The Mellimel’disiel
The Sacred Homeland of the species known as the Ellærn.
Orodael
Mellael
Myrael
The Ellaern are spread throughout their lands, in mountain plateaus in thick tents to keep out the cold winds, to hilly plains, and dense forests.
The Ellearn were created in the Iluden cave system, and spread from that plateau outwards over the mountains. The Orodeal consider themselves the original peoples of the Mellim plateaus. They carry on the traditions of raising Yaks, and leading a semi-nomadic lifestyle in thick tents to keep out the cold.
Those Ellaern who live in the sides of the mountains, blend plant and stone. Vines, and other vegetation wind through these deep man-made valleys, up the cliff walls, and down into dank, half-lit caverns. They began the art of homes interweaving with living trees, flowers, and vines.
Often these vines become a sort of ‘houseplant’ to be cared for by the household, specialized in providing fruits, vegetables, and nuts for food.
There is not a large population who inhabit the forests, most having left eons ago to the far more friendly south, where agriculture and animal husbandry were easier. The southern lands, both hilly and level are far more densely populated now. Yet, those Ellaern who have remained in the forests do not live high up in the trees, no, they live beneath them. Under the aerial roots, and leafy canopies of Banyan, fig trees.
Older banyan trees are characterized by their aerial prop roots that grow into thick woody trunks which, with age, can become indistinguishable from the main trunk. Old trees can spread out laterally, using these prop roots to cover a wide area. In some species the effect is for the props to develop into a sort of forest covering a considerable area, every trunk connected directly or indirectly to the central trunk.
South lands
In imitation of the mountainous homes their ancestors once had, the Mellael, built their homes in stone, and tree. The Ellaern have never been afraid to twist nature into more beautiful shapes of their choosing, (shape living trees.) This creates bizarre and beautiful living works of art that the Ellearn often call home.
Age
Ellaern's mental and emotional maturity is equivalent to 200 years of age; however, this only applies if the Ellearn grew up surrounded by only their own species, as they would in their homelands. In those circumstances, an Ellaern will appear physically adult by human standards around 100 years of age. They would develop sexual maturity at 140, followed by full sexual fertility around 160 years of age.
Otherwise, Ellearn children mature faster, such as in cases of trauma or growing up around humans. They may then be emotionally mature at 100 or even younger.
Having a past life with remembered memories may also accelerate this process, so the more substantial (full or better remembered) the memories are, the more mature the Ellaern will be at birth, both emotionally and mentally.
Ellaern have Biological Immortality, which refers to a stable or decreasing rate of mortality due to cellular aging or deterioration, where DNA is not damaged to the point where the cell can no longer reproduce itself. Meaning that this species is not subject to cellular aging or an upper limit on the lifespan. This is aided by an advanced immune system, which makes them immune to all bacteria, viruses, mutations, and parasites.
Ellaern average lifespans are 500+ years old.
Sex and Gender
Ellaern can change their sex at will with full control over this process. This allows the individual to target parts of their body or certain sex characteristics. The Ellaern can appear completely androgynous or have pronounced sexual characteristics like humans do in facial and body hair or breasts.
Typically, when they find a mate, one must be male or female, and this causes the other to become the opposite sex, allowing mating and procreation to occur.
Physicality
Because Ellaerns have less dense bones than humans, they have elongated limbs and a longer thorax, which gives them an unusual slenderness, making them appear lean and almost spindly. This makes their bones more susceptible to breakage. Their ears are the folded shapes of fallen autumn leaves, and due to this, Ellaern have hearing loss.
Fate and Destiny
Each Ellaern has a unique and incommensurable Destiny that determines their proper course in life. Having a Destiny meant that the Ellaern were bound to Fate, which decided one’s allotted years and the extent of one’s lifespan. As with Destiny complete, the Ellaern begins to shimmer and finally, peacefully, passes on.
"Live following your Destiny, that essential nature deep within that is the will of Fate and your endpoint. Once yours or others' decrees have been finished, rejoice as the life journey comes to a close."
To understand and act upon one’s Fate is the ultimate goal of an Ellaern’s life. Fate directs the individual towards Destiny, and Ellaern philosophy fills them with the joy of accomplishing what they were meant to achieve. Each Destiny cherished and cultivated to conform to the decree of one’s personal Destiny preserves each person’s authentic singularity (and individuality).
“For nothing is as good as bringing about what has been decreed by the Divine, for what Fate has decreed is called nature, and nothing is as good as realizing one’s Destiny and seeing it through.”
Empathy
The Ellaern were also given empathy to read and understand the emotions of all intelligent peoples and species. Meaning they do not share that empathy with animals. Each culture of Ellaern handles this aspect differently.
The Orodeal find violence against other intelligent peoples and species to be an anathema due to understanding and feeling the enemy's feelings. The Mellael do not share this sentiment against violence and do not use empathy to parse through people's minds, finding it little better than magic scanning others' thoughts. Mellael children were to ignore the readings of their empathy, and over time, suppress it entirely. To do otherwise would be quite a social faux pas. The Myrael share the Orodeal's aversion to violence and hurting others through knowledge of their emotions.