el'matir Mali'leh - The Law of Elves

[Rigorous 1548]

el’matir Mali’leh

THE LAW OF ELVES

ENACTED BY

THE CROWN OF AMATHINE

13th of the Sun's Smile SA 170

PAR’INDOR (Preamble) 

 

Despite its descent from the legacy of old Mali’nor and its avowed position as a nominally pan-elven state, the Crown of Amathine is significantly influenced by foreign, non-Mali cultural practices. These influences have no historical basis in the shared tradition of Malin and exist as outliers, and can be accurately described as contagions from other descendant peoples.

 

Perhaps the single greatest unifying factor between the disparate Mali communities - the Ancient Elven language - is strikingly underutilized within the realm. Currently, Amathine is the elven realm where Ancient Elven is least likely to be employed in the names of people, places, institutions or other concepts. This ‘foreignness’ extends beyond language and into cultural attitudes, the structure of institutions, stylistic choices and ceremony. 

As part of our path of renewal, it is necessary to expunge these foreign influences and recover the Mali character of our beloved realm. 

 

It is for this reason that I, Sul Amirsan aen Sov, Medin’sair of Amathine, pursuant to powers held in trust to the Crown of Amathine by Indorii I of the Edict of Aianear of 166, proclaim the following decree, to be enacted with immediate effect across the realm. 

 

INDORII’OEM (Article I). On the language of the realm 

 

“And when the chief of the peoples of the ice descended from his cave to speak to the peoples of the forest, his speech was guttural and arose anger within the uthiran who wove poems and crafted laws from the beautiful prose of their natural tongue. More bortu than Mali, the language of the chief of the ice forever kept him and his tribe in the caves, where their skin grew pale and their forms withered and wretched.”

 

By this decree it is enacted that the standard (Lissarian) form of the Ancient Elven language shall be accorded the status of official language of the Crown of Amathine alongside Common, and its usage shall be favored in all public matters within the realm, except in those instances where, owing to lack of completeness, it is not practical to do so, in which case it shall be used to the extent possible and Common used for the remainder. 

 

INDORII’NIUT (Article II). On the nomenclature of titles, ranks, honors, offices, places, styles, addresses, concepts, institutions, organizations and guilds within the realm 

 

"We render upon thee the titelage, privilege, and properties of the laurir of Ravenhold," spoke the uthir of the young peoples to the elder one of the great trees that scraped the sky itself, his home a civilization far more ancient and esteemed than the stones that had built the hall he stood in. The Mali of high, now low, then dressed in the cloaks and fur caps of his benefactors, and in time he forgot what it meant to walk through the halls of knowledge that provided him with a wealth far greater than the recognition of man.”

 

By this decree it is enacted that wherever either literally or approximately translatable, all titles, ranks, honors, offices, places, styles, addresses, concepts, institutions, organizations and guilds within the Crown of Amathine shall be rendered in the primary instance in the standard (Lissarian) form of the Ancient Elven language.

 

INDORII’HAEL (Article III). On personal names and surnames within the realm

 

“Along the banks of the river Telrun, the wise, old turtle spoke to his friend, the young, whiskered ray-fin, who had come to him with the desire to name himself something else. "Never would I forsake my name for another. It is the name of my father, and his father, and their fathers and before. And it is the name of my son, and his son, and the many sons that will spring forth from them. My own deeds are humble, yet I may swell with pride when I see my name. It is the collection of thousands of years and the future of thousands more, and all the good fruit it bears may be claimed by all who carry it.”

 

By this decree it is enacted that the personal names and surnames of the Mali subjects of the Crown of Amathine are hence mandated to be either: 

 

- Standard Ancient Elven in form;

- Non-standard Ancient Elven in form, but originally derived from standard Ancient Elven and otherwise conforming to Lissarian orthography; or 

- Mali in their linguistic style, and otherwise conforming to Lissarian orthography without significant valah, bortu or other non-Mali influence. 

 

INDORII’VAILU (Article IV). On naturalization

 

"But my name is one shared by those who are not of this river Telrun," said the whiskered ray-fin, "For in the streams of the south there are the flat ray-fins, and in the seas of the north there are the large ray-fins, and in the cold bays of the east there are the dorsal ray-fins, and in the headstreams of the west there are the ray-fins who can jump. I wish for a name that will let all know that I am of the river, and nowhere else." The wise, old turtle thought for a moment, and then he agreed. "Then you shall be named the catfish, for your whiskers are like those of the cats that bask lazily in the sun in the green fields near here. Take this name and do good deeds with it so that your sons may be proud and follow your example."

 

By this decree it is enacted that Mali subjects of the Crown of Amathine who do not presently conform with one of the options mandated by Indorii III shall be compelled to conform, through the naturalization of their names in all public matters. 

 

INDORII’KULIN (Article V). On the translation of laws, their provisions, and other official documents

 

"A prince of the tribe of the low trees bordered the realm of the less-fierce desert marauders who would occasionally trade their goods of cruel weapons and strange totems. Each time they entered his domain, the prince spoke his tir (law) in their tongue so that they could understand, but in doing so he failed to render them unto his people in the true tongue, and soon they stole from each other and cut down the fig tree that the prince's father had given him. Ashamed of his foolishness, the prince spoke the law in the true tongue and his people ceased and obeyed it.

 

By this decree it is enacted that laws, their provisions, and other official documents, if translatable to Ancient Elven in the primary instance, shall include translations into Common in the secondary instance, where that might be required to ensure widespread comprehension of their contents. 

 

INDORII’BANIH (Article VI). On the Mali communities of the realm 

 

“He who aspired to be uthir built a city atop a hill, to be his seat of power and a home for all the tribes so that he could rule alone over the world. For fifty years and three more, the aspiring uthir built el’cihi to have a grand home for each citizen who desired, a common square so that the various goods of the people could be sold, and a temple dedicated to the unity of the tribes. 

 

However, for the tribes of the amean (forests), there were no trees, nor the grottos and alcoves for them to sit and contemplate. For the tribes of the great marble siimahan (towers), there were no libraries where they could store their knowledge and practice their arcane arts. For the tribes of the riurnan (swamps), they could not see el’Velulaei at night, as the many towers and statues and temples blocked their view of the sky. Within a year, all the tribes departed and the aspired uthir was left without a people.”

 

By this decree it is enacted that the Crown of Amathine shall extend formal recognition to the following Mali ethnoreligious communities, who shall be equally protected by law through this official status: 

 

Mali’ame, or Wood Elves, defined as any of the descendants of the Mali of Malin’or who did not follow either Larihei Lomahnih or Velulaei, which includes:

 

- Irrinites, defined as the Mali’ame who are the descendants of the followers of Irrin Sirame, and whose ancestors may customarily worship the Wild Faith of the Aspects, live nomadic lifestyles, and traditionally wear the ilmyumier.
- Lye’alderan, or Alderfolk, defined as the Mali’ame who are not descendants of the followers of Irrin Sirame, but whose ancestors may customarily worship the Wild Faith of the Aspects or the Mani, expressed through their affiliation with the Alder trees, and traditionally wear the esalathe'onn. 

- Lye’naeran, or Acaelanites, defined as the Mali’ame whose ancestors may customarily maintain the monotheistic worship of Acaelan through unbroken lineal descent.  

 

Mali’aheral, or High Elves, defined as any of the descendants of the Mali of Mali’nor who followed Larihei Lomahnih, which includes:

 

- Mali’thill, defined as the Mali’aheral whose ancestors may customarily confess the Maehr’sae Hiylun’ehya or its offshoots, such as Ivarilist rites. 

 

Mali’ker, or Dark Elves, defined as any of the descendants of the Mali of Malin’or who followed Velulaei, which includes: 

 

- Amathinean Mali’ker, defined as the Mali’ker subjects of the Crown of Amathine, regardless of their religion.

 

Moreover, by this decree, it is enacted that no other Mali ethnoreligious communities shall be, for the time being, extended any official recognition by the realm for legal purposes or otherwise and that all Mali subjects of the Crown must be broadly classifiable to one of the five categories described above in Indorii VI.

 

INDORII’LAIER (Article VII). On enforcement of Indoriian I-VI 

 

“The nest of the tahorran’haelun (Mother Hawk) was never disturbed by the creatures of the forest. The cleverest fox and the quietest mouse refused to poach the eggs of tahorran’haelun, even at the insistence of others in the forest. They knew the hawk was mighty and that if they did ill to her, they would surely feel a wrath so great that no prized eggs could be recompense.”

 

By this decree it is enacted that it shall be the charge of the Medin’sair and the Council of Amathine to enforce compliance with Indoriian I-VI, through the exercise of legal remedy if necessary, as declared in trust to the Crown of Amathine. 

 

Moreover, by this decree it is enacted that through the exercise of these powers, organizations found not to comply with Indorii II shall forfeit any official status or recognition within the Crown of Amathine, until such time as they become compliant. 

 

Moreover, by this decree it is enacted that through the exercise of these powers, individuals found not to comply with Indoriian III-IV and VI shall forfeit all official standings, public offices, titles, ranks or status of nobility within the Crown of Amathine, until such time as they become compliant. 

 

Moreover, by this decree it is enacted that the terms ‘High Prince(ss)’ and ‘Crown of Amathine’, in reference to the sovereign’s rank and the name of the realm respectively, shall be exempt from the stipulations of Indorii II so as to preserve proper legal continuity. 

 

INDORII’ESUN (Article VIII). On precedence and inconsistencies 

 

"Oh!" The sage of the glades exclaimed as he saw that the ink of his first story, a tale he had written as a child, had faded. It had been some time since he had reviewed the old tomes that rested on the highest shelf in his library and gathered dust. "I must write this story again, for I find it valuable and within it a lesson that I may teach the younglings of the nearby village. However, my prose then flowed like a drying riverbed, and my grasp of the meter was that of an amateur. I will craft a better story than I did then, though I will not change it entirely, and until the ink dries from that text I will use it in the stead of the former." 

 

By this decree it is enacted that in the event of any inconsistencies between the provisions of this document and previously enacted laws or regulations, this decree shall take precedence to the extent of that inconsistency’s impact. 

 

Pursuant to Indorii I of the Edict of Aianear of 166

 

Proclaimed and enacted at Tahn’larueth on 13th of the Sun's Smile SA 170

 

el’laurir Sul Amirsan aen Sov

Medin’sair of Amathine