Isldar: Difference between revisions

From MassiveCraft Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
No edit summary
No edit summary
(29 intermediate revisions by 5 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Info races
{{Info races
|image = Isldarrin.png
|image = Isldarpslasho.png
|pronunciation = Ysel-dar
|pronunciation = Ysel-dar
|classification = [[Nelfin]]
|classification = [[Nelfin]]
Line 8: Line 8:
*Frozen People (derogatory)
*Frozen People (derogatory)
*Frost Horrors (derogatory)
*Frost Horrors (derogatory)
|languages = [[Sulvaley Altalar]]
|languages = [[Sulvaley]]
|naming = Fantasy Elven (but not Tolkien Elven)
|naming = Fantasy Elven (but not Tolkien Elven)


|distinction = Snow Elves who guard the cycle of life and death and the memory of [[Dragons]]
|distinction = Snow Elves who guard the cycle of life and death and the memory of [[Dragons]]
|maxage = 400 years (up to 150 for non-Permission holders)
|maxage = 500 years
|height = 5’8 - 6’8”
|height = Tall
|eye = Baby blue, Sky blue, Gray, Teal, Turquoise, Cyan
|eye = Any shade of purple if Life Isldar, any shade of green if Death Isldar
|hair = Varied on Attunement
|hair = Black or White, regardless of which cult they belong to
|skin = Varied on Attunement, but generally pale pink
|skin =  
[[File:Skin1.png]]
|}}
|}}
Mysterious, seclusive, elusive with hint traces of [[Altalar]] high-class and a nationalistic pride that sets them even further apart than the other [[Nelfin]] species. The Isldar from the frozen wastes of [[Ellador]] are all these things and more, protecting their homelands from unwanted intruders since the days of the [[Allorn Empire]], but also venturing in the world to tend to the lost souls left behind by millennia of tragedy. Isldar are a barely understood subrace of Nelfin who once formed out of the [[Dragon]] worshiping [[Drogon Cult]], leaving the Allorn Empire for seclusion in Ellador’s mountains. Through intrigue, the Isldar were brought from the brink of doom, from where their Dragon matron Frisit used the last of her living [[Magic]] to save their kind, turning into an Undead Dragon that continues to guide her people. The Isldar now venture into the world, both to gather information for their frozen holds in Ellador but also to guide the wayward souls to the afterlife and tend to the rivers of [[Soul Essence]] that flow all over [[Aloria]], keeping balance in life and death.
[[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.]]


[[File:Voltalar.jpg|260px|thumb|right|A Voltalar Isldar with Moon Vault tattoo inspired war-paint.]]
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.
[[File:Someisldareethatis.png|260px|thumb|right|Some Isldar in Regalia choose to clip their ears to fit in more among the Ailor.]]
[[File:Annoyedisldar.png|260px|thumb|right|Despite being seen as the kindest Isldar, Crystal Spire Isldar can still look stern and angry, even at a neutral expression.]]
[[File:Magicalstorm.png|260px|thumb|right|Isldar Glacial Palaces often sit above magical blizzard storms, white peaks contrasting to the clouds and blue sky above.]]
==Physical & Mental Characteristics==
Isldar come in a variety of subraces, each distinct with small differences in appearance, as well as their own subculture. Among these subrace divisions however are also converging appearance traits called Creator Harmony, that can cause the different subraces to look more alike than apart from one another. There are a total of four subraces of Isldar, which all exist in a mixed society. Physically each Isldar subrace has different specialities, meaning that certain occupations in Isldar society are closed to other subraces, however it is not true to say that they exist in a caste-society, as there is also considerable occupation mixing. For example, Moon Vault Isldar are the only Isldar capable of becoming Moon Guards, while Crystal Spire Isldar are the only Isldar capable of becoming spies or analysts, however both can become shopkeepers, tavern owners, gardeners (Isldar actually do have geo-thermally heated gardens in Ellador) or teachers.


===Isalëy, the Moon Vault Isldar===
==Core Identity==
The most numerous subrace are the Moon Vault Isldar, often also called Isalëy, residing in the major urban Isldar centers. The Moon Vault Isldar are the majority warriors and craftsmen among the Isldar, named after the Moon Vaults which are complex lunar light operated armories and treasuries at the heart of Isldar spire-cities. Moon Vault Isldar in many ways appear like the most standard Isldar, which in turn appears more like an Isldar with slender proportions as well as long ears. Moon Vault Isldar are hard to tell apart from their Teledden racial cousins (though they are shorter and generally more well-toned), were it not for Creator Harmony that applies additional changes to their appearance. Moon Vault Isldar are commonly found both within Ellador and outside of Ellador, whether it be on missions assigned to them by the Shiva Cavern Isldar, or simply roaming the world as independents looking for fortune, fame, or adventure. The most notable quality of Moon Vault Isldar, even despite Creator Harmony, is their decisiveness. Moon Vault Isldar often say and act impulsive, even to their own detriment as they do not think their actions through fully. Far from causing them to be reckless, it makes the Moon Vault Isldar first to charge through a breach, first to voice their objection, and to first to make an enemy. Their decisiveness should also not be mistaken for a bad temper, as few Moon Vaulters ever lose their self-control, but they can certainly come off as stand-offish or rudely distant and arrogant.
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.


===Elgalëy, the Crystal Spire Isldar===
===Life Against Death===
The second most numerous subrace are the Crystal Spire Isldar, often also called Elgalëy or less commonly Crystallin by outsiders. While Crystal Spire Isldar are more common than the Shiva’s Cavern Isldar or Scale Hide Isldar, they are far less seen due to their habit to stray from the public eye. Crystal Spire Isldar reside in the tall mountain spires, hidden observatory fortresses, or any type of tall structure well hidden from view. Crystal Spire Isldar are the librarians, archivists, analysis, spies and observers of the world. The Crystal Spire Isldar look identical to the Moon Vault Isldar, but carry themselves differently and are taller, which often leads them to be likened to the Lesara Altalar. Where Moon Vaulters might come across as spontaneous, driven, and decisive, Crystal Spires are more reserved, slow to act, and pensive. Moon Vaulters can be a flurry of facial expressions and emotions, while Crystal Spire Isldar seem perpetually above the idea of showing emotions, or even understanding them deep inside, as many of them lack an understanding of intimate contact. Crystal Spire Isldar, due to their lackluster close contact with others, can also be linguistically dense, making for example sarcasm hard to understand. All this isolation does make them unrivaled thinkers however, as when their mouth says very little, their mind is a wonder of a thousand concepts and ideas and extrapolations of the things they analyze.  
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.


===Shivalëy, the Shiva’s Cavern Isldar===
===Silent Observation===
The least numerous subrace of Isldar are the Shiva’s Cavern Isldar, more commonly called the Shivalëy, sometimes also called the Frost Witches by outsiders. The Shiva’s Cavern Isldar are very different from the other Isldar subraces in that they distinctly do not look like other Nelfin races, and to some who have never met them before might even look like re-animated ice-covered corpses. Proportionally the Shiva’s Cavern Isldar look similar to the Moon Vault Isldar, however their hair and skin has patches of ice-like structures on it, with their skin being more blue-tinted, and their hair almost appearing like flexible ice-crystals. The Shiva’s Cavern Isldar are commonly found as priests, political leaders, diplomats, strategists and have the majority of the Isldar Mage population among them. Shiva’s Cavern Isldar rarely venture outside of Shiva’s Caverns, a set of tunnels underneath a frozen lake within which they have constructed their many temples and government buildings that rule over the other Isldar in Ellador. What few Shiva’s Cavern Isldar leave these remote areas, are usually either those wishing to escape the choking dogmatic rule of the Shivalëy and their religious processions, or those specifically going out of their way to return errant Isldar to the flock by convincing them to return to the faith. It should not come as a surprise that most Shiva’s Cavern are confident, bordering on arrogant, self-righteous and convinced of their own divine place in the world and leadership among the Isldar. This prideful demeanor can however among the Isldar also be experienced as fiercely protective or motherly/fatherly, where a Shiva’s Cavern Isldar can always be relied upon to put other Isldar first, even if they are momentarily enemies.  
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.


===Voltalëy, the Scale Hide Isldar===
===Occult Heritage===
A curious aberration in appearance among the Isldar race is the Scale Hide Isldar, also called the Voltalëy among them, or Voltalar by outsiders. Outsiders particularly get this name wrong often, as they think of the Voltalëy as their own distinct race called the Dragon-Nelfin, however the Voltalëy are distinct from the Dregodar who are their ancestors, and they are absolutely a subrace of Isldar. The Scale Hide isldar appear more like Fin’ullen in proportions in that they are more humanoid in shoulder width and frame-size, however they still have long ears and Nelfin-like facial features. The most notable thing about the Scale Hide Isldar is that part of their skin is covered in dragon-scale like patches. The most common areas for this scale-skin is on the arms from the hands to the shoulders, the back, the hips and legs down to the feet, and the back and sides of the neck up to and including the ears. Rarely, patches of scale-skin can also be found on the chest, stomach or the sides of the face or forehead, but smaller patches with less scales on only the forearms and lower legs are also possible. Furthermore, the Voltalar have draconic claw-like fingers and feet, and about half the Voltalëy have a scaled non-prehensile draconic tail, while the other half does not. Where-as most other Isldar are experienced as haughty or distant to even their close friends, Voltalëy are the exact opposite in that they have too much emotion or experiences to share with everyone, including strangers. The Scale Hide Isldar are boisterous and challenging, seeking new thrills and experiences where possible, especially if it means they can measure their own self worth with others (for example in combat or challenges of the mind). The Scale Hide Isldar are commonly found in the Wyvern Spires in Ellador, where they both mend the Wyvern of the Isldar as well as all other forms of husbandry, preserving the Isldar food supply. The Scale Hide Isldar are both the front-line soldiers of the Isldar, and the caretakers of Isldar supply lines, acting as caravan menders and supply depot managers and guards.  
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.


===Nefalëy, the Half Isldar===
===Qfizat Hadre===
While breeding and relationships with non-Isldar are not looked down upon by Isldar as a whole, there is a clear divide between full and Half Isldar in their Society and Culture. Due to their lack of connection to the Soul Rivers, and lack of protection from the cold, Half Isldar are entirely barred from living in the Isldar Holds in Ellador. The Half-Isldar are called Nefalëy or "Half born" among the Isldar, though other races simply refer to them as Half Isldar. This creates an often uncomfortable position for Half-Isldar to occupy: while on the surface full Isldar are often welcoming and accepting of them, there is the unspoken exclusion of them from the Isldar's homelands. Visually, Half-Isldar tend to take on the Physical Characteristics of their parents in equal measure, with paler complexion and pointed ears. Half-Isldar very rarely are born with naturally Black Hair. Half-Isldar have a unique set of Racial Abilities, however they do have access to Creator Harmony, despite their lack of connection to the Soul Rivers. As such, Creator Harmony can only occur for them due to radical personality changes, and not intentional. When Half-Isldar are born, they also have "No Attunement", meaning that none of the visual effects of Creator Harmony apply, until their personality shifts into one of the archetypes, after which their appearance can change. Inversely, when their personality normalizes, they can also return to No Attunement and lose visual changes.
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.


==Creator Harmony==
===Isldar in Regalia===
Creator Harmony is the process of an Isldar attuning their Soul Essence to a particular Dragon Throne (as seen in [[Dragon Worship]]). All Isldar are born with one particular attunement, the White Scale, but in the course of their life, they can change this attunement several times. This process can occur either unintentionally as the result of personality changes in the Isldar, or intentional through a Soul-Attunement Ritual that the Isldar can perform nearby Soul Rivers, hoping to bring them in closer connection to a particular creed of Dragons and their Supporting Thrones. The primary function of Creator Harmony among the Isldar is to strengthen certain personality traits, while tempering others. Attunement generally does also have visual changes imparted on the Isldar however, all explained below. Creator Harmony does not necessarily equal religion. While the Isldar are in large numbers Dragon worshipers, the idea of Creator Harmony or Dragon Attunement transcends religion and plays more on the level of personality alignment with how the Isldar see Dragons, regardless of whether they are acknowledged as divine beings. A Unionist or Old Gods worshiping Isldar can still use Creator Harmony, as Dragons are factual sentient beings.  
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.


===White Scale Attunement===
==Design==
White Scale Attunement is the default Attunement of all Isldar. Frisit, despite appearing like a white Dragon, was originally Asaph, the Violet Dragon. As such, White Scale Attunement actually does not represent Frisit (who as an Undead Dragon does not exist in the Draconic Pantheon), but rather, the White Dragon Saaima of the White Sky Throne, sometimes also referred to as the Loong Dragon. Attunement to the White Scale causes the following effects:
===Physical Characteristics===
* '''In Personality:''' White Attunement increases resilience and a defending mentality, increasing the will to protect and defend others from harm. Inversely, it tempers diligence, meaning the Isldar are more inclined to procrastinate when it comes to personal goals over their duties to whatever group they belong to.
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.
* '''In Isalëy:''' This Attunement turns their hair white, while their proportions remain limber.
* '''In Elgalëy:''' This Attunement turns their hair white, while their proportions remain limber.
* '''In Shivalëy:''' This Attunement has no outward effect on their appearance besides what is described in their subrace description.
* '''In Voltalëy:''' This Attunement turns their hair white, and their scales gray-blue to white or opalline.  
* '''Common Traits:''' In White Attunement, only Voltalëy can have facial or body hair.  


===Purple Scale Attunement===
==Summary of Racial Abilities==
Purple Scale Attunement represents Rhaakhr of the Purple Crown Throne. Purple Scale Attunement is often chosen by leaders, guides, mentors and teachers. Purple attunement causes the following effects:
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. A Character can only ever be a Life, or a Death Isldar. Both have a set of common Specials, while both also have a unique set of specials limited to their respective identities.
* '''In Personality:''' Purple Attunement increases leadership confidence, political drive and a sense of duty to collective. Inversely, it tempers the will to compromise, leading to a more hard-line approach to those who are deemed enemies, and a less forgiving stance to those who have done wrong.
* '''In Isalëy:''' This Attunement turns their hair strawberry-blonde, while their facial proportions become more rounded and their body less slender, but not to such a degree that it would be more like that of an Ailor or Fin’ullen.
* '''In Elgalëy:''' This Attunement turns their hair strawberry-blonde, while their facial proportions become more rounded and their body plump, but not to such a degree that they would be considered chubby, retaining a slender frame quality.
* '''In Shivalëy:''' This Attunement turns their hair and skin ice-crystals more like [[Gold]] or [[Silver]], while their skin becomes more purple-tinted than blue-tinted.
* '''In Voltalëy:''' This Attunement turns their hair strawberry-blonde, while their facial proportions become more rounded and their body more built-fat as opposed to muscular-inclined. Additionally, their scales also turn copper-colored or peach-colored.
* '''Common Traits:''' In Purple Attunement, all subraces can have facial or body hair.


===Violet Scale Attunement===
===Common Specials===
Violet Scale Attunement represents Asaph of the Violet Creation Throne. Despite Asaph being the living variant of the Undead Frisit, this is not the default Attunement for the Isldar, since it harkens back to before when Asaph created the Isldar. Violet Scale Attunement is often chosen by the military oriented and those on the front lines, as well as those committing to the art of roguery.
* '''Ageless:''' The Fin'ullen are Ageless, when they become adults, they cease to visually age. Additionally, they can change their age-based appearance to any Ailor age equivalent they want (so long as it is 18+).
* '''In Personality:''' Violet Attunement increases foresight and preparation insight, giving the Isldar greater tactical awareness and willingness to plan everything through. Inversely, it dulls pliability, meaning they are less likely to change their mind on anything, believing themselves to be right all the time.  
* '''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.
* '''In Isalëy:''' This Attunement turns their hair black, while their facial proportions turn a tad more rugged, and their body more akin to the athletic shape of a Fin’ullen.  
* '''Manifesting Frost:''' Isldar may apply patches of blue-tinted skin, patches of crystalline ice or snow, or turn their hair to ice. These skin patches can also cover whole limbs or their whole body.
* '''In Elgalëy:''' This Attunement turns their hair black, while their facial proportions turn a tad more haggard with a constant look of disapproval.  
* '''Pristine Purity:''' Isldar are able to summon a whirl of frost that cleanses their own clothes, skin, and hair of any grime, unwanted sewer smells, or dirt that they don't want on them.
* '''In Shivalëy:''' This Attunement turns their skin a yale-blue, with the ice crystals in their hair and skin also appearing more like obsidian than ice.
* '''Frostmancy:''' Isldar have telekinetic control over snow and ice. They are able to make these elements levitate, and swirl them around in the air or into shapes with their hand gestures.
* '''In Voltalëy:''' This Attunement turns their hair black, while their facial proportions become more rectangular. Additionally, their scales also turn mauve-purple, or wine-purple.  
* '''Soul Attuned:''' Isldar are able to see the physical afterlife of Dragon Worship, but also an afterimage of other afterlives. They are able to confirm if a person has passed into the afterlife or not by name.
* '''Common Traits:''' In Violet Attunement, all subraces can have facial or body hair. Additionally nails can appear more claw-like for non-Voltalëy.
* '''Planar Script:''' Isldar are the only Race capable of reading (Dragon) Primal Script, and are also able to manifest it as glowing tattoos on their body, the color dictated by the Planar Dimension they belong to.
* '''Wyvern Body:''' Isldar are able to manifest visual aesthetics of Wyverns on their body like horns, draconic tails, arms, legs, scale patches, etc, but must look primarily like Isldar still.  
* '''Soul Quickening:''' When using Death's Finality or Death's Escape on a Suvial, this does not work. Instead, their respawn timer is sped up, and they instantly respawn at the Avinla Shrine.  
* '''Farsight I:''' Once per day, Isldar may use either a Spell Point Buy, Firearms Point Buy, or Ranged Weapon Point Buy Ability in Announce Emote Distance, so long as the default range is Emote Range.
* '''Farsight II:''' While on Progressions, Isldar are able to see further than other Races, able to see events taking place further away, and picking up more details than other Characters would.
* '''Farsight III:''' Isldar are able to have clearer detail-sight for things happening further away. This should mostly be used out of combat for roleplay flavor when it comes to reading details far away.
* '''Wyvern Stables:''' Isldar gain the Presence Point Buy Pack Mount Husbandry for free without Point Investment. Additionally, the Advanced Mount is immediately unlocked without the 4 Charisma requirement.
* '''Ellador Waywatcher:''' Isldar are the only Race capable of navigating the interior of Ellador in Progressions. Without an Isldar guide, other groups will strand while reaching into the interior.  


===Teal Scale Attunement===
===Life Isldar Only Specials===
Teal Scale Attunement represents Anlon of the Teal Deep. Teal Scale Attunement is often chosen by Isldar engaged in espionage and deception, as well as entertainment and theatre. Teal Attunement has the following effects:
* '''Death's Finality:''' Life Isldar can cast an incantation on a dying person that guarantees that when they die, they cannot become an Undead. This does not guarantee passage into the afterlife however.
* '''In Personality:''' Teal Attunement increases a sense of secrecy, diversion, disruption and mysticism. Inversely, this Attunement decreases trust in others, making the Isldar more paranoid and distrusting of strangers, and less likely to expose any information towards them.  
* '''Dragon Tongue:''' Life Isldar are able to understand and speak Dragon Speech. Additionally, they can enchant one additional person in Emote Range who cannot, to also understand the language while in range.
* '''In Isalëy:''' This Attunement turns their hair light-blue or light-green and makes their appearance more gaunt or haughty, while giving their skin a less pale pink and more of a light olive coloring.
* '''Snow's Kiss:''' Life Isldar may choose one [[Spell Point Buy]] which instead of Void/Exist is Dragon Magic. This does not count towards the Greater Mage requirement, and must have Draconic-Ice aesthetics.
* '''In Elgalëy:''' This Attunement turns their hair light-blue or light-green and makes their appearance more gaunt or haughty, while giving their skin a less pale pink and more of a light olive coloring.
* '''Ordial Betrayal:''' Life Isldar gain +1 Main Combat Stat only applying to Attacks/Abilities performed towards Anchored Spirits of Ordial Alignment not currently merged with their Theurgist Host.
* '''In Shivalëy:''' This Attunement deepens the blue-ness of both their skin and their hair, or turning them more teal/green-colored. This also causes the ice crystals in their skin and hair to look more like sapphires and/or emeralds or jade.
* '''Aurora's Mark:''' Life Isldar can transform into a levitating avatar of Creation, a white glowing ethereal being made of see-through white light that counts as a disguise and allows distorted speech.  
* '''In Voltalëy:''' This Attunement turns their hair raven-black while their scales turn either blue with a metallic sheen, or green jade-like. Their proportions also become far less athletic or muscular-inclined as they become more slender and sinewy.
* '''Common Traits:''' In Teal Attunement, none of the subraces can have facial or body hair, and the Voltalëy’s clawed fingers become more soft with rounded nails.  


===Red Scale Attunement===
===Death Isldar Only Specials===
Red Scale Attunement represents Qaarn of the Red Core. Red Scale Attunement is often chosen by Isldar who abandon most conflict and engage solely in social pursuits, mixing with other races and trying to be more open to others. Red Attunement has the following effects:
* '''Death's Escape:''' Death Isldar can cast an incantation on a dying person that prevents their soul from moving on, thus ensuring they become and Undead. They can also dictate the type of [Undead] (see page)
* '''In Personality:''' Red Attunement increases social skill, amiable demeanor and trusting nature of even the most remote strangers, allowing the Isldar to fluently merge into any social group. Inversely it dulls their guile, causing them to commit to damaging relations with strangers who should not be trusted, causing them to be burned over and over.  
* '''Death Tongue:''' Death Isldar are able to understand and speak Shadetongue. Additionally, they can enchant one additional person in Emote Range who cannot, to also understand the language while in range.  
* '''In Isalëy:''' This Attunement turns their hair reddish-brown, auburn, or any ginger-color. Their body proportions and facial proportions also round more.  
* '''Snow's Kiss:''' Death Isldar may choose one [[Spell Point Buy]] which instead of Void/Exist is Ordial Magic. This does not count towards the Greater Mage requirement, and must have Death-Ice aesthetics.
* '''In Elgalëy:''' This Attunement turns their hair reddish-brown, auburn, or any ginger-color. Their body proportions and facial proportions also round more.  
* '''Dragon Betrayal:''' Death Isldar gain +1 Main Combat Stat only applying to Attacks/Abilities performed towards Anchored Spirits of Primal Alignment not currently merged with their Theurgist Host.
* '''In Shivalëy:''' This Attunement turns their hair crimson red, while their skin and hair ice-crystals turn more into ruby or pink-quartz-like structures. Their body proportions and facial proportions also round more.  
* '''Glacial's Mark:''' Death Isldar can transform into a quadruped frozen bone-horror, an amalgam of bones and spikes from the frozen wastes that counts as a disguise, and allows distorted speech.
* '''In Voltalëy:''' This Attunement turns their hair rusty-red, while their scales range anywhere from Carmine red to burgundy in color. Their body proportions and facial proportions also round more, while their claw-like fingers attain more rounded-nails instead of sharp.
* '''Common Traits:''' In Red Scale Attunement, body and facial hair is optional for all sub-races. Additionally, Red Scale Attunement also allows the Isldar to become more bulky or burly, or meaty and beefy, but these are entirely optional unlike the proportion changes of the other Attunements.  


==Isldar Abilities==
==Culture==
All Abilities are listed in detail on the [[Ability List]] Page. Additional rules applied to those Abilities are recorded in the table below. Aesthetics for Abilities may be dictated by the players, as long as the Ability Name is mentioned in the Emote, which is mandatory for Ability use. The following Abilities are what is considered a Racial Ability Set. Meaning, that none of these Abilities attribute Aberrant status to any individual, even if they are classified like they would. Only additional Abilities gained from outside of this Racial Ability Set can attribute Aberrant Status. All Full-Isldar have the Common Isldar Kit, and additionally have abilities specific to their sub-race listed under their Subrace Kit. Half-Isldar do not have the Common Isldar kit.
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| style="color: black; background-color: #9FAFB7; width: 90%;" align="center"  
====Common Isldar Kit====
! colspan="3" |
All Isldar have access to the Common Kit. Each Subrace of Isldar also has access to their Subrace-specific Abilities, listed below the Common Kit.
Isldar Cultures
{| class="wikitable"  
|- style="background:#eee;"
|- style="font-weight:bold; text-align:center; background-color:#c0c0c0;"
| rowspan="2" style="width: 7%; text-align:center;" |
! Ability Name
'''Bene Vixit'''
! Ability Type
[[File:Isldarlife.png|100px]]
! Ability Range
|  
! Ability Description
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;"  
| style="background-color:#eaf1f9;" | Skin Purge 1
|  
| Toggle Passive
* The Bene Vixit are all about staying true to the Dregodar and the ancient values of the Isldar, to safeguard the living.
| Self
* The Bene Vixit speak Sulvaley, the Isldar language, which is a Nelfin dialect influenced by real-world Arabic phonetics.
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip: Skin Purge 1 | The user can toggle this Passive to remove choice or any and all scars, Mutations, tattoos or other blemishes that affect only their skin. Skin mutations may include pigments, scriptures, textures, but for example not horns, despite them being covered in skin and sticking out of the skull. Mutations stay gone forever, but scars may be caused to re-appear at will, and may also be removed again at will.
* 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 Dragons Asaph or Regulus. Conversion away is rare, but can happen in diaspora.
|-
* The Bene Vixit are disinterested in politics, because Ellador does not have kings. They will back anything that supports Dragons’ interests.
| style="background-color:#eaf1f9;" | Age Control 1
* The Bene Vixit are apathetic about Occult, having many Exist Mages left over. They love anything Dragon-related, and hate anything Ordial-related.
| Toggle Passive
* The Bene Vixit love purple, Wyvern-riding, the open air and sky, chill breezes, a good hunt, felling monstrous creatures, and honest soldiering.
| Self
|- style="background:#eee;"
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip: Age Control 1 | The user is able to change their visual appearance to be of any age within the adult age ranges at any time. This transition is near-instant and may affect wrinkles, skin, hair graying, and more. After toggling an age appearance, any Counters do not revert changes, they only prevent further changes until the Counter is removed.
| rowspan="2" style="width: 7%; text-align:center;" |
}}
'''Bene Rexit'''
|-
[[File:Isldardeath.png|100px]]
| style="background-color:#eaf1f9;" | Super Self 6
|  
| Constant Passive
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.
| Self
|- style="background:white;"  
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip:  Super Self 6 | The Character is immune to hypothermia and cold temperatures, and is completely unaffected by any naturally occurring or Ability based Ice, snow, or frost on themselves or on the ground. Additionally, the user is immune to Element Brand 1.
|  
}}
* 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.
| style="background-color:#eaf1f9;" | Frisit Gift 1
* The Bene Rexit are expected to be flamboyant and full of bravado, charismatic people who know their own worth.
| Constant Passive
* The Bene Rexit are universally Ordial Cultists, following the death god Frisit (the Glacial). Conversion away is completely nonexistent.
| Self
* The Bene Rexit are disinterested in politics, because Ellador does not have kings. They will back anything that supports their own interests.
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip: Frisit Gift 1 | The Character can hear and use Wyrmtongue, the Dragon language, and can hear Dragons speak Wyrmtongue from miles away. Additionally, the Character can see Soul Rivers, materialize them to others to see, and steer them around aesthetically.
* 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.  
|-
| style="background-color:#eaf1f9;" | Frisit Gift 2
| Constant Passive
| Self
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip:  Frisit Gift 2 | The Character is able to summon and unsummon either two identical melee weapons or one ranged weapon into their hands at will made of Soul Essence. Ranged weapons summoned through this ability have infinite ammunition, but can only use the default ranged attack. The Weapon cannot leave the user's hand, and cannot be handed off to others. If Weapon degrading Abilities or Mundane Techniques are used, and the weapon would break or be destroyed, the whole Ability is Cancelled and put on a 30 minute Cooldown. Proficiency in the specified type of weapon is required to utilize any abilities listed.
}}
|-
| style="background-color:#eaf1f9;" | Exorcism 4
| Control Power
| Direct Touch
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip: Exorcism 4 | The user can perform a passing ritual on NPC Poltergeists or dead bodies (only if they have died within the last 24 hours), lasting 5 minutes, which allows their Soul to properly pass on (thus preventing them from becoming Archblood or Undead) into the afterlife as is intended by the laws of Souls. It additionally obliterates the persons memories, preventing the creation of a Shade.
}}
|-
| style="background-color:#eaf1f9;" | Soul Song 1
| Mobile Channel
| Emote Distance
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip: Soul Song 1 | The user can perform the Soul Song, while holding up their hand towards any Target that is either Undead or through some other form Ordial touched (Ordial Mage, Ordial Archblood, Death attuned Ezekiel etc.) while either singing, or chanting to expel them. This Ability has a stacking function based on the amount of Isldar using the Ability on the same Target. If a single Isldar uses it, the Target cannot approach them for as long as the Mobile Channel lasts, only move sideways or away from them. If two Isldar use it, the Target is pushed back at walking speed. If three or more Isldar use it, the Target is violently flung to just out of Emote Distance with considerable bruising and scratches. A person who is violently flung is immune to Soul Song 1 for 5 minutes. This Ability has no cooldown, but the Isldar using it cannot use other Abilities or use weapons during usage.
}}
|-
|}
|}
====Moon Vault Subrace Kit====
{| class="wikitable"
|- style="font-weight:bold; text-align:center; background-color:#c0c0c0;"
! Ability Name
! Ability Type
! Ability Range
! Ability Description
|-
| style="background-color:#eaf1f9;" | Ordial Horror 1
| Toggle Passive
| Emote Distance
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip: Ordial Horror 1 |The Character can scan an area for the Ordial touched, be it Undead, Ordial Mages, Ordial Archblood, Death aligned Ezekiel etc. This Ability functions with pinpoint accuracy, even through walls. This Ability is telegraphed by the user raising up a white ghostly lantern, that causes a white tether to appear with anything Ordial. This does mean that the Targets know they are being identified and located. Additionally, while any Ordial touched person within Emote Distance of the user is unable to be healed or be affected by healing Abilities or mechanics while in Emote Distance. Finally, any mundane weapon wound applied by Moon Vault Isldar cannot be healed at all by Ordial touched persons, this wound festering with Isldar magics until the victim visits the Ordial Temple / Hellvalt Temple where anyone who taps into Ordial Essence can heal the wound(s).
}}
|-
| style="background-color:#eaf1f9;" | Moon Assault 1
| Magic Spell
| Emote Distance
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip: Moon Assault 1 | The Character can use this Ability while wielding any type of melee weapon (or their fists poised for combat). When activated, they instantly blink to a Target person, 2 blocks away from them, in whatever position that would most closely align to the direction they came from. This Ability also gives initiative on the Target, meaning the Target will always be caught by surprise. This Ability can only be used on a Target the user intends to immediately attack, and cannot be used to teleport to allies. This Ability has a 1 Hour cooldown.
}}
|-
|}
|}


====Crystal Spire Subrace Kit====
==Language==
{| class="wikitable"
[[File:Vultalarv.png|260px|thumb|right|This Isldar with Summoned purple scale Armor also applied moon-themed war paint before going to battle.]]
|- style="font-weight:bold; text-align:center; background-color:#c0c0c0;"
[[File:Lookatheaddress.png|260px|thumb|right|Bene Rexit head dresses and clothing is some of the most extravagant and alien designed in the world.]]
! Ability Name
[[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.]]
! Ability Type
[[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.]]
! Ability Range
[[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)]]
! Ability Description
|-
| style="background-color:#eaf1f9;" | Power Howl 1
| Trigger Passive
| Emote Distance
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip:  Power Howl 1 | The Character can unleash a blood curling echoing scream or melodious angelic song that reverberates in Emote Distance. Anyone who is Channeling an Ability or about to Channel has the Channel forcibly interrupted, regardless of what interruption rules this Ability has. If this Channel Ability has a cooldown shorter than 5 minutes, it is set to a 5 minute cooldown. If longer, the Ability’s own cooldown is used. Additionally, anyone within 2 blocks of the user that was mid-swing with an attack, has their attack Staggered, meaning it automatically misses or is interrupted. This Ability has a 30 minute cooldown.
}}
|-
| style="background-color:#eaf1f9;" | Memory Sense 2
| Target Illusion
| Emote Distance
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip: Memory Sense 2 | The Character is able to project a ghostly and holographic image of their memories out into the world around them. The user can rotate, zoom in and out, and make minor aesthetic changes to the holographic memory as they wish. If the user does not fully remember parts of the memory, it will appear fake or blurry. Fake or implanted memories will appear as real, but the user cannot create fake memories themselves. This ability has no cooldown.
}}
|-
|}


====Voltalar Subrace Kit====
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.
{| class="wikitable"
|- style="font-weight:bold; text-align:center; background-color:#c0c0c0;"
! Ability Name
! Ability Type
! Ability Range
! Ability Description
|-
| style="background-color:#eaf1f9;" | Moon Assault 2
| Magic Spell
| Self
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip:  Moon Assault 2 | The user can enhance their defensive capacity to brace an incoming Mundane Ranged Combat Projectile (except the 20 Point investment). The user has to specifically stop what they are doing otherwise (like attacking someone), cross their arms in front of them, to brace the impact. This Ability can be used to Counter a Ranged Combat projectile that was already emoted, however they must self-Stagger. If the user cannot brace themselves (because their arms are restrained for example), then this Ability cannot be used. Additionally, any effects from either Abilities or Mundane Techniques that would paralyze the user's arms does not work on them.
}}
|-
| style="background-color:#eaf1f9;" | Moon Assault 3
| Magic Spell
| Varied
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip: Moon Assault 3 | The user can charge up their fists for several seconds before unleashing a mighty punch upwards that will launch them into the air by 30 feet. Then, while momentum slows down, they choose a location within Emote Distance to land, before speeding these and crashing down to the ground with a ferocious slam. This slam does no direct damage, but causes anyone at the landing location and in a 3 Block radius around them to be knocked off their feet while the user remains standing. Additionally, there is an alternate way to use this Ability. If the user is standing within 2 Blocks of another Character, they can "drag" this character along with the punch into the sky, before choosing a location to land, pummeling the Target into the ground. In case a person is dragged along, upon landing, no knockdown or harm effect is applied to anyone, except the Target, who receives the equivalent damage of several punches to the chest. This Ability ignores rooting on both the user and the Target, and restraint immunity for the Target. This Ability ignores armor, and has a 24 Hour cooldown.
}}
|-
|}


====Shiva's Cavern Subrace Kit====
'''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.
{| class="wikitable"
|- style="font-weight:bold; text-align:center; background-color:#c0c0c0;"
! Ability Name
! Ability Type
! Ability Range
! Ability Description
|-
| style="background-color:#eaf1f9;" | Summon Wall 1
| Linked Channel
| 5 Block Range
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip: Summon Wall 1 | The Character can stand still and Channel for 30 seconds to summon a 2x3 (of either orientation) sized Wall in an unoccupied space within 5 blocks of them made of material determined by the source of this Ability. This Wall can be made in between doorways, or independent of any other structures, but cannot be placed over existing structures or people. Once created, the Character must remain within 5 Blocks of the Wall, or else it will disappear. The Wall can be broken naturally as if it was made of mundane wooden materials through a minute of uninterrupted effort. Once the Wall is created, the Character is no longer considered as Channeling for the purpose of counters. Summon Wall 1 cannot be cast again within Emote Distance of an already existing Summon Wall 1 wall. In order to place a Wall, use an in-game ticket to ask Lore Staff or World Staff for help. The Wall can be made of any legal blocks, with a sign that states “Summon Wall 1.” This Ability can only be used once every 30 minutes.
}}
|-
| style="background-color:#eaf1f9;" | Moon Assault 4
| Magic Spell
| Emote Distance
|  Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip: Moon Assault 4|  The user can summon a sharp ice-shard in their hand or levitating in the air, after which they can send it with great velocity at a Target. The user must do a "/dice 0 20", with any roll above 5 causing a hit to land. Each shot has a 1 minute Cooldown, and if hit, causes the equivalent of a deep gash like a sword slice, or a puncture wound if the Target is wearing armor. The ice shards disappear the moment they impale or slice the Target, fading into crystalline ice-dust. }}
|-
|}


====Half Isldar====
'''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.
{| class="wikitable"
|- style="font-weight:bold; text-align:center; background-color:#c0c0c0;"
! Ability Name
! Ability Type
! Ability Range
! Ability Description
|-
| style="background-color:#eaf1f9;" | Skin Purge 1
| Toggle Passive
| Self
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip: Skin Purge 1 | The user can toggle this Passive to remove choice or any and all scars, Mutations, tattoos or other blemishes that affect only their skin. Skin mutations may include pigments, scriptures, textures, but for example not horns, despite them being covered in skin and sticking out of the skull. Mutations stay gone forever, but scars may be caused to re-appear at will, and may also be removed again at will.
}}
|-
| style="background-color:#eaf1f9;" | Age Control 1
| Toggle Passive
| Self
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip: Age Control 1 | The user is able to change their visual appearance to be of any age within the adult age ranges at any time. This transition is near-instant and may affect wrinkles, skin, hair graying, and more. After toggling an age appearance, any Counters do not revert changes, they only prevent further changes until the Counter is removed.
}}
|-
| style="background-color:#eaf1f9;" | Empath Sense 5
| Constant Passive
| Emote Distance
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip: Empath Sense 5 | While in any area that major events took place in the past or repeated emotions were felt, for example battle-fields, graveyards, burial sites, hospitals, celebration halls, throne rooms, etc, the Character is able to detect the lingering emotions that were felt in these areas. They are not strong enough to affect the Character’s own psyche, they are just able to feel the lingering emotions of centuries past. This is only felt in areas where lots of people come together to do a similar thing, or hundreds of people felt a similar thing at the same time.
}}
|-
| style="background-color:#eaf1f9;" | Element Brand 1
| Object Enchant
| Self
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip: Element Brand 1 | This Ability allows the user to Enchant their melee weapon with an Ice or Water enchant that makes the weapon watery and dripping or dusting with frost and white. Additionally, anyone struck with this weapon becomes unable to move at a speed greater than walking speed. Parrying does not count as being hit, while being hit on the armor does. The effect lasts for 1 minute, and while being hit multiple times does not stack this effect, it does refresh every time the opponent is hit. The Enchant lasts for 30 minutes and can only be used by the user, if they hand the weapon off or attempt to Enchant anyone else’s weapon, the Ability simply does not work. This Ability has no Cooldown.
}}
|-
| style="background-color:#eaf1f9;" | Element Control 1
| Magic Spell
| Self
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip: Element Control 1 | The user gains a number of utility functions. They may remove all water from their clothing and themselves, instantly drying them. They may walk on water as if it is merely the road. They may also use the Water as a trampoline, allowing them to jump 6 blocks high while standing on the water. They may also super-cool any lukewarm or warmed up drink and become immune to the slowing (but not rooting) effects of any Ability that uses frost, snow or ice to slow down movement. None of these smaller functions have Cooldowns.
}}
|-
|}


==History==
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.
===Early Years===
==Religion==
The starting point of Isldar history can be placed somewhere in the early stages of the Altalar [[Grandening]] period, around 1100 BC according to most [[Nelfin]] historical scholars, at the first formal party held by the fledgling Cult of Drogon. This infant form of the Cult was composed of noble-backed draconic scholars who took to recording detailed information on the lives of Dragons, alongside collecting and preserving the remains of deceased Dragons, forming the basis of many Dragonbone collections in the present day. While some of these draconic scholars limited themselves to purely academic observation and cataloging of the Dragons, others took to them much differently and treated the Dragons and their remains with a reverence that would grow to encompass their religion. Over the next 400 years, the Cult of Drogon would shift to this same viewpoint on the Dragons, and those who researched them on a purely scholarly basis soon became the minority, before being outright expelled from the Cult itself. While this shift occurred, the Cult also took on numerous Altalar noble benefactors who, initially, only became involved for the sake of political power; as with the first members of the Cult, they soon revered the Dragons, or left. Many of these benefactors were based in modern-day [[Ithania]], which, by the end of the period, would become the home of the Cult of Drogon, driven north by pressure from other Altalar nobles and [[Estellian]] fanatics who sought to wipe non-Estellian heresies from the lands of the Allorn Empire.  
The Isldar are bitterly divided along religious lines. The Life Cult worships Aurora or Regulus 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. For the Life Isldar, having Aurora or Regulus as a favored Dragon is not a requirement, though the majority do choose those two. Choosing a different Dragon to suit one's own ideology is perfectly acceptable, and even changing favored chosen Dragon is permissible.
==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.


In spite of their retreat to Ithania, however, they would soon have to flee further north. The first 250 years of the Blossoming period were spent shoring up their funds and resources, securing what little support was still available in preparation for further movement into Ellador; to the Cult of Drogon, the unsettled, green lands of the north were by far the most appealing, offering a physical sea barrier between themselves and Estellian crusaders, as well as space and materials to rebuild, with natural protection from Ellador’s mountainous terrain. As they had prepared for, the Cult of Drogon fled north in 450 BC at the outbreak of the [[Mage Wars]], leaving behind their slaves and evading the wrath of the Altalar archmages who sought to express their power and dominate the political world, setting up outposts on the southern coasts of Ellador and moving inwards. To their surprise, the Cult of Drogon wandered close to the Crater of Creation, encountering the [[Violet Creation Dragons]] in their splendor. The Cult of Drogon wasted no time in dedicating themselves to these Dragons, offering themselves up as servants and guardians, establishing the Frisit Protectorate, named for Frisit, the head of the Violet Creation Dragons. In doing so, they caught the eye of the northern Altalar archmages, whose power hunger drove them to attempt to kill the Dragons that the Cult had openly announced its protection of.
===First Dragon War===
The First Dragon War was the shortest and least remarkable, lasting only four years, from 346 to 342 BC, but opening the floodgates for further harassment of the Protectorate by the Allorn principalities and their allies. The First War saw the least bloodshed and the loss of no Violet Creation Dragons, owing in the main to the mountain ranges and dense forests of Ellador. While the archmages commanded significant and considerable power politically and militarily, they had not prepared for troop movements through such problematic terrain, and were easily repelled by as-yet unprepared for guerilla ambushes by the Cult of Drogon, and aerial attacks by the Violet Dragons that highlighted the lack of preparation of the archmages. The archmages retreated fully by 342 BC, but did not remove their eyes from Ellador and the Protectorate, taking three decades to muster up the military might and strategic minds to stage a much more significant invasion of Ellador; one that would be far more devastating than the first.
===Second Dragon War===
The Second Dragon War was waged not only by the Allorn archmages, but also by the Dwarves; trading partners of the Allorn Empire, the Dwarves were drawn into the conflict through Altalar political intrigue, convincing them to assist the Altalar in invading Ellador to wipe out the Cult of Drogon and the Violet Creation Dragons. Many Dwarves were convinced that the Violet Dragons had hidden significant hoards of gold and jewels in the Crater of Creation of Ellador; even then, knowledge existed to indicate the opposite, but the Dwarves ignored such talk. The second invasion of Ellador in 312 BC saw ecological devastation on a scale as yet unseen; immediately upon landing on Ellador’s shores, the Altalar employed mages to fell vast swathes of trees, carving a path through to Ellador’s mountains. Here, the Dwarves got to work tunneling through the mountains to create yet more pathways into Ellador, and enable full-scale assaults on Drogon settlements and strongholds. Thousands of Drogon followers died in the initial waves of Dwarven and Allorn attacks, and two of the three Violet Creation Dragons followed suit, shot from the skies by Dwarven contraptions and summarily executed by battalions of Altalar spearmen and Dwarven axemen. The Cult of Drogon was slow to respond; while the mountains of Ellador had been their shield so far, they proved difficult in allowing Cultists to escape the valleys and creeks, and meant that news of the attacks moved like molasses, and kept the Protectorate from responding until as long as three months into the attack.
The Protectorate counterattack was enough to make the combined Dwarven-Allorn armies stagger, but could only go so far in holding them off, given the far greater numbers and access to unknown technology that offered the attackers the advantage. Instead, the Protectorate drew its people in to a few select strongholds and established policies of stalemate and vicious guerilla attacks on Dwarven-Allorn encampments to disable their technology and mining efforts. Though this tactic worked for the Protectorate on a technicality, its success was somewhat pyrrhic. With the attackers constantly bearing down on them, it was all that they could do to hold them in place. When resources grew thin for the invaders, the war would fall into lulls, allowing the Protectorate time to breathe and recuperate, before another wave would begin. Due to this, many scholars dispute the status of the Second Dragon War, describing it as a series of sustained conflicts, though the title remains for convenience’s sake. These conflicts continued for around five decades, tearing through the Cultist population, until the Allorn Empire began a slow withdrawal. Citing a lack of success in sight, the Allorn Empire was becoming ever more aware of the losses and expenses of sustaining such a war in Ellador, while the Mage Wars continued to rage on in the Allorn homelands, and would for another decade following. The Dwarves withdrew soon after, losing much of the driving power of the war without the riches and nigh-unending manpower of the Altalar.
===Inter-Dragon War===
The so-called Inter-Dragon War period saw the rise of many traditions and social standards held by present-day Isldar. They became paranoid of further wars; their populations already severely, near-irreparably damaged by constant barrages of attacks in the Second War, the Cult of Drogon had become emotionally cold, opposed to emotional attachments when, in their eyes, war could come at any point and tear away what they had established between them. At the same time, however, they recognized that acts of anger and aggression to each other were counterproductive when their time alive was seemingly on an hourglass they could not see; this gave birth to their aversion to losing their temper, and their preference for a few meaningful words as opposed to many meaningless ones. The Protectorate shored up their defenses and brought their people into strongholds specifically, preparing for imminent attacks, while the elders of the Cult communed with the Violet Dragons in preparation for what was to come. Although later, far later, than they had expected, the Third Dragon War broke out in 114 BC, and changed the fate of the Protectorate entirely.
===Third Dragon War===
The Third Dragon War was witness to the heights of Dwarven “innovation”; spurred on by the anger and violence of new generations of Dwarves, they launched a third, and final invasion of Ellador. The Dwarves elected to attack in different ways, using brand new siege machines to devastate stronghold walls, or experimental drilling devices to bore holes into keeps to swarm their inhabitants and burn Wyvern roosts, with the Wyvern still inside. The Protectorate fell into panic; their walls were compromised, and their allies, the Wyverns, were being slaughtered wholesale. Many Dwarves made attempts to insult the Protectorate by using the corpses of the dead Wyverns to try to build flying machines. The Third War, lasting twenty years, drew to a stalemate as the Second had, though only in its final five years, as the Protectorate sought to conserve its dwindling people and ever-shrinking population of Wyverns. By 95 BC, all Wyverns were dead, having previously been created to help protect the Violet Creation Drakes, leaving only one Violet Creation Dragon alive, Frisit herself. Seeing no outcome in sight where the Protectorate would come out alive, the elders and Dragon released their order to draw all of their remaining forces into a single stronghold, at the bottom of a valley; the last stand of the Cult of Drogon and the Violet Creation Dragons would occur here, at the Battle of Udillin’s Foot.
The final battle that would bring a close to the Third Dragon War between the Dwarves and the Cult of Drogon took place in 94 BC in an valley area previously called Udillin’s Foot by the Dwarves. This last pivotal battle was intended as the last stand by the Cult of Drogon which had been whittled down by centuries of warfare and prosecution by the Altalar. While they had resisted the Altalar in the previous wars, the Dwarves were both numerous and using technology far beyond the Drogon means, using their tunnels to rapidly move around the Drogon positions and even using mysterious weapons to cause mountain tremors to tear down Drogon strongholds. The Isldar had effectively become so lacking in numbers that a final stand, with a planned flight to [[Jorrhildr]] should their plan succeed, was approved by the elders. Frisit also committed the few creations of the Crater that were left, fantastical magical creations of life and creature, presiding herself also as the Drogon threw every last thing they had at the Dwarves who had them cornered.
The battle went about as well as one would expect to a severely fatigued and torn-up people, the Dwarves using all manner of explosive devices and contraptions to wipe out whole formations in one go. Dwarven artillery was in fact so effective that it was able to kill the Dragon creations at an alarming rate. One by one, the legendary Drogon elders fell, who had served the Dragons for so long. With each death, Frisit grew more desperate, as she watched Pyndrynt, Lovnarr, Eideriss, Seheissi and Fyyrm fall, her favorite elders, eventually entering the fray herself and destroying many Dwarven catapults and devices. The battle was however too much. The Drogon cult was cornered and the Dwarves were about to unleash the final assault to end the battle. In her final desperation as the last Violet Creation Dragon left alive, Frisit mustered the last remnants of her own Magic but also that of the other Violet Creation Dragons who were slain in battle to unleash a massive spell that caused such a blinding light that observers as far as [[Essalonia]] and the [[North Skags]] were able to see it.
In her spell, Frisit died, yet turned undead. Her scales turned white while her bat-like wings withered and tore into a skeletal structure of bones tightly spun with skin. Her eyes turned white and her whole body became mangy and old, losing the ability to fly as she came down and had essentially changed from a glorious matron Dragon to a withering creature. The spell’s effects on the Dwarves and Cult of Drogon was even more severe however. The Dwarves were all wiped out instantly, records indicating that over a hundred thousand Dwarves died in that single spell, a loss so severe for the Dwarves that it was cited as the main reason why they shut their gates when the [[Void Invasion]] began and were unable to defend the outside of their holds from the demonic invasion. The Dwarves caught in the initial blast were simply wiped to dust in one final agonizing cry, their souls ripped from their bodies and instantly evaporated, while those further away were quickly caught by the extreme cold snap that turned even water to ice instantly and then shattered it with great force. These caught Dwarves froze solid instantly and then cracked, falling to pieces, while the Drogon Nelfin remained unharmed.
In the blast of this spell, those Drogon Nelfin present had their skins lose color and their hair turned white. They were immune to the cold that killed all the Dwarves, watching in both horror and amazement as Frisit sacrificed herself and the remaining Violet Creation Dragon magics to inflict a horrible toll on the living, something the Dragon had never wanted to do, but was forced to, to save her Nelfin followers. The cold snap continued to flow from that valley, eventually enveloping the whole of Ellador and killing tens of thousands of Ailor who had also settled the southern coast. The cold snap then continued across the ocean, affecting Jorrhildr which became even colder, and the North Skags as well as [[Cain]] to the southeast, casting them into a frozen tundra from which they would not recover. Ellador remained since then a frozen continent plagued with blizzards and snowstorms, with the interior of the landmass especially hard-hit with frequent sub-zero temperatures. The time period saw the cult of Dragon-loving Altalar stop being Altalar and became Isldar instead, and the time when they were first seen on a larger scale by the rest of the world remains a mystery.
===Modern Day===
It is said by the Isldar themselves, as well as the scholars who looked into it, that the Isldar retreated further inland and built the first of their holds, palatial complexes shielded by a large ring of snow blizzards yet clear and sunny albeit still frozen in the eye of the storm. Here the Isldar numbers would replenish their losses and live for at least 200 years in absolute isolation, not even acknowledging the Void Invasion or interacting with any outside forces. The Dwarves assumed for the longest time that the Drogon cultists had been wiped out as no sign of life came from the surface, until some scouts went missing in 124 AC, and further investigations found Altalar arrows in their corpses. It took the Isldar many more decades after this first encounter to learn Frisit’s Weave, and all the accompanying abilities that came with it. Frisit herself had become sluggish and weak, blind, deaf and unable to leave the Crown Hold of Assalya, from there she continued to guide the Isldar.
Frisit started communicating to the Isldar through visions and song in the wind, where her Wyrm Tongue could reach their ears even if she could no longer speak the mortal tongues. The Isldar then continued to work towards her designs for the coming century, up until around 201 AC when the first Isldar ventured out into the world as the singers of the Song of the Damned to restore balance to the cycle of life and death. For centuries, the tearing of the [[Veil]] and the Void Invasion had corrupted the flow of Soul Essence in Aloria, and disrupted the natural order of things. It was by Frisit’s orders that the Isldar ventured forth to repair the damage, allowing damaged Soul Essence to move on and restoring it wherever they could to tend to the Soul Rivers of Aloria. The Isldar later on developed more political aims also, engaging in espionage for the elders still left in their holds, to aid in their global plans for world protectionism, not domination. World domination was never part of the Isldar’s grand plan, they merely wished to guide and protect the balance of life and death in the world, but as the world quickly moves to a more modern and interconnected one, the Isldar too needed to adapt to the increased threat of realms like the [[Regalian Empire]] which inflicted so much death that the Rivers started bending, as well as the [[Dread Empire]] which started using all kinds of vile powers to damage the Rivers. Isldar continue to roam the world, seeking out information relevant to their strategists and tacticians, but also tending to the Soul Rivers wherever they go, dispensing aid to those who seek comfort in their final hours and others who wish to cleanse a ghostly terror from their lives.
Following rapid events around 307 and 308 AC, two [[Purple Crown Dragons]] attacked the Isldar capital and killed Frisit in another massive magical spell. This came as a massive shock to the Isldar, however threw Isldar society into even greater confusion when it was made apparent through visions that Frisit had been revived as a Violet Creation Dragon by the Dragons, and left the Isldar to return to the Crater of Creation. Despite the ongoing occupation of Regalian colonies following the Isldar’s declaration of war on all who remained on Elladorian soil, the Isldar themselves have since devolved into a sort of silent and un-fought civil war, with Isldar society fracturing over the question whether Frisit was still their ruler, or had now been changed away from what she once was. The Dragon priests and priestesses continued to hold onto their old beliefs, while younger Isldar proclaimed it was time to move on, and join ranks with the new Dragon Revival movement that was growing across Aloria.
==Society==
Isldar Society is fairly flat in comparison to other societies around the world, with very little in terms of a structural hierarchy. While Frisit remains undoubtedly at the top of Isldar society, Frisit is also deaf and blind and unable to properly communicate with those around her aside from Wyrm Tongue gospel and visions which aren’t always clear to those who see them. Isldar society is technically controlled by the Elders, but the Elders exert very little day to day influence over the lives of those in Isldar Society. Isldar society uses the construct of “pillars of life” to dictate where people belong to, and where certain services are taken from. The pillar of Faith is administered by the Dragon Priests who preach the salvation of the Dragons to the faithful and administer the social services like care for orphans and the sick. There is no form of charity or shelter, since Isldar society is far more communcal than other societies, lacking also a currency. The pillar of the Lands is commonly also referred to as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs when referenced by outsiders, because it handles dealing with foreigners as well as gathering information on everything that happens outside of the Isldar Holds to strategize their global planning.
The third pillar is the Pillar of War, in which Isldar self-conscript into the army and become Frost Watchers, those who protect the Holds, or Wind Watchers, those who leave the holds and fight for Frisit away from Ellador. Military individuals can switch between these tasks frequently or leave military service whenever they want to and rejoin at a later time. The fourth pillar is the Pillar of Sustenance, which governs the acquisition of materials needed for the Isldar as well as ensuring there is always enough food available by governing the plantations and crops either from underground agriculture or the special frost-resistant fruits that grow around the palatial Holds. The final pillar it the Pillar of the Dead, which governs the Song of the Damned, the singing, music, traditions and festivals, as well as acting as a central contact point for all those Isldar that roam the world to repair damage made to the Soul Rivers.
===Politics===
Within the five Pillars, there is a concept of leadership, however only strictly for those who work within the pillars. Every Isldar is a member of one of these five pillars, which can both be in the Holds in Ellador, as well as away from Ellador, since all pillars have both domestic and foreign tasks and duties to maintain. Within the Pillars there is general an Elder who advises and is looked up to as a great and venerable leader, but there is no official hierarchy nor are there middle men, task leaders or commanders in any way shape or form. Isldar tend to self-organize, and more Isldar belonging to different Pillars can self-unify under a single leader called the Lessay. A Lessay can have as few as three followers and as many as a hundred, where their personal charisma and leadership is what draws in the Isldar, never pressure or coercion. Isldar give authority and control to their Lessay voluntarily as a sign of respect, and promise to obey their orders as long as they feel those orders properly represent them and have their best interests at heart. Powerful Lessays could be considered warlords or strike-commandos in their own right when taken in context to the Isldar Holds, but they rarely actually use this control over other Isldar as a means to make a power-play or engage in politics. Because of how flat and un-hierarchal Isldar society is, even soft power for being a Lessay is practically pointless when even Lessays rely on the Pillar of Sustenance to be fed, due to the communal nature of their society. In short, there is no Politics in Isldar society. Even justice and law are arbitrated by Frisit alone, and Isldar cannot exert influence or power over one another unless it is voluntarily given away.
It should come as no surprise that Isldar have trouble following orders when they don’t expressly believe they have given said authority away voluntarily in for example [[Regalia]]. An Isldar who joins the City Guard has given their authority away to the Lord Commander, but might have extreme difficulty adhering to the commands of their captains and officers, since these middle men were never given authority to command them, in their eyes. Isldar often have trouble adapting to the rigid command structures of foreign nations, and retain a level of rebelliousness and individualism that puts them at odds with aristocratic societies like Regalia. Isldar will often also operate on their own auspices or deviate from a plan even if it has already been agreed upon beforehand, just because they conclude in the field that the situation is different as predicted or believed, and that they know better how to solve the problem at hand.
===Culture===
Isldar culture is strongly defined by their individualism taken away from Altalar history. While many of the other Nelfin species maintain some sort of observation of their Altalar history, the Isldar have chosen to violently end that connection because they consider their pre-Isldar history to be a taint on their purity and value to the world. This begun early on when the Cult of Drogon adopted [[Sulvaley Elven]], a language which has its basis in [[Middle Altalar]] but diverged so quickly and aggressively that is essentially became a language of its own and could no longer be understood in the slightest even to those who still speak Middle Altalar. Sulvaley Elven sounds far more exotic heavy on double vowels, causing them to sound akin to real-world Farsi and also having a real-world Arabic accent when speaking Common. Unlike Arabic however, Sulvaley Elven is a nominal language, meaning when they speak common, they don’t just drop verbs when translating to English. Isldar law is extremely lacking, because of how communal their society behaves, and because of how calm and recollected most Isldar are. The desire for Crime is completely absent in the Isldarrin Holds, while externally, Isldar tend to fall under the jurisdiction of foreign entities. Isldar have a concept of transgression forgiveness if crimes are committed in ignorance or mistake, however proper crimes of those who have been led astray or lost their way are resolved by Frisit passing judgement. Even these judgements are usually very lacking, resulting in banishment over execution. In general, life is a precious thing to the Isldar, so unless it risks the future existence of their Holds, they try to preserve it as well as possible or at least let it pass over quickly and peacefully.
Isldar gender roles in society are completely equal with no differences whatsoever on a Pillar level. That being said, family units can sometimes be very matriarchal with women running the local household and acting as household representative to the outside world. Mothers are often held in higher esteem, especially when they have many children, and venerable elders who have many children are seen as wise figures to look up to, even outside of the family unit. Children are raised in a very utilitarian and often spartan manner, with early lessons in military conduct to control Frisit Weave’s military applications for self-protection. Children don’t play a lot in their early childhood which Regalian scholars often cite as a reason for Isldar being so self-contained and restrained when it comes to showing their emotions and inner feelings to others.
Isldar art is usually related to creating Isldar Aysur, which can start at a young age, around 10 even. Isldar learn to express themselves and their thoughts and emotions in art instead of to each other, which is why the art produced by Isldar can usually have an exceptionally vivid emotional charge. Isldar enjoy working with glass, crystallized Soul Essence, marble and pure stone, but avoid in most if not all cases color. Color in art to the Isldar is distracting, which is why they find most art that uses colors like red, blue, and green distracting or vulgar, preferring art that is purely white, or a combination of white, gray, and black, with accents of Silver or Gold. Isldar clothing on the other hand is extremely vibrant in color, though usually more ranging onto the colder colors like green, white, blue and yellow, and any combination in between. The Isldar prefer Nelfin Silk which in their homeland is spun from the Deep Cave Spider’s silk and dyed with Crystal Moss. Isldar are also very fond of jewelry. Although they do not have an Altalar’s sense of vanity, jewelry in many ways is seen as an expression of personal identity and personality.
Privacy is extremely important to the Isldar. It is seen as a great violation of trust and privacy for an Isldar to force another Isldar to show their jewelry, and most Isldar will not show their jewelry or attempt to resist a forceful reveal with much vigor. Isldar tend to also keep personal records which they guard closely, and tend to always have at least one room or place close to where they live which they consider their Haven’s Retreat, kind of like a space in the world they do not own but unofficially claim as their safe haven, and become upset if anyone but them is inside of it, considering it a great honor for those who are invited into the area by them. Isldar cuisine is almost entirely fruit based, eating the highly nutritious fruits that grow frost-resistant in the area around their holds. When Isldar move to Regalia for example, they tend to have trouble adapting to a bread and dairy based diet, lacking certain plant nutrients that they would normally have in their homeland. Isldar as such tend to gravitate to the Yanar a lot who, despite being unable to grow the Isldar’s favorite fruits in Regalia, are able to produce something like it.
Leisure for the Isldar is almost entirely related to song or dance. Isldar know primarily the Song of the Damned, but have many other songs which are sung to the Soul Rivers of Aloria as homage or praisal, or to calm the flow. Most of these songs do not actually do anything, but they set the Isldar on a path of musical learning from an early age, and surprisingly, nearly all Isldar seem proficient to some degree in singing, not a single one of them sounding awful. That being said, some of them excel with exceptional degrees, to such degrees in fact that some world-wise musicians know Isldar to be the most skilled singers in the world with the most dramatic ranges and most natural tone-accurate ladders. These exceptional singers are called Frisit’s Gifted, and are usually put in a high position of visibility to the rest of Isldar Society as they lead more communal singing choirs called the Choirs of Gaalley. Dance is another great leisure activity, but in a far more muted and slow manner than one might come to expect in Ailor society. The Dance of the Rivers is a commonly performed dance that uses the Soul Rivers as a stage item, and long silk ribbons that are thrown around and moved with arm gestures in such manners that they imitate flowing rivers. This dance is however extremely slow, featuring dance moves that take several seconds to complete and then pause for a dozen more, with very slow harp music in between.
Because of their philosophy towards the recycling, balancing and proper use of the Soul Rivers of Aloria, the Isldar have an understandable disdain for Qadir and their clockwork tech. Unlike the Isldar, the Qadir use Soul Essence in a way that stores it and cycles it without letting it properly pass on. The Soul Essence is not destroyed, but the Qadir infamously deny anyone who is dying to have their Souls pass on into the Soul Rivers, something the Isldar see themselves as responsible for. While Isldar remain stoic and hard to anger in the face of a Qadir, if given the opportunity, any Isldar will gladly destroy a piece of clockwork engineering when given the chance to release the trapped Soul Essence back to the Soul Rivers.
===Religion===
Isldar religion follows the trendlines of [[Dragon Worship]], in that Dragons are divine beings who are the grandfathers of all creation, thus believing in most of their tenants, but not in the salvation theory. While Dragon Worship preaches the return of the Dragons to rule over all, Isldarrin Faith has a more nuanced view in believing that the mortal Races of Aloria sinned against the Dragons and murdered them all, and now have the job of tending to the world as they once did in atonement. Isldar observe Dragon worship through invoking the name of dead Dragons in prayer, and wishing upon their presence in the Soul Rivers of Aloria, where they unfortunately never appear. Isldar do not believe in the concept of divine intervention, meaning that they do not actually perceive these prayers or wishes to be reasonably realistic. The Isldar do not expect the Dragons to ever fully return, and believe firmly that these wishes fall upon deaf ears, merely perpetuating them out of habit and tradition. The arrival of Dragons in Regalia, particularly the resurgence of the Imperial Dragon has however caused a rift among the Isldar. While the Ailor-based Imperial Dragon is likely not even aware of it, many Isldar have started struggling among themselves about the Imperial Dragon’s (and indeed other Dragons’s) role in Isldarrin Faith, and how their sudden reappearance on the global stage causes implications in Dragon Worship. Some believe that the rebirth of Dragons is possible now, switching from fervent support of the Undead Frisit to the Imperial Dragon. Others believe that, because the Imperial Dragons and the other Dragon Souls are Soul Shards, that they are imitations of the genuine thing and are as such heretical. Others yet believe that Frisit herself is an abomination, being undead, while preaching the cleaning and repairing of the Soul Rivers yet also being a massive flaw in the River flow herself. Others yet exist proclaiming the need for all Isldar to acknowledge all Dragons as gods in a greater pantheon, adding all revived Dragons to the pantheon of worship. Needless to say, the discovery of the Imperial Dragon in recent years has caused some severe fissures in Isldar religious psyche, not so severe to cause a civil war or serious religious crisis, but certainly to such a degree that most Isldar are uncertain what the Imperial Dragon means to them, and that every individual Isldar has a different view or opinion of the situation that doesn’t always fall in line with what the Pillar of Faith tells them.
==Trivia==
*In modern times, those who are ignorant of the history of the Isldar or their general kind assume they are a rare kind of Altalar. In reality, Isldar aren’t rare because there are few of them left, in fact they are some of the most numerous Nelfin species left in the world. The only reason why they are seen as rare, is because they are good at hiding and not drawing too much attention to themselves.
*Isldar have a surprisingly open view of racial interbreeding, allowing the practice to take place with little to no social stigma. That being said, when Isldar engage in relations with non-Isldar that could result in a half-breed being born, the Isldar remain poignantly aware that even if there is no social stigma, a half breed can never travel to the Isldar Holds in Ellador, and will forever not be a part of Isldar society.
{{Races}}
{{Races}}
{{Accreditation
{{Accreditation
|Artists = MonMarty
|Artists = MonMarty
|Writers = MonMarty, Scribbe
|Writers = MonMarty, OkaDoka
|Processors = HydraLana, MantaRey, LumosJared
|Processors = MonMarty, FireFan96
}}
}}
[[Category:Races]] [[category:Magus Races]]
[[category:races]] [[category:Magus Races]]

Revision as of 08:30, 14 January 2023

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. A Character can only ever be a Life, or a Death Isldar. Both have a set of common Specials, while both also have a unique set of specials limited to their respective identities.

Common Specials

  • Ageless: The Fin'ullen are Ageless, when they become adults, they cease to visually age. Additionally, they can change their age-based appearance to any Ailor age equivalent they want (so long as it is 18+).
  • 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 apply patches of blue-tinted skin, patches of crystalline ice or snow, or turn their hair to ice. These skin patches can also cover whole limbs or their whole body.
  • Pristine Purity: Isldar are able to summon a whirl of frost that cleanses their own clothes, skin, and hair of any grime, unwanted sewer smells, or dirt that they don't want on them.
  • Frostmancy: Isldar have telekinetic control over snow and ice. They are able to make these elements levitate, and swirl them around in the air or into shapes with their hand gestures.
  • Soul Attuned: Isldar are able to see the physical afterlife of Dragon Worship, but also an afterimage of other afterlives. They are able to confirm if a person has passed into the afterlife or not by name.
  • Planar Script: Isldar are the only Race capable of reading (Dragon) Primal Script, and are also able to manifest it as glowing tattoos on their body, the color dictated by the Planar Dimension they belong to.
  • Wyvern Body: Isldar are able to manifest visual aesthetics of Wyverns on their body like horns, draconic tails, arms, legs, scale patches, etc, but must look primarily like Isldar still.
  • Soul Quickening: When using Death's Finality or Death's Escape on a Suvial, this does not work. Instead, their respawn timer is sped up, and they instantly respawn at the Avinla Shrine.
  • Farsight I: Once per day, Isldar may use either a Spell Point Buy, Firearms Point Buy, or Ranged Weapon Point Buy Ability in Announce Emote Distance, so long as the default range is Emote Range.
  • Farsight II: While on Progressions, Isldar are able to see further than other Races, able to see events taking place further away, and picking up more details than other Characters would.
  • Farsight III: Isldar are able to have clearer detail-sight for things happening further away. This should mostly be used out of combat for roleplay flavor when it comes to reading details far away.
  • Wyvern Stables: Isldar gain the Presence Point Buy Pack Mount Husbandry for free without Point Investment. Additionally, the Advanced Mount is immediately unlocked without the 4 Charisma requirement.
  • Ellador Waywatcher: Isldar are the only Race capable of navigating the interior of Ellador in Progressions. Without an Isldar guide, other groups will strand while reaching into the interior.

Life Isldar Only Specials

  • Death's Finality: Life Isldar can cast an incantation on a dying person that guarantees that when they die, they cannot become an Undead. This does not guarantee passage into the afterlife however.
  • Dragon Tongue: Life Isldar are able to understand and speak Dragon Speech. Additionally, they can enchant one additional person in Emote Range who cannot, to also understand the language while in range.
  • Snow's Kiss: Life Isldar may choose one Spell Point Buy which instead of Void/Exist is Dragon Magic. This does not count towards the Greater Mage requirement, and must have Draconic-Ice aesthetics.
  • Ordial Betrayal: Life Isldar gain +1 Main Combat Stat only applying to Attacks/Abilities performed towards Anchored Spirits of Ordial Alignment not currently merged with their Theurgist Host.
  • Aurora's Mark: Life Isldar can transform into a levitating avatar of Creation, a white glowing ethereal being made of see-through white light that counts as a disguise and allows distorted speech.

Death Isldar Only Specials

  • Death's Escape: Death Isldar can cast an incantation on a dying person that prevents their soul from moving on, thus ensuring they become and Undead. They can also dictate the type of [Undead] (see page)
  • Death Tongue: Death Isldar are able to understand and speak Shadetongue. Additionally, they can enchant one additional person in Emote Range who cannot, to also understand the language while in range.
  • Snow's Kiss: Death Isldar may choose one Spell Point Buy which instead of Void/Exist is Ordial Magic. This does not count towards the Greater Mage requirement, and must have Death-Ice aesthetics.
  • Dragon Betrayal: Death Isldar gain +1 Main Combat Stat only applying to Attacks/Abilities performed towards Anchored Spirits of Primal Alignment not currently merged with their Theurgist Host.
  • Glacial's Mark: Death Isldar can transform into a quadruped frozen bone-horror, an amalgam of bones and spikes from the frozen wastes that counts as a disguise, and allows distorted speech.

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 Dragons Asaph or Regulus. Conversion away is rare, but can happen in diaspora.
  • 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 Aurora or Regulus 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. For the Life Isldar, having Aurora or Regulus as a favored Dragon is not a requirement, though the majority do choose those two. Choosing a different Dragon to suit one's own ideology is perfectly acceptable, and even changing favored chosen Dragon is permissible.

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 MonMarty on 01/14/2023.

» Read more