Elemental Background
(More background information. I believe in being verbose.)
Elementals are both feared and respected as some of the most offensively powerful supernatural humans. Able to harness the power of the elements, Elemental abilities are also highly noticeable. Originally the term “Elemental” only referred to individuals aligned with one of the four major elements of Earth, Wind, Water, and Fire. In modern times, it also includes “lesser” elements like Electricity and Metal, and less quantifiable elements like Light and Darkness.
Elemental abilities can be broken into three groups:
The Elementals divide themselves into courts according to element. These courts work together to govern all the Elementals in an area, which may cover a single city or a large series of rural counties. Formally monarchies, the Courts are mostly democratic, though leaders are often elected along family lines. The local courts answer to larger courts that span entire countries (like the US) or even continents (like Europe).
European courts follow the elemental beliefs of the Celtic, Nordic, and Germanic tribes:
For centuries, the Elemental Courts have been the most structured organizations in the supernatural world, giving them political power. When combined, these courts have a higher population than any other supernatural group. Structured Elemental society also values purity of blood, ensuring that most family lines only breed Elementals, usually of a specific element.
In modern times, this has begun to change. The strict social hierarchy has losened, allowing for outer-marrying. Families traditionally associated with a single element are having multiple children of different elements. Even worse, Elemental children are being born to supernatural families outside of Elemental society. Some are even being born to mundane humans.
Another sign of the breakdown of Elemental purity is the occurrence of individuals whose power extends to more than one element. This is troublesome because the more elements an individual is aligned with, the less power they wield with each element. For an Elemental, less power equals less strength. This “weakening” is feared by many leaders of the Elemental courts.
An Elemental legend says that the birth of an individual who is aligned with all four elements will signify the downfall of Elemental power within the supernatural world. However, some argue that this individual can unite the courts and guide them into the modern age.
Elementals are both feared and respected as some of the most offensively powerful supernatural humans. Able to harness the power of the elements, Elemental abilities are also highly noticeable. Originally the term “Elemental” only referred to individuals aligned with one of the four major elements of Earth, Wind, Water, and Fire. In modern times, it also includes “lesser” elements like Electricity and Metal, and less quantifiable elements like Light and Darkness.
Elemental abilities can be broken into three groups:
- Creation - The ability to create an element
- Manipulation - The ability to control and manipulate an element
- Metamorphosis - The ability to physically turn into an element
The Elementals divide themselves into courts according to element. These courts work together to govern all the Elementals in an area, which may cover a single city or a large series of rural counties. Formally monarchies, the Courts are mostly democratic, though leaders are often elected along family lines. The local courts answer to larger courts that span entire countries (like the US) or even continents (like Europe).
European courts follow the elemental beliefs of the Celtic, Nordic, and Germanic tribes:
- North = Earth
- East = Air
- South = Fire
- West = Water
- North = Air
- East = Water
- South = Earth
- West = Fire
For centuries, the Elemental Courts have been the most structured organizations in the supernatural world, giving them political power. When combined, these courts have a higher population than any other supernatural group. Structured Elemental society also values purity of blood, ensuring that most family lines only breed Elementals, usually of a specific element.
In modern times, this has begun to change. The strict social hierarchy has losened, allowing for outer-marrying. Families traditionally associated with a single element are having multiple children of different elements. Even worse, Elemental children are being born to supernatural families outside of Elemental society. Some are even being born to mundane humans.
Another sign of the breakdown of Elemental purity is the occurrence of individuals whose power extends to more than one element. This is troublesome because the more elements an individual is aligned with, the less power they wield with each element. For an Elemental, less power equals less strength. This “weakening” is feared by many leaders of the Elemental courts.
An Elemental legend says that the birth of an individual who is aligned with all four elements will signify the downfall of Elemental power within the supernatural world. However, some argue that this individual can unite the courts and guide them into the modern age.