Iliako Elves

## **Guardians of the Sky, Iliako**

The Iliako elves are the second oldest of the elven subtypes, they favor the light of Isati's sacred sun and as such have built magical cities within the clouds were the sacred sun's light could always reach, these elves are also called Solar, Cloud, or Sky elves. When the sun is not present in the sky it was a dark time for the Iliako before they mastered the crafting of the Solar Orbs often called a Little Sun.

### Appearance

The Iliako are lean and light with skin ranging from dark brown to a pale cream, their eyes are often golden, yellow, or blue like the sun or sky that they live within, their hair can be white, blonde, or gold in color. They are more gaunt than their ancient counterparts, with somewhat sallow cheeks and more angular features typically associated with elven folk, the Iliako's birth marks glow a golden-yellow with their ears longer than the other subtypes of elves; their ears are also jagged along the outer cartlege.

## General Information

### Alignment

Lawful neutral, Lawful Good, Neutral Good

## Physical Information

### Distinctions

Runic birthmarks glow golden-yellow, even longer elongated and jagged ears,

### Great Golden Cities

Almost all Iliako live within the magical sky cities crafted by the Iliako with the aid of the elder Diwari, the cities are held high within the sky within the clouds themselves and held aloft by a massive network of magical vines which combine the talents of smithing as well as druidic magic. At the center of each city is what the Iliako call a Solar orb and outsiders call Little Sun, these Solar orbs light the city when the the sun dips beneath the horizon for the night; charged by the suns rays, the Solar orbs almost never run out with only the need of druidic intervention every few months.

The Cities buildings are made purely from quartz, glass, and condensed clouds crafted by Cloudcutters, a subsect of druids within Iliako society. Due to how the city is built with extremely reflective items, it can be difficult for a non Iliako to roam the city freely, which is why foreginers need to wear specialized goggles when in the city.

Part of why Iliako do not venture far from their sky cities is because their vision is specialized for the shear amount of light that reaches the city at all hours of the day, when they go down to the surface their vision is dotted by bright white spots which can take days to disappear and they can not see at all in low-light.

### The First Iliako

When the sun first rose in the west, Isati scrapped little flecks of flame with her giant nails, placing them on the surface of the newly formed Damis. These flecks grew wide and long with slender forms and glowing runes, those flecks became the first Iliako. The first Iliako are revered within Iliako society as patrons, they were risen to divinity after their death and several years later by their great-great-great grandchildren.

Brycetti, Kamier, Lyanu, Yero, Qaenme, and Suure were the first six Iliako and were the makers of all subseqent Iliako. Brycetti and Lyanu are the parents of the famed Vulwin, hunter of gods and patron of archers with the rest simply being the parents of the next generation of Iliako.

### Rise of the Cities

The sky cities were crafted by the druids of the great sky cities, with their only being 6 they all worked together to get each other into the sky. For years the Iliako worked on their own using their druidic magics in an attempt to raise their cities above the clouds but nothing ever worked, they created a network of vines beneath their cities acting as a support but this would not make it rise in it of itself. The Archdruid, Merith, made a controversial agreement with the nearby Diwari in which they traded the servitude of a number of their druids for the Diwari's help in raising their 6 great cities into the sky. With the aid of the Diwari the rift crystals were created, glowing blue crystals affixed beneath the city within their network of vines. Thus on the 3rd of Asteria in the 100th year the six cities rose into the sky where they would remain to this day.

### Iliako Traditions

**Waking with the Sun:** At the time of a days sunrise an Iliako will step outside be it on their porch, balcony, or what have you, and meditate for 2 hours initially starting in a chilled morning and ending in the warm gaze of the sun. It is seen as bad luck to miss the rising of the sun with many going out of their way to avoid it.

**Lighting of Little Sun:** Wherever you may be, you will see each Iliako gaze out the window, perhaps even a croud gathered around the dim Solar Orb atop the central tower wherein the Lightener lives. At the beginning of the sun's setting the Lightener places their hand along the smooth surface of the Solar Orb and utters the Sunlight incantation, lighting the orb for the days night.

### Iliako Deities

Iliako deities are often found within the main pantheon unlike Fengari deities which are lesser known patrons or demigods within the pantheon. However, there are some demigods which are only known of among the Iliako due to them exclusively existing on the six cities.

**Gyan Mastelli** - goddess of knowledge, information, documentation, and intimacy.

**Eiliamben** - demi-goddess of the sky, rainbows, wind, and clouds.

**Sylvyre** - demi-god of rain, snow, and wind.

**Castien** - demi-god of cities, wealth, and indulgence.