The Vey'Lora

Type	Civilized Corporeal
Origin	Consciousness of the Grass
Region	Vaelthar
Capital	Nomadic
Known For	Wind Manipulation, Nomadic Tradition, Spiritual Attunement

The Vey'Lora, also known as The Windborne, are a nomadic people native to the vast grasslands of Vaelthar. They are deeply attuned to Vaelora, the Spirit of Endless Grass, and believe themselves to be her voice and breath. The Vey'Lora reject permanent settlements, choosing instead to follow the wind’s path, never lingering in one place for long. Unlike the Torinok, who construct great stone fortresses to resist the elements, the Vey'Lora embrace movement as a way of life.

Origins and Nature

The concept of **consciousness existing in all things** is a fundamental truth in Adaris. Just as the Orasians arose from the sentience of stone, the **Vey'Lora emerged from the living breath of Vaelthar—the wind and the endless grass.** They are not merely travelers upon the plains; they are **the wind made flesh**, the embodiment of Vaelora’s restless spirit. Their existence is a testament to **the fleeting, ever-moving nature of the world**, embracing transience rather than resisting it.

Formation of the Vey'Lora

The Vey'Lora first emerged in the earliest days of **Vaelthar**, when the winds and fields whispered together, awakening to their own existence. Their bodies were **woven from the currents of the sky**, their first steps leaving no trace upon the land. Unlike other corporeal beings, the Vey'Lora **were never meant to be bound to the earth**—they are the wind’s will, given form only as long as movement sustains them.

It is said that **Vaelora herself breathed life into the first Vey’Lora**, crafting them **not from stone or water, but from the air itself.** In their earliest forms, they were **barely tangible, spectral figures moving with the breeze**, indistinct and ever-changing. Over time, as their awareness deepened, their bodies became more defined, yet they retained **their ethereal nature—light, swift, and never truly still.**

Unlike races bound to the soil, the Vey'Lora do not mark their passage with footprints or monuments. Instead, **their legacy is carried on the wind**, their words, stories, and memories whispered through the grass, forever moving, never forgotten.

Connection to the Wind

To the Vey’Lora, **the wind is not just air—it is the voice of the world, a force that shapes fate, guides the lost, and binds all things together.** They do not command it, as one might wield fire or stone; instead, they **listen**, aligning their movements and choices with the unseen currents that flow through Vaelthar.

Wind is also a **sacred judge**—it grants favor to those who respect its flow and abandons those who seek to control or resist it. The Vey'Lora believe that when one **strays from the path of movement**, the wind will cease to carry their name, and they will **fade from existence, erased like footprints in shifting sand.**

The Breath of Vaelora

The Vey’Lora view themselves as **extensions of Vaelora’s breath**, living emissaries of the ever-moving spirit of the grasslands. This belief shapes every aspect of their culture, from their nomadic way of life to their philosophy of impermanence.

- **To stop moving is to die.** The wind must always carry them forward, and to linger too long in one place is seen as **a betrayal of their nature.** - **Names are sacred.** A Vey’Lora’s name is whispered into the wind at birth, and it carries their identity through the world. To **lose one’s name to silence** is the greatest fear of their people. - **Life is a journey, not a destination.** No Vey’Lora seeks to settle, conquer, or claim—**they exist to move, to learn, and to follow the paths unseen.**

Their legends speak of **a time when the wind will cease, when Vaelora’s breath will falter, and the grasslands will turn to dust.** To prevent this fate, the Vey’Lora believe they must **keep the wind alive** by never stopping, never clinging, and never turning back.

Physical Characteristics

The Vey'Lora are distinguished by their tall, willowy frames, ethereal movements, and natural connection to the wind.

Height and Build

• Typically standing between 6'2" and 7'0", with long limbs that grant agility and an elongated stride.
• Light-boned and sinewy, designed for speed and endurance over brute strength.
• Move with fluidity, their steps barely disturbing the ground.

Skin and Markings

• Semi-translucent in certain light, appearing to blend into the surrounding grasslands.
• Their skin shifts subtly, like the rippling of wind through the meadows.
• Tones range from pale gold to deep bronze, often dusted with pollen from the Skyveil Flats.
• Some possess intricate wind-marks, faint spiraling patterns believed to be a blessing from Vaelora.

Eyes and Vision

Vey’Lora eyes change with the light:

• Bright gold in direct sunlight.
• Dusky blue at twilight.
• Soft green-gray during storms.
• Faint silver glow beneath the night sky.

Hair and Windflow

• Their hair never fully settles, always shifting as if caught in an unseen breeze.
• Colors reflect the land, ranging from straw-gold to ashen silver, with rare storm-gray shades.
• Elders believe the wind chooses a Vey’Lora’s hair color, marking their path in life:
  • Gold – Blessed travelers, skilled in navigation.
  • Silver – Storm-callers, harbingers of change.
  • Dark – Marked souls, out of favor with the wind.

Culture and Way of Life

Vey'Lora in a white garment.

The Vey'Lora believe that to stand still is to die, and only through movement can one exist in harmony with Vaelora.

Nomadic Traditions

• Do not build permanent homes, instead crafting woven grass shelters that dissolve in the wind.
• Never follow the same path twice, believing that Vaelora’s breath always leads them forward.
• Ride Skyveil Striders, massive antelope-like creatures that glide with the wind, allowing them to cross great distances.

Society and Leadership

• Zephyr Council – A group of elders chosen not by age, but by attunement to the wind’s wisdom.
• Wind-Speakers – Spiritual guides who interpret Vaelora’s whispers and determine the tribe’s next path.
• Dance of Paths – A sacred ceremony where young Vey’Lora prove their connection to the wind by navigating a storm without losing their way.

Spiritual Beliefs

The Vey'Lora’s faith is deeply rooted in the movement of wind and the eternal cycle of life.

• Vaelora’s Breath – The belief that the wind carries Vaelora’s guidance.
• The Eternal Current – Life is a flowing path; stagnation leads to decay.
• Skyveil Nights – Rituals performed under glowing pollen storms, where the Vey’Lora commune with echoes of the past.

Mythology and Legends

• The First Windborne – The tale of the first Vey’Lora, a lost traveler guided by Vaelora to eternal freedom.
• The Vanishing Paths – Those who betray the wind fade from existence, their footprints erased.
• The Wind’s Last Warning – A prophecy stating that if the Vey’Lora ever stop moving, Vaelthar will fall silent, and the land itself will die.

Conflict with the Torinok

The Vey’Lora reject the Torinok’s efforts to control the land, believing their massive stone structures are an affront to Vaelora.

• The Torinok see the Vey’Lora as lawless wanderers with no claim to the land.
• The Vey’Lora view the Torinok’s stone walls as barriers against the wind, unnatural scars upon Vaelthar.
• Skirmishes occur where the Torinok expand into the grasslands, disrupting the Vey’Lora’s sacred paths.
• Vey’Lora Wind-Warriors use speed and deception to sabotage Torinok supply lines.

Weapons and Warfare

Despite their peaceful nature, the Vey'Lora are formidable in battle, wielding weapons shaped by the wind.

• Windwoven Spears – Lightweight but unbreakable, striking with unnatural speed.
• Breathwalkers – Scouts capable of moving faster than the eye can track, appearing like mirages.
• Stormcallers – Mystics who manipulate the wind to disrupt enemy formations, redirect arrows, or summon powerful gusts.

Physiology and Unique Traits

Diet and Metabolism

• Sustain themselves on sky-fruits, wild grains, and honey-sap.
• Cannot digest heavy meats, instead drawing energy from the land itself.
• Burn energy efficiently, allowing them to run for days without exhaustion.
• Heal remarkably fast as long as they remain in motion.
• A wounded Vey’Lora who stops moving may succumb to their injuries faster.

Movement and Reflexes

• Move with effortless grace, their steps barely pressing into the ground.
• At full speed, their forms blur, making them difficult to track.
• Can dodge an arrow after it has been fired.

Breathing and Speech

• Slow, deliberate breathing, as if drawing air from the world itself.
• Voices carry like whispers on the wind, soft yet ever-present.
• Some Wind-Speakers can project words on the breeze without moving their lips.

Influence on Vaelthar

The presence of the Vey'Lora ensures that Vaelthar remains untamed and free.

• The grasslands remain unclaimed, ever-changing under Vaelora’s breath.
• Vey'Lora traditions influence travelers and traders, who learn to respect the wind’s path.
• Some isolated settlements adopt their nomadic ways, forsaking permanence for a freer existence.

"To Stand Still is to Die"

A Vey'Lora proverb, reflecting their belief that life is meant to be in motion, always following the wind’s call.