Taelithrien

The Taelithrien Elves

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History

Unlike many of King Tyrelia’s children, the twins Tael and Lith'ir had not initially sought to found a kingdom or venture out to build a legendary reputation. Rather, they were content to live as adventurers. In the eyes of Lith’ir, there was no greater glory than discovery and Tael was content to follow his sibling. The two had traveled much of the known continent of Palmydia into the far reaches of the Mountains of the Maw, and while there were many elven folk who had come with them at first, most of them had chosen to settle among the various cities and peoples they had come across. However, it was in the mountains that the elven twins finally found a place they were willing to call home.

There was something about the place within the mountains they had chosen that intrigued them. They had come across a cavernous expanse within the mountain that led them to a spring hidden deep within. The spring itself was of a supernatural sort, emanating a strange energy they were not familiar with. It was not the magic that their sister Quinaria had brought, nor the primal force of the natural world to which Selendria had bonded. The aura that escaped the spring and into the caverns washed over them, as if to touch their very spirits.

Enraptured by their wonder, Tael and Lith’ir made the choice to drink from the spring and discover what mysteries it held. At first, there were no noticeable effects aside from the waters being more refreshing than the mountain rivers. Soon many more of the elves who followed had also drank from the waters as a rite of bonding between them all. In doing so, the adventurers had chosen that they would build a home at the mouth of this cavern, feeling that it should be something to be guarded and cared for. It would not be long before they would discover the healing properties of the waters, causing wounds and ailments to heal naturally at faster rates.

Prosperity did not for their lifetime, however, and in a tragic attack by a horrific monster, Tael was slain. Lith’ir and the others chose at that moment to bury him within the caverns and those who perished after would also follow suit. That night, Lith’ir mourned and prayed at Tael’s grave, only to discover the true nature of the spring. Tael’s spirit called back out to Lith’ir; both of them finally understood that the spring had enhanced the elven adventurer’s connection to the spirit realm and because of this, Tael and Lith’ir were able to remain united.

After that night, Lith’ir, guided by Tael’s spirit, invigorated the building of their settlement as a home, true to their new understanding of life, death, and the world of spirits. Their home, and the home of generations of others who followed the leadership of Tael and Lith’ir, would become known as the Taelithrien elves.

General Notes

Some time after their drinking from the Taelidth Font - as it had come to be known - many of the elves had started to develop signs of their newfound spiritual nature. In some cases, this manifested as the color of their eyes changing to an emerald or turquoise green. In others, ethereal markings manifested across their body, which some believe to be their own spirit's power echoing into the material realm.

Being located in the Mountains of the Maw and the trade between the mountain tribes, Taelithrien elves from the region tend to dress in similar northern fashions with furs, leathers, and other type fashions.

Cities

Girathi’Dusa


Girathi’Dusa is the main settlement of the Taelithrien elves. It exists as a city-state with no ties to any particular nation, and was built in the Mountains of the Maw to the southwest of the Stormwalker Clan holdings. The settlement is built around the opening of a large cavern system held sacred by the Taelithrien people. The settlement itself also sprawls into the caverns, though the deeper in and closer to the Taelidth Font areas are less living and commerce space, and more religious and ceremonial.

Because of its location, the city-state extends down the mountain and boasts a small port along the riverside, permitting river trade to others in the southern regions of the mountains. While not as structurally contemporary as the bustling cities of nations like Kormyre, Girathi’Dusa does employ the use of supernatural forces to accentuate the infrastructure and functions of the settlement.

Alongside the primary city-state that extends down the mountainside, the Taelithrien people have settled a number of other small villages and hamlets on the outskirts of Girathi'Dusa that aid in defining the border of the territory that they elven people have settled. Most of these double as scout outposts or hunting lodges, while others act as trade hubs. Regardless, they all serve some purpose that assists in the thriving of their civilization on the mountains.

Among these villages are a few notable ones. Tor'Ithren is among the most successful hunting lodges, who also do a tremendous amount of work in providing meats and leathers to Girathi'Dusa, while also ensuring the maintained survival of the species they hunt. Another notable village is Lod'harhiel, a trade center near the riverbanks who deal regularly with the highland people of Arduain and the Hiolengorn nordjar. Its most notable feature is that it's the only place in the region where one can easily acquire Tyr'va Thorn - a rare component used in ceremonial rites and metaphysical medicines.

Political Climate

Because the foundation of Girathi’Dusa was built upon the profession of adventuring, much of their social and political structure still revolves around the meritocratic approach of governing their civilization, while also still ensuring that all members who can contribute to the city-state are doing so in ways they can be most effective. Also due to the nature of having been founded by professional adventurers, the city’s governing structure is not controlled by a singular monarch or small leadership council. Rather, it is a larger organization of appointed members from all of the various guilds, organizations, and professions within Girathi’Dusa.

Due to the harsh environment of the mountains, laws - though they exist - are less detailed compared to nations like Kormyre. Those who live within the mountains and Girathi’Dusa more openly understand the importance of social contracts and the need to cooperate as a society in order to survive. Those who do choose to work against the society are either rehabilitated or exiled.

In commerce, the Taelithrien elves tend to operate more in trade and bartering with allies more than using coin and other monetary tools. In the Mountains of the Maw, money has little value and so it is primarily used when dealing with traveling merchants. This dynamic ends up leaving consumable goods to be among the most valuable things to trade.

Religion

Religion does not exist within the Taelithrien society like it does in other nations. The Taelithrien people have a unique understanding and connection with the spirit realm, and so tend to view religion and spirituality in a different light, making them seem more practical and superstitious to outsiders. Though in reality, the Tealithrien people are deeply spiritual because of their understanding of the spirit realm.

Within Taelithrien society are two castes of people which many have deemed comparable to other societies’ religious figures. The first are the Tae’Ardhin - starcallers - who have honed their ability to connect to the spirit realm and speak with those spirits who exist within it. They often serve as spiritual guides and advocates, assisting both the living and the dead.

The second caste are the Tae’Uthren - starfinders - who are warriors that draw their skill from the spirits with whom they have connected, who impart power unto the Tae’Uthren. This caste is primarily composed of warriors who invoke the strength of the spirits they bond with to aid them in battle.

Outside of this spiritual practice, some Taelithrien have taken to other religious practices seen around the world, often paying homage to deities who guide or protect spirits, as well as other beings who perform similar duties. Common among these figures is the Eodran god, Galladel, the Ma’khet, Rota Gibde, and the Ordrim, Amaris.

Holidays

Idhithen’je - “Awakening”

To the Taelithrien people, no moment is more sacred and more important than what was the day of their awakening as a people. The day that Tael and Lith’ir discovered the Taelidth Font and drank from its waters is the birth of their entire people. And so - by the Kormyrian calendar - April 15th is celebrated as the birth of their people, or as the turning of the new year.

Othimir Isua - “Soul’s Rest”

There is a time on Arawyn when the veils between the spirit realm and the material realm become thinned, causing anomalous - to the majority of the world - events where the denizens of the spirit realm are more easily able to communicate and interact with those of the material realm. During this time, the Tealithrien people seek out the spirits - more often those they did not know in life - to learn from them, help them, and guide them. The Taelithrien people believe this to be a time where the living may more significantly aid the spirits and many dedicate themselves to pilgrimages across the land, seeking as many out as they can.

Notable Figures

Eldrithess Inthual

Eldrithess was once a great Taelithrien hero, who had traveled to the western reaches of the world with Tael and Lith’ir when they first settled Girathi’Dusa. He was a ferocious fighter who always stood at the forefront of danger, and even after the land was settled, he continued seeking out those in need. Though Eldrithess had died in battle, his effort did not end there. He became more notable after his death, guiding dozens of Tae’Uthren warriors as the years carried on. In life he was known for his valorous strength, and in death, he continued to pass on that strength to the warriors who invoked his name.

Magister Ayish’el Vey’Antari

Magister Vey’Antari’s renown exploded in recent years around a feat she performed near the end of the year in 1220. Having traveled the great distance to far nations like the elven homeland of Quinaria and even further to Lisidar on the continent of VIS, Magist Vey’Antari set out to open up new methods of trade and commerce through magical means between more nations and the Taelithrien. These two nations in particular were notable for her fear as they also aided in the devisement of methods to manage merchandise teleportation using a series of arcane ritualcraft and VIS magitechnologies. While having only recently completed her work on the endeavor, the long term value of her accomplishment is something that has many talking about in a whirlwind in the immediate.

Vaedhik, the Exile

Few have ever been exiled from Girathi’Dusa, and fewer still for being unrepentant. One, however, was exiled for truly heinous crimes against both the Taelithrien people and the denizens of the spirit realm. Vaedhik was once a Tae’Uthren warrior and considered to be among the most spiritually attuned. However, something in Vaedhik was twisted and vile. Invoking the names of the spirits was not enough. Through necromantic rituals, he would call upon spirits, invoking their names, and claiming their power at the sacrifice of that spirit. He was not discovered until well over a dozen souls had been obliterated by his vile cruelty.

Folk Lore

The Dark Star

Record of this occurrence has been rare, and even more so it has never been documented with an accuracy that posits it as more than rumor and folk tale. In Taelithrien culture, spirits are often referred to as Stars, and more often, the spirits invoked are of a benevolent nature. Sometimes the stars invoked can have malicious intentions, but this is a rare occurrence. However, among the Taelithrien is a tale of the Dark Star - a spirit who corrupts and poisons the very soul of the invoker.

The Dark Star is one who comes to the Taelithrien they day of their birth and taints their spiritual aura, which is said to bring only terrible tragedy and disaster around the victim of the Dark Star’s curse. It’s said that only malicious spirits answer the call of the invoker and bring them misfortune.

Why and for what purpose such an event occurs remains speculation by the Taelithrien people, but many believe that being born under the Dark Star is an indication of the evil in one’s own soul. The common rumor that has been passed down is that such an event only happens when there is turmoil in the spirit realm or it is the world’s natural way of identifying truly evil people.
The Taelidth Font

A great many centuries ago near the dawn of the First Age, the Arani - great and powerful beings of the spirit realm - existed and carried out the whims of their desires with the world and the races within it. They were prophetic beings with power over the spirit realm and the souls within. Though they were powerful deific figures, there were still creatures within the realm that were dangerous. One such monstrous creature sought to rip the veils between spirit and material realm apart. The Arani saw a prophecy of the coming of this creature and prepared to face it, but unfortunately, also in this prophecy came the downfall of one of their own.

The Arani were left with a choice: defeat the creature, but know one of them would fall, or speak nothing of the vision and try to alter the course of their future. Collectively they agreed to change the future, but it was already too late. In seeing the vision, Nyrien had felt a fear of the events to come and simply spoke “I die?”. With that utterance, their fate was sealed and nothing could change it.

The battle had come upon them, and surely enough Nyrien was struck a mortal blow. There, in a crater in a cavern in the northern mountains of Palmydia, Nyrien bled to death, alone.