The Fell

The Fell, also known as the Fae People of Kyner, are by all accounts an offshoot of humanity, formed from a great magic ritual gone awry. Driven by an insatiable need to indulge in extreme emotion, these dark beings have wrought great evil since their creation, and are despised by all of the sapient races of Az.    

The Catastrophe of Kyner

  Before the creation of the Fell, there was a great commune of people, named the Stewards of Deliverance, a semi-religious group which was formed at first as a relief for impoverished peoples and nations towards the end of the Mythic Era. As this group persisted through the Enlightened Era, their original goal was shifted to the eventual release of humanity from all suffering, with the idea being that they could ascend to a perfect existence through the use of magic. To this end, the Stewards began recruiting as many mages as they could, while devising a method by which they could enact this plan.   It was then by 587 E.E that the pieces were put in place, with four great magic wielders coming forth in order to sponsor this endeavor, those being Jemir Farik of the Gomaiy places, Bornholm Dietrich of the then kingdom of Herbstheim, Princess Basira of the Hajar Lords and the Lady Amaryllis, who was born into the Steward's ranks. With these individuals, it was decided that a great ritual would be held in the country of Kyner, which was where the Stewards were based. It would be in thirteen years, after a call for any and all people to participate was concluded, that the ritual was to begin.   Now, at about this time, the Scion-students on the Isle of the Wise became aware of the Steward's intentions, and the Masters of this order were quick to send emissaries across to the Long Stretch, with the hope of dissuading the Stewards from performing such a risky feat of magic. Especially among them, Philipé de Bardo, the Master Bio-magus, was heavily against the ritual, being as educated as he was in matters of genetic manipulation. So the Scion-students sent out delegates to hopefully prevent any disaster from occurring, or mitigate the fallout if negotiations failed. Yet these emissaries never arrived at kyner, nor were they ever seen again after embarking from their isles.   Unbeknownst to most, Basira had grown to despise the Lady Amaryllis, who was beloved by all in the commune for her kindness and beauty, of which the proud princess was deeply envious. In the midst of this discontent, a lone figure came to Basira a week before the event was to unfold, promising her great power over the people of the commune and beyond. The condition of this power was that she would aid him in altering the sigilyphs that lay across Kyner, of which the ritual's effect was dependent on.   Readily agreeing, the two began work in secret, convincing the mages whose charge was maintaining the sigils that there had been a miscalculation with the designs, thereby subtly changing their effect. Returning to the grove in the forest where the main ritual was to be held, Basira lied to her fellows, saying that a great mage of the Scion-students had helped her in fixing an error with the sigils, thereby explaining her absence and endearing herself to the commune.   Emboldened by the news that their vision was supposedly supported by the Scion-students, the members of the commune were eager to start the ceremony, not one person realizing the great peril they were now in. At midnight, when the greater moon was full and her sister was unseen, the great catastrophe began. Pouring their magic into the way lines that connected to the sigils, all the mages of the commune were locked in a trance as the ritual progressed, with the common-folk beside them deep in prayer and chanting for success.   As the night bled on, change began to occur. From the center of the gathering where the four great magicians stood, a great hum was heard emanating, and their skin seemed to shimmer, slowly changing from their original colour to a variety of hues. This alteration would spread to all the people found within the great sigils of Kyner, with each person taking on a fresh skin tone that resembled one of the four colours of the great mages. Swiftly following this change, the Stewards all began to experience an even greater change: their musculature and features rapidly becoming augmented and refined, much to their surprise. Rejoicing, the congregation took these changes as a sign of success, pouring as much effort as they could into completing the ritual, not aware of what was to come next.   It came first as slight feeling, nothing more than an slight tipsiness, a fever they would say, as all within Kyner experienced a sort of warping of the senses. This emotion soon advanced to outright giddy intoxication, with many members beginning to enjoy a sense of euphoria with their newfound strength and perception, delighting in this release from pain and weariness. Truly emboldened now, the Stewards began reveling in their new forms, taking part in debauched celebrations, with every sensation being amplified by their enhanced sensitivity. All while this happened, the great four continued their work, shouldering the last load of the ritual before its completion, too focused to see what was unfolding around them, though Basira was aware of the consequences her meddling would cause.   At last, as the dawn began to rise above the hills, the ritual was completed, much to the dismay of all. For emerging from the woods, was the Stewards of Deliverance, indeed delivered, but not to the ascended state that they had envisioned. Rather, the beings that emerged from those alpenglow-lit glades were, by all accounts, a fall from grace from the once noble Stewards. From there on, they would be known as the Fell, the dreaded menace of the Long Stretch and beyond, because as soon as those who were not changed were spotted, the Fae people of Kyner were driven to frenzy, seeking to inflict agony and destruction on any and everything in their vicinity.   The next four years were a wretched time for many denizens of the Long Stretch, with the spreading chaos caused by the Fell and their violence ending a number of lives estimated to be in the millions. Several countries around Kyner were ravaged, with further millions of refugees being displaced by the carnage.   Eventually the unchecked tide of the Fell began to be pushed northward by military efforts from the Cericonian Dominions, mercenary groups like the Grim-hats and the armies from several states along the Amber Coasts. This push against the Fell culminated in the Day of Riddance, also known as La Buena Salida or Der Abscheid. On this day, the remnants of the now tattered Fell were pushed to the coastal village of Huric, where they waged a desperate attempt to break through the blockade of armed forces cutting them off from the rest of the Long Stretch. This ended in failure, with the surving Fell stealing a fleet of shipping vessels around the port, casting off as quickly as possible while the various human forces picked off the more crazed Fae-folk still fighting.   While the fate of the great four mages is largely unknown, Basira of the Hajar Lords escaped the retaliation of the Long Stretch, leading the greater force of the Fell off the continent, sailing northwards for the Tall Stretch, taking the island nation of Edelmar as their own before launching an incursion on the Mik-Rhulak giants, who to this day are embroiled in a bitter struggle with the Fell for their homeland.  

Physiology

  The Fell are considered their own distinctive species from humanity, in no small part due to the events of the Catastrophe of Kyner, causing several alterations to both their genetic and physical structure. Most relevant is their massively improved muscle and skeleton structure, with tighter muscle fibres and denser bones giving the average Fell individual around thrice the strength of a normal human equivalent, both in explosive power and prolonged muscle use. Suffice to say, this change has an enormous effect on the speed and agility of these demi-humans, as they only weigh slightly more than they would as a true human, allowing for running speeds of up to sixty kilometers per hour and the ability to scale vertical surfaces with proficiency comparable to arboreal apes. The Fell are also recipients of remarkable sensory abilities, with their sense of hearing and smell described as being like that of a hunting hounds. Greater still is their vision, as sharp as a hawks and able to see in complete darkness, attributed as the Fell's strongest advantage over humans, as they are known to attack under the cover of night while suffering none of the drawbacks that come with such low visibility.   This coincides with several smaller developments to the body structure of these people, with the characteristically elongated pinna giving the Fell a distinct sharpness to their ears. So too have their teeth sharpened, with even Fell incisors featuring a defined point, which allows for particularly brutal bites to be delivered. The same can be said for their nails, though they are closer to claws more than anything, strong enough to bore into tree bark without breaking and just as dangerous as any other weapon the Fell may wield. In fact, this overall "sharpened" aspect of the Fell is what forms the basis for some of their more common titles such as the 'Men of Razors', 'Honed Demons' and 'Whetted Ones'.  

The Four Castes

Blues

At the head of this caste system are the blue Fell-folk, often known as the overlords of the Fell for their influence over the other three groups. The Stewards of Deliverance which became these creatures were those whom were most associated and confided with the traitor Basira, who corralled the Fell after their genesis and leads them to this day from the shadows. Possessed of skin which ranges from pale blue to shades of almost navy blue, these Fae people are perhaps the most dangerous of all, as while they number far fewer than any other caste, they seemingly have been least affected by the mind altering effects of the Kyner ritual, and therefore are far more in control of their emotions and thinking. This trait becomes formidable when paired with the enhanced physical ability of the Fell, allowing the Blue Fae to effectively strategize and attack without falling to the delirious blood-lust of their other kin.   Noted for having the most aesthetically pleasing of physiques, these Fell-folk are not overtly muscular naturally, instead leaning towards a lean and elegant form which would be associated with that of a gymnast. In terms of temperament, the blues generally maintain a cool, detached composure in all their actions, even when inflicting unspeakable torment on their victims. Evidently, these Fell-folk derive the most satisfaction from actions which reinforce their sense of superiority, less addicted to the physical responses of the body but more so the emotional distress of victims and the power that comes with controlling others.  

Greens

  The green Fae-folk are a decidedly less subtle caste, linked to the mage Bornholm Dietrich, who was notoriously fond of alcohol and contests involving displays of physical might. With skin coloration ranging from light mint green to deeper shades comparable to evergreen leaves, these are the strongest members of the Fell race. With vast, burgeoning frames composed of bulging muscle and a tendency to fall into blood-lusted battle frenzies, it is said there is no more frightening a sight than to see a group of these behemoths barreling down upon you. Aside from their strength and size, the durability of the greens is something to behold, with many reports from Cericonian outposts noting that an individual could be riddled with wounds that would kill all but the most sturdy of creatures, and still continue to fight as if they were in peak condition. Several accounts have even stated that having large portions of their head blown off via magic or gunfire may not halt a green, with the frothing berserkers persisting for several minutes, before their bodies follow their minds in death.  

Purples

  Perhaps most hated of all the Fell-folk, the purple caste is connected to Jemir Farik, a figure who was renowned for his temperance and composure before the fall of the Stewards of Deliverance, but he had a hidden weakness towards lust. This once veiled part of Farik's identity has been laden upon the purple Fell, who have become truly depraved beings. Despite being sensory empaths (something also likely gained from their connection to Farik), the emotional response of others seems to serve as a stimulant for these Fae-folk, causing them to seek out extreme emotions almost involuntarily. This comes in several forms, from maliciously torturing victims for the pain it causes, performing gratuitous acts of sexual violence to sate their lust, or at times taking part in great festivities, wherein the music played can cause purple Fell to lose all sense of self, dancing for several days without pause before eventually collapsing from exhaustion. With a skin pigmentation varying from deep plum purple to softer lilac, these lithe Fae-folk are known as the Arch-hedonists of their race, treated with aversion even by the other castes of the Fell.  

Reds

  Closing out the castes of the Fell are the reds, the destitute bottom of Fae-folk society. With most of the founding members of this group being composed of the Lady Amaryllis' followers, it is fitting that their change in skin colour was to the blood red and scarlet found on the flower that was their lady's namesake. Even more fittingly, if perhaps more tragic, is what became of these Fae-folk after the Catastrophe of Kyner. For despite undergoing the physical transformation of the Fell, the red Fae-folk do not exhibit the complete psychological corruption of the other castes, instead expressing a temperament that is more in line with their human selves before the catastrophe. This fact makes it so that all the reds who were present in Kyner maintained their pacifistic beliefs from the Stewards of Deliverance, hence were resistant to the carnage that the other Fell were wreaking. The result of their resistance was the slaughter of all Fae-folk, even those of other castes, who dissented against Basira and her call to violence. With Amaryllis being captured and the remaining reds being rounded up, they were forced into slavery and brought along with the hosts of the Fell as they ravaged the Central Corridor. After the expulsion of the Fell from the Long Stretch, the reds were hauled away in the crude ships and rafts, before being being put to work by the other castes, acting as farmers in the occupied lands of the Mik-Rhulak giants on the Tall Stretch. Possessing physiques comparable to the purple and blue Fae-folk, the reds attempt to enjoy what little free time, if any, by playing music on instruments of their own making. The idea of rebellion is a constant in the minds of these broken people, however their generally sound mental states makes them unable to access the manic strength and savagery of their contemporaries, and with the second smallest population of the four castes, it is easy to see why such a thing has yet to occur on a large scale.