Cyrtae'ni

Cyrtae'ni is an Official GemStone IV Document, and it is protected from editing.

Children of a Brighter Future: The Cyrtae'ni

After twenty years living amongst us, there are numerous aelotoi who have known no other home world but this one, and there are many others who, unfettered by the harshness of life on Bre'Naere, wish to shake off old designations and embrace a new one.

Within a few years of their arrival on Elanthia, a few aelotoi came up with the name Cyrtae'ni for their children, and while it has been a closely kept secret as this culture developed, the first wave of aelotoi children grew into adults, and in 5123, the term was introduced to Elanthians at large.

Pronounced "keer ta knee," the word's roots are in "cyrasei" (bright), "taer" (child), and "-'ni" (the essence of life energy or spirit). The term itself does not translate literally well, as it is essentially "bright child's life/spirit" but at its core, its meaning is one of hope, of promise, of future -- a new culture for all those untainted personally by Bre'Naere.

What does it mean to be Cyrtae'ni? First and foremost, it is not a point of contention for most aelotoi. There is no stigma for choosing or not choosing to include oneself within this new culture. The vast majority of aelotoi under age twenty define themselves as Cyrtae'ni, but those who opt to follow in their parent's footsteps and culturally define themselves as Mrae'ni, Vaer'sah, or Gaeh'deh are accepted and embraced. Indeed, there are older aelotoi who also embrace this new cultural concept and identify as Cyrtae'ni, choosing to eschew their former cultures, and with few exceptions, aelotoi are accepting of these choices.

As it is a culture in its nascency, Cyrtae'ni definitions and cultural touchpoints are constantly evolving. What matters most to the Cyrtae'ni is that they look toward the future and, while they are aware and respectful of the past, they choose the bright hope of life and forward-thinking for this new world of theirs.

Bright Innovations

Since arriving in Elanthia, aelotoi continue to create and innovate, and many of these newer items either originated with or are overwhelmingly embraced by the Cyrtae'ni moreso than other cultures.

Mervaer and Saenira: Aelotoi experiments with fabric continue well beyond paeline, with two recent discoveries being mervaer and saenira.

Mervaer is a type of soft, light linen. While most linen wrinkles in the flutter of a wing, mervaer does not, making it an excellent choice for travelers. Like paeline, mervaer also uses the hair of paeladri goats, just processed differently and with different results. Only the barest hints of ultra-fine paeladri fibers are included in the mostly plant-fibered material, but it assists in creating a unique and versatile material.

Saenira originates with locally sourced fibers, including bee and cricket silk. It is a naturally pure white silk that is light enough for layers and wraps and manipulations needed for clothing that must take into account wings.

Both materials are newer developments as of 5123, and thus, the availability may be difficult for a while until production can be finessed to meet demand.

Yll'suta: Loosely translated as "wind dreams," a yll'suta is an object hung in a young child's room to bring good dreams. Rooted in the aelotoi divination tradition of dreamtelling, yll'suta flutter with a soft susurration, the sound meant to imitate the fluttering of aelotoi wings in the wind.

The primary components of yll'suta are all the same: a medallion, a woven cord, and at least one set of cloth dragonfly wings. Within these constraints, however, lies great variety. The medallion is often something personal to the parents or family -- a bronze disk etched with a tree, a polished glass trinket, and so on. It is strung upon the woven cord, which is frequently made of paeline or saenira but any supple material will do, including dried plants and herbs. The cloth dragonfly wings are themselves affixed to the cord or medallion, always angled so the material can catch the moving air and rustle slightly. The material, the placement, the colors -- all of these vary immensely. Other adornments to yll'suta are optional but common. It is not unusual to see yll'suta decorated with ribbons, flowers, and other items believed to cheer a child or bring calming dreams.

While this originated as a new tradition to comfort children in a strange, albeit better, place, many grown aelotoi find comfort in these new trinkets as well.

OOC Information/Notes

• Created by GM Xynwen, July 2023
• Material Restrictions
  • Mervaer: Requires alter fodder
  • Saenira: Requires alter fodder
  • Note: Both fabrics can be dyed