Profile
This is a WIP and just a place for me to dump information : )
Elia and his people are fae/faeries and many of their traits follow traditional lore:
- Iron is toxic and wounds inflicted by iron are generally lethal as it is extremely hard to even stop the bleeding. Even contact with Iron can cause ugly welts and burns.
- promises are binding agreements and have harsh consequences if they are broken by either party
- They are very attuned to nature around them and tend to be able to read it better than other magical species. Some basic magic can help plants grow.
- they do not believe in a standard afterlife/it is generally believed that no part of their being will linger after death. Due to this, life is cherished and a death sentence is a very very serious punishment.
Some specific information for his people:
- When they come of age, the group elder assigns each child an insect which they embody with pride as they grow older in their wardrobe. These assignments have no real linkage through families (ex: you generally won’t see a family of all butterflies or all beetles)
- This themed clothing is very special to each individual, often handmade by loved ones and gifted on birthdays and special occasions. These pieces can be extremely ornate and will vary from day-to-day wear and festival clothing.
- It is generally believed that seeing the insect that one is tied to is a sign of good luck.
- Some individuals will go past visual appearance with their assigned insect, feeling a deep connection to them, going so far as choosing a profession/magic type due to their assignment - for example a moth-identified faerie may choose to specialize in magic that assists with flight or may take on nocturnal traits. This last point is not unanimous, however as even Elia, a butterfly, became a warrior (rather than the usual wasps/mantis/beetles etc.).
- At the turn of Spring, Summer and Autumn, a large feast and festival is held where everyone dresses up in their nicest clothes and essentially dance and drink until they can't any longer. Winter's arrival is marked by a day of remembrance where members lost in the past year are celebrated. It is not inherently a sad day as the people tend to spend more time on remembering life than being sorrowful about death.
General societal roles:
- Elders - one prime leader with a supporting council
- Healers - both emotional and physical
- Guards/Scouts (now soldiers in context of the war, a much more popular role than it used to be when defense was from other magical, but feral, beings). They have the ability to channel their abilities through their weapons which are chosen specifically to play off of their strengths (this can make the weapons glow).
- Farmers
- Artisans (clothing, armor, pottery, weapons, etc.)
- Convoy (those that travel to acquire distant resources and deliver letters etc.)
The Magic/glamour System:
- The magic used by Elia's people is very body focused, using movements and gestures to shift magic, which stems from their core, into a form able to be used. The most popular method is through using both hands as it distributes the magic in a way that doesn't put any additional stress on the body. It is also extremely emotion driven. The higher the emotion, the more powerful the magic will become.
- As soon as children are old enough to be assigned an insect, they are generally considered old enough to start practicing magic. They start out with simple growth magic (like helping flowers bloom or vines sprout), and then start to specialize as they get older.
- Their magic in general is very nature/element focused and each individual finds their own niche. Although their abilities do have the potential to be dangerous, before the war broke out, magic was generally only used to simplify daily tasks or during festivals.
Elia's Magic:
- After losing his arm, Elia had to re-learn how to use magic, no longer having the same level of control, nor the ability to balance out the magic's energy between two limbs. Due to this, Elia uses magic very very infrequently, these days exclusively as a last ditch effort to save individuals coming from battles on the brink of death.
- His magic tends to crackle due to it's lower stability, ember-like sparks generated right before use
- Elia has had to do a lot of work controlling his emotions, resulting in his generally unshakable demeanor - another method of keeping such emotion-driven magic in control.
- While he no longer uses magic in combat, and doesn't talk about his past abilities, tall tales spread via the children of all of the ridiculous feats he was able to achieve.
Some personal Elia Facts that didn't fit on his main profile:
- Elia has a sister who was assigned an orchid mantis as her insect. She is also a warrior and has remained so after Elia's retirement. She specializes in using dual daggers.
- Despite losing an arm, Elia has continued to train to relearn to fight without it. Although he definitely has more trouble protecting his side, he is still a formidable fighter and is extremely light on his feet. He should not be counted out in a fight.