- Tuesday, February 7, 2012
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- Thursday, February 16, 2012
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- Thursday, March 1, 2012
- Sunday, March 4, 2012
- Tuesday, March 6, 2012
History of the Fey
Out of the mysterious Mists came the Fae peoples. Believed by some to be the union of mortal men and True Faerie, the Fae are neither human, nor immortal Faerie. They are the Elves, Dwarves, Halflings, Orcs, Kaern, Fauns, Goblins, Ogres, Trolls, and other creatures. They are the beings of legends and lore, and recent newcomers to the world. Shortly after the Great Plague, over fifity years ago, these unusual creatures moved into the abandoned areas of Man, starting their own societies. Now somewhat integrated into the fringes of human society, the Fae peoples are still regarded with a great deal of apprehension, fear, and awe.
The History of Tor'JadinBy Jadu Nie’Lambine
First chronicler of Tor’Jadin
The group which whom I emerged from the mists was not a large one, especially when you consider all that we accomplished. There were mealy 20 of us. I have since heard of smaller groups and even a few unfortunate enough to make the journey alone. At the time, it seemed like a very small party indeed for exploring the strange new world, in which we found ourselves.
Eight of us were elves, four halfings, a kaern female and her two mates, 2 orcs, 2 dwarves and a faun. Those born on this plain should not underestimate the shock of traveling here from the Mists for the first time. It took us the better part of a day simple to recover from the trip.
The very air of this place smelt different. The sun in the sky cast a different light. Most of the plants appeared different from the ones we were use to. At night the stars seemed to be in slightly different places.
At first we were uncertain as to what course of action we should take. But after one day and one night had past we set out in a direction chosen at random to explore this place. We walked for half a morning before we chanced upon a roadway. The roadway was clearly well used and we turned to follow it in hopes of meeting those who could tell us where we were.
A day’s journey down the road we passed a way house. But when we approached, we were greeted with screams of fear. There were angry shouts from the building and arrows were unleashed. One of the arrows narrowly missed my head. Lacking any means to fight, we retreated from that place. And continued down the road.
And then on the 7th day traveling in this strange land we came across a marvelous sight. It was a huge beautiful city. It’s white walls towered four orcs high. Surely there would be those here would could tell us where we were. We still longed to learn more of this place, which seemed at once so much like home and yet so different.
As we approached we watched for movement upon those walls and saw none. We banged at the gates but no watchman came. The city seemed deserted. How this was possible I could not imagine. A rumor moved through the party that the Faery had built this city just for us. A new city brought up from the plain. A place for us to live and call home in this strange new land.
It took us some time to get the gates open. The construction was good and the city was not long emptied. For some, this strengthened their belief that the city had been created for us but I feared some greater evil at work.
The illusion of beauty quickly evaporated as we
entered the walls. The smell of death leaked from every brick, every window and every doorway in the place. Carefully we explored the interior. We found bodies of the strange people who live in theses lands everywhere. We found evidences of large funeral pyres and mass graves. This suggests that they did not die all at once but that the death took them slowly. Clearly death had visited these people. It seemed as if they had been kill down to the last child. It was a dreadful sight.
Once we came to realize the harsh reality of the place, a debate formed as to what we should do next. Some were in favor of fleeing the town, leaving behind the sink and the mess for others to deal with. Others feared we too might become infected with whatever pestilence had taken these people lives. But the belief was strong with many that we should take possession of this city. Clean it up and claim it for our own. After all, we had no place to call our home in this land. These people did not seem to want to come
back from the Land of the Dead to reclaim their city. Why should we not claim it. It the end it was this final argument that won out and we set upon the work of cleaning out the city and claiming it for ourselves.
As we settled into the city we had claimed for our own, discoveries came almost daily to our ears. It was on the second day that a scholar with us found a name for this place: Tor’Jadin. The name had a pleasant sound on the tongue and we decided that we would keep it as such.
The building required much cleaning to make them habitable again. At first we choose one large building to concentrate our efforts on and worked out from there. Three weeks after our arrival, suitable quarters for all had been arranged.
Since the elves out numbered the other races in the group it was decided that we would follow elven law. At least until such time as we found out where we were and why we had been sent here.
A full cycle of the moon after our arrival, we meet our first human. He was a messenger from a city to the southwest. He had clearly expected there to be some humans living in Tor’Jadin as he carried messengers for several of them.
At first he was very
frightened of us. But having spent many months on the road he had heard stories of many strange things. We were less frightening then much he had heard. We told him of the city as we had found it. Much of what he said it us made little sense but we gathered that the human god had visited a Great Plague upon his people as a punishment for worshiping one part of the god more then other parts of the god. He also told us that the Empress Tamora had been assassinated and that soon a new Emperor would be crowned.
He returned to the capital city of this place and promising to tell them about us and the fate that had befallen the people who once lived in this city.
We had been in the city of Tor’Jadin for two years without any further contact with the humans. Almost daily new members of our kin would arrive at our gates. They came with stories of the fear they had encountered from the humans.
It seems that we who, had grown-up in the mists were far more use the variations amongst the peoples then these humans were. Sadly, it was the orcs and kaern who seemed most prone to suffer from this prejudges as their features are most different from the humans. And we soon learned that these attitudes where not limited to the human peasantry but were also held by their leadership.
Half a year after we took possession of Tor’Jadin, an army of men made siege to the city. Half a thousand strong they set up camp outside our walls. The leaders of this force informed us that the human emperor had declared it a crime to be fey and ordered us all put to death.
Our numbers were still small but we had strong walls, a number of excellent
archers and mages experienced in battle. The magic proved to be our most valuable weapon because it was one these humans had not faced before. They ran in fear back to their encampment each time it was used.
The siege appeared stalemated. We were strong enough to keep them outside our walls but no strong enough to drive them from our lands. Our food supplies were not plentiful and we knew that if the siege carried on for any great length of time, the food would surely be depleted.
Seven days after the siege began, unexpected events occurred. Twenty armored humans marched up to the gates and stood between the city and the army. Their banner contained the symbol of a bird’s talon holding a triangle. We later learned, that the human who claims to speak for their god, had sent them to help us in our struggle. Their presence broke the siege and we were once again free to come and go as we pleased.
Not long after the end of the siege came word to our ears that the human emperor had died in his sleep. Rumors circulated that a dagger in his back had assisted his death but that was not our concern.
Some months later a human presented himself to our gates. His name was Corvass Zardrouin, a councilor in The Imperial City. He said that he suffered from a mysterious ailment. The human physicians had been unable to cure him and he hoped that we might have knowledge that they lacked. He had apparently fallen gravelly ill for some weeks. He had laid unconscious in his room while his wife prepared herself for the worst. Then he had recovered suddenly, he felt quite well but everything looked different. As if he had fallen sick with one set of eyes, and recovered with another.
We were quickly able to determine that his illness had somehow made him aware of magic. And at that point we transferred him from the care of our doctors to the instruction of our scholars.
Corvass learned quickly as this new skill excited him. He made many friends among the residence of Tor’Jadin including many of it’s most powerful citizens. He told them that there was to be a meeting in the spring to choose the new Emperor and that with their support and his newfound skill in magic, the new Emperor would surely be himself.
There was much debate throughout the city. We had not looked to get involved in the politics of humans. But was it not better to have a friend in the Emperor’s chair rather then risk another siege. In the end, one representative of each of the fey traveled with Corvass to the Imperial City to put Tor’Jadin’s support behind him.
Corvass read the political situation in the Imperial City correctly and he was crowned Emperor Medaka IV, of House Zardrouin.
Unlike many who have followed him, Emperor Medaka IV, was a man of his word. He had promised to help the fey of Tor’Jadin in return for their support at the Council of 355. He kept this promise as soon as he was able. In the day’s leading up to his coronation he spent much time consulting with the Primus and other members of the Imperial City elite who shared his views of the fey. On the morning after his coronation ceremonies he signed a single simple declaration into law.
I, Emperor Medaka IV of the House of Zardrouin do declare, on this the first day of my rule in the Year of the Emperor 355, that the city of Tor’Jadin and all the lands within two days’ ride of it’s gates shall be granted to its’ inhabitants, the fey, to rule as they see fit, in perpetuity.
In return for being deeded Tor’Jadin the fey agreed to two requests from Medaka the IV:
The first was to send instructors to the Imperial City to teach at the newly found Imperial College of Wizards and
Alchemists. Here they taught all humans who had become aware how to use this gift. They also exchanged much knowledge with the humans in other academic pursuits to the benefit of all. Tor’Jadin continued to send such instructors until there were sufficient humans trained in the magical arts to no longer require this assistance.
The second provision as that the people of Tor’Jadin would protect the south western shore of the Northam Sea from invaders and make troops available to the Emperor in times of grave crises.
Tor’Jadin was granted three seats in the Imperial Senate as had been the way, prior to The Plague. These seats became a important tool in keeping the fey safe in Tor’Jadin in the years to come.
War and Peace among the Fey
FaunsFauns are generally peaceful creatures. They are not interested in conquest or power. They would far rather live at peace with their neighbors then fight with them. But while it is true that few if any wars have been started by fauns, when provoked they will fight back. Many have been surprised by the passion and fortitude with which they fight. Fauns are generally thought of as flighty creatures but this does not mean they do not have a role to play during times of conflict. It is true that fauns do not make good front line fighters but many armies use fauns in support roles.
Many fauns are excellent scouts. Their familiarity with the forests makes it easy for them to travel undetected. Whether tracking a fleeing foe or finding a new path through rough terrain, fauns are both comfortable and well suited to complete these tasks.
Fauns are also renowned for the cleverness of their traps. Most people killed by a faun will never see their attacker. A cleverly laid trap (or
series of traps) can do just as much damage to an attacking force as a patrol of heavily armored orcs.
The final area fauns are used in times of military strife is as military alchemists. They aren't the ones swinging the swords but they can ensure that those who do are stronger, tougher and do more damage with every swing. Even with limited supplies, many fauns can aid their friends in defeating their foes.
The Beliefs of the Fey
The FaerieThe Fey are also not religious in the way that humans think of it. That's not to say that an Elf set loose in the world may not choose to convert to on of the Human religions, but those who do are generally look down upon by their cousins. This doesn't mean that the Fey races don't have beings that they sometimes worship. The main thing that separates this from Human religious worship is faith. Fae don't need believe in the Faerie for them to be real. The average Prime has faith in NOS even though they have never met. Same as the average Confederate has faith in the Tree Spirits or whatever, despite the fact that trees very rarely start spouting the wisdom of the ages of their own volition. The Fae lived with the Faerie for decades, centuries or even longer. If you are Fey, you are playing someone who's grandparents lived in God's house (if they weren't gods themselves). That puts a very different spin on they way you think. There's a huge world of difference between believing in the Commandment "Thou shalt not kill." and knowing that if you kill an other Elf God comes and gives you the metaphysical spanking of your life. The fact that most Fey personally know their gods does something else to them. It makes them right. Very few Humans live 100% without doubt in the veracity of their religion and culture. Everybody has doubts from time to time. Elves don't. Elves and the other Fey make mistakes, sure, but the fact that they know they are right about some of the more important secrets of life (at least as far as they're concerned) has a tendency to overshadow those mistakes. Some call it self-confidence, some call it egotism, but what ever you call it, it creates a profound schism between Elven and Human thought.
ElvesThe Code
The Elven Code is more then a code of honour, it is a religious edit, with real consequeses if an elf fails to follow it. This causes many elves to follow their code with great religious fervor.
Of all Faerie in the Mists, the Kaern hold Kytrae'lianan in highest regard. She is considered to be the mother of the Kaern people and reason and justification of all that the Kaern are. All legends of Kytrae'lianan describe her as exuding an aura of absolute predatory female wile. Wherever she traveled, light changed to moonlight. She was master of all she could see and was refused nothing by any male of any species she encountered. In fact, she is considered to be the epitome of female nature and strength from the Kaern point of view. Her moods were said to change with the phase of the moon and she would never remain in one place for longer than a single cycle. While capable of being vicious and quite deadly, those she left behind rarely regretted her arrival. Her random nature is credited with the diversity of the Kaern sub-species.
The Festival of Kytrae’lienan
The Festival of Kytrae’lienan is held on the first full moon after the fall equinox. During the
festival the pride will ask for the patron faerie’s blessings for the fall hunt, harvest and/or preparations for winter. One (or more) females who have passed an adult trial or accomplished something significant in the previous year are chosen to represent Kytrae’lienan. They will stand in for her during the ceremonies and receive both praise and trinkets.
Fauns prefer to believe in things they can see or touch. As such, worship of the Faery is strongest among those who have had the opportunity to meet one.
Regardless of how strong their personal dedication to the Faery may be, fauns have little use for organized religion of any kind.
Halflings are very adaptable in all aspects of their life, and religion is no different. Their beliefs (and whether that belief is strict or a mixture of belief systems) is greatly dependent upon the area in which they live. For instance, a small Halfling community within a larger NOSian community might well choose to incorporate or add NOSian traditions into their own beliefs - after all, that would just mean more chances to throw a party! Via their earthy nature, however, even most "city" Halflings maintain a strong belief that each aspect of nature contains its own spirit. Matka (the fairy of awakening spring) is their most revered among the Fairy, as it is she who uncovers the earth from winter’s snow for sowing and encourages animals towards producing a new generation.
OrcsSince Orcs generally have such low opinions of non-Orcs, it is not surprising that their view of the Faerie reflects a similar set of ideas. By nature, Orcs are a family and tribe oriented people, and they view the Faerie in the same way. Orcs take the concept of being created in the image of the Faerie very seriously. The believe that they trace their lineage back to the Faerie who created them, and this is how their tribes are defined. So, Orcish Faerie are shown unlimited respect and humility, and in the same way that an Orc may grudgingly respect the hunting abilities of a Kaern, or the smithwork of a Dwarf, they will also show some respect to the Faerie they belief these races to have stemmed from. But a Faerie they see as the patron of a Faun, Elf, or Halfling will generally be shown the same distain or indifference that most Orcs show these races as a whole.
Each tribe claims to be able to trace it’s lineage back to a specific Faerie, and whether these are all simply
different aspects of the same Faerie, the name varies from tribe to tribe. Also, because Orcs are so family oriented, famous ancestors and family members take on hero or demi-god status over time, and may be prayed to or asked for favour in times of need.
Festivals
Orcs hold great feasts to their tribal or family patrons after good battles and victories, often gorging themselves on the spoils of war. In cases where more than one family or tribe is involved, this generally leads to drunken brawls about who’s family or tribe has the greater Faerie patron, brawls in which many of the survivors of the battles die anyhow. The Faerie seem to encourage this, as it guarantees the continuance of a strong,
The Fey Calendar
The Fey year is divided into twelve months:
The Month of Ice (January)
The Month of Snow (February)
The Month of Rain (March)
The Month of Leaves (April)
The Month of Flowers (May)
The Month of Strawberries (June)
The Month of Wonder (July)
The Month of Travel (August)
The Month of Harvesting (September)
The Month of Cobwebs (October)
The Month of Hunting (November)
The Month of Darkness (December)
Date: 9th day of the Month of Ice
A feast held in honour of all the Faeries
Date: 24th day of the Month of Snow
Shoes are left out on this night and filled with small treats by ones friends.
Date: 10th day of the Month of Rain
A day to laugh at ones self.
Date: 23rd day of the Month of Rain
An early spring opportunity to gather together for a dance.
Date: 4th day of the Month of Flowers
A day dedicated to tending Faery rings.
Date: 8th day of the Month of Strawberries
Good deeds are rewarded, Evil doers are given their just rewards
Date: 15th day of the Month of Strawberries
A day dedicated to spreading and dispelling rumours.
Date: 25th day of the Month of Strawberries
This day was founded by Orcs. Over the years, it has been adopted by all fey except the elves. The original Orc thump, consisted of a hard slap to the back. The intention was to cause a sting without lasting damage. Over the years, thumps have been expanded to include most types of practical jokes as well.
Date: 1st day of the Month of Wonder
Manly an elven event, a special effort is made to assist fey in distress on this day.
Date: 26th day of the Month of Wonder
A day dedicated to appreciate well-brewed beer and fine wine.
Date: 15h to the 21st day of the Month of Travel
A Halfling festival during which a single pot of soup is made to last the whole week by adding additional ingredients each day.
Date: 19th day of the Month of Harvesting
A harvest feast.
Date: The first full moon after the fall equinox
During the festival the pride will ask for the patron faerie’s blessings for the fall hunt, harvest and/or preparations for winter. One (or more) females who have passed an adult trial or accomplished something significant in the previous year are chosen to represent Kytrae’lienan. They will stand in for her during the ceremonies and receive both praise and trinkets.
Date: 26th day of the Month of Harvesting
This day is the traditional start for making Cobweb pies. Cobweb pies are a five day recipe traditionally eaten on the 1st day of the Month of Cobwebs.
Date: 29th Day of the Month of Hunting
A musical event in honour of the Faery.
Date: 4th day of the Month of Darkness
A free form party held at the beginning of winter.
Date: 19th day of the Month of Darkness
Fey compete against each other in Riddle competitions.
Date: Varied
Potato Day is a special celebration that can be held anytime the dwarves feel like a party and there is nothing else to celebrate. A banquet featuring potatoes is the centerpiece of any Potato Day.
