Today, I’d like to tell you a little about how the Aelfir in Tangled Bliss came to be. The idea for the a group of fairy/elf/brownie folk came to be before I had a story for them.
I was doing some research on elves/fae for another fantasy idea that I was trying to solidify into something I can begin writing. I came across a reference to the alfar. They are an Icelandic/Norse reference to land spirits such as the elf, fairy or brownie like creatures. I was intrigued and I liked the name.
In that mythology, there are two types of alfar, light alfar (ljosalfar) and dark alfar (dekkalfar). My mind started to turn. Not about the fantasy story I originally came to the site looking for details, but about a new people who lived on earth right alongside humans.
Although I liked the name Alfar, a few web searches led me to books and games using the same name for fictional elf like creatures. Since I was changing the beings a little, I decided to change the name.
How would they act? What problems would they face? Where would they live? Would they interact with humans?
The answer is a lot like us. They have parents, relationships, fears, responsibilities, work, and play just as you and I do.
They have some of the same problems as us, but they also have more because of the magic they carry. Insanity in an Aelfir can lead to the magic becoming tainted. On the other hand, deliberately causing harm to another can lead to the same tainting of the magic. In either case, that Aelfir is very dangerous. Which is why there is the special group, the Hunters. They protect both the Aelfir and the humans from the tainted Aelfir and other creatures.
They live in small towns, small cities, contained communities within a large city. Almost everywhere.
Do they interact with humans. Yes. Some Aelfir communities host festivals that are open to any who want to come. More than a few Aelfir are fine craftsmen: metal, glass, woodworking, weaving, and more. They sell those crafts to anyone who wants to buy it.
Happy reading!
