The Siar Conclave
The Siar Conclave is one of the only remnants of Elven power in the North. The Conclave serves as the ruling body of the Free City of Cymara, the Conclave’s members consisting of a collection of Elf and Half Elf magic-user families. The Conclave is headed by a council of family elders who are responsible for the administration of the Conclave and the city of Cymara.
Elves born in the Conclave typically spend most of their long lives within its walls, devoting themselves to the study of their specific magical field and communing with their patron. Parents petition notable magic practitioners to personally tutor their children in a magical field, a teaching relationship that typically lasts until an Elf’s 100th Birthday. Children usually adopt their Tutor’s magical discipline and patron, with the growing elf gaining knowledge and training from the partnership while the tutor establishes a legacy to be continued by their students. Tutors who produce talented magic users often find themselves with seats on the Conclave Council.
Structure
The Conclave is headed by a council of family elders who are responsible for the administration of the Conclave and the city of Cymara.
Culture
Members of Noble Houses of the Siar Conclave - be it by birth or blood - are traditionally expected to master both the arts of politics and philosophies of scholasticism over their so-called ‘Century of Cultivation’ (or, for more heterodox members, the ‘Century of Suffering’), theoretically unifying the more modern interpretations of Lorinthan doctrines of Knowledge with the ancient Halenthian conception of Wisdom by combining the academic knowledges of natural philosophies and arcana with the practical knowledges of political theories and worldliness. In practice this has led to considerable infighting and intrigue within the city over the centuries, with politics and academics being intrinsically and indelibly linked: a result of centuries of political inertia and power jockeying. Pride, traditionalism, and an intense meritocracy have enshrined these institutions into the running of Cymara, however, so the practices remain.
The customs and traditions of the Noble Houses therefore trend towards the aristocratic and academic, though the exact expression varies from House to House. Where one house may value the merit of the individual, for example, another may place greater emphasis in the collective, yet both may prioritize the education of foreign policy over domestic, and so on. The differences between the specificities are quite distinctive to the Cymarans, enough so that House members often (correctly) boast of being able to identify the exact branch of the House from which a given member belongs to in the duration of a single conversation. Such intricacies are typically beyond the ken of the casual observer however, which has led to a substantial number of political ‘misunderstandings’ over the centuries. Members are expected to strictly adhere to their respective House's traditions and customs at all times, as they are considered both permanent representatives and embodiments of their House’s philosophies, ideals, and power.
There are many hundreds of Noble and almost-Noble Houses throughout the Conclave, with membership ranging from the tens to the tens of thousands – though most do not reside in Cymara proper, and quite a few official ‘members’ have not been heard from in centuries. Noble Houses can typically be subdivided into Major and Minor Houses, depending on the power and influence of a given house at a given time. The fates of a House can rise and fall at incredible speeds as Houses merge and split, forming alliances and vanquishing rivals – though the long lives of Elves means that such fluctuations in importance faze House members little. The philosophies and worldviews of each House are distinct – if not necessarily unique – and tend to reflect the circumstances of the House’s formation.
Of the Major Houses, the greatest and most influential are – and have always been – the Noble Houses of the Celestial Dragons. Though not every Major House is a Draconic House, every Draconic House is a Major one. The Draconic Houses are the oldest Noble Houses in Cymara, whose lineages and traditions date back to the original Ten Cults of the Celestial Dragons from the Age of the Gods – or so they claim. Each Draconic House is associated with one of the Ten Celestial Dragons, with their philosophies and customs varying accordingly. Though not every member of the Council of Elders has been from the Draconic Houses throughout the years, a great majority are. Even when not officially in power, however, the Draconic Houses will always have their wills be acknowledged, one way or another.
There are two possible ways to join a Noble House. The first is, naturally, to be born into the House – parentage or legitimacy matter little, so long as the connection to the House is present. The second is to be invited into the House – again, parentage and species matter little; your skills and prominence speak for themselves. There are likewise two possible ways to leave a Noble House. The first is to voluntarily leave – typically because one’s philosophies have diverged from that of the House such that adoption by another House would be preferrable (and arrangeable), but other reasons – love, hate, sex, violence, all manner of virtues and vices – have historical precedent. The second is to be disowned by the House – a rarity even for Houses with centuries of history, and typically reserved for only the most egregious of offences against House and Celestial Law. Though Elves and Half-Elves make up the vast majority of the Noble Houses’ demographics, anyone with the skill and inclination are welcome; humans, dwarves, halflings, and even the odd sapient rabbit have all found homes and families in the Noble Houses of Siar.
Assets
History
The Siar Conclave was formed by Lorinthan Scholars in 2249 EA.
Following The Human Rebellion, the Conclave took in hundreds of Lorinthan refugees before sealing their gates and isolating the Conclave from the outside world. The Conclave maintains the Free City of Cymara as a client state, governing it from within the walls of The Conclave (Building).
Demography and Population
3/4 Elf
1/4 Half Elf
Territories
Military
Religion
Students of magic in the Conclave are encouraged to form a bond with a patron deity of their choice, with the Conclave viewing a broad collection of religions within its walls as conducive to the study of the divine.
Education
Conclave Elves undergo an extensive education, with the parents of magic user Elves arranging a magical tutor for them. This tutor-student relationship typically lasts from early childhood until an Elf's 100th birthday.
Upon turning 100, Elves are given the opportunity to embark on a pilgrimage to experience the outside world. ‘Problematic’ young elves who have yet to devote themselves to a field of study or patron god are often encouraged to embark on a pilgrimage in the hopes that they will discover a higher purpose outside the Conclave’s walls. Pilgrims usually return to the Conclave within 300 years, often returning having studied in institutes such as the Novayan University of the Occult or having adopted a patron god from a regional folk pantheon. After the fall of the Elven Kingdoms of Halentha and Lorintha, pilgrimage has fallen in popularity, with many elves viewing the modern world as too dangerous to venture forth into. Of the limited number of pilgrims in the Imperial Era, few travel beyond Siarland, with the Conclave’s members generally viewing the humans of the fallen Imperial League with distrust. The Conclave maintains agents spread across Orienta in major population centres. These agents often contact pilgrims and request that they carry out tasks in service to the Conclave. Completion of such tasks usually result in material rewards, favour with the Conclave and on occasion, tutorship in magical fields.
Founding Date
2249 EA
Type
Government, Leadership
Capital
Government System
Democracy, Parliamentary
Power Structure
Federation
Economic System
Command/Planned economy
Legislative Body
The Conclave is headed by a council of family elders known internally as the Parliament.
Judicial Body
All judicial matters within the Conclave are handled directly by the Parliament.
Location
Official Languages
Controlled Territories
Manufactured Items
Related Items
Notable Members
Related Ethnicities
Comments