Knox 1027 Share Posted October 21, 2022 Welcome to Haelun’or The National Emblem of Haelun’or _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Karin’ayla lliran! Let this guide serve as your one-stop-shop for both current and new players, or for anyone interested in learning about the High Elves of Haelun’or. From ancient traditions and culture, to the political makeup of modern Haelun’or, to fashion and food preferences of the Mali’thill, this will hopefully provide you with all you need to know to start your Roleplaying adventure in the Silver State! CONTENTS I. Introduction What is Haelun’or? The Origins of the Mali’aheral II. Culture and Society Values The Archetypes Politics Courtship Religion Fashion Colour Architecture Gold and Insults III. Getting Started Getting into the City IV. Epilogue ________________________________________________________________________ Introduction What is Haelun’or? The Silver State of Haelun’or, is the home of the High Elves, more specifically, the Mali’thill, which are a distinct ‘kind’ of High Elf - More on this in a moment! Haelun’or is one of the oldest and most unique nations and communities on Lord of the Craft, coming into existence in January of 2012. In Haelun’or, the sky's the limit in terms of what you can do and achieve, whether you want to join the Sillumiran - Haelun’ors Military Force, or whether you want to invent machines of Metal and Magic in our Laboratories, become a Socialite participating in ‘High’ Society, or become a respected Philosopher, the choice is yours. What fundamentally separates Haelun’or from other Nations, is its strict adherence to ancient tradition and culture, living a particular lifestyle guided by the teachings of Larihei Lohmanih, the first High Elf - the founder of Haelun’or, and this driving Philosophy, is known as Maehr’sae Hiylun’ehya ________________________________________________________________________ The Origins of the Mali’aheral “For all I’ve done for our people, you would censor me, stifle me. Put a gag on my achievements. I ask for no praise, no reward, and no titles. I seek only to better my people, yet you insist on holding us back. For how long, a thousand years, ten thousand?” These are the words spoken by Larihei, the most senior advisor to Malin, the King of the Elves. Displeased with the stagnation that had overtaken Old Malinor, Larihei sought better for her people, and so within the confines of her Great Library, she along with her inner circle, worked on great inventions and the finest of scientific endeavours were undertaken here. Furthermore, they began dabbling with the Void, and it is within this institution that the first voidal magic users emerged. Evocationists, Alterationists, Translocationists, Enchanters - all came to be within this place of learning, making the daily lives of all, that much more enhanced and easier. However, there was one who was not so satisfied with the achievements of Larihei and her people - Malin. He ordered Larihei to cease her experimentation, fearing the potential of the void but Larihei defied this order, moving now, into deep caverns to continue her work, and it is within these caverns, that Larihei discovered what would become the genesis of her people - the Golden Pools. Drawn to the pools by some unknown force, Larihei began to regularly bathe in them, as did her followers. Over decades, their skin grew lighter in complexion, and their hair lightened to softer shades. As time passed, these paler elves were noticeably taller and thinner than their brothers and sisters, and their personalities seemed to change. These pale elves lost interest in the prevailing customs of Old Malinor - Dancing, Singing, Feasting, and took on a keener interest in scholarly arts, of learning, debate, magic. These fair elves became colder, more self-assured, confident, somewhat arrogant even, in their newfound beliefs and ways. These elves would become the first of the Mali’aheral - ‘Blessed Elves’, in Mali’san. ________________________________________________________________________ Culture and Society Values The Mali’thill of Haelun’or, are driven by an ancient creed - the Maehr’sae Hiylun’ehya, which roughly translates from Mali’san - the ancient language of the Elves - to “progress and health” This ideology is the cornerstone of High Elven Society and the phrase itself is taken from old books found within the original College of Haelun’or. Progress (Maehr’sae): This is the belief in constantly striving for the honing of the intellect, by rational debate, endeavours of scientific and magical natures, and the cultivation of the arts et cetera. A good and fulfilling life is one ripe with knowledge and learning. Given this drive for the development of the intellect, the Mali’aheral regularly enjoy debate and engage in rhetoric, hosting grand symposiums where many topics are touched upon and discussed. Health (Hiylun): The other half of this creed relates to keeping one's bloodline pure and untainted, as well as the maintenance of the physical body. The heightened sense of importance regarding physical purity, has led the Mali’aheral to value greatly, keeping their bodies pristine and couth. As such, they are against any form of self-harm or mutilation, including tattooing and piercings or any kind of physical body modifications which inflict harm. Societal Values 1) High Elves tend to dislike other races. Depending on your personal views, this ranges from outright hatred, to mild disdain. Though a disliking is encouraged, and this is due to the superiority which Mali’aheral proclaim to have over other races. 2)High Elves, given their dislike for other races, and their superiority complex, naturally have a disliking and distrust for strangers. Getting into the city will be difficult, you will be quizzed and subjected to trials and tasks. To simply allow a stranger into the city on a whim, will cause upset and is highly frowned upon. 3) High Elves, given their affinity for intellectualism, dislike emotional thinking. They are creatures of logic and reason, and strongly favour this over emotion. As such, public displays of emotion are to be avoided, unless you wish to incur the grimaces of your fellow Mali’thill! (Read on to learn about High Elven Courting!) 4) High Elves do not weigh titles very heavily, and tend to dislike the use of them, save for Government positions and the title of Malaurir, which is afforded to current (though simply ‘Maheral’ is greatly preferred), retired or deceased Maheralan. The Archetypes When I write "archetypes" I refer to common kinds of personalities within the high elf world. For the sake of argument (and because, heaven knows, this guide isn't long enough already) we shall refer to very prominent forms of the high elven mindset. The Puritan ~Kalenz~ "Your existence revolts me, filth. Nothing a sharp knife and a healthy dose of acid cannot fix." -Racist -Arrogant -Supremacist The Magician ~Iatrilemar Elervathar~ “We are beacons in the abyssal dark." -Tolerant -Patient -Perfectionist The Artisian ~Evelon Telperion~ “A mali’thill should dress their best, groom oneself and take much care lest they bring disgrace to the blessed elves of Silver.” -Expressive -Imaginative -Innovative The Diraan ~Thoras Elyrion~ “Those who enforce the law must obey the law.” -Courageous -Loyal -Unyielding The Traditionalist ~Seth Calith~ "We have survived genocide supported by the entire realm in the past. The current situation is hardly the equivalent, the light of our flames will brighten. Maehr'sae hiylun'ehya." -Compassionate -Humble -Advocate The Reformist ~Alaion Miravaris~ "..Upon the grand game, the move is understood; a sacrifice made to attempt to calm the waters, unity at the cost of righteousness and dignity. The preservation and safety of the Silver People is paramount, and diplomacy with neighbours is not unwanted; it is encouraged, in fact." -Placidity -Logic/Rationality -Altruism The Impure (Impure) ~saiko the dediest warior~ "good waters not good when nourishment best come from excellent blood" -Impure -Impure -Impure Remember, these are just examples!. If you want to mix and match (or create some of your own) then you're completely at liberty to! Don't feel pressured to make one exactly like those listed. Courtship High elves seek out a potential partner for their wit, heritage, scholarly works and intellect rather than their dashingly good looks. An individuals intellect and talents often supersede an individuals looks. Once a High elf has identified a potential partner they must then prove their worth, more often than not. This requires the individual to prove their intellect, whether it be through debate, philosophical discussion or art. Individuals who come from great bloodlines may also use their families feats as a way to garner favour from a potential partner. High elves do not believe in public affection, or announce their undying love to a potential partner. Rather, to obtain courtship often means doing so discreetly. Whether it be done through love letters, often in the form of poems or through overheard gossip regarding the potential partners fond thoughts. Once they are content that their potential partner shares the same feelings that they do. They may pluck up the courage to confess to their potential partner that they are seeking to court them. Being a species that does not put stock within religion, high elves often wed in wide open spaces of some significance, typically a library or great hall. Weddings, being significant to the prosperity of hiylun, usually draws a large crowd, with almost all of the cities citizenry within attendance. Individuals from the outside are often sent an invitation, which will grant them access to the city for the duration of the ceremony and ball afterward. Upon a lectern, a respected and prominent Mali'aheral citizen, who knows the individuals to be wed address the crowd with a speech, wherein he would praise the purity of the united couple. The position of "speaker" in such an event is considered a great honour. After the speech is given, the speaker will remain silent so that the populace may speak out against any impurities or foulness surrounding the marriage. It is considered improper of the speaker to mention such a silence, as it would be rude for the couple to have it addressed directly. The speaker, after a period of silence then declares the couple ‘wed’ or ‘joined’. The couple will then receive gifts or words of admiration towards their union. Religion Most citizenry residing within the Silver State of Haelun’or practice Alatrism, which is the recognition of the existence of at least one deity, albeit no worshipping occurs. This is due to their belief of placing faith in an invisible deity to be illogical, mostly due to the fact an invisible deity cannot have a motive or intention. For a high elf to believe in something which may or may not be true is counter productive to progress, as there is no way to confirm the belief of an invisible deity. However, the extreme adherence High Elves have to their attaining of knowledge and wisdom is of no less intensity than the zeal of those that excessively practice religion. Fashion A high elf wears clothing pertaining to their personality. Within their culture, this is done through the colours that their clothes represent. It is common for high elves to opt for long robes and dresses instead of their wood elven counterparts - usually skin baring. A high elf whose clothing represents their personality is considered to be very fashionable. Items such as non-invasive jewellery and cosmetics that compliment said symbolism are encouraged. Purple: Symbolises magic, life (Tanya), and the unknown. Red: Symbolises might, protection (Evarir), and pride. Yellow/Gold: Symbolises wealth, gold (Acal), and prosperity (can also be attributed to curses, but this will be discussed further on). Green: Symbolises harmony, diplomacy, foresight, beauty (Leyun), and affection. Brown: Symbolises art, nurturing, the land (Nor), and festivities. Blue: Symbolises logic, science (Indor), and knowledge, and curiosity. Silver/White: Symbolises purity (Thilln), and the maehr'sae hiylun'ehya. Black: Symbolises guidance, contemplation, and the Maheral (King/Emperor). Pink: Symbolises guidance, purity (Thilln), and protection (Evarir) Architecture High elven architects used to build for beauty rather than practicality. In modern times however, both features are taken into consideration. The architects, or ‘artists’ as many have come to see them, favour towers and buildings that take advantage of vertical space, for efficiency's sake. Thilln’cihi or ‘High Elf cities’ are often found upon a mountain top, due to their strategic advantage. High elves, given their often remote locations, tend to cultivate gardens and flora, in the forms of public parks. Almost always, will one find at least one statue dedicated to Larihei. Gold and Insults A high elf being given gold by another high elf is regarded as an insult of sorts. Due to its affiliation with the elven word for ‘curse’ or ‘acal’. The high elf who is presented with a portion of gold is being questioned on their purity, as well as their ancestry. It is considered the most ultimate of high-elven insults, to insult an individual confirmed to be pure, it is considered a great grievance and a shame upon the high elf presenting it. It is the intent behind giving gold that makes it an insult, not the act of giving gold itself. It is an abstract conception. Some mali’aheral will not even realise they are being insulted. Furthermore, the gravity of the insult is directed at a singular individual's purity and respect within the high elven society. A known thief will not injure the sensibilities of the Maheral with his gift of gold.Sometimes, should aurum weapons be needed for the sake of killing ghosts and such, a high elf might ‘leave’ such instruments to be claimed by another. Or such items are only lent out (for eternity with no intentions of getting it back), to make sure no gold was gifted. This is usually only done in cases of immediate need of such material.There is also a misconception among the unenlightened that the practice of gifting gold is a claim that one’s family did not bathe enough in the golden pools, such is simply misunderstood elven duality. ________________________________________________________________________ Getting Started Getting into the city Due to the high elves general dislike for other races, getting into the city as an outsider tends to be quite difficult, even for those of high elven blood. This is due to their suspicion of outsiders at their gates, who more often than not do not meet their high standards. More often than not, for non high elves, they don’t want you there and will judge those who seek entry closely. This may involve the gatekeeper probing your character with multiple questions, this is designed to test your patience, guice and understanding of their culture. Some key things to bear in mind when trying to gain entry… 1) Look the part - High elves are often devoid of piercings and tattoos, before entering. Cover up and remove your piercings! 2) Be pleasant and polite, answering all questions as efficiently and clearly as possible 3) As a high elf, hold yourself in a higher standard than typically expected with the other races. Some key things to bear in mind if you do not wish to enter… 1) Boast about drinking blood - Foul acts and deeds will almost instantly result in your being denied entry to the city 2) Look abnormal - red eyes, abnormally coloured hair ie: black, pink, purple, green, blue etc or revealing clothes as a high elf will often instantly label you as being mali’ata (impure elf). 3) Be extremely arrogant and rude - individuals simply demanding entry or acting like a menace will be turned away. If you are a new high elf, looking to enter the high elf city, you may be asked the following… “thilln ito nae'leh - Are you pure?” ((often asked of new High Elves. the adequate response would be 'thilln ito kae'leh')) If you are a new high elf, looking to enter the high elf city and are wondering how to best conduct yourself, bear in mind the following…. 1) A pure high elf tends to have lighter tones to their hair--often taking the shade of platinum, grey, blond, or white. 2) Eye-colours tend to be within a green-blue spectrum, but in rare cases they may take on shades of purple. In even rarer cases, gold. 3) Ears are often longer than those of dark elves and wood elves. 4) High elves are almost always devoid of piercings or tattoos. 5) Pure high elves never drink blood. Probably. Useful information https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/78799-elven-sentences/ https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/19254-recovering-the-ancient-tongue-of-the-elves/ https://wiki.lordofthecraft.net/index.php?title=Ancient_Elven https://wiki.lordofthecraft.net/index.php?title=High_Elves https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/28394-elf-up-your-name/ ________________________________________________________________________ Epilogue Quite the handful of information to take in, thank you for taking the time out of your day to see what it is like to play as an actual high elf! None of this would have been possible without the numerous players within our community. Our style of play may not adhere to the way that you wish to play your high elf, to reiterate, this is a rough guide on how the average high elf player conducts themselves. The main thing is to have fun with your character, do what suits you best. However, if you lack the inspiration, or just want a general idea of what high elves are about, refer back to this. We have books, tea, wine, science, and magic! Have fun, sneaky HE's-to-be! Much love, The Haelun’or Community. Spoiler Shout out to everybody who has been involved within our community over the past 10 years, without which. None of this would have been possible. Credit to Gavin for writing the initial part of this post along with everybody else who made this possible. :) If you are interested in making a high elf, feel free to join our discord! https://discord.gg/3y2E4xDY 13 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Sheylo_ 979 Share Posted October 21, 2022 Spoiler Based. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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