Sun Elves
"I once watched a Sun Elf pick a man up by the legs and used him to beat another man to death. I think we can all strive to be that... resourceful." - Steachi Traveler
The Sun Elves are the hardy orange-skinned elves originating from the harsh land of Crucible. Their society is built upon self-improvement through combat and hardship, which is the basis for many religious and governmental practices. Many of Nostrina's greatest warriors were Sun Elves who went above and beyond to prove themselves as legends.
Appearance
Sun Elves stand well over six feet tall, with most men around 6'9 to 6'10 and women between 6'7 and 6'9. Their robust bodies make them the most physically strong and imposing individuals on Nostrina. Their dark orange skin, which is somewhat heat resistant, allows them to thrive in the oppressive Crucible sun and compliments their imposing green armor. Like their ancestors the Cardinal Elves, they are a circina species of elf, meaning their facial structure has the same shape as a human's, as opposed to the sharper facial features of the Roctane or the Frost Elves.History
Origins
The Sun elves are the descendants of elven migrants who settled in the Peregrinus River Valley in the mid-Ancestral Era. Over the next few centuries, the migrant elves endured many cultural shifts and conflicts as they explored beyond the river valley into the harsh red deserts of Crucible. As the years went on, the elves began to experience changes with each new generation slowly. It started with them becoming more resistant to the brutal desert climate and shifting to the distinct dark orange color of the modern Sun Elves. Lastly, the elves started to grow taller and more muscular until they became the sturdy elves that would become the Sun Elves.The Peregrin Schism and the Rise of the Camingus Cult
After the death of Auren Divna in 1599 AE, Ormal Raxian and Nathanal Alleric gathered a congregation of elves and fled San Cardel. Guided by visions of a fertile valley far to the west, the elves sailed west until they reached the Peregrinus River Valley, tucked within the mountains of northeastern Crucible. Within the valley, the elves built the city of Magna'Fidem, a city of faith in the Decentur Church. Ormel Raxian would rule the elves as Pontiff until he died 1629 AE. His successor, Nathanal Alleric, enacted a religious purge on Magna'Fidem, killing or removing anyone he deemed as dissidents from the city. The survivors fled and founded the city of Dellarx, which would eventually overshadow the city of faith. In 1664 AE, the vengeful citizens of Dellarx launched their attack on Magan'Fidem, killing Pontiff Alleric and nearly wiping out all traces of the Decentur Church from the valley. The leader of Dellarx, Arnen Cyrenus, would become the first king of the newly formed nation of Dissiterra. He would lead the expansion of the elves from the valley into the badlands of Crucible, leading to a new golden age for the elves of Dissiterra. In the centuries following his death, the elves would slowly evolve into the orange-skinned Sun Elves of the modern day. After years of conflicts with followers of the old Decenturan faith, the Camingus Cult would become the Sun Elves' official faith. This cult was the blueprint for the warrior society of the Sun Elves that remains strong in the Second Era.Blessing of Dissenus
By the year 2175 AE, Crucible had been divided into eight rival kingdoms after years of fighting. While the king of Carnubellum squabbled with his advisors on war plans, a mysterious figure clad in black armor entered his court and challenged him to a duel. At first, the king refused, seeing the figure as nothing more than a weak mad man, but the visitor responded by proclaiming that the king was a coward unfit to rule by refusing to fight. The king, an old warrior with a sense of honor, accepted the visitor's challenge to prove his honor in front of his court. He fought valiantly but was cut down by the visitor, who soon vanished without saying a word. The mysterious warrior then arrived at the kingdom of Dolmova and challenged its queen to a duel in the same manner. Along with the rest of the Crucible monarchs, she was cut down in their court, standing little chance against the warrior. After killing the eighth king, the warrior vanished, disappearing as suddenly as he had arrived. Strangely, the Sun Elven kingdoms were brought together by the common threat of the mysterious figure. New monarchs took the thrones of their fallen predecessors, preparing for the possible return of the warrior. Exactly five years later, he returned. Just as he had before, he challenged the king of Carnubellum to a duel. Just like his father before him, the king met his end at the warrior's blade. Despite five years of preparation, every Sun Elven ruler was cut down like they were nothing. The dissatisfied warrior left Crucible once again, promising to return in five years. The warrior wouldn't meet his match until 2185 AE, when Queen Canta of Dralore finally defeated him. Upon his defeat, the warrior's body rose with divine light bursting from his body. He declared to the stunned court that he was Dissenus, the Proving God, and he had been seeking one who could defeat his avatar. He had given his blessing to Queen Canta, who had proven herself to be worthy of becoming the ruler of the Sun Elves. With Dissenus's blessing, Queen Canta fully reunited Crucible after years of infighting. After her passing, the Sun Elves created the Proving Grounds for potential candidates to battle to the death for the throne. Queen Canta would be the last lifetime monarch, with all future leaders serving five-year terms until they must prove themselves again in the Proving Grounds. This system has remained nearly unchanged, still being used by the Sun Elves to determine leaders in the Second Era.The Balgaar Invasion of Crucible
On the 10th of Winter's Arrival in 93 1E, a rogue mage opened a portal to the Blazing Abyss in the center of Crucible. The person who opened the portal is unknown, though it is assumed it was a rouge mage from Ibuhess who sought revenge for the damage the Sun Elves had done to them centuries prior. The Balgaar, monsters of fire and hate, spilled out from the portal and killed everything in their path. The Sun Elven response to the attack was quick and equally violent, pushing the invaders back to the portal after a long, bloody battle. Upon pushing the invading Balgaar back to the portal, King Serentar gathered two hundred of his best warriors and charged into the Blazing Abyss. The King and his warriors left a trail of destruction in their wake as they fought off the hordes of Balgaar. One by one, the elven warriors fell to the horde, with King Serentar dying last on the peak of a mountain of Balgaar corpses. The destruction the elves had wrought was enough that Immora, the Aeunta of the Blazing Abyss, choose to close the portal to Crucible in fear of what more Sun Elves could do to his realm. It is believed that Immora cut all contact with Nostrina after this event in humiliation, although some fear the possibility of retaliation by the scorned Aeunta.Culture
Society
Sun Elven society revolves around its beliefs of constant self-improvement through hardship and combat. Sun Elves are encouraged to use their natural strength to become skilled and powerful fighters. All citizens, regardless of trade, or expected to have some degree of skill in combat. Despite the numerous stereotypes, not every Sun Elves chooses a life of fighting, instead focusing on perfecting their trades and benefiting society. The arcane arts are considered practices of the weak by many older elves. New generations have begun to see value in magic, but it is far from being commonly accepted by greater Sun Elven society. Oddly enough, Crucible doesn't have an organized military like most nations. Instead, the defense of their homeland rests upon the Sun Elven citizens, who are expected to fight when threats arise. Local militias comprise of trained fighters and Semparta Warriors, regular citizens that will be ready to fight in under a minute's notice. The ranks of the Semparta can include anyone, and even some children can join in. If a foreign country were to attack Crucible, they would have to reckon with not just a trained army but almost the entire population of Sun Elves descending upon them in retaliation. Through sheer brute force and unorthodox tactics, the might of the Sun Elves remains a force none can withstand. In Crucible, only the strongest can rule. The Sun Elves don't follow a traditional monarchy system like other places, opting to use a far more brutal way of choosing their leaders. The ruler of Crucible rules for five years; at the end of their term, they may either rule for another five years or step down to hand the throne to another. If they choose to rule again, they must prove they are worthy in the Proving Grounds by accepting rivals' challenges in a fight to the death. If the current ruler kills their challengers, they will rule for another five-year term. If they die, the one who killed them will fight the remaining challengers until only one candidate remains, becoming the new ruler of Crucible. The home city of the winner of this bloody competition will become the capital of Crucible during their term. There are no limits to the number of terms someone can serve as ruler, with the longest streak going to King Tomar Bradian's seven continuous terms as the king. In the Second Era, the Sun Elves are a mostly united people, although there is one major exception, the Forsaken Tribes. Formed by elves exiled from Crucible for their beliefs that the Sun Elves are born to conquer the entirety of Nostrina. The idea of complete domination of the world was not feasible and ran against the belief that all races should become stronger on their own. These loosely connected tribes live in the Meran mountains on the southern border of Crucible, using the treacherous terrain as a natural barrier from attacks. Since their creation during the mid-First Era, the Forsaken Tribes have fought with Crucible and other nearby nations, pillaging and ransacking nearby settlements.Language
The common language among the Sun Elves is Dissenan. It is a variant of Arrini that many outsiders would describe as harsh and angry sounding. Dissenan follows the same sentence structure as Arrini, and most of its words are slightly modified versions of their Arrini counterparts.Art and Architecture
The vast majority of structures in Crucible of built with stone in a rugged and brutalist fashion. Newer building styles use rebar made of iron to reinforce buildings from attacks and harsh weather, along with measures like metal spikes to prevent anyone from climbing them. Common motifs in Sun Elven architecture include decorations with the green-colored metal Viridium and rigid buildings. Many cities in Crucible are built around a Castellum, a massive fortress carved into the side of a mountain or a butte, often serving as the home for the local ruler or even as the starting point for mines. A signature artform in Crucible is sculpting. Statues depicting mighty warriors and historical figures are commonplace within the cities and desert countryside. Notable statues include the towering monument to Ormel Raxian overlooking the Peregrinus River Valley and the impressive statue of King Serentar fighting off hordes of Balgaar in front of the Infernal Gateway.Religion
The common faith of most Sun Elves centers around the God of Proving, referred to as Caminganism by foreigners. Dissenus, despite being a confirmed Ossian, is not worshipped as a deity; instead, he is treated as a mentor of the Sun Elves. He teaches a lifestyle in which one is always seeking ways to make oneself stronger; hardship and strife are welcome, for they force one to sharpen their skills and toughen their will. The end goal for Sun Elves is to become legends and earn their place in the Hall of the Proven after death. These values are also extended to all outsiders and foreign countries. Most Sun Elves frown upon conquering other lands outside Crucible since this would deny those lands the chance to get stronger themselves. They also look down on those who raid and pillage since a powerful Sun Elf wouldn't need to steal from others. Another commonly practiced rule forbidding the killing of those who can't truly fight back since the killer wouldn't learn or improve by killing them. A variation of the main faith, mainly practiced by the Forsaken Tribes of the Meran Mountains, worships Dissenus as a war god. These tribes, led by ruthless warlords, differ from the rest of Crucible because they believe the Sun Elves have a divine right to conquer the rest of Nostra. The exiles of these tribes frequently come into conflict with Crucible and other nearby nations like Malashara. However, their mountain home continually protects them from a full-scale invasion from these nations.
Caria, a rugged Sun Elven warrior by Natassa Ioannidi
Genetic Ancestor(s)
Scientific Name
Cultroaruis Sol
Lifespan
50 years
Average Height
2m (6'7'')
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