Mastery of Annwyth
The Mastery of Annwyth is the ruling government of the Elven isle of Annwyth. A magocractic order, the Mastery resides in Tirna, the sole city of Annwyth, and from there they rule the island as a democratic group known as the Mastery Council. The Master of Annwyth themselves is determined based on the magical strength of an individual member of the Mastery. Once a Master is chosen, they will lead the council until their death. Thanks to the longevity of Elvenkind, Masters may control the island for a very long time, upwards of half a millennia.
Outside of directives laid out by the Mastery Council, denizens within the Mastery tend to self-govern. Settlements beyond Tirna are few and far-between, but those that do exist are usually led by a village elder or family head. Within the walls of Tirna, however, the Mastery's word is absolute law.
War and strife is rare under the Mastery, as the island is protected from outside forces by the strange mist repelling unwanted visitors. As a result, however, trade is scarce, and the Old Way, an old land bridge, was built thousands of years ago to allow trade with the Kingdom of Tenebron. In the centuries since, though, the Old Way was closed by an Elven covenant between an ancient Master of Annwyth and an old King of Tenebron.
The sigil of the Mastery is a tree encompassed by a ring, symbolizing the unity of the island under their control.
Structure
The Mastery of Annwyth is led by the Mastery Council, the magocratic conglomerate of the most powerful sorcerers on Annwyth. How their power is judged is up to existing members of the council, and all practices of magic are welcome to be judged by them. Once a sorcerer is accepted into the Mastery Council, they become a part of the ruling class and are afforded all the rights and privileges that entails.
It is very rare, though not unheard of, for a non-Elf to be accepted into the ranks of the Mastery Council. There has not, however, ever been a non-Elven Master.
Culture
The culture of the Mastery is a reflection of the culture of Annwyth. With a majority Elven population, a culture of clever bargains and trickster impulses have grown, a direct result of their fox-hearted ancestors, the Fae. Directly lying is frowned down on in the Mastery, as it is seen as too dishonest, and lies cannot be used to craft Elven covenants. There is a greater importance placed on ones use of words and tone, as the root of Elven magic is speechcraft, and children are taught from a very young age to be expert in twisting their language to mean many things with a single phrase. Those in the Mastery have become exceptional wordsmiths and never say anything by accident or fault. Soulgazing, the latent Elven ability to share memories and thoughts with physical touch, often contributes to this culture of uncertain truth.
The concept of debt is also frowned upon, as it can lead to dangerous covenants unintentionally, invoked to cause further obligation with magical binding. Words are too empty to reward someone for their generosity, and Mastery citizens will often go above and beyond to reward good work. Though seen as kindly from those receiving these gifts, they often do not realize the giver is merely pushing the burden of repayment back, to keep themselves from being liable any further.
As Elves are long-lived, so are their memories. Revenge and vengeance are frequently-cited as the triggers of strife among the Mastery, and the Mastery Council in particular is full of old sorcerers clinging to power and seeing danger in every shadow. As a result, it's not unusual to find the Order of the Revenant operating in Tirna, fulfilling a similar niche that they were created for in the Kingdom of Tenebron.
When a young Elf comes to physical maturity at the age of 22, they are both welcomed into society and into the Mastery during the Summer Rite. This serves as an announcement to the island that they are now the age to be courted, and during the celebrations of the Summer Rite it is not unusual for a Kindred Bond to be formed. Any young sorcerers wishing to join the Mastery may also petition the Mastery Council to be tested during the Rite.
In Elven culture, death is not viewed as the end. When an Elf dies their spirit is believed to rejoin Annwyth, becoming one with the unnatural land and dancing with their ancestors under the night sky until Alatoria itself comes to an end. The land is thought to have a living memory as a result, and Elves live in fear of their sins being judged by the land and their ancestors.
Marriage in the Mastery, like most Elven pacts, is just another covenant. They are usually worded very carefully, however, as the covenant will keep the two bonded together through magic until an end specified. Marriage ceremonies between Mastery citizens are usually private affairs, with witnesses to the covenant only there to certify the magical binding. Many marriage covenants are planned with exquisite detail, to leave no part of the union to interpretation, and most are political to bind one family to another for political gain.
A famous story told to warn young Elves, particularly Elven men, of the dangers of marriage covenants is the tale of Eirana and Orym, a legend of two Elven lovers where Eirana, the bride, made her husband swear to be bound to her in wedlock until the end of time. When Eirana died in childbed, and Orym wished to marry another, he found he could not, for he was still bound in covenant to his dead wife, and would be until the specified 'end of time'. The myth serves to illustrate the dangers of poorly-worded covenants.
Love and intimacy are public affairs on Annwyth, usually involving more than just the participants. Their families are considered participants as well, as any potential marriages would bind not just two lovers but two conclaves into one. Thus, it is considered very odd if a new couple does not take the time to introduce ones family to the other.
Revels and parties are very popular in the Mastery, and are held almost nightly in Tirna. An Elven Revel is unlike any other party held, with magic and covenants and wine flowing like water in great open parties full of dancing and song. Promises made at a Revel might be called in later to the detriment of the drunken promiser. Particularly large Revels might be held in the celebration of a birth, a marriage, a death or a new Master of Annwyth. The legends of Revels include that the spirits of the land join in the dancing, and during particularly boisterous parties, one might catch glimpses of the dead partaking. The Summer Rite is the miost popular and extravagent Revel held each year.
History
The history of the Mastery is shrouded in mystery. It is believed to have been a system started by the ancient Fae and eventually usurped by the Elves when the Fae retreated into the wilds. Ever since, the island has been at relative peace, protected by the mysterious mist keeping unwanted outsiders away.
The Mastery is thought to have been formed out of the ashes of the ancient High Kingdom of Annwyth, with the only evidence of such a thing existing in the oldest relics and paintings on the island. Whenever the last High King fell, the Mastery was raised in their place.
As a result of the relative benality of history under the Mastery, the past is not particularly noteworthy. The most important things to recall are the reigns of various Masters throughout history, and the different rules and customs they brought with them.
Demography and Population
The actual population of the Mastery is small compared to others, estimated to be only 250,000 at the very most. It is almost entirely Annwythi Elves, though it is not uncommon to see Tenebronian Elves or even Humans living in Tirna.
The Darkbloods, cousins to modern Elves, live in and under the Fairmounts on Annwyth and keep to themselves.
Type
Geopolitical, Magocracy
Capital
Alternative Names
'The Mastery'
Demonym
Annwythi
Leader Title
Government System
Magocracy
Power Structure
Autonomous area
Location
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
Related Ethnicities
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