The Elori

Early Empire-builders

Describe the largest diaspora in your world. Why did they leave their homeland?
The Elori of Southern Ekira are humans originally from the continent of Dramari. These people were the original habitants of the aptly named Elorian Empire, and are now spread about Oelia.

Dramari born, Empire raised

The Elori people arose from the tribes in the Worrial Highlands, who settled around the Elm river near what is now known as the Grim Valley. Out of these tribes came a people known now as the Elori.
The Elori took to the agricultural-base style of sustenance faster than the other tribes of the time, and eventually became a dominant power in the area, leading to the establishement of one of the world's first city-states, Allris. Power emanated from Allris, and eventually the other tribes in the highlands, some with their own settlements, were assimilated into Elori rule.
Not all of these assimilations happened peacefully, and it would be revisionism to say that the early Elori were a peaceful or tolerant bunch, but so is the way Empire rise. Eloria, Tel-Harok, Misore, Adiril, none of these grand empires came to their power entirely nonviolently.
The Elori entered a period of grand expansion, Eloria grew and prospered, from a city-state to a nation of its own, with a High King/Queen at its helm, and many barons to keep the rabble in line at a lower level. Eloria at its greatest territorial extent ranged from the western tip of the Greenpeak(now Frisolan) Woods, extending throughout the Mirillian Fields, Worrial Highlands, and Much of the eastern Melisal Desert.

Critical Mass

Of course, the hegemony of the Elorian Empire would not last forever. The Elori, in order to seize that much territory, had taken many other groups and factions under their banner. The leaders of the Elori, especially the High King at the time, did not like the multiculturalism found in their empire. Eventually, the High King decreed that those of non-Elori origins were of a lesser class, inferior to the mighty Elorian.
This, as could now be expected, went poorly. A Baron of one of the Desert provinces, an Elori married to a Melisesian, took issue with the decree, and decided to ignore it. He would not allow such discrimination in his province, he argued. The High King saw this as treason, and raised an army to depose this-in his mind- treacherous baron.
The Army of Allris was born, a fighting force made up only of conscripted men and women from in and around the city of Allris, some 400,000 soldiers. Unfortunately for the high King, the Army of Allris was made up of farmers and masons, not soldiers. During the first battle of the war, the men and women of Allris, torn from their homes and forced into a war that would, for many of the people conscripted, resign themselves to a lifetime of being second class citizens, rebelled against their leader. The Generals of the army were killed first, and then the entire Army of Allris-backed by the baron's soldiers' stormed the capital city in order to kill the High King.
They were successful, though most of the Army of Allris was killed in the pitched fighting.
After the battle at Allris, the remaining populace slowly left the city, moving to new places, and founding new cities. The city now known as Elmsford was chosen as the capital of the Empire, as the site of such a battle would not be fit to serve as the Capital of the Empire.
The newly formed Council of Barons decided on something radical - The Empire was too large. It had reached "Critical mass" as they say, and would inevitably collapse if it continued on its track. As such, different states in Eastern Dramari were given independance, beholden only to a promise to stay loyal to the Council in Elmsford, which stayed independant.
The holdings of the Empire were split into three new nations, the Imperial Nation of the Mirillian Fields, The Imperial Nation of the Highlands, and the Imperial Nation of the Dunes. Among these, only one remains, though it no longer swears fealty to the Council (which no longer exists) and that is the nation of the Dunes. Now simply called the Nation of Dune, or the Nation of Irsalin.

The Elorian Diaspora

No longer the architects of a grand Empire, the Elorians wandered. The Elori were now very diverse in their own right, being from all over the continent, but they were linked in one regard - religion.
The Elori are generally seen as devout followers of Aleksantari, the God of Nature. The Elorian Tradition is a topic for a separate article, but despite their long distances, the Elori can recognize eachother in the way that they preach.
The Diaspora was thrown to new levels with the Misoren Landing and invasion. The Nation of the Mirillian Fields was overrun, and by people from overseas. As the new invaders took hold, some Elori went out to sea, landing in places like the Misoren Continent, or Piliras. Some ended up beyond even that.
The Misorens knew how to sail in a much more refined manner than that of the late Elorian Empire, which mainly used boats and ships on the coasts or in rivers, without much need to expand further to sea, as the belief was that there WAS nothing out to sea further than the Shattered Tower, an island chain east of Dramari.
Thus the Elorian Diaspora occured, leading wandering Elorians all across the continents of Oelia.

Culture

Major language groups and dialects

The Elori people are varied, and so many speak different languages based on where they are from. That being said, Elori, the old language of their people, is used during ceremony or religious events.

Ideals

Gender Ideals

Gender is not very important in Elori society, as any woman can do the work a man can.

Courtship Ideals

Courtship in the Elorian Tradition generally begins when the subjects are in their early 20s, and a male suitor will profess his desire to court a woman by laying a blue rose at the woman's feet. If she steps upon the rose, then the courtship is rejected. If she accepts the gift, the courtship is accepted.

Major organizations

The Elorian Empire

Related Locations

• Dramari