Ashtavasu Elves

Ashtavasu are culturally connected to the elemental planes they live in four hidden temple cities each located in a place linked to a different elemental plane. Although not all Ashtavasu are elves most are, the rest of the population is made from local races. Most ashtavasu elves live shorter lives than other members of their kin, living about 500 years on average, due to most of them not being pure elves, ashtavasu believe in their community and their mission and don't much care about race. Elves of the ashtravasu are physically recognizable as elves but, due to their mixed ancestry, can have features of other races in their communities. Ashtavasu are divided in 4 temples:

• Prithvi or Earth Ashtravasu, living on Ishtar Prithvi are a community made of all kinds of elves, they live longer than other ashtravasu, about 1000 years old, and they are known to be stoic and stubborn.
• Varuna or Water Ashtravasu, living on The Eye Varuna are a community made of aquatic elves and tritons, elves of this temple may have webbed hands or feet and are cordial and amniable always ready to find compromises.
• Agni or Fire Ashtravasu, living in the northern desert of Uxal Agni are a community made of elves and goliath, elves of this temple are taller and stronger than other elves they are impulsive, brave, passionate, and hot-headed.
• Vāyu or Air Ashtravasu, living in the mountains on the east of the Kingdom of Agder Vāyu are a community made of elves and humans, elves in this temple live the shortest life of all ashtravasu due to their human blood, they are freedom-loving jovial people, carefree and sometimes naive.

Ashtravasu are a secretive culture, most people do not know they exist and none but the ashtravasu know the location of their temple, compassionate by nature they do not possess any military and their numbers are few so secrecy is how they keep their people safe. Their temples are hidden and protected by magical means, illusions make them blend in the environment and outsiders moving near ashtravasu temples may find themselves magically lost and disoriented, often finding themself going away from the temple. Each ashtravasu who wishes to become a master must first learn the way of their native element and then take part in three Yaatra (journeys) to the other temples. Each Yaatra is completed in order Earth->Fire->Air->Water->Earth... So as an example, an Agni must take a Vāyu Yaatra (Journey of air), then a Varuna Yaatra (Journey of Water), and then finally a Prithvi Yaatra (Journey of Earth) before returning to their native temple and being recognized as a master. The journey is as important as the training and each Yaatra can take decades, sometimes even more if the young ashtravasu decides to take the scenic route after all an ashtravasu can only leave their temple during a Yaatra, so some take it as an occasion to explore the world. Ashtravasu are not completely unprepared for their journies, in their libraries records and diaries of previous masters are kept so they may know at least academically about the outside world, sometimes this record can be outdated by years or decades so ashtravasu can be misinformed about the state of the world. Ashtravasu have the innate ability of not being stopped by natural magical barriers and defenses such as those that protect magical forests, the fog monsters around Axal, and obviously the illusion around other ashtravasu temples.

The way of the elements

Not all ashtravasu follow the way of the elements, actually most live mundane lives in the temples doing jobs necessary to the survival of their communities. Each ashtravasu way of the elements is unique, the manifestation of their esoterical knowledge could be a martial art, an arcane art, a dance, song, or other traditional art. Once they feel they mastered an element they head to a special place in the temple, where they perform a demonstration in front of the elder masters and an audience of their peers. The demonstration is performed in the area of the temple where the veil between the material and elemental plane, it is considered successful if a portal to the respective elemental plane is opened. Ashtravasu studying the way of the elements are competent in all the elements not just the one of their temple, they are obviously more proficient in their native element since while they may study the other elements their lives are deeply influenced by their native one, only a master is equally proficient in all the elements.

Family

Ashtravasu do not value traditional family, all the citizens of a temple are considered of the same family, their ideas of free love mean that although long monogamous relationships exist they are a rarety. Ashtravasu children are raised communally and do not have particular attachments to their genetic parents.

Government

Ashtravasu temples are governed by elder masters, theoretically, all masters have an equal say, but usually one or two of the most charismatic tend to hold more sway. Ashtravasu crimes are judged case by case by the community, and punishment almost always includes mandated jobs helpful for the communities, unforgivable crimes such as murders are extremely rare but when they happen are usually punished with the death penalty, exile not being an option due to the secrecy of their temple locations.

Economy

Ashtravasu temples are all self-sustaining but do not have much in the way of luxury, everyone is given enough to live decently, and they live in communal accommodations divided by age groups. Having no practical concept of money or trade ashtravasu going on their Yaatra are somewhat surprised by other more capitalistic cultures, they are not completely ignorant, studying diaries and reports from other ashtravasu that had gone on their Yaatra previously as well as having been taught by the elder masters.

Naming Traditions

Unisex names

Ashtravasu do not differentiate between the sexes when naming their children, the name is chosen collectively by the community and approved by an elder master. Ashtravasu names depend on the temple and are associated even metaphorically with their element as an example an Agni might be named "Jyoti" (flame) and a Varuna "Lahar"(wave). They tend to not use the same name for ashtravasu of the same age to avoid confusion, but the population is not large so it is not that difficult.

Family names

Ashtravasu are raised communally by their temples and so do not have families, all members younger than them are little brothers or little sisters, those roughly the same age are brothers or sisters, older members are fathers and mothers, and elder members are grandfathers and grandmothers.  When ashtravasu meets ashtravasu from other temples they use nepew/nice, cousin, uncle/aunt, and great uncle/aunt depending on the age.

Culture

Major language groups and dialects

Ashtravasu speak their own language not related to elvish, there are difference in dialects between the 4 temples but they are not so large that communication is hindered. Almost all ashtravasu also speak ancient high elven, academically, its the main language of academic books in their libraries and so they can read it and speak it fluently, but it is so removed from modern evlen language that even if most elves would understand the majority of wat it is said it would sound very strange to them. Before a Yaatra ashtrarasu often learn major languages of the culture their intend tojouney trough.

Shared customary codes and values

Ashtravasu have respect for the natural order and disdain for anything that would alter it.

Ideals

Gender Ideals

Ashtravasu are completely egalitarian.