Lithesi

Better known as Moon Elves, are the elitist inhabitants of Alyla Dorei

## Physical Description

1. They are a species made up of many subspecies or races that look vastly different from each other. Some are said to be so beautiful that to look upon them would cause someone to go blind while others are believed to be so hideous that the very sight of them will petrify someone into stone. How true these rumors are, however, is anyone's guess as those outside of Alyla Dorei only encounter a very tiny example of the Lithesi people.
2. While the various races might look vastly different from one another. They possess traits that are true to their elvish heritage such as pointed ears.

## Power & Abilities

1. The Lithesi's powers and abilities are linked to which moon/moons are visible in the sky at the time of their birth.

a. In order to better harness these abilities they use special tattoos that glow in the moonlight. The stronger the glow the stronger the power. The tattoos can be used to store moonlight to be used when they are unable to harness the moon's powers directly. Getting your first tattoo is a rite of passage for the Lithesi.
b. Powers of the moon grow stronger with the phases of the moon. Those born on a full moon have the strongest powers associated with their moon.
c. When a child is born with all three moons visible in the sky they are considered to be blessed. Children like that have traits and abilities of all three moons though they often tend to favor one over the other
I. Those born under all three full moons have the strongest of abilities and are very rare.They have the powers of all three moons and the strongest levels of these powers. Those born under full moons also seem to be able to tap into some of the powers associated with the God/Goddess trapped within the moon that they have the strongest affinity with in cases of being born under all three moons or in cases of being born under only one full moon whichever moon was full at the time of birth
II. A special case occurs when triplets are born under the alignment which all three moons are full and the children are two boys and one girl with each having an affinity towards the moon where a god or goddess of their same sex is suppose to be locked within. In this case many consider them to be avatars of the God or Goddess on Cadis Su.
III. Those born with no moon visible in the sky are not connected to a moon and get their powers in different ways. Either by channeling power from Cadis Su or from Drormir.
2. Prosdreus: The Lithesi believe that the Goddess Yrena is locked within this moon. She is the goddess of the eternal flame, goddess of beauty and everlasting war. Those born under the influence of Prosdreus are known for their beauty and natural fighting abilities.

a. For those born under Prosdreus they tend to have powers related to light or fire. The ability to manipulate light and bend it to their will.
b. Those born under the full moon of Prosdreus also have defensive magic. This can include things such as enhanced durability and stamina. The ability to evade attacks, create shields and armor at will.
3. Thestea: The Lithesi believes that the God Ezorr is locked with this moon. The God of unyielding dream, god of the voice, and the eternal dance. It is believed that he brought order to the universe by teaching people to dance to Ruone's song. Those born under its influence tend to be very organized and quite stubborn. Known to be the type that pursue their dreams no matter what.

a. Those born under the influence of Thestea have healing powers. They also have control over plant life. They are able to make things grow and control it.
b. For those born under the full moon of Thestea they have powers related to order, having the ability to understand pattern and structures of things in order to understand its strength and weakness and use it to their advantage. And the ability to use their voice to speak to create and command things.
4. Niorus:The God Viohr is believed to lay within. He is the God of eternal slumber and endless horrors, also, known as the father of beasts. Those born under Niorus tend to have a darker nature and are known for being blatantly honest.

a. Those born under the influence of Niorus have powers related to darkness. The ability to control and manipulate it. They also have chaotic magic. Can utilize chaotic forces being able to change, mutate, or destroy things or contain the force to use in a desired way.
b. Born under the full moon of Niorus allows for death powers. The ability to see, commune, and control spirits and rise the dead. They also have the ability to create fear by creating illusions of monsters. The stronger the user is in this magic the more realistic the illusions with it being rumored that a few can create actual beasts.
5. For those born when no moons are seen in the sky things are different. Being unable to harness harness the moon's powers they seek out powers elsewhere.

a. Some join the offset group known as the Cult of Drormir also called the Cult of Syovatt or the great serpent. They are a small group in Lithesi society who were born under the influence of Drormir. During the rare occurrences when only Drormir was in the sky thus are unable to garner powers from the moons. Some say it was the will of the serpent believing that Drormir was his body or that he is waiting to finish his battle with Ashak at the end of time and suck everything in. These beliefs cause them to believe in nothing. A belief stemmed that despite what we do in life it has no bearing because eventually reality will be torn open sucked into oblivion. This belief fuels them to do whatever they wish in life. After all, life has no meaning other than a waiting station to the final end of everything, causing them to often be bolder than many and often engage in actives without care for the consequences. Since they are not connected to any of the moons, they are known to use plants to mimic the abilities of other moons elves. Through not as strong as those with natural gifts the do tend to get the job done.
I. Gifted in the art of stealth many from the cult are thought to turn nearly invisible, through some say it is. Though it might stem from the fact other moon elves have this ability. Some say because of the gifts of the moons. But no one knows for sure, and they don't make them out. While the belief is to the other races they are simply unseen, it appears to their own species they appear somewhat visible. This and a lack of fear and political alliances make them a favored choice for assassinations. The cult even going as far as to take any job, having little care for the lives of others eliminates any morals int he situation. The only problem being they are as likely to kill you as those whom you paid them to kill. Money is only a means of enjoyment till you become nothing more than dust.
II. Members of the cult can be found in all subspecies not limited to any subset. Though the Lithesi will deny their existence if asked about them. Like so many unsavory things, they would rather keep the more fantastical components of their society under wraps
b. Others harness powers from the planet itself becoming connected to the Goddess Ruone.
I. Those who are influenced by Ruone tend to be guarded people whom tend to keep to themselves. They excel at secret keeping and spying. Being good at stealth and blending in the shadows. They also have increased speed and agility.
II. It is said they can sing parts of Ruone's song and that they can use it to make things go in their favor, entrance people, and even put them to sleep.
III. Those who are connected to Ruone serve the nobility of the Lithesi. They work in the shadows spying, killing, and protecting the royal family. Doing whatever task the royals might need done they tend to have their hands in everything.
IV. Acting as a special elite force they are well trained and work quietly to ensure the agendas of the Lithesi

## Celebrations

1. Lithikien Joolha: This is a great Celebration that the Lithesi have when the three moons align. The name roughly translates to 'Festival of the Moons.' The alignment occurs during the summer solstice.

a. During the Festival the Lithesi let loose. There is a great feast, dancing, singing, drinks, sport and games of various sorts. It is a time where alliances and grievances are forgotten. It is not uncommon to see enemies laughing together when just the day before they had fought in the streets.
b. Four Individuals are chosen to represent the deities whom are sealed within the moons. They are treated very much how one might imagine a god being treated, and they have no shortage of sexual partners if such is their desire. Their treatment comes from the fact that when the festival comes to an end they will be sacrificed. It is believed that when their blood is spilled that it keeps the Gods' Powers and influences within the world.
2. Vaikuuden Paevai: The name roughly translate to 'Day of Silence' and is observed during the winter solstice when none of the moons can be found within the sky.

a. It is a very solemn event. It is a time of quiet contemplation and fasting.
b. Like with the festival of the moons the end is marked with a sacrificed. However, the difference is whom will be sacrificed. During the day of silence the sacrificed are criminals and prisoner of war whom are considered to be the most vile of creatures, and if they have one particularly vile person one sacrifice will be all that is needed. They are sacrificed in order to keep the great serpent from rising again and continuing his quest to devour the entire universe.
## Pantheon

The Lithesi are a polytheistic people, but there are four deities they revere above the others. They believe these four were very instrumental in the creation of the uiverse, and during the early years they found themsevles seals away in the core of Cadis Su, and the planet's three moons. This seal was not as complete as those whom had imprisoned them might have hoped as some of their powers seep out and greatly influence the universe. It's from these escaped powers that the Lithesi believe their own come from, and as such they hold great reverence for these deities and their prisons. They believe these prisons are the extension of the deities whom are sealed within. All the Lithesi deities belong to two houses. The first are light gods, good ones whom are known to be very helpful to mortals. The second are known as dark gods whom will only aid mortals if said mortal is will to pay the price. Some regard them as evil.

**The four Moon Gods**

Ruone: She is the dark goddess sealed away within Cadis Su. She is known among the Utrad as The Blighted Maiden, and may have different names among the other people of Cadis Su. The Lithesi believe that the Utrads were once elves just like them, but the deal they made with Ruone servered them from all things that makes one an elf, and that with time the elve features they still maintain will vanish.

Among the Lithesi she is known as the goddess of the great secret, the eternal darkness (The primal darkness that existed before the creation of everything and will continue even after everything is no more, and the unending song. The Lithesi believe that Ruone is the mother of all life, and will often replace goddess with mother when referencing her. According to their myth when the unviverse was nothing more than an endless darkness that stretch for an eternity and the four great gods roamed free Ruone begun to sing so beautifully haunting that life begun to spring up from the Nothingness, and that if one listens closely they can hear this song.

Ezorr: He is the light god sealed away within Theastea. He is the god of the unyielding dream (Dreams here is referring to one's anspirations, and life's ability to persevere.) god of the voice, and the enternal dance. He is known as the All-Father because while Ruone had brought life into existence with her song it was nothing more than a choatic mess. It was Ezorr who gave this life shape. It was he, who taught them how to dance to Ruone's song. It was he whom taught them how to create and form words that connected one to another.

Viohr: He is the dark god sealed away within Niorus. He is the god of the eternal slumber also know as death, god of eternity (Some might refer to this as time, but the Lithesi believe while the two are connected they aren't mutually interchanganble), and the god of the endless horrors. He is known as the father of the monsters, the beast---those things that dwell within the dark. He saw these new beings that have taken shape and thought they were incomplete. He did not believe they would survive without learning the harsh truths--that life was not all sunshine and rainbows, and the universe was full of terrors. The Lithesi believe that without his influence that none of the bad things would exist, but they also believe without these horrible things they would have forever been stagnant.

Yrena: She is the light goddess sealed away with Prosedreus, and the Lithesi believe that the moon shines the way it does due to Yrena being trapped inside. She is known as the goddess of the eternal flame, goddess of beauty, and the everlasting war. She is known among the Lithesi to be extremely beautiful---some claim there is nothing within the univese whose beauty even compares to Yrena. However, the thing that the Lithesi revere Yrena most for is her ability as a warrior. They believe she is an even more capable warrior than she is beautiful. She like Viohr thought that this new life that sprung forth from the Nothingness wasn't going to survive if they didn't learn certain things. However, it was the horrors that Viohr forged that she believed would be their downfall. She taught them how to defend themselves as well as to harness the light in order to keep the darkness and those creatures that dwell within at bay.

**The Other Gods**

Syovatt: He is the great serpent--the devourer of all. He dwelled within the primal darkenss with the four moon gods, but unlike them he did not marvel at the new creations. He sought to destroy them, and bring everything back to the way it was before Ruone begun to sing.

Ashak Aelorothi: The Lithesi believe Ashak is the only one of them whom raised to the status of god, and this was due to his fight with Syovatt. He not only manages to hold his own against the great seprent, but according to some version of his battle with Syovtt he manages to slay the beast and his corpse became Drormir. He is known as the great protector of the Lithesi, and he is the ideal that the moon elves hold themselves to---especially among the warriors.

Ryelia: She is a dark goddess and is said to be one of Ruone's daughters. She is the goddess of strife.

Etix: She is a dark goddess and is said to be one of Ruone's daughter. She is the goddess of fate.

Phedione: She is a light goddess, who is believed to be the daughter of Yrena, but the stories are unclear whom her father is. Some claim that he is Viohr others Ezorr than there are those who say that she has no father, and that Yrena forged her as one might forge a blade. Phedione is the goddess of fertility.

Aana: She is a light goddess and she is the goddess of twilight. She like many light goddess protects mortals againts those things that stalks within the dark.

Kalella: She is a light goddess and she is the goddess of youth, and protector of children. Many Lithesi will put her symbol within their children's nursery to protect them from the monsters that prey upon infants. However, Kalella doesn't just seek to protect the young from the monsters, but from anything that might harm them and it is for this reason that she is known to steal children away as she believes they are only safe within her domain.

Ohone: She is a dark goddess and is said to be one of Ruone's daughters, and the goddess of desire.

Vedarr: He is a dark god, and he is the god of the sea and storms

Khaeyr: He is a dark god. He is the son of Viohr, and he is regarded as the first monster that Viohr brought into existence. He is the god of chaos and the hunt.

Yaos: He is a light god, and he is the god of love.

Lyhnas: He is a light god, and he is the god of justice.

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