Laenaren Dark Elves
Dark Elf exiles who stayed in the Deep Caverns and loyal to the Spider Queen.
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
Laenaren Dark Elves speak Common, and Elven with Abyssal influences.
Culture and cultural heritage
Laenaren culture revolves around power, and treachery. The house of a Laenaren Dark Elf is everything, with no house they have no power and no status. While outright war is not permitted in Laenaren culture, there are a number of conflicts that happen in and out of their cities. Laenaren Dark Elves often raid other cultures for slaves and materials, they have a particular love of raiding other Elves especially the treacherous Ravan.
Shared customary codes and values
Despite over a thousand years apart, Ravan and Laenaren Dark Elves share many of the same customs. They both rely heavily on slave labor, and think themselves above other species and even other culture of Elf.
Common Etiquette rules
Laenaren Dark Elves are bitter and spiteful creatures, with sadistic tenancies. It's not uncommon for slaves and ever lower members of a house to be tortured to death on a whim by a Laenaren.
Common Dress code
Laenaren don dark armor and clothes to prevent giving away their position in the lightless Depths of the Deep Caverns. A powerful member of Laenaren society will sometimes dress in brighter colors to draw attention to themselves.
Art & Architecture
Laenaren architecture resembles spider burrows, built into large cave networks of the Deep Caverns, and often reinforced with Ironweb and the particularly hardy breed of mushrooms that grow as trees in the Depths.
Common Customs, traditions and rituals
Similar to the Ravan traitors, Laenaren use slaves and weapons as a form of currency to barter between houses. Sacrifices to the Spider Queen are made regularly to appease their Demon Goddess, of Male children born from the noble families and failures of the priestess'.
Birth & Baptismal Rites
Laenaren children are often sacrificed in rituals to appeal to their Spider Goddess, or a political rival. When a child survives past the moment of its birth however, they are raised as warriors, wizards, or in the case of women priestesses. there is little maternal love between Laenarens and their partents.
Coming of Age Rites
A child is only considered an adult under various circumstance. in the case of warriors, they must survive a raid on another culture or rival house. Wizards must meet with the approval of their Archmage and be accepted back into their houses. and Priestess' must impress the High Priestess of Laenara and return to their houses. failure to meet these goals will often lead to slavery or a sacrifice.
Funerary and Memorial customs
The Laenaren dead are fed to their cattle or their precious massive spiders, only the worthy are fed to spiders as they believe that Laenara swallows their souls in her quest to purify the World Spirit.
Common Taboos
It is forbidden for males to rise above their designated stations, or to become clerics of Laenara. the men live and serve at the pleasure of the women.
Common Myths and Legends
There are legends of Laenara herself using the High Priestess' of their society to influence the Dark Elves in a more direct fashion than other gods. Many of the events in Laenaren society are attributed to the wrath or pleasure of the Spider Queen.
Historical figures
Balune Hu'lyln is said to have become the Avatar of Laenara during the Long Night in the Spider Queens attempt to permanently bind the Deep Caverns to her realm in the Abyss.
Ideals
Beauty Ideals
Laenaren Dark Elves are typically only attracted to their own kind, they are a highly xenophobic culture that look down on outsiders as anything other than slaves.
Gender Ideals
In Laenaren society the females rule with an iron fist, as avatars of the Spider Queen. Males are typically treated as second class citizens, though on rare occasion particularly powerful or influential Dark Elves can improve their station.
Courtship Ideals
Matriarchs of a Laenaren house will dictate the courtships of her individual house, with influence from the priestess' of Laenara.
Relationship Ideals
The purpose of a Laenaren relationship is to produce offspring, or to solidify politcal arrangements. two houses who were at war will ocasionally offer a marriage as a form of peace treaty.
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