Hyr'Norai

Fast Facts

Height: 6'2-6'10" Males, 5'11"-6'6" Females

Weight: 200-250(lbs) Males, 150-190(lbs) Females

Lifespan: Adult (18 years), Elder (300 years), Deathly (350 years)

Notable Features: Radiant Skin, Golden Sheen Hair, Dagger-Like Ears, Inherent Golden Embroidery (Detailed Below), Robust Builds and Long Youth

Player Restrictions: None

Racial Ability: Lothas: An ancient ability, Hyr'norai are capable of illuminating any non-living object they can touch, providing these items with a burning intensity. This increases the brightness of the object exponentially, imbuing it with a golden and glaring hue, which can be used to light the Hyr'norai's path in darkness or even for other things, such as making a weapon painfully bright. Additionally, it adds a painful burn to those objects when coming in contact with a Hyr'norai's foe, even capable of inflaming objects if used by a particularly powerful Hyr'norai. Unfortunately, this ability is as useful as it is necessary, as Hyr'norai have the worst 'darkvision' of any of Atharen's races; even in moonlight they struggle to see, with vaguely dark conditions appearing almost pitch black.

Population: 29,000,000

History

The history of the Hyr'norai is, in many ways, the history of Atharen. They are the oldest of all races, crafted by Y'shendra long before the advent of their peers, meant to inherit the earth and to live as a monument and testament of the world's successful birth. The Hyr'norai defined the First Age, known to them as the Halcyon Days, a time where they communicated openly and often with the Living Gods and all manner of spirits once intent on fostering their growth.

Yet somewhere along the length of this story, the people diverged, split between ideologies of warmongering, of purity and of freedom, of respect for the old versus adherence to the world's new order; of a desire to war versus a desire to bond and meld. The Hyr'norai, somewhere within the Age of Elves, fragmented into three as they decided to leave their collapsing Kingdom and their ancient homeland of Daravin in exchange for the promise of life ahead.

While all of the current Elves can be seen as facets of what they once were, the Hyr'norai are the purest living model of what being 'Elven' truly is; a center between civility and naturalistic life, between dangerous pride and reasoned humility. They are the most traditional of the remaining Elves and so they remain largely untouched from their pre-Sundered state, keeping many of the same physical characteristics as their original manifestations. They rejected the Black Sigil that led to the corrosion of the Ald'norai, the earliest of Hyr'norai dissidents known for their desire to keep the Elven race pure of change or 'deformity.'

And so, this stagnation - set into their conservative kind near the end of the Third Age - defines the beginning of their distinct and documented history, starting with their migration west to the land they now consider their eternal home: Vendigad.

The Hyr'norai fragmented around fifteen hundred years before the current time, and much of these first few centuries were spent establishing Vendigad as a new home to forage, learn and slowly develop. As this all occurred during the rise of the Clockwork Empire and the genocide of the Sil'norai to the east, the High Elves were quickly caught in global affairs. The largely divided, then-nomadic groups of Hyr'norai followed a policy of tribal confederacies, fighting the Clockwork Empire through evasion, guerrilla tactics and the utilization of their endless swathes of forest and their skill in archery, subversion and magic. Vendigad, despite holding very few people at the time, managed to retain their independence from the Empire and utilized this sense of accomplishment as a foundation for nationalism and the growth of a true Hyr'norai identity.

The most decisive Hyr'norai victory over the Empire at the battle of Amoren signified the true reconstruction of High Elven unity, and not long after the people confederated into a singular Kingdom named after the forest overlooking their realm. Traditions of old met with imperious desires to grow and expand, and these converging systems of belief quickly saw Vendigad secure its borders while maintaining stability in internal affairs.

By the end of the Fourth Age, the Kingdom of Vendigad had become so prominent an enemy to the Clockwork Empire that it came to lead a considerable coalition of its foes, capitalizing on internal strife that had spread messily from the discordant lords of Daravin and Ectahl. Vendigad converged with its allies to conquer and war with the Empire, and the Hyr'norai conquered the old city of Arlain at the apex of the war. But the Bleeding occurred not long after, the destructive force sweeping across the land and razing much of the Elven state. Forced to recede back into their insulation, the Hyr'norai focused on rebuilding anew, restoring their old pantheon and forging a lasting bond with the land in which they reside.

The current history of the Hyr'norai since the close of the Fourth Age is one defined by a focus on stability and prosperity, and in many ways the Hyr'norai can be seen as a model for others in repairing great schisms and rifts. Of late, however, a divisive trouble has begun to brew within so many Hyr'norai across the world - a desire to reclaim lost legends, to call the old home of the east home once again, thus unsettling many with an existential worry of what being a 'Hyr'norai' really is.

Physiology/Biology

Hyr'norai are uniquely radiant among their Elven peers, carrying with them a majestic glow that translates across their complexion, their hair, and their eyes. They are larger than the other Elves by a slight margin, and tend to carry more angular features than that of the sharply detailed Sil'norai. Hyr'norai have long, knife-like ears, even relative to other Elves. In addition, they tend to be born with golden patterns (often called embroidery) across their torso, often carrying a different texture (metal-like) than the remainder of their skin.

One finds upon examining a Hyr'norai that these patterns appear to grow from the flesh, though they are separable from the skin. These embroideries can appear in many different ways; as bands and bangles across the circumference of the arms, as a regal pattern running from one's shoulder blade to their pectoral or beast, and in some cases such embellishments will even grow into or around the ear like a crystalline crown. The possibilities are nearly endless and appear utterly random, with the embroidery typically taking on a bronze-gold to white-gold hue.

Unlike Sil'norai, Hyr'norai tend to be associated with nature, and carry a more animal charm. Though they are civilized and radiant, they are not hairless, sculpted beings like their more elegant peers. Men and women alike often have claw-like nails and somewhat sharper teeth, and some rare Hyr'norai are even known to grow vines and leaves on their forearms, waists and other parts of their body, denoting a sort of closeness with the natural. While such anomalies have entirely disappeared among the civilization-obsessed Sil'norai, and for the most part among the Hyr'norai as well, some of their more woodland peers still carry these ancient features.

Psychology

Hyr'norai are - at large - a passionate people, driven by stories of adventure and dramatic themes. A people driven by heroism and myth, there is a sort of underlying social spirit that most Hyr'norai adhere to, where their life acts as a sort of legend or story to be shared with others and passed down through the ages. This informs much of Hyr'norai society, and as a result they tend to view one another as more than just passing acquaintances, but instead as life-long adjacent contributors to their life and its tale. Social relationships and community within Hyr'norai society tend to be extremely important, and with this sort of belief system, actions tend to be remembered well.

This bleeds poorly into their interactions with other races, and the core of this societal fabric quickly folds in the face of non-conformity. While Hyr'norai tend to be fiercely individualistic - sometimes to shocking degrees to those unfamiliar with their culture - this individualism is almost conformist in itself, as when they venture into other societies they tend to view the people as mindless chattering heads with little to contribute to their world. The lack of a defined mythos assigned to each individual can lead almost to their dehumanization, which is a great part of why Hyr'norai are renowned for looking down upon others.

In truth, Hyr'norai do tend to appear arrogant and absurd in their personalities, and so they are often vastly unpopular with people outside of Vendigad. This only further insulates their psychology and limits their interactions with other races to being almost purely negative, in many cases.

Culture

As Hyr'norai sociology can easily be defined as a trend of heroic opulence, individualism and a natural pageantry, what matters more here is how these sociological undercurrents bleed into the culture of the society at large. Like with most things in Hyr'norai culture, it is important to note that aesthetic pleasure is extremely important in the consumption of food, literature and virtually everything else. Food is often artistic and ornate, and with the Hyr'norai being the longest-lived race, they are content to spend inordinate amounts of time on food preparation. Vendigad is, largely due to the aid of Lachrann, one of the more bountiful realms after the Bleeding and carries with it a great biodiversity of vegetation and animal life.

As such, food tends to be very diverse and well-made, with high quality and fresh ingredients. Hyr'norai meals are often called 'elegant' as well as healthy, and are often filling and nutritious. While their fashion, art and jewelry may translate poorly to other cultures, their food is bar-none in its appreciation. It often blends smells into the experience, with Hyr'norai referring to this artistic formation of scents as the 'aroma palette', a defining feature of every Hyr'norai meal. Most Hyr'norai meals tend to involve a mixture of meat and vegetation, as they view careful proportions as a part of maintaining a balanced state within nature and the body. For this reason, they tend to be rather healthy and well nourished.

The aesthetic undertone of Hyr'norai culture plays into literature and other forms of cultural representation, as well. Books are defined - much like the Hyr'norai believe themselves to be - by themes, and these themes are both visual and philosophical. Books will often have ornamentation along the edges of the page, borders to compliment the mood of the writing and these art pieces within the texts are so focused and refined that foreign readers are often drawn away from the text itself. The culture of the Hyr'norai is universally associated with perfectionism, though this invites equal respect as it does derision, as many imagine the Hyr'norai to be pompous elitists who flail in terror at the slightest aesthetic flaw. While untrue, the mockery is often compelling enough to keep these stereotypes alive.

Clothing, Grooming and Art

Like the Sil'norai, the Hyr'norai are known for their fashion, though the two diverge immediately: while Sil'norai fashion is regarded as sleek and elegant, Hyr'norai are known for their gilded eminence, their perfectly embroidered brocade vests and patterned satin dresses that literally glow from their embroidery as if siphoning light from the sun. Gaudy gold jewelry and absurdly opulent attire is common among the higher classes, with the most decorated of Hyr'norai nobility donning cape-like tapestry from their backs depicting their lifelong accomplishments.

The artistic world of the Hyr'norai is a world of opulence, and this goes into each and every one of their crafts. Gold-colored statues, chapel walls literally lined with gold, mirrors that are functionally useless due to the golden lining embedded into their frame. It is often seen as disgusting how opulent the Hyr'norai are, and they are often called tawdry by the nobility of other lands. Still, while these fashions may have not caught on well with the wider world, the Hyr'norai art form in all of its lavish absurdity has been defining within their society for a very long while.

When it comes to grooming, Hyr'norai are known to be well-groomed. To emit even a whiff of bodily odor is to accept public mockery for at least a period of a season, judgmental obsession with glamour and class a seemingly universal Elven trait. Hyr'norai tend to smell quite good; they often smell of apples, cinnamon, grapes and other such defining scents, with many rubbing their skin against strong smelling leaves in the morning to give themselves a defining flavor to their peers.

Technology and Intellectual Pursuits

The Hyr'norai, among all the Elves, are not particularly known for their technological innovations. While the Sil'norai descend from the Ald'norai, keen towards a linear view of 'progress' in the form of magical and technological growth, Hyr'norai are largely traditional and prefer the old ways. As a result, they live a largely medieval lifestyle and the only technology they have embraced is that of natural technology, such as advanced farming techniques (like industrial grade fertilizer). They are open to botany and alchemy as a method of progressing their society, as well as simple architectural improvements, but Hyr'norai tend to oppose the usage of modern machinery and any form of Clockwork engineering.

Religion and Worship

Religion is a very important aspect of Hyr'norai life, and tends to revolve around two separate pantheons: the Living Gods and the Eldhan Weald, or Elven Gods. Among the Living Gods Y'shendra is the most beloved, followed by Venadak even despite his Corruption, and these two Gods each act as honorary members within the Elven pantheon. Almost all Hyr'norai, regardless of where they live or to which ideology they subscribe, appear to hold deference and love for Y'shendra and Venadak. As Y'shendra is literally the force behind their creation and Venadak is a paternal figure for their race, the Hyr'norai have modeled much of their culture and representation after the gilded nature of these beings.

After these two Living Gods come an uncanny admiration for an ancient pantheon, followed by the Elves since the First Age. These gods are Lotheric, God of the Brine, Tyrnac, God of Glass, Veratelle, God of the Thicket, Ridhain, God of Mold, and Lachrann, God of Fungus. Often considered genderless and disturbingly alien in form, these five are seen as benign forces of nature to whom the Elves owe their civility, their connection to magic and their continued survival. There are countless documented events of the Elven Gods sacrificing their own vitality to defend their 'kin', as they are often called, showing a depth of affection unmarred by self-interest.

The Elven Gods are revered as aspects of the world, necessary in order for its functioning. They are worshiped for the apparent prosperity they bequeath upon those beneath them, and also to stave off their lethal and vindictive wroth. Interestingly enough, their existence is well documented, scholarly journals recounting tales of their morbid vigor. While they do not possess nearly the same power and influence as the 'Greater' Gods may, the Eldhan Weald exist in pockets of nature and still seek for their tendrils to clutch ever wider spaces of the world.

Most Hyr'norai believe - with undeniable evidence - that the Elven Gods were much more prominent before the Clockwork Age, with their habitats being destroyed for industrial purposes. They were only further weakened during the Bleeding, particularly as many of them had rooted themselves into Sil-Elaine. The majority of these amorphous monstrosities have now moved from their original domains, and through time they have began to regain their foothold on the world, inciting lesser Adac to join their flock.

Reproduction, Aging, and Death

Hyr'norai are the longest lived race of mortals on Atharen, with many living as long as four centuries. With such long years comes an immensely lengthy period of social and introspective development, and a great understanding of historical context through time. With the Bleeding occurring not considerably more than three hundred years ago, virtually the entirety of the senior class of Hyr'norai experienced it firsthand, and can therefore share tales from memory of what life was like before, during and then immediately after those events. This is one of many examples of the way in which stories shape the life of the Hyr'norai, as their elderly pass wisdom from one generation to the next by account of all the tragedies and glories they experienced directly.

It is therefore an obvious conclusion that the eldest of Hyr'norai are respected greatly, and after a certain point - usually near the middle of a Hyr'norai's life - class starts to become less and less relevant. The most royal and noble of Hyr'norai elders will commune with and befriend the poorest of them, as through their time and travels they eventually come to know one another and they often carry intimate and personal friendships that have endured as long as centuries. The passing of a Hyr'norai to old age is often a public event, with thousands across Vendigad coming to witness proceedings commemorating the long and bountiful life of the elder lost.

Inversely, Hyr'norai with little age and experience are often regarded as idealistic and vain, not yet humbled or shaped by the chaotic world around them. Though their political games and aspirations for power and wealth are acknowledged as necessary events, there is a resounding disconnect between Hyr'norai of middle age and older versus those younger, moreso than in any other race or society. The older they become, the more they tend to retire into states of quiet but diligent obscurity, seeking to maintain their society rather than reforming it. It is a sort of ultra-conservative nihilism, yet within it is a strong sense of community and heritage yet to be developed by the young.

Young Hyr'norai develop quickly, however, and are by no means more foolish than other races of their age. The first two hundred years of a Hyr'norai's life is often defined by passion and an almost kinetic attraction to exploration, whether it be the exploration of the self, the world at large or any number of crafts or minute things. Hyr'norai reach full adulthood at a similar pace as humans, and remain in their prime for a very long time, remaining physically and sexually active (as well as fertile) until middle age. The first drawbacks of age tend to appear midway to their third century of life, though at this point degradation tends to culminate quickly, with Elves experiencing a transition from youth and vitality to a more refined and elderly appearance within a decade.

Reproduction for the Hyr'norai is not dissimilar to human reproduction. Considering their extremely long lives, monogamy is almost completely unknown as a concept and they tend to be culturally polyamorous. Virtually no children are raised in rigid two-parent homes and will often instead be raised by their grandparents, effectively dumped onto them while their parents explore their youthful indulgences. Considering the traditionalist and community-driven lifestyle of elder Hyr'norai, this is seen as preferable and healthy, with young Hyr'norai given a great deal of attention and care by their extended family. Parents who do decide to raise their children directly are often seen as possessive and over-protective, particularly by their young peers, who believe such actions to be ineffective in providing a young Hyr'norai with a balanced upbringing.

Overall, having children is generally not considered important in Hyr'norai society, as it simply tends to happen throughout life - largely at random - and with little consequence for the parents. When it does happen, it is an afterthought, and it happens frequently enough to sustain and grow society without much thought put into incentivizing reproduction.

Unfortunately, this culture - while effective in Vendigad - is known to adversely affect Hyr'norai born abroad, who are often neglected by their parents if not outright abandoned. While this is anathema to the fiercely proud Hyr'norai, it occurs nonetheless.

Language

Kyriac is the dominant Hyr'norai tongue, and is Atharen’s closest sibling to the first mortal tongue, Eldhan. While the two languages are both regarded as the archetypal Elven languages of the world, with their regal and lengthy words and quickly strung-together sentences, Kyriac is notably more modern than the almost daunting old language, one structured around poetry and incantation. The most traditional of Hyr'norai sometimes still speak the original language - particularly on religious occasions and in mage circles - but otherwise stick to the more refined Kyriac variant.

Like the Sil'norai, the Hyr'norai have name signifiers that reveal class, and as Vendigad still maintains a class-based social system these surnames remain very important. The three signifiers are Val, Kul and Tor. They are structured with an apostrophe before a Hyr'norai’s surname, and so a typical Hyr'norai name may follow: “Gilgalian Kul’Anroch”, “Vinnir Val’Faedon”, and so forth.

Hyr'norai names tend to be very Elven and very old, usually with significant meaning ascribed to them based on the supposed accomplishments of the family they belong to. Interestingly due to this, some names have remained in family lines so long that they have gotten to astronomic proportions of usage and re-usage, such as Viddas CXII, or Viddas the 112th. While this is rare due to the typically lengthy gaps between Hyr'norai generations, it is not unheard of, particularly in military families which tend to host up to ten generations at the same time.

As mentioned earlier, the signifiers are based on class, with Val standing for royalty or nobility, Kul for military and Tor for business. There appears to be little wealth divide between the lower two classes of Hyr'norai society, making these names functionally equal in pride and significance.