Note: Some of this was inspired by mythology, words in brackets are to help you find what I'm referencing on google. Also I got tired of writing this so I didn't elaborate on certain things, if I need to I will. If any of my races/military are too strong just tell me and I'll weaken them.
Nation Name: Nostastone
Races:
-Tengu: Clever, audacious, and wise, the tengu communities in Nostastone date back to ancient times. With the large wings on their backs similarities are been drawn between the tengu and harpies, but a tengu's arms and wings are completely separate. In addition, tengu are much more human-like in appearance and behaviours. A tengu's appearance most resembles a tall human, but its physiology functions differently depending on the tengu subspecies. Most tengu have a few traits in common. They are a long lived race. They tend to warn against being too proud and arrogant, despite being known for these traits themselves. They are territorial by nature. However, tengu are also mischievous and fun loving.
--Crow Tengu (karasu-tengu): When tengu are mentioned, it often refers to the crows. As the most well known subspecies of tengu, they can often be seen flying over the mountains. Crow tengu have black feathers like a crow. Of all tengu the crows are most human-like in appearance. Crow tengu are the only subspecies of tengu capable of flight. A crow tengu's bones are partly hallow making them fragile, and they do not have much physical strength or muscle mass. Crow tengu are agile, having great balance and muscle control. They move at high speeds both in the air and on ground with their light body mass. Having magical potential varies among crow tengu, average tengu have a small potential for magical abilities, but for most this potential is never realized. Wind magic is easier to use for them. Crafty as crows, most prefer a diplomatic approach, and dislike bloody conflicts. Nevertheless this does not dissuade them from friendly brawls and aerial duels.
--Long Nose Tengu (hanataka tengu): Tales involving these tengu are often exaggerated. Since they are not seen as often as crows few have bothered to correct their image. Like their namesake implies, they have larger noses than other tengu and humans, but only slightly larger. The skin of a long nose tengu has a reddish tint to it. These tengu are roughly as tough as a weaker human. This causes long nose tengu have too much body mass for flight. Their wings can vary in colour, but have become vestigial. Long nose tengu do not have the agility of crow tengu and have little capability for magic. Despite this they are considered wiser than crow tengu, and live longer lives.
--Wolf Tengu (tiangou (literally: heavenly/sky dog)): Whether wolf tengu are actually tengu has been a debated subject. Wolf tengu are a subspecies of tengu that originated from the same ancestors as other tengu types, but have distinct features. Instead of human-like ears their ears resemble those of wolves, allowing for fine localization of sound. Wolf tengu have no wings, even if they did they could not fly. Wolf tengu have average toughness, with some of the dexterity and balance of crow tengu. Their biggest strength is their sharp senses. A wolf tengu has heightened senses, being able to detect motion better and having acute hearing. Wolf tengu are more attuned to magic than long nose tengu, and are suited to intricate but less powerful magic like modification and weaving spells. A wolf tengu's features depend on it's lineage, certain hair colours, teeth shape and tail fluffiness are passed down from parent to child.
A approximate population ratio among tengu is: 50% crow, 15% long nose, 35% wolf
-Elaneae: How the elaneae came to be is a mystery, all that is known about their origins is that in ancient times they were one and the same with elves. For the most part Elaneae are anatomically similar to elves. Elaneae show varying degrees of spider features (think driders but with elves and sometimes not as spider-like). The average elaneae is pale with four extra spider legs along with regular elf legs and sometimes fangs. More extreme cases have a full spider's abdomen and all spider legs or only spider fangs and no spider legs. Elaneae are dexterous but have weak bones from the lack of vitamin D and other nutrients. While there are few elaneae that can reach the level of arch mages, most have at least a little magical power. Elaneae are attuned better to water magic, but can use other types. Elaneae have web glands, but they are not connected to any external organs. Using magic an elaneae can extract it's silk from it's body.
-Nature Fey and Other races: The deep vast forests of Nostastone are home to many fey. Fey vary greatly in shape and size, but are born from an aspect or force of nature. Their physical appearance and features are often reflected in their connection to nature. The fey are magical in being and are sensitive to changes in their environment. Examples of fey races common in this category are dryads, fairies, and alraunes.
--Fairies: Fairies make up most of the fey in Nostastone, with their numbers above those of the other races. Fairies are the embodiment of nature. It is unknown if a fairy can die from old age, like nature they seem to persist even through large disturbances. Fairies have child-like minds, but have the capacity to learn. They tend to stay away from strangers, except when playing pranks on them. Their physique can range from the size of a palm to the size of a young adult. All fairies have some sort of wings, but flying relies more on magic than creating lift. Fairies age slow, ones that have lived for thousands of years are deemed great fairies and are larger and smarter. Fairies are incredibly weak physically, any human would be able to overpower a fairy. All fairies have some innate magical powers, but few have enough power to do anything more than cast minor spells. All fairies are connected to an aspect of nature, the type of magic they can use correlates with this. Anywhere from a one to two weeks after a fairy is killed any remains will disappear, and the fairy will resurrect at their link to nature or a nearby area with a large mana concentration or untouched nature. When fairies respawn their bodies have no traces of injuries and they retain no emotional scarring.
--The dark and unwelcoming parts of Nostastone are home to all manner of strange creatures who thrive in the magic forests away from prying eyes. This includes both wild beasts and civilized beings. Races common in other areas such as humans or dwarves can sometimes be found in Nostastone, but they are a minority.
Geography: Nostastone is located in a mountainous region by the western coast. It is a cool temperate climate due to the wind currents brought over the ocean. Some southern mainland regions are warmer and drier. In the Nostastone mountain range there are multiple mountains. The highest of them is red mountain, with its tallest peak standing 2900 meters above sea level. It is an ancient stratovolcano that has been dormant. The mountains are cool due to their altitude, and receive large amounts of precipitation. The mainland below the mountains has many dense forests atop magical ley lines, as well as normal temperate forests and grasslands. Some forests tree species can grow quite large. Nostastone is also home to various species of bamboo. Underground there is a massive cave network in two regions to the north. It is a natural maze that can be hazardous if one does not know what paths to take. The ground is still structurally supported, and has been reinforced by it's residents.
Society/Culture: Each race, and communities that include multiple races have their own culture and societal structure. There are some similarities shared between them. The currency used in Nostastone is the notch. Notch coins are made through casts, there are seven different coins. There are four metals used to make the coins, and each coin has a different design along with a number showing its worth. Society in Nostastone does not have a heavy emphasis on foreign trade. While there are some trade routes, and trading happens between regions, society in Nostastone is self sufficient but not a closed economy.
There are two main languages spoken in Nostastone. The tongue of the tengu called Tienyu, and the language of the Elaneae which is a modified version of Elvish. Most citizens only know one of the two.
Fighting is a large part of society in Nostastone. Although Nostastone advocates peace, non-lethal dueling is common among citizens. There are special rules for melee and ranged battles, but generally anything goes as long as it is non-lethal without any lasting harmful effects and doesn't break the preset rules.
-Tengu Society/Culture: Tengu live in settlements that they have built. Tengu have a preference to build their settlements in the mountains, but there are those below them. Buildings are made of wood or stone, sometimes implementing bamboo. The material used depends on the material's availability and quality. In certain forest settlements with giant trees buildings are made to incorporate trees, using them as walls or support. This helps to save on building costs and preserve the land. The idea was originally suggested to tengu by dryads.
The tengu calendar is a lunisolar calendar based around the seasons. The main food source of tengu is farming. Farmland is privately owned. There are fishing villages, by the coast and the lake, but fish is not commonly eaten outside of those regions. Crops often farmed are rice, tea, cotton, potatoes, various fruit, soy, wheat, and bean species. Over the years farming techniques in Nostastone have been improved to increase yield, and farm sustainably without damaging the land. Many techniques were taught to the tengu by the fey and nature deities. Although the tengu believe in preserving nature and living in harmony with it, it took a long time for the tengu to let go of their pride long enough to listen to their neighbours. The tengu have long since developed ways to craft small boats for travelling over rivers, and fishing trips. Some tengu farmers raise egg laying bird species, but most meat comes from hunting. Meat is not eaten as often, and tengu hunters are careful not to overhunt an area.
Tengu have a structured society with a focus on lineage. In all subspecies of tengu there are noble lines and lords. Regions are watched over by one or more lords that take care of smaller matters in their area. Tengu of higher status are the only ones given the opportunity to join the council as a tengu, but they still must prove themselves worthy first. A young noble must show admirable traits and gain the respect of their peers and common citizens alike to be able to join the council. While young tengu are free to pursue whatever profession interests them, it is rare for one from a non-noble line to ever reach a higher class. Everyone has a role or profession in tengu society, it is rare to see an adult tengu of lower class without some sort of job. Many professions are dominated by a particular subspecies of tengu that are innately better at it. Most messengers are crows, hunters and patrollers are wolves, and long nose tengu are stuck with office work. While these stereotypes are often true, there are exceptions. Tengu communities are welcoming to outsiders and people of different races, but wolf tengu can be territorial and patrol their land to stop any suspicious activity.
Religion in Nostastone above ground has no church or large organization. It is not a path of worship but a way of life. The teachings and ideas are esoteric, with each group having different interpretations and views, but many have similar values like helping those in need. Temples in Nostastone teach their followers to achieve harmony in body, mind and soul. Those who follow this path are devoted in bettering themselves, and living in harmony with the flow of nature and all living things. They strive to best their best selves, not harming or hurting anyone, and respecting all. There is a strong emphasis on karma, and that all actions and intentions accumulate karma. Karma is the process of cause and effect, all actions and intentions will have consequences. Good intention and proactive actions accumulate good karma, bad intentions and passive actions accumulate bad karma. Often times actions and intentions will not accumulate only one type of karma, but all actions accumulate karma. Accumulating karma in itself simply means that one has taken an action, and is not inherently good or bad. It is taught that all things have different aspects of light and dark that they are composed of. All souls also exists in a duality of light and dark, capable of both good and bad. The opposite sides clash, but without the other they cannot become whole. It is also believed that some actions will cause impurity in an object or soul, rituals are preformed to purify and cleanse the impurity. There are monks who train themselves and teach those who are willing to listen. Those truly wish to master this way may leave society for secluded locations and become hermits. For the common man these are just ideas that they try to incorporate into their every day life in what way they can.
Located around Nostastone above ground are many small shrines. Shrines are sacred places built to respect and honour gods (Not gods of creation, but creatures or people of spiritual nature that rely on faith for their power and existence) in the area. These gods are spirits created from the beliefs of the people and the land long ago when people first had thoughts. They need faith to sustain themselves, or else they will gradually become weaker (but having excess faith will not power up a god). To have faith in a god is not only to believe that it exists, but to believe that it should exist, and want it to exist. It is to respect it, and rely on it when the time comes. These gods usually represent some aspect of nature, a concept, words, a plant or animal. Gods usually have some power related to what they represent, and can cause minor miracles, however miracles are not something that should be used lightly so they are used sparingly. Gods can vary widely in temperament, ranging from malicious to kind. Some have physical forms while others are spiritual.
While shrine may incorporate some of the teachings in Nostastone, they have their own rituals and practices. While not all shrines have tengu maintaining them, those that do normally have one to six shrine keepers. There is no typical shrine keeper, most have different approaches to their jobs, but some keep in contact with other shrines. Shrine keepers offer various spiritual services and also do burials. Most shrines are maintained by tengu priests and shrine maidens, however many do not get visited often by tengu with the exception of shrines to harvest gods. Those who dedicate themselves to serving gods and spirits at shrines often live at the shrines. In Nostastone the role of shrine keeper is passed down from parent to child, but rarely a shrine keeper may take on an apprentice. A family line takes care of a shrine from the moment the shrine is constructed and a symbolic bond is formed between the family line and the god. Those that come from a long line of shrine keepers often have inherent spiritual powers, how these powers manifest themselves depends on the family line. Shrine keepers train in their own family fighting style, using a combination of physical, magical and spiritual techniques. This is because they are expected to deal with spiritual threats and keep order with the various creatures that lurk in the forests when guards cannot.
In tengu culture it is valued to be clever, audacious, and wise. While activities in the settlements are overseen by the tengu council there is a lot of autonomy in the separate regions. The general air in tengu villages is uptight, but lively as citizens go about their daily lives. Young tengu are taught in schools to learn about the world around them and how they can apply knowledge practically. Tengu while versed in the art of war, dislike conquest and bloodshed, fighting techniques are not taught to the general populous. Despite that basic magic lessons are readily available for those anyone with enough money, potential, and will to learn.
Long nose tengu dislike dueling others, but wolf tengu and crow tengu like duels both for fun and sport. Most crows take it to the air, but will ground themselves against those who cannot fly.
-Underground Society/Culture: The Elaneae live underground in large caverns around Nostastone along with subterranean fairies and other creatures. Over thousands of years Elaneae have made the caves habitable and self-sustainable in case the caverns are sealed away once more. Those underground have lived together in close knit communities since they were trapped there long ago, and continue to do so even now that they can exit the underground freely.
Society underground is peaceful in one sense of the word. The underground cities will accept anyone of any race so long as they do not cause much trouble. They focus on enjoying what they have in life. Even now that there are entrances to the surface, those underground often choose to continue living below the surface, and have no will to conquer other lands. Children are carefully raised with the help of the community to learn the values of those before them, but also to encourage individuality and self expression. Wastefulness is frowned upon. There are many resources that while not vital are in short supply, so those underground make the most out of what they have. Despite the peacefulness something is always happening underground, whether it's big or small.
There are three main cities in the underground where a majority of the population lives. The biggest of which has its own palace. Outside of the main paths the cities are maze-like and dense, filled with winding alleys and narrow passages. The cities are always alive, the bright lights and sound of carousing can be seen and heard from far away. People are always moving between the stone buildings lit by lanterns, and activity can be spotted far above the painted building roofs near the cavern ceiling.
In the underground those with power are the strong. This is not measured just in physical strength, but all aspects of being strong. Those who can gain the respect of citizens, and prove their strength often watch over their district to maintain order and stop crime. Crime rate is low in the underground cities, and this helps to lower it even further, and works against corruption. Having this social status does not come with any benefits by itself.
Water can be found from the rivers that flow in from the surface. Over time the elaneae and underground fey bred edible plants and fungi to be farmed under the circumstances they found themselves in. Surface fruits and vegetables are traded for with surface settlements, but meat is rarely eaten. Day and night are different deep underground where the sun does not shine. They have adopted the calendar and clock system of those above ground, but many have their own schedules separate from day and night.
There are no organized religions underground Nostastone. Nonetheless some practice values of the tengu above ground, and hermits may seek secluded passages in the caves to meditate. To an outsider how the underground operates can seem strange. The community as a whole comes together to make important decisions. Meetings are overseen by those in charge of a district. There is not much in the way of law enforcement in the underground, but any crimes are dealt with quickly. They do not have prisons underground, serious offenders are sent to tengu prisons above ground. Many underground enjoy fighting, but assault is not tolerated. The underground has a policy of honour and honesty. Under Nostastone when one breaks something one takes responsibility for it, and when one is helped, one always repays the favour. Those underground, especially elaneae hate lying and dishonesty.
These is one noble line of Elaneae underground that lives in the palace. The queen controls of the elaneae has power in the underground if they are respected. If they are deemed worthy they often play an important role in making large decisions. The noble's power is the only thing close to a large governing power in the underground, but it still does not hold as much power as most governing systems.
There are those underground who have more artistic pursuits. There are many smiths and crafters, along musicians and artists. Society underground is more advanced than that above ground. This is due to the wisdom and intellect of the engineers who worked to make the underground sustainable while documenting all of their progress. Geothermal energy deep down (Note: not electricity) is used in the biggest machines and systems underground. Some of their inventions are traded with those above ground, but they are not regularly produced.
-Fey and Other Races Society/Culture: The fey and other races do not have a society in the normal sense of the word. They find safety in numbers, but don't form civilizations or settlements. Fey live among nature in small homes hidden by fey magic. Other beings may have small houses built secluded away from civilization. There isn't much communication between groups. Those that need to meet the needs of survival either find a way to support themselves or make trips to the nearest settlement.
While the fey and other races can be found almost everywhere in Nostastone, most of them live in the dense forests away from civilization. These forests have giant plants that shroud the forest ground in shadows. The deepest parts of the forest are the most magical, the plants and creatures that live there strange and wild. These lands are fraught with danger, but most threats only show themselves at night. It is because of the danger that common folk stay away from these parts. Nevertheless some less dense and less dangerous forests may see travel.
The fey are passive to events around them. Being embodiments of nature they live quiet lives without caring much about outside matters. There's no coherent government system for the fey, nor do they have any chain of command. Fairies are generally too childish to bother forming large social structures, but they may be spotted playing in gangs. In fey culture authority is dictated by seniority but mostly power. Most fey do not pay attention to the of time with the exception of seasons, and thus don't know how old they are. When a fairy gets wise and strong enough it gains the title of great fairy. There are very few of these despite the fact that fairies don't seem to stay dead. Fey in Nostastone are generally more sociable than in other places due to their long relationship with other races.
Other races from foreign countries can be found in various settlements around Nostastone. Most natives have nothing against foreigners and can get along well if they hold no ill will.
History: The races of Nostastone are long lived, and have called it home for many generations. The first people who lived in the land were the fey who existed as long as nature itself. They lived in the land in peace, watching over it as it flourished. For a long time it was only the fey and the wildlife in Nostastone.
Then a cursed tribe of elves were banished into the land. The tribe and their descendants were cursed to have spider like features for the rest of their lives. How they were cursed was unrecorded, some theorize that they had earned the wrath of a god or powerful wizard. Regardless of how it happened, these elves were shunned by their peers for their appearances even though they were unaffected mentally. The elaneae tribe found their way into the Nostastone cave system while seeking shelter far away from those who banished them. The tribe stayed there but thought that they could not survive in the massive cave network for too long. When they were about to leave back to the surface, some members of their tribe got lost in the caves. The tribe decided not to leave without them, and searched for their missing kin. By the time the missing elaneae had been found the entrance to the caverns had a massive cave in. The entrances were sealed tight, and they could not escape. They tried to settle inside the caves, but faced many resource shortages. In the face of starvation they banded together and reached out to those already living in the caves. As time passed they learned how to survive in the deep caverns and built a home for themselves with their new neighbours. Once they no longer had to worry about everyday survival they became accustomed to life without sunlight. They could then dedicate themselves to other crafts and focus on new ideas.
Much later, the tengu built settlements and created their culture. The tengu lived in separate communities and made their own clans. They would sometimes interact with the fey, but the tengu made no effort to acknowledge them. When their crops would fail and the fey made suggestions to improve their ways the tengu ignored them and continued doing things their way. As the settlements grew, the lords argued and feuded. Some wanted to go conquer other lands, while others liked things how they were. Tensions escalated until one lord declared war on the others. Others used this as an excuse to declare war in turn. Soldiers were sent out to conquer the other lords' land and met on the field of battle. In the midst of the conflict many civilians were killed and the land ravaged. The fey could not stand the troops moving through their territory, and came down upon any who treaded into their land. This conflict continued for many years until the lord atop red mountain had enough with the fighting. The crow tengu Skell of the Sanfa was nicknamed the heavenly demon for his ferocity in the skies and at the negotiation table, and for his kindness and fair judgment. He was a wise and patient man, but quick to anger. He had tried to not get involved in the bloodshed, only taking the actions needed to protect his people. Nevertheless the war made it harder to produce enough food for everyone with the thread of farmland being taken over or destroyed by enemy troops. The great tengu Skell could not tell when the fighting would end, and decided to put an end to it himself. To do this he did something that was never done by a tengu lord before, he put down his pride and went to the fey for help. He went in person to negotiate with them, and possibly recruit them for his cause. The fey were reluctant to help, but Skell managed to convince them. The more powerful fey wouldn't be able to command every fairy and dryad to cease attacking trespassers, so they mapped out routes Skell's troops could take without coming under fire. Skell made agreements with the other great tengu who did not wish for war, and then made his move.
Skell's troops took the land by storm. Having acted only defensively so far into the war, his troops and supplies were still healthy. Skell commanded his troops with his advisor, they employed various tactics including guerrilla warfare and leading enemy troops into swarms of angry fairies. He was also the first to fully utilize crow dive bombing. It was a rough campaign and not without many losses, but in the end Skell was able to stop the drums of war. Many in the lands he conquered were unhappy with the outcome. Nonetheless, Skell would have his peace and he would make sure keep it. Skell did what he could to unify the tengu and ensure that war would not break out once again. He created a council to govern the land receiving input form people of all statuses and reformed the military. Later he made mends with the fey for all destruction caused by his people, and asked them to help improve their lifestyle with their wisdom.
For sixty years this shaky peace would continue until a new faction would rekindle the flames of war. Under the mountains a path had opened up and those underground and above ground would make contact for the first time. The elaneae alive had never seen the surface before. While the elaneae were accepting of the tengu and wanted to learn more about them, the tengu were not happy about what they deemed as a lesser race occupying the land below them. Tensions were rising, as a long lived race many tengu remembered the hardships of war, but did not know how to respond to the elaneae living below the nation. The tengu did not respond with outright hostility, but were on edge. Skell saw that he could salvage the situation before things got out of hand and direct the future of their land. He called for a meeting between himself, the queen of the elaneae and one of the oldest great fairies who had helped Skell in the past. There were many protests, but in the end the three met up in the Palace of the Earth within the underground capital. The three of them had entered a meeting hall and forbid any outsiders from interrupting them. For two days and nights they stayed there underground. When the doors opened the great fairy had died from some sort of poisoning, and the great tengu Skell had gone into a coma. The tengu and fairies went into an uproar upon hearing the news, they cried of foul play and elaneae trickery. It was never released to the public what went on in those two days and nights. When the great fairy resurrected and Skell was treated they quelled their people and decided to unite the three factions together under one name. This decision was not accepted easily, but with the leaders' efforts the races were unified. Roughly eight hundred years ago the new nation formed by these races was named Nostastone.
Trade opened up between the races and with time they learned to accept the other races. With each other's help society grew while preserving the natural beauty of the land. Today their peace continues as they take the necessary actions to maintain it.
Government: There is a large council that oversees major decisions for the nation. There are roughly equal numbers of the three main races in the council, but there are less fairies and dryads as it is hard to find candidates to actually join the council. How one joins the council depends on one's race. All council members vote on topics brought up by the council to make decisions. Most regions and communities have smaller scale systems to deal with local issues that are not important enough to bring up in the council.
Imports/Exports: Nostastone does not trade much with other nations, most of its trading is internal. While it does not have an abundance of rare materials, it can sustain itself with the resources it has. Nostastone has a good quality lumber, bamboo and stone but an agreement made with the fey inhabitants prevents harvesting large amounts of natural resources for the sake of trade and profit. Only the tengu trade with those outside Nostastone. The fey and underground inhabitants do not trade for resources unless it is necessary. There are those that trade within Nostastone to trade with foreigners.
The wealthier import materials not often found in Nostastone such as rare metals, and glass.
Military: Nostastone has a small military force. The military force is maintained as a group effort between the different races to keep peace in the nation and not to invade others. Most of the military is comprised of tengu. This is not caused by bias, but because the other races have low enlistment rates. There are general squads with comprised with soldiers of different races and many specialized squads for those with certain talents.
In tengu society having the discipline and willingness to join the military is a respected. The tengu troops while not the strongest soldiers are the most disciplined in the Nostastone military. There are few long nose tengu in the military, with a majority of tengu soldiers being crows and wolves. A tengu soldier can be distinguished by the variant of military uniform the wear. Along with a uniform tengu soldiers are given a special red hat (tokin) which doubles as a cup, a hauchiwa leaf fan, and tall sandals with only one slat (tengu geta). Soldiers are trained with their choice in a selection of arms such as various blades, shields and bows. Most tengu wear light armour or no armour in combat. Aerial crow units need to minimize weight to fly without problems at top speed, as such they wear no armour and cannot carry any heavy equipment with them. Crow tengu could use enchanted armour, but do not as ground units do not. Out of pride ground units do not wear heavy armour or enchanted armour either. Crow soldiers specialize in scouting and relaying messages while wolf units are geared towards combat and patrolling. There are crow combat squads, but not as many as there are for wolves.
The tengu military is not as strong as it could be. This is because many stronger tengu refuse to join the military due to a dislike of conflict and violence. In addition, the military has been unsuccessful in getting religious support. Tengu monks train in their own fighting style to improve their bodies along with their minds and are much more disciplined that normal tengu soldiers. Tengu monks do not believe in military service. Shrine keepers and priests have been uncooperative as well.
The elaneae don't have many troops, and not just anyone can sign up. The process of allowing one to be a soldier is very selective. Being underground they feel safe defending their own people in the dark tunnels and dangerous drops. In addition, not wanting to leave the underground has left them with a low recruitment rate and little motivation to increase it. Elaneae troops patrol around the caverns and cities helping those in need. Their soldiers are better equipped than the tengu as they have better access to the materials needed and have developed better smithing techniques. Elaneae soldiers are tough but undisciplined and rowdy. It can be hard for them to get along with the tengu.
Outside of several stronger alraunes and dryads fey are almost non-existent in the military. While alraunes and dryads are more powerful than fairies, they lack their resurrection ability. The council has tried to form a fey branch of the military multiple times but has given up on it for the time being. Most fey don't care about war, land or power. Fairies which make up most of their numbers are weak in almost every aspect individually and only useful in large hordes. However they can be very childish and easily distracted. While braver or foolhardy fairies may fight to the death, most will desert in the face of great danger. The military has never been able to make fairies act in an organized or disciplined manner, and eventually they get bored and leave. The most successful attempt involved giving the fairies candy along with military pay to add an incentive. It worked for a brief time, but this led them to become hyperactive. Not long later the they ran out of candy and had to cancel the project.
Foreign relations: (I'll deal with foreign relations later)