Alright.
Long eared
(A big WIP)
So someone I know one day said that they liked that my “elves” where not like other elves, I laughed a little bit. As what I had been talking about where my creatures called long eared.
But it made me smile and laugh so I decided to just go along with it. So first of long eared are actually more like giants and trolls than they are elves. Trolls, giants and long eared are all cousin species. They all have two hearts (sort of) and tails.
A lot of long eared don’t have tails anymore as they have had hybrids with humans, so over the generations they have lost their tails. In some regions more than others.
(Simple punit square, tail is a recessive trait)
The north eastern region of scalipia is one of these.
So here is where the “elf” part comes into play. I decided to develop the cultures of the long eared of this region so I basically decided that if they’re already going to be seen as elves, I might as well play around with that. This comes in the form of this region of the world having long eared that have very similar cultures, or at least aesthetics to the typical DND elves or generic fantasy elves.
Let’s establish some history. About 1500-ish years ago the evutrophian in empire fell apart and a few centuries later the fairy empire began its decline. (Give and take the time line is shaky for that part is more like between 3000-1000 years ago.)
In thier absence the long eared and humans begin to stick claims to different territories. The long eared having been favored by the fairies. who were in power after the fall of the empire, because of this they gained access to better resources and territories on a earlier basis than the humans who had not had such favor from the fairies.
Resulting in the long ears established their cultures and their own kingdoms and empires within the territories that had been abandoned by the fairies.
And this map is a map that shows the long eared empires at their height of power.
Do you note that the longears shared the territory with centaur’s and giants, at the time with a majority human population to the west, and a population of gray ghouls who were in and eastern corner. Jiants in the south…and soqut the kingdom of the trice dead king is there too I guess.
The hunting grounds is undisputed territory. Held by the countries of Kanasi, Llorial, and Senik, along with claims from the jiants and the human principalities.
Onto the different cultures of the long eared groups of the region
-Asisati: sun preps, they are the biggest group of long eared when they dominated the region. The asisati long eared had one of the least ethnically diverse groups in all of scalipia. All of them having a similar look. All genders keep their hair long. Blonde and Ginger hair and red-orange to golden eyes with tails that end in a tuft like a lion tail.
Long hair is a symbol of luck, longevity, loyalty and beauty so cutting it is seen as inviting misfortune and as creating an opening for a person to become possessed by a spirit. (Note: loosely inspired by Filibusterfrog on tumbler, their (??? Don’t know gender) post on elf hair has been floating around for a long time so it’s influenced me.) hair is worn in braids for the unmarried and once an Asisati marries they wear their hair up in a bun or top knot or veiled if it’s winter.
They encourage large families and have strict social expectations for every role of a family member. It dose help a bit that long ears like trolls tend to have multiple kids at once (45% one kid, 35% twins, 20% triples) the rigged family roles can be stifling. Especially when not living up to the role. They also have rather ridged and strict gender roles. Men, women and enbies all have their roles.
Thier country is modeled after a solar system. The capital the sun that the whole country revolves around. They share a good chunk of thier territory with the moor centaurs who they have been in an on and off conflict with for centuries.
None of the long eared kingdoms had really strict boarders.
Everything the Asisati make is overdecorated. Highly intricate with sweeping and layered arches and elegant designs. Clothing is similarly highly ornate. With rich embroidery of geometric patterns. The main body of clothes tend to traditionally be rather plain, almost puritanical in design, though coats, veils, collars and aprons tend to all be highly ornate. Though specific amounts of ornaments has varied through out the years, often in cycles of 50 years where either highly ornate or highly simplistic fashion is preferred. With a transition period between them being common.
-Senik: moon art majors, emotions are seen as king among the Senik. This causes them to let their emotions be known but also to control thier emotions. a common philosophy among their people is that “the world works on logic, but people on emotions”. So they keep the idea that emotions drive the motivation of every other person when interacting with others. They are the most open to trade and diversity of ideas in their communities. They have a higher amount of tailless long eared than the other populations, only rivaled by the Llorial.
Each winter they have a giant festival called the procession of the moon hunt. Everyone dresses up with twigs and cloths and ribbons, often carrying lanterns made from animal skulls. They ride through the country side with candles and singing songs that are said to haunt those who hear them. It’s believed that the spirits of passed on loved ones join them in this persuasion. Though most people brush that off as superstition because ghosts don’t exist.
After the procession is a grand hunt for the community and a feast of the frost. Some communities have different practices.
They have come to worship the triad pantheons (worship of the powers of dread, ambition and passion) over the years. Though the eye cult also gained a lot of followers among them.
Also tend to wear rather plain clothes. Though they also wear highly embroidered coats and aprons similar to the fashion of the Asisati. They forgo patterns on their main body of clothing but often have it in things like their cuffs and collars. They use different colors to communicate the intended emotions of the wearer. Even learning how to create color changing cloths with magic. During the summer they tend to wear light silky clothing that billow, while fall and winter thicker and stiffer clothing is favored, along with less colorful clothes.
Fish ponds and fish husbandry is a common symbol of wealth and plenty. The Senik practiced early forms of aquaponics. Ponds where often made round to reflect the moon, though crescents where common too.
The Senik wander a lot, they are often found in other communities and places. Their own communities are diverse and full of trade.
-llorial: wood hippies, the most isolationist of all the group. They build ornate homes up in the tops of giant trees or when the trees are not available they build wooden homes in forest glends. Thier homes are often covered in strips of bark.
They are known for their carpentery and wood carving skills. They see trees as sacred so when a tree is feld for work it is respected and used to its fullest extent. For bows, bowls or buildings it’s all respected as important. They replant trees they fell. Seen as a bit of a nuisance by other people as they aggressively plant trees.
They also have a breed of domesticated deer and practice falconry. Archery is an art form and sport. Have a wide array of board games. Like threes dance, pick sticks, checkers, chess and inner walls.
(Threes dance, played on a checkered board with three pieces to start with. Each pice has a different set of moves it can make. The goal is to get nine pieces on the board and or remove the other players pices first.
((Pick sticks, is sort of like snakes and ladders but you are trying to get to the other side of the board while the the other players will add and remove obstacles.
They also play pick up sticks though the two games should not be confused for the other
(((inner walls. Up to four players, each starting in the corner. The goal is to get all four of your pieces to the center of the board. While pushing the other players off the board.
They keep long hair as a sign of longevity, seeing their hair much like the roots of a tree. To cut your hair off would be like severing your roots. Though they do on occasion use hair in rituals.
They are a pain in the ass of the human kingdoms. As they don’t get along. Claiming the hunting grounds as their own, while the humans and giants do the same.
They tend to have dark brown, brown to golden copper hair, sometimes they have blond hair or blond hair to orange hair tips. Teal and blue green hair is common too.
-Irrine: pale people fight club, this ethnic group is a warrior culture. They traditionally don’t fight to conquer. Though are not opposed to it. Generally they fight for defense and for the joy of fighting. They are a people who value physical abilities as well as disability.
They are also well known as excellent weapons smith, being the first to rediscover the technique of making blood iorn swords when that technology was lost with the fall of the eoutrothian empire
Long hair is worn by everyone as it is a sign of battle honor. They take trophies of hair when they defeat an enemy. A long ponytail is essentially an advertisement of “come at me bro, if you dare”
Married partners will often braid all of their hair together before they cut it of as a symbol of their Union of body, family and spirit.
They cherish life, and celebrate it with vigor. Because of this they do not see death as a sad thing. Mushrooms, bones and weapons are common motifs in their art.
Each year in autumn they hold a paper lantern festival that involves lighting the lanterns that will guide the souls of their ancestors through the thick fog of the afterlife.
They believe the foggy moors, woods and hills of their homeland is full of illusions. So many of their studied magic is to do with illusions.
They have an unusually high population of albinism. They generally have pale hair colors of pink, lilac, blond, white, gray, sea foam, tawny or clementine orange. They have red, purple, maroon blue or pink eyes. If their eyes are dark in color they are usually black. Their favorite sparing partners are gray ghouls when they can fight them, but giants and moor centaurs are good too. The lupindi also make favorites for competitive combat.
A lot of countries in northeastern scalipia hire the Irinne as mercenaries.
-Kanasi: Dark emos. The kanasi worship the spider goddess Anannsii and to a lesser extent her husband Fiveiist and her wife Kalastya. There is some minor local worship of their ten sons (Though not much of Organdir the betrayer) each major city claims one of the sons as a patron, the three city capital claims each of the parents as their patron.
The Kanasi value patience, craftsmanship, leadership and cunning. These are all things that Anannsii was said to have gifted and taught the Kanasi with her webs. At least that’s what the legend said. The animal that symbolizes the Royal family is the moon back spider.
Armor and spider webs where are often incorporated in their fashion
- Demepr: sea jocks, a harsh and windswept terrain is what they call home. The only saving grace of this foggy land is it’s prime location for trade. A good distance between the coast of aukulir and the Black Forest in julner.
The Demepr are the only northeastern scalipian long eared who don’t value long hair. So they often cut it short when they become adults. Thier hair is usually gray, black, white, teal or blues.
They live in towns often built on the sides of cliffs. Here they spend time diving for oysters, farming kelp, fishing and sailing.
The Demepr have a long tamed cliff fisher wyverns who they ride in the backs of when they are fishing.
They also have a live hate relationship with fisher harpies.
((Fun fact about the long ears, they are named and based after my little sister’s stuffed rabbit toy she had as a little kid))
