The Elders have followers. Every skykid has a patron Elder. Each skykid will call on their patron in times of unease or insecurity or even fear. There’s not much the Elders can do in this plane of existence but they do make sure to let their skykids know they are listening. Each Elder’s realm specializes in aspects to a skykid. Different capes from each realm allows for skykids from different Patrons to acquire these unique skills. Moth cape is universal and therefore all who wear it are always welcomed by an Elder.
Elders don’t fight, but their skykids hold competitions
Valley Skykids do not partake but do host these competitions
That’s just because they are very competitive and tend to be awful no matter who wins or loses. Valley Twins enjoy the extra flair their skykids will add
Extremely rarely will there be a skykid with no patron, at which it is up to the Skykid themselves to choose who they may call to.
It was once believed that these were the King’s skykids but seeing as he is no longer around, they tend to drift. Skykids can and will change patrons. There’s no bad blood between Elders for this but skykids may take personal offense. It’s not common practice, but it has happened before. In which case the skykid will change their cape, but keep a part of their old one to symbolize their past patron as a show of respect
Ancestor Spirits -
The spirits are the closest thing the Skykids have to actual adults, so they tend to crowd around them a bit. Much like with Patrons, Skykids rely on them as a means of both knowledge and understanding of the world they’ve never known.
Unlike the Elders, the spirits are very much capable of being present and at times physical.
Spirits can move about freely should they choose to, but they prefer to stick close to their Patron’s realms. Vault Spirits are the only exceptions to this as they still are working with the Vault
Their beings are what power the Vault, and their connection to the vast knowledge within keeps them rather busy, though far more relaxed than it ever was in their living days.
Spirits though only have a limited amount of memory.
Hence why they require the Skykids to come with them to reclaim and relive some of it. Other Spirits come and go, but the ones with tombstones and graves are there to stay.
Skykids and Aging/ Realm magic -
Skykids do not age. Or rather not in the usual sense. A skykid can change shape, depending on how old they may feel, but they do not “grow” beyond that. A skykid who is 100 years old but feels and acts like a 10 year old will portray themselves as such. Due to some eternal magic none of the realms ever change.
However they are the embodiment growing.
Each realm is a phase of life as TGC has told us. [Isle = birth, Prairie = childhood, etc]
Being “born” is different than you’d think. Though you already would have a body and limbs, you would be completely alone and often found by others. A brown cape already drawn around the shoulders indicates the Isle Elder has asked others to look out for you.
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All Sky kids that are "born" are created by the Elder of Isle.
He sculpts them, places a brown cape around their shoulders then will leave them to be found, either by another patron or by the skykids themselves. Why is unknown, but it's thought that the Elder of Isle holds a special connection to the world of Orbit and as such takes great care with the crafting of every sky child.
It takes magic and sunlight and thankfully his realm has plenty to offer. Only the most tenacious and stubborn of skykids will return and demand him to be their patron.
The Elder of Isle knows good and well those with his brown cape will surely change their colors and so he bids them safety with his peers, who always agree to watch over them. But if they return and surprise him, he'll try his best to shoo them away to find better patrons, but can't hold out for long. He's too old. You may even see him shed a tear of starlight.
In his temple, you may hear him reading to the sky children who stay or when he appears there may be one clinging to his back of his head.
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And while they may not “grow” the Skykids do advance. Depending on how long they spend in any realm.
Eden is a tricky realm.
It is the embodiment of death, however Eden also works as a means to trap Sky children and steal their light. The magic that thrums through Eden is deadly and poisonous but requires light to keep itself “alive” without a patron to fuel it.
Patrons too need light, but never in the same manner. They use light to repair and care for the realm they inhabit
And oftentimes a Skykid will collect and give the light willingly.
This helps the patron grow stronger to aid that realm. Eden however is lawless and bound to no patron, the magic that surrounds it wild and uncared for. It is possible for Skykids to move from realm to realm and still honor their patron. Basically if you live in Isle but are from Vault, the Isle Elder will protect you under the guidance of the Vault Elder.
Capes and their abilities -
Capes are the way that Skykids can distinguish where they are from. The fabric is something the Elders or their ancestors had to have woven from the magic of the sky and is often speculated as such despite there being no indications. Not even the Elders will deny or confirm this. But to each realm, a cape is crafted.
If one is native to the realm or of that patron, they will wear a Native cape.
If they are merely civilian and simply passing through, they may wear a Simple Cape. Native Capes are uncommon. Simple Capes are very common.
Each cape has its own brand of special abilities native to that particular realm. These are especially helpful for newcomers or moths who are exploring a realm for the first time. Until they can get the hang of things themselves, the most common of all the capes is the Brown Cape.
Universally it is accepted to be a newcomers cape, or the cape of a newly born moth opening their eyes for the first time.
Cape List/Abilities -
Isle
Brown/Moth Cape - Standard flying abilities; Universal cape. Elders will welcome any who wear it.
Prairie
Yellow Cape - Healing charm/butterfly attraction.
Forest
Teal Cape - Rain cover/ repels rain water
Purple Cape - Wax burner/collects double wax
Valley
Red Cape - Speed boost/ Allows for fast movement but hiders steering
Pink Cape - Right-Way Tracker/ Allows for excellent control in flight but may result in poorer speed.
Wasteland
Green Cape - Echo/ Finds fellow Skykids who are in trouble or low on lights
Black Cape - Shadow Walk/ Allows for one to sneak past without being seen, but only for a few moments. Needs to recharge after use.
Vault
Blue Cape - Third’s Eye/ Allows for one to see moments ahead for only a few seconds
White Cape - Soft Light/ Gives wearer a chance to speak with an Elder or light creature at any given time, but requires a recharge immediately after use
Seasonal Capes
Special capes have better abilities however they are rare
