The Sylvarin, also known as Fae Elves, are an ethereal race believed to be the children of King Cernunnos, the Horned Lord, and Queen Visunna, the Lady of Light. Their origins tie deeply to the creation of the Plane of Faewyld, as they are said to have been born from the essence of the Eldari Ael, embodying the harmony and magic of the plane itself.
Unlike other Fae who reincarnate endlessly, the Sylvarin possess a unique soul-cycle tied to their sacred Rift Crystals—crystalline soul-anchors infused with Visunna’s light. Upon death they return to their crystal to be reborn, but the destruction of their crystal means permanent extinction. This makes them both the most enduring and simultaneously the most fragile race of the Faewyld.
Origins and Creation
When King Cernunnos and Queen Visunna united their realms, the wild forests and luminous spirit lands of the Faewyld were woven together into a single vibrant ecosystem. It is said their love gave life to the Sylvarin, who carry within them the essence of their divine parents. Their connection to the Faewyld is so profound that their very forms and emotions reflect the magic and emotional resonance of the plane.
The Sylvarin are more than mere inhabitants of the Faewyld; they are its stewards, tasked with protecting its balance and preserving its beauty. Their existence is a testament to the harmony their progenitors forged, and their lives are intertwined with the ever-changing rhythms of the plane.
During the Solis Singularity, when the Eldari sacrificed themselves to bring order and life to the universe, three Archfey emerged: Cernunnos, Visunna, and Morrígna. Cernunnos and Visunna—united in purpose—founded the city of Ithandriel, the heart of the Faewyld, where they forged the Rift Crystals that contain each Sylvarin soul.
Each Rift Crystal houses a single Sylvarin soul. Upon physical death, the spirit returns to its crystal, where it is reborn in a purified form. The Sylvarin also do not reproduce, making the protection of these crystals essential to their survival as a species.
- If the crystal endures, the Sylvarin endures forever.
- If the crystal breaks, the Sylvarin’s existence ends utterly—no reincarnation, no lingering spirit, no cycle.
Thus, the Sylvarin are sacred and irreplaceable.
Physical and Emotional Ties
The Sylvarin are known for their breathtaking beauty and supernatural grace. They are often mistaken for elves of the Prime Plane, but their appearances shift with their emotions and moods, reflecting the seasons of the Faewyld:
- Spring (Joy and Hope): Bright green hair, floral scents, and radiant smiles.
- Summer (Passion and Wrath): Fiery red hues, glowing golden eyes, and intense heat radiating from their skin.
- Autumn (Reflection and Melancholy): Hair like fallen leaves, warm amber tones, and the faint scent of harvest.
- Winter (Sorrow and Serenity): Pale features, icy blue hair, and frost trailing in their wake.
This seasonal transformation extends beyond physical appearance. Their abilities and auras change to match their emotional state, making them both unpredictable and deeply connected to the magic of the Faewyld.
Abilities and Traits
Exposure to the magic of the Faewyld has granted the Sylvarin unique abilities:
- Emotional Resonance: Their powers intensify with their emotional state, allowing them to summon flora, alter the weather, or charm others with their presence.
- Seasonal Adaptation: Sylvarin can shift between seasonal forms, granting them specific magical and physical traits depending on their mood.
- Fey Step: A supernatural ability to teleport short distances, leaving behind a fleeting trace of their seasonal form.
Their connection to the plane makes them naturally adept at manipulating the arcane and attuning to the rhythms of nature. Because their souls are bound to Rift Crystals, Sylvarin cannot reincarnate freely like other fae and cannot become wraiths or revenants. A shattered crystal ends their being permanently.
Culture and Role in the Faewyld
The Sylvarin serve as the stewards and emissaries of the Faewyld. They dwell in the City of Ithandriel, a magnificent forest city intertwined with crystal towers and living trees. As loyal subjects of King Cernunnos and Queen Visunna, they act as caretakers of the Faewyld’s balance, ensuring that the delicate harmony of the plane is maintained.
While most Sylvarin are devoted to the Court of Verdance, their emotional nature sometimes draws them into the conflicts of the Court of Wither, where temptation and chaos can lead to dark transformations.
As the Faewyld would collapse into elemental chaos without order imposed by the court, the Sylvarin uphold the seasonal mandate imposed by Ithandriel. Travel between the seasons is only possible through Visunna’s Lumenways, which only Sylvarin magisters or Visunna herself may open.
Legacy on the Prime Plane
Following the Conjunction of the Realms, the Sylvarin found themselves displaced into the Prime Plane, where remnants of the Faewyld collided with mortal lands. Some chose to remain as protectors of these new fey-tinged territories, while others returned to the Faewyld.
In the Prime Plane, the Sylvarin are revered as emissaries of nature, often forming bonds with druids, rangers, and others who live in harmony with the land. Their ability to embody the seasons makes them symbols of the natural cycle of life, death, and renewal.
Omens of the Archfey
The Sylvarin are said to carry the blessing of Cernunnos and Visunna in their very essence. When they gather in great numbers, the environment around them reflects the will of their progenitors—an elk’s silhouette in the wind or a glowing beam of light cutting through the forest canopy are seen as signs of the divine couple’s favor.
The Sylvarin stand as living legacies of the union that shaped the Faewyld, embodying its beauty, unpredictability, and primal magic. Whether in their shimmering seasonal forms or their eternal quest to preserve balance, they remain an awe-inspiring reminder of the Faewyld’s boundless potential.
Those who fall to sorrow, corruption, or jealousy sometimes bear the dark mark of Morrigna—rose-shaped black veins that bloom beneath their skin. Such Sylvarin risk being lost to the Court of Wither.