Valenar
Culture
The Tairnadal are a culture of elves entirely defined by their shared religion. In short, each elf upon reaching coming of age is chosen by a hero of the past, benefitting from the ancestor’s guidance while earning the duty to emulate and preserve the ancestor that chose them. Worship of the Spirits of the Past, like worship of the Undying Court, is a tradition and practice inextricable from the history of its worshippers, as the need to emulate their heroes has.
Throughout the Age of Giants many distinct clans of nomadic elves waged war against their giant oppressors. Aeren’s vision united both free and enslaved elves in one fight. When the giants threatened cataclysmic magic, Aeren led the elves across the Thunder Sea and avoided the fallout of draconic retribution. Aeren died on the journey, but the surviving elves named their new home Aerenal.
While many elves wished to lay down their arms and build a civilization of their own, others dedicated themselves to the eternal arts of war. The former group settled in the southern jungles, while the latter became nomads on the northern steppes – the first Tairnadal.
These stories of these nomadic elves’ ancestors became manifest as the preserved spirits of each clan’s heroes. These spirits could pass on their memories to living followers, sharing their talent and techniques. The cultivation and preservation of these ancestors forms the basis of the Spirits of the Past. Young elves learned to train to earn the approval and blessings of their ancestors, in return preserving the memories of those ancestors and their martial expertise.
After thousands of years, the Irian-worshipping elves of the southern jungles had created enough deathless to form the Undying Court. In response to the formation of this new power, the dragons besieged Aerenal - the beginning of the elf-dragon wars. Some Tairnadal joined in this fight, developed dragon-fighting techniques, and became the first of the Draleus Tairn. This aid solidified the peaceful coexistence of the northern and southern elven cultures.
During a lull in the elf-dragon wars, a major sect of Tairnadal elves known as the Valaes Tairn, the “Warriors of Glory”, colonized the southeastern corner of Khorvaire in search of new enemies. Calling this new land Valenar, the Valeas Tairn quickly drove off the native orc tribes that had already been marginalized by the Dhakaani empire. The elves found the goblinoids to be a truly worthy foe. Thus, the Valaes Tairn sharpened their steel and skills against this empire in a lengthy conflict known as the Dhakaani-Tairn war.
The war changed dramatically when renewed draconic aggression forced the Valaes Tairn to retreat to Aerenal to defend the homeland. The Dhakaani used this opportunity to go on the offensive. Unable to sustain both conflicts, the elves were forced into a peace agreement with the goblinoid empire, binding them to never return to Khorvaire unless called upon for aid. Dhakaani pride prevented the dar from calling upon the elves for aid in the war against the daelkyr, and so no Tairnadal elf laid a foot on Khorvaire soil for thousands of years.
Scholars say the Last War was precipitated by King Jarot’s military buildup throughout his life. Fearing an invasion by an advanced, external threat, Jarot’s projects were used by his children against each other to star the Last War. Valenar is the realization of Jarot’s fear – a foreign military conquering Khorvaire. The fact that it was Jarot’s rightful heir who invited this military only heightens the irony that a foreign military poses the single greatest threat to the post-Thronehold peace.
As the Last War was establishing itself, Queen Mishann of Cyre reached abroad for allies willing to aid her rightful claim to the throne of Galifar. The long-exiled Valaes Tairn responded to the call, and in 906 YK returned to Khorvaire to fight Cyre’s enemies. This arrangement lasted for fifty years and through several Cyran monarchs, until Shaeras Vadallia announced the annexation of Eastern Cyre and declared himself High King. The new nation was named Valenar, “The Glorious Realm”, and justified in the name of reclaiming the lost elven colony.
This annexation also brought about an end to the Valaes Tairn’s exclusive relationship with the Cyran crown. While no nation was willing to trust the elves in large numbers, the elite warriors were too potent a force to completely forego. Even some Cyran commanders continued to hire the traitorous elves as mercenaries.
With the Day of Mourning and the end of the Last War, Valenar was recognized by the Treaty of Thronehold and High King Shaeras Vadallia signed an agreement to abide by its accords. In practice, the Host of Valenar continues to conduct raids on its neighbors, pushing the envelope on acceptable behavior.
Type
Geopolitical, Stratocracy
Power Structure
Unitary state
Economic System
Command/Planned economy
Legislative Body
The Shanutar
The Shanutar is a council of lords composed of a pair of shan from each of the armies that make up the zaeltairn, plus each of the tar-shan that lead the zaelantar. The Keepers of the Past do not have a vote on the council but are important advisors. Meetings take place in the Hall of Memories, the only dedicated temple to the Spirits of the Past, in Var-Shaelas. When the Tairnadal are confronted with an issue that requires a response from the entire nation, such as the periodic dragon attacks, the Shanutar is consulted. Decisions are made through form of iterated consensus voting. For an army to propose a motion both of their representative shan must agree. Then, the issue is brought to the broader collective the army is a member of (e.g. the Valaes Tairn). Once consensus is reached there an issue is brought up amongst the collective zaeltairn, who after consensus forward the issue to the collective tar-shans of the zaelantar. If the zaeltairn and zaelantar agree the issue is decided and enacted upon. The process is similar for motions proposed by a tar-shan of the zaelantar - the zaelantar must come to a consensus before forwarding the issue to the zaeltairn, who then must come to a consensus to pass the motion. The reliance on consensus decision making means that despite the martial culture, the Tairnadal are slow to act collectively. Issues have received decades of continuous debate before a decision is made - the long lifespan of the elves certainly contributes to this stagnation, as leaders can hold positions of authority for centuries. Only direct threats to the homeland can inspire quick action, and even then, the council may take time.
Location
Neighboring Nations
