A Letter to Our Pale Cousins

[Kaelan 1918]

 

 

 

 

Spoiler

 

To Our Pale Cousins

 

Blessed be our pale cousins who reside within the Silver City,

 

It has come to my attention that the Silver State of Haelun’or has issued a travel advisory for the Forest Realm of Irrinor based on the grounds of the threshold for adulthood being lowered from fifty to thirty. 

 

It is indeed reassuring that our pale cousins have not thrown in the towel on their endless task to finally achieve purity.  To ensure that you and your kin are free from ailments or impure thoughts that seek to tear down the pillars that uphold your polished society. We cheer on the efforts of eradicating what plagues your city from within and pray that after these countless years that you might one day achieve what many ‘Thill have spent their entire lives hunched over books for. 

 

I am, however, left scratching my head at the issuing of this advisory as I believe it to be made in error. 

 

I am left with the conclusion that such is derived from a lack of understanding of the differences between our two peoples. Written text that sits on endless bookshelves can only express so much, and a people that build high walls of stone and bend nature to suit their needs rather than live harmoniously with it lack the first-hand experience.

 

To my knowledge, all Mali reach their physical maturity at the age of twenty. There is little physical difference between a Mali who is twenty, thirty, or fifty. Rather, the concept of adulthood is based on the perceived maturity of a Mali which grows with experience traversing the lands we inhabit and experiencing the ways of our people.
 

Perhaps it is in this where the misunderstanding is rooted. Unlike our pale cousins, our people’s lives are rooted in the traditions that date back to the time of Malin’s disappearance. When our tribes, otherwise known as seeds, roamed the forest floors in a nomadic fashion. While the seeds of Torena, Tresery, and Caerme’onn no longer wander the world as they once did, we remain rooted in our rich history.
 

On the other hand, the Mali of the Silver City who values knowledge above all else has a different past than us. Mali born in the Silver City may spend much of their early life sitting at a desk, hunched over a book which they tirelessly study after receiving tutelage. As is the way of your people.

 

This is, however, not the way of the Mali’ame people who much prefer the natural world that we have been blessed with by the Mother. Who from an early age set out with the Father’s blessings with their kin to hunt and reap the boons of what has been bestowed upon them. A people who live in tune with the ebb and flow of the nature that surrounds them.

 

I can recall from my childhood, countless years ago, walking through the Ironwood Ame’lie that our seed grew. Tending to the sacred trees that our people depended upon and hunting alongside my kin. Feeling the crunch of leaves and the softness of grass underfoot as we moved silently between the trees. Recalling the sensation of adrenaline coursing through my veins as my arrow felled the mighty beasts that we shared our forests with. I recall the pride felt each time our party would return home, carrying with us countless beasts for our people to feast upon. 

 

Perhaps in this, the Aureon seed is closer to the ‘Thill of the Silver City when compared to the rest of the ancient seeds as we remained at the place of Malin’s disappearance as instructed of us by our blessed Chieftess Elenwë. While the other Mali scattered with the wind, we remained and were the first civilized people.
 

We, however, remain different in almost every aspect of our ways of life. 

 

The ‘Thill of the Haelun’or might judge their oem’ii by their knowledge, or lack of it at times, and equate that to one’s maturity. 

 

The ‘Ame of Irrinor, however, judge our oem’ii based on their experiences in life, their leadership capabilities, and their abilities to provide for themselves and their people. To be regarded as an adult in our culture, you must demand the respect of your kin to be considered their equal. 
 

Simply put, the Mali’ame of Irrinor grow up and mature much quicker as they are shoved to face the realities of this world we live in rather than be coddled behind stone walls atop a high mountain. 
 

We expect that with this realization that our friends in Haelun’or who we remain allies with will withdraw such an advisory as it was made in error based on the misunderstanding of the differences between our two cultures. That they might understand our gentle and respectful decline of their suggestion. 
 

It is also worth noting that it has been brought to my attention that your library has ordered a great number of books from our collections. While the Taliame’onn tirelessly continue to prepare your order, I fear while such an advisory remains in place I do not feel comfortable sending a party out to arrange delivery of such a large order for fear of them pointlessly being aggressed upon. As such, the countless books that have been ordered will remain securely set aside until such a time that the Mali of Haelun’or withdraws and corrects the error that they have broadcasted to the known world. 
 

With the acknowledgement of the differences of our peoples, I hope that the ‘Thill of Haelun’or will be able to move past such a matter so that we may continue to reap the benefits that our people have enjoyed throughout the many years of our alliance. To not sour relations based on the traditions that our two people do not share.

 

Signed,
 

Lyemar Aureon, Blessed Descendant of Elenwë, High Chieftain of the Forest Realm of Irrinor, Sovereign of the Mali’ame,  Chieftain of the Aureon Seed, Brother Red Panda, Priest of the El’Narnsae’ame.