What's a cool fact about Slaeyrs that you haven't had the opportunity to share yet/might not make it into the final manuscript?
So I think this is for Worldbuilding Wednesday, and I’m a few days late for that, but!! Thank you for the ask :D
So my memory is *wiggles hand* on the best of days, and I can’t quite remember what I’ve talked about as far as Slaeyr go versus what I haven’t, so uhhh. Have a list of my favorite aspects of the Slaeyr :D
The average lifespan of a Slaeyr is about 7,500 years, give or take a few centuries. This number may be changed, if I decide that it’s actually too long. Much like most species on Eldora, the more magic that a person has, the longer they’re likely to live.
Slaeyr have internal healing magic, which allows them to recover from wounds quicker! This healing magic is not something they can consciously control, at least not without a lot of practice/effort. When it activates, it makes them feel extremely itchy, and tires them out. They get really hungry/thirsty afterwards, too, though this can be mitigated by absorbing the magic naturally in Eldora’s air.
Though Slaeyr are more powerful than most of Eldora’s races, Slaeyr are limited to using magic from one of Eldora’s five elements. These elements are earth, water, spirit, air, and fire. I’m still working on how elemental magic works :D
In addition to that, though, Slaeyr are able to use another form of magic. They call it majera, and it’s magic that comes from music. To use the magic, they have to either sing or play an instrument. The magic can be weaponized, but is more often used for shielding and protection. The magic is called up by focusing on emotion & memory. Negative emotions will cause it to be uncontrollable and violent, while positive emotions cause the protective effect.
The last, and most powerful, aspect of a Slaeyr’s unique ability is their ability to absorb other people’s mana. This ability is forbidden except in very rare cases, as doing so not only takes another person’s magic, but also their life--and it leaves nothing else. It makes the Slaeyr more powerful, and increases their lifespan as well. This is what makes Kai’os so dangerous in The Martyr Queen, and so difficult to kill---and the same for Kaltain in later stories.
Slaeyr tend to cluster in groups, even after their tribes disband in favor of creating a unified nation. These groups are called teams. Most Slaeyr will bond with a specific person as a partner, as well---a partner can be a sibling, close friend, or romantic partner. These groups are nearly inseparable.
Slaeyr often form telepathic bonds with one another. There are different ‘levels’ of bonds, as well, with some being deeper than others. Most bonds are temporary, though there are some that, once forged, cannot be broken.
One such bond is known as the soul bond. A soul bond is a link between two souls, which cannot be severed. These occur naturally in twins, but can be initiated between anyone. A soul bond creates a telepathic bond that can stretch across untold distances, only stifled when someone is in a dead spot for magic. (And even then, the empathetic bond remains!) There’s also an empathy bond, which I just mentioned, that allows them to feel what the other is feeling emotionally, and physically in times of great emotion. Due to the nature of soul bonds, it’s rare for a Slaeyr to initiate them.
And one final fact, which. I haven’t decided if I want to keep in canon or not!!
When Slaeyr die, they leave behind “dust” instead of a body. There are three kinds of dust-- silver, gold, and black.
Silver dust means that the Slaeyr is not dead. They sustained wounds too great for their body to heal and so they’re going to reform somewhere. (I don’t know where.)
Gold dust means they’re dead and have passed on into the afterlife / have assumed a ghost form, provided a Reaper has not come to reap them.
Black dust means they have been eradicated, without even a soul left to pass on. This is the ‘worst’ death, as it means there is no possibility of reincarnation or reuniting in the afterlife.