The intention is to follow genre conventions in order to avoid having to stop and explain the cobha.

An introduction to the Faefolk, before the actual info on skyelves.



And here is the info on skyelves. Any questions?


Appearance
The average skyelf is thin and willowy, with classically pointed ears. Hair colors range from light brown to dark black, with fair (pale) skin and blue or green eyes.

Talents
All skyelves have one basic talent. They can have limited control of the wind, around their person. This allows them to move through the woods more easily, and have a tiny bit of weather control around their person (about 10 feet). They also can move quicker and quieter through manipulating the wind to change the air pressure around them. This also allows them to make the blows of their weapons stronger, by decreasing and increasing air pressure behind the blade.

Individual elves have other talents. One known talent which is fairly common is the ability to influence animals via the wind. It is unknown how this works, except that it is very limited, and is rather vague, too.

Another is to be good at climbing from tree to tree, without those below knowing of the presence of the elf above. The opposite of this talent is to be able to fall without being hurt. No elf is afraid of heights – rather, many prefer to stay in the heights rather than walk on the ground like normal human beings. This annoys the other clans, thinking that the elves consider themselves better than human now. (which is an incorrect POV)

Another talent is that of storyteller. This person can throw their voice around and create animations by manipulating the wind to move small objects and particles to make pictures. They can also do multiple voices. This is most similar to ventriloquism.

Weaknesses
Skyelves hate fire. They dislike its uncontrollableness, its unpredictability. It burns their living places, and wind only fans it. Therefore, they avoid it as much as possible. They especially fear forest fires, for many of their people have been trapped and killed in such blazes.

Habitations
The skyelves primarily inhabit the woods. They have a few common dwellings scattered through the forest which they dwell in during the deep wintertime, but are in general very solitary people and live alone or in small family groups during the summer. They will sleep under the open sky most of the time. They are fairly impervious to cold and wet.

At the beginning of each season, the skyelves have a celebration at their main common dwelling. They also light the communal ovens and dry enough jerky and bake enough breadstuffs for the next three months, with extra in case of emergencies. Of course, though, they know the forest well enough to survive on greens for long periods of time as necessary.

Clothing Styles
The clothes of the skyelves are fairly tight, but not immodest. This is because of the whole climbing-in-trees thing. It really looks stupid to be snagged up in a tree by the back of your precious poet shirt or by the edge of your huge flowing skirt.

However, they also love flowing clothes that billow in the wind and just have that element of cool. The balance between practical (tight) and beautiful (flowing) is found with the fabric all their clothes are made of – light and tough – and also in the peculiar cut of the styles of their clothes.

Their clothes have extra pleats and folds that may be let loose in a second in order to have a more flowing style, but are easy to pin up for an easy exit via the trees.


The colors in which they dress are forest green, chocolate brown, robins egg blue, and royal purple.

Weapons
The sky-elves prefer extended-range weapons such as bows and arrows. However, they can use a sword as well as any other Faefolk. They enhance this with their abilities.

I think it makes sense and sounds cohesive. The connection between wind and fire (that wind, their strength, only worsens their fear, fire) struck me as incredibly strong and symbolic.

Are they afraid of even candles and lamps? Is it possible to scare them away or defeat them in battle just by frightening them with fire?

You spoke of their family structure, but what is their government like?

It would be neat if you had a skyelf that did think they were better than humans. Would make an interesting person to deal with.

They're not bothered by candles and lamps as long as you're being careful of them. They'd be very likely to tell you to put it out, though, because they don't want to start a major fire.

Government is..........um............ they're mainly self-governing. Those who keep the common houses are held in high respect/authority, though. (somewhat like Elrond. Though he had his own reasons for being held in such authority!)

Interesting character type, yes, but it's also a cliche one. Elves have long had problems with anything other than elves. (see: Silmarillion. see also: movie!LotR. see also: implications in book!LotR)

I assume they never use candles and lamps? How do they see in the dark? It would be interesting to deal with an elf that wouldn't travel in the nighttime because he refused to have a light.

I love the skyelves concept Jenni!

Lots of people travel at night without lights. It's not THAT dark out there. There's starlight and moonlight. And some people want to creep around in the dark... you just get used to not-tripping-on-things. So I don't think it's much of a problem.

Someone who does more outdoor stuff than me could correct me, though. Around here at night the sky is pretty bright due to the factory down the road, streetlights, etc.


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Thanks, Airianna!

Sounds pretty good to me. Though I must say I've never encountered this genre convention. The only sky elves I've seen were elves that lived in cliffs and rode gigantic birds; nothing at all like yours.

Which genre convention? I'm mainly using the ones having to do with woods and stuff. (I kinda borrowed the elemental concept from video games and made up most of the rest myself. )

That was my question, you said you wanted to use genre conventions and I thought you were saying that "skyelves" were a genre convention. My misunderstanding I get it now that elves in general are the genre convention you were referring to.

Haha, I get it.

I have a couple more things I should add to the doc... I'll edit above.

(my brother has been helping me think of things for the elves to be capable of doing)

You brother sound really supportive of your work Jenni. Every time I hear you talk about him he's giving you input. That's such a blessing!

It is. We talk during dishes a lot because we do dishes together twice a day...and he has discovered that anything Ubuntu goes over my head. So we talk writing and books and argue about Eragon. Fun stuff like that, LOL.

I'm forever after him to try writing himself, but he won't...yet.... I think he'll come around eventually. He just comes up with these interesting world things.

Which in turn you get to use. Maybe you shouldn't encourage him to write himself