Elemental

The **Elementals** are an intelligent race that live on the Mainland of Saudade. With the disappearance of the Fayne, they have become the primary rulers of the majority of the continent having created the United Elemental Nations, which controls all of Saudade but Fayne Island.

## History

The first reports of Elementals on Saudade come in *The Yugen,* seeming to appear approximately 10,000 years prior to the year 0 AF. This makes the Elementals a relatively young species compared to the Fayne, their creators, who had existed on Saudade for over 50,000 years. However, they were created before the Moores and the Salamans—the other intelligent races on Saudade.

The early Elementals lived in almost complete dependence on the powerful Fayne, taking advantage of their creators' abilities to provide them with everything from food to shelter to entertainment. The Elementals own abilities, relating either to fire, water, air, or earth, went almost completely unused.

This angered the Fayne, and in about 5,000 BF, they began to provide less and less for the Elementals, though they always provided some support. This forced the Elementals to become somewhat independent, which lead to the creation of the first major societies in Saudade. The Elementals separated in to four separate tribes depending on their elemental abilities. These tribes became known as Pyere (fire), Tarye (earth), Hwoun (water), and Ayera (air), names which still are used to this day.

Society did not make any major advancements until 0 AF, when the Fayne disappeared from the Mainland. Left alone and without the guidance of the creatures who they had revered as gods since their inception, the Elementals (as well as the Moores and Salamans) descended into chaos. Life only returned to some semblance of stability when Sonder, a Pyeri Elemental from the northernmost tip of the Mainland and leader of the Pyere tribe, created the United Elemental Nations. The UEN turned the four Elemental tribes into proper nation-states with borders, founded the state of Mokita for the affluent members of society, banished the massive Salamans to Mangata Island, and enslaved the Moores. While the latter two points were the subject of great controversy, they were accepted by most Elementals as the cost of peace.

Since the creation of the UEN, life on the Mainland has improved immensely for the Elementals. Society has begun to rapidly advance, and overall quality of life improves with each coming year. However, since 2000 AF, the Elementals have been plagued with a new issue to solve: the Iktsarpok.

## Types of Elementals

### Pyeri Elementals

The Pyeri Elementals historically belong to the Pyere tribe, and are able to manipulate and control fire, with the usage of Pyeri magic. Most are only able to control the element; those who are able to generate fire from within themselves are incredibly rare and particularly powerful, oftentimes becoming great military or governmental leaders. Sonder, the founder of the United Elemental Nations, was a Pyeri Elemental, and as such every Minister of Saudade since him has been a Pyeri.

The Pyeri Elementals mostly live on the eastern coast of Saudade. Most Pyeris are characterized by their enthusiastic, impulsive, energetic natures, and are considered the most passionate of the four Elemental types. Commonly, Pyeris work as smiths, traders, soldiers, artisans, miners, and cattle-farmers. They are generally the richest of the four Elementals, with the majority of the population of capitol-state Mokita being Pyeri Elementals. Even within Pyere, there is still vast wealth compared to the other three Elemental-type based states.

Generally speaking, the Pyeri have amber eyes, tan skin, and auburn or dark brown hair.

### Ayera Elementals

The Ayera Elementals historically belong to the Ayera tribe, and are able to manipulate and control air, with the usage of Ayera magic.

The Ayera people live on the western coast of Saudade. Most Ayeras are characterized by their independent, bright, and curious natures, and are considered the most intelligent of the four Elemental types. Commonly, the Ayera people work as scientists, apothecaries, clerks, tailors, and scribes. Due to Mangata Island being on their coast, Ayeras are tasked with keeping the Salamans away from the Mainland for eternity (though they often employ Hwouns to do the work for them).

Generally speaking, the Areos people have medium skin, gray eyes, and light, mousy hair.

### Tarye Elementals

The Tarye Elementals historically belong to the Tarye tribe, and are able to manipulate the earth (earth defined as rock, dirt, sand, and other naturally occurring stone-like materials), with the usage of Tarye magic. They are unable to generate earth from within themselves.

The Tarye live in the central southern region of Saudade. Most Taryes are characterized by their grounded, practical, and focused natures, and are considered the most disciplined of the four Elemental types. Commonly, the Tarye people work as farmers, soldiers, cooks, weavers, and plowmen. Due to their shared border with the Moores, the Tarye are also tasked with capturing Moores for various purposes and keeping the free Moores out of Elemental territory.

Generally speaking, the Taryes have light skin, brown eyes, and auburn hair.

### Hwoun Elementals

The Hwoun Elementals historically belong to the Hwoun tribe, and are able to manipulate water and water-based liquids. Unlike Pyeris, no Hwoun people are able to generate water from within themselves, though they are capable of removing water from things such as plants, meaning a source is almost always readily available.

The Hwoun live in the southwest region of Saudade. Most Hwoun are characterized by their emotional, spiritual natures, and are considered the most empathetic of the four Elemental types. Commonly, Hwoun people work as fishermen, artisans, carpenters, teachers, and doctors. The Hwoun are also the most creative of the Elementals, and the vast majority of artists, authors, and entertainers come from their land.

Generally speaking, the Hwou have light hair, blue eyes, and dark skin.

## Elemental Mixing

While the vast majority of Elementals marry and procreate within their same Elemental-type, there is no law against mixing with other types and as such a small minority of mixed-type Elementals due exist. When having children, there are some rules as to what powers their offspring will have:

If a Pyeri and a Hwoun have a child, their child will have Hwoun magic.

If a Tarye and a Pyeri have a child, their child will have Pyeri magic.

If an Ayera and a Tarye have a child, their child will have Tarye magic.

If a Hwoun and an Ayera have a child, their child will have Ayera magic.

In any other mixing case (such as a Pyeri and an Ayera match, or a Hwoun and a Tarye), there is a fifty-fifty chance their child will inherit either parent's abilities.

## Hallas

*(Main Article: Halla)*

The hallas are small minority of Elementals who never have an Emergence, and therefore never receive any form of magical abilities. The first documented case of a halla was in 2000 AF, and was a Hwoun Elemental girl called Halla sa Moso. Following her Emergence-less fourteenth birthday, her concerned parents took her to The Ministry Castle to be studied and hopefully cured. That never occurred, however, because exactly one week after her birthday, nearly the entire castle was murdered by Iktsarpok.