The Realm of Trilias

“You were warned.” – Trilian Defender standing over a fallen “visitor” to the Deepwood

Heraldry A green fox-tree leaf on black surrounded by nine silver stars.

Structure

Enlightened Monarchy. While the high king or queen is the ruler of the entire land, the clan leaders have a great say in major governmental decisions. High King: Head of State and Commander-in-chief. Rules from Silverhold.
Clan Father/Mother: Leads a clan. Responsible for the defense of his or her portion of the forest.
Border Captain: Military nobility responsible for the defense of some portion of the Trilian Realm outside the forest.

History

Trilians have lived in the deep woodlands of the fox-tree since before recorded time. They have always been there, and claim without arrogance that they always will be. They are racially unrelated to any other people of Faelon and there are no people of other races living in the Realm besides the occasional diplomatic visitor. They are an isolationist people, shrouded in mystery. Trilians are told from birth that something (‘meralil’) makes them different from and better than the other races. Meralil is the idea that Trilians do not share a common origin with the other folk of Faelon. Where exactly they came from is a closely guarded secret. It is said that even the high king only knows part of the answer. What the average Trilian does know is that the stars are somehow the source of that answer. The Trilians do not worship the stars directly, but they believe them to be the source of all life energy. They revel in nature and all its mysterious manifestations, curious about the many ways the stars’ energy expresses itself in the world. Trilians find other culture’s belief in supernatural beings as the arbiters of destiny and source of life to be an amusing, if childlike, notion. This idea is directly counter to what meralil teaches.

Demography and Population

The Trilians are as nearly a self-actualized people as is practically possible, having long ago achieved lasting internal peace in their society. Those that leave the realm are wanderers seeking the knowledge the wider world has to offer. They drift from situation to situation as it pleases them, but only rarely will they leave a promised task or service incomplete. They very rarely travel more than two together, and any pairs are often related (brothers, cousins, husband and wife, father and son, etc.) Trilians not within the Deepwood carry with them a ‘sholas’ (home-star), a small piece of star-silver (shaped as a nine-pointed star marked with a triangle in the center). A sholas performs two functions: set on the ground, the sholas will always point towards Silverhold, and any Trilian may call upon the sholas to either locate or call the nearest Trilian carrying one. A Trilian will die before parting with his or her sholas and a secret society of Trilian enforcers roams the land recovering lost or stolen ones. Mating Rituals and Customs Trilians are strictly monogamous and marry for love. They find the ideas of polygamy and arranged marriages disgusting. Entertainment Trilians enjoy both sports and martial competitions and the arts. They are as likely to participate in an archery competition at a local fair as they are to enter into a poetry contest. What is valued by this society? Trilians value freedom and the ability to search far and wide for new knowledge and experiences. They are excited about life and live it to the fullest.

Territories

Trillians possess no true cities, castles or other fortifications (although the palace of Silverhold puts many other citadels to shame) nor do they need any. The land of central Trilias is covered by mazes of fox-tree forest, incomprehensible to all outsiders. Trilians live both at ground level and among the stronger branches in cleverly designed wooden houses and lofts. Climate The Trilian Deepwood is a temperate mix of deciduous fox-trees and pines. The plains surrounding the Deepwood are a rolling, wind-swept grassland.

Military

Trilias’ military is composed of three separate elements. First, the high king maintains a permanent guard of knights and household troops. Second, each Clan Father maintains a force of archers and light infantry who patrol the forest and defend it from invasion. Tree Runners move through the branches on the watch for invaders while Defenders have the mission to remove them from the forest floor. A cult of Mist Dancers can be called upon to deal with the most dangerous opponents. Third, each Border Captain maintains a standing patrol of light and medium horse to patrol the plains surrounding the forest and provide early warning of attack.

Religion

The Trilians do not worship a god or gods per se, but commune with nature through their Treespeakers.

Foreign Relations

Trilians see members of other cultures essentially as children. They enjoy being out among people from other lands to both learn from them and to teach. They will interact all the day long outside the Deepwood, but outsiders are strictly forbidden from entering the core of the Trilian homeland.

Type

Geopolitical, Country

Capital

Silverhold

Demonym

Trilian

Leader

Aerel, High Queen of Trilias and Defender of the Wood

Head of State

Aerel, High Queen of Trilias and Defender of the Wood

Head of Government

Aerel, High Queen of Trilias and Defender of the Wood

Currency

The Trilians have acquired, through trade with the outside, a supply of coins from their trading partners. Exchange with Trilian merchants is always performed in the currency of the particular trading partner. The Trilians do possess the only known source of star-silver, a metal more precious than gold and harder than Varkraalan steel. Where in the Deepwoods it is mined is not known to outsiders.

Major Exports

Trilias exports silk and fruit.

Subsidiary Organizations