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{{Info races
{{Info races
|image = Isldarrin.png
|image = Isldarpslasho.png
|pronunciation = Ysel-dar
|pronunciation = Ysel-dar
|classification = [[Nelfin]]
|classification = [[Nelfin]]
|subraces = None
|subraces = None
|nicknames = Frostlings, Frozen People, Frost Horrors
|nicknames =  
|languages = [[Isldarin Elven]]
*Frostlings (derogatory)
|naming = [[Isldarin Elven]]
*Frozen People (derogatory)
*Frost Horrors (derogatory)
|languages = [[Sulvaley]]
|naming = Fantasy Elven (but not Tolkien Elven)


|distinction = A race of ice-dwelling Nelfin shrouded in mystery and [[Dragon Worship]]
|distinction = Snow Elves who guard the cycle of life and death and the memory of [[Dragons]]
|maxage = 200 years
|maxage = 500 years
|body = Often Lanky or Skinny, yet never above Athletic
|height = Tall
|height = 6’ - 6’10”
|eye = Any shade of purple if Life Isldar, any shade of green if Death Isldar
|weight = 120 - 200 lbs
|hair = Black or White, regardless of which cult they belong to
|eye = Light blue
|skin =  
|hair = Pure white
[[File:Skin1.png]]
|skin = Sickly white
|}}
|}}
[[File:Medinkikf.png|260px|thumb|right|Manifesting Frost allows the Isldar to become one with the ice that they are so defined and themed by.]]
[[File:Isldork.png|260px|thumb|right|The Isldar do not have an extravagant dressing style, usually preferring muted or simple tones with little skin showing.]]
[[File:Darkpriesti.png|260px|thumb|right|Because the Bene Rexit was mostly made out of the Shivalëy Isldar, it has on average far more (Ordial) Mages than the Bene Vixit which has mostly warriors.]]


The Isldar are perhaps [[Aloria|Aloria’s]] most elusive and chilly inhabitants who go to great lengths not to be found. Hailing from the colder continent of [[Ellador]], the Isldar are faithful to their common names: Frost Weavers and Wyrm Riders, in that they enforce their isolation with high-level Ice Magic and the ferocity of their [[Frost Wyverns]]. The Isldar guard and protect the last assumed remaining breed of the [[Dragons]] and their great Dragon matriarch, Frostweaver, thought to be the source of all Ice magic and cold climate in Ellador. Many in the world can go a full lifetime without ever seeing an Isldar, but that does not mean they do not exist. They venture out into the world to spy on the other races, to gather information, and to ensure their hideaways and existence in the world remains as obscure as they want it to be, for the future survival of the endangered Dragons and Wyverns.
Mysterious, seclusive, and individualist: this and more sets the Isldar apart, guardians of the icy wastes of [[Ellador]], and shepherds of the lost souls left behind by millennia of tragedy. The Isldar originated from the Dregodar in the [[Allorn Empire]], a cult of [[Dragon Worshipers]] who fled their homeland under persecution. Hard-pressed by both their former kinsmen and their enemies the [[Dwarves]], they barely managed to survive, at the cost of the Dragons they had sworn to protect. Following the rebirth of these Dragons, the Isldar have entered a bitter civil war: half siding with their ancient patrons, and the other half siding with the entity that protected them in their absence.


==Physical Characteristics==
==Core Identity==
Isldar are a uniquely homogenous race, meaning they all look very similar in physical characteristics. The most obvious features about an Isldar is the color of their hair, being white, as well as their pale skin, no matter the amount of sunlight they are exposed to. They also exclusively have bright, almost icy blue eyes. Their bodily proportions are very similar to those of the other Elven species, though their faces and tallness often sets them apart from the other Elves. Their face is exceptionally angular, while their ears often bend slightly inwards around their skull. Their eyebrows always appear much stricter, generally giving Isldar a very frigid neutral expression while their whole face looks gaunt. They are often slightly taller than an average [[Altalar]], but only by a few inches.  
The Isldar are a [[Race]] of ice-themed Elves who like to keep their distance from others. They are stereotyped as grim, stoic, and frosty people, unlikely to make friends, but incredibly loyal once they do. They are also stereotyped as dogmatic: taught a very particular way to see the world, and unwilling to easily split from it. These qualities are useful in a chaotic place like Regalia, because it means that an Isldar is difficult to sway, mislead, or corrupt. The centuries of war the Isldar have faced have left them battle-hardened, an army with a state, and they can boast of being the inventors of guerilla tactics and some of the best archers the world has to offer.


===Frostweaver’s Gift===
===Life Against Death===
Isldar have greater protection against the cold, and in fact, they are completely immune to the effects of frost. Isldar can walk in the middle of winter, barefooted or even bare-chested and their internal body temperature will not suffer from the cold wind on their skin. Isldar cannot freeze, nor will their stamina drain in even the heaviest of blizzard storms. Scholars suspect these traits have come about because of the unique relation the Isldar have with the [[Ice Dragons]], terrifying beasts who have control over a mysterious type of magic that is not entirely understood. Another unusual ability that Isldar have is that they can speak [[Wyrm Tongue]], the language of Dragons, despite never spending any time practicing and learning it. Even an Isldar who has spent their entire life in Regalia will understand Wyrm Tongue upon hearing it. This Wyrm Tongue allows them to interpret Dragon speech up to two miles away, as Dragons themselves can sing into the wind where their words are carried far and wide. When attempting to teach a not-Isldar the basics of this language, however, the Isldar struggles greatly to translate words. The language has a magical base in Primal Magic, which is only granted to the Isldar by the Frostweaver.
The two sides in the Isldar Civil War are the Bene Vixit and the Bene Rexit, the Life and Death Cults respectively. The Bene Vixit are loyal to the Dragons who the Isldar originally swore to protect, while the Bene Rexit are loyal to the god of the dead which protected them while the Dragons were slain. Complicating the situation is that this god of the dead, [[Frisit]], pretended to be a Dragon until they were exposed by the return of the actual Dragons. The religious divide is so profound that they should be treated as separate cultures, and are described in more detail below.


==Mental Characteristics==
===Silent Observation===
Isldar are known to be brutally dogmatic, putting them in the same category as the Drowdar. Isldar are highly intelligent, often considered the most intelligent of the Elven subspecies. This intelligence often showcases itself in their knowledge of tactics and strategy, especially their ability to overpower or surprise their enemies with cleverly hidden traps and ruses that are utilized to gain the upper hand. It should be noted however that this intelligence is not necessarily because of their race, but rather because of their precognitive abilities, where they are shown pivotal events in time which relate to the future of the Dragons. Further explanations on this subject will follow below. In their intelligence, or perhaps in spite of it, the Isldar are untrusting of all other races, including their own [[Elven]] cousins. This remnant of their old thinking has protected them over the centuries as well as kept their exact home location a secret to the world. The Isldar [[Dregodar Council]] is thought to have a much finer understanding of the mechanics of the [[Cataclysm]], the [[Void]] and [[Exist]] and all forces that surround these curious dimensions, though they keep their knowledge close to themselves. As such, Isldar can also be considered enigmatic keepers of knowledge and lore. They deem other races to be too infantile and petty in their childish desires for conquest and competition. Arrogance among Isldar is thus paramount, much like their Altalar cousin, though one could say it is often more justified. Isldar tend to be people of little words often. They speak volumes with their stares of disapproval or anger and communicate few words towards others. As such, Isldar are probably also the hardest to emotionally read. They give off very few non-verbal signals and barely any body language is used in their communication aside from their stares. Isldar are as such also the hardest to become friends with or to gain the trust with. The famous saying goes “Gana will freeze over before an Ice Elf thaws.” Despite their harsh and cold demeanor, the Isldar are also attributed with pure goodness, in that they seem to act with good intent, especially towards Dragons. This intent should not be mistaken for pure coincidence, however. If the [[Bone Horror Crisis]] could have caused the final demise of the Dragons, saving [[Ailors]] and [[Dwarves]] was only a side effect of their actual goal of preserving the Dragons.
The Isldar love watching. They construct observation towers where others do not go to take note of conditions around the world, and carefully gather information. All Isldar know the value of a good plan, and how important it is to study a situation from every angle and perspective before making a move.


===Frostweaver’s Visions===
===Occult Heritage===
Isldar have a strange precognitive ability that allows them to see events in the near or distant future related to the fate of the Dragons. Rather than triggering the visions themselves, the Isldar all receive the same doomsday vision at the same time, with insights on how to attempt to avoid it. Many Isldar are plagued with minor visions, sometimes with little to no clear meaning that come when they sleep, as Isldar never dream. They witness a world collapsing, order decaying and chaos all around them, and above all, the final death of Dragons, accompanied with the voice of Frostweaver commanding them to deny fruition to these visions. When a great vision is passed, events can clearly be seen in a cause and consequence fashion, thus allowing the Isldar to attempt to alter the course of presumed history by eliminating the source events. (When great visions are passed, these are mentioned in World Progression Posts on the Forum which are canon for all Isldar). Some Isldar go mad due to these visions, the constant dreaming of calamity making them fearful of the night and rejecting Frostweaver’s command. These Isldar that turn away from the Dragon’s call gradually lose their frost resistance and then their visions, while even their hair dulls to a more light gray or light brown tone. These Isldar are referred to as Fallen Isldar, which are highlighted in the Society section.
Before the return of the Dragons, the Isldar freely practiced Magic, being mostly Exist Mages. Both Bene Vixit and Rexit Isldar still retain a large number of Exist Mages, but both would like to alter their Magic type to their respective deities’. New Bene Vixit magic users favor Primal Magic and the [[Archon]] affliction, while new Bene Rexit magic users favor [[Ordial]] Magic and the [[Geist]] affliction. Over time, it is expected that most will convert or be cleansed, but since the civil war began very recently, there are quite a few Exist Mages left.


==History==
===Qfizat Hadre===
The actual history of the Isldar dates back much further than the Cataclysm and the other major Elven fracture periods. The ancestors of the Isldar were the first to truly break away from Estel worship around 230 BC through the cult known as the Cult of Dregodar. Around this third century before Cataclysm, Dragons were still seen around Daendroc, but the [[Great Elven Hunt]] had seriously diminished their numbers to the point where the [[Yellow Water Dragon]] and [[Green Forest Dragon]] had already gone extinct. The [[Nightdrake]] was the last Dragonkin left in the entire supercontinent of Daendroc, and some unknown event caused a large population of Elves to abandon the traditional Estel worship and switch over to worship of Dragon Dogma. Rumor has it that the leaders of the so-called Cult of Dregodar could speak to the Dragons in Wyrm Tongue and that the Dragons spoke back, speaking prophecies of the future and calamities to befall the Elves. The Elven Empire did not take kindly to the Cult of Dregodar denouncing [[Estel]] worship, declaring them heathens, which in itself is ironic because the Elven Empire’s top class was barely even loyal to the faith of Estel anymore. Around 211 BC, the Cult of Dregodar, with the government on their tail, fled across Jorrhildr to Ellador with the assistance of the Black Scale Mountain Dragons. The Black Scale Mountain Dragons assisted the cult of Dregodar in their flight across [[Jorrhildr]] to Ellador around 211 BC.
Qfizat Hadre is Isldarrin for “being everywhere at once.” While most Isldar live in Ellador, there is a large Isldar diaspora around the world serving as advisors in the courts of major Kingdoms and Empires. Both Bene Vixit and Rexit have made themselves indispensable, offering valuable advice on the machinations of their respective patrons and the Magic of their dimensions. While it is known they also spy for their orders, this is seen as an acceptable price for their service.


In Ellador, the Dregodar thrived due to the long distance from the [[Elven Empire]]. The continent was a fair one during the second century before the Cataclysm, a far cry from the modern frozen tundras and mountains. The Dregodar made little contact with the Dwarves, though lived dangerously close to them as the Temples of Drogon, the traditional religious structures of the Dregodar, were built on top of the tallest mountains which usually housed the Dwarven holds. Their tranquility was not to last, however, as the Elves from the Empire had taken note of their peaceful existence and sent envoys to the Dwarves. With subterfuge, bribes, and blackmail the Elves managed to strike a deal with the Dwarves to form a coalition against the Dregodar under the auspices of them gearing for war to take over the Dwarven holds. This once in a millennia event of Dwarven and Elven cooperation against the Dregodar meant massive destruction and tragedy for the Dregodar. Their temples were torn down and blasted off the mountains, and the Dragons were shot from the sky with iron bolt and magical arrow. The Dregodar were losing badly though the conflict dragged on for nearly a hundred years due to their resilience. The war lasted until around 56 BC when the alliance between the Dwarves and the Elves broke apart due to the Dwarven mistrust of the Elven ulterior motives. It is often theorized that this event caused the Dwarves to completely ignore the [[Void Invasion]] that followed roughly half a century later when the Elves called upon their assistance.  
===Isldar in Regalia===
Isldar are fairly common in [[Regalia]], because there is a lot to learn there. Not just the noble advisors, but also large companies of common Isldar journey through the land, hoping to find connections and make their fortune. It is implied that Regalia has a better relationship with the Life Cult because its members are often less dangerous (and always less macabre!), but Death Cult Isldar are also welcome.


With the coalition between the Elves and the Dwarves over, the Dregodar weren’t quite in the clear yet. The Dwarves continued the conflict on their own, pushing the Dregodar into a grassland basin called Udilin’s Foot. A major pivotal battle took place there where the Dregodar scrambled to save the last of the Black Scale Mountain Dragons, Sharpwing. Sharpwing was vast and formidable, a Dragon matriarch in her own right and many Dwarves fell to the Dragon’s claws and fiery breath. Ultimately however, the Dwarves used large siege engines to bring the Dragon down to the ground, where once pinned, they assailed her in the hundreds with pickaxes, chipping away at her dark scales. The Dragon’s screams of pain and terror caused the Dregodar to commit to a massive magical spell of which the origin is still unclear to this day. Sharpwing died on that battlefield, but somehow the Dragon turned neither dead nor alive, but not quite undead either. She was reborn as Frostweaver, the great Ice Dragon. With one fell clap of her wings, the restraints blew away, and the Dragon soared to the skies where she channeled a massive spell that caused a huge blizzard. Hundreds of Dwarves caught close were instantly frozen to death as the land around them also started freezing and dying. Snow rolled down the mountains and water froze in a flash as the temperature dropped in the grassland basin. The countryside around it was suddenly struck with a snowstorm that made seeing further than two feet through the swirling ice and the gusting wind impossible. The Dwarves quickly retreated, those that could anyway, and shut the massive gates of their holds down while the climate above ground changed to a frozen hellscape. Thousands of animals, trees, and plants died as the soil became infertile and even the water in the air flash froze. The event was felt all the way to the first Human villages on the southern coastline who suddenly experienced an extreme drop in temperature.
==Design==
===Physical Characteristics===
Isldar are similar to [[Teledden]] (the High Elves). Like all [[Nelfin]], they are more slender and tall than Humans. Isldar specifically have pale skin and long, pointy ears, longer than those of other Nelfin Races. Death and Life Isldar can have natural black or white hair, though many dye it other colors. The only real way to tell Death and Life Isldar apart is that Life Isldar have purple irises with blue specks in them, while Death Isldar have green irises with blue specks in them. Both kinds may also have blue, green, or black sclera.


The Dregodar disappeared from the world’s stage after that event. It was not until ten years after the Cataclysm that the first Isldar reappeared, though they were incorrectly assumed to be snow wraiths or undead at the time. The basin that was once Udilin’s Foot was now the Howling Waste, a long stretch of tundra caught in a permanent blizzard that made entry practically impossible. Every so often a band of Isldar would venture out to scout the terrain and disappear with the wind as soon as they met any Dwarf or [[Human]], but not without killing them first. Ellador remained trapped in a tundra climate for the next three centuries, and even in present times, the weather doesn’t seem like it’s going to change anytime soon. Isldar would continue to be seen for the next three centuries as well occasionally, though often in small numbers and hardly ever without causing death wherever they went. Explorers attempting to cross through the Dragon’s Gorge or Claw Mountains might run into frozen and unfortunate Dwarves caught in by Isldar patrol, their bodies frozen in the snow and the ice spikes used to kill them perfectly preserved through their body.  
==Summary of Racial Abilities==
Racial Abilities are usable in combat and for an advantage, while Specials are aesthetic. Isldar abilities are themed around their Life and Death cults, with an overarching ice aesthetic. Half Race characters select a Dominant parent, and take all the Racials & Specials from that dominant parent. (In this case, a dominant parent Isldar would be Half-Isldar) Half races must have a majority of their physical features come from their dominant parent, including which is including but not limited to skin tone, hair or fur color, ear shape, or eye color.
===Abilities===
{| class="wikitable"
|- style="font-weight:bold; text-align:center; background-color:#c0c0c0;"
! Ability Name
! Ability Type
! Ability Range
! Ability Description
! Modifiers
|-
| style="background-color:#cee5ed;" | Armor Summon
| Summon Power
| {{#simple-tooltip: Self | Self Range means that it applies to the user themselves, or something they can directly touch after casting it.}}
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip: Armor Summon | The user can summon any type of Armor on any part of their body. Summoned armor has the same durability as mundane armor, but counts as Ability Armor.
}}
| {{#simple-tooltip: Isldar Modifier | Rather than summoning physical Armor, the Isldar Armor is their hardened scales or twisted metal scales, and they can apply it to their entire body at once, or only part of it. Life Isldar manifest any shade of purple or blue scales, while Death Isldar manifest shiny black metal segments. This Transformation is semi-permanent, meaning it cannot be removed by anyone but the Isldar themselves.}}
|-
|}


Recent events have alluded to the idea that the Isldar have an understanding of what is going on around the world. The Isldar are known to have attempted to stop the global Bone Horror invasion, though due to Human ignorance were denied the ability to prevent this catastrophe from occurring. Since that event, the Isldar have not come forward to contact any nation or people and have seemingly retreated into the frozen wastes of Ellador with not a single clear reason why. Isldar still roam around the world but are rarely seen. Some are the product of long-term espionage on regional countries; others were unfortunate enough to get somehow separated from the Isldar Frost Spires.
===Specials===
All Specials are purely aesthetic and cannot be used in combat.
* '''Scouring of Ellador:''' Isldar gain the [[Spell Point Buy]] Specials Snow Element, Cold Immune, Arcane Sight, and Altered Voice without needing a Spell Point Buy investment.
* '''Manifesting Frost:''' Isldar may optionally have blue-tinted skin with patches of ice and snow, and turn their hair to ice.
* '''Cleansing Snow:''' Isldar may cleanse their bodies of imperfections and mutations at any time.
* '''Ageless:''' Adult Isldar may appear of any age they wish, so long as that age is also adult.
* '''Frostmancy:''' Isldar have innate telekinesis, and control over snow and ice around them.
* '''Soul Attuned:''' Isldar can see the Soul Rivers of the world, white glowing streams of essence that flow through the air. Life Isldar can repair damaged Soul Rivers, while Death Isldar can bend them around a dying person to ensure they become Undead, as well as remove the ability to read memories from an area in Progressions.
* '''Planar Script:''' Isldar can manifest and remove Primal or Ordial script on their bodies.
* '''Tail Manifest:''' If an Isldar is using Armor Summon, they may also summon an aesthetic armor tail to go with it.
*'''Dragon Speech:''' All Life Isldar can understand Dragon Speech / Wyrmtongue.
*'''Death Speech:''' All Death Isldar can understand Death Speech / Shadetongue.
*'''Isldar Aesthetics:''' All Isldar may choose to apply ice and snow aesthetics to their Abilities.


==Society==
==Culture==
[[File:Isldarwoman.png|270px|thumb|right|Isldar women take an important role in Isldar society due to the high number of women serving as Dragon Priests, though their society is otherwise gender equal.]]
{| class="wikitable"
Isldar society is perhaps one of the most rigid societies on Aloria, stricter even than the Drowdar and the Regalian Empire because none of the Isldar get any say in the decisions taking of their species. Their society maintains a very rigid structure which never allows for deviations or abandonment, especially when it concerns direct decrees from Frostweaver.  
{| style="color: black; background-color: #9FAFB7; width: 90%;" align="center"
! colspan="3" |
Isldar Cultures
|- style="background:#eee;"
| rowspan="2" style="width: 7%; text-align:center;" |
'''Bene Vixit'''
[[File:Isldarlife.png|100px]]
|  
The Bene Vixit, or Life Cult, are the Isldar who stayed loyal to the Dragons. They are strongly influenced by their religion: their patron Dragon Asaph’s beliefs dictate how they live their lives. The Bene Vixit tend to be more pro-Regalia, because Regalia helped them temporarily in the Civil War. They have a high proportion of warriors among their number, because the soldiering caste of the Isldar threw in its lot with the Dragons upon their return.
|- style="background:white;"
|
* The Bene Vixit are all about staying true to the Dregodar and the ancient values of the Isldar, to safeguard the living.
* The Bene Vixit speak Sulvaley, the Isldar language, which is a Nelfin dialect influenced by real-world Arabic phonetics.
* The Bene Vixit are expected to be stern and taciturn, dependable people who are difficult to read but always show up in a pinch.
* The Bene Vixit are universally Dragon Worshipers, following the Dragon Asaph. Conversion away is very rare, but can happen in diaspora sometimes.
* The Bene Vixit are disinterested in politics, because Ellador does not have kings. They will back anything that supports Dragons’ interests.
* The Bene Vixit are apathetic about Occult, having many Exist Mages left over. They love anything Dragon-related, and hate anything Ordial-related.
* The Bene Vixit love purple, Wyvern-riding, the open air and sky, chill breezes, a good hunt, felling monstrous creatures, and honest soldiering.
|- style="background:#eee;"
| rowspan="2" style="width: 7%; text-align:center;" |
'''Bene Rexit'''
[[File:Isldardeath.png|100px]]
|
The Bene Rexit, or Death Cult, revel in the glory of the slain. Each soul taken by their hands is sent to their patron, the death god Frisit, who eagerly awaits their tribute until the day that she is strong enough to conquer the world for them. Like the Bene Vixit, they too are influenced by their patron’s beliefs. They have many Mages among them, because the old Mage-priest caste of the Isldar proved loyal to Frisit in the end.
|- style="background:white;"
|
* The Bene Rexit are all about raging against the dying of the light, living their lives spectacularly, loudly, and exactly how they want to.
* The Bene Rexit speak Sulvaley, the Isldar language, which is a Nelfin dialect influenced by real-world Arabic phonetics.
* The Bene Rexit are expected to be flamboyant and full of bravado, charismatic people who know their own worth.
* The Bene Rexit are universally Ordial Cultists, following the death god Frisit (the Glacial). Conversion away is completely nonexistent.
* The Bene Rexit are disinterested in politics, because Ellador does not have kings. They will back anything that supports their own interests.
* The Bene Rexit are apathetic about Occult, having many Exist Mages left over. They love anything Ordial-related, and hate anything Dragon-related.
* The Bene Rexit love green, catacombs, dark colors, literature, the beauty of high fashion, feeling in control, and learning arcane secrets.  
|}
|}


===Politics===
==Language==
Isldar politics is entirely controlled by two groups, primarily Frostweaver and the Dragon priests and on a more local level, the Ice Councils. Frostweaver and the Dragon priests do not directly rule, rather by the Isldar precognitive ability, Frostweaver sends out warnings of impending doom for the Dragons and the Isldar for her followers to interpret and through it directs the Isldar on a path where they might survive the odds. The Dragon Priests often more concisely understand what visions Frostweaver grants them, as they are unnaturally attuned to the precognitive ability of the Isldar and receive far more visions than any average Isldar. On average only one in a thousand Isldar born is suitable to become a Dragon priest, and so this priesthood has few members, as the mean birth rate of Isldar is relatively small. The Ice Councils rule so-called Wraithholds; Isldar castles which contain a mostly military population. Ice Councils function like Human General counterparts, leading the Isldar locally to enact military movements by the will of the Dragon Priests.
[[File:Vultalarv.png|260px|thumb|right|This Isldar with Summoned purple scale Armor also applied moon-themed war paint before going to battle.]]
[[File:Lookatheaddress.png|260px|thumb|right|Bene Rexit head dresses and clothing is some of the most extravagant and alien designed in the world.]]
[[File:Isldorihdhdhft.png|260px|thumb|right|Even if Life Isldar are just as closed off as Death Isldar are, they tend to look somewhat more inviting and benevolent.]]
[[File:Benegesseret.png|260px|thumb|right|Death Isldar on the other hand always know what they want and that they can get it, and dress to impress.]]
[[File:Ajred.png|260px|thumb|right|Isldar can grow body hair and facial hair but often have cultural reasons not to. They can also dye their hair (to escape the difficult MCskin white hair)]]


===Culture===
As earlier described, the Isldarrin language, [[Sulvaley]], shares a family with other Nelfin languages. It has diverged somewhat over the centuries the Isldar have spent in Ellador since their departure from the Allorn Empire. Sulvaley is ascribed Arabic phonetics, with glottal stops and harsh consonants not found in most other Nelfin vocabularies.
Isldar strongly appreciate song and music, especially string instruments. As the Ailor saying goes: “The best way to thaw an Isldarin heart is to soothe it with strings.” Singing is very strongly associated with their religion, though its exact purpose and importance is not understood. The song of winter is an act purely done by the Frost Singers, comprised of upper-class females. This further emphasizes the strongly matrilineal line within the Isldar culture, as only women are assumed to have the brilliance and voice clarity to produce the Song of Winter. While the [[Drow]] strictly vowed against the excesses and decadence of the Altalar, the Dregodar never made such a strong stand against it. Despite their strong militaristic society, internally Isldar can be very lavish and entertaining, which often provides a strong contrast to how impersonal they are when they are outside of their homes. Isldar have no known technology or education. They generally cannot read or write, they speak a Nelfin tongue that nobody else understands, and their entire society is dependent on magic. Whatever crafts and uniqueness they have is portrayed by their clothing and accessories, favoring carvings and blue dyed fabrics. Isldar are often decorated with brilliant mountain crystals, white or otherwise blue of color with a radiant shine. Their clothes are made of flowing silks that almost seem to defy gravity, streaming like liquids on smooth surfaces. Isldar cloth is extremely hard to come by and extremely expensive, a highly prized material in Regalia and unfortunately only acquired by killing its owner, none being any the wiser how it is even produced. Isldar cuisine is strictly related to fruit, which is also why Isldar often have a hard time adapting to more meat and grain based societies like Regalia. The Isldar eat a particular nutritious fruit that only grows in their homeland, defying the cold temperatures. Attempts to cultivate this fruit elsewhere have all but failed, leading to the conclusion that its growth has something to do with Frostweaver. Finally, Isldar family units are surprisingly loving. Isldar rarely stray from monogamy and have a strong relation with their children, though arranged marriages are still a thing in their culture due to Altalar lineage crafting.


===Religion===
'''Example Isldar male coded names:''' Arfa, Eriannan, Irifa, Ursal, Arqaam, Arslan, Aryaan, Irsaley, Ercaror, Henqaan. Most Isldarrin male names start with vowels, and double As are common.
The Isldar’s central belief is that of Dragons, the belief that Dragons gave life to the world. They believe in a holy union between Dragon and Elf, the true harmonious existence of Elves being with the Dragons in unison. This religion is their only religion, as their entire existence is bound to it. The religion itself dates back to the early days of the Dregodar, centered around the Elf “Gondolenna the Singer.” She acted as a prophet, being one of the first to tame a dragon with the power of her voice, spreading prophecies of Elf-Dragon union across the land. She was later killed during a [[Dragon Hunt]], her dragon along with her, but her beliefs lived on in her disciples, eventually giving birth to the Dregodar cult. The religion is as much reverence as it is fear. Despite the fact that the Isldar wish to bring about the union between Elf and Dragon, they believe it is impossible during the current era, and that they are the final bastion against the ending of the world. This end is described as the time when Dragon worship has become so few that the Dragons will decide to simply destroy the world with an ice age to start a new. This is largely also the reason why Isldar do not tolerate outside interference, and why those who leave still hold onto their silence on their origins.


===Isldar around the World===
'''Example Isldar female coded names:''' Almeya, Cuadhïra, Erthira, Kharaera, Vyara. They can also be made by modifying male coded names. For example, Erianna, Ursaela, Arslanna, Irsaleya, Ercantha, Henqaena.
Because Isldar have such a rigid society, an Isldar living outside of it is always constrained by numerous regulations. Isldar that remain loyal to the Frostweaver always remain secretive of their homeland and refuse to tell outsiders anything about it. More often than not, however, Isldar found in Regalia are the product of outsiders, Isldar that have either been banished from their homeland, fled, or otherwise managed to somehow end up outside of it. Isldar that are born outside of the Isldar homeland no longer have their precognitive abilities, and over time also become Fallen Isldar, as the loyalist Isldar call them, purely because they have lost the connection with Frostweaver. Once this connection is lost, it cannot be regained, which is why Fallen Isldar tend to just blend into an Ailor society where other Nelfin are already present in minuscule numbers. As such, most Isldar found in Regalia are unlikely to be Isldar loyalists and are far more likely to be exiled Isldar, or children born outside of the Frostweaver’s control.


===Combat and Warfare===
Isldar names are not very complicated. In addition to their first name, most have a last name, but some Isldar do not bother. When decades are spent in the field, many soldiers abandon the difficulty of a second word to remember.
The Isldar use hit and run tactics, though often there is little to run away from as they are deadly accurate. Full battlefield engagements have not been witnessed since the times of the war with the Dwarves, but it is to be assumed that the Isldar make use of the Wyverns in battle and their howling blades, weapons specially made by the Isldar that seem to produce a ghost-like howl when swung around in chilly winds. Due to the existence of the Wyverns, the siege capacity of the Isldar is considered to be tremendous, in fact, the Isldar are assumed to be able to ignore fortifications completely. This is due in large part to their airborne mobility, and also far outclass Regalian airships in that regard, due to the increased mobility and deadly claws of their flying mounts.
==Religion==
The Isldar are bitterly divided along religious lines. The Life Cult worships Asaph from [[Dragon Worship]], while the Death Cult worships Frisit ([[The Glacial]]) from [[Ordial]] Worship. To learn more about these beings’ beliefs and how to worship them beyond the surface level, reading the linked pages is encouraged.
==Families==
===Childhood===
Isldar children are often communally raised. Their parents might be often away at other holds, at observatory centers, or at war. This means that they have a very open-ended perspective from very early on concerning social bonds, and get into the easy habit of forming new relationships quickly. Physical exercise and drills are encouraged, and while outsiders might describe the whole process as austere, Isldarrin children often leave their young years healthy and with a wide range of experiences both inside their breathtaking holds and outside in the wilderness of Ellador, learning what it takes to survive the frost and keep your bearings.
===Adulthood===
The Isldarrin concept of adulthood is dominated by civic duty. With how Ellador has been since their arrival, this usually means military duty. All Isldar are brought in for conscription at the age of twenty, and taught a series of standard weapons, traditionally the bow and the spear. Most do not see active duty immediately, because the style of guerilla warfare the Isldar prefer means that very few units are operating at any given time. However, with the outbreak of the civil war within Isldar society and the upheaval of more intense Vampiric and Regalian invasions, the Isldar of recent years have been exposed to an unusual amount of bloodshed. Upon completing a single mandatory tour, Isldar are given the option to leave Ellador, an option which many take: better to adventure out in the world, than to stay as a footman at home.
===Romance & Gender Norms===
Isldar romance is perhaps one of the most stiff things imaginable: their famous lack of comedy and social wit would make an observer question whether that stiffness is an intentional element they throw in to make things easier. However, on the flipside, it is extremely honest. There are no cat-and-mouse games, veiled declarations of affection, and tree-shade flirting among the Isldar. Intentions are stated openly and honestly, and accepted or declined much the same without contest. The Isldar do not have gender norms: all must learn to fight, all must learn to excel at the same roles in life, and all must do their duty to their country.
==Fashion==
Isldarrin fashion differs between the Bene Vixit and the Bene Rexit. Both follow the basic rules of Nelfin clothing: robes are in style, long sleeves, and flowing, patterned fabric. The Life Isldar favor generally lighter colors and looser, more practical clothes which keep the roughness of the wilderness off of them. Tough cloaks and leather boots are common, as is anything that keeps them safe, and can double as limited protection in the case of an attack. Practicality is key. The Death Isldar, meanwhile, dress to impress - their priests wear outlandish headdresses, while even the laymen have an impeccable sense of style. Black and dark gothic styles are everywhere, impractically high heels as well, and stunning multicolor makeup that can sometimes take up to an hour to apply. The Bene Rexit do not go anywhere without looking on point.
==World View==
World View is optional content that helps give Isldar flavor and depth.
* The historical enemies of the Isldar are the Dwarves, the [[Dorkarth]] Vampires, [[Hedryll]], and the Regalian Empire. The Dwarves because they aggressed on them upon arriving in Ellador and because the Dwarves are responsible for Asaph’s original death, and the other three because they have been making steady incursions into Isldar territory in the past hundred years.
* Both Life and Death Isldar keep [[Wyverns]] as their mounts of choice, and fancy themselves the best riders in [[Aloria]]. The outbreak of the Civil War has seen some breathtaking Wyvernback duels between champion Isldar in the frosty clouds of Ellador.
* Life Isldar form life bonds with their Wyverns. They believe that if their Wyvern perishes, the next they acquire is their reincarnation, and go to painstaking lengths to find a new mount that was born the day their previous one died.
* Isldar are excellent choral singers, and also favor the harp. Their music is credited as holding a certain angelic quality seldom seen, and their hymns are traditionally used as the closing act in famous operas and stagehouses around Aloria.
* Isldarrin sports always have a military angle to them. For example, javelin throwing is popular, but only because being good at throwing a javelin during downtime translates to being good at throwing a javelin when in the front lines of a snowstorm skirmish.
* Isldar love symposiums and debates. They are deeply individualistic, and having a platform to make their positions known to one another is seen as cathartic and relaxing. This tendency to debate for fun can create little social faux pas with those who don’t understand.
* Isldar also love hunting. Life Isldar because it is the divine wish of Asaph that her followers should test the limits of her infinite creations, and Death Isldar because Frisit is pleased by the tribute of souls, even ones that do not come from sentient enemies.
* Isldar are famously blunt, and do not have a concept of irony or sarcasm in their culture. This can lead to two things: firstly, statements on their part can be unintentionally comedic, and secondarily, they can miss or ignore implications in things others say.
* Death Isldar decorate their Undead followers lavishly, offering them tribute in gold, fine silks, and embellished armor so that their good appearance can reflect favorably back on them. Matching outfits are considered in vogue.
* The Isldar live in so-called ‘Moon Vaults,’ ice palaces etched into the sides of the mountains and filled with countless bedazzled halls which shine in the moonlight. They are so named because their inner vaults only open to a particular series of keys when the moon is full.
* The (in)famous metal known as ‘Skysteel’ was recently revealed to be an elaborate ploy by the Bene Rexit to lure gullible Ailor into Ellador to kill them and steal their belongings (and souls.)
* The Isldar mostly subsist on fruits and arctic fauna, but their most famous culinary export is a dessert called a moon pie, two pastries with a thick circle of chilled vanilla icing sticking them together.
* Isldar love hiking and difficult terrain. In Regalia, this means that many Isldar take to parkour, something they invite strangers along on frequently just for the experience. Crookback residents frequently complain about the clatter of Isldar feet on their shoddy roofs at nighttime.
* The Isldar are masters of guerilla warfare. They invented it, and benefit from being immune to the cold on a continent which is hilly and consistently below zero degrees. To challenge them on their own terrain is nothing short of foolhardy.
* The Isldar language is suited for spoken poetry, having a reputation for well-paced emotional reflections on the nature of life and the self among their Nelfin cousin races. Quite a few Teledden, even, have taken to the ‘Isldarriyát’ genre of quatrains.
* Death Isldar consider husky, hoarse voices desirable in both speech and music. They surmise among themselves that this preference comes from the harsh syllables naturally present in Deathspeech leaking over into their other languages.
* Death Isldar courtship rituals involve eliminating all other potential suitors, literally. The road to romance is fraught with saber duels under moonlight.
* The Isldar like to play checkers. Not because it is considered mentally challenging, but because the white pieces are a metaphor for the Life Isldar and the black pieces are a metaphor for the Death Isldar: different colors, but the same shape.
* Life Isldar handle Undead by giving them ‘penance periods,’ a window of grace after which they will hunt them and put them down on the spot. In Ellador, some Undead surprisingly accept this fate with grace, but the same cannot be expected in Regalia.
* Isldar liquor is all berry-flavored and very sweet. Cloudberries, blueberries, blackberries. It is drunk in shots and is always a pleasant stomach-warmer in Ellador’s cold temperatures.
==Trivia==
* Isldar cannot feel cold food. It all tastes perfectly warm to them.
* Ellador hosts the world’s only bi-annual Dart and Backflip Tournament.
* There is a romance novel involving a Maquixtl shieldmaiden and an Isldar huntress.


==Trivia==
* An exceptionally strong Frost Singer was once captured by a group of Dwarves who used a ploy to draw her out while they lay hidden in the snow. She eventually broke free and used her high Ice magic to freeze herself in a giant spire of Ice. The Ice spire still stands in northern Ellador to this day, being called “The Frost Wall” as it connects two mountains like a giant wall of ice.
* Isldar don’t have much in the ways of metal production, primarily because they inhabit mountains that were long stripped bare by the Dwarves who lived there for centuries. As such, one may hardly ever find an Isldar Arrow, as they use Ice Magic to strike down enemies from afar.
* Dragon Priests seem to have the unique ability also to detect Dragon Lineage, a rare trait that enables them to detect a person’s close or distant interaction with a Dragon at any point in time or of their heritage.
* There are no known, and cannot be any, Dragon Priests outside of the Isldar Homeland. Dragon Priests must always stay close to the Frostweaver, and would rather die than risk spending too much time away from the Dragon which grants them their powers, as they wane in her absense.
{{Races}}
{{Races}}
{{Accreditation
{{Accreditation
|Artists = MonMarty
|Artists = MonMarty
|Writers = MonMarty
|Writers = MonMarty, OkaDoka
|Processors = Doc_Cantankerous, HydraLana
|Processors = MonMarty, FireFan96
}}
}}
 
[[category:races]] [[category:Magus Races]]
[[Category:Races]] [[category:Magus Races]]

Revision as of 23:18, 25 September 2022

Isldar
Isldarpslasho.png
Race
Pronunciation Ysel-dar
Classification Nelfin
Subraces None
Common Nicknames
  • Frostlings (derogatory)
  • Frozen People (derogatory)
  • Frost Horrors (derogatory)
Languages Sulvaley
Naming Customs Fantasy Elven (but not Tolkien Elven)
Racial Traits
Distinctions Snow Elves who guard the cycle of life and death and the memory of Dragons
Maximum Age 500 years
Height Tall
Eye Colors Any shade of purple if Life Isldar, any shade of green if Death Isldar
Hair Colors Black or White, regardless of which cult they belong to
Skin Tones Skin1.png
Manifesting Frost allows the Isldar to become one with the ice that they are so defined and themed by.
The Isldar do not have an extravagant dressing style, usually preferring muted or simple tones with little skin showing.
Because the Bene Rexit was mostly made out of the Shivalëy Isldar, it has on average far more (Ordial) Mages than the Bene Vixit which has mostly warriors.

Mysterious, seclusive, and individualist: this and more sets the Isldar apart, guardians of the icy wastes of Ellador, and shepherds of the lost souls left behind by millennia of tragedy. The Isldar originated from the Dregodar in the Allorn Empire, a cult of Dragon Worshipers who fled their homeland under persecution. Hard-pressed by both their former kinsmen and their enemies the Dwarves, they barely managed to survive, at the cost of the Dragons they had sworn to protect. Following the rebirth of these Dragons, the Isldar have entered a bitter civil war: half siding with their ancient patrons, and the other half siding with the entity that protected them in their absence.

Core Identity

The Isldar are a Race of ice-themed Elves who like to keep their distance from others. They are stereotyped as grim, stoic, and frosty people, unlikely to make friends, but incredibly loyal once they do. They are also stereotyped as dogmatic: taught a very particular way to see the world, and unwilling to easily split from it. These qualities are useful in a chaotic place like Regalia, because it means that an Isldar is difficult to sway, mislead, or corrupt. The centuries of war the Isldar have faced have left them battle-hardened, an army with a state, and they can boast of being the inventors of guerilla tactics and some of the best archers the world has to offer.

Life Against Death

The two sides in the Isldar Civil War are the Bene Vixit and the Bene Rexit, the Life and Death Cults respectively. The Bene Vixit are loyal to the Dragons who the Isldar originally swore to protect, while the Bene Rexit are loyal to the god of the dead which protected them while the Dragons were slain. Complicating the situation is that this god of the dead, Frisit, pretended to be a Dragon until they were exposed by the return of the actual Dragons. The religious divide is so profound that they should be treated as separate cultures, and are described in more detail below.

Silent Observation

The Isldar love watching. They construct observation towers where others do not go to take note of conditions around the world, and carefully gather information. All Isldar know the value of a good plan, and how important it is to study a situation from every angle and perspective before making a move.

Occult Heritage

Before the return of the Dragons, the Isldar freely practiced Magic, being mostly Exist Mages. Both Bene Vixit and Rexit Isldar still retain a large number of Exist Mages, but both would like to alter their Magic type to their respective deities’. New Bene Vixit magic users favor Primal Magic and the Archon affliction, while new Bene Rexit magic users favor Ordial Magic and the Geist affliction. Over time, it is expected that most will convert or be cleansed, but since the civil war began very recently, there are quite a few Exist Mages left.

Qfizat Hadre

Qfizat Hadre is Isldarrin for “being everywhere at once.” While most Isldar live in Ellador, there is a large Isldar diaspora around the world serving as advisors in the courts of major Kingdoms and Empires. Both Bene Vixit and Rexit have made themselves indispensable, offering valuable advice on the machinations of their respective patrons and the Magic of their dimensions. While it is known they also spy for their orders, this is seen as an acceptable price for their service.

Isldar in Regalia

Isldar are fairly common in Regalia, because there is a lot to learn there. Not just the noble advisors, but also large companies of common Isldar journey through the land, hoping to find connections and make their fortune. It is implied that Regalia has a better relationship with the Life Cult because its members are often less dangerous (and always less macabre!), but Death Cult Isldar are also welcome.

Design

Physical Characteristics

Isldar are similar to Teledden (the High Elves). Like all Nelfin, they are more slender and tall than Humans. Isldar specifically have pale skin and long, pointy ears, longer than those of other Nelfin Races. Death and Life Isldar can have natural black or white hair, though many dye it other colors. The only real way to tell Death and Life Isldar apart is that Life Isldar have purple irises with blue specks in them, while Death Isldar have green irises with blue specks in them. Both kinds may also have blue, green, or black sclera.

Summary of Racial Abilities

Racial Abilities are usable in combat and for an advantage, while Specials are aesthetic. Isldar abilities are themed around their Life and Death cults, with an overarching ice aesthetic. Half Race characters select a Dominant parent, and take all the Racials & Specials from that dominant parent. (In this case, a dominant parent Isldar would be Half-Isldar) Half races must have a majority of their physical features come from their dominant parent, including which is including but not limited to skin tone, hair or fur color, ear shape, or eye color.

Abilities

Ability Name Ability Type Ability Range Ability Description Modifiers
Armor Summon Summon Power Self

Grants the user Armor Summon

Isldar Modifier

Specials

All Specials are purely aesthetic and cannot be used in combat.

  • Scouring of Ellador: Isldar gain the Spell Point Buy Specials Snow Element, Cold Immune, Arcane Sight, and Altered Voice without needing a Spell Point Buy investment.
  • Manifesting Frost: Isldar may optionally have blue-tinted skin with patches of ice and snow, and turn their hair to ice.
  • Cleansing Snow: Isldar may cleanse their bodies of imperfections and mutations at any time.
  • Ageless: Adult Isldar may appear of any age they wish, so long as that age is also adult.
  • Frostmancy: Isldar have innate telekinesis, and control over snow and ice around them.
  • Soul Attuned: Isldar can see the Soul Rivers of the world, white glowing streams of essence that flow through the air. Life Isldar can repair damaged Soul Rivers, while Death Isldar can bend them around a dying person to ensure they become Undead, as well as remove the ability to read memories from an area in Progressions.
  • Planar Script: Isldar can manifest and remove Primal or Ordial script on their bodies.
  • Tail Manifest: If an Isldar is using Armor Summon, they may also summon an aesthetic armor tail to go with it.
  • Dragon Speech: All Life Isldar can understand Dragon Speech / Wyrmtongue.
  • Death Speech: All Death Isldar can understand Death Speech / Shadetongue.
  • Isldar Aesthetics: All Isldar may choose to apply ice and snow aesthetics to their Abilities.

Culture

Isldar Cultures

Bene Vixit Isldarlife.png

The Bene Vixit, or Life Cult, are the Isldar who stayed loyal to the Dragons. They are strongly influenced by their religion: their patron Dragon Asaph’s beliefs dictate how they live their lives. The Bene Vixit tend to be more pro-Regalia, because Regalia helped them temporarily in the Civil War. They have a high proportion of warriors among their number, because the soldiering caste of the Isldar threw in its lot with the Dragons upon their return.

  • The Bene Vixit are all about staying true to the Dregodar and the ancient values of the Isldar, to safeguard the living.
  • The Bene Vixit speak Sulvaley, the Isldar language, which is a Nelfin dialect influenced by real-world Arabic phonetics.
  • The Bene Vixit are expected to be stern and taciturn, dependable people who are difficult to read but always show up in a pinch.
  • The Bene Vixit are universally Dragon Worshipers, following the Dragon Asaph. Conversion away is very rare, but can happen in diaspora sometimes.
  • The Bene Vixit are disinterested in politics, because Ellador does not have kings. They will back anything that supports Dragons’ interests.
  • The Bene Vixit are apathetic about Occult, having many Exist Mages left over. They love anything Dragon-related, and hate anything Ordial-related.
  • The Bene Vixit love purple, Wyvern-riding, the open air and sky, chill breezes, a good hunt, felling monstrous creatures, and honest soldiering.

Bene Rexit Isldardeath.png

The Bene Rexit, or Death Cult, revel in the glory of the slain. Each soul taken by their hands is sent to their patron, the death god Frisit, who eagerly awaits their tribute until the day that she is strong enough to conquer the world for them. Like the Bene Vixit, they too are influenced by their patron’s beliefs. They have many Mages among them, because the old Mage-priest caste of the Isldar proved loyal to Frisit in the end.

  • The Bene Rexit are all about raging against the dying of the light, living their lives spectacularly, loudly, and exactly how they want to.
  • The Bene Rexit speak Sulvaley, the Isldar language, which is a Nelfin dialect influenced by real-world Arabic phonetics.
  • The Bene Rexit are expected to be flamboyant and full of bravado, charismatic people who know their own worth.
  • The Bene Rexit are universally Ordial Cultists, following the death god Frisit (the Glacial). Conversion away is completely nonexistent.
  • The Bene Rexit are disinterested in politics, because Ellador does not have kings. They will back anything that supports their own interests.
  • The Bene Rexit are apathetic about Occult, having many Exist Mages left over. They love anything Ordial-related, and hate anything Dragon-related.
  • The Bene Rexit love green, catacombs, dark colors, literature, the beauty of high fashion, feeling in control, and learning arcane secrets.

Language

This Isldar with Summoned purple scale Armor also applied moon-themed war paint before going to battle.
Bene Rexit head dresses and clothing is some of the most extravagant and alien designed in the world.
Even if Life Isldar are just as closed off as Death Isldar are, they tend to look somewhat more inviting and benevolent.
Death Isldar on the other hand always know what they want and that they can get it, and dress to impress.
Isldar can grow body hair and facial hair but often have cultural reasons not to. They can also dye their hair (to escape the difficult MCskin white hair)

As earlier described, the Isldarrin language, Sulvaley, shares a family with other Nelfin languages. It has diverged somewhat over the centuries the Isldar have spent in Ellador since their departure from the Allorn Empire. Sulvaley is ascribed Arabic phonetics, with glottal stops and harsh consonants not found in most other Nelfin vocabularies.

Example Isldar male coded names: Arfa, Eriannan, Irifa, Ursal, Arqaam, Arslan, Aryaan, Irsaley, Ercaror, Henqaan. Most Isldarrin male names start with vowels, and double As are common.

Example Isldar female coded names: Almeya, Cuadhïra, Erthira, Kharaera, Vyara. They can also be made by modifying male coded names. For example, Erianna, Ursaela, Arslanna, Irsaleya, Ercantha, Henqaena.

Isldar names are not very complicated. In addition to their first name, most have a last name, but some Isldar do not bother. When decades are spent in the field, many soldiers abandon the difficulty of a second word to remember.

Religion

The Isldar are bitterly divided along religious lines. The Life Cult worships Asaph from Dragon Worship, while the Death Cult worships Frisit (The Glacial) from Ordial Worship. To learn more about these beings’ beliefs and how to worship them beyond the surface level, reading the linked pages is encouraged.

Families

Childhood

Isldar children are often communally raised. Their parents might be often away at other holds, at observatory centers, or at war. This means that they have a very open-ended perspective from very early on concerning social bonds, and get into the easy habit of forming new relationships quickly. Physical exercise and drills are encouraged, and while outsiders might describe the whole process as austere, Isldarrin children often leave their young years healthy and with a wide range of experiences both inside their breathtaking holds and outside in the wilderness of Ellador, learning what it takes to survive the frost and keep your bearings.

Adulthood

The Isldarrin concept of adulthood is dominated by civic duty. With how Ellador has been since their arrival, this usually means military duty. All Isldar are brought in for conscription at the age of twenty, and taught a series of standard weapons, traditionally the bow and the spear. Most do not see active duty immediately, because the style of guerilla warfare the Isldar prefer means that very few units are operating at any given time. However, with the outbreak of the civil war within Isldar society and the upheaval of more intense Vampiric and Regalian invasions, the Isldar of recent years have been exposed to an unusual amount of bloodshed. Upon completing a single mandatory tour, Isldar are given the option to leave Ellador, an option which many take: better to adventure out in the world, than to stay as a footman at home.

Romance & Gender Norms

Isldar romance is perhaps one of the most stiff things imaginable: their famous lack of comedy and social wit would make an observer question whether that stiffness is an intentional element they throw in to make things easier. However, on the flipside, it is extremely honest. There are no cat-and-mouse games, veiled declarations of affection, and tree-shade flirting among the Isldar. Intentions are stated openly and honestly, and accepted or declined much the same without contest. The Isldar do not have gender norms: all must learn to fight, all must learn to excel at the same roles in life, and all must do their duty to their country.

Fashion

Isldarrin fashion differs between the Bene Vixit and the Bene Rexit. Both follow the basic rules of Nelfin clothing: robes are in style, long sleeves, and flowing, patterned fabric. The Life Isldar favor generally lighter colors and looser, more practical clothes which keep the roughness of the wilderness off of them. Tough cloaks and leather boots are common, as is anything that keeps them safe, and can double as limited protection in the case of an attack. Practicality is key. The Death Isldar, meanwhile, dress to impress - their priests wear outlandish headdresses, while even the laymen have an impeccable sense of style. Black and dark gothic styles are everywhere, impractically high heels as well, and stunning multicolor makeup that can sometimes take up to an hour to apply. The Bene Rexit do not go anywhere without looking on point.

World View

World View is optional content that helps give Isldar flavor and depth.

  • The historical enemies of the Isldar are the Dwarves, the Dorkarth Vampires, Hedryll, and the Regalian Empire. The Dwarves because they aggressed on them upon arriving in Ellador and because the Dwarves are responsible for Asaph’s original death, and the other three because they have been making steady incursions into Isldar territory in the past hundred years.
  • Both Life and Death Isldar keep Wyverns as their mounts of choice, and fancy themselves the best riders in Aloria. The outbreak of the Civil War has seen some breathtaking Wyvernback duels between champion Isldar in the frosty clouds of Ellador.
  • Life Isldar form life bonds with their Wyverns. They believe that if their Wyvern perishes, the next they acquire is their reincarnation, and go to painstaking lengths to find a new mount that was born the day their previous one died.
  • Isldar are excellent choral singers, and also favor the harp. Their music is credited as holding a certain angelic quality seldom seen, and their hymns are traditionally used as the closing act in famous operas and stagehouses around Aloria.
  • Isldarrin sports always have a military angle to them. For example, javelin throwing is popular, but only because being good at throwing a javelin during downtime translates to being good at throwing a javelin when in the front lines of a snowstorm skirmish.
  • Isldar love symposiums and debates. They are deeply individualistic, and having a platform to make their positions known to one another is seen as cathartic and relaxing. This tendency to debate for fun can create little social faux pas with those who don’t understand.
  • Isldar also love hunting. Life Isldar because it is the divine wish of Asaph that her followers should test the limits of her infinite creations, and Death Isldar because Frisit is pleased by the tribute of souls, even ones that do not come from sentient enemies.
  • Isldar are famously blunt, and do not have a concept of irony or sarcasm in their culture. This can lead to two things: firstly, statements on their part can be unintentionally comedic, and secondarily, they can miss or ignore implications in things others say.
  • Death Isldar decorate their Undead followers lavishly, offering them tribute in gold, fine silks, and embellished armor so that their good appearance can reflect favorably back on them. Matching outfits are considered in vogue.
  • The Isldar live in so-called ‘Moon Vaults,’ ice palaces etched into the sides of the mountains and filled with countless bedazzled halls which shine in the moonlight. They are so named because their inner vaults only open to a particular series of keys when the moon is full.
  • The (in)famous metal known as ‘Skysteel’ was recently revealed to be an elaborate ploy by the Bene Rexit to lure gullible Ailor into Ellador to kill them and steal their belongings (and souls.)
  • The Isldar mostly subsist on fruits and arctic fauna, but their most famous culinary export is a dessert called a moon pie, two pastries with a thick circle of chilled vanilla icing sticking them together.
  • Isldar love hiking and difficult terrain. In Regalia, this means that many Isldar take to parkour, something they invite strangers along on frequently just for the experience. Crookback residents frequently complain about the clatter of Isldar feet on their shoddy roofs at nighttime.
  • The Isldar are masters of guerilla warfare. They invented it, and benefit from being immune to the cold on a continent which is hilly and consistently below zero degrees. To challenge them on their own terrain is nothing short of foolhardy.
  • The Isldar language is suited for spoken poetry, having a reputation for well-paced emotional reflections on the nature of life and the self among their Nelfin cousin races. Quite a few Teledden, even, have taken to the ‘Isldarriyát’ genre of quatrains.
  • Death Isldar consider husky, hoarse voices desirable in both speech and music. They surmise among themselves that this preference comes from the harsh syllables naturally present in Deathspeech leaking over into their other languages.
  • Death Isldar courtship rituals involve eliminating all other potential suitors, literally. The road to romance is fraught with saber duels under moonlight.
  • The Isldar like to play checkers. Not because it is considered mentally challenging, but because the white pieces are a metaphor for the Life Isldar and the black pieces are a metaphor for the Death Isldar: different colors, but the same shape.
  • Life Isldar handle Undead by giving them ‘penance periods,’ a window of grace after which they will hunt them and put them down on the spot. In Ellador, some Undead surprisingly accept this fate with grace, but the same cannot be expected in Regalia.
  • Isldar liquor is all berry-flavored and very sweet. Cloudberries, blueberries, blackberries. It is drunk in shots and is always a pleasant stomach-warmer in Ellador’s cold temperatures.

Trivia

  • Isldar cannot feel cold food. It all tastes perfectly warm to them.
  • Ellador hosts the world’s only bi-annual Dart and Backflip Tournament.
  • There is a romance novel involving a Maquixtl shieldmaiden and an Isldar huntress.

Accreditation
Writers MonMarty, OkaDoka
Artists MonMarty
Processors MonMarty, FireFan96
Last Editor Birdsfoot violet on 09/25/2022.

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