Elanaya

Physical Description
Elanayas are Small humanoids with four-fingered hands, four overlarge eyes, glittering skin that varies in hue from navy to black, and curly hair held back by a crown-like ridge of forehead bumps. At adolescence, most elanayas form a permanent bond with an elemental, causing their hair and sparkles to become a single color associated with their elemental. Elanayas naturally live up to 80 years old (doubled if bonded with an elemental).

Society
Elanayas are citizens of Shorixx, a planet within the Eusilid system in the Vast that’s under assault by the Azlanti Star Empire. In ancient times, elanayas were scholars and mystics who studied and traveled the planes. At some point during the Gap, the elanayas bonded with elementals and established settlements on each of the elemental planes. These settlements are connected to Shorixx by magic portals usable only by elemental outsiders and elanayas. War has changed elanayan priorities, so now rather than explore new frontiers, they use these portals to defend their home world from invasion. Traditional elanayan family units contain four individuals, made up of any combination of their four sexes and bonded through love, who mutually raise their children. While time and war have altered these traditions, quaternaries remain important symbolically, particularly in art, governance, and architecture.

Adventurers
Elanayas are embroiled in war and usually stick close to home, leaving only to act as diplomats and explorers, or to secure a useful advantage for their people. They have extensive knowledge of the planes and are frequent planar travelers. Elanayas often become vanguards, soldiers, and envoys, though solarians and mystics are also common.

Names
Elanayas have a single name that usually contains four syllables. Some sample names include Arakenzo, Enboyomi, Lorfinagar, Tirafiya, and Urdraterax.