Nyxori

Population	~1.1 Million
Traits	Purple skin, pointed ears, keen senses.
Homeland	Haven City, the Nyxus Plane
Names	Nyxborn, Void Elves, Dark Elves
Leader	None.

Fast Facts

Height: 5’6 to 6’4 (Males), 5’2 to 6’1 (Females)

Weight: 100 to 220 lbs.

Lifespan: Adult (18 years), Elder (80 years), Deathly (120 years)

Notable Features: Skin that is varying shades of purple, sharp points to ears, elongated canine teeth

Player Restrictions: None.

Racial Ability: Nyxborn – The Nyxori have been touched by the dark grace of Shaeoth whose intervention ensured their survival within the Nyxus. As a result, Nyxori’s skin were turned dark bestowing upon them the ability to meld with the shadows. Where light is dim and shadows gather, Nyxori can call upon the blessing of Shaeoth and blend in with the darkness so long as they are standing still. Additionally, Nyxori can see perfectly in low light conditions and are able to see in black and white for up to 60 ft. in complete darkness.

Population: 1,100,000

History

The Nyxus Plane is a place that has existed in the background of history for as long as mortals can remember. In euphemisms and metaphors but with little actual understanding of what and where the void is. This is where the Nyxori are different. When the Hytori elves of Sol'Valen built their Rift Gates and expanded across not just their homeworld, but across the stars and into other planes of existence, one of those planes was the Nyxus. Reinforced by the wonders of Sol'Valen, the elves that originally explored the Nyxus discovered a plane where aether existed more sparsely but far more purely in the places where it was concentrated. What the void lacked in safety, it made up for in the sheer number of prospects that could be mined, explored, and colonized to support the empire. The creatures were unique, the mysterious captivating, and the opportunity for understanding how the foundations of the universe functioned was too tempting to pass up.

Outposts and research stations were established in the void and the elves slowly began the work of exploiting the Nyxus plane. The deeper they delved however, the more difficult things became. The longer they stayed, the more the creatures of the void seemed to adapt and overcome the protections they put in place to keep them at bay. When finally the elves began considering withdrawing from the Nyxus plane it was too late.

The Rift Gates collapsed and the elves were stranded.

The Search for Survival

Cut off from the steady stream of support provided through the Rift Gates, the elves soon found the Nyxus place to be far more inhospitable. One by one the various outposts that had been established began to go dark, further isolating those who had been stranded. It soon became apparent that they would either need to find a means of surviving or they would all slowly die off. With no way to get back home and with limited resources, it would be a long road to finding a safe place in a world that seemingly had no safe places. With no other option, the elves banded together and abandoned their outposts in search of some place safer.

The Walk of Withering

The Hytori soon learned that the presence of the Rift Gates not only served as their doorways back to the homeworld but also as fountains of aether. The great gates had anchored their outposts to the prime material plane and passively fed the environment around them. This turned out to be a double-edged sword wherein it empowered the elves and protected them from natural effects of the void but the gates also served as beacons to the many parasites of the Nyxus plane. Magic, which had been their lifeblood, came much more slowly and was more costly to use. Wandering the wastes of the void, the elves began to grow ill. They began to Wither.

The Madness of Mayara

Mayara had been a sembler. Her love for exploration, joy at discovering new things, and her desire to build a new life for herself on a frontier colony had driven her to join one of the final expeditions to the Nyxus plane. When the Rift Gates collapsed and her people were forced to abandon the outposts as they became more and more dangerous, she went with them. Her skills as a sembler proved invaluable for her caravan but after a while, she fell ill with the Withering Sickness. Despite her illness, her skills as a sembler were still vital to the survival of her people and so she pushed herself. Until she pushed herself too far. During a scouting mission she encountered something. Something terrible. Exactly what it was is unknown but it was weeks later that she returned to her people, wounded, rambling and speaking vividly of a City of Twilight that would be their salvation and a savior that awaited them there.

Pass through the wastes into twilight's embrace,

A haven found in a ruinous place,

When the screams fall silent,

When the sky goes dark,

The Chosen shall guide us into the Void's open heart.

Mayara’s ramblings were considered that of a mad woman but she remained passive enough to still be of use. With few other options, she was tended to and could be guided in the use of her powers to continue to help the caravan, even if they had to decipher her ramblings.

Months later, Mayara gave birth to a son. A son with skin touched by the Nyxus.

She named him Adahn, “Chosen".

First of the Nyxborn

Nobody knows who Adahn's father was. Mayara's pregnancy came as a surprise and while the woman showed her son all of the motherly affection she could, her madness made it impossible for her to truly take care of him. He was the first child to be born in the Nyxus and many viewed him as cursed. For all the difficulties of his childhood however, the boy proved to be well suited to the challenges of the Nyxus. As a boy, he and the rest of the elves had eventually managed to make their way to a dark forest and establish a home. This home, however, was not enough for his mother who continued to mutter and mumble about what people now referred to as Mayara Madness. Things changed when the first dreams came. Visions of a place across the wastes where glory and terror awaited his people in equal measure. It was only when catastrophe struck that anyone listened to him. Adahn lost his mother. The elves lost the new home they'd tried to build for themselves.

So began the quest for safe haven all over again. It would be a journey that lasted years. Some finally succumbed to the Withering. Others were simply driven mad by the apparent hopelessness of the situation. Many questioned. Few believed. But with no other option, they pushed forward.

When they finally found the broken metropolis it came as a shock. A city in the wastes there within the broken landscape of the Nyxus. Who had built it? Why? Where were they now? None of this mattered when they finally came to a stronghold suspended in twilight. Suddenly the words of Mayara's Madness came to them all and they realized they had found it.

They had found their haven.

The Awakening of the Black Gate

Haven, they called it. The City of Twilight. They had found a home in the wastes and were almost safe from the horrors of the Nyxus. Almost. In hindsight, they could not say they were not warned. Mayara's prophecy was clear.

The Black Gate awoke and that night, the streets were filled with screams.

The First Awakening they would call it and it is unclear exactly how long it lasted. Whether it was days or weeks, most do not recall. The chaos and confusion of it all made it difficult to document. But all was not lost as Adahn, moved by visions and convinced more than ever that his mother had been right, braved the dangers of that terrible event. He fought his way to what would become known as the Shrine of the Black Gate and once there, he was met with the God of Shadows. Adahn begged the Dark One to save his people, offering himself as a sacrifice for such intervention.

The Dark One accepted his offering but not in the way he expected. Adahn was marked by the Dark One and emerged as the Void God's champion to find that all of the other elves had been changed as well. The elves were transformed and the Nyxori had been born.

The Long Night

An outcast who was once viewed as cursed became the Champion of the Dark One and the First King of Haven. Adahn was hailed as a hero and the savior of their people. Many lessons were learned in the coming years but Adahn guided them and heeded the Darkfather's warning, ever faithful and an example for them to follow. He established the Gaterunners. He led the way to the building of the Lamps of Haven and the establishment of the Lamplighters. Until the day he went on his final gaterun and gave himself fully to the Darkfather. His descendants ruled as the leaders of Haven for generations and it was era of stability for the citizens of Haven. It was not without challenges and turmoil, but so long as a champion of House Adahn sat on the throne of Haven, the Darkfather smiled upon them and guided them through the shadows. Where there are those who prosper however, there are those who covet that prosperity.

House Reinya saw the position of House Adahn and grew jealous. They were not the only ones but they were the ones who acted first on that jealousy. House Reinya staged a coup against House Adahn in a bloodbath that saw the reigning queen and many of her heirs slaughtered. Coincidentally, it was during this event that the Sundering of the World also transpired. Not long after House Reinya took power, the cataclysm that shook the foundations of the universe tore through every plane of existence. Havenites saw it was retribution for the slaughtering of Shaeoth's chosen. In the wake of the Sundering, the Black Gate awoke and Haven was reminded that the God of Darkness was also the God of Vengeance.

The horrors of the Long Night were ended only when the Apostles of the Void, emissaries of the Dark One, appeared and the offenders paid for their transgression.

Present Day

The Nyxori of Haven did not remain alone in their existence in the Nyxus plane. Over time, others arrived though seldom in great numbers. The greatest influx of peoples into the void came during the Sundering of the World and most recently, during the Eclipse. With each new arrival, there are as many denizens of Haven who go out of their way to welcome newcomers as there are who take advantage of them. Haven can be an unforgiving place, a lesson that is often quickly learned.

Physiology/Biology

Nyxori are a reflection of the harshness of their environment. While not the tallest of the elves, they are a lean and hearty folk who are adapted to survive the many difficult terrains and environments that are found in the Void. Like all elves, they have pointed ears and enjoy the benefit of stronger senses of hearing, sight, and smell that is optimal for hunting, scavenging and surviving. They possess sharpened canine teeth that is well suited for tearing into flesh, with digestive systems that can process raw meats. While few Nyxori will turn down a freshly cooked meal, the luxury of being able to cook is not always available. They have evolved to be able to comfortably eat both raw and cooked foods in most instances. Their skin color ranges from deep purple, bordering on black, to very pale shades of violet. Eye colors are usually black, violet, or very pale blue.

Psychology and Culture

Nyxori are a very community based people. Surviving the Nyxus plane has forced them to develop a culture that is heavily reliant upon forming strong bonds with family, whether blood relations or chosen ones. The overall mindset of your average Nyxori is one who is ready to approach the world with an open mind. Survival demands adaptability and one cannot survive if they refuse to explore new possibilities. This has created in their people a willingness to question, a deep appreciation for pragmatism, and a distaste for wasteful behavior. The luxury of being wasteful is not one that is afforded to those who dwell within the Nyxus plane, as a result of this the Nyxori make use of as much as they can, even their dead.

If a beast is slain, every part of it is used to the fullest extent possible in every way they can conceive. From providing food, to supplying bones for weaponry to be augmented by a necromancer, to even using entrails to fertilize crops in unconventional ways through alchemy, the Nyxori live in a culture that forces them to consider the utility of everything they encounter. This mindset translates into their approach to magic as well. Nyxori are master world mages and aggressively pursue methods to push world magic further and further. It is exceedingly rare to find a Nyxori who is not a practitioner of at least one form of world magic that they find useful in their day to day life. Personal magic is useful but because of the inherent drain it poses on already limited aetheric resources, world magic is prized much more.

As a result of their environment, Nyxori find the idea of racial exclusion and racial superiority to be rather stupid. Any opportunity to introduce a better and more efficient way of surviving is welcome. This has created a people who are deeply interested in strengthening the Nyxori by introducing aspects of other races they encounter that they view as beneficial. Overall, the average person who encounters a Nyxori will find a person who can be rather disciplined, utilitarian, and extremely protective of the communities that they form. Parents of Nyxori go to great lengths to educate their children and push them to seek knowledge of things they are lacking. Expectations of young Nyxori are to find their place in the community and contribute to it. Wastefulness, laziness, and actions that endanger the community one is part of are verboten. This often results in the young being strictly molded to fulfill roles where there is a need for more that supports the community.

Religion

The overwhelming majority of Nyxori are monotheistic, viewing themselves as children of Shaeoth. While knowledge of the other Dragon Gods and the Mistlords has filtered its way to their society over the millennia, very little reverence, if at all, is paid to any others. The God of Darkness saved them, guided them, punished them, forgave them. He is both guardian and judge, harsh and fair. Their love for him is as complex as the deity himself. Contrary to what one might expect from a society that reveres the God of Darkness, Vengeance, and the Void, the Nyxori can be a very warm, passionate and welcoming people.

Shaeoth teaches them to embrace Darkness as a natural force of the universe. It is not good. It is not evil. It is inevitable. Only fools fear the dark and the unknown. The wise view it as an opportunity and a friend. For better or worse.

Promises and oaths are taken extremely seriously in Nyxori culture. To trespass against another is to invite vengeance for that trespass and in all instances, that retribution shall match the severity of the offense. As a result of this mindset, Nyxori view acts of betrayal as disgraceful and inviting of wrath.

Fear is real. It can keep an individual alive. It can drive them to make decisions quickly, sometimes wrongly, sometimes for the better. Shaeoth demands that the Nyxori face their fear in order to conquer it. It is one of the reasons why Nyxori view the Black Gate and the Emanations with as much terror as they do respect. They are a reminder to never grow complacent. Live with fear but do not be ruled by it.

In more recent generations, the Apostles of the Void have become central to Nyxori worship but any reverence paid to the Apostles is given only due to their proximity to Shaeoth. They are viewed as extensions of Shaeoth's will, lessons, his protection and his judgement.

The Cardinal Rune of Nyx

Because of their unique relationship with Shaeoth, the Nyxori can automatically begin play with the Rune of Nyx.

Reproduction, Aging, and Death

Nyxori have lives that are somewhat comparable to Humans. They mature at much the same rate and the eldest of them do not live much longer than a century. The harsh nature of the Nyxus pushes them to form families soon after maturing. The role of parentage is taken seriously with the rearing of children viewed as a solemn duty born of necessity. Mortality rates among children are unfortunately high due to the strain of both the environment and sometimes limited resources. As a result, children are treasured and fiercely protected with the raising of young having a very community based mindset. Parents will almost never be alone in raising their children with grandparents and even other members of the community having a hand in watching, teaching, and providing for the young.

As Nyxori age, they are expected to become productive members of their community. Great efforts are made to mold the young into what their community needs. This creates a considerable amount of familial and societal pressure to live up to sometime very high expectations.

When a Nyxori dies, it is not unheard of for elders to voluntarily become soulbound guardians of their families until eventually they too are worn away by the nature of the Nyxus. Common funeral practices are for the bodies of the deceased to be examined by a necromancer in order to create artefacts that may be of benefit to the family's survival. Consequently, Nyxori are quite comfortable with death.

Language

Until the Sundering of the World, the Nyxori remained almost entirely isolated from events transpiring on Ransera on the prime material plane. Because of this, the Nyxori still speak Vallenor as their primary language and it is a dialect that is perhaps closest to the original.