Sea Elves

Sea Elves are the dominant Elf culture, living in the eastern lands of the Kodno. They live in a highly structured and hierarchical society, differing greatly from the more chaotic one of the Kochi Elves in the west. While devout in their religion, they are encouraged to pursue personal enrichment, even at the cost of it or other ideals. This breeds a competitive atmosphere amongst them, making Elves fiercely independent and ruthless. They range far beyond their own borders, driven to expand and subjugate all they can reach. Their merchants are major players in the trade markets across Oderen, and even beyond. Sea Elf communities are fairly insular, disdaining to include or live among the other races.

History

Originating in the eastern lands of the Kodno, Elvish mythology says they were born of nature spirits who crossed over from the spirit realm. Clinging mostly to rivers and the coast, Elvish communities grew and expanded. Their great schism with the Wood Elves was a defining feature of their ancient culture, splitting the two factions from one another in a bloody civil war. Their lands in the far east have remained mostly untouched by other races, separated as they are by the vast Malada mountains. Conflict between themselves has mostly occupied them, with practically every Sea Elf having ambitions of domination and conquest. Many different figures have claimed supremacy over the Kodno, though few dynasties have lasted longer than a few centuries. This isolation allowed the Elves to explore and interact with the world at their leisure, striking from safety and allowing for far more reckless behaviour. Their early interactions with the humans were adversarial, though the Elves quickly changed their attitudes when faced with the prospect of business and trade. With their envoys and merchants, they established capable trading houses in major human ports, allowing them access to the wealth of the mainland. Now, Elves maintain a certain edge to their dealings, though outright conflict mostly remains subdued, limited to trade wars and underhanded tactics.

Society

Nobility

Elf nobility consists of an educated warrior ruling class. These warriors govern and rule in a feudal hierarchy, broken down into family clans and in service to landed lords. While patriarchal in nature, women do play a major role in these political dealings as well, encouraged and driven by ambition as much as male Elves. Clans are often at war, driven by the conflicting goals of their ruling lords. Above all of this sits the Emperor, a title granted to the most powerful of feudal lords. The Emperor is above all individual lords on the island, with supreme military and political power invested in his title. The seat is currently empty, and has been for some time, with no single figure powerful enough to unite the clans over the last millennium.

Conflicts

Hierarchy and Exiles

Elvish hierarchies are rigid and established. Every role or profession has a specific place in society, entrenched either above or below everyone else around them. Four major divisions separate the classes, with subdivisions within those to govern day to day interactions. These groups consist of the ruling classes, the clergy, craftsmen, and peasants at the bottom. Social mobility is virtually unheard of, and few even attempt the struggle to move beyond their meagre position. Those who do seek to change their fortunes face millennia of staunch tradition, as well as the heavy hand of those above them resisting any meaningful shift. With such little tolerance for revolutionaries or other sorts of rebels within their society, it is no surprise that these figures are short lived. While some are put to death for their rebellions, others simply find their way into exile, finding themselves much better received in the human lands or elsewhere abroad. Despite their inclinations towards a more casual or relaxed society, many still maintain their cultures thoughts towards order and dominance, finding themselves in positions of leadership or other responsibility.

Ritualized Combat

The title of Emperor is a highly prized seat among the lords of the Sea Elves. The highest position one can aspire to, it holds supreme political power over all on the island. The last Emperor’s dynasty was toppled upon his death a millennium ago, his son unable to hold the realm together upon his ascendancy. Since then, various lords have laid claim to the title, though none have been successful at completely subduing their rivals. The position is incredibly demanding, requiring tremendous willpower to keep its competing vassals in check. As such, only those exceptional figures have managed to unite the clans under its rule. The competition for it still continues today, with several major players seemingly closer than ever to grasping it. Conflict between the lords is highly ritualized, which should come as no surprise after centuries of nearly constant fighting. Tradition and appearance play a major role in the conflicts, with perceived honour of actions weighing heavily on the lords involved. All of this creates a very confusing etiquette of battle, wherein those involved have an esoteric understanding of the role and pressures involved. Beyond this realm, however, none of these same rules apply. While some Sea Elves may conduct themselves with the same rituals in their dealings with other races, many instead see it as an opportunity to subvert the honour and demands of their culture. Underhanded dealings are common, with betrayals and treachery almost expected from them.

Daily Life

Daily life for many Sea Elves is set in stone. They simply go about their day to day business, fulfilling whatever role they have been placed into in society. For many, this means rarely leaving their homeland, living their long lives in relatively sheltered circumstances. Even the educated and wealthy ruling classes often do not move beyond their island, focused instead on the conflicts raging between them. Those beyond the Kodno, in the humans lands and elsewhere, are often traders. They have adopted or at least adapted to certain customs in their new homes, and enjoy freedoms unavailable in their homelands. These Elves are mostly in the service or patronage of lords back in the Kodno, though some work freely for themselves. All enjoy an immense amount of autonomy, able to exercise their own judgement how they see fit.

Slavery is an aspect of Elven life that exists at practically all levels of it. With such an emphasis on order and domination, it should come as little surprise that the Elves see themselves as superior to every other race on the continent. As such, they have resorted to capturing and kidnapping examples of other races to keep as slaves. While this extended to humans in ancient times, none suffered as much as the Halflings did. Having been victim to Elf raids for the period before humans arrived, they make up the bulk of the workers on the Kodno. These Halflings were treated terribly; starved, beaten and given the lowest levels of work. Over time, the slaves in service to the upper classes became the subject of magical experiments and interbreeding, changing and morphing them into a new race of sorts. These Gnomes, as they would come to be called, have become distinct from the Halflings they once were. Many try to escape their lives of servitude, using their masters trips abroad to steal away and live new lives among the human lands. Elf bounty hunters will often pursue and try to catch these Gnomes, returning them to their rightful owners back on the Kodno.

Notable Factions

Shinabe-ko

While not strictly an organized group, the Shinabe-ko does serve as a major political faction among the Sea Elves. It unites traders and merchants in a sort of networking society, helping to link mutual acquaintances and business partners across the continent. In exchange for special privileges and courtesies amongst each other, members are expected to assist and support their peers in their business dealings. This largely means banding together to resist and outmanoeuvre nobles and lords, working to secure their rights as merchants. Naturally, it does little to actually stop competition between determined members, instead ensuring that most will simply steer clear of established turfs. As should be expected, non-Elves are unwelcome among its ranks, with racial superiority a major tenet of its membership. The Shinabe-ko has a number of specific rituals associated with it, which its members use to help detect and confirm one another out in the world.

Toronuhi

Slavery is an integral part of life on the Kodno, especially among the ruling class. Gnomes make up the bulk of this class, though some Halflings and other races can be found in rare circumstances. While the majority of these slaves remain within the Kodno, some traders and diplomats bring their charges with them on their missions abroad. This presents the best chance of escape for those inclined to do so, offering a shot at freedom otherwise denied to them. Those who do get freed often find themselves hunted, bounty hunters looking to return particularly prized slaves to their masters. The Toronuhi are these hunters. A capable and professional type of tracker, Toronuhi are relentless in their pursuits. They range through the human lands searching for their quarry, careful to hide their true purpose from the authorities. Not a particularly large faction, their members are nonetheless feared by those they hunt.

Notable Places

Uba

Perhaps the most cosmopolitan of the Elvish cities, Uba sits on the northwestern coast of the Kodno. The most accessible of the coastal cities, it has served as a gateway of sorts for the rest of the island. The city is segregated by walls, with the docks offering a small slice of life where travellers can explore freely. The rest of the city, and the countryside beyond, are carefully guarded against these foreigners, keeping them limited to the harbour and its market. Nonetheless, the city boasts a sizeable population of humans, and a few other races, who live in Uba to manage their business and trade holdings with the Elves. Clan Asuka controls the city, having been named its lords in the past few centuries. Their patriarch, Eita, is a greedy and ambitious man with designs on the seat of Emperor. He has begun to use mercenaries in his confrontations with other lords, using his tremendous wealth to his advantage.

Mutsu

The furthest north Sea Elf settlement on the Kodno, the city sits straddling the small strait between the island and the mainland. A trade city by definition, Mutsu also acts as a bulwark for the rest of the Kodno, commanding the route onto the island itself. Technically two cities, Mutsu is the larger of the two on the south bank, while the smaller Hakafu lies on the northern bank. The two are connected by a bridge which is heavily fortified. Its strength lies in the city walls and its navy, both of which combine with the mountainous terrain to make the city nearly impregnable. The lords of Mutsu, clan Juntoku, have held the city since its founding. They are a relatively small player in Kodno politics, instead content to hold their position at the northern tip of the island. They have, however, begun to influence the humans of the Firdach, investing in the city of Lichoan and its surroundings to try and build up their own foreign power base.

Hachi

On the far eastern coast of the Kodno, Hachi is another port city. It plays host to a fleet of fishing boats from along the entire coast, coming to a massive open air market in the city to trade their wares. Very few people from Oderen make it to Hachi, on the far edge of the continent. Instead, its markets play host to some travellers from even further east, exotic races and traders who are funnelled into the city. The city has been at the centre of various plots on the eastern side of the island, with its current rulers having subjugated the surrounding lands during the reign of the last Emperor. Now this clan, the Kikuri, have made a real attempt to try and wrest the title into their own hands. Being separated from the more populous western lands by the Ashi mountains has proven an obstacle in this endeavour, however.

Sabu

Ancient capital of the Kodno, Sabu has been the seat of most of its Emperors. It is easily the largest city on the Kodno, built at the mouth of a large bay. Originally a small fishing village, the city was fortified by its early rulers, who eventually conquered the surrounding areas. The first Emperor made his capital in the city, and subsequent ones simply improved upon this courtly infrastructure. Great fortifications and castles dominate the surroundings, consolidating power into the heartland of the Kodno. The city is central to most Elves on the island, the foothills of the Ashi mountains depressing down towards the settlement. Fertile land surrounds the city in abundance, making it a breadbasket of sorts for the region. The rulers of Sabu, the Sena, have laid claim to the area since practically before time. Their ancestors were the most recent Emperors, and they are eager to reclaim the title. Many of their vassals still use the term, though their hegemony is far from recognized by the majority of clans on the island.

Kimoba

Most Sea Elf cities rest on the coast, owing to the importance they place on sailing and the ocean. Kimoba, however, is unusual in that it sits much further inland. Still built alongside a river, it nonetheless rests at the base of the Ashi mountains. The settlement is dedicated mostly to the cult of Kunin and his spiritual court, with numerous temples and shrines dedicated to him across the hinterlands. The largest Kunin shrine can be found here, where many Elf lords often come in pilgrimage to pray and meditate. The entire city exists as a sort of neutral ground, with all who enter it accepting that Kunin governs here, and therefore they are all his servants. The Genshu is the city’s master, ruling as an independent and autonomous lord in the region.

Notable Personalities

Asuka Eita - Asuka Clan Patriarch, Master of Uba

Uba is a rapidly growing city. Gorging itself on the trade from further west, it grows and spreads. It’s biggest obstacle is geographical, occupying a narrow strip of coast between sea and the northern part of the Ashi mountains. This has long been the greatest adversary of the Asuka clan, limiting their expansion and putting a hard barrier on their total influence. Eita, the clan’s current patriarch, has done more than any of his predecessors to overcome this hurdle. Using his growing wealth, he has worked to conquer and subdue lords spreading down the coast. While Uba’s own forces are relatively small, he has imported mercenaries from across the Kodno and abroad, throwing these swelling armies at his enemies. For the most part it has been a successful strategy, overwhelming the weaker lords and solidifying his clan’s supremacy. And yet Eita is not satisfied, setting his eyes instead on the title of Emperor. Eita is an older, but not yet ancient Elf, with long black hair tied up into a topknot. He is haughty and arrogant, caring only for his desires and those that concern his clan’s legacy. Pragmatic and ambitious, he has a hand in much of the business moving through Uba.

Juntoku Banri - Juntoku Clan Patriarch, Master of Mutsu

Mutsu sits at the very northern tip of the Kodno, spread across a thin strait that separates the island from the rest of the continent. Isolated by the Ashi and Malada mountains, it serves as an oasis of sorts amid the rocky cliffs of its surroundings. Originally a fishing village, its location in the centre of the region made it a natural capital for the surrounding villages. The regional lords established their court here, the Juntoku clan being the most powerful. Mostly uninterested in the politics that engulf the rest of the island, Mutsu focuses more on the threats in the mountains. Various monsters come down from the Malada mountains, breaking in hordes against the walls and fortifications there. Banri is the city’s master, patriarch of the Juntoku clan. A young lord, he ascended to his role upon the death of his father defending the city. He is brave and tempered, a just and honourable ruler. His subjects greatly admire him for his martial prowess, inspiring them with his leadership in battle. He is surprisingly down to earth for Elf nobles, focused more on the well-being of his city than any sort of political glory or grandstanding. He is clean shaven and fresh faced, looking much younger than he is. Short black hair is kept tied back.

Sena Kanako - Sena Clan Matriarch, Mistress of Sabu

The Sena are the dominant clan in the central part of the Kodno. With a long history stretching back to ancient times, they have held supreme rule over the island at many points in its history. The last Emperor hailed from this clan, and a return to status has been their driving ambition for generations. Kanako’s suzerainty of her clan further makes them remarkable, being one of the most powerful women among the Elves. Ruling over Sabu with an iron fist, Kanako has pushed her clan’s boundaries to their limit, absorbing the realms of their neighbours and earning the respect and fealty of numerous smaller lords. A masterful diplomat, Kanako uses her skills to outwit her opponents. While technically not the clan’s head, that honour goes to her weak-willed husband Eiji, she is known to all as the true power in Sabu. Middle-aged for an Elf, Kanako is not especially beautiful or tall. She is a rather average woman, simply driven by tremendous will and a hunger for power. She has black hair that is kept tied up behind her head in the Sabu style. Her face is often emotionless, hiding her true motives behind a blank facade.

The Genshu

A nameless figure in service to Kunin, the Genshu is the highest priest among the Sea Elves. Residing in a sacred temple complex at Kimoba, the Genshu sits in quiet contemplation of his master’s will. The post is highly sought after by those devout enough to attend shrines and temples, considered a vital conduit between the spirit realm and the material plane. Meditation makes up the bulk of the Genshu’s day, reflecting on visions and thoughts passed down from on high. Traditionally, the role was to advise the Emperor on spiritual issues. With the collapse of the last Emperor, however, the Genshu retreated to Kimoba where it has remained ever since. The figure never truly dies, his attendants selecting one from among their own number to replace the previous upon his death. In this way the role is passed down, with the faithful believing the Genshu’s spirit lives on.