Greater Faydark, Faydwer
Officially under the reign of King Tearis Thex of Felwithe, locally under the leadership of Maesyn Trueshot.
Uniquely beautiful in Norrath, Kelethin is built high in the branches of the oldest, sturdiest broadwood trees of the Greater Faydark. The city is made up of wooden platforms build around the tree-trunks, with rope-and-plank bridges connecting them together. The complicated platform connections, combined with the multi-level platforms some of the larger central trees support, make the city very disorienting to newcomers. Generally, merchant shops and guildhalls are on the lower levels, with the residences at higher levels, though this is not always the case. Access to the city is provided by guarded gnome-crafted lifts and rope ladders, though the rope ladders have fallen out of use and into disrepair.
Mostly Wood Elves, with the largest per capita Half Elven population on Norrath.
The Koada'Dal generally like to think they are the closest to their ancestors of ancient Tunaria, but the Feir'Dal know better. When the Elves arrived in Faydwer and saw the marvelous unspoiled woodlands, fae-touched and lovely, some of them saw a chance for a fresh start, away from the mistakes of the past. Some, however, were too rooted in the past to see this great opportunity and set about building walls and buildings and canals, trying to force a portion of the Faydark into their memory of Takish'Hiz.
The Fier'Dal (Wild Elves), as they would come to be called, saw this for the folly it was. When they looked at the Faydark, they all agreed it was much like Takish'Hiz, only much wilder, and they did not see this as a bad thing. They tried to convince their countrymen to abandon their city, but they were unable to convince them. In then end, they left the Koada'Dal to their marble halls and struck out into the wilderness.
Between where Kelethin and Crushbone stand today, the Wood Elves set about their first attempt at a woodland home, Shadow-Wood Keep. There stood-- stands, to this day-- a massive broadwood tree. The Elves spent decades coaxing the trees around it to grow horizontally to furnish a flat surface on which to build. They then laid crossbeams over the trunks, and mats on top, and hung mats from the surrounding upright trees. Leaves served as the roof. For many years, the Feir'Dal dwelled here very happily.
The Orcs and Elves had been at odds since the Elves arrived. When they started building Crushbone as their own city so near the Wood Elven settlement, the Fier'Dal were furious and began preparing for war. Unfortunately, the Orcs attacked first. The Orcs massacred the unprepared Elves and set fire to the Keep, burning it and everything in it. Only a handful of the Wood Elves escaped.
Today, no one knows precisely where to find the ruins of the Keep. Those few who claim to have seen it speak of a burned-out shell haunted by decaying skeletons-- the remains of the inhabitants whose hatred of the orcs keeps them from true rest.
The remaining Wood Elves were heart-broken but not beaten. They began construction at once on an even more magnificent home. Slowly, one of oldest and most respected rangers, Kele, put together a team of rangers to distract the orcs while the others worked on the nascent city. Dispite attacks from both the orcs and the native fae, the Wood Elves build many platforms and huts high above the forest floor. Once there were enough homes for everyone, the community moved in there, and christened it "Kelethin," Elvish for "Child of Kele."
The Orcs, enraged at the seeming disappearance of their hated enemies, began burning great swaths of forest down to drive them out of hiding. It was only at this point, after having established a city of their own, that Kele went to Felwithe to ask aid against the Orcs. The High Elves, who had only been waiting to be asked, graciously granted it. The Orcish threat diminished thereafter. The High Elves made it plain, however, that if their woodland countrymen expected Felwithian aid, they should remember their loyalty to the Felwithian crown.
Unlike their High Elven cousins, the Feir'Dal are strongly matriarchal. Women and men are generally considered equal, though there is a slight bias towards women among the Tunarians. All women are likened to Tunare. Like her, they are recognized as mothers and nurturers, the source of life and growth, and are respected and honored as such. Family lines are matrilineal, with a man taking his wife's name upon marriage, and passing it on to her children. To the extent the Wood Elves have personal property, homes belong to the (female) head of the household, to shelter her, her consort (married or not), and her offspring. Feir'Dal men never lack for shelter-- they can stay with any number of friends or neighbors, in their guild hall or place of employment, or in the forest itself.
Kelethites are, by and large, a simple-living people. They take only what they need from the land and creatures around them. Materialistically, they are very poor by High Elven (and even Human) standards, but what they lack in monetary wealth they make up for in social and spiritual riches. Those residents who find themselves falling on tough times, for whatever reason, can count on the community to support them until they are back on their feet.
Kelethinian hospitality is legendary, and rivals that of Rivervale. Kelethites, regarding neighbors or visitors, live by the premise "What's ours is yours." If the local inn is full, neighboring homes will invite them in, offering fine meals and the best beds. It is considered extremely rude to sleep soundly in one's own bed while guests are tossing and turning uncomfortably.
Kelethin completely lacks Felwithe's rigid class structure. All vocations and paths are seen as equal-- all contribute and each has its essential function. Some skills are universal-- it is a rare Feir'Dal child that cannot put together a decent arrow by the age of ten. Children can frequently climb the city's rope ladders before they can walk and are taught to watch out for Orcs and other enemies on the ground. Over 20% of the Orc sightings in Kelethin are made by the young ones.
Marriage among the Feir'Dal is a highly informal affair. Kelethites must wait until adulthood to enter into any kind of publically recognized commitment, but are otherwise free to do what they will. Customarily, women choose their partners in a relationship, up to and including marriage, though there is no rule against a man approaching a woman. For Wood Elves, marriage is not the exclusive till-death-do-us part of most other cultures. Formal joinings are usually entered into to better set up housekeeping or to publically declare love. It is never associated with considering the spouse "property," and what would be unforgivable transgressions in another culture are shrugged off or fondly tolerated in Kelethin.
Marriage may be informal, but a wedding is, like anything else, a cause for celebration. Ceremonies are short and simple, and attended by anyone who wishes to share the joy. The bride and groom present each other with small token gifts, usually rings, though they can be anything. The higher rank Druid then binds the bride's right hand to the groom's left with a leather strip. The happy couple declare their love for each other, and promise to remain together "as long as that love shall last." The ceremony is immediately preceeded with much feasting, drinking, singing, and dancing.
Feir'Dal sexual morals are the perhaps the biggest cause of disapproval from outsiders, especially the Koada'Dal, although some are attracted by the city's seemingly free-thinking attitudes. The act of love is considered by most Feir'Dal a natural, healthy, and very sacred joining. The Wood Elves are (by Human standards) incredibly (some say shockingly) open about sexual relationships. There are very few societal restraints placed on unmarried adults, and not very many more for married ones. Elven men and women are faithful to each other out of love, not the community's expectation. A certain amount of experimentation is expected of the near-adult adolescents as well, and generally accepted as harmless. The marriage vow, "as long as our love lasts," is taken literally-- and the Wood Elves, though not as long-lived as their Felwithian cousins, live long enough they rarely spend their entire life with one person. Marriages are dissolved the moment the husband moves out, and are almost always friendly amicable partings-of-ways.
The Kelethites as a community are far too tight-knit to let any children slip through the cracks (figuratively speaking); women are granted unwritten ownership of their homes to assure a roof over every little one's head. Most Feir'Dal eventually settle down with a spouse and raise chidren together. Feir'Dal men traditionally help raise their partners' children for as long as they are together, regardless if they are biologically his or not. For the Feir'Dal as a whole, raising children is its own reward. When an unplanned-for child is born (which is not uncommon) the parents are never obligated to raise him themselves. Such a child is adopted by the Druids and fostered out to a caring mother, usually already with several little ones, though sometimes they will give such a child to a woman unable to have children of her own. There is no stigma associated with giving up a child-- such parents are seen as increasing the blessings of another family while making a wise and responsible choice for themselves.
Wood Elven parents normally choose to raise children themselves; they would not hear of hiring a nurse to take care of a child. Children do not leave home, except in some rare few cases, until they are accepted as full citizens of Kelethin at age seventy-five. While Feir'Dal adolescence is not quite as long as the Koada'Dal one, but the Feir'Dal choose to indulge their growing children's appetite for exploration rather than trying to channel it more productively. As long as the young Feir'Dal does not harm anyone, he is free to do pretty much as he pleases until adulthood. Because most Wood Elven children solidly absorb the unwritten laws and customs by which the Kelethites live, by the time they reach adolescence, they generally sooner or later opt to join a guild or learn a trade as an apprentice. The Wood Elven laissez-faire method of child-rearing works surprisingly well; while the Koada'Dal deplore the structureless upbringings of their cousins, the Feir'Dal children end up being, on average, as skilled, motivated, and socially well-adjusted as Koada'Dal children.
Half Elves are not considered the "problem" they are in Felwithe. When the Feir'Dal encountered the first Humans exploring the Faydark, they developed a deep affection for the passionate, short-lived race. Marriages and affairs became commonplace between the races. The Kelethites now not only raise their own half-breed offspring but those rare Half Elven issue of Felwithe as well. Kelethin is one of the few places on Norrath Half Elves are not treated as out-of-the-ordinary or freakish. As the Wood Elves consider all children to be blessings, they strongly disagree with the Koada'Dal view that mixing Elven blood is an offense against Tunare.
The Wood Elves are nominally under the reign of King Tearis Thex of Felwithe. As long as the Koada'Dal do not interfere in their day-to-day lives and send assistance when needed against the Orcs, the Feir'Dal are happy enough to let the High Elves think they are in charge if they want to. Since the days of Kele, though, the Wood Elves look first not to Felwithe in times of trouble but to the Faydark's Champions.
Kelethites pay no taxes. Long ago, a Felwithian monarch attempted to collect taxes from the Feir'Dal, and they resisted fiercely, contending that since they took only what they needed from the world around them, they owed the Koada'Dal no monetary recompense. The High Elves, perhaps realizing the vast majority of Feir'Dal had no money with which to pay taxes, did not press the issue.
Maesyn Trueshot is the current head Ranger of the Faydark's Champions and the unofficial leader of the city. Maesyn is descended from one of the most ancient and respected Feir'Dal families. There are rumors that King Thex and Maesyn do not get along, but in reality they like and respect one another.
Dill Fireshine and Ran Sunfire are Maesyn's top aides. Dill is an old, experienced conservative, while Ran is a young (relatively speaking), passionate firebrand. Their balanced viewpoints give Maesyn good counsel.
The Druid guild, the Soldiers of Tunare, in addition to their religious duties (see below), also act as diplomats and news carriers. This is as much for the respect they command in any non-evil city for their great wisdom and learning as it is for their ability to mystically teleport between Druid rings. This freedom to travel long distances quickly allows them to personally gather information about important events to report back to Kelethin. The Druids also advise the rangers, particularly on Tunare's wishes. When the Orcs attack, special task forces are organized lead by Rangers, supported by Druids, and reconnaitoired by the Scouts.
Kelethin has no written laws. What little oral tradition of laws is passed down by the Songweavers. All Feir'Dal children grow up learning them-- do not murder, steal, or harm another; be honest in all things; do not be wasteful; do not do things to others you would not want done to you.
The woodland is sacred to the Feir'Dal. It is said the Druids can tell what sort of spirit lives within a tree. Once a month, they go through the Faydark and designate which trees' spirits have departed and may be cut down with their blessing, and which spirits are still intact. Cutting down a "live" tree (one which possesses a spirit) is a crime tantamount to murder to the Wood Elves. Poachers are also considered murderers; anyone in the Faydark caught killing animals for sport or not using all parts of an animal killed is taken before the Faydark's Champions for judgment.
Trials in Kelethin are a simple affair. Lawbreakers are brought before a tribunal of the eldest available Rangers, usually Maesyn Trueshot, Dill Fireshine, and Ran Sunfire, and witnesses are heard and evidence presented. The Rangers presiding may call upon Druids to know Tunare's will in the matter, or the Bards to learn historical precedent. Judgments are almost always reached immediately. If the accused is declared innocent, he is set free at once; if guilty, punishment is swift.
Trials such as this are rare however, since vigilantism is encouraged in Kelethins, and citizens prefer to take care of such matters themselves. It is believed that the accused will have to face Tunare someday, and then it will be Her hands, one way or another.
Punishments are fair and made to fit the crime. Murderers are executed. Poachers and illicit tree-cutters are officially first branded, then banished, then executed, though no Kelethite would weep for one if an arrow "accidentally" found his heart.
Stealing is handled on a case-by-case basis, and the value of the stolen property and motive are taken heavily into account. A youth stealing bread to feed his family may be required to work off his crime in the establishment from which he stole. In these cases, the thief is often taken on as a full-time worker or apprentice, in turn helping the youth support his family and teaching him more responsibility. Cases of more major theft, especially with no extenuating circumstances, are dealt with more severely; criminal thieves are eventually branded and banished.
Religion is considered a highly personal thing in Kelethin. This is not to say necessarily private, but worship and even views of Tunare vary from Elf to Elf, sometimes greatly. The ideas presented here represent only the most commonly held beliefs-- they are by no means the only ones, and all worship of the Mother is considered equally sacred (even the "backwards" devotion of the Koada'Dal).
The Wood Elves are descended from a minority of Elddar Elves in Takish'Hiz who always felt that their worship of Tunare should translate more literally to worship of the land and living things around them. This more down-to-earth and practical worship of Tunare is the root of all major cultural differences (and tensions) between the Koada'Dal and Feir'Dal.
The Wood Elves reject the concept of virginity equaling purity, and find the entire Koada'Dal concept of a virgin mother somewhat ridiculous. They see the entire process-- from conception, to birth, to upbringing, and starting the cycle anew when the child reaches adulthood-- as all being part of the same sacred embodiment of love, life, and growth. If love-making results in motherhood, how can it not be holy? All women are seen as living embodiments of Mother Tunare and thus innately closer to her. All Feir'Dal hold a great reverence for Tunare, if they do not outright worship Her.
The Druids of Kelethin lead the Feir'Dal in spiritual matters. Prayers and services tend to be informal, small gatherings held whenever the worshiper(s) wish. Anyone may seek out a Druid for counsel at any time, and their wisdom is always respected. The Druids are never offended when someone rejects their advice; one gains as much if not more wisdom by making mistakes.
Many, though not all Feir'Dal recognize and honor Karana alongside Tunare as her primary consort. Kelethin is the only place on Norrath where Karana is also referred to as the Great Father. Symbolically and literally to the Wood Elves, Karana's rains cause life to come forth from the land. This enables the Kelethites to work with travellers from Surefall Glade with little to no religious differences. The Druids themselves, who preach balance among their central tenets, honor Karana as the male side of nature, stormy and tempestuous, and leave the precise nature of Karana and Tunare's relationship to individual worshippers to honor as they see fit.
The Feir'Dal do not cremate their dead; instead they bury them under the trees without box or covering, that they may become one with the forest and nurture the trees. Like the High Elves, they believe Tunare gathers the Elven spirits to her to rest, though their vision of Takish'Hiz is a bit different from the Koada'Dal one.
Kelethites never pass up an opportunity to celebrate, but there are a few local holidays that stand out:
At the end of the summer, the Great Hunt is celebrated. Anyone who wishes to enter must offer up a moderately valuable item as an entry fee. All entry fees are placed in a pool. All entrants have two days to capture rabbits, foxes, or other small game. These are claimed as "kills," though it is considered sacriligious and extremely disgraceful to actually kill an animal during the Great Hunt. The one who gathers the most "kills" is named Tunare's Champion for a year and wins the entire pool. All the animals are released back into the wild, and much feasting, drinking, singing, and other revelry follows.
At the Winter Solstice, all Kelethites observe Tunare's Renewal by giving up a vice, practice, activity, or belonging for one month to honor Tunare and Her sacrifices. Physical intimacy, alcohol, or a favorite food are all popular choices.
The Spring Equinox is celebrated mostly by only the Feir'Dal inhabitants of Kelethin, though any are welcome to come pay homage to Tunare and greet the Spring. The best food from both Kelethin and Felwithe is sold throughout the day. It is considered a time to give thanks to Tunare for her great bounty, but for many less devout it is merely a time to abandon oneself to wild hedonism. This holiday, more than the other three major ones, is when any commitment-- including marriage-- to one person is put aside to take part in reverence to Tunare, and all joinings, no matter how casual or temporary, are considered holy.
Perhaps the most famous holiday of Kelethin is the Songweavers Feast. Held at the Summer Solstice, it lasts at least one week, and sometimes several. It is primarily a bardic competition, though other activities have evolved due to the massive numbers that flock to Kelethin. Bards and spectators alike come from all over Norrath-- the songsmiths to compete and others for the once-in-a-lifetime thrill of watching-- and listening to-- so many accomplished maestros in one place. Prizes are donated by House Thex of Felwithe, and include, among other things, rare and powerful enchanted instruments.
Felwithe - Military support
Crushbone
Edgesinger, Zylle
Merweni Rowanleaf, Larwenn Moonwind, Dyrdalen Moonwind (Kuldiin), Iolian Groveshade, Neaolil Mithsul