Race: Sun Elves

1 feat + Dragonmark
Restore abilities with a short rest while staring at the sun.
Dragonmark Details: (see separate document)
FACTION: KANZA

The Sun Elves the first peoples once thought to be extinct fled this realm under persecution of the High Elves seeking amiability and safety elsewhere. They walked the planes looking for refuge from their persecutors. Some of the most devoted are empowered by their belief in Damballa the Sky Father with marks granting them unparalleled magical abilities called dragonmarks. Unable to stay anywhere for to long eventually what they found was a harsh, punishing, and dying realm of Athas. In Athas they found a people fighting for their liberation from powerful and evil defiling magic wielders. Tyrants who hoarded all the magical knowledge and powers for themselves at the cost of the life force of the realm. The Sun Elves joined with a powerful series of clans and conglomerate of peoples called the Kanza. They assisted the Kanza is defeating the Blood Sorcerer Kings of their realm with their magical abilities and knowledge. They joined with the Kanza whose philosophy is “two rights can not make a wrong” and “I am because you are” were victorious but not before said “kings” drained to much of the magical essence of the realm making it unsustainable and dying. The Sun Elves lead the rest of the Kanza back to their home realm to take back what they lost after their exodus. What proceeded was 1000 years of war that has just ended by the signing of the Non-aggression Concordat which is specious as best.

Sun Elves now live closely among the humans of the Kanza. They are generally viewed on the surface as approachable as they have integrated with their neighbors now espousing similar ideologies. They do have their secrets which can make them seem alien and mysterious to some. The most prominent enchanters, and magic wielders in the material plans. Those that don't craft tend to be merchants, and caravans are common. Their weapons and armors are not only famous for top notch craftsmanship, but also known for building magical mechanisms that amplify their power far beyond what is possible to accomplish with arcane skills alone. Others focus their worship only on their ancestors. By emulating the deeds of these ancestors, they believe the spirits can live again. They do not resurrect their fallen or beloved as Deathless in fact they abhor it. They do however tend to a court of honorable dead ancestors. The details of such would be unavailable those who are not Sun Elves.

Despite their attitude and closeness with other races they do live on average of other elves which is over 1,000 years. This does have an effect on their philosophy, and prioritizes. Thousands of years of planes walking, persecution, and misadventure has left them stranger though. They have collected various magics, abilities, and knowledge throughout their travels. They have low birthrates and believe there are far to few of them left to carry on. Traditional marriages have been disrupted and half elves are on the rise.

Patient and deliberate in most of what they do, they demonstrated an orderly nature uncommon to most elves, preferring to master a skill before applying it rather than learning as they go. Rushing was out of the nature of sun elves, who, while less versatile than most races, had a mastery of whatever they applied themselves to. The only true exception to this was martial combat, which nearly all sun elves had some training in, regardless of how much and which most were eager to finish as quickly as possible once engaged.

Culture
Unlike most elves, sun elves organized their society along firm and hierarchical traditions. Communities were typically run by members of an esteemed nobility, some of whom could trace their ancestry all the way back to the First of Wars. There was a difference, however, between sun elven and human monarchy and where a human king typically accumulated influence through the ownership of land or command of soldiers, a sun elf noble commanded authority through the prestige of their family name or the magical power they held at their behest, a power they often demonstrated through the grandeur of their home.

Those who were driven into the world to forge a path among the other races often did so as spies or scouts on the behalf of their people, or perhaps as vigilant watchmen against possible threats. Others might be drawn to adventure by a desire to explore the ancient ruins of the world and learn from their secrets, bringing back lost secrets of magic and power to their people. Most sun elves who turned to adventure did so as wizards, fighters, or something in-between, though sun elves generally lacked the desire to be versatile. Many sun elves also became bards, though they were a rare sort given more to solemn songs of the ancients than joyous ballads. Many sun elves were also clerics or paladins and had more to their number of either than any other elven culture. Sun elves who continued their career away from sun elven homes often went on to become masters of the arcane such as arcane devotees, archmages, or loremasters. Sun elves also favored the paths of the arcane archer and bladesinger, though to a lesser extent.

See Ecology of Faye & Elves for history and Courts

See Sun Elf Houses for nobility in or frequently visiting Viriscali