Wood Elves

The Wood Elves of the Kochi forest live a fairly disorganized lifestyle, devoted to the freedom and chaos of nature. Fleeing the strict and regimented society of the Sea Elves in days long past, they fled to the west and settled in what is now their home. Deeply religious, the wood elves are utterly devoted to two deities that guide most of their actions. These cults unify their society, giving them purpose and meaning. They also dictate much of their interactions with the world beyond their forests, giving their followers secretive and hidden agendas. Much of the forests is shrouded in mystery, with few travellers able to penetrate beyond the outer edge.

History

Fleeing the oppressive rigidity of Elf society in the east, the Wood Elves would travel westwards. They followed the cults of Onume and Fuchi, who both espoused a certain freedom and harmony with the land. Drawn to places of magical power across the continent, they found the strongest in the forests of the Kochi. Here, they settled and established the roots of their society. As they flourished, they warred with the Dwarves in the Pessamits, resisting their attempt to dominate and control the natural world as they had resisted their eastern cousins. This rivalry would extend past the Dragon Wars, though it has gradually reduced in intensity across the ages. Relatively insular throughout history, the Kochi elves maintain minimal relations with the Routot, using them for support and influencing them to enact distant goals.

Society

Nobility

Wood Elf nobility is odd to define. Positions and titles are not hereditary, instead passed to those deemed the most capable and competent among them. These positions are almost entirely religious in nature, attached to the priest hierarchy within the cults of Oimoke and Fuchi. Each Elf is expected to serve their gods, and these priests, faithfully and without question. Beyond religion, Wood Elf society is anarchical in nature, with Elves free to do whatever they desire as long as they do not cross the wishes of the gods. A theocracy at its heart, there is no other ruling class within the Kochi that can usurp the power of their cults.

Conflicts

Dwarf Wars

Wood Elves have long been an enemy of the Dwarf Empire in the Pessamits, going back to their first forays beyond the Kochi woods. The Dwarves, at their peak upon the appearance of the Wood Elves, cared little for their new neighbours. Instead, they saw the Elves as new and sudden rivals for their complete domination of the continent. Conflict began almost immediately between them, border skirmishes escalating into larger and ever more drawn out battles. The Dwarves had the upper hand in much of this fighting, able to box the Wood Elves in and deny them expansion of their realm. Forced inwards, the Elves turned to magic and other means to try and defeat their enemies, having modest success with sorcery. The Dragon Wars devastated the Dwarves and allowed the Elves room to grow and breathe. Since this time, they have become increasingly less isolationist, venturing out into their surroundings to accomplish missions and goals on behalf of their divine rulers. They still maintain strict borders of their woods, however, refusing to let newcomers venture far beneath its canopy. This old rivalry remains, however, and there is little love lost on either side. As the Dwarves have sought to reclaim their former empire, and rebuild lost keeps, they are finding themselves once again chafing against the ancient woods of the Kochi.

Outcasts

Wood Elf society, for all of its emphasis on chaos and freedom, still maintains strict pressures. All are expected to follow their ruling gods, and serve them as best they are able. As with anything else, there are those who simply do not fit into this mould. Either questioning society or otherwise refusing to bow to the divine, these Elves are often cast out from their society and left to wander the woods alone. Exiled by force or choice makes no difference, these Elves are separate from the religious hierarchy of the Kochi and live in true anarchy. Some remain within the woods, still clinging to some patriotism or pride in their homelands, while others venture abroad. These outcasts are the most commonly met Wood Elves in Oderen, living among the human lands. Here they create small enclaves of their fellows, or occasionally live alone. Many make their living as scouts for lords, or other sorts of huntsmen. Others still practice a trade, using their lengthy lifespans to become ultimate masters of their craft. Wherever they go, however, they are looked down upon by those more dedicated Wood Elves who remain in service to their gods, treated as lost and childlike by their brethren.

Daily Life

Elves tend to live a relatively free life. Within their settlements, a sort of order does exist, though it lacks any sort of hierarchy. Instead, the community works together to solve whatever their needs are, feeding and serving themselves relatively independently of outside interference. Even their largest settlements are broken down in this way, smaller villages making up a larger whole. Rituals and religious needs take prominence, with festivals and other sorts of events a focal point within these communities. Life for most is relatively simple, spent worrying about one day to the next.

Notable Factions

Okite

The Okite are the servants of Oimoke; her priests and clergy that conduct her rituals. All female, they are insular and enigmatic. Their affairs are conducted in shrouded secrecy, protected from outsiders and followed with a fervent devotion. The Okite are the active enactors of Oikome’s agenda, travelling beyond her sacred groves to complete their prophesied goals. They are surrounded and attended by male servants, each having undergone a ritual of subservience to the Dreamer. Living like zombies, these drones follow every order of the Okite, complete servants to the will of their goddess and her followers. Occasionally, the Okite will range beyond the Kochi forest into the human lands, or even beyond. These trusted clerics are invariably tasked with some important goal by the cult’s leadership, and take to their role with grave sincerity.

Teisat

The Kochi forest is a realm naturally steeped in magic. It permeates through the very earth of the region, pooling in its lakes and rivers and reaching upwards into the trees. With so much spread around them, it is no surprise that it has an effect on the Elves living here. For most, it simply makes them more attuned to its vibrations in the world, providing them an insight into the arcane. For others, however, the effects are much more dramatic. Transformed and changes by the magical energies, these afflicted Elves begin to resemble the forest that they call home. Their skin changes to bark, leaves sprout from their shoulders, horns from their skulls. These and other mutations mark them as one of the Teisat, a race even apart from the rest of the Wood Elves. These Teisat tend to live apart from other Elves, preferring the lone company of the forest to that of their fellows. They are not ostracized, however, instead being held as manifestations of Fuchi and Oimoke’s divinity within the Kodno. To be chosen and marked in this way is seen as a great honour, and Teisat are generally treated with high esteem.

Jengai

Outcasts of society, the Jengai are rogue warriors and rangers in service to no master. While the Teisat serve Fuchi and Elf society in general, the Jengai serve themselves. Within the woods they are criminals, hunted and sought after by any who knows their crimes. Beyond the Kochi they act as mercenaries or brigands, using their honed warrior skills to make a living. Highly prized by gangs, especially in Houlm and other major Routot cities, they can be found across the criminal underworld across Routot and even into Arran. Others attach themselves to the retinues of human nobles and kings, distinguishing themselves in battle and earning a place of honour. Many Wood Elves treat all who leave their society as Jengai, looking on them with disdain worthy of a criminal underclass.

Notable Places

Fusan

Fusan is a beautiful city, intertwining with the nature of the forest that surrounds it. Structures carved into living trees, stone monuments covered in ivy, all of it in harmony with the greenery of the Kochi. The river Tasen runs through the city, crossed by various bridges and other crossings. Built cascading down a hillside, the city is built on various levels, with the river forking to spread throughout before regrouping into a single bed below. Fusan is the seat of Fuchi’s cult, his priests governing the city and its people. Rituals and festivals in his name dominate the city’s life, and his blessings have granted the Elves here tremendous prosperity. Much of the Wood Elves military might is centred on this city as well, housing some of the most renowned fighters their society can boast. Its proximity to the mountains makes it an ideal staging ground for their forces, allowing rapid response to any Dwarf incursions into the forest.

Onume

Onume is much less structured than Fusan, being built at the confluence of the Kita and Inawashi rivers. The small lake Ogaru extends beyond the city, with structures clustered along its coast. With water surrounding the city on nearly all sides, it’s hardly surprising that it plays a major role in the life of the city. The lake provides a bounty of food, while the rivers are vital for Oimoke’s purification rituals. Her cult dominates city life, making their base in a complex of caves and forest clearings just beyond the city limits. Her influence touches the city at its core, with magic seemingly pulsing through the very ground it is built upon. Lake Ogaru itself is a focus for arcane energy, its waters purple and vibrant from the magic in its depths. The city has perhaps the most interactions with the outside world, sending Oimoke’s priestesses into the human lands to enact mysterious goals on her cult’s behalf.

Notable Personalities

Fumio, Blade of Fuchi

Fuchi, the male god of the Wood Elves, has many aspects. One of these is a great warrior, fighting with poise and perfect technique. As such, one of the ways to worship the deity is to devote yourself entirely to warfare and battle. These priests who follow this path have a place of honour among Fusan, and the rest of the Kochi, seen as the realms protectors and avatars of their god himself. Fumio is perhaps one of the greatest examples of this dedication, having excelled as a swordsman for nearly two centuries. His last great venture was a century ago against the Dwarves in the mountains, where he led an Elf army to victory. Since then he has remained in Fuchi, dedicated to guarding the city and his beloved woods. Fumio is relatively slight for an Elf, standing shorter than most and of skinny build. Nonetheless, his agility is unmatched, allowing him to move with lightning speed with a blade. He has long black hair tied tightly in a knot at the back of his head. Stoic to a fault, he is nearly emotionless, pouring all of his passions into his craft.

Manami, Dreamer of Oimoke

Oimoke’s cult is broken into aspects similar to Fuchi’s, with each having its own dedicated clergy. One such aspect is that of the prophetess, Oimoke seeing and predicting the future. Those dedicated to this trait are called Dreamers, granted their visions from the goddess while asleep. Hallucinogen induced trances are entered to commune with the divine, Oimoke giving jumbled messages that her followers are to translate and piece together. Some particularly gifted Dreamers have more success than others, able to see the visions clearly. Manami is one of these chosen few. Entering the cult of Oimoke at a young age, she was found early on to have the gift of prophecy. Since then, she has become a vital part of the circle of Dreamers, despite her unusually young age. Manami is relied on for her guidance and wisdom, allowing her tremendous influence within the cult. All of this comes at a cost, with her days spent in hallucinogenic haze. She is often incoherent, spent between the realm of the woken and the dreaming. Often she will suddenly break this reverie to communicate clearly with the other priestesses, who will then act on what she has seen. Manami is a small elf, with long unkempt hair. Her eyes are glazed and listless, almost clouded. Her skin is pale with a pink glow about it.

Seiji, Jengai and Crime Boss

Many of the Jengai turn to banditry or crime to sustain themselves outside of their homelands. Some become quite profitable in this endeavour, finding prosperity and even infamy in pursuit of their goals. Seiji is one of these outcasts, having earned a fearsome reputation in his new home of Caulois. Utilizing other jengai, he has formed a loyal crew who use brutal tactics to enforce their leader’s will. He has successfully resisted Sea Elf attempts to invade his territory, the two factions having several fierce gang wars between them. While many jengai forsake the religions of their homeland, Seiji has made an effort to remain connected with the forest that exiled him. He sees himself as an aspect of Fuchi, working to undermine the order of a city by exerting chaos upon it. Seiji is tall and surprisingly muscular for an Elf, with numerous tattoos covering his body. His head is shaved, with more tattoos curling up around his scalp. Loose fitting robes drape around them, easily dropped in case of a fight. Most of his followers look and dress the same; an imposing scene when they are together.