Alfar of Nagast
No trace of kindness exists in the world of the alfar, a race whose minds were shattered and then erratically rebuilt by a cruel and insane deity. To the alfar, pleasure is derived from the suffering of others, and the only impulse that can override their urge to torture and destroy, is a marrow-seated need to please their god-king.
Like poison darts, alfar night raiders strike deep into the lands of the foreigner. Appearing out of nowhere, they cut bloody swathes of death and destruction, before vanishing just as tracelessly as they came. To their victims, it seems like the night itself shapes the alfar, then dissolves them again when their butcher's work is done.
In combat, alfar are hate-fuelled killing machines, whose unshakable bravery and great skill makes them feared opponents. Their character has a strong streak of individualism, however, and unless orders are perceived as the will of Melek, alfar warriors are reluctant to follow any grand plan or strategy. As soon as battle is joined, each alfar tends to fall back on his own murderous instincts, or to fight alongside a small, tightly-knit group of raiding comrades.
See race page for info on attributes.
History
No trace of kindness exists in the world of the alfar, a race whose minds were shattered and then erratically rebuilt by a cruel and insane deity. To the alfar, pleasure is derived from the suffering of others, and the only impulse that can override their urge to torture and destroy, is a marrow-seated need to please their god-king.
Like poison darts, alfar night raiders strike deep into the lands of the foreigner. Appearing out of nowhere, they cut bloody swathes of death and destruction, before vanishing just as tracelessly as they came. To their victims, it seems like the night itself shapes the alfar, then dissolves them again when their butcher's work is done.
In combat, alfar are hate-fuelled killing machines, whose unshakable bravery and great skill makes them feared opponents. Their character has a strong streak of individualism, however, and unless orders are perceived as the will of Melek, alfar warriors are reluctant to follow any grand plan or strategy. As soon as battle is joined, each alfar tends to fall back on his own murderous instincts, or to fight alongside a small, tightly-knit group of raiding comrades.
Nagast
The alfar homeland lies in the southern part of Agon's main continent, with the human realm of Mercia to its east and the mirdain Forest Republic to the west. To the southwest, across the Ruby Sea, lies the desert continent of Rubaiyat and the mist-covered, pirate-controlled Silkveil Islands. To the north, the Pall of Synochus spreads across Agon's heartland, threatening to devour everything around it, including the northern regions of Nagast.
Much of Nagast consists of cragged badlands where outsized mushrooms and black-leafed trees grow among broken rocks and spire-like mountains. The spell-irradiated soil of Nagast has a purple cast to it, and very little that is edible grows in it.
The alfar dislike sunlight, and many of their cities are built at least partially underground. In some cases, the residential parts of towns are subterranean, while businesses and administrative structures stand aboveground. Many important structures, such as mushroom farms and manthe-web weaving mills are by necessity built in the underground sections of alfar towns.
Enemies: The Severii
Scattered throughout Nagast lie the fortified cities of the Severii, a militant race who ruled the region long before the ascent of the alfar. The Severii worshipped a skeletal dragon god called Cyriacus, who lured them into accepting his gift of undeath so that they could worship him forever. Though millennia have passed, and though the alfar have killed each of them a hundred times over, the Severii still rise every night to walk the cities which they inhabited in life. At regular intervals, Cyriacus manifests on Agon to lead his undead worshippers on rampages which even the alfar fear.
Enemies: The Naedhra
During his initial breeding of the alfar, Melek experimented with many different genetic configurations. Some of these breeds were more physically exotic than the end result, while others were driven utterly insane by Melek's mind-tinkering. Tribes of mutant alfar - called Naedhra - still thrive in Nagast's most distant cavern systems.
Enemies: The slave army
As play starts, Nagast is in the middle of a large-scale slave rebellion led by an escaped mirdain called Cerulean. Thousands of slaves have fled from their owners to join Cerulean's army, which has already defeated two hastily assembled alfar task forces. Some say Cerulean is making for Mercia and freedom, others say he plans to march on Aphelion itself.
Aphelion
The alfar capital lies along the shores of a large, maelstrom-wracked underground lake called the Throat, which is fed by a waterfall cascading down from the ceiling and by two swift rivers which flow in from neighboring caverns. No water can be seen to escape from the wildly churning lake, which is assumed to be connected to some unexplored lake system deep within the heart of Agon. Though many have been thrown into the Throat over the years, none have ever returned to report on what it feeds into.
Melek himself dwells in the Towers of Silence, which hang dramatically over the waters of the Throat. Made from hollowed-out stalactites which encircle a hole through which a waterfall plummets, the Towers are only connected to the town below by a single, heavily guarded teleportation portal.
Aphelion lies in a damp and verdant cavern system, the walls and ceilings of which are covered by mosses and fungi. A forest of giant mushrooms dominates one of the caverns to which Aphelion is connected by river-carved tunnels, while another is home to a manthe spider-web weavery where clothes and light armor is made.
Culture and religion
The will of Melek is the only law in Nagast, and though his edicts may seem contradictory and strange, all alfar do their utmost to follow them, often without any explanation whatsoever. Even though he is quite insane, Melek is a brilliant strategist, who immerses himself in ambitious long-term plans for the alfar race and for Agon in general. In fact, his work on these schemes tend to engross him completely for long periods of time, leaving the alfar to their own administrative devices. Since many alfar refuse to recognize any other authority than Melek, alfar society tends to be strife-torn and fractured during Melek's retreats.
Melek has no use for the inept, the slothful or the merely competent, and Nagast society revolves around a constant process of god-controlled selection, in which the strong and resourceful thrive, while the weak or stupid are weeded out and killed. Melek's program of eugenics is the chief responsibility of the Horned Circle priesthood, who are intimately familiar with his criteria for selection.
Movers and Shakers
Like everybody else, Melek was surprised by the sudden appearance of the Shining Spear comet, which is currently making its way across Agon's night sky, dripping golden meteorite-sparks which - with unerring accuracy - strike Nithrôn ruins below. Melek has retreated to his laboratories where he is researching this strange development, and as a result, Nagast is entering one of the retreat-periods in which various factions struggle for control in the god-king's absence.
The Unseen Radiance is a group of Deathless Mages who have served Melek since the dawn of alfar history. Though quite loyal, their necromantic pursuits and obsessions sometimes leads them down strange paths which lie beyond the ambitions of the god-king. In periods of Melek's Retreat, they sometimes work quite openly on furthering their own depraved agendas.
The Horned Circleare Melek's priesthood, and the closest thing Nagast comes to having a permanent administration. In the interest of creating a stronger race, the Horned Circle have the power to sentence failed individuals to death, and - perhaps needless to say - they sometimes abuse this power quite grievously during periods of Retreat.
Named for one of Melek's most prized possessions, the Night Scepter is an order of knights dedicated to the annihilation of Melek's enemies inside Nagast, such as monsters, naedhra mutants, and the slave army which currently threatens to plunge the nation into anarchy.
The Salient Shadow is an elite unit of the alfar army which is dedicated to launching the most daring and devastating raids possible into enemy lands. Sometimes the Salient Shadow will recruit outside groups and clans to aid them in their most audacious missions.
What makes the alfar special?
All alfar magic emanates from Melek. Due to the god-king's unpredictable nature, this power fluctuates somewhat, and every time an alfar casts a spell the results vary somewhat. Alfar are born with a certain aptitude for the magical arts and tend to excel in them.
The alfar ride shulgan drakes, which are - in essence - small, wingless dragons. Small stumps on the flanks indicate that shulgans were able to fly not all that many generations ago, before they adapted to an underground existence. Drake claws are exceptionally large and viciously curved, as if adapted for digging. The eyes of drakes, which are bulbous and milky white with no visible pupils, give off a soft eldritch glow in darkness. In combat, drakes breathe fire on opponents, while swinging out with their tail against opponents at their the rear. Drake tails have an sharp, obsidian-like ridges which make them very effective as slashing weapons.
Only alfar mastersmiths may craft Ilshards, which are halberds made from a shiny and smooth metal which resembles the exoskeleton of a Black Widow spider. The Ilshard's long handle, which is modelled on the leg of the same spider, is subtly segmented and hooks slightly inward at its blade end. The hooked handle ends in a wicked point which resembles a poison stinger. The Ilshard's owner will frequently treat this point with debilitating poison before entering battle.
The alfar feel a deep-seated hatred for all other intelligent forms of life, and it is impossible for them to enter even the most temporary of alliances with members of other races. This means that alfar players are limited to forming or joining clans with other alfar.
How the alfar see the world:
"Melek will suck the sun out of the universe and pluck the stars from the firmament. The pitch-black night of his creation will last for ever, and it will be a hell on Agon for all but the alfar."
- Srinah dun Anshar, Unseen Radiance archmage
"The night like a veil around our silently moving shapes… The lights from a plump, dozing village just ahead… The smell of freshly spilled blood and burning thatch…There is nothing else in life that can compare with the joy of a successfully staged raid.
- Elthar Ghostshroud, Salient Shadow raider
"Mahirim dogs, orkish swamp rats, human dung eaters, dwarven maggots who gnaw at the roots of
mountains… in the end it makes little difference - they are all soft, and their lands are ripe for plunder."
- Shulhek bel Meaghra, alfar soldier
"Melek's will is the whole of the law, and the whispers from him are the only commands I follow. So-called priests who try to tell me what to do will die for their insolence."
- Taesih Deepforest, Night Scepter operative
"We alfar are an embattled race, alone in a world full of loathsome enemies. If we face this hateful world as individuals we will surely fail, but nothing can stop us if we stand together ."
- Neadak Haernshadow, Horned Circle priest
"We will round the mirdain up like sheep, hang them from the walls of our caverns, and torture them for ever. They are an utterly despicable race who are not even worthy of death."
- Alguhm Iceglow, alfar clan leader
How others see the alfar
"Though it saddens me to say so, Melek's corruption runs so deep in the alfar that they are beyond redemption. A world cleansed of alfar would be a much safer place for everybody else."
- Eirith Windsinger, mirdain diplomat
"Evil to the core, both the alfar and their deranged god will wither away into nothingness when the divine Truth is revealed to them, via sharp Mercian steel."
- Anthony Bealburn, human White Order paladin
"The alfar may be small-statured, but they are elusive and their weapons have a nasty sting. In fact, an adult alfar is one of the most challenging prey-creatures a hunter can face."
- Yndan the Able, mahirim elder
"When I catch those nasty little batlings that stole our food, they will get the thrashing of a lifetime!"
- Dultanak Fireshield, orkish warrior
Society
The influence of the Melek priesthood permeates all of alfar society. From their headquarters in Shoal, the High Priests run a vast organisation; their clergy, agents and elite soldiers are present in every sizeable alfar community.
Interpreting the often vague and contradictory instructions given by the mad deity is the sole preserve of the priesthood. As a result, the priests rarely run out of opportunities to expand their already formidable power base. Unseemly amounts of personal ambition might rouse the wrath of the god-king, however, so in order to remain in power (and alive) an ambitious priest needs to be subtle, lucky or both.
Shoal
In the vast cavern of Dun Mardukar rise the tall spires of Shoal. This is the holy city of Melek. It was built in his honour, and its outlandish beauty reflects the alfar's love of their God-King, as well as the awe he inspires in them. The city serves as an administrative centre for the entire realm, and it is jointly run by the priests and the knights of the Harn Mandean (Divine Hand), a powerful knightly order which functions as Melek's bodyguard and his secret police.
The Horned Circle
The Melek priesthood is led by a group called the Horned Circle. These supremely powerful individuals are the chosen of Melek, and no alfar alive would dare to oppose them. Upon being selected to join the Circle, the priests actually grow small, pointed horns, and increase in stature, reaching a height more commonly associated with surface Elves. They are blessed by Melek with great skill in all the magical arts, and become the ultimate enforcers of his will, feared throughout Nagast.
The priests of the Horned Circle stand directly below Melek on the Nagast pyramid of power. They command the Black Robe Brotherhood directly, and the army, the Harn Mandean, and the Unseen Radiance all answer to them.
Members of the Horned Circle wear heavy, dark cloaks hemmed with silver patterns, and their symbol is a circle of eight burning eyes. They wear no armour, and very rarely draw their weapons, preferring to rely on spells. It is rumoured that the Horned Circle have been equipped with new swords called Unholy Sithras, which were recently developed by the undead smiths of the Towers of Silence.
When one Horned Priest dies, another is chosen to replace him, usually from among the officers of the Black Robe Brotherhood. There are always eight members of the circle, and they always operate in groups of two, four or eight. They are the highest leaders of the church and the ultimate interpreters of Melek's will.
The members and headquarters of the Horned Circle are protected by a large detachment of melechar (see Allies and enemies). When travelling, Circle members are escorted by knights of the Harn Mandean.
Harn Mandean (Divine Hand)
The Harn Mandean is an elite brotherhood of alfar knights, which serves as Melek's internal security unit, enforcing his will and that of the Horned Circle. Particularly important surface missions are also handled by these dark knights, who are recruited from among the officers of the Black Robe Brotherhood.
In their unceasing work to weed out traitors and incompetents, the Harn Mandean is given semi-free rein: their mandate is broad with vague limits, and their leaders answer only to the Horned Circle and Melek himself. On exceptionally challenging or important missions, Harn Mandean units are commanded by priests of the Horned Circle.
Travelling in small groups, Harn Mandean knights can be encountered anywhere in Nagast, often aided by soldiers commandeered from nearby army outposts. A knight of the Mandean has the authority to serve as judge, jury and executioner to any perceived criminal.
The Harn Mandean operates out of the leftmost stalactite of the Towers of Silence in Shoal. A group of its members serve as the bodyguards of Melek, who dwells in a neighbouring stalactite.
Harn Mandean soldiers always wear black plate mail and long red cloaks. They use magical crossbows with poisoned bolts and various types of swords. Their breastplates and cloaks are adorned with the mark of the Harn Mandean: The thinly etched outline of a red hand with fingers spread.
Melek's bodyguards ' who are ten strong at all times - use lightning sithra swords, and are selected from among the Harn Mandean's finest knights.
The Unseen Radiance
Many of Nagast's most skilful spellcasters are members of the Unseen Radiance, an ancient organisation of Deathless Mages headquartered in the Towers of Silence. Like the knights of the Harn Mandean, the mages of the Unseen Radiance enjoy a great deal of autonomy, answering only to the Horned Circle and Melek himself. The mages of the Unseen Radiance rarely meddle in the everyday affairs of Nagast, preferring instead to focus on magical research.
When encountered outside the Towers, Radiance members are probably either gathering rare ingredients, or on a quest for some magical item. On important or especially dangerous missions, they travel in groups of three to five, assisted by eight to ten melechar (see Allies and enemies).
Mages of the Radiance wear dark red robes with gold hem embroidering. Along the hems, intricate patterns indicate flames, while a subdued but even more intricate rendering of the Orb of Melek (in gold) decorates the back. While travelling, Radiance members carry heavy staves crowned by red crystal orbs, and wear a wide variety of powerful magical items.
The Unseen Radiance recruits from the ranks of the Black Robe Brotherhood's specialised spellcasters. New members are immediately turned into Deathless Mages.
Allies and enemies
Slaves carry out most menial tasks in Nagast. While alfar craftsmen excel in the arts of architecture and decoration, they leave heavy labour to slaves, who are important parts of every alfar community.
The large majority of slaves are sarkih, and members of this semi-mindless, diminutive race carry out the most menial tasks - such as harvesting food, tending livestock and cleaning dwellings. They cannot cope with heavy labour, however, and mentally challenging tasks are beyond them. Sarkih are kept away from slaves belonging to other races, and are kept in particularly crowded and prison-like conditions.
Alfar raiders bring home a wide variety of slaves that belong to other intelligent races. Quite a few Humans, Dwarves, Mahirim and Orks work on the slave teams of Nagast, as well as a large number of Kobolds, Svartdvergir and other subterranean races. The Mirdain prefer death to serving as slaves to the alfar, and are prized as ceremonial sacrifices in the temples of Nagast. Melek forbids keeping alfar as slaves.
Sarkih
These diminutive humanoids are a slave race, bred and kept by the alfar. Rarely more than 100 cm tall, and exceptionally puny, they perform simple domestic tasks and gather Manthe web for clothing, but are only capable of light manual labour.
The Sarkih have thick, wrinkly skin with a pinkish hue, and are completely hairless. Their build as well as their features are delicate, making them resemble particularly ugly, piglet-eyed human infants. Sarkih sport earlobe-less, oval heads that are disproportionately large compared to their puny bodies. Their short, pointed teeth are capable of a rather nasty bite.
The Sarkih are a slow-witted breed, incapable of much independent thought. They have a vicious nature, though, and are capable of stunning cruelty towards each other, regularly ganging up on and devouring weak individuals. The Sarkih usually perform the orders of the alfar diligently, knowing that their masters kill without hesitation if they fail to oblige. On rare occasions, where the odds are stacked overwhelmingly in their favour, they might choose to attack an alfar.
Sarkihya
Also known as Greater Sarkih, these slaves are the result of centuries of alfar-controlled selective breeding. They look just like ordinary sarkih, but are much more alert and intelligent. Sarkihya are capable of performing relatively complicated tasks, such as serving as dammar farmers, shop assistants, domestic cooks, stable hands, wagoners, and so forth.
Physically identical to their lesser brethren, sarkihya are marked as different by a rather large red nose-ring, the first of which they are equipped with at birth. Sarkihya workers tend to wear simple and durable clothes in various shades of brown or gray. Domestic servant sarkihya are often dressed in colourful silken clothes resembling those worn by the alfar themselves.
Sarkihya speak fluent alfar, and are capable of understanding advanced and many-segmented orders. They retain some of the rebelliousness found in their lesser cousins, and sometimes wilfully ignore orders given to them, or twist their meaning somewhat.
Melechar
These fanatically devoted creatures are the chosen of Melek, and they are imbued by him with both great strength and the seeds of madness. Melechar are used as bodyguards and temple guardians by the Nagast priesthood, and individuals who are both loyal and important ' such as the leading business proprietors of Shoal ' are sometimes rewarded with melechar servants.
Melechar are the same height as Mirdain elves, and have approximately the same build and facial features: they are tall and lean, towering over the average alfar, and their movements are lithe and graceful. Melechar have long black hair, which hangs freely down their backs, and their skin is as pale as snow.
The eyes of melechar are as red as blood, and they stick out from their sockets in a bug-like way. Adding to the insectoid impression, the eyes have no visible pupils, but the faint lines of facets can be seen in them. Two small, finely shaped and softly curving tusks protrude from the melechar's lower jaw, like miniature orkish tusks.
However, the true nature of the melechar emerges in combat: When fighting, it is an insane nightmare of impossibly swift movements: it seems to be everywhere at once, and its halberd is a constant blur of movement. The melechar never breaks off a battle until all enemies are slain, no matter what its masters say or do.
As long as the alfar they protect serve Melek faithfully, the melechar remain loyal. They go silently about their duties, calmly guarding the buildings or individuals they are tasked with protecting. Ultimately, however, a melechar's loyalty is to Melek himself, and if its master falls out of the god-king's favour, the melechar turns on him.
Religion and magic
All alfar fear and worship Melek, the evil deity who led them underground thousands of years ago. Melek is the undying god-king of the alfar, and he dwells in a stalactite castle called the Towers of Silence, which overhangs the capital of Shoal.
Melek is both temporal and religious leader of his people, and his power is absolute. His word equals the law, and the law is obeyed upon pain of death or worse. Melek occasionally walks among his subjects, but usually Nagast's ruthless and highly organised priesthood carries out his will.
The alfar god-king is an unpredictable leader, and his orders are often contradictory. Like a petulant child, he sometimes changes his mind without warning, and when the mood takes him, he lashes out punishment or gives rewards seemingly at random. Melek is prone to fits of rage as well as bouts of sentimentality, and he has been known to brood for weeks in solitude, before emerging in a flurry of activity.
Melek is utterly self-centred and quite mad. However, he is also a brilliant planner and strategist: If Melek can be bothered to focus on any single task or problem long enough, he might very well come up with an ingenious, completely original solution.
The god-king is the estranged son of Myrthai and Lorathai, the male and female gods of the Mirdain. Compared to his subjects, he has changed little over the years, and he still appears as a strikingly handsome, unnaturally tall elf male. In recent centuries, he has taken to appearing with grey skin resembling that of his subjects. Melek has long, straight, dark hair, and always wears a simple silver circlet, but little else in the way of jewellery. He is extremely charismatic, a master of eloquence, and he is a truly inspiring leader when he puts his mind to it. While fear is the main pillar of his millennia-long rule, his people also revere him.
Melek appears to be surrounded by a flickering, shining white aura with a radius of approximately 2 m. He is usually dressed in long, flowing robes, preferring them to be coloured black or a deep shade of red. When on the warpath, he dons a black suit of plate mail, and wields Sithra Ahra, an ancient silver-bladed longsword with awesome magical powers.
The god-king keeps twelve of the most skilled smiths that ever emerged from alfar society as his personal servants. His will keeps these masters of the craft alive, despite the fact that several of them have been dead for centuries; their decaying husks still work in hidden smithies under Kebra Nagast. As a result, Melek has a large arsenal of powerful magical items at his disposal.
Sithra Ahra and the Silver Circlet
The Sithra Ahra was reputedly crafted by Melek himself after the first great war between the alfar and the Mirdain, thousands of years ago. Ancient legends hold that no less than nine hundred Mirdain prisoners were slowly boiled alive while he worked on it. As they died, their souls were trapped in the emerging shape of Sithra Ahra, giving it immense power.
Sithra Ahra's shining blade does not impact physically with the bodies of its victims, but seems to glide almost effortlessly through them; only slowing down momentarily as Melek strikes. Its name means 'Other Side', and the silvery blade of the Sithra Ahra is only a reflection - the sword exists primarily in some unseen dimension. Anyone casting True Sight (or a similar spell) while near Sithra Ahra, sees it as a black, thin and almost 2 meters long whip-like weapon - its blade covered in small, writhing humanoid shapes, existing in eternal, excruciating pain.
The Silver Circlet was a wedding gift from Lorathai (the male elven god) to his beloved wife, Myrthai. However, on the eve of his rebellion, Melek stole the powerful artifact. He has since twisted its power to his own ends, and has worn it ever since.
The Circlet is the source of the shining white aura that surrounds Melek. Anyone entering its sphere of influence falls prey to one of its mind-influencing powers. Melek can activate and de-activate these at his whim, as often as he deems it necessary, and with no limitations to duration or frequency. Though it is possible, only the strongest of minds have a realistic chance of shrugging off the influence of the Circlet.
The Darkfall
Melek wants to conquer all the five non-alfar races, and subject them to an eternity of darkness and pain. Fuelled by the prayers and sacrifices of an enslaved world, Melek plans to ascend to the Halls of the Goddess and reawaken the power entombed there. Wielding it, he will slay all the other gods and rule Agon forever.
Lorathai and Myrthai who, according to Melek, dared spite him by refusing to relinquish his rightful inheritance, will be tortured for an eternity, their dying groans mingling with those of their children, the Mirdain.
Melek spends much of his time engrossed in magical experiments. He seeks new spells that will tip the balance in favour of the alfar, and he seeks to create powerful magical items for himself and his minions. In his work, Melek is aided by the mages of the Unseen Radiance, as well as the undead mastersmiths of the Towers of Silence.
Recently, Mirdain intelligence claimed that Melek was planning to incite enough volcanic activity on Agon to cause a new ice age. While this might seem unfeasibly ambitious, the single-minded veneration of the alfar gives Melek a potentially vital advantage.
Fluctuating magic
Both the priestly and the sorcerous magic of the alfar are influenced by the chaotic nature of Melek. All magical energy originates with him, and its flow is as unsteady as the troubled mind of the god-king. Every time an alfar casts a spell, his or her effective skill level is increased or decreased slightly. It is believed to be impossible to predict or control this ebb and flow of magical power.
Sithras
Inspired by their own masterpiece, the Sithra Ahra, Melek's mastersmiths make swords called sithras, which are wielded by the god-king's most trusted servants. The sithras have blades made of a substance resembling compact shadow, which is solid when the blade is held still, but twists and writhes when it is swung. In action, the black sithra resemble a cross between an ordinary sword and a whip.
The sithra sizzles with elemental energy that becomes visible in occasional sparks that shoot off or run along the blade. When a sithra hits, elemental energy shoots from the blade to the point of impact, damaging the target. The nature of the elemental energy varies, with lightning, fire and ice all being common.
Art and architecture
The alfar of Nagast decorate the inside of their houses with tile mosaics. Floors are adorned with simple but pleasingly colourful patterns, while walls and ceilings are decorated with more advanced artwork, which often includes complicated motifs.
The simple tile patterns on floors tend to come in the rich colours which the alfar prefer, such as purple, blue and red; the exact colour preference varies from place to place and from clan to clan. In most cases, each floor mosaic is made using only two colours.
In the houses of wealthy individuals and in thriving businesses, however, the floor mosaics are more advanced, and contain tiles with as many as four or five different colours. These mosaics often show simple motifs, such as the silhouettes of alfar spires, and the stylized outlines of dammar mushrooms and arkin trees. In some large rooms, lines of stylized djuprose flowers run along the walls or in large-scale patterns on the floor.
The walls of alfar houses are decorated with mosaics that are more intricate than those that adorn floors. In many cases, wall mosaics depict more advanced and colourful versions of popular floor motifs, such as arkin trees and alfar spires. Other popular subjects for wall and ceiling mosaics include colourful depictions of the Orb of Melek and the Towers of Silence.
The orb of Melek is a golden circle containing a field of black broken by arkinwood-like blotches of dark purple. The orb is surrounded by jagged, golden rays that resemble stylized radiation, and have the general shape of elongated versions of the letter ‘z’.
The Towers of Silence are generally shown in relief with the Temple of Descent (Nagast's most sacred church) underneath them.
Melek triumphant
The most spectacular alfar mosaics – found only in public buildings and the houses of the extremely wealthy – show Melek in standardized poses and situations. One popular motif shows Melek executing members of other races with Sithra Ahra. Rows upon rows of victims are shown awaiting execution, tied down to individual chopping blocks, while Melek holds a crowned human head by the hair.
Another popular motif is Melek leading the alfar underground, heroically shielding his children from the wrath of the mirdain gods. Melek is shown as an enormous figure, his hands spread protectively over fleeing alfar refugees under him. Melek’s features dissolves into a cloak shielding the hindmost ranks of the alfar.
In a third popular motif, Melek battles Myrthai and Lorathai, the two gods of the Mirdain. In these mosaics, he seems to be driving back the Mirdain gods, who are cowering from him and from the tendrils of the Sithra Ahra. The battle between the three elven gods is usually shown as taking place in a withered and lifeless forest, under a red sun.
A fourth subject which is popular with makers of large, expensive mosaics, is Melek stealing the Circlet of the Sun, which was a wedding gift from Lorathai to Myrthai. Melek is shown sneaking the shining artefact off his sleeping mother’s head.
Animal Statues
The alfar decorate their rooms and public spaces with large and medium-sized clay statues which are covered in colourful mosaic tiles. In general, the tiles on these statues are be more brightly coloured (orange, red and yellow is common) than those on wall- or floor bound decorations. All mosaic-covered statues depict an animal of some kind, with lizards, snakes, leatherwings and dragons being most common. The statues are placed on floors and ceilings, and small, lightweight ones are even attached to walls and ceilings.
Light Orbs
Instead of torches and lamps, the alfar illuminate their settlements using orbs of magical light in three different colours: white, bluish white, and a stark yellow. The orbs swirl slowly, in predetermined patterns, around the points they are set to illuminate. They are designed to accentuate the rich colour-play of Nagast rock, rather than to be decorative in their own right.
Light orbs are approximately one meter in diameter. Individual houses are sometimes illuminated by orbs which are exactly half the size of those used on major buildings. Indoor lighting is provided by orbs that are little bigger than alfar fists, and which either swirl slowly around, or are fixed in place.
The orbs used for indoor illumination come in a greater variety of colours than those used outside. The preferred inside colours include red, green, purple, blue, and a golden yellow.
