Post by Flint on Nov 20, 2017 20:53:08 GMT 1
Tribe name: Once there might have been several kinds of elves on their world, different enough to be distinguished by name references – but now, their numbers have dwindled so much, that all elves refer to themselves as “Oblivion´s Kin”
Leadership: They had leaders in past ages and great ones they were, but this is now. When it may happen that one can count of all meetings of a lifetime with both hands, there are no leaders, no councils, nothing to be discussed. Within those small splinter groups, bound only by blood or circumstances and rarely holding up longer than necessary, everyone is equal, age and skill of no matter. In general everyone is a loner, not avoiding contact, but neither seeking it.
Type of elves: They can be counted as pure-blooded, but there is some intermingling with animal traits (and maybe even plants. Or stones. See location). This didn´t happen intentionally or through bonds, but is an effect of war results (see events), of awry-gone magic stirring things up and everything given on to following generations, maybe even enhanced by encounters with the magic trough life. If there is a name for this, it might be referred to as (magical) tainted pureblood. The elves themselves don´t like to talk about it, but are aware of the fact. Effects on appearance are rather small and the impact upon life expectation unknown.
Soul Names: They have soul names, but unless someone else found it (through recognition or a really strong bond) or they accidentally/by circumstances go successful on a quest for it, they will never know. Soul names itself have lost their meaning, due to lost knowledge and all the more so because there rarely is one to share them with willingly.
Recognition: Although Recognition is known and happens often (based on the small number of meetings with other elves), it is not exactly liked. Most don´t even want to bring children in a dying world, let alone care for one or bound themselves to a stranger. Right after the war, when everyone felt forced to produce children for the sake of their race, it was still a blessing, but by now they have lost hope and the knowledge that nothing can be done about their extinction has settled in, so Recognition is seen as a curse, a force of evolution. If it happens, they get it over with and rarely the couple stays together after the child is born, least they search out others to have help in child rising. Even if no one leaves a child to die, most parents let them tend for themselves once they are old enough, giving them only what tradition and knowledge they have on their way.
Location: Whats left of their kin is based on a faraway planet, that they call Oblivion – it had a different name once, but this one got forgotten and no longer suitable. Years and years ago it was green and full of life, indigenous humans and animals, arrived elves, trolls and preservers alike. But it was an unlucky encounter: the two races did get along all but well and a long lasting and harsh war, fought with any weapon and magic that could be called upon, left the world scarred and hostile, full of ruins, wilderness, foul magic and poisoned landscape. And unbeknownst to the inhabitants, their planet slowly spiraled further out in space, which caused them to loose their only moon, every night and winter to last longer and become darker, every summer to get cooler. Life dwindles and the world dies – slowly, but surely. There is no Holt anymore, nor anything alike, but instead a strange environment, full of trickery and impossibilities, landscape that seems alive and magic that isn´t bad our foul by default, just weird and intermingled with everything else. It might even be something good, just strange and new compared to former times, but the chance that it will get a chance to thrive is slim.
Culture: It´s obvious that the elves here have recoiled from hope for the future, as they don´t have the means to change anything. They live on, because there is nothing better and maybe time will make a miracle happen and change something, but everyone knows about the uncertain future. Ceremonies and celebrations are no longer hold, stories and history getting lost. Oblivion's elves stopped caring about that and try to live in the now as much as they can without any animal-bound. Since the war magic is somewhat everywhere, but it has gotten a bad reputation, being the cause for to much loss and after-effects. It is hard to say how many and which magic are represented, since most tend to hide any ability, using it only if needed or if they are alone. This is not done without reason: with all the magic around and their own taint, they know all to well that any attempt may turn foul itself – this won´t happen in a stable environment, thought, but they can´t possible know that, if there is no safe place. This and the lack of edible plants, fruits or game in the uncertain, ever-changing landscape, forces everyone to wander the place forever, seeking whatever they need to survive, only staying long enough in one place to prepare something or sleep. Nowhere is enough to supply more than one or two, even with usable scraps everywhere, so wandering the world alone is common sense. If you are always on your own, names are of less meaning, therefore most refer to themselves with short words, usually plant names, given by parents and changed only if felt necessary. Sending is something everyone can use, but does rarely, as most times there is no one within reach and even if, what for? Unless you are in desperate need of something, it is useless to come together and talk about things no one has words for.
Something unique about the elves is, that they know how to make tattoos (like native humans do – ink from ash, something sharp, lots of work and pain) and use this as well as ear-piercings as a form of self-expression. It goes back to war-paint, covering up of scars and to carry something with them that makes identification after death easier, but nowadays it is done merely out of tradition, to remember something or to make a difference to the features they were born with.
Events: There is only one event of interest: the war between humans and elves (and trolls somewhat) that occurred quite some time ago. They never got along, which led to tensions from the beginning, everlasting battles, revenge carried out over generations and many wrong attempts to destroy a major part of the other side, weak the enemy they didn´t even really knew. No final battle was fought, no armies clashed together, no mass-weapons were used – it just lasted until no one could remember otherwise, dragged out all around their world and with all the destruction, the wandering, the fields of death and leftover weapons and magic of any sort the world started to wither. When both finally realized how great the toll was, nothing could be done anymore. Neither elves nor humans were left in great numbers, trolls and preservers long gone, maybe hidden, maybe vanished entirely, everyone else weak and scattered, ancient knowledge lost forever. That the planet itself was deviating from its course could neither know – but the effects of it didn´t make anything better. Weather got unstable when their moon tumbled out in space, so that droughts, floodings, violent hail and heavy thunderstorms tormented every place, killing many and sparking something new and strange in the pools of left magic, leaving them brooding and changing. Winter, together with years, got gradually longer as well as the nights, while the summer turned colder. The remaining humans didn´t survive these conditions – the elves adapted, somehow, but even with great united efforts, they were just to few to reestablish their kin. This knowledge, together with the ever present and in their belief somewhat poisoned magic, changed them to a degree until they resigned, living only for the sake of life, seemingly uncaring but not daring to nurture the small hope that better times would come. By now, there are generations who never experienced the war, who know only a world where old rules don´t apply anymore, who lost much of their former knowledge, who might never met another elf in their wandering and who are by any means the last of their kind... or something new.
Random Info:
Known members: Flint and Sapling, Ivy, Jay
Can other players make elves from this tribe to bring to Beacon Call?
Yes – BUT I´d advise against it. Please take into consideration, that this is a dying world, with very few elves left, hardly believable wildlife/landscape (inspiration taken from the “Southern Reach Trilogy” by Jeff Vandermeer), “bad-tasting/off-feeling” magic and rather unhealthy (although not stone-set) opinions about Recognition, Magic, Social Life and Future Plans. Anyone not rejected – please PM me beforehand
Leadership: They had leaders in past ages and great ones they were, but this is now. When it may happen that one can count of all meetings of a lifetime with both hands, there are no leaders, no councils, nothing to be discussed. Within those small splinter groups, bound only by blood or circumstances and rarely holding up longer than necessary, everyone is equal, age and skill of no matter. In general everyone is a loner, not avoiding contact, but neither seeking it.
Type of elves: They can be counted as pure-blooded, but there is some intermingling with animal traits (and maybe even plants. Or stones. See location). This didn´t happen intentionally or through bonds, but is an effect of war results (see events), of awry-gone magic stirring things up and everything given on to following generations, maybe even enhanced by encounters with the magic trough life. If there is a name for this, it might be referred to as (magical) tainted pureblood. The elves themselves don´t like to talk about it, but are aware of the fact. Effects on appearance are rather small and the impact upon life expectation unknown.
Soul Names: They have soul names, but unless someone else found it (through recognition or a really strong bond) or they accidentally/by circumstances go successful on a quest for it, they will never know. Soul names itself have lost their meaning, due to lost knowledge and all the more so because there rarely is one to share them with willingly.
Recognition: Although Recognition is known and happens often (based on the small number of meetings with other elves), it is not exactly liked. Most don´t even want to bring children in a dying world, let alone care for one or bound themselves to a stranger. Right after the war, when everyone felt forced to produce children for the sake of their race, it was still a blessing, but by now they have lost hope and the knowledge that nothing can be done about their extinction has settled in, so Recognition is seen as a curse, a force of evolution. If it happens, they get it over with and rarely the couple stays together after the child is born, least they search out others to have help in child rising. Even if no one leaves a child to die, most parents let them tend for themselves once they are old enough, giving them only what tradition and knowledge they have on their way.
Location: Whats left of their kin is based on a faraway planet, that they call Oblivion – it had a different name once, but this one got forgotten and no longer suitable. Years and years ago it was green and full of life, indigenous humans and animals, arrived elves, trolls and preservers alike. But it was an unlucky encounter: the two races did get along all but well and a long lasting and harsh war, fought with any weapon and magic that could be called upon, left the world scarred and hostile, full of ruins, wilderness, foul magic and poisoned landscape. And unbeknownst to the inhabitants, their planet slowly spiraled further out in space, which caused them to loose their only moon, every night and winter to last longer and become darker, every summer to get cooler. Life dwindles and the world dies – slowly, but surely. There is no Holt anymore, nor anything alike, but instead a strange environment, full of trickery and impossibilities, landscape that seems alive and magic that isn´t bad our foul by default, just weird and intermingled with everything else. It might even be something good, just strange and new compared to former times, but the chance that it will get a chance to thrive is slim.
Culture: It´s obvious that the elves here have recoiled from hope for the future, as they don´t have the means to change anything. They live on, because there is nothing better and maybe time will make a miracle happen and change something, but everyone knows about the uncertain future. Ceremonies and celebrations are no longer hold, stories and history getting lost. Oblivion's elves stopped caring about that and try to live in the now as much as they can without any animal-bound. Since the war magic is somewhat everywhere, but it has gotten a bad reputation, being the cause for to much loss and after-effects. It is hard to say how many and which magic are represented, since most tend to hide any ability, using it only if needed or if they are alone. This is not done without reason: with all the magic around and their own taint, they know all to well that any attempt may turn foul itself – this won´t happen in a stable environment, thought, but they can´t possible know that, if there is no safe place. This and the lack of edible plants, fruits or game in the uncertain, ever-changing landscape, forces everyone to wander the place forever, seeking whatever they need to survive, only staying long enough in one place to prepare something or sleep. Nowhere is enough to supply more than one or two, even with usable scraps everywhere, so wandering the world alone is common sense. If you are always on your own, names are of less meaning, therefore most refer to themselves with short words, usually plant names, given by parents and changed only if felt necessary. Sending is something everyone can use, but does rarely, as most times there is no one within reach and even if, what for? Unless you are in desperate need of something, it is useless to come together and talk about things no one has words for.
Something unique about the elves is, that they know how to make tattoos (like native humans do – ink from ash, something sharp, lots of work and pain) and use this as well as ear-piercings as a form of self-expression. It goes back to war-paint, covering up of scars and to carry something with them that makes identification after death easier, but nowadays it is done merely out of tradition, to remember something or to make a difference to the features they were born with.
Events: There is only one event of interest: the war between humans and elves (and trolls somewhat) that occurred quite some time ago. They never got along, which led to tensions from the beginning, everlasting battles, revenge carried out over generations and many wrong attempts to destroy a major part of the other side, weak the enemy they didn´t even really knew. No final battle was fought, no armies clashed together, no mass-weapons were used – it just lasted until no one could remember otherwise, dragged out all around their world and with all the destruction, the wandering, the fields of death and leftover weapons and magic of any sort the world started to wither. When both finally realized how great the toll was, nothing could be done anymore. Neither elves nor humans were left in great numbers, trolls and preservers long gone, maybe hidden, maybe vanished entirely, everyone else weak and scattered, ancient knowledge lost forever. That the planet itself was deviating from its course could neither know – but the effects of it didn´t make anything better. Weather got unstable when their moon tumbled out in space, so that droughts, floodings, violent hail and heavy thunderstorms tormented every place, killing many and sparking something new and strange in the pools of left magic, leaving them brooding and changing. Winter, together with years, got gradually longer as well as the nights, while the summer turned colder. The remaining humans didn´t survive these conditions – the elves adapted, somehow, but even with great united efforts, they were just to few to reestablish their kin. This knowledge, together with the ever present and in their belief somewhat poisoned magic, changed them to a degree until they resigned, living only for the sake of life, seemingly uncaring but not daring to nurture the small hope that better times would come. By now, there are generations who never experienced the war, who know only a world where old rules don´t apply anymore, who lost much of their former knowledge, who might never met another elf in their wandering and who are by any means the last of their kind... or something new.
Random Info:
- They usually don´t name plants or animals, as they are ever shifting and changing. If needed, they distinguish between things be description of the location where it can be found, the outer looks, the use and it´s behavior.
- Knowledge and history are passed on via stories that the parents tell
their children. Therefore most can tell stories in some way, it´s just
that they are real and not imagination. Of course, things get twisted
when one does n´t remember right... - Bonds and pets are unknown, as none would dare getting to familiar with something that could go havoc anytime. Also, they lack the time to provide for other living things or train animals.
- Most of the time you can hear voices in the wind, barely distinguishable
from other noises but there. It can drive one crazy if you listen to
closely and fall for the illusion that these are real people calling out
– they aren´t. Like with ghost lights (friar´s lantern, fools fire,
will-o´-wisp, marsh light or whatever you call it) following them leads
to dangers. - You can see many things in nature, if you look for it – trees that have
the shape of people and move, deer whose antler flower, eyes in the
water, scripture that´s formed of moos on a cave wall, stones that
imitate buildings... everything you can think of and more. Don´t be
fooled by it. - Means of navigation by stars or sun are lost to them, as their sky is
unreliable, but neither can you trust landscape. Best way is to remember
exactly how many steps you´ve made which way and to be able to retrace
them days back.
Known members: Flint and Sapling, Ivy, Jay
Can other players make elves from this tribe to bring to Beacon Call?
Yes – BUT I´d advise against it. Please take into consideration, that this is a dying world, with very few elves left, hardly believable wildlife/landscape (inspiration taken from the “Southern Reach Trilogy” by Jeff Vandermeer), “bad-tasting/off-feeling” magic and rather unhealthy (although not stone-set) opinions about Recognition, Magic, Social Life and Future Plans. Anyone not rejected – please PM me beforehand
