Nor'venilya Tribe

The Nor'venilya Tribe, one of the six great tribes that make up the Depen Conclave, and are well known for their masterful carpentry skills, particularly in the making of furniture of all sorts. Masterful carpentry comes flowing out of Ein'ceouef, and some of the most expensive furnishings all across Valerick, in the households of some of the wealthiest and most powerful peoples, can trace their origins and craftsmenship back to Nor'venilya carpenters.

"Is that wardrobe a Nor'venilya? It must be, the beautiful aged redwood, the impeccable work done to embrace the beauty of the wood's natural hue, with very little done but a subtle protective staining to bring out those subtle variations of the natural wood tones. Flawless bronze fittings and handles, exquisite taste in their simple but sleek designs. I must have it. Three hundred Gold Suns!" A nobleman in Longreach at an auction hosted by a merchant company from the Depen.

Structure

Once, long ago, before the Sundering or the subsequent Age of Suffering, there were at least fourteen distinct and relatively powerful and large Nouedon Tribes that called the Depen their homeland. However the Sundering claimed many of these, as did the war to reclaim the Depen centuries ago. The remnants of those tribes left so decimated still exist, their heritage and history not forgotten, but just folded unto any one of the six tribes left powerful and numerous enough to govern the reclaiming and resettling of the Depen. These distinct cultures and subgroups remain, however they all affiliate themselves with the Nor'venilya Banner and colors now. The tribe, as is tradition, has a Conclave Chief, one Chief Brennia Kyi'varia Nor'venilya

The Nor'venilya count themselves as all the Nouedon, that is to those of the common tongue, all the Elves, in the Nor'wood Tribelands, so some 33800 or so. Of course this is a broad term, and Nouedon tribal structure and hierarchy is far more nuanced than that. The Nor'venilya tribe by blood only makes up about seventeen to nineteen thousand of this number, depending how one wishes to document these things, and even then, that does not mean they all have the name Nor'venilya. This will count those merged by marriage, or with blood ties as loose as first cousins, and those under that. The rest? They are the remains of various other tribes that made the choice to swear themselves into the Nor'venilya, because they simply did not have the strength and numbers to maintain the independent tribal nature the Nouedon of the Depen once used.

This results in a cultural diversity amongst the Nouedon similiar to that of the Viid, the dwarves. But less distinct, as is the nature of the Conclave, they keep some distinct traits, traditions, and artwork, but these other tribes willingly and wholly embraced the change, calling themselves 'of the Nor'venilya'.

Culture

The Nor'venilya Tribe are followers of Talia and honor the Lady of the Leaves in their day to day life and culture, worshipping her through the small actions her faith are known for, aiding and caring for the world and wood around them. This may seem counter to what they are known for, but it is a complex relationship and a big part of that complexity is the utilization of timber as a resource.

It is why those magisters of the Emerald Order are so highly respected among their ranks. They are the maintainers of the wood, of the wylde. There is no higher calling for any Nor'venilya, indeed no higher calling for any Nouedon in the Depen, than being one of the Emerald Order.

This also explains some of the harsh laws in the region. It is part of the culture of the Depen as a wider whole, but the Nor'venilya, living so close to the Steppes and to their northern neighbors in the desolute lands of Suranth, take these laws as sacred. They offer death to any whom would slash or burn the Depen, or take from her more than a base subsistence amount, without expressed permission and without replacing what was taken. Militantly enforced sustainability.

"The Nor'wood feeds well off fools whom dare take with excess and care not to replace and nuture the land. My advice Umni? Take heed the warnings. You want to build a simple home for you and your family? By all means. Ye wish to do more? Take what ye need, but don't ye dare forget ta replant it. You take down a maple? You plant three in its place ta be sure one takes hold. Or you and yours will feed the worms. The damned Nouedon take their forest seriously up here. And the Nor'venilya aren't known to miss."
A friendly and neighborly warning from Gorvis Banimac to a fellow human pilgrim and settler in a new frontier village, somewhere in the Nor'wood Tribelands.

Public Agenda

The Nor'venilya are well known to be builders, crafters and caretakers. Skilled woodworkers, sustainability of the Depen is one of their most public and important initiatives. All Nouedon of the tribe are tested early and often for magick talent, particularly for the Emerald Current, for Dulra. Those found are given to the order as apprentices. This to some could seem unfair, as even if your talents could lie in another art of Magick more strongly, if you have notable potential in Dulra, even if you could be stronger in another school of magick, you will be shunted to the Emerald Order. However very few Nouedon of the Nor'venilya tribe see this as unfair or a problem, or in any way unacceptable. They are raised, and in some ways, indoctrinated to accept it, to believe, rightfully or wrongly, that to be so chosen is a blessing, not a restriction or curse. It is a sacred trust, an honor, something to be celebrated.

Assets

The Nor'venilya are known master woodworkers, the furniture any carpenter of the Nor'venilya tribe crafts will fetch insane prices among Valerick's wealthy elite all over the continent. They also contribute more magisters to the Emerald Order than any of the other tribes in the Depen, a fact they are very proud of, seeing it as a blessing from Talia. Ein'ceouef, the city from which they rule their domain, is a beautiful place, a place where technology meets sustainability, the railyard and busy industrial districts of the docks, railyards and Sky-Port seemingly out of place yet functioning within the Depen, as if they'd always been there, in harmony with the land in their own strange dichotomy.

Maps

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  Nor'wood Tribelands

  The map of the lands ruled and run by the Nor'venilya tribe in Depenwood.

Type

Geopolitical, Tribe

Leader

Chief Brennia Kyi'varia Nor'venilya

Leader Title

Conclave Chief

Location

Nor'wood Tribelands

Related Ranks & Titles

• Conclave Chief

Controlled Territories

• Daeouef River

Related Species

• Nouedon {Elves}