Tairnadal Elves

The Tairnadal (roughly translated as "proud warriors" in Elven) are a subculture of elves and some half-elves that inhabit the northern steppes of Aerenal and Valenar in Khorvaire. The Tairnadal hold different traditions than the Aereni elves who follow the Undying Court, hoping to embody their ancestral heroes through actions and favoring their Valenar steeds.

Society

The Tairnadal differ from their Aereni elf kin because they seek to emulate their ancestors—those who fought giants and drow, dragons, goblinoids, and others—not through prayer and devotion as the Aereni do, but instead, in deed and action.

There are three primary factions or lines of the Tairnadal (with individual houses within each faction called "warclans"):

• The Valaes Tairn ("warriors of glory"), who have claimed Valenar on Khorvaire. Valenar is home to 45 individual warclans, all vying for prestige, though this competition is overshadowed by their ongoing military activity. The Valaes Tairn now mostly reside in Valenar. Because of their seizure of Cyran lands and the creation of Valenar during the Last War, the Tairnadal are also known as "Valenar elves" among denizens of Khorvaire.
• The Silaes Tairn, who remain in Aerenal and want to return to Xen'drik. The Silaes Tairn wish to reclaim Xen'drik for the elves. Elves search Xen'drik for ancestral relics, including for Dyrael Morain's remains and his legendary blade south of Stormreach.
• The Draleus Tairn, who clash with the dragons of Argonnessen. The Draleus Tairn are the smallest Tairnadal faction, and honor the deeds of their ancestors by nourishing their ancestors' spirits with the blood of dragons. They believe that a warrior draws strength from victory, and that the defeat of a dragon is the greatest victory of all. The Draleus Tairn elves prefer not to socialize with outsiders, and there are numerous rumors about them wielding potent magic similar to the dragons themselves. They are eager participants in the Elf-Dragon Wars—both as a way to give blood to their ancestors and as a way to defend Aerenal from attack. The Draleus Tairn differ from traditional Tairnadal and Valenar elves only in that they prefer weapons made of dragonbone and dragonhide armor.

Each adult member of the Tairnadal has been chosen by an ancestor spirit in a ceremony administered by the Keepers of the Past. Tairnadal society is split between the warriors and the zaelantar ("peaceful spirits"). The bulk of adult Tairnadal are warriors, serving as soldiers and officers. A much smaller portion of adults are members of the zaelantar, civilians who honorably support a fundamentally militaristic society.

While the bulk of Tairnadal are nomadic warriors who do not enjoy sedentary existence, settled Tairnadal society is divided among three groups that support the soldiers behind the scenes:

• The Keepers of the Past who perform religious duties and tend to the spirit, and assist with educating the young Tairnadal (primarily on Aerenal).
• The Siyal Marrain who are elf druids who care for Valenar steeds, defend the city of Taer Valaestas, and help match horses to a rider. The Siyal Marrain tell stories of a Sul'at giant wizard laying a terrible curse on the Gyrderi elf druids during the elf uprising that bound them into animal form, and believe that the spirits of these champions live on in the animals descended from them, which makes them deserving of the same respect afforded other elf heroes.
• And the zaelantar ("peaceful spirits") who are Tairnadal artisans chosen by ancestors who were crafters. The zaelantar produce weapons, armor, and other goods.

Religion

Most Tairnadal are followers of the Spirits of the Past. Even elves who follow a different faith will still honor their ancestors. The Keepers of the Past are the priests of the religion. They honor the original heroes of Xen'drik and ensure the warclans remember their revered ancestors.

Among the Valaes Tairn, there is a growing warrior cult, the Dalan Rae, who believes that death in battle transforms warriors into undying spirits. This cult seeks to create a powerful army of spirit warriors who will fight alongside the living.