Liberati

A league that promotes equality for the Elves in Estemor. They accept membership from anyone who shares their cause, leading to very unorthodox membership, where a noble could answer to a peasant.
Generally their operations involve campaigning for better representation or standing, though they have also been known to adopt more confrontational methods against citizens of the Principality of Dullac, especially if they have entered the Republic with their slaves.

Structure

At Liberati gatherings, one's merit is far more important than their title or heritage. Nobles who do not accept this are unlikely to find themselves welcome. While the society was more organized in centuries past, they gradually fragmented until each city had its own chapter that operated largely autonomously. Disagreements with chapters may cause them to split into even smaller groups, which then migrate to other cities with chapters that share their methods and views.

Culture

Within the different chapters of the Liberati, there are factions that argue for different variations on these beliefs or additional tenants. Some believe that Elves should have great noble houses of their own while others believe that the Republic should adapt the organization's classless structure. Some hesitate to extend these protections to the Wild Elves while others believe that they should be freely allowed to enjoy the same rights.

Public Agenda

The core beliefs of the Liberati are as follows:

• Estemor is not the cradle of mankind. Many Elves have called it their home since the days of Yore.
• Elves have been unfairly judged as a whole for the actions of individuals, which is hypocritical.
• Elves have lived and fought alongside humans for centuries and have proven themselves allies.
• Elves deserve the same rights as any human.

History

Though information is scarce to outsiders, it is agreed upon by historians that the Liberati take influence from the teachings of the elf hero Lysos, who took up arms to defend his fellow Karelians during the Invasions of the Eagle & Spider. He rose to prominence as a folk hero and spend much of his life in the highlands befriending Wild Elves and convincing them to live along the coast.
One century later, the War of Shackles began. Dullac invaded Karelia in order to enslave the elf enclaves and control the region's external trade. Many of the group's founding members are believed to have been veterans of the conflict who witnessed this enslavement firsthand. It was only a decade after the Republic was founded that the Liberati gave their first public declaration and demonstrations in response to the Prince of Dullac arriving in Sabatonia with a large retinue of enslaved bodyguards and servants.
Liberati chapters are common in the Republic, but others have surfaced in the Empire, typically criticizing cities with Elf Districts. The Principality labels Liberati as an insurrectionist group and blames any instance of violence against the slave trade on them. Even in instances where there is evidence of this, the republic does little to extradite offenders.

The Weak Divide

Founding Date

Estimated 649-662 AS

Type

Social, Activist

Alternative Names

Doves, Herders, Snowflakes

Demonym

Liberati

Related Ethnicities

• Karelian People
• Wild Elves