal is being struck.

Castes With the exception of the Ældnar'i and the Odoln'i, the Ælven caste system is loose and largely used to organize people by role rather than assigning value to individuals. People who switch careers also switch castes, with the system being built around facilitating change when necessary. For the most part, the castes are utilized to facilitate necessary networking between individuals.

Ældar’i: The council of 11 Ælves leaders in charge of ruling over Ælven society.

Odoln'i: The resilient. This caste is reserved for consummate mages, diplomats and military personnel. This caste is given special consideration because they are the few who are tasked with venturing outside of Ældrassil's influence, something most are loath to do. Being part of this caste is seen as an honor.

Leder’i: The ‘politician’ caste. Those within the Leder’i class are those whose professions include lawmakers, judges, arbiters of law, all law enforcement and other, similar careers.

Hjarter’i: The ‘social’ caste. Those within this caste include counselors, spiritual guides, faith leaders and the like.

Sindar’i: The ‘mind’ caste. Those within this caste include doctors, academics, researchers, inventors, and similar.

Skæper’i: The ‘artist’ caste, encompassing all life paths meant to create art or entertain others.

Byggær’i: The ‘builder’ caste. Likely the most populated class, those within Byggær’i include everything from architects to those who actually do the building as well as merchants and businessmen.

Søger’i: Those who do not have employment or otherwise don’t fit into any of the other castes are designated Søger’i, a caste meant to be a transitional stage until they find a place in one of the others. There are members of the Hjarter’i whose job it is to specifically guide Søger’i into finding purpose.

In theory, all castes are valued equally, but this can vary subjectively from person to person. Even the Søger’i are not to be frowned upon, as they are viewed to be ‘searching’ for purpose, not without it.

Culture

The Ælves are an insular people with a fierce territorial imperative. Almost deifying both themselves and Ældrassil, they are a culture focused around elevating themselves above all others in a sort of twisted rebellion against the Fae who once spurned them. Though it is perhaps an impossible task, the nebulous goal of ‘surpassing’ them is what motivates many within Ælven culture.

Language

The primary language spoken is Ælvish. Some actively refuse to learn any other tongue, believing theirs to be superior, while others take advantage of their long lifespans to pick up numerous languages either for fun or practical purposes. Regardless, no specific additional language is particularly common.

Magic

Magic is ubiquitous– with their innate gifts and the influence of Ældrassil’s Grist, the Ælves do not know life without it. Most bias towards magic that is centered around nature, but one could likely find traces of any arcane art if they knew where to look. Though they do have robust safety measures, Ælvenkind readily accepts what unavoidable risks come with their 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.

Religion

The Ælves respect divine entities for their innate power but do not worship any in particular. Some may admire the divine on an individual level, but there aren't any churches or the like devoted to them. The Ælves do not seek divine attention, but they will not ignore it should it be given to them, if only for the possibility of personal gain. They are, however, a spiritual people and have great reverence to the dead of their kind.

Love & Intimacy

With long lives, low fertility, and enough magic to keep disease at bay, the Ælves are an epicurean, hedonistic people. While both monogamy and polyamory are socially accepted, the latter is more common. Their ideas around sex and gender are loose and free-flowing, leaving consenting adults with little stigmatization when it comes to choosing partners that are other consenting adults. There are some that might encourage heterosexual relations in a bid to raise the overall birth rate, but very few would pass judgment upon those who do otherwise.

Food

Ælves are omnivores and while they don't prioritize consuming flora over fauna, they don't believe in farming animals– all of their meat is hunted, and therefore there is less of it available than vegetation. Most who consume meat hunt it themselves, and those who do this are respected. Overall, most Ælves have extremely varied diets due to the flexible and fertile nature of the land they live on and within. In current culture, people are enjoying fairly elaborate, decadent meals more often than not.

Art

Art is celebrated and encouraged. Many Ælves dedicate their entire lives to the pursuit of particular artistic crafts of all types, from luthiers to painters to poets to performers. In current culture, maximalist designs prioritizing a graceful, organic decadence are popular, though some of the more common motifs might be considered macabre by outsiders. There are numerous museums throughout Ælven territories, with the most notable being the Antikkens Museum in the Forgylt district and the Luminans and Rødt museums in the Hekseved district of Ælheim. There is also the Stein Museum in the cavernous city of Sværlys among many others of lesser notoriety.

Sport

Athletic endeavors of all stripes are popular forms of entertainment and competition, and while there are many varieties from swimming to team sports to mountaineering, the most popular sport by far is hunting. Ælves engage plenty in the hunting of animals, but they are far more fond of hunting sentient races, for they provide much more of an engaging experience, and, sometimes, the individuals slain carry valuables on their persons. This is not always the case, however, as the most popular subject of such sport hunts are wayward humans of their very own vassal territories, most of which are destitute and lacking in anything of use– they are killed solely to hone one’s skill or for personal pleasure. There are also organized hunts, where individuals are gathered and released in cordoned off areas for hunters to take down one by one as onlookers place bets and enjoy the competition. Several hunters will partake, and the winner is decided based upon kill count though there are additional honors given for creativity and brutality.

Clothing

Though they live in a climate that is largely temperate but often cold, the Ælves themselves tend to dress scantily, yet with a graceful sort of elegance– icier temperatures bother them little. What they do choose to adorn themselves in, however, is lovingly crafted and spun out of finer fabrics, a common favorite being silk. Metal adornments and jewelry are also common with resources spelunked from the mountains, but one thing you won’t ever see an Æld’Norai without are accessories– or sometimes entire outfits– crafted out of flora of all types, with many opting for fungi, too.

Folklore

To be expanded over time.

Rituals, Traditions & Holidays

To be expanded over time.

X: In lieu of a tradition like marriages, the closest thing Ælves have is X. This is more than simply a social and legal contract. Ælven pairs are able to form a covenant between themselves that is not dissimilar to the one formed between Ældrassil and their ancestors at the inception of their race. This covenant is called X.

Ælves bound together through X are thereby soulbound, gaining access to the following features, all of which are able to be utilized at any distance.

They are able to communicate with one another by projecting their emotions onto the other.

They share each other's pain and are able to transfer wounds between one another.

Politics

Government

The main governing body of the Æld'Norai is known as the Ældar Assemblage, with its members as a collective or individuals being referred to as Ældar'i. Each Ældar'i holds office over a particular facet of society, and they as a collective make decisions that affect more than one office or society overall as well. In addition, they hold each other accountable when one is suspected of going against the tenets of their seat. Ældar'i seats are chosen by the previous tenant some time before they retire, though the other members of the Assemblage may veto any prospective successor if necessary.

Dommær: Adjudicator of both the Assemblage and the High Court, conservator of law and order.

Forskær: Collator of records and research, historian and rhetorician.

Kouzælnir: High magician, master of arcane advancement.

Vyslanær: Emissary, traveler, and lead of diplomatic affairs.

Fredsbævar: Voice of the people, enactor of public will and investigator of wrongdoing.

Reznikær: Martial leader, consummate warrior, brilliant strategist.

Helbredær: Overseer of medicinal and therapeutic practices.

Arkætir: Scion of innovation and architecture.

Umælir: Aesthete, curator of arts and entertainment.

Jegær: Master huntsman, presides over maintaining Ælven balance with the fauna of the Myrkvior mountains.

Rostlær: Cataloger of flora and fungi, conservator of nature.

Military

The Æld'Norai military has three branches, each with their own head and hierarchy that report directly to the Reznikær.

Trnova Legie: The bulk of the Æld'Norai military forces, the Trnova Legie (Legion of Thorns) is largely a defensive force designed to protect Ældrassil and the land it influences.

Fjælle Kniver: Marginally smaller than the Trnova Legie, the Fjælle Kniver (Blades of the Mountain) is a largely offensive force utilizing ruthless and clandestine measures to further the goals of the Æld'Norai.

Grønn Vakænatt: The Grønn Vakænatt (Emerald Vigil) are reconnaissance agents who work with both the Trnova Legie and Fjælle Kniver; they are non-combatants and also serve to facilitate communication between the two martial forces.

Law

Criminal Investigations

When a crime is committed, it is first reported to an investigative office known as Ældar Office of Investigation (AOI), presided over by the Fredsbævar. Once the investigation is complete, all relevant information and suspects are handed over to the court system for consequences to be decided upon and subsequently doled out.

Justice & Punishment

The Æld'Norai criminal justice system is a court system run by the Dommær and composed of three court circuits. High Court: Reserved for only the most serious of crimes, the High Court is presided over by the Dommær themselves. Here, they are the final arbiter.

Criminal Court: This court consists of several judges who, along with a jury of Ælven citizens, decide on and dole out the punishments to those who have committed criminal offenses of a higher nature.

Civil Court: Reserved for minor infractions, this court consists of judges who weigh the outcomes of cases filed with the small claims division of the AOI.

Where to Find Them

Territories

Ælheim

The Æld’Norai capitol. The city is built encircling the trunk of Ældrassil and expanding outward. In the present, most of the surrounding forests are part of the city, though much care is taken in integrating civilization into nature. Built from materials harvested from both the surrounding mountains and the forests, the city’s architecture is graceful, complex, grandiose and lit with arcane magic. Some structures are built into larger trees, while others stand alone.

The city is divided into three ring-shaped districts: Forgylt District: Forgylt is the smallest, innermost circle and contains medical facilities along with many non-commercial businesses and education centers. Housing here is limited.

Hekseved District: The middle circle, Hekseved serves as the main commercial district of Ælheim. It is composed of a metropolitan mix of shops and other buildings, most of which are in the vein of arts and entertainment. Those who live here tend to live alongside their place of work. It is chaotic, vibrant and brightly lit with the most outlandish and varied architecture overall, though it does still maintain the dark color scheme of the city as a whole.

Koren District: The largest circle but the least populated, the buildings here are almost clandestine, blending seamlessly into the environment around them. The Koren district is mostly residential, but it is also home to many spiritual sites and parks designated for quiet meditation.

Cave Territories

As the Æld'Norai population slowly increased, they expanded outward into the surrounding Myrkvior mountains. Cave systems already existed as they expanded, though most of these were flooded and spread deep into the earth. Utilizing Galdr, the Ælves cut new caverns into the earth as well as creating pathways meant to connect those that already exist. In the present, these cave networks play host to a smattering of outposts and settlements. One in particular is much larger than the others, slowly becoming a city in its own right.

Sværlys: While the bulk of the Æld'Norai population still take up residence in the forests of Ælheim, those who do call the caves home tend to congregate in one place. Sværlys is a small city located in a large, yawning chasm found within the southern Myrkvior mountains. Shrouded in shadows, the city is composed of elegant stone structures that are both standalone and built into the cavern walls. The city maintains a focus on the cultivation of the unique mycology found within the caves as well as a penchant for the arts, particularly stone carving. Settlements: Dotted throughout the myriad caverns of Myrkvior are many smaller settlements, most of which serve as dwellings and whose residents travel to Sværlys frequently for both business and leisure. For the settlements that are farther away, in-ground teleportation sites are used to facilitate quicker travel. These settlements also serve as research outposts, artist retreats, spiritual sites and so on.

Myrkvior Outskirts

Several miles of forests surrounding the mountain range are still influenced by Ældrassil, though such influence is weaker once one leaves the mountains. There are three small settlements, one north, one southwest and one southeast, each populated by the modern day descendents of what many believe were the first humans. They are, presently, subjugated by the Æld'Norai and live as vassals serving them. Their lives are, comparably, bleak. The forests are dark and dense, with outsiders describing them as dangerous places that ought to be feared and given a wide berth by travelers.

Geography

Myrkvior Mountain Range

The Myrkvior mountains are composed of exceptionally hard rock deep in color– blacks and greys marbled in opalescent color. Steeped in magic, the stone is easier to manipulate by magical means than average but sturdy to a degree that it is nigh impossible to carve into utilizing methods more mundane. For most who come across it, it is a mysterious, ethereal sight from afar.

Myriad cave systems wind themselves through the rock at all elevations. Those that are higher in elevation are dry while those that wind deep into the earth are oft flooded with water. The fauna and flora found within have adapted accordingly, and depending on depth, one can come across anything from glowing corals to winged horrors. All elevations, however, host plentiful variations of fungi.

All of the caverns will, eventually, lead to the mountain’s most notorious feature: its central basin. Carved out by Fæ an uncountable number of years in the past, this large basin is filled with lush, dark old-growth forestry all derived from the great tree at its heart.

Myrkvior Basin

The basin carved out within the mountain range plays hosts to a verdant, arboreal paradise-- at least, to the Æld'Norai within. Lit with their Lifesight, it is bright and easy to navigate, but when seen through the eyes of others, it is a beautiful but ultimately very dark place. The trees are tall and dense enough so as to let very little light in even on the brightest of days, and further, there is a seemingly omnipresent fog drifting through the foliage further obscuring vision.

Myrkvior Outskirts/Forests

Though the dragon will never again wield true consciousness, its essence within the tree influences the land and people around it, extending outward from Ældrassil, through the mountains and outward into the surrounding forests. The border where its influence ends is stark, with the density of the foliage drastically dropping as soon as one steps out of it. However, the forests outside of the mountain are not quite as vibrant as those that surround Ældrassil itself.

These outer forests play host to the human vassals of the Ælves.

Climate

Within the Myrkvior basin and around Ældrassil itself are lush, conifer forests consisting mostly of ancient fir and hemlock trees. To those without Æld’Norai Lifesight, the woods are eerie, dense and dark, barely lit by what minor modicum of sunlight is able to penetrate the trees and a few different types of dimly glowing flora. The outskirts of Ælheim blend nigh seamlessly into the forests and an outsider would struggle to identify civilization until wandering into the city’s Hekseved district, though no outsider would ever make it that far without a guide. Various forest-dwelling fauna, twisted by the tree’s magic, can be found at all parts of the basin, though their populations dwindle as one nears Ældrassil.

While caverns of the Myrkvior mountains are devoid of the sun’s light, they are not without light entirely. The water which floods much of the lower tunnels has a cyan luminescence to it due to Ældrassil’s influence and much of the flora and fungi glow in varying fluorescent colors. The fish, for the most part, are harmless, though they are visually varied and exceptionally bizarre. Otherwise, the caverns are populated by bats and a selection of terrestrial fauna fond of the omnipresent darkness.

Seasonal Weather

Spring: Largely overcast and rainy. Daytime temperatures range from 50 to 70 F, while night temperatures range from 30 to 40 F.

Summer: Despite the fact that this is the sunniest season by far, there is still ample rain. Daytime temperatures range from 65 to 85 F, while night time temperatures range from 50 to 60 F.

Fall: The nearly omnipresent clouds return in this season, though it is not quite as rainy as the Spring. Daytime temperatures range from 40 to 60 F, while night temperatures range from 30 to 40 F.

Winter: It never gets consistently cold enough to freeze the ground as Ældrassil ensures that the land is always capable of growth, though at the height of winter much of the rain turns to sleet. Daytime temperatures range from 35 to 50 F, while night temperatures range from 20 to 40 F.

Factions

Humans of Myrkvior, the Fælnir

Though they are only a fraction of modern humanity, the Fælnir are the original model. Those that live today are descendants of the first humans who were vengefully stripped of everything that made them Æld’Norai. This was a spiteful callback to Ælven origin and performed by their kin in retaliation to what was seen as betrayal. They were then swiftly subjugated, and exist now to serve their former kin and present masters. Unable to leave their home in the forests surrounding the Myrkvior mountains, they have developed a unique and insular culture which serves and almost deifies the Æld'Norai who rule over them.

Society

The humans are, ultimately, subject to Ælven rule, with their society sharing some similarities and some stark differences. Economically, they are barter-based like their masters, and they have a scaled down, similar version of Ælven court and policing systems to keep things running smoothly. Each city has an Æld’Norai governor to keep an eye on them, though everyone below that governor is Fælnir. This is to grant the human subjects the illusion that they, too, have some modicum of power as well as allowing them to self-govern on a leash.

Basic education to ensure everyone is literate is provided through public schooling, and once completed, apprenticeships and trade schools exist to funnel everyone into one role or another. Life as a Fælniri adult is one, typically, of arduous labor. Though magic is freely utilized to ease the burden, the human populace are much weaker mages than their Ælven counterparts, making much more of their work manual. While of course there are merchants, artisans, healers, teachers and so on, the glut of Myrkvior’s humans end up as gatherers of some kind, from logging to mining to agriculture, and most of those resources are freely conceded to their masters.

Culture Steeped in folklore and centuries of enforced, cult-like tradition, the modern Fælnir have been taught that the Æld'Norai are their providers and that without them, they would be unable to subsist on their own. Blissfully unaware of precisely how grim the nature of their origins truly is, most celebrate and happily serve their masters, believing that the world outside the woods is hostile and desolate.

Each season is filled with varying holidays, celebrations of the resources provided by Ældrassil and the perceived safety graciously granted to them by their masters. The spring hosts flower-laden fertility rituals while the summer hosts fiery and blooming sacrificial holidays meant to bolster their harvests. Then, in the fall, they host festivals in celebration of such bounties and winter is the season to properly show their gratitude.

Holidays by Season

Spring:

Summer:

Fall:

Winter:

Territories

The Fælnir have one city and two mid-size settlements, though there are many smaller outposts scattered throughout the forests surrounding the Myrkvior mountains.

Rømskog: Rømskog, erected along the banks of the largest lake in the region, serves as something of a capitol for the Fælnir humans. And though it houses many more people than Ælheim, it is not anywhere so grand. Built primarily out of wood, much of the architecture is adorned with traditional carvings depicting flowers alongside charming woodland creatures, and most are painted lively colors in direct juxtaposition to the dark forests around them.

With its residential areas primarily on the outskirts, the heart of the city is a lively market district along the docks; most of the city’s essential buildings lie between there and the largely residential outskirts. Rømskog’s primary products exported to Ælheim are fish from the lake and wood harvested from the miraculously fast growing trees.

Settlement 2

Settlement 3

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