Star Elves

The star elves are an isolated ethnic group of high elves found on the small island of Nach’eri (ნაჭერი), off the coast of Eastern Tiazu. They are deeply religious, with a long and mysterious history dating back almost to the Age of Chaos. Varsk’vlavi (ვარსკვლავი), as they call themselves in their own Zhargoni language (ჟარგონი), are suspicious of other races, the exception being the Turntusk tribe of orcs, with whom they are interbred, leading to a strong alliance.

History
The Varsk’vlavi were born from fallen starlight. They were once spread far across Eastern Tiazu in the Chaos era, but were driven to the coasts by the destruction of the Reality Crisis, and the movements of encroaching tribes. In the decades that followed the Reality Crisis, matters became more desperate, as a famine struck the land, and the sea remained far too treacherous for fishing boats. Around 60 AG however, a heroic warrior-mage rose up from among the people, and commanded them with great authority. This hero was capable of controlling nature itself, and succeeded in parting the waves of the terrible strait between the mainland and the island which would become known as Nach’eri (meaning “slice”). Following the miraculous crossing, the hero set up a simple settlement based on sustainable fishing, before being drawn up into the heavens as an ascended deity within a few months.

The Varsk’vlavi lived out a simple existence, farming the seas east of Nach’eri, for a few generations before another powerful figure emerged. This time, around 285 AG, it was an academic, an astronomer, who took the inhabitants of Nach’eri into their next era. This stargazer brought learning, art, and high civilisation to a people who had previously been preoccupied with the simple needs for food, water, and shelter. The astronomer introduced machinery and forecasting to the fishing crews, architecture and material science to the builders, and monarchy and good governance to the leaders. Once this societal paradigm shift was complete, the academic too was spirited away to the stars, becoming the second ascended deity of the Varsk’vlavi. Whilst the hero and the academic both had names at one time, but they have since been lost to the millennia, and now they are simply known as the Fathoms Below and the Fathoms Above, or Kvemot (ქვემოთ) and Zemot (ზემოთ) in Zhargoni.

The next most significant point in the history of Nach’eri is the arrival of the Turntusk orcs in 623 AG. A large crew of orcs from this tribe crashed their huge privateer ashore after straying too close to the Nach’eri Straits. After an initial verbal confrontation with the star elves, both parties realised that there was little to gain from fighting or arguing, and pursued diplomacy over violence. It quickly became clear that the Varsk’vlavi lacked the naval capabilities to transport the orcs out east into the deepest sea in order to arc round to the mainland safely, and that the crashed vessel was far beyond repair. A deal was therefore offered: the star elves had begun to suffer raids from creatures of the Feydark, or Sulieri Sibnele (სულიერი სიბნელე), that emerges from the caves to the north of the island – if the orcs placed a garrison in that area and guarded the cave exits, they could remain on Nach’eri, and be treated as full citizens. As the Turntusk orcs were of the more reasonable and honourable of their folk, they willingly accepted this arrangement. Since this point, the elves and orcs have lived in harmony through service, and have interbred significantly, resulting in a significant population of mixed-race individuals, or shereuli (შერეული). Beyond this, the society on Nach’eri has continued to grow and prosper, leading to recent issues of overcrowding, which has encouraged emigration, with some specifically tasked with finding new lands for settlement.

Outlook
The Varsk’vlavi are very community-oriented, partially out of necessity given that the isolated island must remain self-sufficient. They tend to be proud of their long history, despite its mystery, even those of orcish blood. They have a strong desire for the prosperity of their nation, and will willingly strive upon its behalf. Those star elves who have recently emigrated from Nach’eri are likely to miss their homeland greatly, but many comfort themselves in the knowledge that their present hardship might be to the benefit of their people if they find suitable new places to settle.

Varsk’vlavi Characters
The star elves are highly religious, and many who train as warriors or spellcasters do so as part of their service to the Fathoms. Those with a particular liking for the Fathoms Above might pursue the path of a cleric in the domains of light, knowledge, city, or arcana, or alternatively study the academic paths of the theurgist, theologian, or kapellmeister. Others who have preference for the Fathoms below are more likely to focus their clerical training on nature, tempest, life, and war, or alternatively follow the ways of a paladin, druid, or ranger. Those of orcish blood tend to have a particularly penchant for the Fathoms Below, and their military function drives them more to the practices of the zealot, favoured soul, and avenger. Less religious individuals on Nach’eri might have skillsets relating to their profession, such as rangers among the fishermen, artificers among the artisans, and fighters among the soldiers.

Prestige Classes
The age of the Varsk’vlavi spellcasting tradition means that runic magic is still an approach used relatively regularly, thus one can find rune scribes, including tutors, of various levels fairly easily.

Society
Nach’eri is ruled by an ancient monarchy, dating back to the time in which the Fathoms Above walked the island. The current king is one Imeda Pirtskhalaishvili, who has garnered the respect of the people through his thoughtful approach to the overcrowding problem. Pirtskhalaishvili is surrounded by a large cohort of advisors, sprung from all parts of life, orcish and elvish, high and low. These advisors have great influence, and many are essentially left to their own devices with their charge, though are subject to monarchical veto and intervention. The Varsk’vlavi have very few qualms with this system, and when advisors have gone rogue in the past, the people have been able to petition the monarch to solve the issue.

Those of the star elves who have emigrated have generally been able to integrate into foreign societies well. Most non-elves typically mistake them for moon elves with strange accents and a tanned skin tone, and care little to inquire further.

Language and Literacy
The language most commonly used on Nach’eri is Zhargoni, the ancestral variety of the Varsk’vlavi, which has its own, flowing alphabet. Star elves typically still have proficiency in the base elvish tongue Arnatil, while orcs speak their ethnic tongue of Oghuglat – shereuli normally speak both languages. The vast majority of the inhabitants of Nach’eri are literate in at least one language, generally Zhargoni, even the orcs, despite stereotypes.

Magic and Lore
Magic is relatively common on Nach’eri, by virtue of the many divine casters among the star elves and orcs. Arcane magic is slightly rarer, but the studious spirit of the Fathoms Above still encourages wizards, bards, and such alike in their pursuits.

Spells and Spellcasting
Spellcasters of all kinds, often with some sort of divine bent, are found on Nach’eri. In contrast, unlearned magicians such as sorcerers and warlocks are notably less common, save divine souls and those with a celestial pact.

Spellcasting Tradition
Those who aspire to the heights of the Fathoms Above specialise in divination, particularly from an astrological angle. Those interested in the powers of the Fathoms Below instead focus on the elemental aspects of conjuration and evocation.

Unique Spells
Some spellcasters have stumbled upon the magic of runic icosahedrons, though the discipline is not significantly more advanced than in other areas of the world.

Magic Items
There are a number of artificers among the Varsk’vlavi, who tend to focus on more artistic creations than mechanisms. Wands, staves, and jewellery are their specialty.

Common Magic Items
Many Varsk’vlavi bear a common wondrous item known as a starband, a headband with a silvery globe over the forehead, which sheds dim light for 30 feet when worn.

Varsk’vlavi Deities
The Varsk’vlavi primarily worship two ascend deities, the Fathoms Above and the Fathoms Below, or Zemot and Kvemot. Kvemot was the first of the two deities to ascend, after leading their people across the dangerous Nach’eri Straits from famine and encroaching tribes to the safety of the island by parting the waves. Zemot ascended a few generations later, as they elevated the simple fishing community on Nach’eri to a highly-civilised city-state. The Fathoms Below embodies the laws of nature and bringing order to a chaotic world (lawful neutral), while the Fathoms Above represents noble aspirations and worthwhile learning (neutral good).

The star elves know little of other ascended deities, and when the Turntusk orcs arrived on Nach’eri, there were no orcish ascended, and hence they adopted the Fathoms as their patrons. Both races have a deep distrust of the Primordials, who brought famine to the former’s ancestors, and flung the latter’s flagship upon the rocks.

Relations with Other Races
Nach’eri is isolated from the mainland by the Nach’eri Straits, leading to very little interaction with other races. Occasionally, merchants from Southern Tiazu take a wide arc around the straits to reach the island, receiving a lukewarm reception, though few see the journey as worthwhile. In general, however, the Varsk’vlavi are suspicious of foreigners, as their main experience of other peoples, save the orcs, was being driven out of Eastern Tiazu by rival tribes long ago in their history.

Equipment
Varsk’vlavi have access to any essential equipment, though imported luxuries are extremely rare, and are very costly.

Arms and Armour
The favoured weapon of the Fathoms Below is the club, and that of the Fathoms Above is the quarterstaff, so these weapons are particularly common, though typically elvish weapons such as longbows and shortswords are also popular, with orcs choosing heavier variants on this theme, the greatsword, for example. The star elves favour light, or at most medium, armour so that they are not too weighed down should they fall into the water, while the orcs, who spend little time near the sea, often wear heavy armour.

Animals and Pets
The island itself is heavily urbanised, leading to a lack of fauna beyond livestock. On the other hand, the seas out to the east of Nach’eri are rich with life, providing the main food source for the Varsk’vlavi. The star elves also often take exotic fish as pets, as they represent the fusion of natural excellence of the Fathoms Below and artistic beauty of the Fathoms Above.