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#they are evil spirits capable of powerful magic and cultivation / are what many demonic cultivators mimic
chufa · 3 years
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playing with miaoyi’s genshin verse what if she’s a yaomo who only really makes herself known following the death of xiang yu during the archon war
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rhysand-vs-fenrys · 4 years
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Could you do a thing about who The Untamed characters are? Your weekly posts and such are good, but I was wondering what their context is?
-Sure!! I’ll put it under a “Keep Reading” so it doesn’t flood anyone’s dash :)
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**I usually reblog Untamed asks to my Untamed fandom page as well, so this note is for followers of Wuxian-vs-Wangji:: I’m avoiding spoilers in these descriptions and trying to simplify things into a format non-viewers can follow, so please do not comment with spoilers.
I also limited the list of characters to those in 10+ episodes, which left some fan favorites off the list.
Main & Major Characters Throughout the Story::
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Wei Wuxian // Wei Ying (Informal Name) // Yiling Patriarch (The Sage of the Burial Mounds)
Think... Battlemage Necromancer.
Uses the dark flute Chenqing to draw out and command the hate and resentful energy of the dead, weaponizing it against his enemies.
Adopted by the Yunmeng-Jiang Clan Leader after his mother (a rogue cultivator) and father (a beloved Jiang servant) were killed in a monster hunt.
Considered by Jiang Yanli and Jiang Cheng to be no different from a blood sibling.
Killed on the Cliffs of Heavenly Nightless by his brother Jiang Cheng while committing suicide in the first 5 minutes of the show; Resurrected via a rare and dangerous spell by madman Mo Xuanyu 16 years later.
In the Present Arc, Wei Wuxian dons a mask so others will not recognize him (laughably the mask fools absolutely no one but he Commits to the Look) and pretends to be the insane outcast Mo Xuanyu.
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Lan Wangji // Lan Zhan (Informal Name) //  Hanguang-Jun (The Light-Bearing Lord)
As younger brother to the so-far childless Clan Leader of the Gusu-Lan, he is the Clan Heir and commands a position of high power and respect worldwide.
As he and his older brother are seen as the pride and joy of the Lan Clan, they are referred to worldwide as “The Twin Jades of Lan”.
Considered a paragon of righteousness and virtue.
Joyless, friendless, and isolated from others at the start of the story, but develops first a begrudging respect for- then love for- Wei Wuxian.
For 16 years he refuses to accept that Wei Wuxian is dead since no body was recovered. Lan Wangji travels the world and throws himself headfirst at chaos both to protect the common people and in hopes that Wei Wuxian will appear.
In the present-arc, acts as a teacher and guide to the Junior Disciples of the Gusu-Lan.
Particularly skilled in a Lan musical technique called “Inquiry”, in which a guqin (zither) player mixes spiritual energy into a song and plays notes as a coded language to commune with the souls of the dead and ask them questions. Lan Wangji also develops a proficiency for an extremely rare and difficult form of guqin magic where he can literally attack people with the sound and power of the instrument.
Wei Wuxian’s own use of music to control others seems to have been heavily inspired by the Lan magics, though theirs are mainly in the vein of healing and suppressing darkness.
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Jiang Wanyin // Jiang Cheng (Informal Name) // Yunmeng-Jiang Clan Leader // Sandu-Shengshou (Master of Three Poisons)
Most commonly referred to only by the informal name “Jiang Cheng”
Beloved brother- and eventually bitter enemy of- Wei Wuxian.
One of those fancy multi-purpose tools in human form (the Tooliest of Tools)
Thanks to his parents, has a massive inferiority complex that usually leads to violent outbursts against his adopted brother.
Like Lan Wangji, cannot accept that Wei Wuxian is dead as only charred bones were found where he fell. Spends 16 years hunting down any whisper of Wei Wuxian or demonic cultivation and executing any demonic cultivators he finds. 
Feels both extreme hatred and guilt towards Wei Wuxian.
Wears a purple snake bracelet-and-ring combo on one hand, the spiritual tool Zidian given to him by his mother. Zidian takes the form of a whip that strikes not only the flesh, but the soul of a person. It can instantly destroy any spirit possessing a body.
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Wen Qionglin // Wen Ning (Informal Name) // The Ghost General
Almost exclusively referred to by the informal name Wen Ning.
Considered to be a weapon- or pet- of Wei Wuxian’s.
A young cultivator who Wei Wuxian resurrected from the dead and who acted as his subordinate during the rise of the Yiling Patriarch.
Fiercely loyal to Wei Wuxian in both life and death.
Black veins and eyes mark him as one of the ultra-rare Living Dead. Not a mindless zombie slave (Ghost-Puppet), but a fully conscious reanimated human capable of independent thought and action.
In battle, Wei Wuxian will use his flute Chenqing to focus resentment and hatred through Wen Ning and give him enhanced abilities, control his actions, or calm him.
Other Figures: Both Past and Present Arcs
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Lan Xichen // Lan Huan (Informal Name) //  Zewu-Jun (The Grand Overgrowth Lord)
Clan Leader of the Gusu-Lan and elder brother of Lan Wangji.
Though he is Clan Leader, often deferrs to or is advised by his Uncle Lan Qiren (who HATES Wei Wuxian).
As he and his younger brother are seen as the pride and joy of the Lan Clan, they are referred to worldwide as “The Twin Jades of Lan”.
The most respected Clan Leader in the world for his kind and fair nature. Often acts as an arbitrator in disputes.
Uses a white jade flute to calm and settle angry or resentful energy around him. Wei Wuxian is his dark reflection.
Willing to give anyone a chance due to his pacifist nature. Does not feel hatred towards Wei Wuxian but rather tries to understand what drove him towards darkness and help guide him back.
Ships Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji relentlessly and often finds ways to push them together early on.
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Nie Huaisang (No formal/informal name) // Nie Clan Heir // Nie Clan Leader
Half-brother of the Nie Clan Leader Nie Mingjue, later becomes Clan Leader in his place.
Despite being first heir to- then leader of- a Clan that prides itself on brute strength, Nie Huaisang is a kind and gentle soul who prefers the arts and artistic pursuits.
Religiously carries around a fan and never holds a sword.
Sweetheart, goober, and close friend of Wei Wuxian. Even in Wei Wuxian’s fall from grace, never bears him any ill will as Wei Wuxian never does anything to harm him. 
The only major (still living) character not at the Battle of Nightless where Wei Wuxian dies (though his brother Nie Mingjue was present).
Informally titled “The Head Shaker” as Clan Leader due to his indecisive nature. Whenever asked questions he frequently shakes his head and says “I don’t know”.
Considered a weak fool by many, but he is frequently advised (and coddled) by Lan Xichen and Jin Guangyao.
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Jin Guangyao // Meng Yao (Informal Name) // Lianfang-Zun (Hidden-Fragrance Master)
Originally a servant of the Nie family, taken in by Nie Mingjue.
Bastard son of the Jin Clan Leader Guangshan and a prostitute, is consistently demeaned and debased for his parentage. The only ones who show him respect and kindness are Nie Mingjue, Nie Huaisang and Lan Xichen.
Half brother of Jin Zixuan and Mo Xuanyu (the madman who resurrects Wei Wuxian)
While a servant of the Nie Clan, Guangyao frequently acts as a buffer between ultra-masculine Nie Mingjue and his softer half-brother Nie Huaisang.
Nie Huaisang may be thought a dumbass by most, but he’s *Guangyao’s* dumbass, and thus Guangyao consistently shows care towards Nie Huaisang.
Other High-Profile Characters:: Both Past and Present Arcs (Noted by their names)
**Some will say I’ve left names off this list, but to avoid getting into EVERYTHING  everyone does, I’m limiting this to characters in 10+ episodes. This leaves some fandom favorites off the list but this is only meant to be a basic introductory guide. 
Sorry to fans of Xiao Xingchen, Song Lan, A-Qing, and Wen Yuan.
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(Past Arc) Wen Qing (women do not have formal vs informal names or titles)
Wen Ning’s beloved elder sister.
Distant cousin to the evil Wen Ruohan and Wen Chao, and thus holds a prominent position within the Wen Clan. In the novels I believe she is said to be the 4th most powerful person in the entire Wen Clan (Behind Wen Ruohan and his two sons).
Considered to be the greatest physician ever produced by the Dafan-Wen, a clan of healers subjugated by the evil Wen Clan.
Her loyalties lie exclusively with her little brother Wen Ning, and she will do anything to keep him safe and protected. On her own though, she does tend towards the side of good and acts against her Clan when she is able to do so without putting Wen Ning at risk.
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(Past Arc) Jiang Yanli (women do not have formal vs informal names or titles)
Beloved elder sister of both Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian.
Eldest daughter of Jiang Fengmian and Madam Yu.
Eventual wife of Jin Clan Heir Jin Zixuan and mother of Jin Clan Heir Jin Ling.
Engaged to Jin Zixuan since infancy, though he is initially dismissive of and even cold towards her.
The Peacekeeper of her family, Jiang Yanli protects Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng from her emotionally (and sometimes physically) abusive mother.
Acts as a mediator of disputes between her two younger brothers. Jiang Yanli is very much the glue that binds the family together.
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(Past Arc) Jin Zixuan (No other name given) // Jin Clan Heir
Only *acknowledged* child of Jin Clan Leader Jin Guangshan, though he is the half-brother to a large number of bastard siblings.
These siblings include Nie servant Jin Guangyao/Meng Yao and Mo Xuanyu (the madman who resurrects Wei Wuxian)
Eventual husband of Jiang Yanli and father of Jin Clan Heir Jin Ling.
Originally a haughty and arrogant young lord, he is dismissive of his lifelong fiancee Jiang Yanli and frequently disparages her (leading to violent fights with her brothers).
Is very much disliked by both Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng (for his treatment of Yanli).
A semi-professional dumbass, maturity comes to him slower than most.
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(Present Arc) Jin Rulan // Jin Ling (Informal name) // Jin Clan Heir
One of the so-called “Junior Squad”, a handful of Junior Disciples from different Clans who band together to fight the bad guys (Ancient Fantasy China Power Rangers).
The only child of Jiang Yanli and Jin Zixuan.
In episode 2 it is revealed that Jiang Yanli and Jin Zixuan died tragically just after his birth.
Largely raised by his uncle Jiang Cheng with some input from uncle Jin Guangyao. As uncle Jiang Cheng has the emotional stability of a spoon, Jin Ling tends to be rash, arrogant, and rude. He is kept isolated from other youths of his age and thus has no friends.
Accompanied everywhere by his dog Fairy, a spiritual beast (more powerful than a normal dog).
Also a nephew of Wei Wuxian, though Jin Ling was a newborn when Wei Wuxian died and thus has no relationship with him.
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(Present Arc) Lan Sizhui // Lan Yuan (Informal name)
One of the so-called “Junior Squad”, a handful of Junior Disciples from different Clans who band together to fight the bad guys (Ancient Fantasy China Power Rangers).
As Lan Wangji’s chief student, Lan Sizhui is heavily favored by the normally cold and detached Wangji. He is therefore the de-facto leader of the Lan Junior Disciples.
Sizhui is warm, kind, and caring. He never speaks ill of others and even tries to be kind to Jin Ling while the other junior disciples (including Lan ones) generally scorn the other boy.
Regardless of if he is posing as Mo Xuanyu or after he is “outed” as Wei Wuxian, Lan Sizhui is always very respectful and kind towards Wei Wuxian. He considers him a wise senior and feels at ease when Wei Wuxian is nearby.
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(Present Arc) Lan Jingyi (No other name given)
One of the so-called “Junior Squad”, a handful of Junior Disciples from different Clans who band together to fight the bad guys (Ancient Fantasy China Power Rangers).
If Lan Sizhui is the de-facto leader of the Lan Junior Disciples, Jingyi is Sizhui’s second. The two are best friends and are almost never seen out of one another’s company.
Snarky, sarcastic, and big-mouthed, Lan Jingyi is the “Wei Wuxian” of the Junior Squad. He has yet to meet a cultivator he isn’t willing to talk back to, be that “Mo Xuanyu” (Wei Wuxian) or even Jiang Clan Leader Jiang Cheng.
Lan Jingyi is also highly intelligent and is the first to question if “Mo Xuanyu” is truly insane or just someone pretending to be so. He makes other accusations throughout the story that at the time see unfounded but are later proven correct.
Mortal enemy of Jin Ling (if by ‘mortal enemy’ you mean bitchy and reluctant friend)
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(Past Arc) Nie Mingjue (No other name given) // Nie Clan Leader // Chifeng-Zun (Scarlet-Blade Lord)
Clan Leader of the Nie Clan in the “Past Arc”.
Elder half-brother of Nie Huaisang.
Nie Mingjue is hard on his half-brother, as the Nie are renown for their warrior skills and Huaisang is more of a lover than a fighter.
Nie Mingjue is close friends with Lan Xichen, and often visits him for guidance. Lan Xichen is his closest friend and confidant throughout the story.
Nie Mingjue is a powerful and ruthless cultivator (against his enemies, he’s no sociopath) and often loses his temper. 
He is closely bonded with his broadsword Baxia, and she often moves on her own if he is particularly enraged.
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(Past and Present Arcs) Xue Chengmei // Xue Yang (Informal name)
Most commonly referred to simply as “Xue Yang”- his formal name may not be in the show at all.
A low-level thug taken in by the evil Wen Clan and used as a sort of private hit-man.
Xue Yang is brutal, ruthless, and merciless against anyone he crosses paths with. Holds particular disdain for powerful and righteous clans, as he was maimed by a low-level Clan Leader.
Is missing his pinky finger because of an “accident” he suffered as a child and thus wears a glove on one hand.
Initially Xue Yang is introduced as a “guest disciple” of the Wen Clan, but later he branches out on his own.
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(Past Arc) Luo Qingyang // Mian-Mian (nickname)
Though it is not customary for a woman to have courtesy vs informal names, Luo Qingyang is almost exclusively referred to by the nickname “Mian-Mian” throughout the series.
A guest disciple of the Jin Clan and direct subordinate of Jin Zixuan.
Mian-Mian originally is shown to be haughty and fiercely loyal to Jin Zixuan, though she often finds ways to assist Jiang Yanli get closer to him throughout his Dumbass Phase.
Mian-Mian is a tough and outspoken female cultivator, sometimes even standing at odds with her own clan.
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(Past Arc) Wen Chao (No other name given)
The vicious, cruel second son of villain Wen Ruohan.
Distant cousin of Wen Qing and Wen Ning. He frequently takes Wen Ning as a sort of hostage to guarantee Wen Qing’s compliance with his demands.
Wen Chao is arrogant and haughty. He considers himself superior to all other disciples because of his clan. 
He is the main antagonist of Wei Wuxian in the “past” arc, and considers it part of his duty to destroy Wei Wuxian and the Jiang Clan for their refusal to bow to his family.
Frequently appears together with his mistress Wang Lingjiao (a wife is mentioned but never shown) tormenting or directly torturing younger cultivators.
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paraclete0407 · 3 years
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Everywhere I go I see these ‘morning’ novels about ‘getting life right the first time through.’  All these Asian girls I dated year after year and they expect / demand me to be totally established and take all their abuse - I will not complain more than that - when what I’ve wanted for a long time is literally ‘to live like an immigrant in one’s own country.’  All the people I admire seemingly married young such as the current Korean president and former UN Secretary General.  
I keep thinking, ‘That ultra-miraculous Hail Mary 80K-or-so YA novel that will get me out of here and also annihilate all the evil YA novels that I hate and want to expurgate from BN, the libraries etc.’  The wolf-child teenage-assassin good-to-be-gay ultra-sensualize-Asian-girls good-to-get-raped good-to-be-anorexic good-to-hate good-to-be-cynical etc.
I tried to support ‘Finding My Voice’ author Marie Ok Myung Lee on Twitter b/c I saw ‘Finding My Voice’ at BN and went, ‘OMG they took Kim Minju’s face and it’s right there.’  I lived in KR; I don’t mistake faces; YA is ripping K-pop left and right but Minju’s a real person with a life, had panic-attacks, needed exogenous O2 from trying to ‘honor’ her fans.  I wrote Minju ‘greentext fics’ talking about chivalry on 4chan but instead of motivating NEET’s to get a life or at least value and honor women it had people talking about rape, and various techniques of what might be called slave-breaking or the ways in which slavers and human traffickers so damage their human chattel as to render them unlikely to escape.  Jordan Peterson on Twitter is defending 4chan for its truthyness I guess (despite JBP’s having dreams of Christ and the kings of this Earth bowing down after trying to smash each other), and also pointlessly dueling / debating actual rape- and trafficking-victim Yeonmi Park, a North Korean escapee, due to the fact that JBP is ultra-rich and invested in his brand / identity and probably delaying Christianity as long as possible.  Marie Lee also got embroiled in a pretty pointless debate with a smart but mercenary Tory Toffish British professor called Dave Tizzard over precisely how much incendiary was dropped on to North Korean people and they’re still battling each other over God-knows-what.  My parents also recently tried to duel me to the death over my interest in supporting Liberty in North Korea; about which my Dad said, ‘If you try to enter North Korea I will cut you off.’  I’m a communist defector for being anti-communist because this is 2021 in Babylon and reality is unreality.  I’m sorry if I sound like Ben Shapiro but honestly facts and those ho handle them are sometimes more important to the art / science caring than narratives, the ashes of experience, personality, etc.  People such as Joe Biden also appear to oppose food-relief to North Korea on the grounds that it will prop up the regime and, say, if we feed North Koreans they might have excess energy and actually develop WMD’s and non-conventional capabilities that could threaten the US; an eventuality we prevented in the past by making sure NK starved in the 1990s and also by disarming NK’s WMD operation in Iraq in 2003.
All jokes aside NK policy strikes me as incredibly mentally ill and by that I mean spiritually depraved (I really think so), racist, genocidal / annhilationist, desiring to erase both souls / individuals and history, confused, scared.  IDK if I am allowed to even say that but I have a ‘black swan’ theory of history / WW3 in which some of the formerly colonized nations, such as NK and SRV (Socialist Republic of Vietnam), basically take over the world using special forces because in a way they deserve it and also because they know what it’s like to be on the receiving end of both malevolent colonial power and pseudo-benevolent or well-meaning-but-stupid-and-cowardly-and-non-committed paternal colonialism / imperialism.  It could appear outlandish but if you study certain battles in history you find there are critical factors in terms of information, will, ‘moral factor,’ technology, the Hand of God.  
I ultimately believe many of us on the Earth will have new neighbors very soon and we must honor them with worthy offerings, both out of justice and out of love for their souls (a-ga-pe, caritas / Charity).  During the pandemic I repeatedly read Chancellor / Dr. / Pastor John Piper’s ‘Coronavirus and Christ’ as well as Francis Chan’s ‘Forgotten God’ about the Holy Spirit and how to invite(?) His counsel, comfort, wisdom, orders.  
To anyone and everyone who might be reading this someday I also recommend highly Catherine Cho’s ‘Inferno’ which is about post-partum psychosis, mental healthcare in the United States, motherhood, demons, all of which are factors currently of critical importance to a lot of us.  I had written a poem for Literary Shanghai which I think was accepted but which I then rescinded about ‘Inferno’ describing my own experiences with mental healthcare and terror of Hell and the Spirit.  I had also spoken of a ‘Requiem’ which is something the pre-eminent English-language professor of the Korean War once called for though the essence of what might have happened during that conflict as well as what could happen again today is quite frankly literally a ‘Dies Irae,’ not the peaceful or nice part of the traditional requiem.  I had actually wanted to write Korean War novels before I realized how mercenary this is about an operation codenamed Ripper under Gen. Ridgway, the part of the war that involved bullets as much as heavy bombers or whatever, huge masses of Chinese troops, situations of semi-indiscriminate firing into masses of Asians including refugees, not to mention numerous hapless boy-soldiers from China.  All this stuff appears to be clawing its way out of the ground now - the Korean government recently awarded an American colonel in his 90′s for a certain unspecified action - but it’s 3:50 AM, billions born and unborn are at stake in other places, lands of miracle and menace, such as particularly Somalia with a birthrate that resembles that of the Republic of Korea prior to contraception etc., and I have personal problems to target and numerous ownership-issues when it comes to what is truly meant for me to do in the remains of my day(s).  
It also appears that a large coterie / clique / posse of persons around here are obsessed with me magically forcing them to respect, cherish, etc. me which puts me in mind of my favorite K-pop song - maybe the only one I ought to care about anymore - (Ms. / Leader) Kim Taeyeon’s ‘Make Me Love You,’ which however was also released on the same day as a super-massive democidal chemical attack in Syria.  
A while back I reflected somewhat - maybe not enough - on the idea of ‘counter-imperialism,’ by which I don’t mean Jean Paul Sartre or Mao or the Black Panthers, but using power, influence, etc. to circumscribe or delimit the excess ambitions of people who think they have the right idea but have lost their right minds or don’t really understand or care.  At one point I thought wishfully, ‘America is like a counter-empire,’ but IDK if I was really thinking of America b/c to be a counter-empire by my definition you need control and reason and wisdom and SME (subject matter expertise), not just wishes.  
I’m not sure any liberal democracy today has all these though my optimistic side looks to the current ROK president, Twitter moonriver365, who appears to be playing an almost impossible hand with literally every other country, flesh and spirit.  I bought this leader’s autobiography but my Korean cuts in and out of comprehension.  IDK if I’m too open-minded or not open-minded enough; I have my affections and I guess limerences (liking) as well.  I don’t despise the current ruler of Russia either for he has been trying to do good things for a nation that paid a nearly incomprehensible price in WW2 (Great Patriotic War), and which was mocked and despised for no good reason by a smug West, which perhaps sunk into unworthiness of itself, after the first Cold War.  
I remember looking at a picture the Moscow GPW memorial obelisk and being awed to tears - bodies and souls ascending into Heaven or hurled into Hell.  Straight up, straight down.  St. George and the dragon.  ‘They are attacking again; are they mortal?’  
However, I came to view this memorial partly whilst researching a fanciful Millennial anti-establishment curse-the-system-and-die novel about the mass-drowning of some 300 South Korean high school students in 2014.
I also made an effort to cultivate concern for children in the Midwest but somehow became sidetracked again just thinking about world events, the fact that every race is out to get every other race, these golden-haired Caucasian girls are probably taken to be ‘Little Women’ knockoffs or Henry James throwbacks or some Reddit category that can be easily demonized by Maoist flaks, BLM, anyone looking to score points or reduce the other in order to magnify the self and/or its tribal / identity-politics interests.  
Over recent months I considered a lot - maybe still not enough - the categories or qualities of purpose; purity; and also presence. 
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belerencodex · 6 years
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Elves in the Crucible States
Once the Elves were mighty. In forgotten corners of Beleren statues and overgrown ruins speak of the wonders of a lost age. ALl that came to an end in a period called the Age of Silence. Even the mightiest clerics and wizards of the elvenkind have been unable to seek out the souls of those lost in this age. Much of the knowledge of the elves was lost in this cataclysm. Draconic histories tell us of the last citadels of the elves falling under the onslaught of the Orcs when Orcs Were Mighty.  In the ages since, elves have struggled to forge a new legacy, but they do so without unity. Their ancient histories and oral traditions speak of a time when all elves spoke but one language and lived in palatial estates of tremendous arcane attunement. In the Crucible States there are four main types of elves who are identifiable culturally, each speaks their own language. Different permutations of a lost ancestral proto-Elven that scholars believe likely resembled Sylvan: the language of the Fey. The Elves of today are quarrelsome and often hyper-individualistic, many of their tales speak of the decadence and weakness of their ancestors as being their undoing.
A Place In the Sun: The greatest threat to the Elves in the past few millennia seems to come not from the Fiends, unseelie Archfey, or Dragons who have long sought the destruction of their race. Rather it seems the greatest threat to elves seems to come from the burgeoning, young Human Race. Already wars with Humans have turned into wars of survival. The Efreeti-blooded sorcerer king who founded Rijan and Kulvin did so by obliterating the Visnoi (Sand Elves). Conflict between elves and humans have been continual since the first human civilizations rose up under the guidance of their Draconic overlords. But the conflict is not so simple as a tale of good and evil. Terrible acts have been done both by Elves and Humans against one another. Great love has blossomed before though and time and again they have proven what unity between the two races is capable of. 
Ash Elves
The Ascren Empire was built on the idea of creating a culturally homogeneous realm in the tumultuous and fractured lands of the Crucible States. Many resisted this process of assimilation but few as much determination as the elves. With their long lives and secluded settlements they were able to resist well. But when the Empire couldn’t win over or break the elves, they instead began kidnapping elven children from the meadows and groves where they were raised, burning these kindergartens behind them. These children were placed in boarding school or under the wardship of noble families of good standing and would grow to adulthood over the long centuries of Imperial rule. Can’t Go Home: The tutelage of Grey Elves was meant to alienate them from the ‘savage nature’ of their native cultures. They were raised to be civilized, the Ascrene called them Noble Elves, a term hated by the Belnoi and Seqnoi, who instead call them Motnoi (Ashen ones) or Ascanoi (Traitorous ones). As such they often clash with their elven kin, being thought of as haughty or prejudicial. As such many Motnoi either live in human metropoli or in remote solitude. They exist best either in mixed company or no company at all.  A Stern Education: Elven wards were taken with the express aim of utilizing their natural abilities to the advantage of the Empire. They were trained as knights and wizards, serving as elite guards and master mages of the arcane universities that made Ascren powerful. Emperor August Prelatorian.
City Elves
The busy shipping lanes through Artan Bay bring with them many Aigadosi elves, mostly found in the coastal merchant cities but sometimes finding work as bards, court painters, and artisans, the city elves are renown among humans for their astonishing beauty and grace. Physically they mature at about the same rate as humans though they can live upwards of a thousand years. Few do though, city elves tend to be brash and drawn to adventure. A Proud People: The land of Aigados has endured for millennia as a shining republic of the City Elves. This long history and legacy of freedom and prosperity has given the City Elves or ‘Koinoi’ as they call themselves in their native tongue something of a haughty and prideful demeanor. This attitude extends even to their own cousins the swamp and pine elves, who they consider somewhat more primitive.
Art and Culture: The culture of the City Elves predates humanity, drawing their art and mythology from the lost High Elves of ancient times. Tales of great romances and epic adventures, centuries old have been immortalized in statues, paintings, plays, and poems by the Koinoi. They are deeply proud of their history of artistry and hold the Koinoi form as the highest standard of beauty, a beauty standard that has become imposed on some human cultures. While they respect the artistry of the dwarves and their craftsmanship they view most human attempts at art crude, quaint, or folksy.
Swamp Elves
In the wide swamplands that line the coast west of Feldri and in the marshy tributaries and mangrove forests that creep their way inland, lies the realm of the Belnoi or Swamp Elves. They generally live in familial clans led by the eldest female member, usually a druid. They, and their cousins the Seq’noi live in very similar cultural structures, their main differences are marked by religion and appearance. The Swamp Elves can be slightly startling looking to humans, their fingers are long with webbing that reaches the first knuckle, their skin mottled shades from silty tan to deep, muted greens. Their hair is thick and wild and some Belnoi go so far as to cultivate vines or mosses into growing in the tangles.   Spirits of the Swamp: Many divine creatures lurk among the mangroves and lagoons of the Belnoi’s territory. Demonic toads, catfish blessed by water spirits, snakes that act as messengers of the angels, can all be found if one is looking with the right skillset. Many swamp elves seek out these creatures for veneration and so draw their power from the connection to these nature spirits rather from the Feywild as their cousins do. Some hommage is still paid to the Feywild but the relationship is more antagonistic, many of the swamp dwelling fey are deeply malevolent. Unconquerable: There was never a way for the Ascren Empire to formally declare war on the Belnoi, they drained swamps, cut back mangroves, and were met with armies of swamp-dwelling creatures. Time proved that the best strategy was simply to surround them and leave them be. Human colonies were built in the swampland under Ascrene rule and tax collectors were sent to the tribes that didn’t shoot on sight.
Pine Elves
The Seq’noi are close kin of the Belnoi, are masters of the wooded foothills of the mountain spines that run through the center of the Crucible States. They are less openly hostile in their dealings with humans than their cousins but tensions do still arise. In culture they are a lively people, fond of loud jangly music and wild dancing. Elven firewater and gin are highly prized, in Feldri there is even a famed elven distillery run by a powerful clan. In appearance Pine elves are often born with features of the creatures of the forest around them, skunk striped hair or skin brindled like the coat of a boar, though they are fond of cosmetic enhancement and using magic to tamper with their appearance. Advancing Wilds: The Seq’noi consider themselves something of an anti-civilization. Everywhere their forest touches they consider their realm. The depths of the forests are to them sacred places and they will wage war on lumberjacks, hunters, and any other who would do harm to the land or it’s creatures. With the fall of Ascren they have stood unopposed in their forward march, new growth spreads fast over the unclaimed and empty landscape. Kindred of the Fey: The Seq’noi are very traditionalist in their attachment to the Feywild. The homeland and progenitor of the elven races is the basis of the religious system of the Seq’noi and they align themselves closely with many of the archfey.
Half-Elves
To humans, elves are often considered beautiful, their grace and delicate features make them deeply desirable. On the flip side of this for many elves, humans hold a strange fascination, their ability for quick adaption as well as their mayfly lifespans give them what some elves consider a romantic quality. Especially with the Koinoi but also with the Seq’noi and Belnoi as well , this leads to crossbreeding with humans. Half-elves mature slightly slower than humans and live near twice as long, two traits that can cause them to feel out of place or awkward in their youth as their peers outgrow them and enter adulthood. Among the Koinoi half-elves usually can find place and fit in but often they can end up feeling distant from the long-lived Seq’noi and Belnoi. As such Half-Elves usually end up living in human societies. A Mixed Inheritance: Many different people have many different reactions to Half-Elves, among the Ascrene and the Koinoi they are a common sight and few would think much of it. In Cymrin they might be mistaken for nobility, but in the more unfriendly Belnoi communities they may be considered abominable half-breeds. The Orumic as well may be more hostile as their coastal settlements frequently skirmish with the Seq’noi. Ambassadors: Because of their cultural mobility between elves and humans, half-elves often end up being mediators between the two. In general once a town has a few half-elves their relations with the local elvish community begins to improve quickly.
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