Sunrise Elves are the descendants of Sun Elves that chose to or were forced to stay in Haless after the fall of the Phoenix Empire in 1137 when the Phoenix Legions retreated back to Bulwar. Sunrise Elves are one of the smallest groups of Elves, with the majority living in Azkare or in the Porcelain Cities. The most notable Sunrise Elf is Hiderion Tonanzuir.
Name and Etymology[]
The Sunrise Elves are named after Jaerel, often referred to as the Sunrise Emperor, as the elves referred to Haless as the sunrise continent due to its eastern position compared to Bulwar.
History[]
After the death of Jaher and Jaerel soon after, Haless was in a state of chaos, as the native peoples of the continent rose up against elven rule and started a pogrom against all elves. As a result, most elves either died or fled west with the legions. The Sun Elves that remained, most forcibly remaining, as travelling would likely cause death, would become the current Sunrise Elves.
Yanshen
The Regions of Yanshen and Xianjie saw the most casualties, and the few Elves that did survive there were often those on the edges of civilization which saw little elven intervention, taking up solitude professions such as hunters and herbalists, or settling in far-away villages, away from authorities that would persecute them. Few elves attempted to seek refuge among the various temples in Xianjie, but most were killed or turned away, eventually leading to the formation of the Nakhriban in Azkare.
Arawkelin
Arawkelin, firmly in control by elf-friendly forces, never persecuted the elves and as such came to host large amounts of elves that did not wish to return to Bulwar. Many Elves in Yanshen fled by boat rather than through the hostile lands of Xianjie, and while most sailed on to Bulwar, some remained to form the military elite of Arawkelin.
South Haless
South Haless in general had little if any elves living in it, the exception being the border fortress of Azkare, which became a beacon for Sunrise Elves following the death of Jaher, as it’s position among the autonomous towns of the Sikai, who were friendly towards the elves, meant that it was able to avoid the pogroms occurring in the rest of Haless.
Porcelain Cities
The porcelain cities had gained extensive mercantile privileges and were one of the few groups to gain from Jaher’s invasion, as such, violence in the cities were kept to a minimum against Elves, but they were heavily discriminated against. Elven merchants often saw their goods confiscated, they received longer sentences for crimes, and had fewer privileges, including not being allowed to own land or serve in the military. As a result, most Sunrise Elves in the porcelain cities either became artisans, or were forced into a life of crime and squalor.
Rahen
In Rahen, fighting had been fierce to subdue the harimari in the ascension peninsula, and as a result many saw it fitting to take elven slaves, forcing them to serve their families for generations, sometimes in positions such as musicians and artists, but more often in humiliating positions such as dung shoveler or pleasure servant. Northern Rahen had little elven settlement, and the few garrisons that existed quickly had fled westwards to Bulwar.
Culture[]
Religion
Religion among Sunrise Elves was diverse, with some maintaining the worship of Surael, while others converted to local faiths such as Accretive Path and High Philosophy. Most Sunrise Elves, unlike the Sun Elves, rejected Jaher’s divinity, as a result of the abundance of failures that occurred in Haless. The center of Sun Cult worship in Haless was located in Azkare, where a more radical faction called the Aistszur (Sons of the East) clung to the old ways of Jaher, including the Sun cult.
Language
Most Sunrise Elves adopted the local languages out of necessity. In larger population centers, such as Azkare and Arawkelin, a dialect of Sun-Elven was maintained, both taking influences from the Kai and Kelino languages respectively.
Leadership
In Azkare, the leader of the Elves and the country as a whole was referred to as the Supreme Convocationary. The Convocation was a body of elves that ruled not just the elves but all people living in Azkare. Arawkelin was not ruled by Sunrise Elves directly, but its communities were often ran by rich merchants or veterans from the time of Jaher or campaigns against the Yanglam.
Bowmasters of Lektonmai
The Elves in Lektonmai, just east of Azkare, took up the art of archery from the masters of Xianjie. This led to the invention of the Bokar bow, a large, asymmetric bamboo bow, used for both horse archery and foot archers. The Bowmasters of Lektonmai became famous across all of Haless, and many Sun Elves took the journey to Lektonmai to learn from these experts of archery, bringing the invention to Bulwar.
Khanvuphaim
Khanvuphaim is a textile made with feathers, with silk like qualities of softness and strength. It's production process is a labour intensive and complicated procedure, and as such the industry is controlled by the select few elves who maintain the skills to produce the textile, a skill that takes decades to hone. It is often worn by the Shining Lancers that protect Azkare, as well as the official garb of the convocationaries.
Nakhriban
The Nakhriban is a school of martial arts inspired by the Xia, Founded by Amareis of the Cresting Phoenix after being denied entry to all the temples she visited in Xianjie, he created his own school of combat, combining the aspects of various schools as well as the ways of the Phoenix Legions, with a focus on teamwork and unity. They founded this school in Azkare, and accepted all who wished to train with them.
Demographic[]
Population Centres
The three largest Sunrise Elven populations can be found in Azkare, Arawkelin, and Sarisung(Specifically, the district of Kethur), and Phangban. Further communities can be found in the remaining Porcelain cities, as well as smaller ones spread around South Haless and Rahen. Azkare initially held the smallest population, but over the centuries many elves facing persecution flocked to Azkare as it was a safe haven and beacon of hope for newfound prosperity.