Kupua (Koo-poo-ah)

Historical Account

The kupua were one of the four primordial races, the first four races in Hárronfall that obtained complex civilization. They were also one of the two known races that could tap into the energies of Niflheim instead of Múspel. They expelled the energies of Niflheim in the form of galdra. Galdra behaves similarly to aura. The only difference is the power source. With their galdra, they could change shape into any animal at will and change the appearance of their body, such as making their shin rough and hard like stone, or bark like, or even set their entire bodies aflame.

The Kupua’s Effect on Culture

For the most part, little was known about the kupua. The races of Hárronfall knew that some ancient race shaped the white baobab trees and cultivated these trees to draw in the energies of Niflheim. Many glyphs were carved into the stone skeletons of some ancient baobabs that stood the test of time. The presence of the baobabs inspired many to research ways to connect to the energies of Niflheim. They tried to decipher the glyphs to find answers, but the remains of the kupua civilization were scarce and there wasn’t enough information left for anyone to read the strange knots and glyphs weaving along the inside of the petrified white baobabs.

Thanks to the ljósálfar’s perception of the álfar, it gave them the freedom to take a darker route. The álfar were a sickness and a mistake. The ljósálfar could do anything they wanted with their kind without consequence. One group of ljósálfar knew no bonds and performed many grotesque experiments on a number of álfar to connect them to the powers of Niflheim. These ljósálfar succeeded in a sense after many devastating failures. Very few álfr survived the pain of these experiments. All those that survived gain varying levels of insanity. They were still beings of aura, and if they tapped into the powers of Niflheim for too long, it would eat away at their mind.

Haraldr Silverblood discovered the way to decipher the knots and glyphs when he researched the remains of the kuapa’s central city. He learned what the kuapa called themselves, their powers, and their culture. The kuapa lived to protect nature. They raised their cities out of the baobab so they live as a closer part of the natural forces. Like the Tuath Dé and the Aes sídhe, kupua were also sexless.

He learned why the kuapa changed the white baobabs to draw from the energies of Niflheim and the purpose of it. Haraldr used this knowledge to awaken many powerful and old enchantments the kuapa left behind. With this power and knowledge, he led the álfr rebellion against the ljósálfr. While he learned how the kuapa developed the white baobab’s powers, he never shared this knowledge or tried it out for himself. The álfar, his people, already suffered enough from those ljósálfar experiments.

Kupua From Māori Lore

While the word kupua often gets translated to demigod in English, they are more like what the Jötun are to the Æsir than what demigods are in Hellenistic lore. Some are protectors and worshiped as gods like Pele (volcano goddess) and Maui (Trickster god and adventurer). Most are dangerous and destructive beings. They are all recognized by their ability to change shape into anything from an animal, to plant, to stone.