Lands

Beasts

Races

Personae

Faiths

Lore

Arcana

“Was Avadnu ever beautiful? I can tell you of cities so perfect in their design that the most wretched of souls repented when they entered their gates. I can weave strands of magic together through song to honor lovers who made gods weep with joy. These tales could be lies, but I offer them, my magic, and my sword, so that after I am gone, the beauty I lie about might become real.”

-Varnual, sulwynarii bard

No act of the thirteen gods invoked the wrath of Temulea as did the creation of the sulwynarii. Beautiful, majestic, and powerful, the sulwynarii possessed a burning ambition and skill to match. Their existence glared in the eyes of Temulea, and the light they cast upon his children revealed betrayal. Angered beyond reason, Temulea vowed the sulwynarii’s destruction, and soon sent the xxyth to lay waste to Avadnu and the flourishing sulwynarii empire.

Many races suffered, many armies were lost, but it was the sulwynarii who succeeded at sealing the xxyth within the Void. The war cost them a mighty civilization which had spanned Rothaaren and united races and cultures, a civilization whose remnants still litter the land. From then on, the sulwynarii were to be the cursed children of Avadnu; a flame lit in a terrible storm, burning brightly, but doomed to vanish.

Today, the dwindling sulwynarii people cling to the world they love. With their number depleted beyond repair, they are spread thinly across Avadnu, barely counting themselves as many as zeidians. Most sulwynarii either integrate themselves into human cultures or enclose themselves in the surviving bastions of sulwynarii strength. Alone or together, they strive to fulfill their goals before their race disappears entirely–fighting the forces of the Void, bringing peace between nations, or indulging their own passions.

Personality

A common saying among sulwynarii is “pride in one’s self is stronger than any weapon.” As the gods took pride in the sulwynarii, the sulwynarii take pride in everything they accomplish. They have an unerring focus and a meticulous eye for detail, and tend to recklessly devote themselves to any task at hand. They take on life and its challenges with abandon, believing in the need to use their time to the fullest. Whether crafting, fighting, or drinking a fine wine, each act a sulwynarii performs is relished as if it were his or her last. Others have observed that sulwynarii forever seek to carve perfection from the eroding world around them, and leave an everlasting mark on Avadnu before their passing.

The flipside of a sulwynarii’s passion is that it leaves little room for error. When a sulwynarii is mistaken, the result is usually haughty denial or dire self-punishment. A combination of their directness and a preference to rely on their own uncanny abilities (rather than trust those of other races) leads many to see sulwynarii as somewhat arrogant. Few sulwynarii see these traits as faults, and those who do can rarely bring themselves to change their nature.

Physiology

Sulwynarii are among the most elegant of the gods’ creations, a desire for perfection made manifest. Averaging slightly over 6 feet high and weighing about 200 pounds, they are a tall and sturdy–if not muscular–race. Non-sulwynarii often react as if the race were even taller. Sulwynarii facial features angle sharply, their skin is richly bronzed, and their small eyes are colored pale blue, gray, green, or gold. Their keen ears rise to a slight point, and are said to hear the flow of magic. Males often have golden blond or silver hair, while females have hair colored copper red. Darker hues are possible in both sexes, but are not nearly as common.

Sulwynarii mature by the age of 15, and can live as long as 500 years. All sulwynarii radiate an aura of magic that can be felt by other members of their race, and used to communicate with each other. Some say their auras can be felt by any individuals in tune with magic.

Attire

Sulwynarii indulge a keen sense of aesthetics in all facets of their lives. To accompany the beauty of their forms, sulwynarii artisans adorn their race in ornate layered clothing hemmed with paper-thin metal and decorated with intricate script. Common colors include vibrant reds, rich greens, and (most often) a deep, pearlescent blue achieved through dyeing or lacquering. The blue symbolizes the sky, likening the faces of sulwynarii to the sun gods they revere. Like sulwynarii clothing, sulwynarii armor is composed of carefully-placed, overlapping layers that provide protection and allow ease of movement. Vynduarian leaf armor is the most elaborate and ergonomic armor on Avadnu, designed to regulate the flow of energy through the body with magnetic fields.

Sulwynarii often wear jewelry such as earrings, necklaces, and circlets, all encrusted with precious stones and carved into shapes reflecting the natural world. Sulwynarii arcanists sometimes wreathe their heads with circles of floating crystal shards which form shimmering crowns. Every sulwynarii proudly wears a cherished personal crystal in a setting or on a chain of the finest craftsmanship.

In Battle

Sulwynarii history is rife with conflict, from the days when they forged their empire to the war against the xxyth. Though they are taught to fight only in times of absolute need, they learn as youths to defend against any foe through ferocity, adaptivity, and a willingness to retreat and regroup when necessary. Their traditional weapons are bows–used as a prelude to melee–and bastard swords, which have power to compensate for physical weakness. Warrior sulwynarii often train with keyrii (two-stringed bows) or in kier’shaal (a hand-to-hand style combining pressure point strikes and bone-breaking throws). Sulwynarii craftsmen often forge weapons from exotic materials like nysaril crystal and innilar.

Many sulwynarii eventually train earnestly in martial skills, seeing combat as inevitable. According to custom, a sulwynarii first learns how to best defeat ten opponents in any terrain and under any conditions, before integrating into a darran (a squad of ten soldiers). The darran is taught tactics for fending off one hundred enemies, using their environment and their trust in each other to hold any ground. Last, the ten join other darrans to form a tarshual of one hundred soldiers, where they learn large-scale tactics for battlefield maneuvering, laying sieges, and how to survive independently in remote locations. These traditions harken back to the first days of sulwynarii culture, when small numbers of sulwynarii used cunning to conquer untamed lands and unseat human warlords.

Society

What is left of sulwynarii society is scattered across the world in ancient cities and integrated into human civilization. Though many sulwynarii remain in contact with each other and coordinate their activities, just as many pursue their individual agendas, and rarely take part in their race’s attempts at unified action.

Sulwynarii cities are generally isolated, converted from the sprawling centers of culture that flourished before the coming of the xxyth into vigilantly-guarded citadels. Where once courtyards and markets filled with the bustle of thousands of people from a half-dozen races, and towers welcomed those eager to learn and share ideas, now sulwynarii cities house hundreds and admit few outsiders. Lone scholars may take up homes in grand halls, and families claim entire city blocks as their own. But while their numbers are low, sulwynarii take pride in their ancient homes, and maintain and defend them diligently. Unlike the abandoned sulwynarii cities which have been ravaged by nature and looters, occupied cities are clean, structurally sound, and lit with crystalline light in the evenings–a show of defiance against the decline of the race.

Most cities are independent, and interact little with whatever governments officially claim their territory. With few exceptions, an elected leader rules over each city. Citizens are often enamored with the glories of sulwynarii history, and (when not tending to their orchards or patrolling their borders) engage in research, craft items of practical and artistic merit, study magic, and plan for the future. City-dwelling sulwynarii tend to encourage thoughtful and collective action, rather than sending individuals into the world to spur change; they value the individual spirit, but their immersion in the signs of their downfall leads them to cherish what remains of their communities.

Sulwynarii who integrate themselves into human cultures have fewer ties to their race’s past, though they still take pride in themselves and carry on the most important sulwynarii values and traditions. Many find work as sages, artists, and craftsmen, whether in large cities or rural villages. The more ambitious serve as diplomats or advisors to humans in authority, while others rise to positions of power themselves, ruling over lands or guilds. Sulwynarii among humans are more likely to seek adventure than the city-dwellers, as they face the world’s problems all their lives.

No matter his or her home, any newborn sulwynarii is seen as a promise of great and noble deeds. It is the parents’ responsibility to pass on the knowledge that one sulwynarii can change the course of history, and to nurture a child’s promise until it becomes ambition. Due to this focus on individualism, sulwynarii families rarely have more than one child. Males and females are treated as equals, but females are taught to attune themselves with the earth and magic, while males are encouraged to learn the art of diplomacy and the history of civilization. Sulwynarii proverbs say that females look down, cherishing the beauty nurtured by the suns, while males look up, seeking guidance and the world’s secrets. Regardless of their children’s gender, all sulwynarii parents hope their children will bring perfection to Avadnu however possible.

Once a child is old enough to speak, the lessons of life begin. The child’s parents or appointed guardians are his or her first teachers, and instruct the child on the basic principle of survival: how to utilize one’s environment to accomplish goals. They teach ethics, the nuances of language, and sulwynarii legends. Sulwynarii living near others of their kind arrange for masters to pass on lessons in their respective fields. Those isolated from their race may resort to finding teachers from other races, such zeidian rangers or human craftsmen. But sulwynarii standards are high, and both parents and pupil can be a burden to any teacher.

By the age of 20, sulwynarii know how to write and speak with perfect grace, the basics of poetry and yuruulian painting (the art of painting with thin pigments upon burnished metal), and combat skills with bow and blade. As an adult, a sulwynarii studies magic and its interaction with crystal, and is encouraged to train in magic further. As a right of passage, a sulwynarii seeks out a crystal from the earth (though some say the crystal calls to them). An ulwynaarl (or “spirit stone”) is fused with its owner’s essence, connecting him or her to the energies of Avadnu. Most sulwynarii wear their crystals throughout their lives.

Adult sulwynarii often oversaturate themselves with knowledge as they seek their calling, and must choose what to pursue first. Some live peacefully, continuing their education and saving the thrill of adventure and battle for later, wiser days. Others leap into lives of valorous deeds, hoping to prove themselves before the end. A few determine that their skills are best used to please themselves, rather than in serving their race or the world. Once a path is found, however, a sulwynarii follows it with eager and determined steps. An education in one subject leads to interest in another, solving one problem reveals two others, and the sulwynarii grows more able and closer to achieving his or her potential.

The leaders of sulwynarii society keep in constant contact with one another through messengers and scrying devices, and the lords of cities meet in person once each decade. Before the xxyth, this conclave met in Tyl Mylarra to discuss how best to run and expand the empire, but most are now held in Duariane during winter. Current events are discussed and plans debated, knowledge is sought and prophecies analyzed. The few present spend the days planning not conquest, but mere survival. They devise ways to keep the flow of magic strong, to bulwark the barrier keeping the Void at bay, and try to find a future for their people.

Religion

When the rebellious gods gave life to the sulwynarii, each granted the race boons of power to ensure their superiority on Avadnu. Though their ancient birth is now a shadow of a memory, the sulwynarii still recognize the gifts of the gods and offer thanks. But while respect is given to all the gods, the two most revered are Arshan and Shanarr, to whom most sulwynarii offer daily prayers. It is said that the sun gods illuminate the future of the sulwynarii, fueling their ambitions. It is also these gods who, sulwynarii believe, absorb the spirits of the dead and allow sulwynarii ancestors to see their sunlit descendants. Unlike other races of Avadnu, sulwynarii do not believe that they are ever reborn.

Elaborate temples were constructed to Arshan and Shanarr at the height of sulwynarii power, and many still stand. Crystals are used to reflect and refract the suns’ light, casting the blessings of the gods and the dead onto carven stonework. Many sulwynarii believe that the sun-warmed rocks of a temple soothe wearied minds and heal souls’ wounds. Each temple is a testament to sulwynarii precision and aesthetic sense, a work of art presenting an evolving, overwhelming beauty as the suns travel through the sky.

Race Relations

Sulwynarii once cradled the world’s power, both magical and military. Other races could only ally themselves with the sulwynarii or get out of their way. Since their fall, the sulwynarii view of the world has changed, and the world’s view of them has shifted even farther.

Humans, once seen as either a nuisance or a potentially significant ally, are now of chief importance to the sulwynarii. The sulwynarii originally used their wealth and power to help human civilization grow and prosper; they built roads and bridges, opened trade routes, and arranged peace between nations. The alliance forged between the two races remains in place to this day, however drastically the balance of power has changed. Some sulwynarii cities find protection in human lands in exchange for wisdom and magic, and sulwynarii living in human communities are welcomed for their skills. Some humans, though, distrust the sulwynarii. Human lands that relied on sulwynarii for protection and guidance suffered after the coming of the xxyth, and old resentments endure in places. Other humans see sulwynarii as arrogant and condescending, and wish no contact with them.

Zeidians are seen by sulwynarii as noble, yet too humble and unambitious. Sulwynarii believe zeidians waste their potential protecting the land in solitude and resolving the conflicts of men, serving human needs instead of defining the world’s future. They would rather see zeidians united, with unequaled armies that could change the course of history.

Sulwynarii and mistji rarely see eye to eye. Sulwynarii consider mistji powerful but resentful, a mighty race that once ruled the world and has now chosen resignation over action. Mithu, however, who sometimes act as emissaries to sulwynarii from mistji lands, are accepted and respected for their proactive nature.

Skarren are a dangerous mystery, as sulwynarii are unclear what part brutal and unpredictable skarren ways will (or should) play in shaping the world. Skareth are tolerated but not accepted, as they share too many traits with their skarren ancestors. Vulnar are watched cautiously for different reasons; once the trade routes of the sulwynarii empire dictated the value of goods, and a veiled resentment toward vulnar and their influence has grown in sulwynarii hearts. The uncanny adaptability, unclear motives, and supposedly corrupt magic of ngakoi lead sulwynarii to view them suspiciously, and sulwynarii have less contact with ngakoi than with any other race.

Lands

Tyl Mylarra, the former center of the sulwynarii empire, is now a desert known as the Wasteland, and most of the once-great sulwynarii cities are ruins. Many of those that survived became occupied and changed by humans, while a few remote sulwynarii cities still house their builders. These cities can be found cloistered in craggy peaks, or sheltered in labyrinthine forests. Duariane is one such city, a bastion of lore and wisdom that stands as the greatest reminder of former sulwynarii glory. Spells hide Duariane in the forest of Waethe, where sacred crystals grow like ferns from the ground. Many travelers seek Duariane, but few ever find it. In Lotheril, communities of isolationist sulwynarii called aelmyr live, descended from bands that abandoned their homes during the coming of the xxyth. Other sulwynarii cities exist in Thuldra and Keladon. Sulwynarii integrated into human society are most common in Ingtaria, particularly in its capital Se’arne.

Alignment

Though sulwynarii place great value on order and unity, their emphasis on individual achievement and expression balances their opposing traits. Individual sulwynarii may stray toward either law or chaos, and rarely lose a place among their peers.

A firm commitment to good is a large part of sulwynarii tradition, and new generations are taught that they have a destiny to conquer the evils of Avadnu. Most embrace this notion wholeheartedly, but among them are those who never realize that their methods do not match the virtue of their goals. Others rebel, or crumble under the overwhelming pressure. They become passionate hedonists, or otherwise abandon noble causes. The worst seek wealth and power among what they see as inferior races, and may become enemies of their own people.

Language

The sulwynarii spoken language is low and lamenting, interspersed with quick and sonorous words and phrases. Sulwynarii delight in perfect speech, practicing poetry and song from their first words as children, and they rarely fumble or stammer. Their written language consists of subtly-differing characters representative of natural stone and crystal formations. In one sulwynarii art form, called shalthrinn (“word sculpting”), the characters are sculpted as originally intended, in three dimensions. This obscure and meticulous art can result in the construction of story or poem structures that “readers” can walk through. Many such shalthrinn are built to hide information, word-labyrinths keeping their secrets from those not wise enough to deserve them.

Names

Every sulwynarii bears one name, generally without meaning or familial reference. Names are created with an expressive sound in mind, and are usually lengthy and complex. Sulwynarii are infamous for saying their names with perfect clarity, and expect nothing less from others, regardless of circumstance.

Male Names: Darshana, Duiliven, Galarinshal, Karimarr, Orloraan, Shandaar, Thratuur, Tyriliel, Ularthal, Varnual.

Female Names: Arrilinn, Caelalin, Druinsharan, Kadyriath, Keirana, Nulvenera, Shandalian, Shaeryl, Thunala, Velethasha.

Adventurers

Above all else, sulwynarii seek to make a difference in the world. Second to this is their desire to be remembered. These are the primary reasons most sulwynarii become adventurers, though other passions occasionally drive sulwynarii to take up quests.

As some of the first historians on Avadnu, and the most talented artists, sulwynarii are natural bards. A bard has a sacred station, one of political, mystical, and cultural importance. Males are particularly inclined to become bards, as their expertise is often in social interaction, but many females (particularly those integrated into human societies) also study bardic ways. Sulwynarii bards take on diplomatic missions, carry news, spark the imaginations of young heroes, and scribe the records and traditions of their people.

Sulwynarii (particularly females) also commonly become druids, often using crystals to help wield natural forces as a tool for shaping the future. They relay news acquired through druidic conclaves via bards, animal companions, and magic, help provide food and defense to sulwynarii cities, and occasionally become mystic advisors. Other druids sometimes look warily upon sulwynarii druids, doubting their motives and wondering if their devotion to their race surpasses their devotion to nature.

Sulwynarii paladins arise from warriors who embrace strict and ancient codes, and who seek moral perfection and purity. Sulwynarii monks search for physical and spiritual perfection instead, and master meditation and self-discipline over their long lives. Rangers touch upon the powers of druids, but are warriors first, and often become lone sentinels of wild places, or stealthy scouts for sulwynarii cities. Fighters represent the bulk of sulwynarii warriors who neglect their magical side, and are often young and brash. The few sulwynarii barbarians are mostly foreigners from beyond Rothaaren, descended from colonies lost after the destruction of the sulwynarii empire, but some grow up among human barbarian tribes. Rogues, with their indirect approach to situations, are also rare. Some arise in human cities, resisting the authorities or running secret organizations, having accepted discretion as a necessity. Most others are outcasts.

Adventurous sulwynarii sorcerers are common and well-respected, with wizards studying and controlling the energy that comes so easily to their peers. Sulwynarii passion and charisma make them potentially extraordinary devouts, but their tendency toward action over philosophy leads away from that path. Those who are devouts usually choose ideals related to goodness, art, or the sun gods, with a few devoting themselves to figures from sulwynarii history.