The Ensior are an ancient race, the first on the planet to create, tell, and even write down legends, stories, and other items of interest. Their legends state that they are the descendants of the Three, C'Tae the Dancer, Ch'Varu the Warrior, and Ch'Phel the Keeper, having inherited from these three all that they are and all that they will become. It is said that from Ch'Varu the Warrior came their dauntless spirit, from Ch'Phel the Keeper came their love for knowledge and lore, and from C'Tae the Dancer their enjoyment of life and all that it holds.
Other parts of their legends hints that they came about "before the World Mother awoke," a phrase that is never truly described, but which many believe means that they were created from the stars in order to coax life into the world, before it could sustain itself. And, indeed, the ancient Ensior are incredibly resistant to everything and do not require food to survive, merely the light of the heavens, lending weight to the idea that they came to a barren world and formed it to sustain life. And while current Ensior are a bit less resistant, they still require nothing more than light of any sort to survive.
Perhaps because of their strange manner of creation, or just a fluke of their existence, their forms are often fluid, occasionally changing in small ways from day to day, especially when they're young and still growing. Such changes can be in color, claw shape, paw shape, wing shape, or even the very shape of their bodies and their gender. Once reaching a certain age, though, their form mostly solidifies, color can still change on occasion, and is often a good indication of their mood. Their gender becomes determined, and the physical structure of their body solidifies. It is at this age that they finally take their gender indicator - "C" for females and "Ch" for males, following the pattern of C'Tae and her brothers Ch'Varu and Ch'Phel.
At the start of the Iltakimen, some of Ensior that survived the Great Cataclysm gathered together to create a new race, the Naktar, that would survive and nurture the world through the long "Winter Night" that was created. Afterwards, they retreated deep into their caves and fell into deep hibernation, from which they would waken once the ice and snow and, more importantly, the thick covering of clouds would dissipate.
Those that created the Naktar retain a link with their people, and may be mentally contacted if the Naktar can make its way into the Ensior's lair and lay a hand on the Ensior. The entire journey is difficult, even for the young Naktar, and therefore only made during times of desperation.
C'Diaceliri, Mother of the Devir
C'Diaceliri is an Ancient Ensior, older than the living memory of any, even other Ensior. It is to her that the Devir turn when they wish to know something, earning her the title of "Mother of the Devir."
In appearance, she is a slender Ensior, long and delicate in appearance, with equally delicate, almost ornate, wings. She doesn't require them to fly - indeed, she's capable of flying with just a thought, such is her age and mastery of the world. C'Diaceliri is a deep midnight black in color, with the faintest edging of silver on her scales. She has large, swept back ears that can move independently of each other, and an equally long mane of silver blue. Her paws are adept at manipulating and holding tools, thus she is also known as the "Recorder."
C'Diaceliri is a strange old soul, given to riddles and stories with hidden meanings. Before the Iltakimen, she flew the skies by herself, nurturing the heavens and listening to the stories told upon the Celestial Winds. Her lair is filled with written records of those stories, along with others that she gathered or created herself.
Ch'Mir, Father of the Avarir
Ch'Mir is a youthful, eager Ensior, who, along with his brother Ch'Mar, put forth the idea of creating a new race. It is to him that the Avarir turn when they desire knowledge or aid.
In appearance, he is a lithe Ensior, with massive wings easily ten times his size that carry him into flight with ease. Ch'Mir's scales are mirrored, having no color but the colors they reflect from the world about them. His mane is silver-gilt black, and runs all the way down his spine to the tip of his tail, and instead of external ears, Ch'Mir has delicately branching horns that sweep up and back, almost as long as his neck. His paws are shaped like those of a feline, with retractable claws and a dew claw.
Ch'Mir is almost puppy-eager to discover new things and explore new places. Before the Iltakimen, he flew the skies with various flocks of birds and other flying animals, as their protector and guide. Until having to sink into seemingly unending slumber deep beneath the earth's crust, the only time Ch'Mir slept was on the wing, and he never landed except for the briefest of moments to speak with others.
Ch'Mar, Father of the Karir
Ch'Mar, along with his brother Ch'Mir, put forth the idea to the other Ensior survivors that they should create keepers for the land while they slept through the darkness. It is to him that the Karir turn, and it is he that they model themselves after.
Lithe like his brother, Ch'Mar has wings modified for propulsion through the water and glittering, blue-green-silver scales that blend well with any water, even the darkest and murkiest of water. His mane is wild, green as kelp and seeming to have a mind of its own, and runs all the way down his back like his brother's mane does. Like his brother, he, too, has no external ears, but neither does he have horns, his face a sleek, streamlined simplicity. His paws are webbed, his tail thick and powerful, and his eyes have multiple transparent lids that he can close over them.
A little more down to earth than Ch'Mir, Ch'Mar none-the-less enjoys the thrill of exploration and discovery. Before the Iltakimen, he 'flew' beneath the waves, only coming to the surface to meet with his brother, and nurtured the seas and oceans of the world. In fact, it is rumored that he, unlike his kin, remains active below the waves, existing on the phosphorescent and bioluminescent radiance of the undersea realms that the Karir have created.
C'Terana, Mother of the Dazrir
C'Terana is a quiet, motherly Ensior, and the one who showed the other eight the spells to craft the Naktar from their scales and blood and breath. It is to her that the Dazrir turn, and from her that the Dazrir took their knowledge of the earth and healing.
Small and slender, C'Terana is a wingless Ensior with emerald green scales that fade to earthen brown on her limbs. Her mane is short and spiky, forming a natural mohawk, and is a brown with golden glitters. Her ears are small and dear-like, able to move independent of each other, and she has a branching rack of antlers upon her head like a reindeer. Her paws are actually hooves split as a deer's would be, her tail long and slender, and her eyes are often a soft, doe-like color and appearance.
Healer, caregiver, and mother figure to six of the seven other Ensior around her, C'Terana is respected and loved by all, both Ensior and Naktar. Before the Iltakimen, she wandered the land with her friend C'Gali, bringing life and light to the earth and all it supported. Now, she sleeps deep within the land that she nurtured, waiting for the darkness to lift and her task to resume.
C'Zaneyl, Mother of the Fyrir
Wild. Free. Careless. C'Zaneyl is all of that, and more. An eternal child despite her years, C'Zaneyl sees everything as new and exciting, and threw her wholehearted enthusiasm into the creation of the Naktar. The Fyrir look to her, and take from her their eternal cheer and goodwill.
Smaller and more slender than even C'Terana, C'Zaneyl's body is tiny and ethereal - a child in perfection. Her wings are mere stubs, capable of gliding and flying only with the aid of thermals, her scales are the brilliant flaring colors of an inferno, her mane is long and wild, colored the bright blue-white of the hottest fires, and her paws are delicate, dextrous things she employs in her explorations of the world and her playing of pranks. She has short, delicate ears, a thin, flexible tail able to grasp and lift things into the air, and large, child-like eyes.
Prankster, child, and a well of eternal love for anyone and everyone, C'Zaneyl is the collective baby of the eight, despite being older than all but C'Diaceliri. Before the Iltakimen, one never knew where C'Zaneyl would show up, though it was a good bet that anywhere a volcano was erupting or a wildfire was blazing, the little Ensior would be found. Now, she sleeps within the crater of an active volcano, bathing in the light of her favorite element, and occasionally waking to enjoy the company of her Fyrir.
Ch'Frontic, Father of the Lyrir
Ch'Frontic is a reclusive Ensior, but none-the-less a very powerful one. While it took a while for the others to convince him to assist them in their goal, once he was convinced he poured both his power and his determination into the casting. The Lyrir call him their father, and it was from him that they recieved their knowledge of the icelands.
Ch'Frontic's body is both delicate and powerful, like the snow and ice he surrounds himself with. His delicate, wisp-like wings furl themselves seamlessly inside his body, unfurling like the first delicate snowdrop of the spring whenever he wishes to fly. His scales are the cold blue-white of glacier ice, his mane is a glittering waterfall of icy strands that chime as he moves, and his paws are large and thickly furred to support him over the thinest of snow crusts and most delicate of ice. He has no external ears, and no horns either, and a thickly furred tail that he curls about himself whenever he wishes to sleep.
Loner and recluse, Ch'Frontic was rarely seen by his brethern, even when they entered the lands of ice and snow to find him. Before the Iltakimen, he roamed the northern reaches of the world, nurturing the tiny pockets of life in the midst of the snow fields and glaciers. Now, he sleeps deep, deep within the largest glacier in the northern lands, which covered an entire continent even before the long ice age began and the ice crept southward.
C'Gali, Mother of Reason
C'Gali is known as the keeper of reason, the Ensior who brought the concept of reasoning to the newly formed life upon the planet. She advocates thinking over hasty actions, and hopes that all will turn to her gift first, before turning to war. No Naktar clan looks to her, but instead all may call upon her when reason must prevail over all.
C'Gali is a slender, graceful Ensior, delicate in all her movements and able to walk so softly that not even a single blade of grass is harmed as she goes. Her wings are graceful sweeps of silvery membrane, held aloft by black tines. Her scales are patterned black, silver, and white, her mane is actually a row of delicate black spikes with silvery membrane stretched between them, and her paws are graceful cat paws, complete with retractable claws. Her ears are long and mobile like a bat's, her horns curl about her face like the horns of a ram, and her tail is long, graceful, and unadorned but for the patterns that continue to the very tip.
Calm and patient, C'Gali was always there for the other Ensior, always willing to patch up misunderstandings or act as the neutral party in a discussion. She was the one who found and convinced Ch'Frontic to help the rest of them in the creation of the Naktar, in fact. Before the Iltakimen, she had no place that she distinctly called her own but moved about as the fates would have her. Now, she sleeps deep within a cave in the heart of Naktar lands, curled about with Ch'Vilonan.
Ch'Vilonan, Father of War
Ch'Vilonan is the keeper of war, the Ensior who brought strife and the concept of do or die to the races that existed upon the planet. It was he who gave the races the drive to survive, to grow, to succeed in the face of opposition. As with C'Gali, no Naktar clan looks to him, but instead all may call upon him for the knowledge of tactics and survival when war is inevitable.
Dark and powerful, Ch'Vilonan dwarfs most Ensior, especially the delicate C'Gali he is often seen with. His wings are massive, heavy things, tattered and worn about the edges, the membranes are a deep crimson with black veins, and his wing fingers are powerful obsidian tines tipped with wicked ivory spikes. His scales are patterned deep ruby and obsidian, with ivory accents, his mane is a vicious row of ivory spines, and his paws are heavy, powerful things tipped with wicked ivory claws. His ears are small feline ears, tattered about the edges, he has a single forward pointing horn resting between his eyes, and his tail is thick, powerful, and tipped with a sharp ivory barb at the tip.
Despite his fearsome appearance, Ch'Vilonan is a pleasant enough Ensior to be around. He believes that everything has its place in the world, even strife and bloodshed, and will act as he sees fit to keep the balance between true order and true chaos. Before the Iltakimen, he had no place that he called home, instead traveling about to observe the small races that were evolving and helping as he saw fit. Now, he rests deep within a cave in the heart of the Naktar lands, curled about with C'Gali, his opposite.