Sidereal Elves
Sidereal Elves, or Antikathri, are an uncommon subspecies of Elves. They are likely close relatives of the Sharathi, Dark Elves, due to their similar physical features and preference to mountainous regions. Unlike mainstream Dark Elves, Sidereal Elves place a great deal of cultural importance on astrology and astronomy - largely because they are innately attuned to the movements of the stars and planets.
Antikathri culture has often been described as stoic, perhaps even monastic. They are infamously tight-lipped when dealing with outsiders. What little else is publicized about them describes the Sidereal Elves as a deeply superstitious people, studying the movements of the stars with a zeal that borders on the religious. Tremendous importance is placed on horoscopes and divination.
They are far less prolific than other elves, with only a few major settlements in the far north of Epressa - close to the Gulf of Ryt and along the Spine. Despite their low population, Sidereal Elves are notorious for their practice of conjuration and the creation of the Antikathri Zodiac.
Overview
Language
The language of the Sidereal Elves can easily be recognized as a descendant of Falwood Elvish, though it has more in common with certain regional dialects of the Sharathi. Nonetheless, like all Elvish languages, it is incredibly complex.
Even Falwood Elves have often described Antikatherean, or Sidereal Speak, as an esoteric and alien language. The same applies for the written language, which uses a system of elaborate, ornamental glyphs. Like the spoken language, even other Elves seem to have difficulty in deciphering it.
Due to the low population of the Sidereal Elves and their lack of movement, there are no currently known Antikatherean dialects or offshoots.
Appearance
As Elves, the Antikathri are genererally tall and have noticably pointed ears. The skin tones of Sidereal Elves are quite similar to Sharathi, ranging from ashen grey to deep violet. The most common hair colors are grey, white, or black.
The best way to distinguish an Antikathri from other Elves are by its eyes. Uniformly, the eyes of Sidereal Elves are pure white and lack discernible pupils.
Habitat
Sidereal Elves are native to the northernmost portions of the Spine, but they are also incredibly isolationist. They prefer cold, remote climates that are as difficult to access as possible. While they do not consider themselves to be as connected to the mountains as the Falwood Elves do with forests, Sidereal Elves rely heavily on magic to carve structures out of the stone.
Communities of Sidereal Elves are often very, very small - no more than twenty or thirty in most cases. As a result, they are notoriously difficult to find and often hostile to any wayward travelers.
The largest Sidereal Elf settlements can be found close to the Gulf of Ryt, where populations more frequently number in the hundreds. These settlements tend to be much more open to interaction with the outside world, but their relationship with Molthal generally dissuades visitors from making the trip. Only the most insatiably curious scholars dare to make the journey.
Sidereal Elf settlements are built primarily from stone. They have been described as intimidating and monastic in appearance. Generally, Sidereal Elves live communally, so even the biggest settlements may only total a few dozen large buildings.
These settlements are frequently built in such a way that important buildings align perfectly with astronomical phenomenon. For example, buildings of particular importance will cast strange and deliberate shadows on the vernal and autumnal equinoxes.
Traits
As with many Elves, Sidereal Elves have a long lifespan. They reach maturity by 18 years of age. Sidereal Elves are considered middle aged at 300, elderly at 600, and venerable at 800. Much like the Falwood Elves, Sidereal Elves have been observed to sometimes persist as long as a thousand years.. But such instances are incredibly rare and poorly documented.
Due to their climate, Sidereal Elves are quite resistant to cold temperatures. They can exist quite comfortably in the coldest reaches the world has to offer. Conversely, they are often stifled by warmer climates. Some Antikathri travelers have been observed carrying enchanted objects that ward them against warm temperatures, keeping them comfortable.
Sidereal Elves often have innate magical abilities, but unlike other races they purportedly derive their magic directly from the innate power of celestial objects - stars and constellations in particular. Sidereal Elves born at the height of certain signs in the Antikathri Zodiac often have increased aptitudes with certain expressions of magic.
Background
At what point the Sidereal Elves broke off from mainline Dark Elves is not known. Perhaps the Dark Elves actually broke off from them. Whatever the case, the Sidereal Elves have been living around the Gulf of Ryt and in the northernmost reaches of the Spine since at least before the Blightlands were reduced to their current state. Oral traditions of the humans that once lived in the area mention the isolationist and mysterious tribes of dark-skinned, white-eyed elves who refused to lend their aid.
The defining cultural feature of the Sidereal Elves is their theology. It is a poorly understood and little publicized affair, though most label it simply as heretical, blasphemous, or tribalistic. The truth is somewhere in the middle.
Sidereal Elves reject the notion of Astra, the leading figure of Celestialism, as "Queen of the Stars", for the stars cannot be ruled. The primordial entities of Celestialism are understood as Gods-from-Nowhere, existing in the spaces between the stars. To deal with or worship the Gods-from-Nowhere is seen as taboo, as it was their meddling that brought untold destruction to Arethil in eons past.
The Gods-from-Dirt are those Gods who sprung up only in relation to Arethil, or from it. Kiva, Therg, the Celestials directly created by Astra, and any other mortals who achieve apotheosis fall into this category. Despite appearances, the title is not meant to be derogatory. To the Sidereal Elves, worshiping or dealing with many of the Gods-from-Dirt (save for Therg and the Celestials) is regarded more neutrally.
Finally, there are the Gods-from-Stars. The Sidereal Elves consider themselves to have a deep and intrinsic connection with these entities, who are said to reside in the stars in personal domains. The constellations of the Antikathri Zodiac are the most prominently invoked in their cultural ceremonies, and it is from these most prominent stars that the Sidereal Elves draw their magic.
Sidereal Elves associate the constellations of their zodiac with different forms of magic. Sidereal Elves born under certain signs will have corresponding aptitudes. More than that, the magic of Sidereal Elves can be empowered or dulled depending on the positions of these stars in the sky, or even other astrological phenomenon.
Many cultures have learned to extract magic from the stars, but few can even begin to approach the Antikathri in terms of ability, meticulousness, and pure obsession. The star charts and calendars of the Sidereal Elves are the work of untold generations. Many spend their lives probing what lurks beyond the vale and cataloging their discoveries.
The Antikathri, appropriately, are notorious conjurers. The exact origin and nature of the creatures they summon is hotly debated by outside scholars, but to the Sidereal Elves, there is no controversy: the beings they summon come from the stars, robbed from or bartered from the places the Gods-from-Stars reside to do their earthly bidding.
Conjuration is nothing new to most of Arethil, but pact-making - cutting deals with the Gods-from-Stars in exchange for a fraction of their power - originates with the Antikathri. Some speculate that the conjurer who terrorized the Blightlands in ages past received their powers from the Sidereal Elves... Or may even have been one.