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PTTG · 11-30-2016, 03:19 PM

Owl's Nest Elves
(Nyth y Dylluan)

A nation of Elves (Homo Sapiens Eldar, or Forest Elves) once entered into an enduring feud with a local demigod, the Dark Owl. The Dark Owl oppressed the people of several worldlines -- a kind of informal skerry, if you will -- from its nocturnal, forested realm. The elves saw the injustice and sought to aid the humans who lived under the dark god's deprivations. The fighting raged for a century, but the elves were eventually able to slay the powerful being by sending a massive force of mages, warrior guards, and followers to the demigod's home plane. What they did not anticipate was that the demigod itself was the source of the mana that flowed into the world. Without it, the Elves were trapped in the now magicless worldline.

The force consisted of some twenty thousand elves and a few hundred human companions. Lacking for magic, they set about establishing a means of living in this new world while they sought a means to escape. The only consolation is that the Dark Owl's enchantment that brought permanent night to the plane was lifted, leaving their new home mostly normal.

Though they were successful in establishing a new home, rescue never came. The realm was entirely cut off from magic and psionic access. As the decades passed, the elves discovered that even they themselves were weakening and growing older -- albiet slowly. Though they still lived for between two and three hundred years, these elves were not immortal. In fairly short order, the original force had died, leaving only native-born elves who had never known magic, but did know the story of how they came to be stranded without their birthright. few humans in the group were soon married into the Elven families until the distinction all but faded away.

The centuries were long and full of hardship. Perhaps the lingering malice of the Dark Owl still tainted the plane; perhaps there is something about great challenges that divide people. Perhaps it was simply a feeling that humans were ultimately responsible for the conflict that eventually cost the elves their magical birthright. Regardless of the cause, the Elves eventually came to disdain human heritage, and attempt to cull it from their society. Those descended from Humans were considered lesser elves, and in the darkness of the centuries, the Elves came to understand why the Dark Owl preyed on humans, and why its destruction ended the flow of mana in the realm.

The Dark Owl used the sacrifice of men and mer as a source of mana, and the rituals still functioned. Without a massive supply of daily sacrifices, mana could not be restored to the world, but individual acts of sacrifice could be used to rejuvenate a small class of Elves at the cost of the lives of the "lesser elves."

And so the system continued. It ultimately fossilized into a fixed order of the highest elves living long lives far superior to the low elves below them.

Technology marched forward. About a 17 hundred years after they were first trapped in Nyth y Dylluan, the Elves finally succeeded in creating a technomagical portal, powered partly by the soul of "lesser elf," and partly by a 200 MW nuclear reactor. They have TL 8^ with a small assortment of magical gadgets.

Now, the leading elves have finally achieved their goal. But if they leave, they will no longer be the only immortals, gods over the gods. And so, they now simply seek to bring more power to themselves. More sacrifices.

11-30-2016, 03:19 PM	#15
PTTG Join Date: Feb 2011	Re: Alternate Crosstime Organizations Owl's Nest Elves (Nyth y Dylluan) A nation of Elves (Homo Sapiens Eldar, or Forest Elves) once entered into an enduring feud with a local demigod, the Dark Owl. The Dark Owl oppressed the people of several worldlines -- a kind of informal skerry, if you will -- from its nocturnal, forested realm. The elves saw the injustice and sought to aid the humans who lived under the dark god's deprivations. The fighting raged for a century, but the elves were eventually able to slay the powerful being by sending a massive force of mages, warrior guards, and followers to the demigod's home plane. What they did not anticipate was that the demigod itself was the source of the mana that flowed into the world. Without it, the Elves were trapped in the now magicless worldline. The force consisted of some twenty thousand elves and a few hundred human companions. Lacking for magic, they set about establishing a means of living in this new world while they sought a means to escape. The only consolation is that the Dark Owl's enchantment that brought permanent night to the plane was lifted, leaving their new home mostly normal. Though they were successful in establishing a new home, rescue never came. The realm was entirely cut off from magic and psionic access. As the decades passed, the elves discovered that even they themselves were weakening and growing older -- albiet slowly. Though they still lived for between two and three hundred years, these elves were not immortal. In fairly short order, the original force had died, leaving only native-born elves who had never known magic, but did know the story of how they came to be stranded without their birthright. few humans in the group were soon married into the Elven families until the distinction all but faded away. The centuries were long and full of hardship. Perhaps the lingering malice of the Dark Owl still tainted the plane; perhaps there is something about great challenges that divide people. Perhaps it was simply a feeling that humans were ultimately responsible for the conflict that eventually cost the elves their magical birthright. Regardless of the cause, the Elves eventually came to disdain human heritage, and attempt to cull it from their society. Those descended from Humans were considered lesser elves, and in the darkness of the centuries, the Elves came to understand why the Dark Owl preyed on humans, and why its destruction ended the flow of mana in the realm. The Dark Owl used the sacrifice of men and mer as a source of mana, and the rituals still functioned. Without a massive supply of daily sacrifices, mana could not be restored to the world, but individual acts of sacrifice could be used to rejuvenate a small class of Elves at the cost of the lives of the "lesser elves." And so the system continued. It ultimately fossilized into a fixed order of the highest elves living long lives far superior to the low elves below them. Technology marched forward. About a 17 hundred years after they were first trapped in Nyth y Dylluan, the Elves finally succeeded in creating a technomagical portal, powered partly by the soul of "lesser elf," and partly by a 200 MW nuclear reactor. They have TL 8^ with a small assortment of magical gadgets. Now, the leading elves have finally achieved their goal. But if they leave, they will no longer be the only immortals, gods over the gods. And so, they now simply seek to bring more power to themselves. More sacrifices.