Lanlath

The Lanlath (sometimes also called Lathai, or Lanadar) are the classical High Elves of Aloria, skilled in Magics, clever and thoughtful with their words, and with poise and grace that is difficult to rival by the other Races of the world. The Lanlath are the Elves of the hidden valleys, a nation without boundaries that was once expelled from the ancient Allorn Empire for resisting conformity with the ever-expanding and brutalizing Elven dominion. Under the guidance of their secular and religious leaders, the Lanlath departed from the Allorn Empire, creating a realm of their own where the sentiments of justice, compassion and grace would temper the chaos and powerful allure of Magic. The Lanlath are best known across the world for their secretive Empire in the in-between lands, and their contributions to the creation of Radiant Magic, inventing for the first time in Alorian history the means to use Magic without damaging the world and the people in it.

Design

The Lanlath are Aloria's interpretation of the High Elf who is above it all, too detached from the world to care about the chaos in it, too enlightened to engage in the banal discussions that invoke family drama and romance conflict. The Lanlath come in two flavors: resting-bitch-face, and sees-right-through-you-face, where even if a Lanlath is kind-natured and has good intentions to others, much of that goodwill is undercut by how bored or "done" they look with the world. The Lanlath always invoke a floating and drifting mind, expressed with elegant and fluid poise and class, and an abhorrence of chaos, unruliness, and wildness. Lanlath don't all need to be thin spindly or frail-looking, just like the other Elves Lanlath are surely capable of packing on muscle and weight, though due to their high rates of vegetarianism and sometimes just forgetting to eat while musing their theories or playing the harp, these are more the exception than the norm. The Lanlath have a wide variety of visual traits, as seen in the sheet to the right. Most Lanlath veer on the tall side, and frequently keep their hair long and well maintained.

Starbirth

Lanlath have a cultural tradition that each Lanlath goes through as they come of age, known as the Starbirth. Lanlath distinguish a difference between natural birth and Starbirth, in that the latter occurs during a coming of age ceremony in a Star Chamber, where the ambient magics reveal their personality and inclinations, then forming a Star in the ceiling of the room to indicate between the four Starsigns. The Lanlath acknowledge that some Dimensions are more suitable for certain personalities, while other personalities cause calamity if they come into contact with certain Dimensions. In a way, Starbirth is how the Lanlath find the most appropriate Dimensional Alignment for their people, so that they can best master the arts, and have as little risk as possible to be corrupted or possessed by a Spirit. Starbirth does not prevent a Lanlath from Aligning with multiple Dimensions in the future, but this considered a massive Taboo in Lanlath society, to defy the will of the Star Chamber, and reason enough to become a pariah to Lanlath society, those individuals referred to as Starfallen. It is not possible to be Starborn to God Magic, as the Lanlath are unable to use God Magic due to their connection with the Dimension Lathan.

caption Lanlath Starborn under the Star of Calmness, are aligned from birth to the Void Dimension, making all of their Magic Void-based. The Star of Calmness aligns best with Lanlath who have calm personalities, are stoic and in restraint of their natural impulses. Void Magic tends to work on the worst vices and lack of self-restraint in a host, and so the calmest and most disciplined minds can resist the nefarious effects of the Void. Those Starborn under the Star of Calmness are equally suitable to deal with Spirits, as their minds are more sturdy against the corruptive and seducing influences that a Spirit would apply while trying to break into someone's mind. As such, those born under the Star of Calmness can reasonably capture and work with Spirits, albeit with a strong understanding that the Regalian Empire does not permit Spirits to exist, and that most of this work must be done in secret, as they attempt to find ways to help Revenants complete their task in the mortal world to help them pass on, or to find a way to make a Dimensional Spirit harmless to the people around it. Unlike the general Void-aligned ilk, Lanlath born under the Star of Calmness are the virtues of altruism and care of others.

caption Lanlath Starborn under the Star of Detachment, are aligned from birth to the Exist Dimension, making all of their Magic Exist-based. The Star of Detachment aligns best with Lanlath who have ascetic and transcendent personality traits, meaning they have detached themselves more from earthly possessions and dependence on vanity and self-worth as beholden by others. Exist Magic tends to work on obsessive and perfectionist traits in a host, and so the most disinterested person in their legacy or fame, is best able to resist the compulsive tendencies of Exist Mages. Those born under the Star of Detachment are sometimes also called the Sages, as their studious qualities are perfectly suited to make these Lanlath poets, historians, scribes, archeologists, and magical theorists. These Lanlath always have a level head when considering any complicated or crisis-situated matter, not allowing the emotions of the moment overrule their judgement, and seeking to ensure purity in reason to enlighten both themselves and others. One thing that many Detachment Starborn engage in, is the radical democratization of information. They do not believe in secrets, or information that is too dangerous to be public.

caption Lanlath Starborn under the Star of Peace, are aligned from birth to the Lathan Dimension, making all of their Magic Lathan-based. The Star of Peace aligns best with Lanlath who seek to be peacemakers, honorable judges of others, and arbitrators of justice without cruelty or fairness without personal bias. Lathan-based Magic is unique, in that it as a Dimensional Alignent is only available to Lanlath Elves. Lathan Essence is from another dimension, that being the Lanlath hidden valleys which exist in a different plane of reality altogether. Lathan Magic does not traditionally have any negative effects on the host, and there are also no Spirits that align with Lathan Essence, and yet, Lathan-aligned Lanlath Elves are exceptionally rare. The Star of Peace is considered a great omen of fortune for the Lanlath, and a prediction that they will bring some great contribution to their people, or the wider world, by solving conflict or aiming to heal historical or cultural traumas in others by making them see a different way. Lathan Starborn under the Star of Peace travel the world attempting not to be centrists, but to genuinely show and teach empathy to others, and reveal the hidden truths of historical conflicts for healing.

caption Lanlath born under the Star of Guardianship, are aligned from birth to the Ordial Dimension, making all of their Magic Ordial-based. The Star of Guardianship aligns best with Lanlath who seek to be protectors, guardians, Knights, guards, and bodyguards, those that seek a charge in protecting others and especially protecting all that the Lanlath hold dear. Ordial Magic tends to exclusively be corruptive and destructive, so a person whose entire personality is wrapped around a desire to protect others can best resist the inclinations of Ordial Essence and the Death Gods. Nearly every Lanlath Knight is Starborn under the Star of Guardianship, and wields strong Ordial Magics to save lives instead of end them. It's important to note that while Ordial Magic as such is used, the Lanlath abhor the concept of Necromancy, even when it just creates Magical puppets out of bones and corpses. The Lanlath have a high degree of respect for the dead, and would not tolerate a Necromancer in their midst. Lanlath born under the Star of Guardianship with wings of flight are called Valcïria by other Elves, which loosely translates to "Wings of Death". A term of fear for those who would try to break into the Lathan without permission.

Lathan

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To fully understand the Lanlath, Lathan must be known both as a cultural concept and what it is. Lathan, much like the Void, Exist, or Ordial, is a distinct Dimension separate from Aloria, however it is not quite the same as these very alien realities. How Lathan was originally found or created is unclear. There are prevailing theories that Lathan was created by the first Lanlath exiles from the Allorn Empire, while others claim that Lathan is the mind of a God, while others yet claim that Lathan was already in existence, but that it was devoid of life, and that the Lanlath cultivated it when the Estelley God Leyon opened the doors. Whatever the origins, Lathan is the Lanlath homeworld away from Aloria. They tried to create a land of their own, but would not conquer or take land from other cultures or people, and so manifested an Empire in the "in-between lands" as it is sometimes called. There are several entry points into Lathan, large gateways on the major continents that are guarded by the Lanlath on both sides, but the majority of them are concentrated in the island chain located to the west of Regalia, on Maartasil, Etosil, and Mirtasil, which was once the easternmost border of the Allorn Empire.

Lathan is a magical realm where time does not seem to pass. The sky is permanently cast in a cloudless dark blue haze, while the sun shines a bright golden magenta glow over everything. The valleys are outlined with massive mountains going nowhere, rolling pine forests with no creatures save for the Lathan dove, and rivers without fish irrigating farms which which the Lanlath eat. Their cities are vast citadels of ivorystone, with golden domed roofs that reflect the permanently setting sunlight. Lathan appears as if it is in a permanent autumn sunset, fogs rolling along the periphery of the cities which are often hundreds of miles apart from one another with endless stretching abandoned wilderness in between, with only elemental gateways connecting them and allowing fast travel between them. Lathan is a peaceful realm, where the Gods of Aloria and other Dimensions cannot tread, and where those who have ill will towards the Lanlath are magically rebuked from entering the gateways to this tranquil place. The Lanlath protect Lathan with their lives, and are equally as fanatic in preserving its secrets. Only the most trusted non-Lanlath could ever dream of entering Lathan, to live with a loved one, or study under an Archmage of the Lanlath.