The Pell are a primitive tribal race that appears to have lived upon Nexus for thousands of years. Pell tribes can be found almost anywhere on Nexus where primal power is highly concentrated, and depending on circumstances, may be aggressive or friendly. They universally believe the Eldan were gods, although they differ on which primal power deserves their religious devotion. They often refer to unseen deities called "the Masters," and much evidence indicated they served the former rulers of Nexus in their grand experiments.
Since the Eldan disappeared, the Pell have evolved into six broad groups - both aligned and mutated by long exposure to sources of primal power like the Primal Focuses. In addition to worshiping the Eldan, many tribes worship the Primevals as manifestations of the gods on Nexus.
Arcanists
Arcanists are the individuals in the tribe who are responsible for finding and maintaining the ancient technological devices used in the village. In almost every case, this ancient technology is not used for the purpose it was originally designed. Arcanists believe that these ancient machines are infused with powerful elemental spirits, and can often be observed attempting to communicate with them.
Arcanists are known to collect the datacubes left behind by their Eldan progenitors. They consider these objects most sacred as they contain the spirits of their Masters who disappeared so long ago.
Physical Description
Without their bulky robes on, the Pell are skinny, hunched over humanoids. Their faces are shaped like beaks, angled downwards; the back of their heads protrudes some distance upwards at a similar angle. They can grow hair on the backs of their heads, parted on boths side.
High Priests, who have been exposed to large amounts of Primal Energy for prolonged periods of time, display straighter posture and lose the angled head, becoming more human-like.
Cultural Decay
There are proofs that Pell society was much more advanced than they are today. Ancient Pell texts display a deep understanding of technology and more complex language than what they use today.
The reasons for this are varied; it could have been from the disappearance of the Eldan that spurned the atrophy; that the more advanced Pell were being taught and supported by the Eldan themselves; the constant exposure to Primal Energies has changed them on a biological level, reducing their intelligence; or a variety of other reasons we may never know for sure.
Variants
The Pell have split into six major factions, each representing one of the Primal Elements.
| Name | Element | Location | Danger Level | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thundercall | Air | Galeras | Hostile | Obsessed with their birthing their god, Stormtalon. Frequently abduct citizens to be used as sacrifices to power their rituals. |
| Calmwater | Water | Whitevale | Friendly | As their name suggests, the Calmwater Pell are friendly and docile, preferring to live out their lives quietly fishing and collecting rainwater. |
| Stormseeker | Water | Ellevar | Neutral | Willing to exchange Eldan artefacts for supplies and favours. Will not attack the nearby Dominion settlement of Lightreach Mission, but will not tolerate hostility, either. |
| Flamedancer | Fire | Malgrave | Neutral/Hostile |