The Affinity is comprised of the living things that inhabit the mountaintops and skies of the world, or in some cases simply living in the bleaker conditions closer to the polar regions. Their forms range greatly, but all have some resistance to the cold or way of embracing it. In many cases they simply ignore it altogether.

The Affinity beings are known for their levels of control over some of the least predictable of elements, and use these to great effect for their own purposes. Their communication methods also allow them to have a far greater range of operation, and they can quickly come to each others' aid when necessary. However, they are as unpredictable as the chilling winds and high intensity ionic effects they employ, and controlling/coordinating their tactics can be a challenge. They are best known for this chaotic nature, but many embrace this, and in so doing, join with the Affinity in riding the winds and gales.

Affinity Elements

RadianceWindIce


Affinity Races

Sprites

Our own language would best describe these creatures as Fairies or Sprites, though their actual forms vary largely. Common to them all is their origin. Even though they do not seem so to many, Sprites are in fact biological creatures and not mystical, but their full forms shift and change with their own nature and consciousness, causing the large variance between their forms, appearances, and even element. Despite this, Sprites actually have a limited control of the 'magical' elemental properties of the world, when compared to other creatures of the Affinity, and most of the effects they are able to use are dependent on which form they have taken.

Young Sprites are small and fast, using their locomotion like many other creatures of the Affinity to avoid danger, but their close relationship with the Sky Pirates often has them loosely affiliated with the crews that sail the polar oceans and world's skies. They work as messengers, between the Pirates and the Dragons and Beetles, since, though not every creature can easily understand the Sprites, the Sprites themselves seem to be able to communicate with nearly any other type of being through their unique telepathy. It is also through this telepathy that their forms develop into the strange hybrid they are normally seen as. With most of their communication being with the humanoid Sky Pirates and the Beetles, their forms often reflect this, seeming to be small humans with insect-like limbs and wings, though elder Sprites have at times taken other forms, similar to the Flora, Valkyries, and even sometimes the Luminaires of the Regency. The younger ones are best known, though it is difficult to tell individual sprites apart since they do not understand the concept of names very well, and similar Sprites often project extremely similar names, making it unclear who exactly one is conversing with, except for those with the gift.

Those who befriend Sprites quickly learn to tell their friends apart by personality, though, with the elder Sprites clearly showing enough differences in attitude and method, to distinguish one from another.

Trolls

Trolls are, by nature, solitary, relatively easygoing creatures. They feed on stone, rarely leaving the confines of the cold mountain caves that are their home. Due to this, they are rarely seen, and even more rarely is there a voice to those who witness them. They have become almost a myth, and fairy tales telling moral tales involving trolls are passed down by the Aztotl tribes and told to their children. They do not generally have much in terms of magical ability except if they are quite advanced in age, however the nature of a Troll's appearance means that it is often quite difficult to be sure if they are, or not. They are known to use crude weaponry when needed, but because they are often slow, they have developed a few other more unique methods of combat, despite being of somewhat low intellect.

Their tough skin and expansive sources of food give them a great advantage. Trolls seldom to exert themselves moving around, in their daily lives, focusing primarily on using their mental shouts to find and call to a mate. During this process, Trolls may stand still for days within their caverns and are sometimes stumbled upon and thought to be actual stone by those brave enough to mine the precious metals from deep within the mountains. This is also in part due to their underdeveloped eyes, which, when closed, can seem to almost disappear. In the dim light of their normal habitat, it may be difficult to distinguish a curled up Troll from a boulder or rock formation. When disturbed, however, trolls become violent and dangerous, causing mayhem and destruction without heed. At times the Glacia or Ice element Sprites shepherd them into combat, using them as weapons against their foes. During conflict, certain trolls have learned to extend their "calling" to that of other species, mentally consuming them and paralyzing those unfortunate enough to be targeted. Due to their long lifespans and low levels of stimulus, even the low intellect of trolls leads to interesting abilities popping up. A troll may spend years thinking on and refining a single concept, and dwelling on anything for long enough eventually results in some mastery of it. For this reason, one often finds that old Trolls may be much more than one bargains for. Expecting a simple head on battle with a 'brute' is often only halfway accurate.

While one cannot say that most other species, or anything else for that matter, can befriend a Troll normally, quite a few can at least communicate with them, either manipulating them or calling them to aid. Sometimes this may even go the other way, with the Troll calling upon others to help it protect its home. Those who answer the call may be among the few that can call a Troll 'friend'.