Astral Elf

The Astral Elves are a group of Elves who left the confides of Spheres long ago to live in the space between spheres in great towers that travel the void.

## Description

The Astral Elves eyes have a notable starry gleam in their eyes due to their proximity to the Starlight Torch.

## Personality

The Astral Elves, burdened by their agelessness, often grapple with feelings of depression and apathy. However, some of them manage to overcome this existential crisis through various means. For instance, they find solace and purpose in engaging in personal creativity, pushing the boundaries of scientific advancement, or embarking on introspective journeys enriched by peaceful meditation. Some Astral Elves dedicate themselves to exploring every corner of Creation or pursuing long-term goals that give their lives meaning. These endeavors serve as outlets for their restless spirits, allowing them to find fulfillment and break free from the clutches of melancholy.

## Society

The Astral Elves, being the the only mortal race to achieved agelessness, have long succumbed to cultural stagnation. Many believe that they have experienced all that Creation has to offer. Most Astral Elves reside within the Stellar Spire, where they pass their days in a state of monotony. Exhausted by the endless cycle of life yet fearful of death's embrace, they have grown disillusioned.

Only a few pockets of their culture still embrace innovation. Some adventurous souls reject the stagnation that has befallen their people, seeking new experiences beyond the confines of the Stellar Spire. Others, such as the members of the Wilwari Vivarium, strive to maintain the favor of the Oecumene by actively working to uphold the Astral Elves' significance.

## History

As mortality took hold of the Eladrin, causing them to transform into the elves, many of these newly formed elves yearned to regain their ageless nature by any means possible. Among them, a visionary elf named Xersath Lightseeker sought to unlock the secrets of immortality. She embarked on a profound quest, ultimately discovering a method she referred to as "harnessing a fragment of the stars." With this newfound knowledge, Xersath created the first Traveling Tower, a remarkable structure imbued with celestial power. Through her journey, Xersath encountered numerous elves who shared her desire to restore their agelessness. As her faction grew in size and influence, Xersath was hailed as the "Queen of Stars and Light," a title befitting her status as the leader of their cause.

Continuing her efforts, Xersath replicated her methods, resulting in the creation of an armada of Traveling Towers. The prolonged exposure to the Starlight Torch gradually transformed Xersath and her elves into a new form known as Astral Elves. With their newfound celestial nature, they embarked on a grand journey across multiple spheres, seeking valuable artifacts and knowledge. The Astral Elves, driven by their ambition, embarked on a mission to establish the first mortal interstellar civilization known as the "Asterial Paramountcy" To realize their vision, they enslaved other mortals from various spheres, forcing them to construct magnificent wonders and structures. Throughout this period, the gods observed these potential leaders among mortals.

The growing empire ambitions of the Astral Elves met a devastating setback in the skies above the sphere that would later be known as Heliopolis. The Asterial Paramountcy, seeking to subjugate the humans of Heliopolis, were unaware that these humans were the personal favoritess of the Sun Mother. A formidable host of angels descended upon the Traveling Towers, leading to a brutal slaughter of many of the Astral Elves. The battle reached its conclusion when Queen Xersath, in a bid for peace, agreed to marry the leader of the humans, giving birth to the half-elf who would become the first Aasimar and the first Sovereign. The surviving Astral Elves were assimilated into the young Oecumene, where they served as shock troopers, aiding in the expansion of the empire to numerous new spheres. During that period, the Queen became a trusted advisor to the Sovereign and occupied a prominent seat within the court, wielding considerable influence.

The battles inflicted significant losses on the Astral Elves, and their recovery has been slow and incomplete to this day. As the Sovereign's need for elven soldiers waned, they were recalled to the core of the Oecumene. Tasked with scientific endeavors, the Astral Elves utilized their extended lifespans to develop new weapons of war and conquest, eventually giving rise to the Wilwari Vivarium—a center for such advancements.

As the eons passed, the diminished Astral Elves gradually lost their once-prominent position within the Oecumene, became a mere footnote in the larger mortal-dominated creation. Growing weary of their endless immortality and having explored the boundless sphere and experienced all of Creation's pleasure. The scattered Traveling Towers coalesced into the central Stellar Spire, and even the Queen distanced herself from the Sovereign's court, as her influence waned. Nonetheless, the Astral Elves, particularly those tasked with the creation of bioweapons, continued to breed various creatures that played integral roles in the Oecumene's armies.

The resurgence of the Astral Elves came during the Chitinous Crusade, when a massive Mind Flayer Shoal launched a major assault on the Oecumene. The Wilwari Vivarium unleashed their vaults of monsters, effectively halting the Mind Flayer advance in a conflict now known as the Chitinous Crusade. However, once again, the Astral Elves suffered significant losses during this war. In the modern day, the Astral Elves have reclaimed their importance as a species, bearing significant weight due to their production of bioweapons to support the Oecumene. Nevertheless, their numbers remain few, and concerns for their future persist among many.