Llys adh Edel (Ancient Edelian: [Lis av Edd-Ell])
The Courts of the Elves
The Rightful Lords of Edelin
Terevnar, Son of Remnar, rose in outrage at his cousin's proposal. His staff struck the soil where the Lords reunited to take counsel, and spat in the Chanter's visage. And thus, despoiling holy land, he spoke: “Our time is at hand, and rather than fight- you bow and relinquish our Isle to slaves, primitives, and monstrosities? I will not have it! Mark my words, Hràvanen, I will see you gone! We shall never fade!”- Ùr’s last words before the Eternal Tribunal.
Overview:
Once, Aedelwynn was led by deities and beings of unfathomable power: Gods who both transcendented mortality and divinity, who walked the earth and counselled their brethren. They ruled in fell manners, oversaw the laws of the Land, and gave rise to powerful vassals that granted their own boons. The Lord of the Skies, the Almighty Thunderbrand, gathered all those who swore allegiance to the Court under his rule, and led the lands of Aedelwynn - the known as Edelin - with an iron fist. Just and harsh was his rule, and not simply over the people, but also the seasons and the skies themselves. For long, none dared stand in the Courts' way. Until the First Fading. Then the Second Fading. And finally, against all odds and with great bloodshed, An Tuana's living Gods stole from the Courts their rightful kingdom.
Though they are now gone their people, the Wilder People, and descendents of their subjects still keep a silent hope that these Lords will come again, and return Edelin to them. They follow the teachings of these Gods' disciples and worship their deceased Kings and Queens of the Seasons through these disciples. However, much has been forgotten since the Second Fading, as Aedelwynn was soon wracked and torn asunder by the War of Want. All that remains of the Courts' powers now are the thousands of Lachlanna that dot the wilderness, providing shelter and mysterious powers to whoever dwells within these stone circles.
Mythology & Lore
On the Creation of Edelin:
"Once was the sky, and the sea. The two of them fought one another in a rage fitted war that saw the very sky perish from the sea’s claws, whilst the latter was slain by the sky’s spear. At the end of a long, bloody conflict, the sea’s corpse gave birth to the land, the mountains, and from her dead flesh the first Elves came to be. They beheld the world and swore to protect what had come to be their home: Edelin, the Land of Light and Snow. This land was shared by Four Great Kings, our Gods of the Land, of Myth & Starlight, of Might & Storm, of Woodlands & Death, and of Wrath & the Ocean."- Artifact 1a (Mosaic Mural), dated 2900~ AoSu.
On the Cataclysm before the First Fading:
Tales speak of a great flood that swept across Aedelwynn before the Fading Era, which destroyed many of the land's cities and ruined the lives of those that lived within it. This flood is recorded in the recollections of the eldest An Tuana and often confirmed by the stories and myths of Fir-bholg Travellers and Builders. Some Astòr believe this flood to having to do with the Mourner who - in one story - loses her husband to the sea and weeps abundantly. Edelin is drowned under her tears until her "sister" slays her, thus returning the land of Aedelwynn to its natural state. Scholars and archaeologists have coordinated with Astòr to confirm this. If we are to consider the era at which this cataclysm happened, it would mean that roughly 3000 years ago, Aedelwynn was flooded and much of the kingdoms of the ancient elves were destroyed or submerged.
Divine Origins
On the Restored Aedelwynn:
"The Land was restored, and from the head of the Mourner returned the woodlands, the rivers and the blessed rain. As the land was reformed for us, we made the forests our home, and dwelled in the shadows, weeping the death of the Gods. The Huntress no longer answered our prayers, and the Chanter who we had heard nothing of for quite some time, had disappeared. Yet when the flood receeded, many of us found mausoleums - tall standing stones An Tuana call Lachlanna - carved with figures of our beloved Kings and Queens, and the Power with which they hummed was astonishing. The Astòr claimed this to be a sign from our Lords, that they had not left us, and thus we rebuilt our cities and homes around them, in anticipation of their return."- Artifact 25a (Clay Tablet), dated 210 FE.
The Unclear Disappearence of the Gods
We know little of the Courts as all that is left of them are the Lachlanna strewn across the lands and the faiths of the Disciple. Scholars understand that An Edel worshipped four kings and queens, who ruled over the lands of Edelin (Aedelwynn) before the Fading Era. Astòr have inscriptions that predate the Fading Era, and by comparing them to the writings on the standing stones, were capable of identifying the titles of these figures to the kings and queens of the Courts (detailed further below), and that a fifth ruler who had no Court, was their eternal enemy. These God-Kings and God-Queens were: the Chanter (or Fool), the Lord (or Regent), the Mourner (or Mother-Of-All), and the Huntress. It is understood that the Chanter and the Mourner's Courts disappeared, whilst the Lord and Huntress' Courts survived, persecuted mankind, and inevitably fell. Their descendants are the "Otherfolk" of Aedelwynn (Wilder People) who now dwell across the continent's wilder lands.
Cosmological Views
The Courts of the Ancient Edel
The Courts have existed since time immemorial, since before the rising and setting of the Sun. They have ruled over Aedelwynn, then known as Edelin, and over its people with absolute power. The Courts, were originally one people, however as wars amongst one another and dissent struck, they eventually seperated into Four Courts, each ruled by a Lord or Lady, whose power over the lands and regions they ruled was absolute. Note that very little remains from these times:
"Llys adh Steren", the Court of Stars
The Ancient Elves of the Star Court dwelled within the northwestern reaches of Edelin, within the luscious swamps that they called their home. They bowed to the "Blinding Star(?), and saw truth in its teachings". The Star Court dwelled in knowledge of the stars, prophecy and worshiped their ancestors, "keeping true to our forefather's tradition". Apparently, it was their hubris that brought them in conflict with the Sky Court - as they attempted to "become Stars themselves". They were ruled by The Chanter and his retinue of An Sidhe lords. It was said that any who tried to enter the Star Court's dwellings with malicious intent inevitably lost their way.
"Llys adh Speir", the Court of the Skies
The Illustrious Elves of the Sky Court were mighty warriors who understood the power behind the storms and the skies, they built their home out of the Ginnunting Mountains, and worshipped both their "all powerful Lord as well as the Spirits of the Breath, whose powers they first used for conquest". The Lord was a masterful monarch, who held counsel with Circles of Astòr that gave praise unto him. Despite being amongst the wisest, this attitude also clashed with the Star Court, whom they considered unfit to rule Edelin. The Lachalanna claim that "their cities were struck down from the skies for their arrogance and crashed into the mountains below".
"Llys adh Faen", the Court of the Wilds
The Enigmatic Elves of the Wild Court held dominion over the many woodlands of Edelin, making their homes deep in the tall pine woodlands where the Sun barely pierced through the canopies. They "embraced the chaotic wilds, and the passionate forces of nature around them". Rather than bow to their ancestors, they beseeched the guidance of The Huntress, guided by her six sons and Disciple. They saw "power in nature, and the Spirits of the Breath", and thrived within the harsh deep woads of their country, creating a society based off of survival and strength. Despite being wise, and wayward, their way of life often them at odds with the Dark Court.
"Llys adh Scaith", the Court of the Dark
The Imperial Elves of the Dark Court fled to the coldest reaches of Edelin, and settled their domain along the coast of its northeastern peninsula. They "heralded the powers of shadow and the lightless skies as necessary to the survival of their people", and prefered the frigid coastlands of Edelin rather than the skies, the woods, or the swamps. Whilst they ruled with an iron fist, the politics of the Dark Court "promoted art, poetry and a deep knowledge in history". Their Queen, The Mourner, "dourly ruled over the Sun's rising and setting and stood vigilant against the Nightmares and horrors of the depths". Nevertheless, their ways were harsh, and often unjust.
"By blood, by might, by right."
1 AoSu - 1 FE
Type
Religious, Pantheon
Alternative Names
The Old Faith, The Eternal Tribunal
Demonym
"The Courts", "Lords", "Gods of the Land."
Deities
Related Ethnicities
| LG | NG | CG |
| LN | TN | CN |
| LE | NE | CE |
- The Chanter : Arcana, Trickery, Twilight
- The Lord : Tempest, Forge, Order
- The Huntress : Death, Nature, Grave
- The Mourner : Light, Tempest, War
- The Forsaken : Ambition, Undeath, Knowledge
Pillars of Community:
In their stead, the Gods of the Elves left behind thousands of standing stones, called lachlanna, each carved with the figure of the Kings or Queens they once belonged to. Nobody knows how they got there, nor do people know if these lachlanna were there prior to the cataclysm and the Fading Era. Only one things is certain, they seem to have retained some of the Gods' powers and are found in specific locations, albeit some also 'wander' here and there.
For a traveller in peril, or a lost wanderer, lachlanna offer places of respite and rest, and prove to be of great aid when recovering from wounds. Some even claim they help with fertility, and others have reported having odd dreams when they sleep around these standing stones. The Otherfolk often build their homes close to these lachlanna, as they are signs of their once-dead deities, and prove to be quite useful when surviving the wilderness thanks to all various boons they bring.
For a traveller in peril, or a lost wanderer, lachlanna offer places of respite and rest, and prove to be of great aid when recovering from wounds. Some even claim they help with fertility, and others have reported having odd dreams when they sleep around these standing stones. The Otherfolk often build their homes close to these lachlanna, as they are signs of their once-dead deities, and prove to be quite useful when surviving the wilderness thanks to all various boons they bring.
You can find more about them here: Lachlanna
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