Py'rai

Q: Do I have to have antlers as a Py'rai character?

A: That is really the predominant characteristic that stands apart between what traditional wood elves from a fantasy sense have been and what our approach has been with Ashes of Creation. So the answer is Yes, players will have to have some form of these antlers.^[2] – Steven Sharif

Py'Rai node architecture concept art.^[3]

Their architecture is infused almost with the surrounding trees and vegetation.^[4] – Steven Sharif

Py'Rai (pronounced Pie-ray^[5]^[6]) are a playable Pyrian Elven race in Ashes of Creation.^[7]

Nature. Balance. Fury. All things come to balance in time, and nature always has her way. Don't let their love for nature fool you though, the Py'Rai rarely take prisoners. Whether by bow or spear, the Py'Rai's legacy will take root.

Appearance

Py'rai male in-game footage.^[8]

From a character customization standpoint, these will be adjustable: Their length, their size, their width, their color, whether or not they'll have features like flowers that can bloom on the actual antlers, if they have buds, how do those antlers interact with climates as you move into them, do they bloom?^[9] – Steven Sharif

All Py'rai will have antlers, but their length, size, width, color, and other components can be adjusted via the character creator.^[9]^[2]

The horns are a unique feature of the Py'Rai, but it may be possible to remove them.^[10]
Py'rai will be capable of having brown skin.^[11]

Artistic influence

The Py'Rai have a Navajo Native American influence.^[12] Py'Rai architecture has a woodland inspiration.^[4]^[13]

Pyrian Elves

Pyrian statue concept art by Ryan Richmond.^[14]

Pyrian Elves are split into two races: Empyrean and Py'Rai.^[7] Pyrian are the parent Elven race from long ago:^[15] The ancient elves.^[16]

The Pyrian kingdom's borders encompassed the great Forest of Erinthia.^[17]

For over 4,000 years the Pyrian royal family of Eradal has endured. The kingdom has seen its share of wars. The kingdom's borders encompass the great forest of Erinthia. The capital of Amera is among the oldest and most beautiful cities in the world. Its royal families can trace their lines back to the days of the Dark Fires. The Pyrian universities of magic and martial studies are unparalleled in the lands of Verra. Many of the citizens of the Kingdom venture out into the lands of Verra wishing to spread their knowledge of art and science to their fellow Verrans. These ventures are often subsidized by the royal households of Pyria for hopes it will foster a better relationship with their Human neighbors. Once a close ally of Aela and the house of Lyneth, the Pyrian Kingdom and Aelean Empire ended one of the bloodiest wars in Verran history. Eighty years have passed since the last bloodshed; and although tensions have subsided among the citizens of the two nations, there remains a heightened level of distrust among the Empire's new rulers and the royal family of Pyria.^[18] – Steven Sharif

The Elven race is generally a secretive one and exists within the Pyrian kingdom. Primarily a patriarchal society, Elves tend to keep within the natural borders of their forests. It has only been over the past millennia that the Riverlands have begun to see colonies of Elves exist. Elven scholars, dignitaries and pioneers can often be found in many of the human cities: Though their presence is rarely seen in sites other than archaeological, academic or diplomatic. Rumors do abound throughout the darker circles of Verra that there lies a particular lineage of Elves that exist within the Underrealm of Verra.^[17] – Steven Sharif