Over the Anaeh

Features:

The Anaeh often resemble Elfen in many physical (feature) points; however, there are some differences at the same time.  Also, none of them look the same and their features can differ widely:

Because of this some individuals have bluish skin, resplendent and shining, with ice or frozen skin patterns visible, and some Anaeh have skin that looks like snow.  Also there are colors that fall between them, isolated depending upon the parents, which can also give the individuals one coloring where a rather speckled appearance exhibits itself.  However, among them they never  have dark skin and always are integrated by their color into their icy environment.  Because of their skin, an Anaah fits perfectly in with the eternal ice camouflage.

Going from there, the Anaeh have all white hair.  Perhaps it is colored with or somewhat more silver in shade or with an easy bluish gloss, but it's base white and always very close.

Likewise, the eyes of this species are not always bright nor do they have a visible pupil.  This is deceptive to an outside viewer, however, because it also appears white and is very small.  Depending on the individual and its tendency, the eyes may shine less at some times more than others.  Predominating lighting conditions, which occur in the most diverse blue tones, also affect how they may shine.

Their ears are quite long and pointedly, similar to the ears of Elfen, and their teeth resemble those of a predator, which is due to their almost exclusively meat diet.

Also some of them, particularly males', horns have different versions though they are never dark either.  They tend to come in tones ranging from bright blue all the way to white.  This fact does not differ from most of the Elfen—to those familiar with it, at first sight they are probably all related.

Know in addition that the Anaeh are always slim and varies in the body size just like humans do.  Their bodies are completely hairless as well.

By their graceful movements and the cool, elegant colors which shape their natural features, Anaeh affect other races "always beautiful" and handsomely.

Their natural life expectancy is 600-800 years; however, only a small portion of become this old since the constant arguments with their mortal enemy-the Uraeh-demand many lives.  An Anaah is full grown at approximately 60 years.

Origin

Their origin is not a hundred percent clarified.  However, it is rather certain that the Anaeh have their origin on the planar ice level.  There they probably served the ice-elementals.  It is possible that they even descend from these elemental natures or were created by them.  It is not completely clear.  Also it is not clear whether the Anaeh were possible slaves of the elemental natures or not.  Many, many thousands of years ago a large troop of the Anaeh skillfully went after Vandarei, possibly as scouts, perhaps as spies,  where evil tongues claim that it could have also been the attempt of an invasion.  In any case, the platoon probably divided -the reasons are unclear- and some Anaeh remained unclear on Vandarei and found in Oerfeltir a suitable area to live.  They increased, first creating small settlements from which even cities arose.

Society/Living Together

Complex structures shape a community of the Anaeh.  Over the course of thousands of years they created settlements and developed cities, which are all together in the mountains in the northernmost region of Oerfeltir.  Since winter is always there and everything is frozen, their houses not only consist of frozen rock and crystal, but also of ice.  There are both smaller caves and enormous cavities in the mountains.  The houses were quasi formed out of the ice stuck on and predominating the rock face.  Sunlight is led in from the outside world through tunnels into the inside structures.  It happens with a complex mirror system as well as magic light for adequate lighting in the glittering cities of the Anaeh.  The name of the largest city, which is also the capital, is Syrrah, which is probably the most strongly guarded place of the Anaeh.

The reason for it is the predominating eternal war with a further race of the high north, the so-called Uraeh.  These creatures are humanoid in form and can probably be compared with the Yetis of the Himalaya; however, they are much more intelligent.  Already these creatures have given substantial assaults on the settlements of the Anaeh, whereby hundreds died from both sides.  Nobody knows the reason for this discord but both peoples hate each other deeply.

The family life of the Anaeh looks almost nothing, at least in form, like how we know it.  Man and woman find their way to each other and it also occurs pretty often that a pair decides to live as a correct pair; however if children are born then they do not grow with their parents.  S actually gives mechanisms, where the children will be given directly after the birth and these are to then take over the education and raising of the child.  Here there are different rights and tests, those from which determine of each young Anaah what he/she can do best, and the results of which follows the career of the child.  Thus each talent is discovered and promoted by the extra teachers, the so-called "Sigmaeh", trained in it and thereby the Anaeh have become completely and exactly a very high performance society.  Nevertheless, everyone becomes exactly what is appropriate for him by nature really.  Unfortunately, that has the disadvantage of the fact that this often does not agree with what an Anaah would like as well so it gives naturally to conflicts and punishments up to execution (even the execution of a child) can arise—because you do not need a-lateral thinkers.  Also, to be clear by it, nobody knows who their physical parents are, though no one feels this is bad, because that is absolutely normal.  So everyone nevertheless has the same chances—depending on the talents, whom one got from physical parents along the way.

However, this way too is never simple.  As the education is always shaped by a thought out reward and punishment system, many children also surely take damage from it.  After all, the most experienced Sigmaah can be wrong and a child can be pressed into a wrong form.

Nevertheless, one can generally say that the birth of a child is always pleasing and each birth is celebrated with a traditional small Feast of parents, which is there for the fact that these parents can say good-bye to their child as it is adopted to those who will train it.

Thus the society of the Anaeh offers the full pallet of individuals with the most assorted talents:  It gives to craftsman, artist, politician, fighter, Magier, enumerate scholars...each section a little too in depth to go into here.  And perhaps there may be directions which are surely sex dependent; however then it is equal and the Anaeh also feel as such.

Cultural Characteristics

The Anaeh are a very artistic people.  Dance and music are likewise also art for them and one form of art in particular, which is most likely obvious, is the art of the production of ice sculptures.  Thus there exist the most beautiful works in this regard, which were ever created on Vandarei and the Anaeh originated real masters who can shape the ice in almost any way possible.  And there in Oerfletir the temperature never rises over zero degrees Celsius (thirty-two degrees Fahrenheit) so this art also has some sculptures that are old and properly considered holy for thousands of years.

As for music, one should say that the focus here is on the singing.  Shrill sounds or instruments are scorned and this is for two reasons:  On the one hand, the Anaeh have extremely sensitive ears (their hearing is also better than that of the Elfen) and on the other is the constant unconscious companion of this people is the fear of the caves collapsing.  Shrill tones can cause glass to rupture—so why not also crystal or ice?

Colors play an important role with the Anaeh.  Their glittering realm exists exclusively in white, various blue and turquoise tones.  Green is also available, as is black, which are found naturally but they are rarer than the blues tones with the black being even rarer than the green.  Red tones are however such a precious thing.  Naturally this color is well-known to the Anaeh because of the red blood (although theirs is darker than every other inhabitant of the Vandareis) and that is the exact point here.  Blood offers the only coloring material available to the Anaeh to dye things red.  And therefore red is a very, very precious color.  Because blood means lives and lives are something that are to appreciate and protect, to the extent that there is "pure" and "Impure" blood, blood of their enemies is completely unsuitable for providing color.  Even if this is technically and naturally possible, it is nevertheless inconceivable for moral reasons for each Anaah.

Religion

The Anaeh do not worship anybody.  Naturally they believe in the existence of various deities on Vanderei and the other levels; however, they follow none of them.  Why they are like that is the thing that differentiates them from other Vandareis—it's unclear like so much about them, but it very much speaks to the fact that the Anaeh could have originated actually as slaves, or at the least servants, or some higher deity.

Race-specific Characteristics

Like each group of people, the Anaeh have their own strengths and weaknesses, most of which will probably present no surprise.

So it will probably be clear that an Anaah has a problem with warmth or heat.  Up to ten degrees Celsius ( fifty degrees Fahrenheit) an Anaah can bear without problems, but after that its efficiency goes consistently downhill.  Within each five degree Celsius increase (nine degree Fahrenheit increase) an Anaah loses more strength and, depending upon the individual, it means a more or less fast death.

For example:  In an Anaah is in temperatures ranging from 10-15 degrees Celsius (50-59 degrees Fahrenheit) longer than one hour it loses two points of strength, providing it does not leave these temperatures.  If it becomes warmer and the temperature rises to 15-20 degrees Celsius (59-68 degrees Fahrenheit) then it loses two more points of strength and at 20-25 degrees Celsius (68-76 degrees Fahrenheit) then another two more are lost and so it continues.  A child with a total of two points of strength would be close to death in the temperature range of 10-15 degree Celsius (50-59 degrees Fahrenheit) while an adult fighter with 16-18 points of strength could naturally stay in the warmth longer, though weaker, due to this point loss.  The adult would feel permanently ill, have to protect itself from the sun, and not be able to raise heavy things even a little.  It would be a torment no matter what the Anaah did.

This is just as described -as I said- after an hour in the heat and remains as such as long as the Anaah stays in the heat.  If it leaves the harmful temperature range then its strength returns again, gradually and likewise after an hour.  Because of this, it is quite possible for an Anaah to bathe in a hot spring where it is VERY warm.  Then it should leave the bath after an half an hour at the latest in order to avoid these temporary losses.  Children are not allowed into the warm water at all.

With extremely cold weather it behaves naturally in reverse:  Here an Anaah earns strength and the bonus starts from minus 20 degrees Celsius (-4 degrees Fahrenheit).  Thus it gains two points in the temperature range of minus 20 degrees through minus 25 degrees Celsius (-4 through -13 degrees Fahrenheit), two more in the minus 25 through minus 30 degrees Celsius (-13 through -22 degrees Fahrenheit) and so it continues.  This too has the one hour delay.  For example:  It is usual that a guard in a time of crisis (they are constantly afraid of a possible uprising of the Uraeh) will start their shift outside in a designated area approximately one hour beforehand in order to be able to begin their shift with the force bonus.

With the magic it's a similar case.  While an Anaah exhibits high resistance and immunities (depending upon age, experience, class, etc.) against ice and frost damage, then it is naturally the opposite with fire and heat damage.  Also an Anaah can naturally work various ice and cooling charms.  How well these are pronounced depends on the class/experience/etc. of the individual.

In addition, it is important to know that the eyes of the Anaeh are not particularly good.  Their pupils are very small, their irises always brighten the environment to protect the pupil and the pupil itself cannot change in size.  Because of this, an Anaah is next to blind in an area without snow.  The hearing of an Anaah is well above average to balance for it.

First, Small Conclusion

The Anaeh surely belong among the exotic races Vandareis.  Not only their appearance but also their abilities, strengths and weaknesses make it unique.  At the same time they are very powerful in their own climate and helpless, doomed in a foreign land, if no extremely cold temperatures are available.  This text offers only a small view of the life of the Anaeh and will not be complete for a long time, but it does offer a first glimpse and few vague feelings for these strange creatures.