The Andeamer
The andeamer, known as “satyrs” to some, but this name is incorrect, are the natives of the plant Ënokh, which lies within the Milky Way Galaxy. Andeamer at first glance have similar physical characteristics to humans and are easily anthropomorphized. Compared to other known sapient species, andeamer and humans share the most similarities.
The modern andeamer started some 10,000 years prior with the end of the Great War. Their single nation of Nir Rizaal spanned the entire continent of Ënokhïa. A sudden and violent revolution that began late in the 3rd epoch ripped through the nation. During this time political and social divides caused tremendous tensions, the specifics of which are still vague to historians. Andeamer of today span their continent of Ënokhïa in numerous civilization.
Andeamer are an intelligent and sapient species. They are a diverse people originating from a common origin in the 6th epoch. While cultures have their variation, there are universal characteristics shared by the people of Ënokh. The same is said of their language which varies in dialect. The spiritual and religious beliefs are the one static feature of the andeamer that adheres them together.
Anatomy
Andeamer are a tall, bipedal species. They possess stereoscopic vision with vertical slit pupils centered in large irises. They have large ears capable of moving independently to hone on sound with precision. Their generalized diet leans more towards meat consumption, but they also eat a variety of plant matter, and this is reflected in their dentition; four true incisors, four lateral semi-incisors, four canines, and eight molars.
Their skin is quite thick. The epidermis is 6mm while the dermis is 10mm. Andeamer skin appears smooth and does not have pores. The skin instead keeps itself moist and oiled from sub-cutaneous glands that secrete to permeate the skin. The epidermis is largely glabrous skin, except for specific areas which are covered by suede-skin. Suede-skin is a thermal regulatory organ that grows directly from the epidermis. Its primary purpose is to insulate and it not as efficient at cooling. Areas covered by suede-skin include the axillary, groin, dorsal, neck, and tip of nose and ears. Suede-skin adjusts to changing climate; it can expand the area it covers during colder seasons and recede during warmer seasons. It is also innervated and has the same sensation one would feel on their normal skin.
The claw structure of the andeamer hand is very similar to what can be viewed in feline species of Earth. This natural defense system are strong keratin structures, colored black, and curved to a catching point. Andeamer take great care of their claws to maintain their sharpness and seldom are they protruded unless one is ready to attack. They can contract and protrude the claws at will using small, but very strong tendons. Their claws regenerate so long as the cuticle in the distal phalanx is still present. When retracted, the claws appear merely as a black, vertical slit in the fingers and toes.
The horns of the andeamer are a great pride to an individual. Every andeamer has a unique set of horns that vary on color and texture depending on their inherited traits. Males have heavier, thicker, and over-all larger sets of horns. Horns are a display of traits and health among the andeamer. Healthy horns are glossy and thick while unhealthy horns appear tarnished, ridged in texture, and the keratin layers are flaky. The horns of an andeamer are partly hollow. At the base, the horns are solid, this being where they grow from and at the tip as well. In the center the horns are hollow as they are heavy even without the hollow pocket.
Removal of one’s horns is a means of shaming them. True removal of the horns would take the core from which the horns grow from skull is quite rare and often results in death by disease and infection. Instead, the horns are clipped, not unlike clipping your nails. Horns will grow back after some time and resume a normal shape. This is typically done to those who are criminals or may have brought shame to their House or are expulsed individuals.
Andeamer are born with their horns, but not fully grown. Their horns are buds at this stage. The base appears as a keratin dome until the child begins puberty. Only after puberty is complete does the individual have their full set of horns.
Body-language among the andeamer can be observed largely through their ears, but also in the body and small facial expressions. The brow ridge of andeamer does not have as many muscles as humans, nor eyebrows, so their faces may not seem as expressive. Ears can move intentionally but also involuntarily towards sound and will move in unison with their expressions and where their attention is focused. Perked ears, facing forward is attentive and focused while also being a friendly signal. When lying stiff, flat, and vertical with the ear canal hidden from view this is a warning display; this individual is agitated. However, if the ears are pointed posteriorly and low with the canals being opened, this can signal unease. The meaning of body language is very nuanced and contextual to the situation, just as with other species.
Smiling is another form of language, but not in the form that shows a full set of teeth. It typically accompanies laughter and a comfortable setting. Tertiary to this is what sounds like purring. This mechanism is used entirely for displays of affection and is an andeamer’s first vocalization within a year of birth. Purring is accompanied by physical proximity such as hugging and facial proximity. This display of affection is done between family member primarily and close friends. While mutually purring, the bonds between individuals are strengthened via neurotransmitter releases in the brain. This release is one of the largest of neurotransmitters responsible for building relationships and feelings associated with being loved. After birth, the andeamer mother will begin purring while coddling her infant. Later other family members will do this too, but it is always the mother who does so first and typically the longest at about two weeks. During these two weeks, the andeamer infant will rarely depart the mother’s coddling.
Threatening and warning displays begin with the proper articulation of ears. Andeamer have a very guttural and low growl that may accompany this. Eye contact is not broken during these displays as the pupils narrow on their target. The hackles of the male andeamer raise noticeably due to their mane and makes them appear quite larger than they are. The claws unsheathe and sharp teeth will make themselves visible before an attack.
Sexual Dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism among the adult andeamer may be obvious to human observers given their shared characteristics. Andeamer themselves are a mix of tournament and pair-bonding tactics when it comes to reproduction, but often this is supplanted by cultural norms.
Male andeamer are larger than their female counterparts. Their stature, muscle mass, size, and length of the horns, as well as their mane are indicators to an adult male. The male andeamer’s mane begins with the hair that grows from the suede-skin which covers the scalp and dorsal region. This hair continues to grow further down their back to eventually cover the suede-skin and then onto the shoulder. It does not grow as fast as the hair on the scalp and neck and appears short and wispy. Some males, especially those in colder climates, may grow patches on the elbows. The color of the mane is congruent with the hair upon the scalp, but the texture and density are governed by their genetics.
Between the sexes, the horns of the andeamer also carry a few differences. The horns of the female andeamer are more likely to be smooth in texture and carry less topographical features. Male andeamer will be more likely to have textured horns as this is influenced again by the sex hormones of the species. Shape, color, and certain topographical features are determined by genetics. The most common topographical feature is called splinting. It may appear as “spikes” or offshoots of the horn, loosely like the antlers of a buck however not as dramatic. Another that is rarer, but a common feature among the andeamer of Vinde Yal Mäsvyel, is a rougher horn that may appear chitinous or bark-like in texture. The feature is almost exclusively seen in males and extremely rare in females.
Andeamer women will store lipids more easily for the purpose of reproduction. Andeamer do not menstruate and do not develop mammary tissue or possess noticeable fat deposits in the breast. For the andeamer, only when she is pregnant will she begin to store fat surrounding the mammary glands. During puberty the mammary glands are present and developed, but it is during gestation and after birth they continue to develop. This largely reverses a few years after pregnancy once the child is weaned, but not completely.
Bone-density is tied to the sex-hormones. The bone-density of both species is less is the female andeamer compared to the male. Female andeamer do not have as prominent a brow ridge and overall have a much “rounder” appearance to facial structure. The brow ridge itself is rounded as well as the orbital structure. The slight difference in facial structure also means a less noticeable nasal ridge. The nasal bone, the center of the “T” zone, is flatter than with males. Males are more likely to have a “hooked” nose and overall, slightly more prognathic face. Given the structural differences that come with males having a larger and heavier set of horns also gives their skull structure a thicker frontal bone. The roots of their horns extend much deeper into this bone than in female andeamer.
Culture
The diversity of culture among the andeamer draws a common origin in the 3rd epoch. Culture will vary from civilization, but there are commonalities and universals present that adhere the people of Ënokh together. Notable it is the homogeneity of their spiritual and religious beliefs.The Religion of the Andeamer covers this in detail.
The daily life of any single andeamer is as varied and diverse as you may find on Earth. From nation to nation, no people live the same lives. The cultures of Ënokh have their own unique traits but will also share commonalities stemming from a common origin. The most obvious of these similarities will be the religious and spiritual beliefs that adhere the people of Ënokh together.
As we know, the people of Ënokh venerate a specific pantheon on deities. The temples devoted to these deities regulate the norms surrounding worship and reverence. The andeamer devoted to particular temples with travel and reside is various locations around settled Ënokh to help maintain those norms. When it comes to lërseventh, the categorization of these creatures is of the most importance on how to regulate interacting with them. Athehlï are deemed friendly and allies to the andeamer; they are openly interacted with without fear of retaliation. Ätherä are approached with caution as one would a wild animal until their disposition or purpose is known. Sädthäsan are determined ultimately malicious by all andeamer regardless of origin. It is best to make as much space between them and yourself as possible or leave their extermination to the High Priestesses of Mazarath.
The modes and methods of worship do not vary widely. All andeamer will go to a designated place of worship. These places can be found in dense cities in the familiar setting of a temple devoted to a particular deity or in the far flung reaches of the wilderness, often attended to by athehlï.
Notions of atheism or agnosticism or simply not believing in these creatures does not exist in the realm of the andeamer mind. These beings are deeply ingrained into their society and are fact. The word “belief” to the andeamer does not carry with it the same notion it does to its human interpreters. One does not “believe” in Mazarath. One knows Mazarath exists, they know sädthäsan exists, and that Ënokh is not only their father, but the planet they inhabit. Their spiritual world overlaps the physical world; the athehlï and ätherä everywhere, like roaming wildlife they often make their way into the heart of cities. Just as the statues of the thïsenyär speak to their devotees, the people of Ënokh cannot deny the spiritual world as it permeates their physical world.
The religion of the andeamer is enmeshed with the everyday life of the individual and is one constant. Other things may vary. The far reaches of Mäsvell Dinmaar’s northern isles will have some things in common, derived from the landscape they inhabit, but also unique features from their different collective experiences. Even within the nomadic people of Vinde Yal Mäsvyel culture will vary from House to House. These Houses are nomadic groups of related individuals, either by blood or marriage. Some travel the lower ranges closer to Vindyarr Khrïn while other are more isolated and seldom stray from the tall peaks unless for food.
The similarities between these two large groups lie in their hardiness and survival skills to live in these difficult terrains. The northern isles of Mäsvell Dinmaar, while ranging from tropical to temperate, are mountainous with very little flatland similar to Vinde Yal Mäsvyel. These people from opposite hemispheres are adept at traversing mountains and navigating the mountains, reading their warning and tricks, and also hunting the avian wildlife of their respective regions. However what is different between these two people is also responsible for their similarities. The nomadic Houses of the snowy mountains are know for being welcoming to strangers, offering a place at their campsite for warmth, shelter, and food. This is uncommon considering it is the equivalent of welcoming strangers into your physical abode, which much of Ënokh does not do; it is a privilege to be earned. They do not fight with other clans, not easily. The meet regularly according to the seasons for trade of materials, but also information. The people of the northern isles of Mäsvell Dinmaar are isolationists. While they do have their city-states like those on the mainland, they are not generous with their land, resources, or information unless something is given in return of equal value.
Unlike Vinde Yal Mäsvyel—or the rest of Ënokh—, these isles do not have enough land to go around. Resources, unless coming by trade and even through trade, are not guaranteed. They are more prone to fighting for territory. When many think of Mäsvell Dinmaar, they are more familiar of the endless forests, the unquantifiable number of settlements, exotic trade of materials and food and first notions of Vinde Yal Mäsvyel would be the opposite of that. So it would seem these two regions would have a congruent path of culture, but it is not the case. Vinde Yal Mäsyel is not as abundant as the mainland of Mäsvell Dinmaar, this is true, but it does have more to offer its native population than the Northern isles. The people of the mountains in the snow went down the opposite path from the people in the mountains of the water; they embraced generosity and reciprocity as means of survival while those on the isles embrace isolationism and hostility to preserve what they had.
On the mainland of Mäsvell Dinmaar, the people here abundant resources which allows them more freedom than their Northern neighbors. The people here have a long history of cultural exchange inside and out of the province. Similarly to elsewhere in Ënokh, a majority of these settlements function closer to city-states with a single House in control of the territory. Historically these places have been seen as a progenitor of luxuries. Access to a wide variety of resources produced by the expansive forests covering the province allowed for the people here to produce textiles, dyes, spices, permanent structures, and other material riches in the form of metals and precious gems. These people aren’t prone to physical battles, but the political variety instead. Their words are sharp than any blade and often have more devastating effects.
The landscape of Mäsvell Dinmaar touches both the physical and spiritual realm. As mentioned before, the ätherä and athehlï are to be consulted when looking mine, harvest untouched forests, or generally expanding into the forests. These obstacles have made the people here creative in solving spatial needs. Lüth Vä Dihn, face-river-bank, takes advantage of its vertical space to farm as well as build living space. Lüth Vä Dihn, as the name suggests, sits upon a raver bank that feeds into the ocean and also takes a cliff-face into its territory. The city spans horizontally toward the ocean and the flat surfaces of the cliff and also vertically along the cliff wall, then into the mountain. The people of Lüth Vä Dihn live side-by-side the ätherä and athehlï of the mountain and forest land they cultivate. They receive the blessings of these deities to expand deeper into the mountain and harvest from the forest for their growing population.
The people of Mäsvell Dinmaar are more concerned with terrestrial spirits; the things that live in the forests and mountains than the aquatic type, unless they inhabit the vicinity of Lake Selgärr. Mäsvell Dinmaar’s geography, sub-oceanic and above sea level, prevents terrible storms like tsunamis and hurricanes form touching down on land. For the people who rely on the lake must worry about the favor of the forests and mountains, but also of the fickle things that live in the lake. To do so may compromise their food and economic resources, just as if the people of Lüth Vä Dihn didn’t consult the lërseventh of the mountain, they may risk a collapse from angry spirits. You will find the sub-terranean city of Gaaveth Räd in similar circumstances. The surface of Zyendil Maar is largely inhospitable from radiation and dust storms. Gaaveth Räd instead finds safety in the natural caverns, ancient lava tubes, and the ruins of an ancient civilization. The ätherä and athehlï of the underground are of great importance to the people here. They protect them from earthquakes, radiation, and sädthäsan that linger in the unexplored regions. Here is also a unique culture of andeamer who have adapted to underground life.
The natives are visibly different from the surface dwellers and after a while even those not born underground begin to look like them. However, they are not unhealthy because they also surround themselves with ätherä whose purpose is equivocated to health. The people of Gaaveth Räd are known to eat stranger things and some practices include eating of specially prepared dirt or water for its mineral content. The skies of Gaaveth Räd are seldom clear, but light still shines through the haze on the surface. Twice a day, from any point within the city, you will hear singing from the main chamber. The living house-saints of Enauvlahyan gather with ätherä and athehlï to bring out the sun with their singing. Towards the great opening where people can enter the city from the surface, andeamer gather to bathe in the sun for an hour to two hours. This has been going on for millennia since House Enauvlahyan settled to subsurface caverns.
On the surface, while mostly uninhabitable, there are some andeamer who traverse the surface. Most are travelers, trading Houses and their caravans from Mäsvell Dinmaar, Gaaveth Räd, or Vindyarr Khrïn, but there is an unseen people. They are gashväns demath, the wild people. They are andeamer, but not “civilized”. They are largely ignored, mostly from fear and disgust. Likely touched by radiation and definitely changed from isolation, they speak differently from the rest of Ënokh and choose to wander the wastelands and inhabit scattered ruins. Little is truly known about them as there are few documented encounters. They have a status to the rest of Ënokh that lies somewhere between indifferent athehlï and sädthäsan. The highway that stretches across Zyendil Maar was construct specifically to avoid these dangerous people. Even now, it is debated among andeamer, mostly those nearest to them if they are people.
The people of Ënokh will vary from province to province and nation to nation. Their similarities are found mostly in their religious and spiritual beliefs. Nowhere on Ënokh can you separate the otherworld from the physical world. The very planet they live on is their life-giving father. Forms of governance will change. Largely it is the House that governs their own space with lesser houses serving them for their protection and other benefits. Some change hands frequently from their own political intrigue like those kingdoms in Vindyarr Khrïn, while others demand change regularly in the Valgaartiran.
Travel from place to place, you will witness this cultural gradient. The Valgaartiran is seen as the most foreign entity on Ënokh. They are a cultural phenomena from their global influence and from the perspective of being so different from the perspective of all other cultures. The personal space of someone from Lüth Vä Dihn is quite small, not unlike someone who lives ion Gaaveth Räd, but in the Valgaartiran it possibly appears enormous. The forms of governance outside the Valgaartiran would appear archaic and constrictive to any within the emerald empire, but to the rest of Ënokh it may be an anomaly as to how so many Houses live in peace.
Food
To be invited into the abode of a family you a not a part of is a tremendous honor. The physical and the non-physical— the name, the purpose, the reputation—are one in the same. There are certain activities you do not do with someone you do not share a House with. Eating is one of those things. Meals are only had with family, but the space in which they are held will vary. In the home, meals are had in the kitchen where they are made together. Not every member of the family may participate at once. Sometimes it is the same people who may like to cook or have skill with it. Like many daily responsibilities, it is often something shared. The kitchen is the largest part of the home for this reason. It is centered around a round table. The significance of a round table is important. Tables are never square and if they are square, they are not meant to be seat at, perhaps near instead. The rounded table allows all who are seated at it to see all.
The vothsï thau are served their plates first, but drinks are given to everyone at the same time. Then everyone else will get their plates in no particular order. Food is not spread out on the table but at its own where it is set once finished cooking, so if any desires more they can simply get up to get more. Only where everyone is seated and served does eating begin. During meals it is not uncommon to talk, but the most talking takes place before, when waiting for their meal. The pre-breakfast or pre-dinner discussion usually begins an hour to half-an-hour before the actual meal. It is a time for family to socialize with each other from day of working and separation. After dinner, usually people linger at the table for further socializing or they move into a parlor. After-dinner consists of drinking, alcohol and non-alcohol. From after-dinner the family can go about their night. If it is a breakfast meal, it is customary to announce you must leave to attend your day to everyone. Most do not have a mid-day meal, instead it is a get together usually with drinks or snacks and sometimes not the entire family. The morning and evening meals are the most important.
Outside the home, people do not usually eat and especially not on the go. Cafes are small and casual, not really for eating but they do serve snacks. Most cafe's menus are comprised of a variety of drinks; teas, alcohol, non-alcohol. Restaurants are large, typically open settings that accommodate a single individual to entirely family. Larger families composed of more than 30 people are expected to notify the host a day ahead of their expected visit. When attending a café or restaurant, guests always regard the staff formally. In the instance of non-related, non-thersaven andeamer having a meal together, it is more likely they are close friends or a prospective coupling. Andeamer will not bring home a prospective partner (thersaven or not) for any meal if they are not sure they will be married. To be offered to have a meal together is an invitation to solidify a relationship.
The rituals of food tend to be a universal, except for those wandering nomads of Vinde Yal Mäsvyel. They will eat openly with strangers, even inviting them to their campfire. In the trading posts of the lower ranges, you will see this as well. Food is prepared and served openly for all for trade. Strangers will sit with those whom they have never met before and find a friend. The same is true of drinking, but rituals of drinking are not the same as eating around Ënokh.
The House
To the andeamer, family always comes first. The andeamer divide themselves into houses and these houses can be nearly as powerful and big as some city-states. They are independent governance of family and relations. Within the house there is a hierarchy. Houses are governed by the oldest members, but the clan-parents, the vothsï thau, are the supreme decision makers. The elders listen to everyone’s words regarding a Houses issues in a large moot held several times a year at the Velëraan. The Velëraan is the house’s house. These are often enormous mansions that all andeamer of the House can occupy or come and go as they please. Once the elders have listened to every member’s input, they confer with the vothsï thau.
The House system appears to be democratic in its governance. The House meant to ensure the wellbeing of its families. Rarely do families leave their House and even more rare is expulsion. Expulsion is an elected decision to remove a particular member or family. Usually it is the individual that is expelled first. This happens on the basis of a treasonous actions. Expulsion is exile or execution depending on the severity. Typically, Dïbe is referred to for this decision.
The nature of Houses can often be defined in terms of merchants and warriors. There are many merchant and trading Houses across Ënokh with many coming from the resourceful provinces of Vindyarr Khrïn and Mäsvell Dinmaar. Another common alignment are the warrior Houses who produced skilled arms men and women.
There are some Andeamer considered to be Houseless or small families that are their Houses. The smaller families are often nomadic tribes in Vinde Yal Mäsvyel and other wandering peoples. The Andeamer considered to be Houseless are those who devote themselves to religious institutions. These Andeamer don’t necessarily leave their families behind or forget them. They do not align themselves with their Houses interests as it would conflict with the religious beliefs that they must provide for all Andeamer regardless of origin or alignment. These Andeamer stay in their Houses and families by means of blood-relation and do not participate in the self-governance of their Houses.
When lesser Houses and families join a larger or more powerful one, it is often done so over the course of centuries. These begin as natural alliances of common interests. House Laelis is one the better-known house of warriors. Many of Laelis make up the Valgaartiran military and have produced noteworthy generals. However, within House Laelis is the family Mïsahvä, they are well known for their political mindsight. Mïsahvä originated in Mäsvell Dinmaar just as Laelis, but migrated to the Valgaartiran for a new future. They weren’t a large or notable House like Laelis at this time, but Mïsahvä found their niche within the politics of the Valgaartiran. Over the centuries Mïsahvä and Laelis formed an alliance of similar interest which would eventually merge Mïsahvä into the House of Laelis. Some Houses are nations of their own such as Vihron. The family of Gyrrihzag rules the kingdom of Vihron. Lesser families from other tribes or Andeamer from other provinces may settle so long as they are loyal to the House of Gyrrihzag. Doing so, they become a part of House Gyrrihzag.
However, joining and emancipating Houses is not done so lightly. Such decisions are made on the basis of a family’s future and not because one House is suddenly more successful than another. Andeamer are willing to lay down their lives for their House, because their house is their family.
Of-No-House
In the Valgaartiran roaming food vendors are slowly becoming normal. They serve quick foods and drinks, usually sweets, candies, and things one wouldn’t eat on a daily basis. This means people are eating openly, sometimes alone, and are often met with curious looks. Eating alone is odd. It is not this act itself that is strange, but the act of being alone. The social sphere is deeply ingrained into andeamer society and self-worth. You will be met a curious twitch of the ears when you mention the andeamer of no House. It is unusual, not possible, but possibly dangerous.
People may lose family to tragedy, but some andeamer are also banished from their houses, from their own family. This is not done lightly, but no andeamer would openly advertise this. To be without a House is to be isolated. You have no allies, no one to help you, feed you, house you. Regardless of why one is without a House, they will be looked upon with suspicion and inferiority. Andeamer can be reduced to poverty, alienation of the society at large. To be without a House is not only a social death sentence but a physical one too.
In the Valgaartiran, this social faux pas is being challenged. People live alone in dwellings built for one, they live productive lives, and some even find a House to join or remain of-no-house. The Ar’velëraanvagh are no longer a class determined to a slow death. For many reasons one may be without a House. Those orphaned for any reason are housed and cared for by a delvelëraan, an orphanage of sorts. They are facilitated and maintained by the Valgaartiran government. These places employ andeamer who specialize in fostering children ad growing beings. However it wasn’t always like this, and some places on Ënokh do not have such concepts. It was during a great boom in advancements that propelled the Valgaartiran to where it is that discovered the advantages of taking care of the disadvantaged.
The delvelëraan are not idealized as a permanent place for andeamer children. Their primary goal is foster the children in the facility’s care so they may be self-sufficient like any other child, but to get them adopted is tertiary to this. Sometimes, this doesn’t happen for some children and they remain in the delvelëraan. In this instance, the delvelëraan acts with the power of any other House. These children are guaranteed the same educational, economic, and social rights as any other andeamer. Typically, they are successful people, but the emotional scares of being without a house will follow them all their lives. Ar’velëraanvagh do not live easy lives; the weight of houselessness is economical, social, and personal. The full scope of how it affects an individual cannot be fully known, but what is known is attempted to be stifled by the delvelëraan program.
Marriages and Unions
Marriage and reproduction between the families of one House is very common. Marriage can either be a political affair meant to produce desirable heirs or it can occur between lovers. The political marriages meant to strengthen bonds between families and produce heirs are controlled by the clan-parents. They ensure relationships are not accidentally incestuous either, as to avoid inbreeding. Within every House is an extensive record of marriages and blood relationships between the family. For centuries, Andeamer have meticulously kept track of blood relationships down to a percentage so these records can extend back thousands of years and even show how some family names have died out within the House or where some individuals have been expulsed and where new families have joined.
In political marriages, the goal is to strengthen the bonds of families within the House and to produce heirs. Naturally these relationships are nothing like those marriages between lovers, so it is common for these individuals to have relationships outside of the marriage. These relationships may have already been pre-existing or can occur during the marriage. Typically, Andeamer are monogamous and of course value loyalty so these relationships appear to happen one at a time, that is to say these relationships born of love would resemble marriage to many human observers. However, these relationships cannot produce children as it complicates the existing marriage. It would be even worse if the two individuals were of different Houses. These are not grounds for expulsion but can cause severe strain within the House.
Should a child be conceived through unions of love within a political marriage, the child’s status is negotiated by the clan-parents of the Houses involved. This is an inherently scandalous situation that must be diffused immediately and is often kept secret. The more power and status a House has, the more complicated the matter becomes. Sometimes the child is kept secret for centuries, the truth only existing in the ledger of relations that the clan-parents use, or the child may be given to a temple and raised by acolytes. The matter of sexual orientation within andeamer society has been shown to be very egalitarian over the centuries. The concept of orientation, is not wholly designated either and is instead considered a matter of preference. It is only in the thersaven, the political marriages, that the relationship is purely heterosexual.
This egalitarian attitude is what allows for a flexible view of relationships over the andeamer lifespan. Adolescent andeamer are encouraged to have many different relationships before finding their averihs. Averihs is comparable to the concept of a soulmate. It is a life-partner of romantic love. Another type of soulmate is the sehnris. The sehnris is non-romantic or sexual love and can be held between family and friends. In the matter of the thersaven, it is not forbidden to seek romantic relationships outside this union. The union of the thersaven is not one which is expected to be a relationship of love; it only demands reproduction be kept between the thersaven. To have romantic and sexual relationships outside the thersaven is usually kept out of public knowledge, this true for significantly high-profile Houses.
The adolescent years of the andeamer range from sexual maturity at the mid-twenties and extend until they reach <200 years of age. Given they live unusually long lives, they have plenty of time to explore their lives and themselves before having to settle into the obligations of society.
Even non-political marriages as the thersaven has some politics dictating them, usually in the manner of social norms. Some Houses may not want their members marrying someone from another House for whatever reasons, typically some kind of rivalry or percieved slight. Lesser Houses will often try to emulate those above them. Marriages of love are not uncommon, but they aren't wholly known outside the Valgaartiran empire. In most cases it is like a joining or an alliance between the families involved. There are no contracts and expectations are an unsure territory. The matter of who joins which House has been a long-standing social conflict of the andeamer. Since the family lives together under one roof and it is the individual of the lesser House joiner the one of greater status, the marriages of the participants choice has caused confusion and even controversy.
A new social movement within the empire has seen a growing number of these couples simply living together apart from their families in their own homes. This has been an important topic due to its contrast to how andeamer have lived in multi-generational homes for millennia.
The Shïathyerihn
Shïathyerihn is an ancient tradition with complex customs. Shïathyerihn is an oath of servitude from the subject as well as an oath of protection from the House. When under the oath of shïathyerihn, one is a part of the House, but not of the family and so does not have the same powers and privileges. Some andeamer become shïathyerihn for a range of reasons. In the Valgaartiran, it is a path to citizenship. The practice is similar to indentured servitude, so their rewards and stipulations vary from contract to contract. Many are servants to the House. They work indoors as cooks, maids, or outdoors in fields.
It is thought this practice originated long before the war and have evolved over time from slavery into a contractual practice. In the Valgaartiran, the practice is governed by the mërakh din’üsarr rather than the Houses to avoid violation of basic right. Outside the Valgaartiran, the stipulations and treatment can vary. Recent social movements in the Valgaartiran seek to end the practice altogether while others want fairer treatment. For many, the way of the shïathyerihn is the only way to rise in society and take a better future. Some of these andeamer may be Houseless, the last of their family, or met will ill-circumstance. So far, these movements have gained shïathyerihn within the Valgaartiran basic, unalienable rights.
The Association for the Protection of the Shïathyerihn began in the Valgaartiran to do as their name suggests. They seek to prevent abuse of this disenfranchised class in the empire. Outside of the empire, the laws surrounding the treatment of shïathyerihn range from little to non-existent, so the association has since moved their primary focus elsewhere. In some places they are despised and are met with blatant hostility as they have a reputation for abducting shïathyerihn and moving them to other friendlier nations and kingdoms or directly to the Valgaartiran.
The House-Saints
The House-Saints may sound religious in title and indeed they are in practice, however they are considered separate from the religion of the andeamer. This custom is more akin to ancestral veneration and varies between Houses.
Andeamer keep meticulous records of their family lineage far beyond birth and death dates. These records contain the life of their ancestors and sometimes go into depth much farther than the thin autobiography the individual writes at the end of their life. They venerate all their ancestors, but some may receive more attention than others; these are the House-Saints. They can be considered by their descendants for a number of reasons. Many are familiar; bravery, good deeds, considerable contribution to their family, etc.,
The House-Saints vary from House to House and are revered solely by their descendants and is why they are not considered a part of the primary andeamer religion. Naturally, there are saints in the andeamer belief that are revered by all for their deeds aside from the House-Saints.
Änderath Mïzärnan
The Children of Mïzärn, also called Veherrihs, are the andeamer gifted with the sphere of this god. Recall that Mïzärn’s sphere concerns all that the andeamer may never, but also what they describe as magic. According to andeamer mythology, when Mïzärn renounced his divinity his sphere was taken with him causing it to be rare and not fully present within the universe. This explains why only a few andeamer are capable of harnessing it. Supposedly it is Mïzärn himself who chooses who may receive these powers.
The Veherrihs are reclusive bunch. They populate the priesthood of Mïzärn’s temple. They are not shunned from society, but they are often met with a stigma of fear and awe. They are blessed with the gifts of a god and those gifts can bring great destruction, yet also bring abundance. Typically, it is a strong suggestion they live among others of similar gifts to control their powers that causes them to self-segregate. In more developed nations such as the Valgaartiran and some city-states of Mäsvell Dinmaar, the Veherrihs may choose to live outside the temple. Interestingly such opportunity has caused somewhat of a divide among the Veherrihs; those who believe they should live apart from society and those who do not. Most who do live outside of the temple often shun it entirely, even rarer are those who shun Mïzärn. Usually those who shun the temple do not shun this god, but instead believe Mïzärn would not want them to hide from society and living among common people replicates Mïzärn shunning his divinity. In other words, to self-segregate is to imply the Veherrihs are fundamentally different from other andeamer, while to live with society is follow Mïzärn’s lead and declaring they are not so different.
Within the last 150 years, the Valgaartiran Academy welcomed Veherrihs into academia to teach magic to those gifted and those not gifted. The program has been a success and recent surveys show many citizens in the capital a shifting attitude towards the Veherrihs. Now, any Veherrihs has the opportunity to stay with their family and House when they discover their talents.
In more accepting and liberal places, Veherrihs may even profit from their talents. The gifts of Mïzärn are not universal and reach a wide variety of talents. Some may be gifted with what is described as healing magic and can be professional doctors who use their skills to aid patients or simple village healers. Others may be more aligned with Mïzärn’s sphere of prophecy and are fortune tellers while others can be described as “psychic investigators”. Some are more united with the physical aspect of magic and manipulate physical arms or control matter to be weapons and those may be mercenaries or honorable soldiers. Since the Valgaartiran Academy’s Veherrihs teaching program, these opportunities have opened up for a mostly ignored faction of andeamer society. The Valgaartiran has been the most open to Veherrihs participating in military, law enforcement, and academia and has been successful. Projections show increasing success not only for the Valgaartiran but for lives of Veherrihs as well.
Life and Death
Naturally, you may hear strange rumors about the andeamer, such as one would about any people. One of these is the matter of aging. It is true the andeamer outlive humans by several hundred years. They attribute their longevity to their gods, however scientific inquiry and even some interesting findings among the ancient archives of Nir Rizaal point more towards genetic tampering. Their longevity may be artificial as well as some physical traits may have been produced in a laboratory long before the modern andeamer you see today.
However, not every andeamer lives to see 900. Same as with humans the lifespan is also a result of living conditions. Those who have poor living conditions or limited access to healthcare won’t live as long as those who do. The andeamer of the Valgaartiran have the highest life-expectancy while the wandering tribes of Vinde Yal Mäsvyel have the lowest. Only beneath the nomads of the icy province are the feral andeamer that roam Zyendil Maar.
Given many similarities between our species, andeamer and humans mature at a snail’s pace compared to other species of their planet. Andeamer reach maturity around the age of thirty. Physical maturity happens much sooner same with humans, the brain, however, continues its development long after.
Societal views of maturity are nearly opposite to human customs. Andeamer aren’t considered an adult until they reach 150 to 170 years, but mind you this will vary by nation. For examples we will use the Valgaartiran. Until then, they are urged to experience and accrue experience in life. This can be done in a variety of ways, often dependent on the individuals’ origin and life. They may switch jobs erratically, pursue academic fields, travel, etc. Anything to find their place in the world. This time of a person’s life is called “the slowest walk”, edïnänstëel tahrgah.
Once an adult by societal standards, the individual will have found their place in society. They will have decided upon a trade or profession and will do that for the rest of life. Don’t be mistaken, they are not forced to keep their career and may change as they desire. However, given the tradition of an individual’s House they may have familial pressures to keep their House’s trade.
Matters of marriage and reproduction can come after or even before settling for a life-trade or the slowest walk. This is dependent on the individual’s House’s status. Commoners, farmers, laborer families don’t have the same pressure to marry young or even produce heirs the way higher status Houses do. Often it is these higher status Houses that cling to their tradition and a particular way of life in their family. These Houses will have the political, arranged marriages that strengthen ties and produce heirs, a set profession or trade of the House and less room to branch out at pursue different paths that would be available to commoner Houses. For the andeamer cremation is the only way to deal with the dead. Unless you were a High Priestess of Mazarath, all andeamer are cremated. This is because of the voidly meddling of Surgat Zagam. His lesser incarnations possess the bodies of the deceased and create what the andeamer call the restless dead. Priests and priestesses of Alkhäd are responsible for funerary rites. They prepare the deceased for their cremation in a series of rituals. The first is a ceremony of remembrance not unlike some human funerals, that recount the individual and their life.
The second is done in private in Temples. The deceased is bathed in purified water in a sealed chamber under the light of the moons through a glass window. These chambers are called Alkhäd’s Heart; they follow a very specific architecture. There is only one entrance. The window to let in the moon always lies directly above the bath where the body is submerged. The insolation of the chambers keeps so it is refrigerated, typically by magical means. The room is sealed at the entrance to keep the zhehrkh-shish within. This seal is done by magical means; symbols line the doorway and before leaving the priest and priestesses each state, one-by-one, “(the deceased’s full name) is not permitted to leave this heart of Alkhäd.”
The andeamer believed this is how their zhehrkh-shish is released. The cleaning of the body washes away life and all its burdens. The zhehrkh-shish is everything a person is: their mind, memories, personality, hopes, dreams, etc. The moon represents Mazarath’s light in the Void, a guide for the zhehrkh-shish so they will not stray and be ensnared by the Void or its minions.
During this time, present priests and priestesses chant various prayers, actual quotes of Alkhäd meant to reassure and protect the newly deceased, again so they may not stray. Death is a shock for the living of course and sometimes the deceased may not know they are dead.
Once the second ritual is complete the body is left to dry in the chamber. The priests and priestesses will leave the chamber and return only when the body has dried. This is how they will know the zhehrkh-shish has left the body entirely.
The third is the simplest. The horns of the deceased are covered in a protective armor of steel. This isn’t necessary for the deceased as is done more for the living as a means of remembrance. Horns naturally remain after death; this armor will protect the horns being tarnished in the cremation process. Once the horns are secured, the body is carefully placed within a box. This box is sealed by symbols to prevent possession until the body is actually cremated. Usually this process does not take more than a day, but the priest and priestesses will take every precaution to prevent Surgat Zagam’s meddling. At the time of cremation, the body is brought into another chamber, again designed with specific architecture.
This is the retort, the crematory. The body is removed from its box and set on a pedestal and depending on the location of the deceased, the retort can be started by a simple switch or must be lit by fire. Once cremation is complete the participating priest or priestess will recite the last prayer of Alkhäd and open the chamber. Finally, the remains are gathered into the urn provided by the deceased’s family.
Urns can be simple or beautiful works of art. No andeamer goes without an urn. Often, the Temple of Alkhäd provides its own, created by the clergy. This tradition has given their followers a place among pottery artisans in Ënokh over the centuries, aside from urn-making. The ones provided by the Temple of Alkhäd will be simple but will always bear the deceased’s names and horns.
The deceased’s family will then be given the urn now with horns mounted to its base. From there, the family places the urn with the rest of the House’s deceased. For more wealthy Houses this can be an entire room devoted to the House’s ancestors. Much large and longer standing Houses require entire mausoleums kept on their land. For the less wealthy, it will simply be a collection of urns.
Grievances
Among every people, there is inevitable conflict. For the andeamer, matters of war are serious and handled by a strict code created by the Lady of Swords and Shields herself, Fesäd. This code is her very own holy text and number in the thousands of clauses and laws regarding war and conflict outside of the Houses. Reasons for war among the andeamer vary just as we have seen parallels in human history. War, that is large-scale conflict carried out by entities aside inter-House conflicts and concerns international affairs. We give this definition because there is another type of “war” carried out between Houses solely. War between nations is avoided as much as possible, however agreements may never be met. The first law of war states:
Two warriors of both parties will meet on even ground and duel alone as representative of their nations and not their Houses. One must die in the place of many. This duel is traditionally carried out by the leaders of a nation’s forces. They can be kings, queens, regents, etc.…, but it is not necessary that they are. Typically, these champions are volunteers, but law requires the leader of this army always be prepared to duel to death for their cause. In the Valgaartiran this person is called the “Videhsteya”, the leader of the mirkh.
The clauses of this law follow:
I. These representatives are to be willing participants, aware they must fight until one has died by their opponent.
II. The first to volunteer must always be the leader of the nation.
III. If more than one andeamer volunteer to be a representative, a vote may be held to determine which will represent the nations
IV. The House of the deceased opponent cannot pursue grievances against the living opponent or their House.
V. The nation of the deceased representative may issue another challenge.
VI. In the instance of a secondary challenge and all subsequent challenges a new representative will represent the challenged nation.
VII. No andeamer may be a representative in a single war more than once.
VIII. No more than seven challenges may be issued for the same war.
IX. The living representative’s nation is the victor of the duel and therefore whatever conflict arose between nations.
X. The deceased representative’s army must then yield to the successors.
XI. Should the andeamer of the deceased opponent challenge seven times and fail seven times and that these andeamer unanimously agree their cause worthy of mass-bloodshed they may draw their blades and battle until one nation emerges victorious.
Among the Houses, matters are handled somewhat similarly, but dueling to death is not the goal. In fact, it is divine law, “No seeker of grievances is allowed to end the life of another without full sanction from the lips of Mazarath’s earthly representative.”
Grievances arise when an andeamer or House perceives slight or insult from another. These can be serious matters often concerning reputation or the House’s livelihood. To pursue grievances is to pursue justice. First the slighted must petition council from a priest or priestesses of Dïbe or even a High Priestess of Mazarath should one be more convenient. Dïbe is referred to here instead of Fesäd because Dïbe concerns governance of Houses. The priests’ or priestesses’ mission here is to calm the situation. They will hold council with the individuals or Houses in order to avoid conflict. Should this fail then they may sanction grievances and the slighted individual or Houses form their entourages.
The entourage is a collection of members of one’s House that will attend the duel and fight on behalf of their House. The entourages of both Houses meet at a set date and time given by the priest or priestess of Dïbe who will also attend to see that the duel itself is just. Accompanying the priest or priestess is usually their own entourage called the dithyärr. The dithyärr are a particular rank in the temple of Dïbe or Fesäd; they are neutral warriors whose sworn oath is to uphold the ideologies of their gods and to protect andeamer from injustice, often among themselves. The dithyärr are essentially there to keep duels from getting out of hand. They are skilled, unmatched warriors only subordinate to the High Priestesses of Mazarath in martial skill. Just as with the duels between representatives of entire nations, the victor wins whatever conflict occurred between parties. This may be a better reputation, but also soils the reputation or status of the losing House.
Formality
To the andeamer, one’s place in their House is a crucial part of their identity. Only second to their position within their House is their place in society. Their emphasis on this can be observed in their language and its many tiers of formality. The language of formality is a subtlety learned through a lifetime. Mistakes are made and more often than not results in embarrassment of the individual and their House.
At the very top of andeamer society, the one individual that is given, not demands, complete respect and reverence is the Oracle of Mazarath. No king, lord, or even virzangest is her equal. However, excluding the Oracle from every-day life, the hierarchy of social life is very clear. Do not be mistaken, however, andeamer society is largely egalitarian with variation between nations. There are no fixed castes or classes. One may be born into the wealthiest of families and die a poor beggar with nothing to their name and vice versa. Upward mobility is open to all given you make the right connections and know how to play a delicate political dance to please just the right people.
The andeamer system of Houses carries its own hierarchy as you may see among courts and councils of governments. Inter-House formality is skewed of the Houses’ value and place within their respective societies. A House’s value lies in its numbers, offensive and defensive strength, wealth, and land. A unique mixture of these values will determine where ones Houses sits in their society and how others should treat and address them
In the Valgaartiran, the House of Eressyahl is known for their skill in forging and metalworking. They are renowned throughout all of Ënokh and any who owns something they forged would be from a very wealthy House themselves. In Mäsvell Dinmaar within the city-state of Väl founded on mining and forging lives the House of Vällessïn. The House of Vällessïn has been forging armor, weapons, nearly any metal tool need for their province for nearly 700 years, while Eressyahl has only been around for 245 years.
In this instance Eressyahl would be the House of a higher standing. Their value lies within their metalworking and forging skill. Such an example is applied to every House and to the andeamer, knowing who is higher than whom is second nature, mostly among those who live in cities where these politics matter. Farmers and nomads don’t have such a rigid and clear-cut observance of these matters. These hierarchies appear among the andeamer at city level populations. Among farmers, small villages, and nomadic peoples the association is loose, and these congregations can be the most egalitarian and liberal of andeamer social settings. Zooming in on the individual level, for example in the setting one works in, similar politics apply. These positions may be more familiar to human societies. Naturally, you are more respectful to those above you than those at your level or below you.
Ënokhan
The language of the andeamer is called Ënokhan in its native form. Many have taken to calling it Enochian in an anglicized form, however it bears no resemblance to the biblical language of angels. All andeamer speak Ënokhan with regional variation. Literacy varies however, and it largely dependent on necessity of the particular kingdom, nation, or city-state. Just as on Earth, literacy appears to decline in rural regions and even more so among nomadic peoples. The nomadic people across Enokh instead utilize oral tradition as seen in many human cultures across times.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
A male andeamer (left) and a female andeamer (right)
For an in-depth analysis of the andeamer refer to The Andeamer by Robert Maddibell and Evihzahn Tiragaan
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