Difference between revisions of "Elementals"
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== The Awakening == | == The Awakening == | ||
| − | Many elementals shape their body like a [[humans|human's]], but others have a very animalistic appearance. How intelligent and conscious an elemental is varies enormously from one specimen to another. There are some spirits that are barely aware of themselves, and some with a mind closer to a god's than a human. When asked what it's like to be a body-less spirit and how she came to inhabit her body, a sentient elemental described the process as being "awakened". She was a wandering spirits, barely conscious of the world, and one day she became deeply aware of it, triggering the urge to possess a body. According to her, the humanoid form she assumed just came out as the most natural thing in the world. | + | Many elementals shape their body like a [[humans|human's]], but others have a very animalistic appearance. How intelligent and conscious an elemental is varies enormously from one specimen to another. There are some spirits that are barely aware of themselves, and some with a mind closer to a god's than a human. When asked what it's like to be a body-less spirit and how she came to inhabit her body, a sentient elemental described the process as being "awakened". She was a wandering spirits, barely conscious of the world, and one day she became deeply aware of it, triggering the urge to possess a body. According to her, the humanoid form she assumed just came out as the most natural thing in the world. While an elemental's form should be virtually limitless, there is definitely some recurring shapes that can almost be considered as species, although they can vary widely in size. The reason for it is unknown but some mages speculate that elementals are somehow memorizing certain forms and pass them over to other spirits through some mysterious means. |
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| − | While an elemental's form should be virtually limitless, there is definitely some recurring shapes that can almost be considered as species, although they can vary widely in size. The reason for it is unknown but some mages speculate that elementals are somehow memorizing certain forms and pass them over to other spirits through some mysterious means. | + | |
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| + | Elementals are deeply individualistic creatures, and never formed anything like a culture or a civilization. The case of [[King Trazix]] and his small community of Lava elementals in [[Pyrale mountains#Mount Vylkren|Mount Vylkren]] is more of an exception. They don't see themselves as a race at all, just individual and unique entities. It's interesting to note that many sentient elementals find themselves attracted to [[fairies]] and often mate with them. | ||
= List of elements = | = List of elements = | ||
| − | == Nature Elementals== | + | == [[Nature Elementals]]== |
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These elementals have chosen to inhabit and shape the ambient air of Felarya. They typically are fast, can fly or float, but are rather weak physically. | These elementals have chosen to inhabit and shape the ambient air of Felarya. They typically are fast, can fly or float, but are rather weak physically. | ||
| − | == | + | == [[Darkness Elementals]] == |
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Darkness elementals create their bodies out of pure darkness. They mostly live in dark caves or bottomless abysses where very little or no light can be found. This type of elemental is typically very powerful in its element, but also terribly weak against light as any light attacks its very body. It's important to note that, contrary to popular belief, a darkness elemental is not necessarily evil. | Darkness elementals create their bodies out of pure darkness. They mostly live in dark caves or bottomless abysses where very little or no light can be found. This type of elemental is typically very powerful in its element, but also terribly weak against light as any light attacks its very body. It's important to note that, contrary to popular belief, a darkness elemental is not necessarily evil. | ||
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| − | ==Water Elementals== | + | ==[[Water Elementals]]== |
Water elementals are, as their name suggests, elementals inhabiting water under different forms. Their bodies are usually very malleable and able to take different forms. Clouds and Fog Elementals choose to inhabit the multiple tiny droplets of water in suspension in the air, that create fog and clouds. They tend to be rather lazy, drifting quietly in the air, and are generally not very dangerous. Vapor elementals are often confused for air elementals, due to their blurry appearance. They can be described as superheated water elementals who, unlike most of their cousins, love areas that are hotter, though still with adequate moisture. | Water elementals are, as their name suggests, elementals inhabiting water under different forms. Their bodies are usually very malleable and able to take different forms. Clouds and Fog Elementals choose to inhabit the multiple tiny droplets of water in suspension in the air, that create fog and clouds. They tend to be rather lazy, drifting quietly in the air, and are generally not very dangerous. Vapor elementals are often confused for air elementals, due to their blurry appearance. They can be described as superheated water elementals who, unlike most of their cousins, love areas that are hotter, though still with adequate moisture. | ||
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| − | == Earth Elementals == | + | == [[Earth Elementals]] == |
They are spirits who built their bodies out of the soil or minerals of Felarya. Thus, they literally take in to themselves the healing property of Felarya, granting them amazing regenerative abilities, and very powerful healing magic. | They are spirits who built their bodies out of the soil or minerals of Felarya. Thus, they literally take in to themselves the healing property of Felarya, granting them amazing regenerative abilities, and very powerful healing magic. | ||
| − | == Magic Elementals == | + | == [[Magic Elementals]] == |
The rarest of elementals, magic elementals are only born when already powerful spirits use the essence of magic itself itself to create their body. They are immensely powerful entities, although they suffer from the same drawback as other elementals. Since the larger an elemental is, the closer it must remain to its element, magic elementals are typically unable to leave extremely magic-rich places such as the [[fairy kingdom]], and most forms of anti-magic are absolutely crippling to them. They may subsist on magic of the environment, or take the form of something fit for hunting. Because their body is defined by their whims, their behavior can become erratic and unpredictable. Unluckily for magic users, magic elementals have the most heightened awareness for the [[predator sense]], and can likely pinpoint them miles away, just as if the spell caster was next to them. However, since they are such an immense focus of magical energy, they in turn can be sensed by anything capable of the sense from great distances. If you've sensed it first, it's smartest to activate something with anti-magic capabilities as self-protection or, better yet, leave the area. Magic elementals are the natural predator of [[minor races#Genies|genies]], seeing the extremely magic-rich beings as 'candies in a jar'. | The rarest of elementals, magic elementals are only born when already powerful spirits use the essence of magic itself itself to create their body. They are immensely powerful entities, although they suffer from the same drawback as other elementals. Since the larger an elemental is, the closer it must remain to its element, magic elementals are typically unable to leave extremely magic-rich places such as the [[fairy kingdom]], and most forms of anti-magic are absolutely crippling to them. They may subsist on magic of the environment, or take the form of something fit for hunting. Because their body is defined by their whims, their behavior can become erratic and unpredictable. Unluckily for magic users, magic elementals have the most heightened awareness for the [[predator sense]], and can likely pinpoint them miles away, just as if the spell caster was next to them. However, since they are such an immense focus of magical energy, they in turn can be sensed by anything capable of the sense from great distances. If you've sensed it first, it's smartest to activate something with anti-magic capabilities as self-protection or, better yet, leave the area. Magic elementals are the natural predator of [[minor races#Genies|genies]], seeing the extremely magic-rich beings as 'candies in a jar'. | ||
| − | == Fire Elementals == | + | == [[Fire Elementals]] == |
Fire Elementals are, as the name suggests, an elemental spirit inhabiting a source of flame or fire. While fires normally spread further or burn out, fire elementals are able to keep a regulated body. Like all elementals, they range in intelligence. Fire elementals tend to be passionate, easily roused to anger, love or other emotions. Fire elementals can be found across Felarya, but are very rare in wet environments. They are most common in open areas, with little vegetation or water. | Fire Elementals are, as the name suggests, an elemental spirit inhabiting a source of flame or fire. While fires normally spread further or burn out, fire elementals are able to keep a regulated body. Like all elementals, they range in intelligence. Fire elementals tend to be passionate, easily roused to anger, love or other emotions. Fire elementals can be found across Felarya, but are very rare in wet environments. They are most common in open areas, with little vegetation or water. | ||
| − | == Lava Elementals == | + | == [[Lava Elementals]] == |
Lava Elementals are created from superheated rock. They live mostly in volcanic environments, near to the stuff of their creation. Lava elementals are particularly powerful as they have the immense power of a fire elemental combined with the regenerative powers of an earth elemental. The more intelligent spirits often take on humanoid forms, the most famous being Lava Lords like [[King Trazix]]. Lava elementals tend to have wide ranges of demeanor, from a grounded cheerfulness to a fiery temper when angered. | Lava Elementals are created from superheated rock. They live mostly in volcanic environments, near to the stuff of their creation. Lava elementals are particularly powerful as they have the immense power of a fire elemental combined with the regenerative powers of an earth elemental. The more intelligent spirits often take on humanoid forms, the most famous being Lava Lords like [[King Trazix]]. Lava elementals tend to have wide ranges of demeanor, from a grounded cheerfulness to a fiery temper when angered. | ||
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| − | ==Lightning Elementals== | + | ==[[Lightning Elementals]]== |
Lightning Elementals are made from pure electricity, constantly flowing and thus shaped into a form. Lightning Elementals are never still, constantly shifting as they pulse over and over. Lightning Elementals are usually ariel creatures and are most common in areas like the [[Great rocky fields]]. Lightning Elementals' power increase greatly during lightning storms, when they can augment with extra electricity. The most powerful Lightning elementals only appear during storms (or create storms wherever they go!) They tend to be chaotic, or at least in many ways very alien, living and thinking in a very different way to those static beings on the ground. | Lightning Elementals are made from pure electricity, constantly flowing and thus shaped into a form. Lightning Elementals are never still, constantly shifting as they pulse over and over. Lightning Elementals are usually ariel creatures and are most common in areas like the [[Great rocky fields]]. Lightning Elementals' power increase greatly during lightning storms, when they can augment with extra electricity. The most powerful Lightning elementals only appear during storms (or create storms wherever they go!) They tend to be chaotic, or at least in many ways very alien, living and thinking in a very different way to those static beings on the ground. | ||
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=== Known Elementals === | === Known Elementals === | ||
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*[[Goro]] ( Nature - Treant ) | *[[Goro]] ( Nature - Treant ) | ||
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| − | *Credits goes to Silent-eric for the | + | *Credits goes to Silent-eric for the self-conscious cloud, to Jaette-troll for the Vapyres and many ideas for the fire, lava and lighting elementals, to Malnorm for Naiads, to Fish for the Abyssal discs, and to Fish and Silent-eric for the description of magic elementals. |
[[Category:Races]] | [[Category:Races]] | ||
Revision as of 04:57, 5 August 2011
- General content: | Felaryan fauna | Felaryan flora | Races | Characters | Locations | History and Lore | Science and Magic | Culture and Customs | List of all available articles
Contents
Elementals in Felarya can be roughly defined as spirits inhabiting non-living matter. They are much more complex than that though, and a water elemental isn't just moving water with a mind of its own. Once the matter is possessed by the elemental, it really becomes the body of the creature and starts forming complex organs just like in a regular organic body. This process usually takes days or weeks when the elemental take possession of its first body, but become much faster afterwards, should the spirit inhabit another body. On most worlds, Elementals are only able to inhabit primordial matter such as fire or water, but on worlds charged with magic like Felarya, their range are greatly increased to regular matter. On some worlds, there has even been recorded instance of elementals inhabiting an idea ! For example, in the Malorjaa battlefield, so infamous for the terrible massacres that took place here, the anguish of fallen soldiers has created a gigantic elemental of hate that rampaged the world. Those instances are extremely rare, though, and remain one of a kind.
on Felarya, no such instance were ever recorded, but the magical saturation of the world allows elementals to animate significant large quantities of matter. This means that on average, the size of Felaryan elementals is comparable to that of giant predators. Elementals use partly the rich ambient magic of Felarya to maintain their form, although most of them need to eat as well. They hunt pretty much anything that is living and that they can consume, and many elementals see humans as a little more than a suitable way to fuel their bodies. Their body is often malleable, which means that their throat, mouth and stomach can stretch quite a bit, allowing them to swallow large preys. Elementals are dangerous and extremely hard to kill. If you fight one in its own element, the task can become all but impossible because the elemental will use the surroundings to sustain itself. Even if you manage to severely damage its body, the elemental will just leave it and search for another chunk of matter to animate in a quieter place. However, once an elemental spirit has chosen a type of matter to inhabit, it will never be able to use another type. A fire elemental will never become an ice elemental, for example. Moreover, leaving its body for another is an unpleasant, sometimes traumatic experience for the elemental, especially if they got used to it for a long time. The only sure ways to get rid of an elemental is to either devour its spirit (but creatures able to perform that trick are rare) or to use a banish spell once the spirit is separated from the body, to take the spirit away. Using opposite elemental magic is also a good way to damage them (water vs fire for example). There is no existing spellcaster strong enough to harm an elemental using its own element (aside from the coldfire used by some very rare beings, among them the succubus Arale).
Elementals have a curious way of aging. Past a point, the elemental becomes so accustomed to its body, that destroying the body will either banish or destroy the spirit as well, effectively rendering the elemental as mortal as any other creature.
The Awakening
Many elementals shape their body like a human's, but others have a very animalistic appearance. How intelligent and conscious an elemental is varies enormously from one specimen to another. There are some spirits that are barely aware of themselves, and some with a mind closer to a god's than a human. When asked what it's like to be a body-less spirit and how she came to inhabit her body, a sentient elemental described the process as being "awakened". She was a wandering spirits, barely conscious of the world, and one day she became deeply aware of it, triggering the urge to possess a body. According to her, the humanoid form she assumed just came out as the most natural thing in the world. While an elemental's form should be virtually limitless, there is definitely some recurring shapes that can almost be considered as species, although they can vary widely in size. The reason for it is unknown but some mages speculate that elementals are somehow memorizing certain forms and pass them over to other spirits through some mysterious means.
Elementals are deeply individualistic creatures, and never formed anything like a culture or a civilization. The case of King Trazix and his small community of Lava elementals in Mount Vylkren is more of an exception. They don't see themselves as a race at all, just individual and unique entities. It's interesting to note that many sentient elementals find themselves attracted to fairies and often mate with them.
List of elements
Nature Elementals
Air Elementals
These elementals have chosen to inhabit and shape the ambient air of Felarya. They typically are fast, can fly or float, but are rather weak physically.
Darkness Elementals
Darkness elementals create their bodies out of pure darkness. They mostly live in dark caves or bottomless abysses where very little or no light can be found. This type of elemental is typically very powerful in its element, but also terribly weak against light as any light attacks its very body. It's important to note that, contrary to popular belief, a darkness elemental is not necessarily evil.
Abyssal Discs
A type of darkness elemental that resides in the most lightless, deepest parts of the Topazial Sea depths. Physically it's extremely flat, almost merely a membrane of darkness stretched over the ocean bottom, and is stationary. There it lies in wait for prey to approach, at which point it strikes. Nearly anything that touches its surface becomes stuck fast, as if to a sticky mat. The creature then draws in the rest of its prey, until it is enveloped and is only seen as a bulge in the totally dark, flat disc. Since abyssal discs are highly magical in nature like other elementals, they share an elemental's appetite. However, they can sustain themselves to a degree by utilizing the magical properties of Felarya's soil, in the form of the sediment directly beneath them, which their wide surface area makes the best use of. They are known to have an extreme aversion to light, which because of their exceptionally thin nature, is quite distressing and even damaging to them. One of their most common predators, the shinade, makes excellent use of this weakness. The largest abyssal discs residing in the deepest abysses of Felaya are said to cover immense areas of ocean floor.
Water Elementals
Water elementals are, as their name suggests, elementals inhabiting water under different forms. Their bodies are usually very malleable and able to take different forms. Clouds and Fog Elementals choose to inhabit the multiple tiny droplets of water in suspension in the air, that create fog and clouds. They tend to be rather lazy, drifting quietly in the air, and are generally not very dangerous. Vapor elementals are often confused for air elementals, due to their blurry appearance. They can be described as superheated water elementals who, unlike most of their cousins, love areas that are hotter, though still with adequate moisture.
Naiads
Naiads are a humanoid species of water elementals, able to alternate at will between liquid and a fully solid form. For some reasons, all of them appear as a feminine figure wearing the exact same white dress in that form, as well as sapphire blue eyes. They are different individuals in figure and size but those two elements remain consistent. Naiads stay mostly in their liquid state, hidden in a pond, and are usually rather shy and secretive beings. They like to keep to themselves as much as possible and rarely venture outside of their home. They are not defenseless though, and can occasionnaly grow to great size, even though their solid bodies are fragile and can be broken down by a large enough impact. More often than not, though, a Naiad's death will be because of accidental drinking by an unwary creature. Like their close namesake, Dryads, Naiads have an interconnected mental network, due to the water cycle.
Self-Conscious Clouds
A strange and utterly harmless type of cloud elementals. It playfully changes shape the moment someone recognizes exactly whom it's imitating. Village youngsters love to pelt the cloud with names and requests, while romantic couples laying in the grass find them impossible to enjoy. It's believed no one ever managed to engage in a direct conversation with one.
Vapyres
Vapyres can range from large to small and can take a variety of shapes, but most often a human-shaped one. Due to their turbulent nature though, it only resembles the outline of a human, with barely distinguishable features. Only the larger or older vapyres are able to get a fairly realistic humanoid shape. Any attempt to touch a vapyre will result in you getting scalded. Vapyres are not really aggressive or predatory though, not really needing food to sustain themselves, as long as there is enough moisture in the air. Vapyres tend to have friendly but hot blooded personalities. If a vapyre feels like you are annoying, or insulting it, it will likely lash out and you will get a nasty steam burn. When really angry, they will also chase the offender quite far, being very vindictive. Perhaps this is warranted, due to a strange relationship with some of the more primitive societies on Felarya. Many of these groups do not have advanced machinery, though some have basic steam engines. Mining for coal on Felarya, however, is an unrealistic venture, so an alternative source of steam was needed. What has been found is that if a powerful enough mage can bind a vapyre, they can be placed in a steam engine and controlled by that mage to power it, giving unlimited power due to the vapyre not dissipating and being constantly looped through the machine. This can be dangerous if the mage ever loses control, or dies. The vapyre will then burst from the machine in an impressive explosion, and you can bet it will be VERY angry, and start taking revenge on its captors. It is rumored some people have actually befriended vapyres who do such tasks willingly, but that is fairly rare. Fighting a vapyre is difficult due to their speed and intangible nature. One way to do it is using a powerful ice magic to either turn one into a block of ice, or to cool the vapyre down; it will condense in to a liquid form, in which it is helpless and inert. It will not be able to move again until it is heated and begins to turn back in to steam. Be warned though, some vapyres can start to heat themselves up naturally.
Earth Elementals
They are spirits who built their bodies out of the soil or minerals of Felarya. Thus, they literally take in to themselves the healing property of Felarya, granting them amazing regenerative abilities, and very powerful healing magic.
Magic Elementals
The rarest of elementals, magic elementals are only born when already powerful spirits use the essence of magic itself itself to create their body. They are immensely powerful entities, although they suffer from the same drawback as other elementals. Since the larger an elemental is, the closer it must remain to its element, magic elementals are typically unable to leave extremely magic-rich places such as the fairy kingdom, and most forms of anti-magic are absolutely crippling to them. They may subsist on magic of the environment, or take the form of something fit for hunting. Because their body is defined by their whims, their behavior can become erratic and unpredictable. Unluckily for magic users, magic elementals have the most heightened awareness for the predator sense, and can likely pinpoint them miles away, just as if the spell caster was next to them. However, since they are such an immense focus of magical energy, they in turn can be sensed by anything capable of the sense from great distances. If you've sensed it first, it's smartest to activate something with anti-magic capabilities as self-protection or, better yet, leave the area. Magic elementals are the natural predator of genies, seeing the extremely magic-rich beings as 'candies in a jar'.
Fire Elementals
Fire Elementals are, as the name suggests, an elemental spirit inhabiting a source of flame or fire. While fires normally spread further or burn out, fire elementals are able to keep a regulated body. Like all elementals, they range in intelligence. Fire elementals tend to be passionate, easily roused to anger, love or other emotions. Fire elementals can be found across Felarya, but are very rare in wet environments. They are most common in open areas, with little vegetation or water.
Lava Elementals
Lava Elementals are created from superheated rock. They live mostly in volcanic environments, near to the stuff of their creation. Lava elementals are particularly powerful as they have the immense power of a fire elemental combined with the regenerative powers of an earth elemental. The more intelligent spirits often take on humanoid forms, the most famous being Lava Lords like King Trazix. Lava elementals tend to have wide ranges of demeanor, from a grounded cheerfulness to a fiery temper when angered.
Mafexes
Mafexes are lava elementals living nearly entirely within its element. They resemble fishes of a breathtakingly exotic and beautiful variety, all coloured blinding shades of orange, yellow and red and with many gossamer fins that shimmer and reform. The pattern of colours on their body shift as the lava they are made up of flows within their form. Despite their beauty it is not advised to get too close as even being within the proximity to one of these creatures can cause your body to start to combust. They are however usually viewed at a distance as they live most of their lives leaping and swimming in lava flows. They do not need to eat as long as they are in their element and are mostly harmless, though as a curious species that is also dangerous to be near, it is best not to attract their attention.
Gullins
Gullins are a very fearsome type of lava elemental that lives in volcanic areas. It resembles in shape a massive, over-muscled boar with a large sharp mane and two pairs of tusks. It appears however to be made of a dark cracked rock, through which can be seen veins of flowing lava. The bristles and eyes of the Gullin burn red hot, adding to its frightening appearance. While the outside of the Gullin is rocklike, its veins and stomach flow with lava. Their "stomach" would actually probably be better described as a furnace - whatever the Gullin eats is combusted here into fuel for the animal. While they roam around eating coal, the Gullins never seem to be satiated and will devour nearly anything to fuel themselves.
Lightning Elementals
Lightning Elementals are made from pure electricity, constantly flowing and thus shaped into a form. Lightning Elementals are never still, constantly shifting as they pulse over and over. Lightning Elementals are usually ariel creatures and are most common in areas like the Great rocky fields. Lightning Elementals' power increase greatly during lightning storms, when they can augment with extra electricity. The most powerful Lightning elementals only appear during storms (or create storms wherever they go!) They tend to be chaotic, or at least in many ways very alien, living and thinking in a very different way to those static beings on the ground.
Tanngiosts
An animalistic lightning elemental, Tanngiosts resemble large Rams, made of electricity, thundering through the sky. They are attracted to where storms occour, but have no power over storms themselves. During these storms, they often fight each other, for dominance over some unknown. They sometimes jump down to the ground in a blast of lightning before charging back to the sky in an instant to impact their rivals. No one has stuck around long enough during one of these events to see if there is actually a winner.
Known Elementals
- Goro ( Nature - Treant )
- Déméchrelle (Darkness)
- King Trazix (Lava)
- Queen Thanjayuur (Earth)
- Credits goes to Silent-eric for the self-conscious cloud, to Jaette-troll for the Vapyres and many ideas for the fire, lava and lighting elementals, to Malnorm for Naiads, to Fish for the Abyssal discs, and to Fish and Silent-eric for the description of magic elementals.
