Fayren

Fayren (fay-ren)
Nickname:  the Dreamwalkers

Ancestral Affinity:  Dream

Ancestral Land:  Rhukichii (nomadic)

Average Lifespan:  700-750 years

Makeup/Costuming Requirements
Glitter required. Choice of elf ears, nubby (small) horns, and/or wings. You must have at least one of the features listed in addition to your glitter, but they may be of any color or style you wish, and you are not limited to one feature. If you like, you may have glitter and two or even all three of the additional racial feature choices. If you choose wings with feathers, you must spray or paint a heavy layer of glitter onto the feathers so that you are not easily confused with a Cochotl at a distance.

Racial Advantages
May purchase the Dreamwalker advantage at half cost.

Racial Disadvantages
Cannot break a Blood Oath without severe or deadly consequences.

Callings
Guardian  - Fayren's Blessing once per day (as Luck Advantage, but may also be transferred to another person).

Knowledge-Keeper  - Reduced cost buy-in for membership in the Scholars' Guild.

Observer  - Reduced cost buy-in for membership in the Explorers' Guild.

History
At one time, legend holds that the Fayren were the Keepers of Lore and the Guardians of Magic. Roughly 700 years ago, when Magic began to fail, the Fayren began to fade with it. The Realm of Dreams became more difficult to enter, and more dangerous to navigate. Eventually, the Door to Dreams faded, trapping some within and sealing those in the Waking World from accessing the Deep Dream altogether. Only the Eldest of the Council of Elders can now recall the horror of those days, and they refuse to speak of what they witnessed, even to each other. Elementals, Greater Totems, and Ancestral Spirits faded from perception. In time, even the Avatars of the Gods refused to walk the Waking World. When their wings began to wilt, the majority of the Fayren panicked. Believing that they had failed in their duties to protect the Magic, the Elders of that day vowed to stop its abuse at all costs. They concluded that the other races must be hoarding or over-using the Magic. The logical conclusion was to restrict or destroy the others' access to the Magic itself.

To that end, they set about to destroy all records, tomes, and libraries in what would become known to history as the Great Burning. Many of the younger Fayren refused to participate, and set about to resist the Elders' sudden madness. The only tomes of Magic still in existence today are, consequently, few and far between, and virtually all knowledge of True Magic is now lost to all living memory. When magical artifacts faded and began to blend in with common items, the Fayren lost track of most of the magical items that had survived the Burning. When the magical buildings finally failed, the young ones rushed in to save the people, artifacts, and books trapped within the collapsing structures. Henceforth, these heroic Fayren became known as the Lizu'na (lih-zoo-nah), which translates to "the Courageous Ones" in the old tongue.

Not a one of them escaped unscathed, and many were killed in their brave endeavors. Today, those still alive to tell the tale bear the scars of their courage visibly. Many are lame, some were blinded, or deafened, others scarred and disfigured. When the other Fayren realized what they had become in their panicked state, they bowed to the Lizu'na and offered themselves willingly as a race into indentured servitude to the other races as atonement. Only the Lizu'na felt their consciences were clear, and so they agreed to stand up and lead their people while the others labored with their penitence. Realizing what they had done, the Fayren as a race requested a Quest of Atonement from the new Lizu'na Elders. In lieu of a Quest, the Lizu'na Elders proclaimed that the History of Othonia would never forget their mistakes, and thus their failure was made known to the other races and was recorded into all historical documents of the time.

As the years passed, many of the indentured Fayren worked off their debts and were freed by their masters. Some refused to stop serving, or moved on to new contracts, while others went about their new found freedom with a heavy heart. In modern times, most Fayren are too young to recall this harsher era, but many of the older Fayren are frequently encountered, still bound into servitude contracts with their long-time masters or previous masters' families. Some of the younger ones have chosen to continue the tradition of penitence as well, but now it is no longer a required burden as it once was. The vast majority of non-criminal indentured servants even today are of the Fayren race, and yet they are still looked to for wisdom and guidance.