Moonborn

The Moonborn, known in their tongue as Isilónar, are an elf-like people who populate the Highlands. They are extremely gifted in dark magic and the arts. They make excellent mages and thieves.

Physical Characteristics
Moonborn tend to be tall, androgynous, and have bright “wild” eyes. They have long, deft fingers and tend to grow their nails and hair quickly and as such, the longer the hair and the more well-maintained the nails are (often looking like claws) the more beautiful they will appear to each other, though that is not always the case, as some “counterculture” Moonborn cut their hair and nails short. They often have heavily-lidded eyes and long, pointed “leaf-shaped” ears. Both their hair and ears are often adorned with jewelry, though the former is done to indicate pain tolerance, as Moonborn have very sensitive ears. They can see very well in the dark, and their eyes are especially attuned to seeing in even pitch-blackness, such that in the daylight, their pupils will appear as extremely small pin-points. Generally, Moonborn have long canines, which give them a frightening appearance. Some Moonborn who wish to live among other peoples may file these canines down.

Moonborn typically have bright eyes, dark skin, and dark hair. Deviation from this (particularly in having light hair) is generally credited to lineage from a very few early lines of Moonborn or otherwise through some manner of spell or magic.

Culture
Moonborn are able to speak eloquently very early in life, and develop in the mind extremely quickly. Their bodies, however, age slowly, as they are a long-lived race. Moonborn delight in conversation and even young children may carry on for hours with even adults.

They have a polytheistic religion based largely around moon-worship and a tiered pantheon. One such religious sect of theirs still remains.

Customs
They value knowledge in crafting and magic above all else, but Moonborn can make skilled huntsmen and warriors, some of which are the subject of song and tale. Hunting parties tend to stay closely packed together and operate with speed and the help of endurance and numbers. Moonborn hunters who hunt alone are named Feredir, and those who hunt in groups are named Faradrim.

Naming Conventions
Moonborn naming conventions follow a matronymic pattern, where the surname is based on their mother’s name; a child of someone named Lingwilócë might have the surname Lingwilóhin. These surnames are by no means exclusive to same-gender parents, and it is often agreed upon between partners which name the child will inherit. Some, however, who carry on a family’s particular skill, will have the surname “tar ____”, where the following is the particular skill or profession. For example, a fisher’s son who also excels at fishing will bear the surname “tar Halatir”.