Sylvan

Appearance

As with all Alva, the Sylvan people have the typical pointed ears of their people, but their appearances differ from each other, and the Sylvan are no exception to this. Their skin tends to be tanned to brown. Hair that tends to be black as well as being without curl.

Clothing is made from natural materials, such as leather and furs, and while their methods are not as refined, cloth woven from natural fibers is common. Feathers and bones are often used to adorn their clothing, with bones often being carved and shaped.

180-200cm in height.

Lifespan

Alva people live much longer lives, with the Sylvan sharing this particular aspect. 200 to 300 years is common.

Religion & Beliefs

Sylvan shamans are some of the most receptive when it comes to hearing the voice of the world. Living a harmonious life with nature has drawn favour from the old god Bahl, who presides over both plant and animal life. It is a bond formed out of mutual respect, as Bahl does not enjoy the bowing and scraping that other gods do, instead favoring those who respect life without greed. Those that manage to receive this favour are bestowed gifts to better understand their world, whether it be a higher understanding of the nature of all kinds of flora, some shamans being able to grow plants with a touch, or becoming one with the creatures of the land by sharing a mind as an out-of-body experience or even shapeshifting. While these abilities are not unique to the Sylvan, they are much more prevalent.

Geography

The Sylvan Wilds is merely called the Forest by the Sylvan, it is situated in the easternmost reach of the known lands, and stretches far beyond the borders of where even the Sylvan live. It is a relatively safe location from raids by the Runaharr, as the western edge of the forest is a large cliff overlooking both the Deadlands and the Velani Swamps. Access is difficult, as there are only a few narrow paths down these cliffs, which are often watched by hidden eyes for those that might dare to encroach on the lands under their protection. To the north lies a river that feeds from the wilds, the Thunderwall, spilling over the edge of the cliff into the sea at the easternmost tip of the Argai Sea.

Society

Sylvan society tends to follow more tribal customs taught to them by their ancestors, like honouring the stars. As such, many elder Sylvan tend to be stargazers and shamans, with the youth assigned roles as protectors and hunters for the tribes. This time spent in youth is not just for combat and games, as many of the warriors and hunters use the nights on watch as a chance to study the stars so that one day they too may become a stargazer or shaman.

Architecture

Sylvan buildings and homes tend to be more simple, like huts made from natural elements found within the forest. As such, these huts are often made of wood, hides, and moss, with larger buildings rarely using stone in their construction. These larger structures tend to be markets, taverns, and temples, with the temples seeing mossy stone work engraved with constellations and other natural patterns.

Wealth & Trade

While the Sylvan don’t offer much in the way of metals, few places in the known world offer such fine woods as the Forest. Making logging camps from most nations an attractive prospect, if the Sylvan did not guard the forest so zealously. Instead, the nations set up trade with the forest people, buying timber from the Sylvan that they have harvested from naturally fallen trees. Bahl wood is sought after for its color and strength.

Slavery

While the Sylvan have slaves they do not actively go out and take them from other cultures; instead, their stock comes from poachers and trespassers on their sacred land. While some are offered in sacrifice to Bahl, the rest are put to work maintaining sacred sites and other tasks around the village that might otherwise tie up the warriors and shamans from sacred duties.

Other Notes/Trivia

• The Sylvan were inspired by Native American people, this can be useful information when trying to find real-world equivalent inspirations when designing your character. Ingame, Pictish items are considered good assets to use.

• Since the Sylvan come from dense forests, their name reflects this. While it might be considered a little lazy when put into comparison with other names, we think it fits well.

• As with all Alva, the Sylvans are our version of Wood Elves, or Wild Elves. Each Alva has a unique relationship with the night sky and we drew on the idea of Native American's having different names for Constellations with each having it's own stories and descriptions.