The Verilithir

A

t the center of the subterranean Verilith Forest lies the ancient eldyr stronghold of Liltairn - known to humans as Nighthold. While the citadel itself is home to the Eldyr and other powerful oas wielders, the surrounding city and forest are home to the Verilithir. The oas density in the forest from so many Eldyr in one place helped to cultivate an old and powerful people of the ground and vegetation elements. While mostly untouched by the effects of the human invasion, the Verilithir stand as the final defense between the Eldyr and whatever enemies might come their way.

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History

The Verilithir are one of the oldest cultures on Oabos. They are the very ground, plants, and fungi of the Verilith Forest come to sapience through steady connection with the world light. Eldyr provide both a direct link to Oabos and a general flooding of oas around themselves. The presence of so many Eldyr in Liltairn and thick prismem veins reaching from the core have caused the forest to be perpetually overflowing with oas. The abundance of oas strengthened the forest and helped the elementine of the area to develop faster.

As a consequence of this fast growth, the Verilithir are ancient, powerful, and set in their ways. They stand as guardians of the forest and the Eldyr. Prior to the arrival of the Children of Radiance, the Verilithir guarded against the Oasnyr - those without oas. The Oasnyr are elementine with the void element which draws in all light. While it is not common for anything with the void element to survive for long without the sustenance provided through oas, those elementine who found balance became very powerful and were greatly feared.

When the human Children of Radiance arrived, they were just another form of oasnyr. Fleshy beings with no oas. When they did not die out the Eldyr became enraged, but the humans somehow fought off one Eldyr after another. Leaving them rebuffed and wounded. Now the Verilithir stand guard against the day humanity finds their way beyond the storm band, and to the seat of the Eldyr. They are the defenders of the citadel and will stand as the last line against any enemy of Oabos.

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Verilith Forest

The Verilith forest sits deep within the mountains at the dark pole of Oabos. Rather than on the surface, the forest fills a massive cave structure beneath the mountains with large fissures open to the endless dark sky beyond the mountain peaks. This lush forest survives so deep because it does not require sunlight and instead is fed by the rich oas filling the caverns and resonating through the ground.

Tall trees and giant mushrooms fill the cavernous space while grasses, moss, and flowers cover the forest floor. Thick veins of prismem stretch through the cavern floor and up the walls like an inverted root system, with every exposed section shining blue-green light into a space which should be much darker. Unlike some regions of Oabos, all the natural life in the forest is old and infused enough to gain some level of sentience. While only beings who have gained sapience through the development of a full soul map can be called elementine, all sentient life within the forest are Verilithir.

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Culture

The Verilithir culture is broad, consisting of full elementine and lesser elemental beings. Even some of the oas wielders who have moved into Liltairn still consider themselves to be Verilithir, despite gaining a higher standing through their connection to oas and closer bond to the Eldyr. What binds them all together is the duty and purpose of protecting the citadel and the Eldyr within it.

Very little true battle has ever reached the Verilith Forest, so few of the original world-born of the forest have been killed. There have been some to wither and fade in old age, but most still remain. Since then, there have been more world-born elementine to gain sapience in the forest, as well as some bond-born. There are very few body-born Verilithir, as the act of nurturing the development of a new elementine within oneself is seen as a perversion of their purpose. The Verilithir should never turn their protection inward and should always be focused on the protection of the forest and the Eldyr.

Bond-born Verilithir hold a unique position within the forest. While the act of nurturing new life is still seen as a perversion of duty, bond-born are more likely to develop strong oas rings and ascend to Liltairn and serve the Eldyr directly. They and their families are held at a distance until their spirit ring fully develops. Any Verilithir with strong oas abilities is then brought into the citadel and their families earn positions of honor in the center of the forest. Any who develop other abilities are sent out of the forest proper, and their families are sent to the edges of the forest to be the first line.

Any elementine cast out of the Verilith Forest are no longer considered Verilithir and often find ways to serve the forest through the Crystal Conveyance System or its various entrances.