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"Bi go maith." (bee go mah) - an eladrin greeting
The Eladrin are one of the major races in Nora. They are noted for their passion, cunning, and opportunistic endeavors. They are sometimes accused of being haughty and egotistical. Their militaristic society is lead by the Old Order and every citizen is a soldier. They are an ancient race, having reached an advanced level of magical ability long before humans had learned to walk upright.
Known to many people as golden or silver elves, the eladrin have made a number of fantastic cities that exist on both planes at once. Their master over their own mystic domain in unquestioned.
Table of Contents
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History
When the gods were making mortals in their likenesses, Dhanni, god of nature, made the eladrin and gave them the choice of either staying with Her in the Twilithe or going to the world of humans to be free. Some left, but those that stayed learned great lessons in the workings of the magic of the fey. The eladrin slowly became curious about the world, though and soon began to come through the goldwood crossroads.
Appearance
Eladrin have slim athletic bodies, long pointy ears, acute senses and keen sight in the darkness. They have light colored hair and skin ranging from white to blue.
While it was once believed that eladrin and elves were the same race, separated more by cultural differences than physiological ones, it has since been determined that they have, in fact, evolved into separate races.
Society
The whole of eladrin society and tradition, called the Society or Péarla Foirfe, is based upon a highly structured caste system. Military/political rank is the main influence in eladrin social standing. Because eladrin are members of a militant civilization, who consider defending the Society of foremost importance, military service and its accompanying rank are decisive factors in determining social eminence.
The continuation and integrity of the Society is the first duty to every eladrin. This almost fanatical belief has lead to strained relations with other races. The eladrin have a contempt for elves and their concept of rhythid. They also commonly use gnomes as laborers and fodder for their armies.
Eladrin tend to be highly reclusive, engaging in extended periods of isolationism, and can be perceived as outright dangerous to other species, seemingly believing themselves to be superior. At least some eladrin believe that one day the Society will rule all of Nora.
Eladrin females are generally equal to males, both having equal ability to rise through the ranks of the military. The Society once had an empress, however details of her rule have been lost.
Class Structure
Eladrin caste members are identified by earrings called gol uirthi.
There are several major castes;
- Old Order
- Autumn Kingdom Lord
- Spring Kingdom Lord
- Autumn Kingdom Upper Class
- Spring Kingdom Upper Class
- Autumn Kingdom Lower Class
- Spring Kingdom Lower Class
Government and Military
Eladrin government is strict and regimented. It begins at the top with the bicameral Ard Ordú, or the Old Order. The Old Order includes the Lords' Council and the Table of Judges. It also commands the elite Swordwraiths.
The next tier is the oldest of Eladrin kingdoms known as the Autumn Kingdoms, ruled by Elder Kings and the lords of the old clans. Under them are the Eladrin living in adnas known as the Spring Kingdoms, with similar infrastructure as their older counterparts.
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The Old Order
The Ard Ordú is the head of the eladrin government and consists of two parts:
- The Lords' Council, or Tionól is the main governing and legislative body. The Lords' Council is headed by the lord of all Eladrin, the Breitheamh, followed by his second in command, the Giúistís. The council does not sit on the first day of the week.
- The Table of Judges, or Leanúnach Coiste, is composed of nine members. Only the Breitheamh, who heads the Table of Judges, is guaranteed a seat; others, even the chairman of the Swordwraiths, must compete to be allowed in. One of the Table of Judges' duties is the confirmation of a new Breitheamh. The Table of Judges also serves as a court when criminal charges are brought against members of the Lords' Council.
Swordwraiths
The Scáth Amharc Ar, or Swordwraiths, are a highly-respected and feared Eladrin intelligence organization. The name comes from the Scáth Ionsaí, an elven method of execution where the neck is broken with a swift stroke for a quick and merciful death.
Its purpose is guarding the security of the Society, both from the Eladrin's enemies and from traitors within the Eladrin population itself. The covert, often invisible presence of the Swordwraiths keeps the general populace in a constant state of compliance, that any signs of dissent with the status quo will result in their dubh mála or disappearance.
The Swordwraiths reports only to the highest levels of the Eladrin government, and even so they undertake many missions without the direct knowledge of the Lords' Council, conducting operations with virtual impunity throughout the Society. Their authority supersedes that of most Eladrin clan lords, resulting in a mutual distrust and hatred between the two organizations.
The Spring Kingdoms
The foremost of the Spring Kingdoms is Eiledomhan. As the first and greatest Spring Kingdom, it holds its status tightly and shows no sign of faltering.
Life Cycle
Contrary to the eladrin image of militarism, family bonds can be strong and affectionate just as they are for Humans.
Birth
The Gate
It is customary for eladrin adolescents to undertake an initiation ordeal known as the Gate, or treoir, in which they are left to fend for themselves in the forest for a specific period of time. Not all children survive this rite of passage.
The Whip
After the Gate, the child is to choose an older mentor of opposite sex to assist them through the next stage in their life, the Whip or buail. The mentor then takes the youth through the necessary training towards their desired occupation. The training is brutal and uncompromising, meant to make the youth ready for the rigors of eladrin life and stamp out any cravings for freedom they may have gained from the Gate.
This mentor-student relationship is often sexual.
Marriage
Eladrins practice arranged marriages in which a male and a female are married or affianced as children, with consummation at a later date. Following adult union, it is customary for the couple to take a sabbatical for one year before resuming their societal roles, though it is possible for the female to defer this requirement until a later date, upon negotiation with the male's family.
An eladrin female can challenge the arrangement by calling for pósadh fuil, in which a challenger for marriage engages the bonded male in a fight to the death. Alternately, the bonded male has the option of rejecting his intended bride and choosing another. It is acceptable for a male to declare a divorce and leave his mate, females do not have this option.
The purpose of marriage in the Society is the breeding of children. Both wife and husband share all property, as do their children. Marriage is to take place after the Whip.
The marriage often begins with celebration. It brings two households together, new property is introduced, and there is the underlying promise of children. The day is carefully chosen, with all sort of religious reasons as to why certain days should be avoided. Gifts are given to family and friends from the newlyweds.
On the wedding day, the bride travels with a procession to her new home, while the bridegroom is ahead of the bride to receive her. With her, the bride brings a torch lit from her family's hearth, and was offered another torch and water. She was then carried over the threshold by her attendants, not her husband. The words "as you are Husband, so I am Wife" are exchanged at this point. The day after the wedding, the groom would hold a dinner party at his house. All of this was part of publicizing the marriage.
While engaging in romantic affairs with others during the engagement period is considered normal and is often encouraged, adultery is a crime punishable by exile, or if discovered in the act, death.
Death
Culture
Cuisine
Language
A common eladrin courtesy is the saying "bí go maith" (bee go-ma), it is used both in context of greeting and goodbye.
Religion
Eladrin do not usually worship primal spirits as the elves do, but rather Dhanni herself as well as her exarchs.
Art, music and literature
Eladrin often wear blue in their clothing and consider it a sacred color to suggest their superiority over nature. All eladrin heraldry feature this color in some degree.
Eladrin architecture involves pendulous creations of wondrous curves and columns, its designs natural, floral, flowing, animal and majestic. Their fountains seem to defy physical boundaries, creating or warping water in impossible ways.
Scholarly studies
Eladrin appreciate academics and their libraries are legendary.
Games and activities
Eladrin hold regular physical competitions ranging from different types of sparring to racing and even magical competitions.
Kingdoms
Autumn Kingdoms
- Tír Áthaisling: Smaller than Tír Dhúchais and the users of practices looked upon as unseemly by the First Kingdom.
- Tír Dhúchais: Said to be the first eladrin kingdom of the Twilithe.
Spring Kingdoms
- Álfheim: The Kingdom of Light located north in Midgard.
- An Tuath: The Silver Kingdom in Arianna Forest. The Silver Eladrin are known for their facial tattoos, distinct for each clan. They are fond of magic and are masters of their green flame the humans call Elf-fire.
- Eiledomhan: The Golden Kingdom in Aur Forest. Predominantly golden-haired, these eladrin focus more on martial skill than magical knowledge.
- Ríochta Dragan: Called Edragan by outsiders, this Kingdom of Dragons is located on the island of Moonbrook in Lorasia.