Page 3 of The Reckoning of Starlight

Nelya (NEL-ya) - Jassyn’s former peer and research associate at Centarya. Joined forces with Lykor’s wraith with a rebel ring of magus from Centarya.

RACES

Aelfyn (ALE-fin) - The elves’ ancestors.

Elves - Ruling race. Subjugated humans and interbred with them to create the elven-blooded.

Elven-blooded - Those with any amount of elf blood mixed with human blood.

Humans - Natives of the mortal shores, provide resources to Alari.

Wraith - Elves who have been stripped of their Essence abilities. Their physical transformation is a spectrum coordinating with how many talents they lose or gain. Full wraith appear with dark indigo skin and black hair (silver hair if they’re from Asharyn).

Druids - A race who was thought to be extinct during the Great War with the Aelfyn a thousand years ago. A population was discovered in Asharyn. This group appears as wraith (no Essence abilities) but they have numerous Starshards which allow them to channel Essence via the gems. They can shift into partial dragons (scales, wings, dragonsight).

Druid curses on the Aelfyn (elves) theorized by Jassyn in The Aspect of Essence.

1. Stripped elves of their immortality.

2. Initiated a sterility curse that took a thousand years to go into effect. Pure-blooded elves can no longer reproduce together.

3. Gold negates all access to Essence if the metal is touching skin.

Shamans - Ancient line of humans who had access to elemental power (fire, water, earth, wind, lightning). Those who are descents have begun to manifest their powers to varying degrees. Their bloodlines have been heavily curated by the elves over the past few centuries.

CREATURES

Dragons

Emberharts (Cinderax)- fire

Tidecrashers (Rimeclaw)- water/ice

Stormstrikes (Skylash) - lightning

Bramblemaws - earth

Zephyrfangs (Veyrix) - air

Dracovae - Flying beasts cared for by the rangers. They appear as half eagle (a raptor’s head, feathery chest, and wings) and half lizard (scaled back and tail). Several times larger than standard horses.

Naru- Vesryn’s dracovae

Trella- Aesar’s dracovae

Vulpintera - Small flying animals with a fox-like face and body and leathery wings.

Aiko- Lykor’s tame vulpintera.

OBJECTS

Heart of Stars - An Aelfyn relic that was used in The Aspect of Essence to reveal which talents each Essence-wielder has access to. Ignites with the colors of specific talents when touched by those with Essence.

Can free/capture dragons.

Starshards – ancient Aelfyn relics appearing as crystal gems. They can store and siphon Essence, grant access to all eight Essence talents, and be blood-bound to a wielder. Once bound, a Starshard becomes tied to the wielder’s magic, allowing another person who possesses it to seize control of their body and abilities. Multiple Starshards can also link, combining the Essence of their wielders. Their full capabilities remain only partially understood.

CHAPTER 1