Society of Mysthia
Elven Society
Of all the festivals I've been to over the years, none compares to the elven
Rite of Spring, which celebrates the return of spring. I am a ranger and a lover
of the forest, but I am only human. Being human—no matter how close to
nature—I did not expect the honor of being invited to witness one of the
finest elven festivals known to mortal man. Perhaps my years of service to the
good of the forest earned me the goodwill of the elf lords.
As I traveled to the designated meeting place, I heard the sounds of elven
laughter shimmering through the woods. The light of a huge bonfire shone through
the night, guiding revelers to their destination. When I arrived at the feasting
site, many of the elves were already well into the celebrations. My host, one
Alarrain Mistraveler, guided me to my place and bade me enjoy the festivities.
The mead and elfwine, or feywine as they call it, flowed freely even before the
meal properly began.
I cannot do justice to the food by describing it. Suffice to say that normal
human food is forever ruined for me, for I shall never again taste anything as
heavenly as that which was served to me those many years ago. Although some
elves tried to make conversation with me, I could not return the compliment. I
was as dumbstruck as a miser in a gold mine. I had never known that such
perfection as was around me could exist.
After the meal came the dancing and the singing. Although I admit I was giddy
from the elfwine, I can reliably swear that no mortal will ever be able to
duplicate the beauty I saw and heard that night. The graceful forms of the elves
twisted in a huge celebratory dance around the bonfire to the tune of elf
musicians harmonizing with the wind, the sky, and the stars. The last thing I
remember is being dragged into the dancing circle and losing myself to the
wilderness.
I awoke in the morning covered with dew. Although I would swear I was in the
same place as the celebrations held the night previous, I found no sign that
there was anyone in that clearing that night save me.
—Eirik Leafwalker, human ranger
General statements will be made about various elven tendencies in this chapter.
Note that these are not absolutes for all elven societies; grey elves and drow
in particular do not have the vast range of freedoms available to most other
elves. Although grey elves are not evil like the drow, the movement within their
society is carefully restricted. Grey elves tend to be more lawful than chaotic
in nature and alignment and therefore do not value individual freedoms as much
as other elves might. Likewise, while drow are chaotic in nature, they will
brutally crush any who seek to show any semblance of free will.
Because of the vastly different world views between these two elf subraces and
their kin, many of the descriptions below apply only to aquatic, high, and
sylvan elves. There may certainly be exceptions (a city of good drow or a grey
elf realm where stratified society is rejected), but these will be of the utmost
rarity.
As a rule, most elves are the epitome of all that champions the individual's
cause for goodness. They believe a single strong individual, focused on making
the world a better place, is far better than an entire weak society determined
to do the same thing. Elves seek to be as powerful as they can for the side of
goodness.
There is no discrimination based on gender in elven society. Female elves are
considered on an equal basis with male elves—in all things and in all ways. As
often as not, it is elf women who rise to positions of power, fame, and glory.
At least half of elven legends revolve around female heroes, and historically
there have been more elf queens than kings. More than any other race, elves
recognize the value of women and their full potential.
Livelihood
Elves earn their livelihoods through whatever craft pleases them most. Often,
this will be something that is beneficial to the entire community. Sometimes the
goods are traded with humans for manmade wares but, more often than not, the
items remain within the elf community.
Since elves need not be concerned with money to the extent humans are, their
home lives are rarely marked with worry about when the next meal is coming. As
long as they produce something of value for their community (and probably even
if they did not), the other elves will support them. Giving something as
ephemeral as humor or laughter to brighten the days of others would be reward
enough for the easygoing elves.
Even in the harshest winters and the driest summers there is plenty of
sustenance for all elves. Because they are so closely connected with nature,
they know when bad seasons are brewing and thus plan well ahead to meet the
demands of such troubling times.
Rituals
Elves have no end of festivals to lighten the weight of passing years. They
create many occasions to celebrate life—so many, in fact, that other races
have sometimes concluded that elves do nothing but engage in revelry. Of course,
this isn't true, but they do have a disproportionate number of
celebrations—particularly when compared to dwarves.
Although elves prefer simple revels to structured rituals, there are times in
their lives when they feel the need for more formal, serious ceremonies.
Typically, the priests of the elven gods preside over such ceremonies. They are
there to fulfill the function of the ceremony and to instill the proper respect
and solemnity required for that ceremony.
Because elves lead such long lives, the ceremonies each village and city
celebrates are equally unique. Although different, all are based on certain
traditional milestones in elven life and so retain an air of similarity. These
events include birth, adulthood, marriage, the journey to Arvanaith (which is
covered in Chapter Seven), and blood oath.
Celebration of Birth
Since elf children are few (or at least far fewer than human children), the
birth of an elf is a cause of great celebration. Births are always times of
great joy. The village turns out in profusion, setting aside the day's work to
celebrate with the infant's parents.
Following a two-year pregnancy, elf women are glad to celebrate the lightening
of their burden. They happily join in the festivities honoring their newborn.
Such celebrations typically last several days and conclude with the naming of
the infant. Children are given a private name by their parents and then given a
public name. The secret name is known only to the elf, his or her parents, and
the priest presiding over the ceremony. While knowing the name gives no power
over an elf, it is a sign of love and respect when an elf reveals his or her
true name.
Gifts and wishes are often bestowed upon an elf child at birth by family and
close friends of the parents. Such presents usually have a lasting impression on
the elf, for favors given to an infant are far from ordinary. One child was
given the ability to speak to dragons; she later used this gift to great
advantage when she averted a war between her village and a nest of green dragons
living nearby. Another child was gifted with always knowing when someone lied to
him.
Passage to Adulthood
Rites of adulthood are common in many cultures, and that of the elves is no
exception. When elves reach the age of 110, they are considered young adults,
with all the freedoms and responsibilities that entails. They no longer live in
the house of their parents, for it is time to make their own way in the world.
Elf families hold a ceremony to formally announce the young elf's passage into
adulthood. New adults are given gifts—most often adventuring gear if they are
so inclined. The older elves regale the family with tales of their pursuits, and
they wish luck upon those who follow their steps.
If the new adult isn't inclined toward the adventuring life, they are given
tools of their chosen trade and a house of their own. From this point on, they
make their own way in life, working with other elves to make a life full of
happiness and joy.
Celebration of Marriage
Marriage is an occasion for great joy among elves, for the union symbolizes the
continuation of the elf race. Those who disrupt this ceremony to kill the
betrothed earn the wrath of the elves forevermore, and they will hunt such
marauders and their kin for eternity. Marriage is a rarer occurrence for elves
than the short-lived races, and there are few things so dangerous as to profane
the sanctity of this ritual. Sometimes weddings occur to seal treaties and for
other diplomatic purposes, but more often it is through love that elves achieve
a state of marriage.
Marriage between elves lasts until one partner dies. (There has been only one
known divorce in the last three thousand years, and that was between two
extremely opinionated grey elves.) Elves rarely take a new partner after the
death of a mate. Their vows bind more than honor; they bind the spirit and heart
of each to the other. By taking this step, many elves give up some measure of
their individualism. Often, only the most ardent and devout lovers choose the
path of marriage; others prefer a less formal arrangement.
The marriage ceremony itself is typically formal (although it can be as informal
as the lovers like) and is presided over by elf priests of Helani Celanil. The
priests themselves serve no purpose at the ceremony other than as witnesses, for
it is the partners who perform the ritual and the binding vows.
In a true elven marriage of love, vows tie the spirits of the loved ones
together, allowing them access to the other's inner self. This is a form of the
elven ability communion. Wedded elves become fully aware of their partner's
needs and emotions, allowing them to anticipate and fulfill these needs. They
are not aware of the other's exact thoughts.
Because elves relive their past through the reverie, the circumstances
attracting one elf to another are always fresh. Thus, elves seldom fall out of
love. Only the gravest of tragedies and disloyalties can tear an elf couple
apart. Although they might have disagreements and even fights, they continue to
love each other.
But elves can grow tired of a partner, even when they are joined spiritually and
have become more intimate than any non-elf could suspect. Elves reignite the
spark of passion and love through absence. For stretches of time, one partner in
an elven marriage will live apart; this allows both elves to gain time to
themselves so that they might grow as individuals. When the two rejoin, they
shower complete love and affection upon the other.
Elves also tend to spend time away from their loved ones in order to make their
time together that much more precious. After all, there are fewer sure ways to
grow bored of a person than to spend hundreds of years with him or her. Time
alone allows them to think on the relationship and to experience new things to
share with their mates, thus keeping the marriage fresh and vital.
The Blood Oath
Elves are not always peaceful folk. If they or their friends have been
grievously insulted or injured, they swear the sacred oath of vendetta—a
ceremony carried out in the darkest hour before dawn. When they swear this
terrible promise, they forsake all other pastimes to seek retribution. Elves
understand this oath and will release the avenging elf from his or her tasks.
The avenging elves hunt down the offender to exact some form of vengeance, be it
merely a sincere apology for an insult or something more severe. Typically, a
time of service given to the injured elf is enough to satisfy this oath.
However, there are occasions when nothing less than death will satisfy the
demand of the blood oath.
Elven Holy Days
Every day is a day of celebration for elves; their love of music, poetry, and
song imbues their lives with a festive air. However, there are particular days
that elves traditionally commemorate. These celebrations, despite their rituals
(or perhaps because of them), are the most anticipated days of the year.
Naturally, these days have a special significance attached to them, for they
mark events in the hearts of elves. The following is a list of the major
festivals elves celebrate each year, although it is by no means complete. Each
gathering of elves will have other celebrations in addition to those below, each
with its own unique observance. The holy days are presented in chronological
order.
Yeartide: Yeartide takes place during the winter solstice, marking the end of
the death that autumn brings. During this time, the elves believe the earth is
purified while she lies underneath her blanket of snow. Even in those regions
where the sun doesn't rise and the snow lies eternally across the land, the
winter solstice is seen as the changing of the old year into the new.
Elves celebrate Yeartide with quiet meditation on the year past and on things to
come. They regard the human practice of ushering in the new year with feasting
and drinking senselessly barbaric—the mark of people unable to truly
understand the passing of time.
Faerieluck: This is a day in early spring when elves celebrate with their
cousins—the pixies, leprechauns, and so forth. Too often elves forget their
kinship with these other races, and this festival reminds them all of their
relationship. It is a day spent in practical jokes and merriment, and
participants try to demonstrate their cleverness at the expense of another. The
games are never acrimonious; they draw to a close long before any irreparable
damage can be done to one's pride.
Springrite: Although winter is seen as the turning point of the year, the vernal
equinox (spring) represents a time of fertility among the elves, who spend this
season engaged in the pursuits of romance and song. Elves spend the week around
the equinox dancing and singing, involved in nothing but merriment. All
important decisions and actions are postponed until the week is over. This is
the time of year when most couples bond in marriage or announce that they are
promised.
Agelong: Agelong is the celebration of the elven creation, the observance of the
legendary battle between Corellon Larethian and Gruumsh One-Eye. This holy day
serves to remind the elves of the presence of their enemies. Held at the summer
solstice, Agelong is the perfect elven excuse to go orc-hunting. On the night of
the hunt, elves nick themselves with obsidian daggers and let their blood flow
into the earth, simulating the bloodletting that made their existence possible.
They then swoop down from their homes and kill as many orcs as they can find
during this night.
Fallrite: As Springrite is to birth, so is Fallrite to death. Held during the
autumnal equinox, Fallrite is a week long period when elves contemplate the
spirits of their ancestors, the passage to Arvanaith, and the immediacy of death
even in a nearly immortal lifetime.
Unlike some races, elves do not hide behind merriment to avoid facing death,
because they feel that death is merely a passing on to a different stage of
life. The most important duties of the year and the most difficult decisions are
reached during Fallrite. The elf kings and queens traditionally sit in judgment
at this time of year to hear any capital cases.
The societal make up of Mysthia
is highly complex. It is divided up in houses, each house representing nearly a
unique nation in and of itself, yet all ruled over by the Royal House Nighskye.
Nightskye being the royal and First house,
rules over the nation, rarely interfering into the affairs of a single house.
Yet commanding the nation as a whole. The society values Honor over all things.
And as a general rule, are sticklers for protocol. Often times first meetings
can take days to complete. As elves are such long lived creatures they are
inherently patient. ((however due to the fact we be human, the meetings will be
much shorter in the R/P and just understood that it has been done with proper
protocols))
A breach of protocol, can and is often
taken as a sign of disrespect, and often ends in a violent ending. Usually with
one or more of the individuals involved being killed. So beware, and be
respectful, and honorable.
Meetings in general within the room when
dealing with one of a higher status, IE. A meeting between a Nobel house member,
and one of the royal Family would go something to the effect of this:
Tamalak: Bowing before you, right hand
crossing chest in a fist, left hand at the side palm to the ground.*
"Greetings my Queen, I am Tamalak Nightraven of House Nightraven"
Nightskye: *nodding once, * Greetings
Tamalak Nightraven of House Nightraven. Stand and be recognized."
Tamalak: Standing having been given leave*
........((rp conversation begins from here.))
One cannot rise from the kneel until given
leave to do so. Should you do this you will have given a massive insult to the
higher rank, and can be subjected to duel, as you have violated the honor of the
individual, and his or her house.
Short simple and sweet. For r/p reasons.
What is understood by this is that in the presentation, he has given name and of
which house, proclaimed all titles, and gave lineage history to the founder of
the house. And its standing within the nation. ((which can take literally days
depending on the House and the position it has.))
A meeting between old friends is usually
simple, petitioner kneels before the higher stationed house member, salutes, and
greets. The higher house greets, with the usual "stand as you are
recognized"
A meeting amongst peers, IE houses of same
station, salutes are given, there is no kneeling.
War time protocols, are only slightly
different. When on a battle field when addressing a superior there is no
kneeling, only an inclination of the head with the salute. Under combat, well
there is no greeting protocol. As such would be stupid.
At all times a distance of 5 feet is
maintained by all persons from another. With the exception of Royalty, in which
5 paces is required. Should you breach the area known as Personal Space. It is
considered and insult of the highest order, and most often will result in a
duel. Should a higher ranking House member deliberately step within the personal
range, the lower status has the option of backing down, thus showing their
place, or to continue standing, and directly challenging their status. This is
how challenges are often made.
this is optional however, it will be strictly maintained by members of the
royal guard and family......
just realize that you may offend if you disregard this custom.
