Elfen
A curse that surfaces with the weight of a thousand crashing waves...
Elfen are one of the oldest known races in Arcluminus. They are said to be the children of Seyluna, goddess of the sea.
Every Elfen's first breath is accompanied by the taste of ocean air - their gelatinous pod dries and cracks under the sun, peeling back its shelter to unveil a child, alone and confused, on the shore of some distant land. These pods are birthed by enormous sea-steeds known as Arctorians; amphibious behemoths that rule the outer seas of Arcluminus. The Elfen that make the journey to shore and survive the gnashing teeth of predators (and the harsh environs of wherever they may have beached) grow to be hardened outlanders of wilderness and sea, often living lonesome lives unless lucky enough to stumble across an established Bastion willing to take them in.
Elfen are generally a very quiet people due to living most of their lives on their own (this also leads to many Elfen being slow to trust others). The understanding of verbal language may never be something an Elfen learns, or it will develop later in life once they have come upon pockets of civilization in the wild.
None of this is to say that the Elfen are not a civilized and cohesive people. Being the oldest known humanoid race in Arcluminus, they developed the first rudimentary villages, conceived the building blocks of the common language of Lumen , and scrawled the first words of known recorded history (exempting the written word of many Gods, of course). The Elfen are an extremely intelligent and talented people. Yet, it took centuries before some of the first adult Elfen even came across one another's paths due to the phenomenon of their conception, and even longer before the first tribes came together. But, when Elfen do choose to work together great things can be achieved.
An important note of the Elfen people - their flesh is bound to that of their Arctorian mother. Every Elfen is afflicted by a curse known as Call of the Progenitor. Every 25 years after an Elfen's birth, a fever builds within them, slowly developing into confusion, anger, visions and finally madness. To halt a complete descent into madness, the Elfen must travel back to the place of their birth, where they will meet their birth mother. Their Arctorian mother ceases their maternal siren call and bestows upon their child words of wisdom. These ritualistic communions guide the Elfen along their path to "ascendance", which is said to end in their fated death and return to the god-mother Seyluna . If an Elfen does not answer this call, the fever will edge them towards a hysteria from which they can never return - this is also how the first Dro'zu came to be, though there's more to that story... Something else of note - while Kindlekin and Wylderkin are both descendants of Elfen, they are not subject to the Call of the Progenitor. The emanation of malevolent magic from Ruin has over time cut off the Kindlekin from Seyluna, the Arctorians, and their path to ascendance. The Wylderkin sold their souls to Roothusk of Gaea and no longer hear the Call.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Tall and slender beings, Elfen are naturally fit and require little sustenance. When born, Elfen have gills on their necks which close up within the first year of their life - these exist as a safety measure, in the case that their pod is compromised while afloat on their journey to dry land.
Genetics and Reproduction
Elfen have no gender and are born within gelatinous pods called Brinespores, birthed by large amphibious behemoths of the sea known as Arctorians. Once the Brinespore reaches shore, it dries out, cracks and reveals an Elfen child. Elfen are able to "reproduce" themselves but this involves blood magic and turning their backs on the Gods. Elfen self-reproduction is looked down upon and is usually only practiced by their subspecies - Dro'zu and Kindlekin.
Growth Rate & Stages
Elfen physically mature slowly, reaching full height and growing into their adult body after 30 years. This increases the death rate of Elfen significantly as the early years of their lives are generally dependent on solitary survival in the wild.
Ecology and Habitats
Many Elfen live in the wilds, sometimes forming small tribes, never coming upon structured civilizations. Those whom do, however, quickly find peace in Bastions and cities where they no longer need to spend every day looking over their shoulders and can instead put their focus towards their studies and enlightenment with their Gods.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Elfen are herbivores. They eat whatever they can find in the wilds, or whatever is served in the cities. However, Elfen in general do not require much for sustenance and often go for weeks without food (water is a constant requirement, nonetheless).
Additional Information
Facial characteristics
Tribal tattoos, scars from predatory encounters in the wilds, etc.
Average Intelligence
Highly intelligent
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Elfen have highly acute hearing and vision, yet have muted physical sensation - pain and pleasure are both reduced to a dull sensory (it is said that this allows them to remain focused, aiding in survival). Elfen are naturally highly skilled in magic, yet most Elfen are aware of the dangers of the arcane arts and tend to stray from practicing it; most practitioners tend to be uncivilized Elfen whom are not yet enlightened to the risks involved.
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