The Sceovarine
The Sceovarine, sometimes called the Mortal Elf or the Grey One, was an honoured individual in the court of the Council of Vaynir.
In High Elvish, Sceovarine roughly translates to ‘Sworn One’, in the sense of oathbound service. Formerly, before the advent of the Mortal Elves, the Sceovarine was for a time the only mortal Elf in existence.
Appointment
The Council of Vaynir choose the next Sceovarine from among the upper echelons of Elven society based on a variety of factors including combat ability, magical prowess, perceived loyalty and intelligence. The selection happens during a tournament known as Eostria's Trial where these skills are tested. The Trial has no winner, instead the competitors are lined up before the Hierarchs and an Elf is chosen. The individual in question is almost always an existing member of the Council's elite guard force, but not necessarily.
The chosen has the option to decline the rank, even after participating in the Trial, because of the huge sacrifice it entails. Not only must they leave their prior life behind, they must also be subjected to a ritual that strips their immortality. The ritual is performed by the Isle of Eruvanir's most senior Mage-princes who beseech the goddess Eostria to bestow the gift of mortality on the chosen one.
As the light of immortality leaves them, the Sceovarine’s skin becomes a dull grey colour and their hair, black.
As the bodyguard and protector of the Council of Vaynir, the Sceovarine is naturally exposed to a huge amount of sensitive information that could fall into the wrong hands if he were to defect. As such, the requirement of mortality serves a dual purpose- everything the Sceovarine overhears dies with them. On top of that, it ensures loyalty- only the truly, unshakably loyal would even consider sacrificing their very lives for the Council and the Hierarchs.
Even with their immortality taken away, the Sceovarine still lives longer than most of the naturally mortal races. Once coronated in the ritual, they can be expected to live for at least 200 years. Oddly, the Sceovarine does not age, and will only begin to feel the effects of their mortality a matter of days before their eventual death. That is, if they are not killed in battle.
No more Sceovarines have been appointed since the Oathbreaking in the Third Age, when the incumbent Sceovarine fled to live with the Mortal Elves. The title has not been officially abolished but it is considered defunct.
Duties
The Sceovarine serves many purposes. During peacetime, they act as the captain of the guard on Eruvanir and ensure the security of the Council members, in particular the three Hierarchs. During war, they take command of Eruvanir's grand armies and lead them into battle. Depending on the Sceovarine in question, their command may be more ceremonial than actual- Battle-hardened commanders will generally make most of the important strategic and tactical decisions. Nonetheless, the Sceovarine always takes to the battlefield as an inspiring presence for the rank-and-file troops.
Benefits
The Sceovarine is famed throughout the Elven world and held up as a shining example of a warrior and a paragon of nobility. A common theme in Elven art, worship and literature is sacrifice for the greater good. The Sceovarine is the literal embodiment of this idea which affords them considerable influence in both politics and private life. As the finest warrior and leading military commander of Elvenkind, the Mortal Blade of Eruvanir is given the best food and drink and granted sprawling estates in the Isle’s lush countryside where they may relax when not on duty.
Accoutrements & Equipment
When riding to war, the Sceovarine wears an ancient suit of finely-forged Elven armour, crafted from steel and inlaid with a multitude of golden patterns and gems. The suit is rumoured to date back to the Second Age, and yet maintains its integrity due to the skill of the Elven smiths.
The helm is intimidating and bears a pair of antlers shed by a Woodwatcher. Despite being unwieldy, this helm inspires the nearby troops by invoking memories of the Woodwatchers who halted the Orcish advance all those centuries ago.
Each new Sceovarine has a new sword, or perhaps another weapon such as a hammer or spear, forged for them by Eruvanir's master smiths, exactly to their specifications. The weapons of the previous holders of the title are proudly displayed in the Hall of the Mortals, adjacent to the Council chambers. However, this was demolished after the dissolution of the rank of Sceovarine.
History
The title of Sceovarine has its roots in the oathbound service of the earliest Elven kingdoms. Each king or queen would have a council of advisors and protectors, but only one was given the title of King's Blade. The tradition of making this protector mortal is of unknown origin, but is thought to date back to the same era. Backstabbing and political intrigue was rife, so the need for a truly loyal advisor and sworn warrior was paramount. As in the present, making the protector mortal served as both insurance and a mark of extreme loyalty. Thus, the rank of Sceovarine was created.
However, when the Mad Dwarf Talhukmaz used a Blade of Creation to curse the Elven race with mortality, many Elves across the world were suddenly changed into grey-skinned mortals like the Sceovarine. They were widely shunned and cast out from mainstream Elven society, which led the Sceovarine to flee to Verrin to join his mortal brethren. He stole the crown of an Elven Hierarch, which now serves as the badge of office of the king of the Mortal Elves. Since then, no new Sceovarine has been apointed.
Type
Nobility, Military
Status
Extinct
Source of Authority
The Council of Vaynir
Length of Term
Lifelong
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