Our Covenant
ɱαɛɦᵲɛʅ-ʋαᛪʊ
The Dark Elven Communion
αչ. On Sovereignty
ɱαɛɦᵲɛʅ-ʋαᛪʊ - ‘the Dark Elven Communion’, henceforth the State - is a theocratic, tribal confederation.
Like ɦɛʅʊռ-ʋɛʅʊʅαɛψα and ɱαᵲռ-ӄɛᵲαռɛʅ in the ancient skies, or Velulaei and Uradras in the days of Magara’lin, the natural state of the dark elven people is that of diarchy. Two complimentary forces carried by the Maehr diaspora since our race’s creation upon Ceru: the Greater, embodying Tranquility, Maternity and Grace, and the Lesser, which must realise Ambission, Passion and Change.
The authority of these forces is drawn from both above and below.
The Greater, supreme advocate of ʋαᛪʊɛʅ is the presiding ʋʊʅɛᵲαռα, or ‘High Priestess’. It is she who is ordained by no single drow, but rather by fate; by the gods, if not Mother-Moon herself. It is for this reason that ʋʊʅɛᵲαռαɛʅ is anointed as the moral, spiritual and cultural guide of all Maehr through the stewardship of our grandest, most sacred relic, The Eye of Velulaei; otherwise called Luara’s Whispers, the arkenstone of Magara’lin which was recovered by the Maehr diaspora in the war of the September Prince and has remained the crowning jewel of our people across all realms since.
ӄ¤ȶɦɛʅ teaches us that it is from this stone, blessed by ɱαᵲռ-ӄɛᵲαռɛʅ and ɦɛʅʊռ-ʋɛʅʊʅαɛψα, that the first dark elves were born. Holy beyond measure, it is by Mother-Moon’s grace that the priestess charged with it may govern the souls of her people as the living voice of our silent goddess. It is with this relic that our wayward tribes of many creeds and cultures are anchored to a single divine purpose, and it is through the High Priestess that we may be organised into a single, shared ʋαᛪʊ, or ‘Communion’.
As the voice of Velulaei and the Moon Mother, only women known to the ways of ψψᵲʊʅ-ӄ¤ȶɦ, the powers of the ɱαɛʋʊʅ, ӄαռʊʊʅ or ψɛðαψɛ and the holy tongue of Vel’luah are capable of filling the role of High Priestess.
The Lesser, temporal protector of ɱαɛɦᵲɛʅ is our ʋɛʅαռα (feminine), ʊᵲɛᛪ (masculine), or ‘Primarch’. It is they who govern the practical apparatus of the Maehr Confederacy, elected by ռαᵲð¤չɦɛʅ, or ‘the Chieftains’, to rule as worldly sovereign of the united clans. Consecrated by the blessing of ʋʊʅɛᵲαռαɛʅ, the High Chief is appointed as the elective Sovereign Prince or Princess of the Dark Elves, charged with their protection and organisation as the supreme commander of the State’s military bodies and primary architect of the State’s function and delegation as they see fit.
Unlike the High Priestess whose powers are limited by the gods alone, the Primarch is answerable to the chieftains of the Maehr and may be dethroned with the High Priestess’ blessing by a unanimous vote of no confidence.
As an appointee of the Tribes of the Maehr Confederacy, the Primarch may be of any gender though must fulfill the prerequesite honour of recognition from ʂαռᵲψᵲչɦɛʅ as a fellow Chief of the Maehr Confederacy.
ռψȶ. On the Tribes
Throughout the long history of our diaspora, Maehr have organised themselves into satellite entities of cultural, political and military significance. These unions, manifest as the many Clans and Houses of the past and presence, are recognised by the State as marginally-autonomous units, referenced hence as Tribes.
It is natural that each Tribe organizes itself around a Matriarch or Patriarch, referenced hence as a Chief.
It is natural that when the need arises, a Chief may recognise certain members of their Tribe as Elders.
It is natural that all matters of indoctrination, ceremony, ancestor worship, marriage and funerary rites not deemed heretical by the Priesthood may be developed, maintained and administered by the Chief and their tribal delegates.
It is natural that any bloodline, adopted or indoctrinated Maehr of an existent tribe shall become the responsibility of their Chief in accordance with the tribe’s creeds and practices.
It is natural that any bloodline, adopted or indoctrinated Maehr of an existent tribe may divorce themself from it by a public proclamation of clanlessness, or indoctrination into another tribe by its Chief.
For these laws are natural to all Maehr, the State claims no authority over the formation, governance or dissolution of tribes beyond the Confederacy. However, the State reserves the right to forbid, exile or otherwise condemn any dark elven Tribe which exists in opposition to the teachings of ψψᵲʊʅ-ӄ¤ȶɦ and its Communion.
Though the rights of all tribes which profess themselves as such will be honoured by the State, the existence of a Tribe does not guarantee a voice amongst ʂαռᵲψᵲչɦɛʅ, or ‘the Speakers’.
ʂαռᵲψᵲչɦɛʅ refers to the governing body of chieftains recognised and elevated as tribal representatives in the Maehr Confederacy.
The chieftains of ʂαռᵲψᵲչɦɛʅ are empowered to:
Invoke the gods’ advocacy in any dispute raised against them by the State, otherwise known as a ‘trial by combat’.
Cast one vote per Tribe by either a Chief or a prior declared Elder speaking on their Chief’s behalf, in all ʂαռᵲψᵲչɦɛʅ matters.
Call to session the ʂαռᵲψᵲչɦɛʅ with the consent of the Primarch or no fewer than 6 Tribes of ʂαռᵲψᵲչɦɛʅ, to bring matters of security, tribal elevation, tribal disputes or Primarch election / no-confidence to the State’s attention.
Any vote cast by ʂαռᵲψᵲչɦɛʅ without the consent and presence (or delegate representation) of the High Priestess OR the Primarch is null and void, as well as potentially judged as treasonous.
These powers and protections are granted to the reigning Chief of each ʂαռᵲψᵲ-elevated tribe, or their delegates whilst ʂαռᵲψᵲչɦɛʅ is in session. Though the process of Chief selection is the internal mandate of each Tribe, in the event of a disputed succession or challengers ʂαռᵲψᵲչɦɛʅ reserves the right to choose its favoured Chief of an elevated clan to join them in session.
A Chief may only be recognised as such if they are a full or half-blooded Maehr who keeps ψψᵲʊʅ-ӄ¤ȶɦ.
ɦɛӄ. On the Priesthood
Following in the footsteps of our first and greatest Ancestor, Velulaei, all Maehr have felt the tug of the divine upon their psyche. Be it our tendency toward Derangement from the curses of ɱαᵲռ-ӄɛᵲαռɛʅ, or the saving grace of ɦɛʅʊռ-ʋɛʅʊʅαɛψα to overcome our fallen drow nature, the Maehr are a people governed by the laws of the supernatural just as much as the physical.
It is natural for Maehr to heed the call of ɦɛʅʊռ-ʋɛʅʊʅαɛψα, the many-named goddess of the Moon, as the saviour and foremost patron of our people through the salvation of Velulaei.
It is natural for Maehr to resist the call of ɱαᵲռ-ӄɛᵲαռɛʅ, the fallen god of Night, as the once-patron and grand deceiver of our people through the corruption of Azul.
It is natural for Maehr to honour other ψʅչɠʊʅչɦ from the infinite pantheon, along with the divine Ancestors, in accordance with their needs and personal or tribal practices.
Though the beliefs of all Maehr which confess their faith will be honoured by the State, the mere existence of a priest does not guarantee a place amongst the Priesthood of Kothel, understood as the highest echelon of Mother Moon’s clergy, bound to the Temple of ɱαɛɦᵲɛʅ-ʋαᛪʊ under the holy guidance of ʋʊʅɛᵲαռαɛʅ. These clerics, ordained by the High Priestess and her delegates, are the arbiters of the indivisible moral and temporal laws of the State.
The priests of ψψᵲʊʅ-ӄ¤ȶɦ are empowered to:
Interpret and advocate the metaphysical laws which bind all drow and their tribes.
Interpret and enforce temporal justice within the sovereign territories of ɱαɛɦᵲɛʅ-ʋαᛪʊ.
Guide and contest the judgements of the State’s military bodies through the process of trial and debate, overruled only by the Primarch or High Priestess’ final verdict.
A Priest of the Temple may only be recognised as such if they are a full blooded Maehr, ordained by the grace of ʋʊʅɛᵲαռαɛʅ.