The Vulnrith: Keepers of Memory

[Juno. 1282]

Spoiler

 

 

Vulnrith

The Foxhole

Home of the Orphaned, Widowed, and Outcast

Keepers of Memory

 

 

The Vulnrith Seed was formed in Year 1 of the Second Age on the land of Almaris, under the name Vuln’miruel. However, after a great wave of passing from many of the seed’s original members, and a vast change within the Founder’s mentality, Sonna believed it time for her kin to be given a new purpose. While the foxhole would forever remain a home for the outcast, a place for the troubled to redeem themselves and find peace, an emphasis on remembrance and teaching was now implemented. 

 

The Matriarch had suffered many losses, a grief that trapped her within her own mind for several decades. It was only when faced with the death of her final parental figures that Sonna realized it was her turn to stand up and guide the next generation, just as her many guardians had done for her. Armed with a great want to keep the spirits of those gone alive, the elfess fashioned a new duty for her and her kin to fulfill: To remember the dead, and to keep their stories known.

 

Purpose

“They will not be forgotten.”

 

The Vulnrith serve as guides to the lost, keepers of memory, recorders of history, and guardians of artifacts. Their highest priority is ensuring that stories live on, learning from the past, and shepherding those who need it. Nearly no soul is beneath redemption, if they are earnest in seeking it, and no dead shall be forgotten, for better or for worse. 

 

Currently, the Vulnrith reside in the Crown of Amathine on Aevos, where their Matriarch Sonna presides over the Glade of Hileia. The Glade serves as a monument to the Wild Faith and the fallen, filled with shrines to the Aspects, statues of the Mani, and graves of the dead. As Keeper of the Glade, Sonna and her family ensure that the statues and tombstones are well taken care of, as well as hold public remembrances for the dead who rest in the Glade.

 

 

Philosophy

“With wit and grace, we weave through the obstacles of life.”

 

The patron of the Vulnrith is the Fox Mani Sonnos, Prince of Vulpines. He represents cleverness and wit, traits valued by the seed and seen as necessary to combat whatever life may throw at you. The Founder also believes in a folk tale she heard growing up that if you follow after a fox’s fleeting tail, it will lead you to good fortune.

[Sonnos Lore]

 

The official religion of the Vulnrith is elnarnsae’ame, The Wild Faith, and members of the family are encouraged to follow it. However, it is not a requirement, and kin are free to practice whatever they wish as long as it does not disrupt or harm Nature. As long as the Vulnrith respect the wilds and what the family’s patron represents, they may choose what to believe in.

[The Wild Faith]

 

The seed’s ilmyumier is that of a fox, typically winding up an arm or across a back in shades of gold. However, those who follow the path of the Ichorian may choose to receive the ilmyumier in red. Of the Vulnrith who become druids, they are typically taught to follow either the path of the Ichorian or that of the Sage, as the founder was guided through both. The Vulnrith are also taught to bear a mistrust for magic other than Druidism. All magic outside of those given by the Aspects are generally looked down upon by the Matriarch, with the Matriarch having a final say on a case by case basis, and may warrant disownment depending on the type of magic should it harm Nature. Though the worst offender to the family is becoming or harboring a voidal mage, which will immediately result in disownment, and in some instances death.

 

Trials

“Trust in us, and we will trust in you.”

 

Prospective members of the Vulnrith will be called Vuln’ii until they complete their trials. Those who are elders of the seed and well-versed in its values may become Keepers, and are the only ones permitted to conduct the trials other than the Matriarch as well as share in the responsibility of maintaining the Glade.

 

Test of Trust

When someone first wishes to join the family, they must first face the tragedy they have endured in the past, whether internalized or not. They do this by forming a relationship with the Matriarch or Keeper, until they trust them enough to open up to them and share their past experiences. The Matriarch or Keeper will then help the Vuln’ii work through such, and give advice along the way.

 

Acceptance of the Past

Once the Vuln’ii has opened up to the Matriarch or Keeper, they will then be tasked with moving on. The past should never be forgotten, but it should also not hold one back. This task may be the most time consuming, as the Vuln’ii may not yet be ready to let go of what haunts them. The Matriarch or Keeper will guide them through this process, and ultimately, when they are ready, give them a task with the goal of leaving that shadow behind them.

 

Befriending the Vulpine

Over the centuries, the Founder has found many lifelong companions in her chosen animal: the fox. Thus, she believes that every member of her seed deserves a loyal companion like she has. After completing the first two trials, the Vuln’ii will be sent into the forest to find a lone fox or orphaned kit to befriend. They are not allowed to capture the animal, as they must gain its trust naturally until the fox follows them willingly.

 

Forged Anew

Now halfway through their trials, the Matriarch or Keeper will then take the Vuln’ii to the Forge of the Father located within the Glade of Hileia. There, they will learn how to work Ikurnamon, more commonly known as Ironwood, and will craft a weapon out of such material. They will engrave their chosen weapon with motifs expressive of their character, as well as receive various cultural lessons as they work.

 

To Hunt and Provide

With their weapon crafted, the Vuln’ii will then be tasked with hunting game of their choosing using said Ikurnamon tool. They must do this alone, with only their vulpine friend to accompany them. The Vulnrith do not hunt for sport, only necessity, and so it is expected that the kill be clean and quick, and that only one animal is taken. They will then bring their hunt back to the family hall for the Matriarch or Keeper to inspect, and will go on to use every piece of it so that nothing goes to waste. The hide may be used for clothes and blankets, the meat to feed the family, and the bones for various accessories or decorations.

 

Honoring the Dead

The final trial is seen as the capstone of the Vuln’ii’s journey, and is regarded as the most important. Other than Acceptance of the Past, this trial is also expected to take some time as it should not be rushed, and a lot of effort is expected to be put into it. The Vuln’ii will pick one of the fallen, whether one they personally knew or one who is not commonly remembered, and will be tasked with doing something in their memory. Whether that be constructing a new tombstone in the Glade, writing a book on their life, or creating a piece of art in their honor. The Vuln’ii will then hold a public rememberance for their chosen fallen where they recount the person’s life and display what they did to honor them. After such, the Vuln’ii will be marked with the family’s ilmyumier by the Matriarch or Keeper, and become a full-fledged member of the family. From here on after, they will be known and recognized as a Vulnrith.

 

If you are interested in joining the Vulnrith, or learning more about it, visit the family hall in the Glade of Hileia, and/or find the Matriarch Sonna!

 

[Deer__ 529]

Fox folk :)