Aphos

Appearance

These Alva are quite similar in appearance to their Zubei neighbours, though they stand taller, their skin ranges from deep brown to some lighter tones. Their eyes, which are often golden in color but can also be brown, and their pointed ears are the most noticeable differences.

190-210cm in height.

Lifespan

Alva lead longer lives than humans, often reaching 200 to even 300 years of age. Though, given some of the dangerous practices, it could also be much less.

Religion & Beliefs

Aphos believe what lies unseen within the void is a mystery and power that must be uncovered, as it is a key to their past as well as their future. Some have fallen in the past to the deceptions of Utroghu, though many shun the god as his aspect brings destruction. Cults are common in Kiyuli and often worship dark entities from the void, which promise power and wealth for the act of bringing about breaks in the veil.

Geography

On the northern edge of the Argai Sea, before it is cut off by a vast waterfall, is Kiyuli. The shore is tropical, with many palm trees sweeping over the shores, giving the land an idyllic appearance. Further inland, it turns to grasslands that are dominated by a great Pyramid and its surrounding city, named for, and the tomb of the great sorcerer king, Khal. The City of Khal lies along the Saphir River, which flows

Society

The Aphos see the world differently from many of the other races; piercing the veil is something to be celebrated instead of feared. They even celebrate a festival where mages hope to draw forth a doorway through the void. The people themselves can be described as a mixed lot, with power being a draw for many while others are happy to study the nature of the Veil and methods to break through it. While the Aphos have many talented mages and scholars, it is still a very functioning nation, and there are many that celebrate the accomplishments of the few while maintaining their farms and other domestic areas of production.

Architecture

Buildings tend to be boxy, though often on a grand scale. Adobe being one of the more commonly used materials. However, rounded huts with grass roofs are also common in outer areas. Stonework is also featured within the cities, with grand docks and buildings, palatial homes for the influential, and the Great Pyramid dominating the city of Khal.

Wealth & Trade

The greatest source of wealth for the Aphos is the numerous and varied types of Lotus that grow within Kiyuli. The many types of lotus are a valuable and highly sought after ingredient in many things, including many alchemical recipes, and are traded across much of the known world. Their greatest trade partner in this respect is Hunlua, as many inventors and mages of Hunlua are convinced there are many more uses for lotus that have not yet been discovered.

Slavery

Slavery is common in Kiyuli, with the undesirables often bought from Sahrai for either work or to be sacrificed in some ritual. It is not always a good life in Kiyuli if you are a slave unless your usefulness has been proven to be more valuable than a sacrifice. As such, the slaves that remain are usually very skilled in what they do and tend to be well behaved.

Other Notes/Trivia

•  The word Aphos is derived from Aphotic, which refers to the Aphotic Zone of the ocean depths, also known as the Midnight Zone or Dark Ocean. We thought it was thematic with the Aphos and their desire to seek the Void beyond the veil.

• The Aphos were inspired by Ancient Egypt and North Africa, this can be useful information when trying to find real-world equivalent inspirations when designing your character. The in-game culture of Kush also inspired the Aphos as it was their original source in our Conan+ lore before we shifted to our custom lore.

• We really wanted to have some Alva that pushed the boundaries of mystic arts, the Aphos became our equivalent of "Dark Elves" but without the usual evil trope. Honestly we thought it was a cool concept of having African inspred Elves and mixing them with a dash of Egyptian styling and culture.