celianor Celia'norian Culture: A synopsis

[Havsbris_ 565]

 

CHRONICLE OF THE CELIAN STARS & STEEL


“Both future & past mended by the same Stars”

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I.THE INTRODUCTORY MYTHOS

To those who scrutinize and peruse this document, you have undertaken a journey to uncover a narrative both widely revered and deeply felt by many. As you gaze upon the magnitude of the Celian Ivory Towers, its formidable walls, and impregnable fortresses, recognize that our path which was paved here was forged through the blood and steel of each and every generation. Unlike other Mali (Elves) that have faced long periods of prosperity and peace that lulled them into stagnation. The Celia’norian people, from the very start, were met with great trials and hardship.

 

I have borne witness to the struggles of the original Celian, yet their tales come with a culture and identity that has brought strength stronger than any daemonsteel and a future more radiant than the Western Star.

While most of my peers who are elders and veterans of the Ages of the Hero during Ivarielle’s reign claim their struggle of being exiled was the harshest one. Myself and yourself should be sympathetic to our entire people, as each generation of Celia’norians will always live long enough to see a conflict, war or civil strife before they reach the age of fifty.

THE FIRST AGE

 To provide perspective to the dear reader, those who hailed from the age of Ivarielle and legendary heroes such as Atheleon will recall their journey of shame to the Western Forest of Almaris. It was a horrific time when our Aheral, who once dwelled in magnificent marble manors crafted by our ancestors, were forced to fend off bandits and live in tents. Following this trial came the Horde & Mali’nor war, during which the majority of the conscripted Diraar (Soldiers) were Celian, transforming the West into a paradise and sanctuary for all Elvendom.

“I must admit, I was not present during the reigns of Ivarielle & Illarion, yet they did not face hardships through wars and famine. Instead, political tensions between the realm of Elveness and our newly forged identity kept our people on edge. Those aged fourteen to twenty were conscripted into the military, engaging in skirmishes with our supposed allies.”

The earliest tragedy I witnessed was the Voidal destruction of Fi’andria. By then, our capital was the envy of all Elvendom, a center for trade, decision-making, and policy. To me, this calamity stemmed from mismanagement by our leaders and ploys by external forces in the lands. Tragically, the Celia’norians of that generation, mere infants, saw their home obliterated and their land terrorized by voidal horrors. This was followed by a period of political instability and the cultural genocide came in the form of Talar’nor.

THE SECOND AGE
𝐓hankfully, such instability was reigned by a few short years until the return of the promised heir. With the return of Princess Illyria, the Second Principality of Celia’nor was restored with a united front of the Ibarellan bloodline. The reconstruction of our people’s culture and strength was a monumental task, one I found myself on the verge of abandoning. Yet, during our march north, I found solace in that my experience falls parallel with those who had to make the long journey to the West of Almaris during the FIRST AGE.

Dear readers, whether you read this within the comfort of Leyu’sil or over two centuries hence from when published, But as it stands right now, the current generation of Celia’norian as I can observe, we still face war and trials. From the Veletz and Haeseni war where we found ourselves the first battle of that gruesome conflict or to the First Siege of Leyu’sil by Gashadokuro. I say this with confidence that history has never given a moment for our people to rest, nor will that day come soon.

To conclude this part of my story and our history, I encourage you to read "The First Battle of Leyu’sil'' by Tavarian Py’lrie for more insight. If she is still alive, my niece-in-law Yera Silvera, who is responsible for saving my life during the recent siege, can provide firsthand accounts.

May you enjoy the rest of this document, this is only the beginning of a story & culture that is so diverse. Use it to gain better guidance and deeper understanding of my people, and our legacy…
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AY’PUERAN;

The Honourable Parir, Celius Cerusil, Member of the Cerusil Talonnii, Councilor of the Cerusil

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      II. THE CELIA’NORIAN MINDSET & ITS FORTITUDE

|[IL MAEHR’SAE ILKUN’EHYA]|
“WITH KNOWLEDGE AND STEEL”

“If you seek power in a world of men and beast, there is no weapon sharper than knowledge and the ability to use it”

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PREAMBLE
When you look through a history book, you will never see a concrete recipe for why an empire or a princedom stood the test of time. Each of them and its society must find a way to adapt to the struggle of their century. Consider our distant cousin the Haelun’orian who once thrived from their eternal library & their philosophy of health and progress. Yet for their case, such belief was taken to the extreme to where it didn’t guide them and instead brought stagnancy and a period of isolation. What was once an ideology that has guided through a storm has left them behind from the rest of the world by a mere three centuries of progress.

If we go to the north west of the current (Aevos) Celia’nor, the current realm that reigns most prosperous within the continent would be the Haeseni people. From the yolk and days of Oren, they suffered through oppression and internal restriction. Yet through perseverance & defiance, they lived long enough and brought an end to the longest reigning Empire in human history. Learned from the trial and struggle of the past, the Hanseni now stand strong within the realm of man, vowing to snuff out any flame or even ember from the heartlander before they face another major crisis.

Now with the Celia’norian mindset, the root or origins of it starts way before the time of the first revolt. The mindset stems from the inferiority complex that most Mali of all society faces throughout our history, from the day where the first Aherals were enslaved by the Empire of Man to more recent history were Mali’thill motherland saw their gate of isolationism got knocked down by Haense. Such humiliation and moment of folly has birthed the first prototype of the Celian philosophy of  “ilMaehr’sae Ilkun’ehya”.

THE SPARK OF A BELIEF
Pride, respect & security are the three pillars of what keep a group of people motivated to ride the tide of a storm. Yet for the Aheral has endured centuries of humiliation without much changes or actions from those they deemed to be the wisest; hence came the spark of the first revolution by Ivarielle the Great. For the ideals of health and progress has become a political tool rather than something a people can rely on. Many Mali’thill and Mali’aheral broke the social norms to force a change through violent means to change the system. From that day and moving onward, those of the First Age generation have agreed that only through the sheer strength of steel and knowledge will the Aheralic people bring themselves out of the dark age.

PHILOSOPHY FOR A NEW AGE
Young in terms of culture and identity but rich in ideals and ambitions are the defining definition that I myself can think for our kinds (Celia’norian). The thought of the elf of today is one of self-reliance, of strength and fortitude even in the most dark of times. Many will come to establish themselves through hard work, or naught be anything at all, for only the self-made man carries the weight of his own fate upon his back, as many of our kind have come to learn. In this changing world, so unlike the past of Fi’andria, have the newer age learned to become fierce and resilient, in a way of a more difficult and less forgiving world than would be known under the founder. It is through this, the mind of a new Celian made Mali is forged, like its moniker--of steel, that shall not bend nor break in the greatest of battles, past or present.
 

AY’PUERAN;

Her Royal Highness Arch Prelate, A’eollaja Ibarellan, Councilor of Religious Affairs, Lady of Sohae Sulli

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      III. SUBCULTURE OF THE CELIAN PEOPLE

|[IL TALIIYNA IGNE’EHYA]|
“WITH BLOOD AND FIRE”

“What is mine is but fire and blood”

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THE EARLY FI’ANDRIAN PEOPLE

As Fi’andria and Celia’nor itself had settled itself into a stable and established position in the world, cultural exploration was largely a secondary priority of the militarist state, that had long lacked a personal identity, as the nation seemed to be founded more as an army with a state, fashioned from a canon’s shot. For several decades, practicality became the name of the Celian people, where expression and identity was a loose concept, wherein many still considered themselves Haelun’orian outside of haelun’or, many wishing to one day reconquer their stolen lands. In this time, Celia’nor’s first allies, the Mali’fenn and Mali’ker of the Duel Principality of Fenn rubbed off on the populace of Celia’nor, not only forming some of their base traditions, but their growing separatist identity as separate from Haelun’orians. Militarism can largely be accredited to the Fenn, whereas the Ker were responsible for their fierce spirit in the face of hardship.

 

 

THE LATE FI’ANDRIAN PEOPLE

 

As culture was largely explorative in the first few decades, various methods of avant garde approaches to art, clothing, and personal expression became the order of the day later during the reign of Ivarielle the First, and Illarion the First, as the ‘Fi’mali’ was a pondering of scholars and philosophers to what a post-haelunor identity would mean. With the shackles of purity disbanded, other closed schools of thought were revisioned and revised, where the Fi’mali could introspect on the self and his newfound allies amongst elvendom. Late stage Fi’Andrian largely inspired the notions of culture of current high society Celian culture, where extravagant acts of self expression and personal achievement becomes that of a badge of honor, while sharing the same familial honor and tight bonds were resumed since early formation. Presenting oneself of that of high society, honor, stoicism and immense talent would become the standard for high society, forming rigid social codes of conduct for the highest of honor. 

 

The lower class of late Fi’andria would share a similar matter in refining their presentation of social culture, often of which was defined by self-determinism and individualism. A late Fi’andrian would often define themselves by close bonds to their monarch, family, guild or chapter, wherein the term ‘Fi’andrian’ often described a collection of strong-willed mali in proximity to the city. A Fi’andrian of the time was considered the model of ‘e’anniler’ or lone guide in one's own life. Many Fi’andrians of the time were merchants, business owners,  trade-workers, and specialists, who found much more comradery within their inner circles of their trade than anything else, forming tight bonds through the military complex, and merchant guilds. 

 

THE LEYU’SILIAN

After facing the late stage degeneracy of the reign of Valyris the Tyrant, and inevitably facing the doom of Almaris, the shock of the people became a severely ingrained memory to the minds of those who lived through the event. As the second capital land of Leyu’sil was crafted, it became a priority to nationalize and establish a unified idea of the Celian identity, where the crafted ideals of tradition and new age thinking would be solidified to create a new mali identity, and like the city before it, reinvent the ‘Fi’mali’ for the ‘Mali’sil’ or sword elf. For this, the military was aggrandized with much more popularity than before, with the sword and shield being taken as cultural icons for the people of Celia’nor, in both body and spirit. A Leyu’sillian was no less cultured as their Fi’andiran counterparts, but sought to combine the value of combat with culture and daily life.

 

Many of the current day traditions were solidified under the reigns of Illyria the First, and Iryne the First, where many can trace the legacy of ‘Sil’iyat’ or sword culture was born. The Leyu’sil through careful crafting was designed to be a person of strong will, with a strong code of duty and service, where the nation became the personification of the will of the Sword, and the way of the Celian. This culture largely has been popularized amongst the younger generations of Celia’nor, with some elder generations especially amongst the nobility to be more in line with late Fi’andrian culture.

 

THE OYASHI

For as long as the mali peoples of Celia’nor have been crafted from the hammer and anvil of trials, the Oyashi have long since been a pivotal peoples inside the realm of Celia’nor. While a long standing minority of peoples amongst the vast swaths of high elven culture, the Oyashi culture has long since complimented the culture of Celians, and made itself a visible peoples inside the realm of elves, wherein clans of both Valah, Tali’mali, and adopted Mali make themselves home inside the realm. 

 

While not resembling as closely the stricter fashions of Oyashi culture such as the realm of Kyo-Kuni, they are unequivocally recognized for their mercantile, artisanal, and mechanical craftsmanship, near solely responsible for Celia'nors technological adoption and growth of smoggers and machinery technology. 

 

THE PARADINIAN
 

 

Under the time of Fi’andria in Almaris, the Paradinians are a unique and exotic culture founded by the Noble line of Akaln’riv. Established inside their realm of Paradine, the founder of Akaln’riv, Theoden, was traditionally raised by northmen, potentially claiming birth from the halls of long standing Celian ally Haense-Ruski, of which many traditions the Paradinians have Hybridized. 

 

Widely conservative for many Celian peoples, the Paradinian are often noted for their traditional values, with many preferring the rural living to the urban center, with hunting and farming to be the largest categories of career and skills. Many tend to dress much less extravagantly as those of the capital, valuing practicality and ruggedness. Much more interestingly, neither common nor elvish is their main language, instead speaking New Marian much more commonly. 

 

Paradinians are often referred to as ‘frontier peoples’, or even as traditional ranchers, reflected in their homefront lifestyle and general reclusiveness. They hold a strong belief in strength and character building, where the harshest of Celia’nor’s borders are simply training grounds to these oxen-like people. While a Paradinian is fiercely independent, they are first and foremost loyal to the crown, and hold strong values of loyalty and duty.

 

 

THE LUCI’TERHALIR

One of the first ever major exports of Celia’nor, was its famed wine products under the behest of Ivarielle the First. While initially a small industry, wine has become the largest domestic product sold by Celia’nor, and for it, the much need population to cultivate and produce it arose during the later stages of her reign. Culturally distinct from the urban centers of Celia’nor, the Luci’terhalir is known for its similarity to Auvergnian and Illatian culture, wherein it’s rural culture is often compared to Petran farmers. Centered completely around wine cash crops, such as grapes and berries, large grain farms, and some smaller pastoral farms for dairy and wool.

 

This caste of Celian society is largely responsible for producing significant amounts of export trade, and food for the principality, where  almost half of all domestic food comes from. The Luci’terhalir despite their intense position as the food basket of the principality, are widely known for their cool and laxed personalities, wherein hard work is also synonymous with high quality of life, where each man and woman takes pride in their work, and values the land they live upon. Some families have been able to strike it rich from the significant money made through wineries, wherein some noble families have striked their origins from.

 

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      IV.CODEX OF THE CELIAN NOBILITY & MILITARY

|[IL SIL’EHYA WY]|
“WITH SWORD AND HAND”

“A sword wields no strength unless the hand that holds it has courage”

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THE ORIGIN OF THE LAURIR’AHEAL

 

Established during the early periods of Fi’andria, several high profile families came to be established under several generations of rulers through Celia’nor. Following the illustrious royal Ibarellan Talonnii, several names came to be elevated for their service, or backing to the crown, such as the wealthy Py’lrie family, who were the first major bank of Celia’nor, or the military prowess of house Cerusil, famed fighters of the principality. Through this elevation of several Talonnii families, did the culture of the Laurir’aheal form, inspired highly by the late Fi’andrian peoples. Set of the highest standards and of the highest luxuries of the principality, the Laurir’aheal caste made themselves well renowned for their power and influence through the lands, being both the backbone of the principalities wealth, but the esteemed and royal ordained right to privilege. 

 

Much of high society can be considered by many accounts as ‘avant garde’, wherein fashion and culture are set to their extreme and boldly reinvented by many wishing to make their family the next big thing. This reality of competition often brings some families to great alliances, or deep rivalries, wherein centuries long ‘disagreements’ can shape and mold the identities of these families’ relationships. Many talonniis have their own unique culture and traditions, where some adopt the rural paradinian lifestyle such as the farming Akaln’riv talonnii, or unique traditions from outside the principality such as the Mah’nel family. 

 

Despite disagreements, many families often come together into various forms of noble governments or appointed positions only the illustrious families can afford, to discuss running the principality’s civil functions and day to day life for those residing in the capital, wherein these privileged elites are expected to bring fortune and exceptionalism to the princedom. 

 

 

THE DIVADRI LIFESTYLE

 

As the nation hatched from a cannonball, the military has long been an integral part of the lives of the average Celian, where it is viewed as one of the greatest honors and service an immortal mali can give for the nation, a duty above one singular man or woman in the face of external threats. This very pillar of the community, where militarism is worshipped and praised, made for the founding of much of Celian culture, but helped it survive for centuries. 

 

Many who have led, or long since served in the military have designed various facets of what it means to be Diraar, or soldier of the principality, the title of Diraar itself playing upon the ancient terminology of sentinels of old. Wherein brotherhood and community is developed by various members, wherein traditions such as the blackening of the armor, the mark of Atheleon, or other such traditions have developed that have made the divadri more than just a fighting force, but a true fraternity of veterans and new blood all the same united in combat. 

 

This facet of the face of Celia’nor, makes the divadri not only considered duty, but considered honorable to many, where it is valued highly those given in sacrifice for the greater good of the nation and people of Celia’nor. The dead are often honored in burial ceremonies known as ‘sword graves’, where one’s sword is planted into their final resting place on the battlefield, or even mounted in grand sword graveyards within the lands of Celia’nor to avoid theft of the fallen’s weapons. It is this ultimate sacrifice that is deeply revered and respected, wherein the average celia’norian takes great offense to disrespect of the dead.

 

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V. CELIAN CULTURAL LIFE & PLACE

|[IL MASULEH’EYHA FIR’BILOK]|
“WITH ANVIL AND HAMMER”

“In this word, mali must be hammer or anvil”

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THE BLADES OF THE STARS.

Born of their martial comrades in the Mali’fenn, Celia’nor takes great pride in their adaptation of martial pride and skillful warrior class. This distinct association of the culture of the Celia’norian for warfare prowess and martial dignity is known colloquially as Sil’iyat, or blade philosophy. Sil’iyat denotes a particular personification of a citizen’s duty, and honor to be not simply philosophical, but taken as a physical manifestation in the blade itself of each and every Celia’norian. Weapon ownership among mali is overwhelmingly populated by Celia’norians, as each citizen carry a weapon of their choice, designed roughly around the age of twenty years old in a coming of age ceremony known as the Othelu’talareh, a day in which one shall bond with steel, to forge a weapon of their own design, a labor that can often take days to complete. This weapon is seen as a manifestation of the soul in the physical world, a tool and yet a reflection of one’s character. It is often seen that many soldiers who’ve fallen in battle, are marked in their place of rest with their sword to be planted in the ground, to reflect their service and impact upon this world. Many families also pass down the weapons of great warriors from child to child, such tools to be honored and treasured of those who no longer walk the living world.

With the tradition of Othelu’talareh, it is not uncommon for whole Talonnii’s to bear a signature design, teaching the youth how to specifically forge their weapon of choice, with techniques passed down from generation to generation. While some have adopted the process of having artisans forge blades instead of learning the process, more traditional Talonniis tend to spit at the idea.

This idolization of weapons and specifically blades has led equally to an interesting development in the daily lives of the common celia’norian, in which blades are such a commonality, that is has even become fashionable to adorn oneself in depictions of weapons. The most common trope of this fashion trend, is that of the hairpin, often either designed to simply appear like that of a weapon, or be designed to function as such as concealed hairpins.

THE ARTISTRY OF DUELING.

Within a people of high dignity and martial idealization, disagreements are bound to occur amongst the people of the stars. While outright violence is often decried by the law and general populace, the practice of dueling has taken a foothold amongst especially the elite to settle civil discourse. Rather than resort to uncivility as such as name calling or unrestrained violence, the offended party may challenge their opponent to Sirame’dagr. The accused may decline, however it is considered highly cowardly, and would reflect more poorly than losing the duel. The actual duel strictly requires the use of dueling rapiers known as Sul’sil, as magic or other weaponry are considered unjust for a battle of will. The two are then to engage in battle, strictly aiming to trade blows with their opponents, and rather than kill the opponent, the parties are seeking ‘satisfaction’, that is, to restore honor in combat. If the offending party submits, they must recant their statements, whereas a submitting victim must accept their opponents right to declare such. Regardless of the outcome, parties may receive scars from dueling, often referred to as Sirame’so the ‘badge of honor’, ‘bragging award’, or ‘mark of courage’, these scars are often highly respected amongst celia’norians for their venerated status of courage, in which either party in the outcome of the due gain more respect from the general populace.

The art of dueling has become such a fast growing tradition, that Academic Fencing has become an official sport in the culture of Celia’nor, albeit with greater protection than that of common dueling. Lightly armored with simple padding and protective masks, academic fencers perform for sport and reputation before the more refined citizens of Celia’nor, wherein a battle of skill, dexterity, and strategy decide a winner within a match of opponents trading blows, wherein the winner is declared by who has achieved the most successful hits. 

THE PEOPLE OF GOLD AND STARS.

While their forefathers inside of Haelun’or had abandoned gold, branding it as sinful and cursed, Celia’nor had instead taken value to this precious metal due to its anti-darkspawn properties. Due to being constantly underminded by beings of the dark, gold has become an item of both superstition, and practicality, wherein most citizens often carry Aurum weapons, or decorate themselves in gold to ‘ward off evil spirits and maladies’. Due to this growing value and popularity in the usage of gold, while the Celian people are widely know as the people of the stars, they are also coined as the Golden Elves, a direct opposition to their silver forefathers.

Long has the stars been a key part of Celia’nor and its people, identifying themselves as children of the cosmos. Due to this, astrology has become an intrinsic element of the culture of the Celia’norian, which boasts some of the highest numbers of astronomers in elven kind. Local catalogues of constellations and various discoveries of stellar objects have grown in large volume since the founding of the starlit nation, who’ve long since looked upon the night sky to search for higher meaning and wonder. Astronomy has not only become a scientific endeavor for many acclaimed scientists, but a household activity amongst families, who will engage in Celia’sulier, wherein many families will step outside their homes after sunset to tell folktales of constellations in the sky, some more affluent families able to afford proper telescopes to observe distant objects in the night. 

One such item that has been adopted by the Celian peoples, is that of the Celian Zodiac, or Celia’karena of which outlines various astrological symbols for certain constellations and months in which said constellations are most visible. It is a common tradition to record the month in which a child is born, where some believe these dates reflect a person's personality or traits of their person. 

Len’metta - Song Bird ) Those born in the first month of the year are considered to be artistic and free thinking, with a kind and ever energetic personality that many can find both endearing and infectious. Song birds are however prone to dependency upon others, needing an anchor to root themselves emotionally and spiritually.

Sirame’faesu - Stag ) Those born on the second month of the year are considered to be grounded and dependable, often seen as natural born leaders and guides to others, while maintaining strong loyalty to those they value. They can be however quite stubborn and relatively controlling.

Athri - Viper ) Those born on the third month of the year are considered fiercely independent, with a passionate and intense attitude, seen as firebrands with revolutionary ideas and thoughts. They can however be considered impatient, and deeply resentful when wronged.

Vuln - Fox ) Those born on the fourth month of the year are seen as self motivated and reserved people, but when connected to are fun and charming individuals who value pragmatism and perfectionism. They can however be seen as emotionally unavailable and stubborn to open up.

Magara’vuln - Bear ) Those born on the fifth month of the year are considered ambitious and dependable people with a strong personal code and valuing honesty, with bold and gregarious personalities. They are known to be impulsive and possessive of that which they consider theirs. 

Faesu - Horse ) Those born on the sixth month of the year are known for being adventurous and compassionate souls with a deep sense of wanderlust, and a forgiving and friendly personality. However those born of this month are seen as erratic and insecure of themselves, needing to prove to others their value.

Leyu’metta - Swan ) Those born on the seventh month of the year are known for their graceful and confident personalities, often being highly serious and critically engaging conversationalists. They are equally known for their pessimistic and moody behavior, often being controlled by their mood.

BODY MODIFICATION.

Traditionally, high elves rarely engaged in altering their bodies with items such as tattoos or piercings, the former of which having been banned under the times of Haelun’or. However, being freed from the philosophy of purity, the Celian peoples experimented with their newfound social independence to their bodies, wherein new methods of beauty and fashion were adopted. While human and other nations engage in tattoo practices with standard ink, Celia’norians engage in ‘Starlight tattoos’, wherein tattoos are met to be reflections of the cosmos or the stars by using glowing ink processes to mark their bodies. Most commonly using war forging to achieve the glowing look, some cheaper alternatives are that of redstone tattoos, albeit in smaller volumes due to its inherent toxicity. Tattoo parlors can often be located alongside alchemist shops due to the commit of alchemists using war forging.

Piercings are equally an increasing endeavor inside of Celia’nor, the most common being ear piercings often made of rare metals such as gold and silver. While not common, especially amongst the peerage, nose and lip piercings are becoming more common amongst the civilian class in Celia’nor, but heavily strict due to social norms.

 

ARMAMENTS OF THE STARS.

As a martial people with an ever growing need to expand their military capabilities and strength, various models of weapon have been designed and refined by the industrious peoples of Celia’nor. While this list includes some of the more famous designs and common weapons, due to the amount of weapon smiths within Celia’nor, there are often many different weapons and variants not expressed here.

Mar’sil) The Mar’sil, a family of larger class swords like the human greatsword; are some of the largest and heaviest blades of the Celian military, and due to their specialty as two handed weapons, they are by far the rarest common weapon to make use. With a hilt that is long and curved in the subtle shape of an ‘s’, its length strikes that as more of a polearm than a sword hilt, with an exceptionally large, sleek and heavy chopping blade, and a rather prominent and aggressive hooked curve at its tip. Due to its long hilt and chopping blade, many mistake it for a halberd instead of a sword, measuring it at a massive 50 - 70 inches. It’s primary purpose is used for chopping light armor, cutting enemy ladders, and extended heavy weapon range, making it exceptionally powerful in the hands of one with enough strength and finesse to use it properly.

Dion’sil) The Dion’sil is by far the most common family of swords in the Celian arsenal, being the most heavily produced by the military and most readily available to citizens. Despite its mass production, most are made us a level of artisan quality that makes the blade significantly more recognizable on the battlefield. Bearing two sharpened sides, and a curved blade that specializes in slashing and chopping, its curved hilt is seen to fit the descendant hand more comfortably than a straight hilt, complimenting its more dexterous usage. Measuring roughly 42 inches, it handles most combat ranges comfortably as both a one handed, and two handed weapon. 

Dionne’sil) The Dionne’sil is the class of sword with the highest amount of variation and design changes between any family of sword. The majority of Dionne’sils reflect their larger Dion’sil counterpart, including the curved blade, and curved, albeit one handed hilt. However some variations of this weapon in its relative size class bear varying traits, such as two sides, thinner blades meant for slashing, or a straighter blade purposed for thrusting and poking. This natural variation makes the Dionne’sil the most widely useful and practical weapon in the Celian arsenal, despite its short size being under 40 inches.

Sul’sil) The Sul’sil is a class of weapon most commonly associated with dueling and fashion than outright combat, being regarded as a mixture of ceremonial sabers, and dueling blades. Often being two sided, the Sul’sil is thinner than most blades, known for its ability to bend and resist breaking, while bearing a rounded cross guard unlike other sword types to protect the user’s hand. Mainly used for stabbing and poking strikes instead of slashing, it makes for an excellent tool to keep one’s distance from their opponent and avoid weapon locking due to its bending nature. Some variations may even ditch the two sided approach, with fencing swords often only bearing a sharpened needle tip, where it often gets the name of ‘needle’. While often outclassed in combat by other swords, the Sul’sil is quite artistic and fashionable in design and use, making it a favorite amongst nobility and career duelists.

Ihnsil) The Ihnsil, or polearm family, is a variety of spear types and lances that is quite common in the military ranks of Celia’nor. It is claimed before any man may learn the sword, he must learn the spear, making it deeply linked with military culture due to its practicality in shield formations, and anti-armor units. Traditionally used by cavalry and units specified in combating enemy armor, the Ihnsil is prerogative to countering enemy specialist units with pointed spear tips, heavier lance spears, and armor cracking halberds (Fer’ihnsil). It can often have a wide variation in design for specialized purpose, such as Dion’sil blades, hatchets, lance tips, and others, being naturally a cheap and effective pick to arm the Celian army.

Berr) The staple of any elven arsenal, the Berr is both traditional and effective in military conflicts, and hunting. With its relatively cheap and historical heritage, the Berr is commonplace amongst Celia’norians, with military regiments dedicated to marched archery, and highly effective horseback archery. The Berr is often separated between Mar’berr, Dion’berr, and Dionne’berr; great, long, and short respectively, with different draw weights between each class, being between 30 - 50 ibs for Dionne, and 100 ibs for Mar’berrs.

Fer’berr) Better known as the crossbow, the Fer’berr was adopted in the late Fi’andrian period by the military, where its largely stayed, as many older generations consider it to be ‘a novelty’, that it could not replace the classic Berr. However the Fer’berr has made its impact in military conflicts for its reliability to puncture armor in an increasingly well armored world. While it can vary in relative poundage, the most common used is a medium weight poundage of 650 ibs draw weight, whereas some heavier war classes boast 1000 ibs or higher. 

 

MUSIC OF THE COSMOS.

Traditional Celian music is known between four distinct styles or genres of music; Marching/Military music, reflective symphonic sonatas, traditional folk music, and historical vocal epics. Celian music has a distinct style of tonal shifting, blending minor keys with major keys in song to reflect change or experiences in perspective of the musician, wherein most upbeat songs share a sorrowful ballad, or songs of lament bare an optimistic chorus. While many songs have instruments, vocals are considered a must in all song, valued higher than other methods of producing music. Brass and reed instruments are practically nonexistent in Celian music, whereas string, percussion, flute woodwinds, and especially the harp are significant in concert and folk music. While traditional human instruments such as the violin or cello can replicate Celian music closely, most Celia’norians prefer to use their own brand of instrument family for strings. The Reba’haru is a button assisted instrument, similar to a Nyckelharpa, a multi-stringed fiddle that relies on pressing keys on the neck, often having varying sizes to produce different sounds like standard orchestral instruments. The Gen’sumu is similar in design to a lute, albeit a thinner profile and longer neck similar to a shamisen. It can be both plucked like a guitar, and played with a bow like a fiddle. Prominent in symphonic music, is the Haru and the Bo’haru, similar to a Harp and Piano respectively, which most often churches adopting the Iheiuh’boharu, a pipe organ that’s near identical to human organs, and the Taiiso drum, a heavy bass drum for dee melancholies or bombastic epics. The most common themes to be written and performed in Celian music is patriotic hymns and shanties in marching bands and military celebrations, reflective tragedies or emotional inner dialogue, oral history, and performative ensemble plays meant to be physically impressive as much as it is musically.

 

TASTE OF THE HEAVENS.

Traditional Celian cuisine is largely vegetarian based, with meat often being reserved solely for the army in nutritional rations and much needed protein to keep supply and stamina up during campaigns. Due to this, the Celian diet is often consisted of vegetarian and vegan meals to relate meat diets, wherein most Celian elves will shun foreign meat entirely. Certain animals, such as pork, mutton and venison do not appear in the Celian pallet anywhere, whereas smaller animals like rabbits, fish and duck can appear in frontier diets. Stews, baked goods, cooked vegetables, and grains are the most common elements in food, with the universal spice mix of Celian foods being Paprika, pepper, oregano, thyme and cumin. Wine is a common drink for the land of stars, with wine having been its first ever export. As master winemakers, various brands and flavors have come out of Celia’nors borders, from burning red liquors to sweet white wines, there’s a bottle for everyone’s taste. 

Igne’hiugu) A simple homebrew meal, it mainly consists of charred vegetables such as cucumbers, basil leaves, tomatoes, zucchini, and eggplant topped in a savory tomato sauce and on occasion served with egg noodles.

Wehn’sew) A warm porridge dish made by stirring grains such as rice or barley into broth til reaching a creamy smooth consistency. Often a side dish, it can be topped with grilled mushrooms or podded greens.

Taynei’wehntehral) A thin, flakey flatbread pocket filled with grilled Swiss chard, this dish is most commonly served as an appetizer, or by street vendors, and is a particular favorite in the market districts of the capital city paired with dipping sauces.

Siru’luer) A warm slow cooked mushroom stew dish in a savory paprika sauce, it is often topped over egg noodles or rice, slowly simmered in a pot with aromatic sauteed onions for half the day.

Marm’kaerisew) A thick paprika  stew cooked over fire, made it is often made with legumes such as chickpeas and a sweet or sour cream mixture to enrich the flavor. It’s most often paired with egg noodles or flour dumplings.

Nor’lin Sew) A staple dish of rural Celian diet, this dish is nutritionally dense and full of vegetables simmered in a hot broth, occasionally sporting proteins like rabbit or chicken that’s slow cooked until tender and fall apart in your mouth. It typically sports root vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, and onions.

Mira’wehntehral) Known colloquially as ‘warm bread’ this is a more common variation of flatbread made of flour, water, salt, and yogurt to create a soft, airy bread that is perfect for making into sandwiches, or hollowing into pockets for vegetables or occasionally meats. 

Wehn’kaeso) Stuffed peppers are a favorite amongst many urban Celians, being a tasty dinner meal with great variety of ingredients. Most commonly filled with rice, and topped in melted cheese, these delicious treats are sure to make you go for seconds.

Velu’tiuth) A meal adopted from humanity under the reign of Illyria I, it is most commonly referred to as ‘moon pies’ or pizza by human standards. While there are plenty variations to its recipe, it commonly calls for a creamy tomato sauce, a flour crust often lightly charred in a wood oven, and cheese melted on top with various toppings.

Wehn’saera) A common staple side dish, Celian rice is cooked inside a savory broth to hydrate the rice with salt and other spices. It can often form the base of many dish recipes, or simply be enjoyed by itself.

Age’hiugo Kaemu) A traditional street food and side dish, these deep fried vegetable fritters are made by chopping various vegetables thin and into strips, packed together with egg and flour, and deep fried to make a crispy snack.

Valein’tehral) Another common street food and snack, these balls of rice and cheese are wrapped around a center of podded greens, and then fried into tiny balls, often served at fairgrounds or tournaments.

 

STARLIGHT FASHION.

Celian fashion is traditionally split between two categories, that being class, and gender, with fashion in general being highly conservative and traditional, influenced heavily by military culture and dress code laws. This distinction between gender and class often reflects social dynamics in Celia’nor, with lower class fashion often being more unisex and practical, and higher class being more distinct and embellished. 

Male upper class) Known for its heavy influence from military dress code, the male upper class strikes itself as bold and dignified, reflecting their status as part of the upper crust of Celian society. Most upper class males will sport waist high slim pants, with some retaining overlaying robes. Many wear either leather boots for height and practicality, whereas others will dress in dress shoes for a more refined look. Most commonly adorned is a loose blouse piece with trim cuffs to fit the arm. Most prominent of all however, is the addition of the Divadri’cot, a sleek military-esque trench coat that loosely drapes over the shoulders, making the shoulders appear broader and well defined, while also serving practically for colder or rainy weather. Many often sport a ceremonial Saber, or a Sul’sil at their hip.

             

Mira’tai Dress line                                        Feta’tai Dress line

Female upper class) Women of the upper class often have the most diverse and bold designs, with many pushing the limits of fashion to be the most unique and outstanding. Remaining dressed conservatively, dress trains are often low, with some even being as long as 10 feet, with bright colors such as floral notes or white and gold. Many often follow a code of seasonal dress, summer dresses being looser, bigger and more flowy to reflect spring and summer, whereas winter dresses often share slimmer dresses with warmer coat like tops. The Mira’tai line of dress is characterized by silk fabrics, with a significantly longer dress train known as a Asii’lent that is layered like petals of a flower around a wider brim dress skirt. Sporting a waist level silk belt, the tops of these dresses are fitting and breathable, sometimes containing a corset as often the upper chest is more freely exposed with wide straps. The Feta’tai line includes slimmer fitting clothes, which on occasion drops the skirt for dress pants, but commonly uses a more rigid cotton fabric than silk. The tops are almost universally closed off, sporting a more military uniform look with neck collars, and shoulder embellishments. Regardless of the style, the most common addition in female fashion is that of the headdress. While each one is generally different, headdresses combined with unique hairstyles is the most popular piece of clothing in high women’s fashion, whether it be the Talyiinist veil, the Golden wreaths, the branch crown, or flower crown, it’s a significant fashion statement amongst highborn women. 

Male lower class) With fashion being less of a societal requirement in the lower ranks, male Celian fashion is much more relaxed and practical than its highborn counterpart. Prioritizing its ability for cheap clothing and practicality for daily life and combat, the most common line of fashion is Hiihal’onn which encompasses knee high boots, pants, a waist wrap, and a long top that drapes past the waist and to the thighs, sometimes with an outer coat wrap that can reach the thighs. This wear is practical for daily use and work, making it one of the most common and reliable fashion styles amongst men.

Female lower class) Due to a lack of norms of fashion with the lower class, the female bench is more unisex than its highborn counterpart, with greater freedom and variation. Much more commonly are pants seen amongst lower born women, reflective of their higher percentage of being in the military. A similar style of men’s Hiuhal’onn is presented in women’s fashion, albeit often including simplified head pieces or more feminine embroidery. While it’s more common to dress in unisex wear, there are alternate forms of Mira’tai and Feta’tai wear for lower class citizens, lacking some of the more extravagant gold or silver additions and avant garde designs, or even adopting more traditional and simplified robes.

 

CELIAN FESTIVITIES.

Due to Celia’nor’s militaristic nature, celebrations tend to be focused more upon victories or patriotic fervor, however some yearly festivals do occur regularly. 

Summer Solstice) In the 6th elvish month, Celia’nor celebrates the summer solstice, often accompanied by circus fairs, festival feasts, and celebrate the middle of the year. 

Winter Solstice) In the 12th elvish month, they celebrate the winter solstice, celebrations include passing of gifts, hymns and tales of this year’s glory, and family feasts to celebrate the end of the year, as it is believed the winter solstice marks the beginning of the new year, rather than the 1st month.

Founding day) Celebrated in the 4th elvish month, the original founding of the principality is celebrated in a month long endeavor, where various celebrations and events are hosted in recognition of the founder Ivarielle’s achievements, the middle of the month being declared as ‘Ivarielle day’.

Military day) While military parades are common, Military day is a single day in the year wherein veterans and active service men are venerated for their duty to protect the nation, and equally a time of mourning the dead that have fallen in battle.

Harvest Moon day) Celebrated in the 10th month of the year on the day of the harvest moon, this holiday is the most recent, largely having to do with the growing influence of the Talyiinist church. This day is considered to be more of a day of fright and vigilance and treated much more as an omen, as its bright lunar light is associated with darkspawn. While officially in Talyiinist doctrine as a religious holiday, the common people of Celia’nor often celebrate this frightening day dressing in costume of ghouls and darkspawn, going house to house where the owner must either frighten their guest, or part with treats.

STAR GUIDED FAITH.

Celia’nor for much of its history followed the traditions of atheism much like their Haelun’orian forefathers during the original age of Fi’andria, however more recently has the church of Talyiinism, headed by Princess A’eollaja Ibarellan propped up significantly inside the lands of Celia’nor. Adopted officially under the reign of Iryne the First, the faith of Talyiinism preaches the ideal of the cleanliness of the soul, rejecting traditional worship of gods such as the aspects and aenguls, and instead preaches one should worship the true creator god, Acaele, synonymous with the Canonist god. It is believed Acaele is a broken god, shattered by an unknown demiurge that seeks division, and that only through worship and recognition of god’s existence, may elven kind be redeemed for centuries of blind worship to pretenders such as the aspects.

ARCHITECTURE OF THE HEAVENS.

Celia’nor boasts a unique style of building, that values the artistry of city building, with the practicality of its usage. Sometimes referred as ‘Mali’siimah’, or tower elves, Celian building is characterized by high rising towers and mega structures that tower into the very heavens themselves, where sunlight often caps the very tips of these towers at dawn and dusk. Often unified with nature in its construction practice, Celia’nor’s famous golden trees typically sprout out of towers and walls as if the very soil itself, where dense, yet cleaned and refined moss and vegetation will grow on select locations. Center to every major urban center, is the iconic Sirame’taliame, the Great Tree, that sprouted first under Ivarielle, and its sapling has been raised to regrow to its’s parent height under the careful care of the Ibarellan family since the doom of Almaris. Basking the nation in a glowing light of gold, the tree is a symbol of the people, and its ability to stand hardship and destruction, that it may inspire and provide insight to many. The standard Lin, or home of a Celia’norian, is generally stacked atop another, wherein homes or businesses can reside above or below another, making the city largely vertical in design. Common structures found in these densely packed and vertical cities include aqueducts to transfer spring water, and sprawling bridge walkways between buildings. Because of these tall structures, much of Celian architecture comes in layers, built around the many heights and layers erected by these megaprojects. They are almost always built with white colored walls, similar to the look of ivory or marble quartz, whereas the rooves are almost always a Celian wine color, or jett black. 

☽ ⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻  ✯ ⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻ ☾

Credits

@VoxyNoir @Cheeseycereal@TheMysterySlayer @ValleyOfLavender @Laeonathan For idea contributions and writing alongside myself.

 

Edited March 10, 2025 by Havsbris_

[Frisket 4538]

Ember grumbles

 

”I don’t consider voidal magic machines and what not as advancements  l was the one who came up with you aqueducts and sewage disposal systems to feed your fireplaces with the waste you all dispose through your copper pipes toilets and water spray baths…” 

 

the elf made angry elf noises within her quiet keep.