Sun Elves
Family Unit: The typical elf family consists of one male and one female partner with 2 to 4 children. Sun elves are slightly matriarchal. Family inheritance and clan membership is passes from mother to daughters, with a husbant being adopted into his wife's clan. Female elves own the land, crops, and building of the home, while male elves own the animals and tools.
Fictive Kin: Common categories of fictive kin include:
Each family within a clan owns it own property, but is expected to share its good fortune with the clan. In return families within the clan receive equal share of the clan's resources, equal access to the best teacher's for their children, and equal say in the clan's politics.
Each clan has a Chief Couple who make the decisions, and the Tanist Couple who are the successors. The female Tannist must share a great-grandmother with the female chieftain, must be married, and is selected by a body of elves sharing the same great grandmother.
Social Structure: As a hunter gatherer society, Elvish communites tend to have a smaller population density and therefore less rigid social structures. Their society can be roughly divided into three tiers. The lowest tier is all non elves. Elves share a Fey-like view of their own superiority, and memebers of other races living in elf society are forced into an underclass. There is some social mobility allowed, but foreigners can never trully integrate with elf society because they can never join an elf clan. The middle tier is the clan. On paper, all members of the clan are equal (except for the leading chief) but in practice different clans will value different proffesions differently. The top tier is the royal clan, the clan which contains the current royal family. The excess privilages of the royal family are not as extreme as in human socities, but the royal clan still collects taxes, can expect favorable treatment, and receives the majorities of luxury goods imported to the region.
Fictive Kin: Common categories of fictive kin include:
- Siblais (siblings of learning): apprentices of the same magic teacher who form a brother/sisterhood. The specific expectations and benefits of these groups differ, but the idea is well recognized.
- Troop: a collection of adult but unwed males. They typically form a nomadic brotherhood, travelling from village to village and, among other things, helping each other find a mate to settle down with.
Each family within a clan owns it own property, but is expected to share its good fortune with the clan. In return families within the clan receive equal share of the clan's resources, equal access to the best teacher's for their children, and equal say in the clan's politics.
Each clan has a Chief Couple who make the decisions, and the Tanist Couple who are the successors. The female Tannist must share a great-grandmother with the female chieftain, must be married, and is selected by a body of elves sharing the same great grandmother.
Social Structure: As a hunter gatherer society, Elvish communites tend to have a smaller population density and therefore less rigid social structures. Their society can be roughly divided into three tiers. The lowest tier is all non elves. Elves share a Fey-like view of their own superiority, and memebers of other races living in elf society are forced into an underclass. There is some social mobility allowed, but foreigners can never trully integrate with elf society because they can never join an elf clan. The middle tier is the clan. On paper, all members of the clan are equal (except for the leading chief) but in practice different clans will value different proffesions differently. The top tier is the royal clan, the clan which contains the current royal family. The excess privilages of the royal family are not as extreme as in human socities, but the royal clan still collects taxes, can expect favorable treatment, and receives the majorities of luxury goods imported to the region.
Naming Traditions
Feminine names
Adrie, Althaea, Anastrianna, Andraste, Antinua, Bethrynna, Birel, Caelynn, Drusilia, Enna, Felosial, Ielenia, Jelenneth, Keyleth, Leshanna, Lia, Meriele, Mialee, Naivara, Quelenna, Quillathe, Sariel, Shanairra, Shava, Silaqui, Theirastra, Thia, Vadania, Valanthe, Xanaphia
Masculine names
Adran, Aelar, Aramil, Arannis, Aust, Beiro, Berrian, Carric, Enialis, Erdan, Erevan, Galinndan, Hadarai, Heian, Himo, Immeral, Ivellios, Laucian, Mindartis, Paelias, Peren, Quarion, Riardon, Rolen, Soveliss, Thamior, Tharivol, Theren, Varis
Family names
(Common Translations)
Amakiir (Gemflower), Amastacia (Starflower), Galanodel (Moonwhisper), Holimion (Diamonddew), Ilphelkiir (Gemblossom), Liadon (Silverfrond), Meliamne (Oakenheel), Nailo (Nightbreeze), Siannodel (Moonbrook), Xiloscient (Goldpetal)
Amakiir (Gemflower), Amastacia (Starflower), Galanodel (Moonwhisper), Holimion (Diamonddew), Ilphelkiir (Gemblossom), Liadon (Silverfrond), Meliamne (Oakenheel), Nailo (Nightbreeze), Siannodel (Moonbrook), Xiloscient (Goldpetal)
Other names
Elves typically have a child name given to them by their parents, which is later replaced by a name they chose for themselves when they become adults.
Ara, Bryn, Del, Eryn, Faen, Innil, Lael, Mella, Naill, Naeris, Phann, Rael, Rinn, Sai, Syllin, Thia, Vall
Ara, Bryn, Del, Eryn, Faen, Innil, Lael, Mella, Naill, Naeris, Phann, Rael, Rinn, Sai, Syllin, Thia, Vall
Culture
Culture and cultural heritage
Druids, not Clerics. Local Kings and one High King, causing lots of political drama.
Bards and oral tradition / passing on wisdom; Strong mixture of oral tradition with scholarship
Modification of Brehon Law, which a mixture of honor code and legeslation governing: surety, education, inheritance, hospitatily, and succession
Bards and oral tradition / passing on wisdom; Strong mixture of oral tradition with scholarship
Modification of Brehon Law, which a mixture of honor code and legeslation governing: surety, education, inheritance, hospitatily, and succession
Average technological level
From the exterior elves appear to life an subsistence, hunter gather lifestyle. In reality they practice a form of agriculture called Forest Gardening. This is a complex form of polycropping taking advantage of the huge diversity of plants native to each forest the elves call home. Elves are also skilled herdsmen, thought small size of their herds and unusual composition of species has confused many visitors about their actual nature. Included among these animals are the typical domesticates of pigs, chickens, and goats, as well as foxes, bear, ravens/owls, and deer, with moose acting as their primary beast of burden.
Elves eschew metallic weaponry, preferring to use traditional bone and wood tools. In contrast to their gnomish allies, they shun new technological developments and prefer to rely on their natural and formidable magical gifts. Of course, these are generalizations over multiple elvish ethnic groups, each of which has their own variations in preferred technology.
Elves eschew metallic weaponry, preferring to use traditional bone and wood tools. In contrast to their gnomish allies, they shun new technological developments and prefer to rely on their natural and formidable magical gifts. Of course, these are generalizations over multiple elvish ethnic groups, each of which has their own variations in preferred technology.
Common Customs, traditions and rituals
Four seasonal festivals: Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnasadh, and Samhain (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter in order)
Ceilidh: a social visit between two or more elf families. (plural Ceilidhanna)
Feis: a clan-wide festival. Most clans have regularly scheduled Feiseanna for particualr holidays, but individual families might host one for special occasions or to earn societal favor. A Feis typically consists of music and dance competitions (both solo and group), retelling of local stories, and copious consumption of food (the type of dance most common is based on the real world Irish Dance style, and the music is based on drums, panpipes, and lutes)
Aonach: A national Feis hosted by the Royal Clan once a year
Ceilidh: a social visit between two or more elf families. (plural Ceilidhanna)
Feis: a clan-wide festival. Most clans have regularly scheduled Feiseanna for particualr holidays, but individual families might host one for special occasions or to earn societal favor. A Feis typically consists of music and dance competitions (both solo and group), retelling of local stories, and copious consumption of food (the type of dance most common is based on the real world Irish Dance style, and the music is based on drums, panpipes, and lutes)
Aonach: A national Feis hosted by the Royal Clan once a year
Common Myths and Legends
Anam gun Bhriseadh(person:c0bbb6db-97a2-4ac0-899c-b7a2de8d0e8d) is central, with @[Galadama, the Unbridled Flame and Nylea, the Wind of Fate flanking.
With a cultured centered on Anam gun Bhriseadh(person:c0bbb6db-97a2-4ac0-899c-b7a2de8d0e8d) and the spirit, elvish communities place strong emphasis on the importance of the individual and the responsibility of their correct behavior in accordance with the truth. Persons are bound to a strict honor code to uphold justice, which each is individually responsible for maintaining, and there is little room for any mercy, and even then only with great personal sacrifice. A culture flanked by Galadama appreciates the power of the individual to change the world around them, and the necessity of change (chaos) to prevent the world from stagnating. A culture flanked by @[Nylea, the Wind of Fate recognizes there is a weave of fate which shapes the world around them and the necessity of tradition to uphold ones place in that pattern.
By rejecting Divona, The River of Time and Nehebkau, the Stable Earth, the elves reject the principles required to build new, growing, stable communities. As such, elvish culture tends to exist in small pockets who are more interested in adopting new developments in art and entertainment than in technology. They are much more concerned that each person be allowed to express themselves, than that each person have enough to survive.
Tuatha De Danann & Tir na Nog (Elvish name of Feywild)
Cu Chulainn, the warp spasm and the power of boobs to calm people
Scathach and Aife, twin warrior sisters of legend and feyishness
Fall Equinox = ease of access to Feywild
Cuchulainn is Heracles, Fionn mac Cumaill is King Arthur (the Fianna warriors are the Kinights of the round table)
With a cultured centered on Anam gun Bhriseadh(person:c0bbb6db-97a2-4ac0-899c-b7a2de8d0e8d) and the spirit, elvish communities place strong emphasis on the importance of the individual and the responsibility of their correct behavior in accordance with the truth. Persons are bound to a strict honor code to uphold justice, which each is individually responsible for maintaining, and there is little room for any mercy, and even then only with great personal sacrifice. A culture flanked by Galadama appreciates the power of the individual to change the world around them, and the necessity of change (chaos) to prevent the world from stagnating. A culture flanked by @[Nylea, the Wind of Fate recognizes there is a weave of fate which shapes the world around them and the necessity of tradition to uphold ones place in that pattern.
By rejecting Divona, The River of Time and Nehebkau, the Stable Earth, the elves reject the principles required to build new, growing, stable communities. As such, elvish culture tends to exist in small pockets who are more interested in adopting new developments in art and entertainment than in technology. They are much more concerned that each person be allowed to express themselves, than that each person have enough to survive.
Tuatha De Danann & Tir na Nog (Elvish name of Feywild)
Cu Chulainn, the warp spasm and the power of boobs to calm people
Scathach and Aife, twin warrior sisters of legend and feyishness
Fall Equinox = ease of access to Feywild
Cuchulainn is Heracles, Fionn mac Cumaill is King Arthur (the Fianna warriors are the Kinights of the round table)
Ideals
Beauty Ideals
The touch of the Feywild suffuses everything about elvish culture, and nowhere is it more present than in their perceptions of beauty. Elves value the hyper-natural in their ascetic sense, both in their art and in each other. They care more about actions and would consider a graceful but deformed individual to be more beautiful than a stationary symmetric one.
Gender Ideals
Because of the natural androgyny in elves, the male and female ideals are remarkably similar to an outsider. To the elves themselves, the differences are stark. While male elves are not significantly larger than females, nor are they gifted with impressive (or any) facial hair, they are expected to be skilled hunters and herdsmen as well as graceful dancers. Similarly, female elves are not graced with exceedingly large breasts or disproportionately large hips, they are expected to be skilled gatherers and gardeners as well as talented musicians. Most races have a standard fashion of females wearing their hair longer than males, and elves are not exception, though due to their longevity long for males and females is considerably longer than any other species.
Courtship Ideals
The longest living species naturally has the longest lasting courtship rituals. Proving oneself a worthy suitor requires several steps, including a demonstration of skill as either a herdsmen or gardener, an original artistic composition, and proof of proficiency in magic. A male elf is expected to tame a powerful beast which will serve as a defender of the family, perfect an original dance displaying his commitment to his partner, and demonstrate mastery of all the traditional magical talents. Similarly, a female elf is expected to nurture a magical plant which will provide nourishment to the family, perform an original ballad expressing her commitment, and demonstrate mastery of all traditional magical talents.
Relationship Ideals
An elvish marriage is a marriage for life. Before meeting other races elves had no word for divorce and almost no concept of adultery. Due to the long development time for juvenile elves, an elven couple is completely monogamous as both parents are needed to raise each child. As is reflected in their androgyny, an eleven couple is typically perfectly egalitarian.
"If you aren't strong enough to dance to your own tune, your aren't strong enough to dance at all (live)."
Diverged ethnicities
Encompassed species
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