Eilos Book 1 - Curiosities: Race and Culture

By Aarven Fjord   Published 4Rev19

Author's Note

As a young Varan, I had realized that growing up on Jyardven hadn't taught me all of the wonders of the world as it is now. Adventurers from other lands would come and share stories of whimsy that only left us children with our imaginations. Now as a scholar, I felt it fitting to teach the youth of Eilos not only of the history and culture of Jyardven, but of the world itself and it's many Inhabitants. I have spent the past 5 years of life travelling the many countries of Eilos, learning of the different cultures and histories that surround the residents in those countries. This book, Curiosities, is to outline the many cultures and races of the world, as it is the first of my three book series. I intend to teach the youth around all of Eilos of all the backgrounds that they haven't been exposed to. With that being said, I give you Mother Eilos.

Part One:

Eilos and Nature

The Moons

At the beginning of time, Noghe’sil had created, along with the universe, the Gods of Eilos, who had in turn created 4 children: The Daughters-Eilos and Volois- and the Sons – Delem and Ahv. The three moons of Eilos control the skies above as well as the Great Terra we as Sapiens inhabit. The history of Eilos is accounted by the slow revolution of the first moon, Ahv, around Mother Eilos. Ahv's slow revolutions last up to 430 years each, a phenomenon believed to be propagated by Eilos’ magical energy and gravitational pull. The second and third moons, Delem and Volois, revolve much faster, believed by the ancients to be protectors to Mother Eilos and her children from any outer threat. Just as we thank the Sun for the gift of heat and the voluptuous daytime, we thank the Moons for the protection and balance they give our world.

The Realms

The universe we live in is split into 3 realms of existence. The Physical Realm is the Realm we live in every day. This is the realm that we see Eilos in. The Realm of the Dead, lorded over by the God Miur, is where our detached souls rest in death. This realm houses those who have lived and died with purpose. The Shadow Realm is the Realm inhabited by lost souls. These are the souls of those who have lost who they are in their way of life. The three realms are separated by the threads of reality, allowing us to live our daily lives in peace.

The Gods

The Gods were gifted to watch over Mother Eilos by the grace of Noghe’sil, Creator of All Things. The Gods as we praise them had used the gifts given to them to convert the energy of the universe around them into the magical energy that flows through Mother Eilos and her children.The different Gods not only represent different aspects of life, but allow us the means to excel in those differing aspects.

Freysha

Freysha is the Goddess of Harmony and Nature. Just as She controls the harmony within nature and how the Sapiens interact with nature, She also dictates the harmony between the Sapiens of Eilos.Freysha ensures that all inhabitants of Eilos live peacefully with one another, yet She also understands that there must be a natural chaotic balance. Freysha brings us the bond of beasts that is necessary for peace, but also gives us the required chaos and animosity that some beasts hold, allowing us to strengthen ourselves for survival. We pray to Freysha as she is the creator of the Beasts and the land of Eilos.

Azh

Ash is the God of Prosperity, bringing prosperity in life and health to the Sapiens of Eilos. He keeps us from illness and famine, assisting us by providing us with food and excellence in our endeavors. Just as well, He brings prosperity to those who are greedy and corrupt, allowing each person to live as they please. We pray to Azh as he is the creator of the Sapiens that inhabit Eilos.

Miur

Miur is the God of Death, residing over the Realm of the Dead and it's inhabitants. Miur takes our hand in death as good hearted civilians, or He can allow us to fall into the abyss if we show any vile nature. We pray to Miur that we and our loved ones may serve a peaceful death.

Valaas

Valaas is the God of Trickery and Deception. He guides us through the malice of our hearts, allowing deceive enemies or trickily tip toe around those we are close to. Valaas holds the chaotic balance of Eilos’ Sapiens in his hands. We pray to Valaas that we may overcome obstacles through our own maliciousness.

Kalhan

Kalhan is the Goddess of the Seas. She watches over the seas and the creatures that reside within. She controls the tides, the waves, and the glaciers. We pray to Kalhan that our travel may be safe.

The Countries

The Countries of Eilos are each unique in their own way; from the Sapiens that reside there, to the Beasts. In this book, I would like to express the beautiful landscape each country controls, as well as speaking of the governmental rule held there.

Jyardven

We start at Jyardven, my own home, the start of my journey. Jyardven is one of Eilos' largest countries filled with lush rainforests that span from our villages to our mountains. The Jyardven Ancients had made fair with Freysha, resulting in an eternal soulbond of all Jyardvians  and the Beasts who reside there. We Jyardviansmake peace with the Beasts of the land, only waging war against those that intend to cause us harm. We care for the Terra beneath us with love unmatched by any other.

Raugmouth

The Oligarchal union of Raugmouth is split into factions based on the countries different terrains. Starting from the South,we have the swamplands of the faction Heism, natively inhabited by the Aurok. To the East, the drylands of the faction of Droun, mainly inhabited by the Orcs. The beaches of Droun are crystallized, leading To the Crystalline Ocean which is filled with icy glaciers and terrifying sea beasts. To the West, the grassy valleys of the faction Ceyl, mainly inhabited by the Dwarves.This area connects to theSulan Ocean, the main Ocean which connects through all countries.The Raug union has resulted in peace between the 3 factions and the Sapiens split between them. Raugmouth, being the only country to pray to every God, uses unique magic and utilizes it for war if were ever needed. Many great warriors and adventurers hail from Raugmouth,aiming to become the main ally and protector of all countries.

Geismus

Geismus, named by Dwarven adventurer Sothoth Vasiir, is the smallest country of Eilos. The name in Dwarvish translates to “Scorching Nightmare”, and the country has been described as a desert land ravaged by horrible beasts. The area of Ocean surrounding Geismus has been dubbed The Dead Sea. This area is completely shallowed waters, unfit for any sealife to inhabit and lasts about an hours walk from shore. Ancient texts suggest that adventurers during beginning light had found indigenous life on this land, though any semblance of life, including that of those adventurers has not been found. To this day, only the Great adventurer Sothoth Vasiir has escaped with his life, and only he knows of the horrors that lurked there. Upon nearing the shore of the Geis, my eyes bore witness to one such horror themselves; A tall, menacing thing with a bipedal stance, seemingly awaiting my arrival. I had frozen, filled with terror and evacuated immediately, apologizing to the ship captain who had given me fair warning of which I swiftly swept away. I do not dare return to such a place. Luckily, I had the opportunity to examine the texts Vasiir had written, allowing me to write more of the mystery hellscape in this series of books.

Lor

Lor, the homeland of the Elves, portrays itself similarly to Jyardven. A lush jungle with underground catacombs, Lor is bustling with magical creatures such as pixies, faeries and dragons that differ from those living on Jyardven. The Sapiens of Lor believe in complete peace, and are governed by their king who keeps that peace throughout the land. Lor is currently ruled by the elvish king Il Voth.

Astris

The land of opportunity, Astris, is the home of invention. The residents of Astris use their handle over magic to create technological advances for the world over. People from all over Eilos migrate to Astrisin hopes of learning and having a life filled with opportunity. Astris is ruled by one leader who creates laws and oversees the events held around the land. As of current, Astris is ruled over by the leader Dilegus.

The Mystery

During my time in Astris, I had opportunity to speak to the leader Dilegus to gain information on his life for this book series. Dilegus had informed me that he was a Formshifter, a type of Sapiens that hails from the land of Hearkfyl. No record of this race of Sapiens has been found before, and I have not met any person of this background. When asked to describe Hearkfyl, Dilegus had said it was a utopia filled with grassy plains and rocky valleys. Dilegus described the buildings as being made of gold and towering above the clouds. The country he had described to me has not been found by any adventurer, as well as myself. Dilegus had shown me proof of his formshifting abilities, changing his appearance to that of many different races and beasts. The claims given by the Astrian ruler Dilegus have not been proven to be true.

Part Two

Races

Each country of Astris is the native home to different races of Sapiens, many of which are not seen in outside countries. The following section is a comprehensive list of races as they are found in their native countries. This section will not include the migrant races living on each country.

Races of Jyardven

Varen

A race of bipedal reptiles, the Varen resemble the

lizards of the land. We Varenare hard laborers

workingin mines and on farms. We pride ourselves

on our strength and our bond with Freysha.

Sæ Lin

A group of serpentine sapiens hailing from Lor. Based on

their lineage, the Sæ can look more serpentlike or more

humanlike. The Sæ Lin can be differed from humans by

their forked tongues and slated eyes.

They are revered healers with a

knowledge if herbs unmatched by others.

Dracon

A group of bipedal sapiens that resemble both

dragons and humans. They have humanlike skin

with scales around the edges of the face, clawed

Hands, and tails. The Dracon are world renown

warriors, utilizing their strength and their knowledge

of enchantment magic.

Races of R augmouth

Dwarves

Dwarves are a small, humanoid race that are known

for being loyal warriors. Dwarves are well versed

in enchantment magic and are generally a very spiritual

people. The Dwarves tend to be an adventurous type.

Orcs

Orcs are large in stature and somewhat bestial

in appearance. The Orcish people are kind hearted

and thoughtful. They use their incredible strength

to build large structures and ward off dangerous creatures.

Aurok

The Aurok are a crustaceous people with an appearance

resembling the lobster. Due to the vicious nature of the

sea, the Aurok are battle hardened and tend not to trust

others all too well. They tend to make friends through

a blood pactand a ceremonial feast.

Skaar

The Skaar are described as having the torso of an

Elf and the thorax of a scorpion. They are seen as

sneaky and deceptive, though they do what they

can to assist those living around them. Ancient

tomes seem to indicate that the Skaar were

originally born in Geismus, yet couldn’t handle the

harsh conditions brought about by the beasts who

live there. Some have dubbed them the spawn of

Valaas.

Halflings

Slightly shorter than the Dwarves, the Halflings are

another race that closely resemble humans. The Halflings are

known to beadventurers, always seeking a good

time. The Halflingsare a very festive people,

 seeing most occasions as a reasonto party.

Races of Lor

Elves

The Elves are a tall race, towering over most. They tend to connect with nature, communing with the beasts and plants of the world in peace.

They are skilled warriors and hunters, but prefer to

use methods other than fighting if they are available.

The subraces of Elves include the Spul, a darker skinned

variant of Elf that live in underground, and the Mel, a

translucent skinned variant that live in the sea. It is important to note that

Elven height can vary depending on how integrated they are with nature.

More societal Elves range from Aurok to Orcish height, whereas

the more disconnected Elves can tower over some beasts.

Gura

A race of Simians that have shown their ability to

speak, learn, and teach. The Gura live with a spiritual

connection to the Beasts of the land. They generally maintain

themselves as shopkeepers and animal healers. The Gura are

gathered in a plethora of different body types.

Races of Astris

Humans

A race of bipedal sapiens that aren't too physically strong, but have

shown their strong will and minds. The humans are the most

Common among the races of Astris, making up a good amount of

the population. It is die to their numbers that we call other races with

similar features “humanlike”.

Mel

 A sea-faring clan of elves living in the Astrian side of the

Crystalline Ocean. They have learned to make peace with

some of Kalhan's sea beasts, as they do with the races above

water. Though friendly, given their Elven roots,

years of war have made sure that the Mel don’t trust easily and

can easily become hostile. They build magnificent underwater cities.

Ka'al

Ka'al are devillike beings who roam throughout Astris.

Many are wary of the Ka’aldue to their outward appearance,

some speculating that they wander as agents of Miur, looking for

those who are close to death. They generally keep to themselves

and isolate from others because of this. The Ka’al were very

accepting of my presence and stated that they dream of a world in which

they can live in peace, free from the prejudice brought unto them.

Drel

Though not technically from Eilos – hailing from Her

brother Delem, the Drel are a race who, during the time of the

Beginning Light, had been cast from Eilos Herself. A great war raged, and

a variety of Sapiens with a variety of genus used their magic to

escape to the brother moon. Since those times they

 have evolved into the Drel,

features coveted in an exoskeleton of plantskin, various flora sprouting from the flesh.

       They tend to visit Eilos only to commune with the Elves of Lor,

accepting the ultimate peace that the country is built around. Some Drel have

returned to our fair Mother, with esteemed Drel inventor Ava'al Du Cimer living

in the Astrian capitol.

 Magic

The magic of Eilos is separated into 3 circles, each congruent with one another as well as with the Gods of Eilos herself.

Center Circle

The Center Circle of magic, also known as Master Magic, is the most pure form of magic as given by the Gods. Very few mages throughout our history have been given this type of power, and those who have had brought great wellness to the Sapiens on Mother. Currently, there are no mages skilled in Master Magic, though I have met many in my adventures who are attempting to reach such a state.

Inner Circle

The inner circle of magic lays outside of Master Magic and composes the many daily magics that we as Her children use normally. This circle includes Illusory magic, Medical magic, Transportation magic, Offensive magic, Protection magic, and Bestial Magic. Each of these magics have been integral in the daily life of magic users, assisting in protection for Sapiens and attunement with Mother Eilos and her creatures.

Outer Circle

At one point in time, during the early years of Mother’s life, the outer circle of magic had been a part of the inner circle, with use being just as wide as previous mentioned magics. However, due to the evil plans carried out by some now known Dark Mages, the Outer Circle contains what is known as Forbidden Magic; spells the likes of which have been used to horribly affect the nature and society of Eilos. These Magics include Necromancy, Alchemy, Alteration magic, and Egomancy. Each of these magics have been used to harm the Sapiens and beasts of Eilos, and as such are met with incredible punishment upon known use.

Epilogue

Upon this page closes the first of my three book series outlining our wonderful Mother Eilos and her children. The second book, Histories, and the third, the Beastiary, shall follow suit. The past five years have been the most enlightening of my small life, and I hope to all that you find it as enjoyable as I have.