Elkin
Devout Adepts
The Grass Sea is often known for its rolling hills and featureless expanses. But across the landscape are small forests and wooded caverns that provide safeguard from the endless plains. It is in these oasis of wood that the Elkin make their home. Once thought to be sacred places, the Elkin travelled from very far away to find these small corners, back when no one but Horses lived in the Grass Sea. This great pilgrimage took many years to finish, as the Elkin slowly populated one 'island' to then move on to the next. During the Long Winter, the Elkin kept safe in these places, avoiding the natural hazards that flayed the plains. The Elkin have, in fact, the most complete recording of the Long Winter in their possession.
Whatever the reason for their pilgrimage, it is clear that the woods they now inhabit are brimming with arcane and fey energy. Throughout the centuries the Elkin have befriended these wilds and have learned to communicate with it, as well as harness its power. As a result, the Grass Sea is considered a Mecca for both the Esmer Cult and Animism, despite the fact that Elkin are primarily Esmer Cultists. This is because Elkin are considered powerful Druids and have a mastery of the craft that is perhaps incomparable to any other race.
Despite their capabilities, the Elkin do not live in total peace. Eventually, the Grass Sea was inhabited by the Drow, who lived off it nomadically, hunting Boar packs that roam the plains. Encounters between the two races are not uncommon, though through the ages an understanding has emerged, splitting the terrain into two realms: the Plains, that belong to the Drow, and the woods, which belong to the Elkin. A similar situation has occurred with the stages of the day, as the night is considered free range for the Drow, and the Elkin are mostly unhindered if they travel between forests by day. This respect between the two races has been forged by both the focused nature of the two (The Drow live in the hunt and are always vigilant of when to declare a 'One Moon', while the Elkin live in static isolation, listening to the patterns of nature to relay the information to other wild races) and bloody conflict. The Elkin are perhaps most known for the The Crashing of The Heavens during the The War of The Stallions where many Elkin Druids rose during full moon to cause great lightning strikes in virtually all of the Grass Sea. Not only did the event end the war, but the Drow grew to respect the power that the Elkin held.
Elkin live lives that are rleigiously driven, granting reverence to Druids who offer guidance. The ideal of the Pilgrimage is very prominent in Elkin society and it is not uncommon for aspiring Elkin druids to travel to great distances to discover the qualities and truths of nature. Though Elkin who return are welcomed with open arms, rarely ever do. Those who live all their lives in the Grass Sea do so in structures build of dried substances; bark, leaf, and mud. Though seemingly shabby, these homes have complex architecture and can weather almost all environmental hazards. Aspiring fighters are trained as paladins, protecting the realm that the Elkin share with many timeless fey creatures. Elkin physiology makes it so that males are far less numerous than females, leading to a society where women take on most of the important, day-to-day labors (building, gathering, policing, schooling, etc) while males take on more physically demanding roles, such as soldiers and protectors. Though not strictly requires, most Druid Lords have been male, as the uniqueness of the gender in the race fits with a 'blessed being' logic. Paladins, as well, are often male, as their great size and constitution makes them worthy fighters. But their society is run, administered, and kept alive by women, who also are typically the ones who face predators and Drow bandits when they wander into their territory.
Elkin births are a relatively rare affair and in Elkin society are seen as a sacred event. While the mother is pregnant she is cared for by the fey in isolation, only returning to society once her child is born. Due to the fey's care, miscarriage is extremely rare. Due to male scarcity, Elkin have shared fathers in one generation, and are often raised by a pair or group of mothers, as males are expected to return to their unavoidable duties. In fact, it is not uncommon for women to live together, despite any lack of familial bond, and share lifetimes and motherhoods. Though forbidden in Elkin society, it is not uncommon for these lifetime partners to fall in love.
Naming Traditions
Feminine names
Aife, Cinnia, Edna, Gitta, Idelisa, Lavena
Masculine names
Albion, Bevyn, Drem, Finnbar, Henwas, Naois
Family names
Bracken, Deneen, Fahey, Greenway, Kidwell, Phoil, Ratigan, Sineath, Yorath
Show spoiler
The names are derived from Celtic first and last names.
Culture
Art & Architecture
Elkin build their homes from dried leaf and bark. They use a kind of clay to bind the materials together and form intricate and artistic shapes on their architecture. Their artistic but shoddy looking buildings are exceedingly resilient to weathering and hazards, and last surprisingly long.
