Za'zimlas Dwin'nealis

Previously a moderately sized town, the town of Andotélmaer currently has a population of around 400 - less than half the size at the peak of their civilization. While the outskirts of village are still in ruins, the central hub of it - located midway up a mountain - has reestablished itself well. The mountain, Faerska (fortress of magic, fay-air-ska), has been the home to the Gyraliir colony for a mere few centuries.

Though some of the homes and buildings seem to be grand in architecture and fashion, most seem to be more on the simple side - what they lack in grandness they make up for in colors, flowers, and trinkets. Stone bridges and overhangs line up the mountain and village, beautiful statues chiseled into the stone and painted in almost lifelike fashions. Rope bridges link from one side of the village to the other, but they seem mostly unused, gathering a sheet of dust. A town square lays near the base of the main village - accessible to those who must walk on foot up the mountain. Shops and stalls line the town square. Small patches of farmland can be found closer to the top of the mountain, but the very top is reserved for a shrine, hidden by clouds.

While it once stretched from the top of Faerska to the base of it, that no longer seems to be the case. The ruins of homes near the base still stand, cleared of most debris and stand acting as graves for those lost within the massive windstorm. A shrine is located at the very base of the mountain, adorned with various plantlife and trinkets - it is clear by the state it is in that it is well taken care of, and seems to be honored daily. This shrine is the only structure kept well-perserved at the base of Faerska.

The Gyraliir has staked claim over Faerska for over around 300 years, tending to the mountain with caution and respect. Remaining small but steadily growing, the colony is close-knit - most Avariel know each other within Andotélmaer. They are friends, family, and confidants. Like a small town anywhere else in the world, everyone knows everyone. Both a blessing and a curse. Unlike most Avariel colonies, the Gyraliir people have three sectors among them - the usual two of war and peace with the addition to one dedicated to nature as well.

The War Sector, Arrn'dala ('warriors of the storm', air-n dah-la), is similar to most other war-like Avariel sectors. However, they have a strong code of honor and disagree in the notion that death is the end of all battles. Ruthless in combat, the Arrn'dalan use mostly ranged weaponing, but tend to use magics as well. They believe that the balance of war and peace is a necessity to win any battle, striving to spare an enemy until it is proven that enemy will not stop. While they believe this philosophy of balance wholeheartedly, their bias towards power and strife tends to be apparent among the Arrn'dalan. Many are arrogant, aggressive, and haughty - to any that do not fit their ideals, they tend to treat poorly. Loyal to those above them, many Arrn'dalan will act without a second thought if a commander tells them to - after all, philosophy and thinking are more of a Nor'dathn way of life.

The Peace Sector, Nor'dath ('peace of passion', nor dah-th), is filled with the more creative types within the Gyraliir colony. They, like other peaceful Avariel, enjoy creation and follow in the steps of Aerdrie Faenya, the deity of the Avariel. Despite being the 'peace' sector, only a few are truly pacifistic. For the most part, the Nor'dathn strive to keep the same ideals as the Arrn'dalan - that there is a balance to be upheld between peace and war. While they seem to be an opposite to the Arrn'dala, those in the Nor'dath sector are just as arrogant and haughty, but far less aggressive. In place of aggression, those in this sector exhibit passive aggressive tendencies. Philosophers and artists, Nor'dathn spend their days creating and providing what they need through arts and learning about the world.

The Nature Sector, Gisirûn ('keeper of the land', jhee-see-roon), is most unlike what other Avariel colonies and civilizations have. Focused heavily on tending to the mountain, the Gisirûn spend their days caring for shrines, plants, and creatures that wander into the mountains. They are farmers, shepherds, and healers. While one in the Arrn'dala sector may be a paladin and one in the Nor'dath sector a bard, most of those in the Gisirûn sector fit along the lines of druids. They care greatly for nature, and believe in remaining neutral in all conflict. They are the middle ground among all others, and seem almost nonchalant about any strife they come across. If they must fight, they fight, but they do not fight with a code of honor, nor a philosophers' point of view. They are the self appointed hippies of Andotélmaer.

Like in many societies, the Gyraliir have their own system of hierarchy. Whilst the three sectors are equal to each other, members within each sector have their own rank. The lower down the ranks one is, the lower down the mountain they live. Each sector has it's own leader, the Omah'timaer ('leader of the wings', oh-mah tee-mare), who is responsible for decision making within each sector. Along with the leaders are the eldest of the colony, who are allowed their say in all decision-making matters. At the very top, appointed by Aerdrie Faenya herself, is the Omah'timaer Nin ('highest leader of the wings', oh-mah tee-mare nin). They are to remain neutral to each sector, only speaking up with a final decision if infighting occurs. They hold the final say, and tend to the highest shrine.

Due to the windstorm that wiped out over half of their civilization, the Gyraliir focus now mainly on rebuilding. It has been a little over a decade now, and while they will likely never get back to where they had once been, the colony has managed to overcome much of the trauma they had faced. Though they have healed, however, the scars are still present, and wounds open up often over the simple reminder of who's to blame.

Those avariel under the age of eighteen are considered students to all sectors of the colony. From the young age of three, they are cycled through each of the three sectors, learning from those of peace, those of war, and those of nature. It has been this way since before the Gyraliir separated into their own colony. The teachings of each sector is meant to keep the elves balanced - it is meant to teach them how to respect all aspects of the colony and to ensure that they are well-rounded individuals. Until they are of fully grown adults around age one-hundred, young avariel live with their parents or family members - if they do not have access to any living relative, the Omah'timaer Nin's head acolytes will house them. Upon their eighteenth birthday, a ceremony is held in which the avariel will either choose or be chosen to join one of the sectors. Once fully grown, another ceremony is performed to give the avariel a home of their own. Those that do not wish to remain bound by one sector tend to leave the colony, going off on their own to adventure through the lands. 

Like other elven people, the avariel care greatly about the arts. It is said that of all elven peoples, the winged elves tend to have the best singing voice, sounding akin to songbirds. Importance is placed greatly on the arts - from painted works to written, from song to dance. An art form beloved by many avariel is the production of glass art. Sculptures within the Gyraliir colony tend to be made of a special kind of glass produced by the avariel. Fluid and maleable, strong and sharp, glassteel is much more durable than its fragile counterpart, used in many forms of art and weaponry for the avariel colony. Due to the fragility of the avariel's hollow bones, glassteel was created to be lightweight for combat, and tends to be colorful in it's designs, resembling stained glass or glass art typically found within the village. 

Clothing and fashions are another breed of artistic freedom within Gyraliir. While the avariel tend to have a more flowy style of clothing overall, the Gyraliir sport their attires in colorful designs. Most of their young are taught how to create their own clothing, and most wear their own designs where ever they go. Flowy fabrics that can retain the designs from lightweight paints tend to be favored, but thicker fabrics and leathers are also found within the colony. In colder months, the Gyraliir will sport dyed furs and layered fabrics, attempting to mix their loose and free clothing style with something more practical. 

[WIP]