Eldevians

Overview

Eldevians are one of the many species from the Omicron Quadrant. Their homeworld is the planet Eldev. They are distinguishable by the ridges on their noses and their headbands covering their pointed ears. They have extremely heightened senses. They are the most militarily advanced species of the Triad and generally live around 500 years.

Origin

Triad

The Triad species (Regalans, Lorav, and eldevians) began as one single species known as the reglorelds. When The Ancients stepped in and sent Galmok and Ramok, the reglorelds were split into the regalans and lorelds. Ramok was seen as too violent and militaristic, so a third brother was sent (note: the Triadian teaches that the Ancients split Ramok's soul, thus creating Marok).

Further Divided

Marok left with the species that is now known as the lorav. Upon his departure, the Ancients sent off Galmok and the regalans and Ramok and the eldevians to their own planets to make their home. Ramok is given the credit as being the one who led the eldevians to Eldev in 1198.

History

For a more concise history, please see Eldevian History.

The Fall of Ramok

Because of Ramok's leadership, he became known as the Warrior God. While Ramok was technically the leader of the eldevians, it was his righthand man, Helmarr, who acted as the figurehead. Ramok himself oversaw the military while his wife, Myrarr "Myra" Dathren, was the leader of the Dirath Angla (Coalition of Assassins). Things on Eldev went relatively smoothly for the first four hundred years. Ramok's leadership proved to be very beneficial for the eldevians as they quickly took to his teachings.
This changed, however, in 1525 when a group of eldevian dissidents began attacking people on Eldev. That same year, Ramok and Helmarr took a blood oath, bonding them and assuring that they were completely loyal to one another. In 1554, the first major battles began between the eldevians and the dissidents. Ramok tried to broker peace, but the dissidents refused to negotiate. Five years later, in 1559, the dissidents, now calling themselves the Delcarr, which translates to "pure of mind" in Common, were officially labeled a terrorist group. The Delcarr were against Ramok's teachings and felt the only way to break Ramok's hold over the rest of the eldevians was through violence. This all came to a head in 1698 when all of the Delcarr rose up and marched on Enmarn, Eldev's capital. Ramok met them head-on. During this final battle, Helmarr turned on Ramok and killed him. Ramok cursed Helmarr with his dying breath and, in turn, Eldev, making the atmosphere turn toxic. The process was already taking place in the atmosphere but only after Ramok’s death did the effects start being noticed. This is why the act of betrayal (especially between those bonded) is considered grievous and unforgivable.
Because of Eldev's air slowly turning toxic, the loravs quickly came up with a filter system that would artificially purify the air. It was installed in 1701. The eldevians later modified it to also act as a defensive shield that completely encapsulated the planet.

Silhadox Uprising and the Purge

Early on, when the eldevians first visited their neighboring planet Prema, they began using the native species, the silhadox, for labor. For nearly half a century, this was a simpatico relationship. The silhadox seemed to thrive off the work. The silhadox were not slaves, but they were not exactly equal either. Over time, as the silhadox learned more and grew as a species, they began to get restless. It was around the year 2294 that the eldevians realized that the silhadox were beginning to evolve past their original purpose. The eldevian response to this was to gradually give them more freedom and autonomy.
While the silhadox began demanding more rights 77 years earlier, what the eldevians gave them was deemed not enough. They wanted access to eldevian ships and weapons and to be sent back to Prema. For the first several years after this, there were extensive talks, trying to reach some sort of compromise between the two. Finally, in 2407, the eldevians sent the silhadox back to Prema en masse it what is now known as the Purge. An agreement was not settled upon (meaning the silhadox received no ships or weapons), and they were forced to leave.
When the silhadox finally acquired spaceflight technology, the eldevians granted them full autonomy within the Warmaiden Nebula. Because both species resided in the same system, the eldevian government exempted the sils from the tolls they had set up on the Intersystem Transit Lines.

Beginning of the Millennium War

At the end of 2740, Gunmar-hald, the leader of the silhadox, was assassinated by an eldevian exile. The eldevians had cast Braxren Hosh out two years prior and, in an attempt to get back at the eldevian government, he killed the hald.
On September 26, 2741, the first shots were fired between the eldevian ship RS Letarr and the silhadox ship Gruumhold. Up until that point, the silhadox had been boarding eldevian ships and kidnapping their crews, but no actual naval altercations had taken place. On a routine border patrol, the RS Letarr came across a seemingly abandoned silhadox ship. It was a trap, however. The Letarr and her crew was the first official casualty of the war.
(Please see Millennium War for a full history).

Government

Organization

Lord President

The eldevian government's structure is closest to a theocracy, with the leader of the eldevians being the lord president. Not only is the lord president the head of the government, but they are also the main religious leader. Before the Millennium War, the second-in-command was called the President's Second, but that changed to be the Strategic Tactical Advisor (STA). The STA aides the lord president in all things military and defense.

Office of Cardinals

Cardinal Robes by R. H. Stevenson

Lord President and STA Robes by R. H. Stevenson

The Office of Cardinals falls directly under the lord president and STA in the order of hierarchy. The office itself is broken up into three groups: Tethsit (higher), Kessit (middle), and Malsit (lower). The Tethsit tier is the highest and consists of those who are advisors to the lord president. They pass on the religious decisions the lord president makes and oversee the lower-tiered cardinals. The Kessit is the middle tier and by far the largest. This tier makes up the spiritual leaders who work directly with the people and in the temples. Finally, the Malsit, the lowest tier, are the cardinals in training or those who wish to serve the Triad Temple in some form or another without having all of the responsibilities of a full-fledged cardinal. Those people, as opposed to the cardinals-in-training, are called by the title of 'Malsit.'

Military

The eldevian military is the premiere military within the quadrant matched only in strength by the Creagans and discipline by the regalans. Naturally, the eldevians have the instinct to protect and serve their species, so it is no mystery as to why so many eldevians, when taking the Academy placement exam, are chosen to join the military.

Coalition of Assassins

Coalition of Assassins Crest by R. H. Stevenson

(For the full history, see the article: Coalition of Assassins)
In 1537, the Dirath Angla was formed and headed up by Ramok's wife, Myarr "Myra" Dathren. The name was changed to the Coalition of Assassins in 2709. The Coalition is the most notable organization the eldevians have ever produced. While it began on Eldev, it has since spread throughout the quadrant, with multiple species having their own chapters. The eldevians remain the head of the organization, but a council was created so each species could be represented in what is now known as the Council of the Coalition. The head of the council, an eldevian known as the arch-master, presides over all meetings and whose decisions are law within all chapters.

Language

The native language spoken by the eldevians is simply called eldevian. The most common suffix heard throughout the language is -arr, which in Common translates to "belonging to." This suffix tends to be on names, meaning that an individual belongs to a certain family.
However, most of the eldevian language cannot be directly translated into Common as most of the words encapsulate a feeling or something intangible. Some words can only be truly understood through Bonds.

Marriage, Family, and Bonds

First and foremost, the main thing that sets eldevians apart from the regalans and lorav (along with the rest of the species within the quadrant) is their ability to bond. It is thought that they have this ability because of their heightened senses. The eldevians believe it is also because they are more sensitive to/aware of the Valnuir. There are three forms of bonds: familial, marital, and blood. Bonds are the connection of one mind to another. The intensity of these bonds depends on the types of bonds.
Familial bonds are bonds that cannot be broken. Parents have a bond with their children in which they can sense their children's feelings. Siblings can read each other's thoughts so long as they do not put up a mental block.
Marital bonds are those shared between spouses. Marriage is not a requirement for these bonds, but seeing as a bond is created upon mating, eldevians typically "mate for life." These bonds can be broken, but rarely are. There are two types of these bonds: first bonds and subsequent bonds. First bonds are near impossible to break except upon death. For the first few years between two individuals with a first bond, the two cannot be separated by a great distance. Distance weakens the bond to the point that the individuals will feel as though a part of themselves is missing and will go into mourning. There are various accounts recorded during the Millennium War where newly bonded eldevians would be separated by having to go off to the front lines and one, if not both, of the bonded individuals dying of grief. This also adds to the reason eldevians tend to mate for life. Marital bonds between eldevians are unavoidable. The result of the formation of a bond between a male and female of the species always leads to the conception of a child. In other words, conception is not possible unless a bond is formed. For a bond to form when an eldevian mates with another species, it must be done purposefully. Marital bonds allow those bonded to sense each other's presence and, when close enough, sense each other's emotions. For an eldevian and non-eldevian, the eldevian can only sense strong emotions upon close proximity. The non-eldevian will only be able to sense the eldevian's emotions upon physical contact. These bonds can be broken through a special process typically presided over by a cardinal, but it is generally frowned upon.
Blood bonds are the rarest and are generally discouraged. The first blood bond was between Ramok and Helmarr. The only other recorded blood bonds exist in the military and a few in the coalition. It was not thought that this method would create an actual bond, but the extent of the bond only makes those bonded hyperaware of the presence of each other. This led to further research with little results. However, it is said that if two individuals experience something together such as a traumatic event or something that weakens them mentally, a bond can be formed. This could account for some of the supposed "blood bonds" within the military. Eldevian scientists have yet to find a way to ethically study this phenomenon.
A mental block is something an eldevian can learn to do through much practice in which they can block their thoughts and feelings from those they share a bond with. It takes a certain amount of mental fortitude to create and sustain a block successfully, but even the best at blocking can only hold it for a few hours. There are a few who go through special training and are able to repress bonds for years. These people are usually military leaders, high-ups in government, and spies.

Eldevian Senses and Leashing

Eldevians senses are much sharper than any other species in the quadrant. The hub of these senses is in the tips of their ears, making them very sensitive. Because of this, a practice was developed long ago for eldevians to cover the tip of their ears with a headband. This became the norm, to the point where it is considered indecent for an eldevian to expose their ears to anyone other than their doctors or spouses. Special headbands began to be made early on that had strips of metal woven into the fabric to protect the ears better. As technology advanced, they began to be made of a synthetic fabric that sharpens and focuses the senses and is interwoven with a pliable, but near-indestructible metal to protect the ears.
Leashing is the barbaric and deeply hated practice of cutting off the tips of eldevians' ears. An eldevian who is leashed is cut off entirely from the Valnuir. For all intents and purposes, leashing makes an eldevian blind, mute, and deaf (in actuality, it just greatly diminishes all senses, effectively making an eldevian useless). Before Ramok, leashing was used far more often and indiscriminately. Under Ramok's rule and much after, leashing was used for only the worst criminals. By 3193, leashing had all but been stopped as a form of punishment, partly because most eldevians would choose to kill themselves rather than be leashed. Many of those slated to be leashed never actually make it that far. The general consensus among eldevians is that leashing is a worse fate than death. At least committing suicide still allows you into the Valnuir. Show Spoiler

Leashing was officially banned in 3197 by Lord President Danrath Vantara.

Eldevians, however, cannot survive with only missing one tip of one ear. Their brains cannot handle the conflicting inputs (or lack thereof) and the brain shuts down.

Valnuir

Eldevians believe in a form of psychic energy that manifests itself as the Valnuir, or as it is loosely translated, the Shared Consciousness. In Eldevian folklore, the Valnuir is a place directly parallel to our own existence that can only be accessed through the mind. They believe that every species in the universe is connected to the Valnuir, but some are more affected by its influence than others. In some cases, the connection manifests itself through a person by giving them unique abilities, like being naturally gifted to paint, or write, or figure out complex equations. The Valnuir is the equivalent of what humans would consider heaven, though that exact word does not appear in the eldevian language. Depending on the order of translation, it can either mean "shared consciousness" (val-nuir) or "path of the soul" (nuir-val), but a true translation cannot be made, as with most eldevian words. This is what connects all eldevians, allowing them always to be aware of each other outside of bonds. While they cannot sense thoughts or emotions, they can sense themselves as a people.
According to the Tradian, the Valnuir is the place all ka'ree, or souls, go when the body dies and awaits a new body to inhabit. It is thought that the older the soul is, the more knowledge they hold, and that knowledge is stored within the Valnuir. The older the soul, the more connected the individual is with the Valnuir. Once a soul reaches a point were it cannot learn anymore, it is thought to go through a process called nevit, or cleansing, where it is made new again.
Eldevians are the only species out of the Triad to have such a strong connection and, therefore, a strong belief in the Valnuir. They believe so strongly that the purpose of the Coalition of Assassins is to assure those that have committed yerra (sin) are allowed back into the Valnuir upon their death.