#aether trilogy

Lapsis Lutum:

           Element: Earth

          Physical Description: Lapsis Lutum usually have sturdy, muscular builds. They grow no excessive body hair, besides unnoticeable “peach fuzz”, nor do they grow hair on their heads.  Their pupils are slotted and black, and the outermost part of their iris is ringed with a dark circle.  They have one to three horns protruding from their heads that vary widely in size, shape, and color. Their tails are long and scaly, starting thick at the tailbone and becoming thinner and thinner toward the tip. Tail length varies widely.

           Possible Coloration: Eye colors of Lapsis Lutum range form green to yellow to brown.  Hazel eyes are very common among Lapsis Lutum. Tails are usually light, earthy tones, though Lapsis Lutum have been observed to have darker tails on occasion. Skin tone varies widely.

           Average height: 4’10” to 5’7” when fully grown

           Average lifespan: 120 years

           Clothing style: Lapsis Lutim never wear shoes, as the constant contact with the earth beneath their feet makes it much easier to feel the control they have over that element.  Think of it as typing with thick, winter gloves as opposed to typing with bare hands.  Their clothes are usually neutral, earthy tones.  

           Elemental Control: A young Lapsis Lutum—or an adult who hasn’t developed their elemental strength--can lift small rocks, move sand and dirt around, and sometimes create small rocks from dirt.  Lapsis Lutum of average strength can lift and throw large boulders, skillfully lift and mould sand and dirt, and cause rocks or hills to suddenly shoot up from the ground.  Extremely skilled Lapsis Lutum can create earthquakes, skillfully crush dirt and rocks together to form crystals, and create chasms or cracks in the earth.

 Lapsis Fluctus:

           Element: Water

          Physical Description: Lapsis Fluctus have completely black pupils and irises, and the “whites” of their eyes are a similar color to their hair.  They very rarely have the same hair colors as humans, usually bearing a gradient of several colors that are unnatural for human hair.  Their tails are thick and resemble that of an aquatic creature, thus they vary widely in shape and length.

           Possible Coloration: Tail, hair, and eye coloration is usually within the cool colors—but not always cool tones—from redish purple to true blue to yellowish green. Colors are just as likely to be dark as they are to be light, and as mentioned above, their hair is a gradient of colors.  The longer a Lapsis Fluctus’ hair is, the more colors it will have.  Skin tones vary widely.

           Average height: 5’ 5” to 6’ 3” when fully grown

           Average lifespan: 120 years

           Clothing style: Lapsis Fluctus wear long skirts and hooded shirts of the same dark color, giving the illusion of a robe, but allowing the tail to protrude from their clothing.  Underneath, they wear either nothing or almost nothing so that, if needed, they can cast their garments aside and move freely in any body of water.

           Elemental Control: Young Lapsis Fluctus—or adult Lapsis who have not developed their elemental control—can make ripples in any liquid, raise small globs of any liquid about 3 feet from its source, and throw small amounts of liquid up into the air from a considerable distance. Lapsis Fluctus with an average skill level can manipulate large globs of water, moving them a large distance from their source, create a vortex within a deep body of water, and manipulate existing clouds to cause a small amount of rain.  Powerful Lapsis Fluctus can manipulate water to take shapes and move it over a mile away from its source, create vortexes of water that rise up from their source, and use condensation in the air to create clouds and cause a rainstorm.

 Lapsis Ignis:

           Element: Fire

           Physical Description:  Lapsis Ignis have strong, broad shoulders and a powerful stance. The “whites” of their eyes are entirely black, and their irises and pupils are not distinguishable from each other, but are the same, extremely dark shade.  Their canine teeth are long and unusually sharp, and their other teeth are pointed rather than flat.  Their fingernails and toenails are naturally black and sharp.  Their tails are long and thin, with a pointed triangle-shaped protrusion at the tip.

           Possible Coloration: Lapsis Fluctus’ eyes vary from blood red to deep purple to midnight blue.  Their eyecolor is a darker echo of the color of the flames they create. Their tails are usually the same color as their eyes at the base and getting gradually lighter and lighter closer to the tip.  Skin tone varies widely.

           Average height: 5’ to 6’ 1” when fully grown

           Average lifespan: 120 years

           Clothing style: Lapsis Ignis very rarely wear any clothing on the upper halves of their bodies, as their power is concentrated in their upper bodies.  They’re very frequently seen wearing amulets, whose inscriptions and patterns often depict their status.  They can create their own heat, so the wear light clothing—usually loose pants with openings to allow their tails to be threaded through—and sandals.

           Elemental Control: Young or inexperienced Lapsis Ignis will be able to radiate extreme heat from their hands, manipulate existing flames, and—with much concentration—set fire to extremely flammable material like dried leaves or candle wicks as long as they’re dry and the wind isn’t too strong.  Lapsis Ignis with average skill are able to create small flames in their hands from nothing (or, seemingly nothing; it’s said that they burn their own energy or aura in order to create these flames), cause existing fire to grow greatly as well as manipulate it to go in any direction, and set fire to almost anything remotely flammable as long as the environment is dry.  Extremely skilled Lapsis Ignis are able to create large amounts of fire by burning expiravit (spiritual energy), enough to engulf their entire head, shoulders, arms, and chest, cause even the smallest candle flame to grow into a pillar of raging fire that reaches ten feet into the air, and can light nearly anything on fire regardless of the surrounding elements.

 Lapsis Vastili:

           Element: Air

           Physical Description: Lapsis Vastili each have a pair of wings.  There are as many different kinds of wings as there are Lapsis Vastili, some are feathered like birds’ wings, some are leathery like bat wings, and some are more akin to the wings of some kind of insect.  The “whites” of their eyes and their pupils are black, and their irises are usually a very vibrant color.  Lapsis Vastili are usually slender and fit, and often wear their hair long.  Their tails vary widely in length, but are almost always very thin except for the part that fans out at the end of the tail. The “fan” at the end of the tail is similar in texture and appearance to the wings of the Lapsis Vastili

           Possible Coloration: Lapsis Vastili are, perhaps, the most colorful of Lapsis.  Their wings can be any number of colors and shades.  The color(s) of their tail will always match the color of their wings.  Their eyes, as stated above, are usually very vibrant in color, but a Lapsis Vastili’s eyes can be any number of colors. Skin tones vary widely.

           Average height: 5’4” to 6’3” when fully grown

           Average lifespan: 120 years

           Clothing style: Lapsis Vatili wear clothing made of light fabric, often a toga-style outfit that is belted in the middle. Lapsis Vastili are very aware of the fly-away nature of their garments during flight, and almost always wear additional coverage underneath for modesty.  If and when they don’t, it’s calculated, and they probably want to flash their junk.  Their shoes are lightweight and have to be strapped tightly to their feet and/or ankles to keep them from falling off.

           Elemental Control: Young or inexperienced Lapsis Vastili can create a light breeze when there is none and use the wind to manipulate extremely lightweight objects like leaves or feathers.  Lapsis Vastili of average skill can create a gust of wind strong enough to knock a person over, change the direction of natural wind, and use the wind to manipulate lightweight objects such as scrolls, oil lamps, or sticks.  Highly skilled Lapsis Vastili can create strong tornadoes, move or manipulate pre-existing clouds, and use the wind to pick up and manipulate moderately heavy objects such as people or medium-sized rocks.

 Aether:

           Element: Life/Light

           Physical Description: Unlike most Lapsis, who are born of a human and a Lapsis, Aethers are born of two Lapsis. An Aether will bear the traits of both parents, but moreso.  If one of their parents was a Lapsis Vastili, the Aether will have at least two pairs of wings. If one of their parents was a Lapsis Lutum, they’ll have a head full of horns.  If one of their parents was a Lapsis Ignis, they’ll likely have slightly protruding fangs and prominent claws.  If one of their parents was a Lapsis Fluctus, they’ll have a lot of thick, colorful hair. Aethers’ eyes usually are completely white, sometimes with a slight tinge of color.  The number of tails they have varies between three and seven, and just like the rest of their traits, the appearance of their tails depends on who their parents are.  There is something akin to a strange glow around their head, though it can usually only be seen out of the corner of one’s eye.  If you look directly at an Aether, you usually won’t be able to see any glow.  Side note: Aethers very rarely identify as “male” or “female” and will usually choose to use “they” or “them” pronouns for themselves.

           Possible Coloration: The color of an Aether’s aura, as well as the color of any Lapsis traits they got from their parents usually varies from a shade of white to gray to black, along with either light blue, light yellow, or light blue and light yellow. The aura that surrounds an Aether varies according to the individual’s innermost thoughts and feelings, though it is yet to be spelled out exactly what will color (or discolor) an Aether’s aura. A healthy aura is usually tinted blue and/or yellow or gray.  A “bleached” or “empty” aura is a blinding white, and a dark and unhealthy aura is dark blue, sickly yellowish-brown, or black.  Skin tone varies widely.

           Average height: 6’ to 7’ when fully grown

           Average lifespan: 170 years

           Clothing style: Aether clothing has not been concretely established, as there has not been an Aether born in recent history. However, whispers of Aethers of the past often depict them wearing white clothing.  It stands to reason that an Aether would wear clothing that would be practical to their individual appearance; something that allowed room for their tails as well as any other features they might have gotten from their parents.