GemStone IV Wiki - User contributions [en]

Dark elf

2017-07-09T23:07:07Z

HOST-GSDJYNI:

{{Race
| [[File:Dark_elves.gif|center]]
| decay = 10 minutes
| language = Common, Elven, Dark Elven
| regen = 1 per 5 min
| height = 5.5' to 6', max 6.5'
| weight = 80 to 230 lbs.}}
'''Dark elves''' can be distinguished by their sharper features and usually dark brown or black skin color. This anomaly with Dark Elven skin can be attributed to the mana foci in [[Rhoska-Tor]] where they were exiled to after the [[Undead War]]. They became bitter and resentful of their fair [[elven]] counterparts. They felt that their expulsion was more the result of political opportunism than anything else. Even today, Dark Elves are commonly shunned by their fairer brethren in the Elven Nations.

They possess a great love of knowledge and learning, possibly only outmatched by their fairer [[Illistim]] brothers. Dark Elves are said to have mastered both spiritual and elemental magic as no other race ever could. Also, Dark Elves are recognized for their striking architecture as the impressive palaces and estates of [[New Ta'Faendryl|Ta'Faendryl]] can demonstrate.

'''Famous Dark Elves''': Daephron Illian, Rythwier Faendryl (father of Chesylcha), Tahlad Faendryl

''Did you know? Often times experiments performed by Dark Elven mothers can cause their child to have a lighter pigmentation, accounting for the dozens of light-skinned Dark Elves living in Elanthia today.''

== Statistics ==

{{Race stats|agi=+5|inf=-5|wis=+5|aur=+10|con=-5|dex=+10|dis=-10|int=+5}}

For [[statistic growth rate]]s by [[profession]], see [[List of statistic growth rates#Dark Elf]].

{|{{prettytable}}
|+ '''Other Characteristics'''
|-
!Spirit Regeneration
| 1 per 5 min
!Decay Timer
| 10 min
|-
!Max Health
| 120
!Base Regeneration
| 1
|-
!Weight Factor
| 0.75
!Encumbrance Factor
| 0.84
|-
!Maneuver Bonus
| Good
!Elemental TD
| -5
|-
!Spiritual TD
| -5
!Mental TD
| 0
|-
!Sorcerer TD
| -5
!Poison TD
| +10
|-
!Disease TD
| +100
|-
|}

== Cultures ==

=== [[House of Faendryl]] ===

Once the leaders of the Elves, the Faendryl were cast out of the [[Elven Empire]] at the end of the [[Undead War]], for crimes the Elves were unwilling to forgive. Ever the leaders in terms of their mastery over magic, the Faendryl had dabbled in demon summoning. All the Elven houses were appalled at the spells the Faendryl had unleashed. They expressed their outrage by exiling the Faendryl to Rhoska-Tor.

Slowly, the Faendryl began to change. Their features became even finer and sharper. Those living in the deepest caverns, those closest to the ruins of [[Maelshyve]], found their skin darkening to a brown or black.

It was some time later that the Faendryl Elves returned from their exile and founded [[New Ta'Faendryl]]. However, they would never again be a part of the great Elven Empire.

=== [[Dhe'nar]] ===

First splitting off from the rest of the elves before the formal creation of the Elven Empire and Elven Houses, the Dhe'nar spent generations exiled in Rhoska-Tor. Much like the Faendryl who came to Rhoska-Tor after them, their features and physical stature were forever changed.

The Dhe'nar are a race committed to perfection in all its forms; be it of the mind, the body, or the Family. The honing of a keen mind and intellect is the first goal of all Dhe'nari training, and perfection of the physical is just as important. Above all, however, is the overarching need to bring the Family to new heights, to demand the most from its members, and to insure that strength and rigor is rewarded, rather than punished.

Be advised, the Dhe'nar as a whole have taken conceit to a new level. They are viewed as self-centered egotists who have little compassion for the thoughts, rights or feelings of other cultures and races. Even the [[Khanshael]], with whom they have developed a close relationship, are little more than slaves in their society. These views are likely to make a Dhe'nar unpopular wherever he travels in the company of persons outside of his own culture.

Dhe'nar also have very high expectations for those of their own kind. Members of their Family who fail to meet these expectations may be treated in a very harsh manner, expelled from the Family or murdered.

== Other Characteristics ==

Due to the skill in dark magics that the dark elves possess, and their use of it during the [[Undead War]] and in the destruction of [[Ta'Ashrim]], the other elven houses loathe the dark elves. The inns within [[Ta'Illistim]], for example, have magics cast on them that prevent the entrance of an unescorted dark elf, and all shops within Ta'Illistim, [[Ta'Vaalor]], and [[Sylvarraend]] have severe [[Trading|price hikes]] for the darker skinned race.

Dark Elves have a bonus to Crafting and a small bonus to Forging.

==Race-specific verbs==
<section begin=verbs />
{| cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 1em; font-size: 95%; outline-style: solid; outline-width: 1px; outline-color: #aaa; background: #none; border: none; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| [[POINT (verb)|POINT]] <person>/<creature>
| -
| You beckon <person> closer with a slow curl of your forefinger.
| -
| Vanah beckons you closer with a slow curl of her forefinger.
|-
| POINT <self>
| -
| You find you are exceedingly pleased with yourself.
| -
| Vanah looks exceedingly pleased with herself.
|-
| POINT <object>
| -
| You swiftly run the tip of your forefinger across the <object>.
| -
| Vanah swiftly runs the tip of her forefinger across <object>.
|-
| [[RAISE (verb)|RAISE]] EYEBROW
| -
| You arch a skeptical eyebrow, pondering whether your amusement with the world outweighs your disgust.
| -
| Vanah arches a skeptical eyebrow as she takes in her surroundings.
|-
| RAISE EYEBROW <person>
| -
| You arch one eyebrow at <person> in an expression of sardonic amusement.
| -
| Vanah arches one eyebrow at you in an expression of sardonic amusement.
|-
|[[SMIRK (verb)|SMIRK]]
| -
| You smirk as a haughty expression flits across your face.
| -
| Vanah smirks as a haughty expression flits across her face.
|-
| SMIRK <person>
| -
| You purse your lips at <person>, your face contorting with a disdainful smirk.
| -
| Vanah purses her lips at you, her face contorting with a disdainful smirk.
|-
| SMIRK <self>
| -
| You purse your lips in disapproval.
| -
| Vanah sets her mouth in a thin line of disapproval.
|-
| SMIRK <object>
| -
| Noting the shoddy workmanship of <object>, you turn away with a condescending smirk.
| -
| Vanah flicks her gaze towards <object>, then turns away with a condescending smirk.
|-
| SMIRK <creature>
| -
| You regard (<creature> with a subtle smirk in a gesture of profound condescension.
| -
| A subtle smirk tugs at the corners of Vanah's lips as she regards a creature.
|-
| [[STARE (verb)|STARE]]<self>
| -
| You turn your head slightly to the side and stare purposefully off into the distance.
| -
| Vanah turns her head slightly to the side and stares off into the distance, effectively ignoring her surroundings.
|-
| STARE <person>
| -
| You shoot <person> a prolonged stare, doing your best to unnerve him.
| -
| Vanah stares at you for what seems like an eternity, doing her best to unnerve you. Vanah stares unwaveringly at Wyrom.
|-
| STARE <creature>
| -
| You stare incredulously at <creature>, wondering how it has been allowed to remotely be in your presence.
| -
| Vanah stares incredulously at the a creature.
|-
| STARE <object>
| -
| You stare intently at the <target>, silently noting its position and potential uses.
| -
| Vanah stares intently at <target> and creases her brow in deep thought.
|-
| [[STEEPLE (verb)|STEEPLE]] ANGER
| -
| You lace your fingers before you, your knuckles turning white as you try to control your rage.
| -
| Vanah laces her fingers together with barely hidden anger. The pressure she applies to her fingers causes them to turn white.
|-
| STEEPLE ARROGANT
| -
| Grinning arrogantly, you lace your fingers together and square your shoulders in righteous indignation.
| -
| Grinning arrogantly, Vanah laces her fingers together and squares her shoulders in righteous indignation.
|-
| STEEPLE BACK
| -
| You lace your fingers behind your back and stand at rigid attention.
| -
| Vanah laces her fingers behind her back and stands at rigid attention.
|-
| STEEPLE EVIL
| -
| You steeple your fingers slowly as a smirk plays across your lips.
| -
| Vanah steeples her fingers slowly as a smirk plays across her lips. Her eyes narrow into mere slits as she glances around.
|-
| STEEPLE HEAD
| -
| You lace your fingers together and place them behind your head, raising one eyebrow in slight annoyance.
| -
| Vanah laces her fingers together and places them behind her head, raising one eyebrow in slight annoyance.
|-
| STEEPLE LISTEN
| -
| Tensing your body, you lace your fingers together as you listen quietly.
| -
| Lacing her fingers together, Vanah's body stiffens as she listens quietly.
|-
| STEEPLE PONDER
| -
| Deep in thought, you lace your fingers before you.
| -
| Deep in thought, Vanah laces her fingers before her.
|-
|}
<section end=verbs />
{verb} set {standard/culture}

== Resources ==
*[[Dark Elven languages (saved post)|Dark Elven Languages]]
*[[Vairwoth's Wagon]]
*[http://www.play.net/gs4/info/races/darkelf.asp Races: Dark Elf], on Play.net
*[http://forums.play.net/forums/GemStone%20IV/Races/Dark%20Elves/view Officials folder]

{{Dark Elves}}
{{Races}}

[[Category:Races and Cultures]]

Erithian

2017-07-09T22:58:24Z

HOST-GSDJYNI: /* Resources */

{{race
| [[File:Elotheans.gif|center]]
| decay = 13 minutes
| regen = 1 per 4 min
| height = 5.5' to 6.5', max 7'
| weight = 75 to 215 lbs.
| language = Common, Erithian}}
'''Erithians''' are tall, thin and have slightly pointed ears and almond-shaped eyes giving them a somewhat elf-like appearance. Hardy and deceptively tough, both genders are often balding with just a fringe of hair.

Erithians mysteriously appeared in Elanthia only 1500 years ago.

== Statistics ==
{{Race stats
|str = -5|con = +10|dex = 0|agi = 0|dis = +5|aur = 0|log = +5|int = 0|wis = 0|inf = +10}}

For [[statistic growth rate]]s by [[profession]], see [[List of statistic growth rates#Erithian]].

{|{{prettytable}}
|+ '''Other Characteristics'''
|-
!Spirit On Node
| 1 per 4 min
!Decay Timer
| 13 min
|-
!Max Health
| 120
!Base Regeneration
| 3
|-
!Weight Factor
| 0.75
!Encumbrance Factor
| 0.85
|-
!Maneuver Bonus
| Good
!Elemental TD
| 0
|-
!Spiritual TD
| 0
!Mental TD
| 0
|-
!Sorcerer TD
| 0
!Poison TD
| 0
|-
!Disease TD
| ??
|-
|-
|}

== Description ==

The true origins of the Erithians are shrouded in mystery and magic. What is known for certain is that their recorded history on [[Elanthia]] began about fifteen hundred years ago, ca. 3600 of the Modern Era. The journals of that time relate that a small population of their people was somehow transported to this world through some great magic, of which the details are unknown.

Their legends say that they were placed here by the [[Arkati]] - commonly by [[Fash'lo'nae]] himself - either intentionally or through some divine shifting of the planes; though many, considering the powerful sorcerers and wise mages of their people, insist that it was through some powerful mortal magic, either intentional or accidental. In more recent times, some more practical Erithian thinkers have theorized that perhaps they are some distant cousin of [[Elves]], long separated from the main bloodlines, who settled in the mountains many ages ago and, for some unknown reason, were nearly exterminated and chose to destroy their past history and shroud it in legends of magic and divine intervention. Perhaps there is some basis in fact to the opinion of some that they were put here by the Gods, but the true story of their origins will probably never be known.

The Erithi are slightly taller and thinner than humans, (about 5'6" to 6'6") with slightly pointed ears and almond-shaped eyes, usually with somewhat vertically 'slitted' rather than completely round pupils. They are not as lithe and quick as elves, though many believe them to be related to elves and those with no knowledge of their race often assume them to be somewhat odd-looking half-elves. They are neither muscular nor fast, but are hardy and deceptively tough, and resistant to damage and extremes in weather. They live about 300 years on average, far longer than humans but much less than the elves. Erithians have overall light coloration, ranging from nearly translucent pale white skin to almost any shade of fair - rosy, alabaster, ashen, sallow, even slightly tanned, but never dark. Their hair is also light colored - never darker than a steely grey or titian, and usually lighter - and commonly silver, white or grey even in youth. Both genders are often balding or with just a fringe of hair, males more commonly, though they are rarely completely bald - high foreheads or a fringe of hair worn long are more common. Their eye color ranges from nearly crystal-clear to medium brown, often shades of grey, blue, green, or golden, and again, never dark.

'''Famous Erithian:''' Ertaia Selem, Tirathi & Eliko Atelecha

''Did you know? Many believe Erithians to be related to Elves. In fact, those with no knowledge of their race may assume they are rather odd-looking half-elves. While there are many diverse opinions, the origin of Erithians is, however, unknown.''

== Cultures ==

All the Erithi on Elanthia can trace their ancestry back to one or more of six extended family groups who made up the original population in Atan Irith. Reverence for one's family history and ancestry is important to them - not in a religious sense of ancestor-worship, but as an assurance of keeping the history of the people and honoring the deeds and wisdom of those past. Those of the various bloodlines do not live in isolated groups - though some regions comprise a larger percentage of one bloodline than others, due to being settled by family groups in the past - and individuals of various bloodlines often intermarry, with the male taking on the family identity of the female in most cases. (Perhaps two-thirds of all marriages remain within the same family bloodline. This is not a matter of marrying close relatives - as many of the same 'tribe' are only related by blood through centuries-old ties - although marriages as closely related as cousins are not forbidden or unheard of, and even encouraged among the Eloth Dai.)

Members of the same Dai recognize their common kinship, and take part in family ceremonies of history and remembrance on certain days important to each clan. They also often go into business ventures or other cooperative undertakings with their kinsmen, and those in need of help tend to turn to others of their clan for aid. A small percentage of Erithians do not count themselves as a member of a Dai, usually because they have voluntarily disowned their family because of some dispute, very rarely in cases of a few who have repudiated all ties to others for some personal quest or other reason. These independent spirits are not outcast from society or hated for their status, but simply do not enjoy the benefits of kinship.

Erithi lore states that there were originally ten family bloodlines in their original homeland, but four of these were not represented in the population who arrived on Elanthia. These four families are referred to here only as the Agan Dai, or "old clans, and though individual members are mentioned in old historical writings, their family histories are not part of Erithi life on Elanthia except at certain ceremonies of remembrance.

=== [[Eloth Dai]] ===

Descended from a long line of adept magic users, the Eloth Dai are the most insular of the clans, rarely marrying outside the clan as many believe that talent for magic is passed along by blood. Males of other clans who wish to marry into the Eloth Dai cannot do so without the approval of the clan elders, a restriction not present in any other clan. Children of this bloodline tend to have very light-colored skin, eyes, and hair, the latter often silver or white from birth. The name means 'the sky clan' or 'high clan'.

The symbol of Eloth Dai is a grey owl.

=== [[Surath Dai]] ===

The family traditions of the Surath Dai revere the power of the physical world, the planet, and the forces of essence that emanate from and surround it. Many are adept magic users, especially of elemental or spiritual nature, though they are more sociable and open to relations with other clans than the Eloth. Many Surath consider Eonak a patron. The clan name means 'the stone clan' or 'earth clan'.

The symbol of Surath Dai is a silver or white ram.

=== [[Nathala Dai]] ===

Members of Nathala Dai hail from the coastal regions of Atan Irith, perhaps paradoxically, the Nathala tend to be both the most peace loving and the most skilled in weapons and combat of the entire race due to their experiences defending against pirates and the dangers of the sea. Those of Nathala descent tend to be of slightly darker coloration than most Erithi, tending more toward pale olive or freckled skin, light brown or red hair, and brightly-hued eyes.

The symbol of Nathala Dai is a bronze or golden nautilus shell.

=== [[Yachan Dai]] ===

Valuing the wonders of nature, the Yachan Dai prefer the greener lands found in woodlands and valleys where they can meditate on the land's beauty and complexity. Many artists, craftsmen, and bards, as well as magic users of a spiritual or mentalist bent, descend from this clan.

The symbol of Yachan Dai is a butterfly, of any or many colors.

=== [[Tichan Dai]] ===

Most populous of the clans, the Tichan Dai make up at least a third of the population in Eloth-Ra. Tichan often find they are related to just about everyone else in their town through some intermarriage or another, and often hold the more public jobs in town life - shopkeepers, healers, merchants - though among adventurers, all professions are equally represented.

The symbol of Tichan Dai is a fish, often a silver salmon.

=== [[Valaka Dai]] ===

Never settling in any one place, the Valaka Dai are the fewest in number of all other clans due to their wanderlust, rarely building large families and often intermarrying into other clans. Many explorers, traders and others who habitually travel are of Valaka blood, as they often have less clan ties and responsibilities to keep them close to home.

The symbol of Valaka Dai is a grey or white falcon.

=== [[Volnath Dai]] ===

The Volnath Dai are a recently founded religious sect dedicated to the destruction of the Undead.

Their symbol is a white nautilus shell imposed on a shield of black.

== Background ==

=== Name ===

The name "Erithian" comes from their native name for themselves, ''Erithi'', which simply means "the People." They are sometimes poetically referred to as the People of the Sky, possibly derived from the name of their capital city, [[Eloth-Ra]], which means "Sky Home."

=== Religion ===

Most Erithians are not deeply religious, regarding the Arkati as worthy of honor and devotion but not supernatural gods. They have a special affinity for Lumnis and Fash'lo'nae as the twin aspects of wisdom and knowledge. Eonak has a significant following in the Surath Dai, and Niima among those who dwell on the coasts.

=== Clothing ===

Traditional Erithian dress consists of a cloth shirt (''[[isiqiri]]''), with either flaring breeches (''[[nanjir]]'') or close-fitting leggings (''[[kanjir]]''), over which is worn a multi-layered robe with colorful floral or natural designs (''[[atanika]]''), sometimes caught with a sash (''[[vatanura]]''). The distinctive Erithian article of jewelry is the ''[[elothrai]]'', a specially chosen agate gem worn on the forehead.

== Verbs ==

{verb} set {standard/culture}
<section begin=verbs />
{|{{prettytable}}
! colspan=2 style="background:#ddd; white-space: nowrap; font-size: larger; text-align: center;" | '''[[WAIT (verb)|WAIT]]'''
|-
|WAIT:
|You stand perfectly still, like a slender reed on a windless day. Erithian stands perfectly still and unwavering.
|-
|WAIT <person>:
|You still yourself, waiting patiently for <person>.
|-
|WAIT <self>:
|You patiently wait, measuring each beat of passing time. Erithian patiently waits, a serene look on his face.
|-
|WAIT <object>:
|You patiently observe <object>. Erithian takes keen note of <object>, observing it patiently.
|-
|WAIT <creature>:
|You still yourself, carefully watching <creature>'s actions.
|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#ddd; white-space: nowrap; font-size: larger; text-align: center;" | '''[[POSE (verb)|POSE]]'''
|-
|POSE:
|You steady your breathing and slowly stretch out each of your limbs in turn, preparing ourself for activity.
|-
|POSE <object>:
|With fluid grace, you lean in to examine <object>, your every move exact and intentioned.
|-
|POSE <creature>:
|You adopt a serene, yet observant, pose as you study <creature>.
|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#ddd; white-space: nowrap; font-size: larger; text-align: center;" | '''[[PONDER (verb)|PONDER]]'''
|-
|PONDER
|You pause in a moment of thoughtful contemplation.
|-
|PONDER <person>:
|You pause for a moment to study <person>, your gaze dwelling upon her features.
|-
|PONDER <self>:
|You close your eyes for a moment and slip into a brief contemplative trance. You reflect upon your circumstances and recent past, searching for any lessons you might learn from them. Erithian closes his eyes and a serene expression overtakes his.
|-
|PONDER <creature>:
|You pause for a moment to study <creature>, observing its movements to become more familiar with its habits. Erithian pauses for a moment to study <creature>, his movements slowly coming to mirror the <creature>'s.
|-
|PONDER <object>:
|You pause for a moment to study <object>, observing the most prominent characteristics. Erithian pauses for a moment to study <object>, his expression one of thoughtful observation.
|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#ddd; white-space: nowrap; font-size: larger; text-align: center;" | '''[[STRETCH (verb)|STRETCH]]'''
|-
|STRETCH MOUNTAIN: (standing only)
|Gracefully bending at the waist, you place your palms and wrists on the ground in front of you, extending the pose forward until your body forms a perfect mountain peak.
|-
|STRETCH TREE: (standing only)
|Extending your arms straight up over your head, you draw one leg up towards the center of your body, balancing lightly on your remaining leg.
|-
|STRETCH HAWK: (sitting only)
|You fold your left leg beneath you, extending your right leg behind you fully. Raising your arms overhead you arch your back, easing the tension in your spine.
|-
|STRETCH DIAMOND: (sitting only)
|Drawing your legs together in front of you, you position your heels and toes against each other, forming a diamond.
|-
|STRETCH WAVE: (prone only)
|You fold your hands deliberately over your chest and then arch your back until your neck and spine form a perfect arch. Elevating your legs evenly, you perform the precise wave posture.
|-
|STRETCH MOON: (prone only)
|Balancing on your stomach you extend your arms above and behind you, grasping your ankles. Drawing your limbs upward, your body forms a complete circle.
|-
|STRETCH CHILD: (kneeling only)
|You slide your hands along the floor away from you as you bend forward, bringing your torso to rest between your out-turned knees. You place your forehead on the floor and relax into the posture.
|-
|STRETCH CAMEL: (kneeling only)
|Sitting up on your knees, you reach both arms behind you and place your open palms on your flexed feet. You stretch your heart upward, bowing your back as you gaze up at the ceiling.
|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#ddd; white-space: nowrap; font-size: larger; text-align: center;" | '''[[BOW (verb)|BOW]]'''
|-
|BOW CROSS:
|Crossing his arms over his chest, palms flat against each shoulder, Erithian bows.
|-
|BOW DEEPLY:
|Erithian bows deeply.
|-
|BOW FLOOR:
|Erithian bows from the waist in a fluid movement, touching his forehead to the floor.
|-
|BOW HANDS:
|Folding his hands together, Erithian bows shallowly from the waist.
|-
|BOW FOLD:
|Folding his hands together, Erithian bows shallowly from the waist.
|-
|BOW FOLD: While holding an item
|You bring your <held item> toward your torso and bow shallowly from the waist.
|-
|BOW GRACEFULLY:
|Erithian bows with sweeping grace, like a hawk gliding on the wind.
|-
|BOW RECOGNITION:
|Nodding slightly, you bow an acknowledgement.
|-
|}<section end=verbs />

==Resources==
* [[A Study of the Erithi]] (official documentation)
* [[The Dress of the Erithi]] (official documentation)
* [[Erithi Tea Ceremony]] (official documentation)
* [[History of the Ferroniere#Elothrai|A History of the Ferroniere]] (official documentation)
* [[Erithian History]]
* [[Erithian poetry lecture (log)]]
* [[Erithi poetry (saved post)]]
* [[Erithi traditions (saved post)]]
* [[Erithi Skyfire (saved post)]]
* [[Erithi theatre masks (saved post)]]
* [[Erithi tea ceremony lecture (log)]]
* [[Erithian murder mystery (saved posts)]]
* [[Elanthian Gems]]
* [[The History of the Elanthian Katana and the Order of the Watchful Eye]]
*[http://www.play.net/gs4/info/races/erithians.asp Races: Erithian], on Play.net
*[http://forums.play.net/forums/GemStone%20IV/Races/Erithians/view Officials folder]

{{Erithians}}
{{Races}}

[[Category:Races and Cultures]]

Erithian History

2017-07-09T22:57:22Z

HOST-GSDJYNI:

[[File:Erithi1.jpg|left]]

'''The People of The Sky - A Study of the Erithi'''

Drawn from the collected libraries of Illistim by:
Meachreasim Illistim, First Master of Lore
First Edition Published: 14 Jastatos of the year 5103 Modern Era

The name "Erithi" means, much like the native names most races have given to their own people, basically "the people.” "Erithian" is an Elanthian Common derivation of this, which refers to individuals of the race. Erithians will rarely refer to themselves as "Erithian", unless speaking Common and referring to "an individual of this race," but will generally simply refer to themselves as "Erithi" - just as a human would say "I am human", not "I am a Human", an Erithian would say "I am Erithi.” In Common, "Erithi" is properly used when speaking of the race, and "Erithian" when referring to the race of one or more individuals, or as an adjective to describe a person or thing.

=Early History - Origins and Settlement=

''" ...and after the third day of our meditations and rituals in the shadow of the mountain, the Grandfather appeared to us in the form of one of our own... ...and bade we follow the pass northeastward through the mountains, and there we would find a fertile valley of unsurpassed beauty and magic, where we should make a homeland..."'' - From the journals of Ilahan of the Valaka Dai

The true origins of the Erithians are shrouded in mystery and magic, much like the shimmering borders of their settlements in the high, remote valleys of the continent that lies across the sea northeast of the far reaches of the Elven Empire. What is known for certain is that their recorded history on Elanthia began about fifteen hundred years ago, ca. 3600 of the Modern Era. The journals of that time relate that a small population of their people, somewhere between one and two hundred by various accounts, was somehow transported to this world through some great magic, of which the details are unknown. Their legends say that they were placed here by the Arkati - commonly by Fash'lo'nae himself, as their physical features and dedication to pursuits of knowledge reflect his qualities - either intentionally or through some divine shifting of the planes; though many, considering the powerful sorcerers and wise mages of their people, insist that it was through some powerful mortal magic, either intentional or accidental.

In more recent times, some more practical Erithian thinkers have theorized that perhaps they are some distant cousin of Elves, long separated from the main bloodlines, who settled in the mountains many ages ago and, for some unknown reason, were nearly exterminated and chose to destroy their past history and shroud it in legends of magic and divine intervention. Perhaps there is some basis in fact to the opinion of some that they were put here by the Gods, but the true story of their origins will probably never be known.

The Erithi arrived near the western edge of the continent, which lies across a narrow sea from the northeastern regions of Elven lands, in a previously uninhabited region, which they named Atan Irith, a name that means "new or undiscovered land.” To the south of Atan Irith the town, Yachan-Ra was established in the temperate woodlands and valleys of the region. The subarctic terrain of Atan Irith is rocky and mountainous, with towering peaks, deep fords and massive glaciers, and coastal regions and alpine valleys, which are green and fertile in summer, but cold most of the year.

The early settlements were not considered permanent, as according to old records, they traveled the region searching for a way back to whatever homeland - apparently, from what little is known, a land very similar but not identical to Elanith. Their sorcerers and mages sought out sources of magic and tried to recreate spells to reverse whatever change had brought them here, but to no avail. During these early years, the Erithi were semi-nomadic, living in temporary housings of wooden buildings and shelters of hide that they transported or rebuilt upon moving to a new area, or sometimes in mountain caves. Not that their existence was in any way filthy or animalistic - even traveling in a strange wilderness, the Erithi, with their values of wisdom and esthetics, led lives of civilized harmony, arranging their seasonal camps with warmth and artistic touches and keeping scholarly journals of their experiences.

After some years of exploring the region and living in temporary settlements, they settled in a fertile valley deep in the heart of the region, sheltered from the worst chilling storms, fed by glacial streams, and although cold, green and suitable for crops in summer. Here they settled and began to build the lasting comforts of a permanent town, which they called Eloth-Ra, a name meaning 'sky home' or 'high home.' The town of Nathal-Ra was founded, along the coastal regions and its surrounding areas of Atan Irith, to expand the range of Erithi civilization.

The Erithi are slightly taller and thinner than humans, (about 5'6" to 6'6") with slightly pointed ears and almond-shaped eyes, usually with somewhat vertically 'slitted' rather than completely round pupils. They are not as lithe and quick as elves, though many believe them to be related to elves and those with no knowledge of their race often assume them to be somewhat odd-looking half-elves. They are neither muscular nor fast, but are hardy and deceptively tough, and resistant to damage and extremes in weather. They live about 300 years on average, far longer than humans but much less than the elves. Erithians have overall light coloration, ranging from nearly translucent pale white skin to almost any shade of fair - rosy, alabaster, ashen, sallow, even slightly tanned, but never dark. Their hair is also light colored - never darker than a steely grey or titian, and usually lighter - and commonly silver, white or grey even in youth. Both genders are often balding or with just a fringe of hair, males more commonly, though they are rarely completely bald - high foreheads or a fringe of hair worn long are more common. Their eye color ranges from nearly crystal-clear to medium brown, often shades of grey, blue, green, or golden, and again, never dark.

=Eloth-Ra and Life in the High Valleys=

''" ...the town thrived and the population grew, as the valleys were lush and fertile in summer, and the game plentiful... ...and in the third year a plague of insects destroyed the hay, and much of the livestock starve. but we survived and discovered ways to repel the pests... ...communed again to our patron, who did not appear, though we sensed his attentions..."'' - From the journals of Ilahan of the Valaka Dai

In the year 3609 of the Modern Era, Erithi astronomers established an official calendar compatible with Elanthia, as the one they had been using (reportedly) did not precisely correspond to this world; and this became the year 0 in the Erithian dating system. One hundred years later, in 3709 [Year 100 Erithian], the central and original permanent town of Eloth-Ra was dedicated officially as the capital of the Erithi nation, on the centennial of their settlement. Since then, Erithi towns of various sizes, from small enclaves to bustling villages, have been established throughout the region; but the beautiful valley town of Eloth-Ra, with its temples and monuments and centers of knowledge and magical study, remains the capital and focus of civilization.

The towns have no central structure, loosely arranged along the crags and valleys and coastal areas of their homeland, most lying within a few days' journey of Eloth-Ra. The Erithi build houses of wood and stone, their architecture often reflecting their environment with peaked roofs, sheer surfaces, and airy, delicate artistic touches, although many buildings are also built against the hillsides with warmer, sheltered rooms inside. Architecture is an honored art, and esthetics as well as shelter are important even in the most mundane buildings.

Important locations such as libraries, religious sites, or any place which would contain things of great value to preserve, are sometimes built deep into the high stone of the mountains (not in tunnels of dwarf-style, but in airy chambers sheltered by the surrounding stone). Much of their style is probably a reflection of their environment rather than any real relic of their distant past, which has largely been forgotten if much was remembered at all by the original arrivals.
Farming and hunting are very important in town life, as the necessities of survival in the northern climate require producing enough food for the long winters. The variety of food is typical of northern regions and mountain villages, with many crops grown only in summer and preserved or dried, as the valleys chosen for settlement are sheltered and green in summer though never warm.

Goats, sheep and domesticated mountain roltons, rabbits, and geese are raised for meat and a large amount of wild game - anything from small birds and squirrels to caribou and bear - is hunted and consumed year-round. Bees are kept for honey and the pollination of crops, and seafood is a major staple in the coastal settlements of Nathal-Ra. Oats and buckwheat are farmed, along with a variety of northern vegetables, apples, berries, and currants. The climate is too cold for grapes, but beer and ale are brewed, along with cider, mead, and fruit wines and brandies, some of the latter aged in mountain caves for a century or more and considered a great delicacy.

The traditional Erithian style of clothing and personal ornamentation tends to be simple and clean-lined, although very often ornamented with delicate and intricate artistic touches. A typical outfit might consist of basic, though well-tailored and constructed, robes or trousers of wool or linen (or finely tanned leathers, for outdoorsmen and hunters), with artistic touches such as subtle embroideries around the borders, beautifully carved buttons, and a piece or two of fine jewelry, never flashy but of exquisite workmanship. In their native lands, of course, clothing is warm and often fur-trimmed, but Erithians who move to warmer climes often adopt lighter garb of a similar style.

=Family Life and Government=

''"...and the hunters discovered the fearsome creature that had emerged from the glacier on dark nights, to ransack a herd of good stock or worse, steal a child... ...seemed to be something not of this world, as alien as this world is to us, but they slew the thing with magic and sword after an unwelcome bloody battle... Some cursed the gods..."'' - From the journals of Ilahan of the Valaka Dai

Most Erithians spend the early part of their adulthood - a period of up to a century or more, as their lifespan can exceed 300 years - pursuing knowledge and magic, work and expertise in their chosen fields, exploration or studies of the world, and personal interests. Traditionally, many males often set out to explore the mysteries of nature and the world on reaching adulthood, while females tended to remain in the towns - not just staying home in a domestic manner, but also concentrating on fields ranging from arts and architecture to the raising of animals and agriculture. Although this has changed somewhat in the present, as since the Erithi have made themselves known to the world and openly visit and reside in other towns, many females as well leave the homelands to travel. The traditional role of females in managing local town life, from building to food production, led to the development of a system of town government primarily made up of women, with older and wiser men serving in an advisory capacity. The government system, which was officially set into law some six hundred years ago by the noted scholar Ertaia Selem, is not technically matriarchal - though many outsiders mistake it for such - as it is based on age and wisdom rather than bloodlines.

They have not developed an advanced political structure, having really had no need for one, and the decision-making of the local town councils is the extent of government influence in everyday life. Although there is a central council of representatives from the outlying villages in Eloth-Ra, its control over the region is not strict. The Erithi tend to be peaceful and not prone to internal conflicts, perhaps because of their lack of enemies other than the creatures of the wilds and the environment, so their political troubles are few, simple, and local.

The Erithi usually raise their small families at an age of 100-200 years, after they have spent much time gathering knowledge and becoming fully mature adults (They physically mature, like many other races, at an age of twenty to thirty, but consider full maturity to also consist of considerable wisdom and experience in one's fields of endeavor, and few raise families before they have that). After this time, they settle down - often, but not always, with a partner chosen in youth - and spend some years raising families of generally no more than three or four children, who are attentively raised and educated for at least twenty years until they are ready to build their own lives as adults. The upbringing of children is the parents' sole responsibility for these two to four decades, as the younger adults take care of the entire town's needs; and young Erithians receive a thorough education and are never neglected or abused. Any women who do not bear children, either because they are unable or by choice, spend these years in helping with the children of others or in raising any orphans, as a knowledge of the proper upbringing of youth is considered to be an essential part of the wisdom of age, and all take part.

=Religion, Art, and Magic=

''"...and then the Mother of Wisdom herself appeared to them in the valley, and spoke to them that the portal to our home was forever closed, due to the actions of our patron, whether in wisdom or in rashness... ...and after that, they say, she swore her protection over the valley from forces not of the natural world, until time shall end..."'' - From the journals of Ilahan of the Valaka Dai

The Erithi know of the same Arkati that are followed in most Elanthian cultures and their clerical records contain many stories of dealings with them, though some of their tales and particular thoughts about them may vary, as they tend to do in any distant regions. They are not overly 'religious' as a people, and the view of many is similar to that of the Elves - that the Arkati are a superior race worthy of honor, study, and devotion, but not supernatural 'gods' in nature. But individuals vary widely, and some are devoted and skillful clerics. More than a few claim to be particularly blessed children of Fash'lo'nae. Perhaps because of their features or perhaps because there may be some truth to the story that it's his fault they are here; though this is by no means unanimous - in fact, a majority tend to follow the 'lighter' or at least less openly-evil gods, especially Koar and Lumnis.

Perhaps unique among Elanthian societies is the common worship of Lumnis and Fash'lo'nae together, as the two sides of wisdom and knowledge, the dark and the light which form a whole, and the patrons of the Erithi on Elanthia. (The Temple of Wisdom, dedicated in Eloth-Ra in the year 1000 Erithian on the millennial celebration of the city's founding, honors both Lumnis and Fash'lo'nae, as well as Koar's rulership and the wisdom of all the Arkati.) Those who are raised in coastal settlements often hold Niima in favor (though usually still subordinate to the wiser and more powerful major Arkati), but Charl's tendency to mindless destruction is seen as distasteful by most, and his followers are very few. The more violent, bloodthirsty Lornon Arkati such as V'Tull or Sheru also find almost no following, except among rare individuals who have turned completely away from the generally peaceful society.

The valley of Eloth-Ra itself is surrounded with a magical barrier, which conceals the city from travelers and unwanted visitors at its borders, including wild animals large enough to be a threat to livestock or people. The barrier seems to 'bend' the light and essence in such a way that the towns are invisible to passers-by, and subtly redirect any traveler who reaches their limits around them, allowing passage only to those who know the locations and keys to bypass their magic. Even the Erithi themselves do not know the exact magical makeup of this phenomenon, which they have found impossible to reproduce elsewhere, and thus, most attribute it to a combination of the forces of essence inherent in the valley (which are said by some to be the doing of Fash'lo'nae) and the legendary divine machinations of Lumnis to protect Eloth-Ra.

Erithian arts often involve themes of nature and spirituality. The Erithi love the wilderness that surrounds their clean and civilized towns, and their bards and storytellers often create poems, songs, and tales of journeys through the wilds or details of nature, invoking wonders of the natural world and meditations on its beauty and magic without much reference to dramatic plotlines. This can be contrary to the taste of those who prefer stirring tales of battle or ballads of intrigue and romance, but can be quite beautiful and evocative.

In around the year 3800 of the Modern Era, the Erithi built and established the Library of Eloth-Ra, which extends deep into the mountainside into sheltered halls and chambers built to preserve the knowledge of the people. Journals of explorers' accounts, studies of magic and of the natural world, and great works of art of all types are preserved here, in what is one of the greatest depositories of knowledge in the world, though far from the oldest. The Library itself is not open to outsiders at this time, however the knowledge contained within is often freely shared, and often finely crafted replicas of original artworks are displayed elsewhere.

=Conflict, Pacifism, And The Rest Of Elanthia=

The Erithi have had little to no formal contact with other cultures, who know nothing of them and have not, for the most part, explored much of the isolated region in which they live. Old records exist of Erithian contacts with gnomes, with whom they have occasionally traded supplies and artistic creations for tools, gemstones, and imported miscellany; as well as with occasional pirates and explorers who have happened upon the region from time to time. But other than these limited interactions, they have no history of ongoing trade or relations with other societies.

Likely due to the fact that the remote land in which they settled is far removed from any other sentient society but for some tribes of peaceful forest gnomes, the Erithi have no history of formal or organized warfare during their recorded history. However, they have considerable knowledge of warfare and politics, gained both from the history of their people before their arrival and from studies of Elanthian peoples over the last millennium; and in fact tend to be well-versed in the scholarship of warfare, martial and political aspects alike, despite lack of direct experience. A study of the causes and solutions of war, as well as training in weapons and arts of self-defense, is a part of almost every Erithian's upbringing, regardless of gender or profession, and some are skilled makers of fine, sometimes exotic and artistically designed, weaponry. Although they tend to be pacifistic in outlook, considering it far wiser to understand and prevent warfare than to experience its destruction, every able-bodied citizen is in essence a member of the 'militia', ready to defend against a threat - be it wild animals, rampaging monsters or trolls, or attacks by bands of pirates or raiders. Despite their peaceful history, The Erithi are far from weak and helpless.

Although their existence has been unknown to all but a few, quite a few Erithian individuals in search of knowledge have explored and visited other cultures, so although no one outside a few wandering pirates, explorers, and gnomes knows of them, they have knowledge of other races dating back for centuries, most of it not first-hand but written in travelers' accounts, primarily of the Elven nations, Dwarven strongholds of the DragonSpine, and such outposts and free ports as Wehnimer's Landing and Solhaven. The Erithi are rumored to have a smaller settlement deep in the mountains of the DragonSpine, where explorers and sometimes their families have kept an outpost for many generations, but its precise location is unknown to outsiders.

There are no known accounts of Erithian travels deep into the primarily Human Empire, but they know much of Humans from observing Human travelers in lands closer to their homeland and more accepting of mysterious outsiders. Those who have visited other cultures in the past have generally done so in semi-disguise - hooded strangers not being a terribly uncommon thing in Elanthia - and even if noticed as a stranger, have likely just been mistaken for some sort of odd half-elf to those with no knowledge of them being a separate race.

In the year 5103, the Erithians revealed their existence to the peoples of Elanith and begin to live openly among other races. Still, their remote lands are not readily accessible to outsiders from Elanith.

=Resources=
* [[A Study of the Erithi]] (official documentation)
* [[The Dress of the Erithi]] (official documentation)
* [[Erithi Tea Ceremony]] (official documentation)
* [[History of the Ferroniere#Elothrai|A History of the Ferroniere]] (official documentation)
* [[Erithian poetry lecture (log)]]
* [[Erithi poetry (saved post)]]
* [[Erithi traditions (saved post)]]
* [[Erithi Skyfire (saved post)]]
* [[Erithi theatre masks (saved post)]]
* [[Erithi tea ceremony lecture (log)]]
* [[Erithian murder mystery (saved posts)]]
* [[Elanthian Gems]]
* [[The History of the Elanthian Katana and the Order of the Watchful Eye]]
*[http://www.play.net/gs4/info/races/erithians.asp Races: Erithian], on Play.net
*[http://forums.play.net/forums/GemStone%20IV/Races/Erithians/view Officials folder]

{{Erithians}}
{{Races}}

[[Category:Races and Cultures]]

File:Erithi1.jpg

2017-07-09T22:56:07Z

HOST-GSDJYNI:

Erithian History

2017-07-09T22:52:11Z

HOST-GSDJYNI: Created page with "'''The People of The Sky - A Study of the Erithi''' Drawn from the collected libraries of Illistim by: Meachreasim Illistim, First Master of Lore First Edition Published: 14..."

'''The People of The Sky - A Study of the Erithi'''

Drawn from the collected libraries of Illistim by:
Meachreasim Illistim, First Master of Lore
First Edition Published: 14 Jastatos of the year 5103 Modern Era

The name "Erithi" means, much like the native names most races have given to their own people, basically "the people.” "Erithian" is an Elanthian Common derivation of this, which refers to individuals of the race. Erithians will rarely refer to themselves as "Erithian", unless speaking Common and referring to "an individual of this race," but will generally simply refer to themselves as "Erithi" - just as a human would say "I am human", not "I am a Human", an Erithian would say "I am Erithi.” In Common, "Erithi" is properly used when speaking of the race, and "Erithian" when referring to the race of one or more individuals, or as an adjective to describe a person or thing.

=Early History - Origins and Settlement=

''" ...and after the third day of our meditations and rituals in the shadow of the mountain, the Grandfather appeared to us in the form of one of our own... ...and bade we follow the pass northeastward through the mountains, and there we would find a fertile valley of unsurpassed beauty and magic, where we should make a homeland..."'' - From the journals of Ilahan of the Valaka Dai

The true origins of the Erithians are shrouded in mystery and magic, much like the shimmering borders of their settlements in the high, remote valleys of the continent that lies across the sea northeast of the far reaches of the Elven Empire. What is known for certain is that their recorded history on Elanthia began about fifteen hundred years ago, ca. 3600 of the Modern Era. The journals of that time relate that a small population of their people, somewhere between one and two hundred by various accounts, was somehow transported to this world through some great magic, of which the details are unknown. Their legends say that they were placed here by the Arkati - commonly by Fash'lo'nae himself, as their physical features and dedication to pursuits of knowledge reflect his qualities - either intentionally or through some divine shifting of the planes; though many, considering the powerful sorcerers and wise mages of their people, insist that it was through some powerful mortal magic, either intentional or accidental.

In more recent times, some more practical Erithian thinkers have theorized that perhaps they are some distant cousin of Elves, long separated from the main bloodlines, who settled in the mountains many ages ago and, for some unknown reason, were nearly exterminated and chose to destroy their past history and shroud it in legends of magic and divine intervention. Perhaps there is some basis in fact to the opinion of some that they were put here by the Gods, but the true story of their origins will probably never be known.

The Erithi arrived near the western edge of the continent, which lies across a narrow sea from the northeastern regions of Elven lands, in a previously uninhabited region, which they named Atan Irith, a name that means "new or undiscovered land.” To the south of Atan Irith the town, Yachan-Ra was established in the temperate woodlands and valleys of the region. The subarctic terrain of Atan Irith is rocky and mountainous, with towering peaks, deep fords and massive glaciers, and coastal regions and alpine valleys, which are green and fertile in summer, but cold most of the year.

The early settlements were not considered permanent, as according to old records, they traveled the region searching for a way back to whatever homeland - apparently, from what little is known, a land very similar but not identical to Elanith. Their sorcerers and mages sought out sources of magic and tried to recreate spells to reverse whatever change had brought them here, but to no avail. During these early years, the Erithi were semi-nomadic, living in temporary housings of wooden buildings and shelters of hide that they transported or rebuilt upon moving to a new area, or sometimes in mountain caves. Not that their existence was in any way filthy or animalistic - even traveling in a strange wilderness, the Erithi, with their values of wisdom and esthetics, led lives of civilized harmony, arranging their seasonal camps with warmth and artistic touches and keeping scholarly journals of their experiences.

After some years of exploring the region and living in temporary settlements, they settled in a fertile valley deep in the heart of the region, sheltered from the worst chilling storms, fed by glacial streams, and although cold, green and suitable for crops in summer. Here they settled and began to build the lasting comforts of a permanent town, which they called Eloth-Ra, a name meaning 'sky home' or 'high home.' The town of Nathal-Ra was founded, along the coastal regions and its surrounding areas of Atan Irith, to expand the range of Erithi civilization.

The Erithi are slightly taller and thinner than humans, (about 5'6" to 6'6") with slightly pointed ears and almond-shaped eyes, usually with somewhat vertically 'slitted' rather than completely round pupils. They are not as lithe and quick as elves, though many believe them to be related to elves and those with no knowledge of their race often assume them to be somewhat odd-looking half-elves. They are neither muscular nor fast, but are hardy and deceptively tough, and resistant to damage and extremes in weather. They live about 300 years on average, far longer than humans but much less than the elves. Erithians have overall light coloration, ranging from nearly translucent pale white skin to almost any shade of fair - rosy, alabaster, ashen, sallow, even slightly tanned, but never dark. Their hair is also light colored - never darker than a steely grey or titian, and usually lighter - and commonly silver, white or grey even in youth. Both genders are often balding or with just a fringe of hair, males more commonly, though they are rarely completely bald - high foreheads or a fringe of hair worn long are more common. Their eye color ranges from nearly crystal-clear to medium brown, often shades of grey, blue, green, or golden, and again, never dark.

=Eloth-Ra and Life in the High Valleys=

''" ...the town thrived and the population grew, as the valleys were lush and fertile in summer, and the game plentiful... ...and in the third year a plague of insects destroyed the hay, and much of the livestock starve. but we survived and discovered ways to repel the pests... ...communed again to our patron, who did not appear, though we sensed his attentions..."'' - From the journals of Ilahan of the Valaka Dai

In the year 3609 of the Modern Era, Erithi astronomers established an official calendar compatible with Elanthia, as the one they had been using (reportedly) did not precisely correspond to this world; and this became the year 0 in the Erithian dating system. One hundred years later, in 3709 [Year 100 Erithian], the central and original permanent town of Eloth-Ra was dedicated officially as the capital of the Erithi nation, on the centennial of their settlement. Since then, Erithi towns of various sizes, from small enclaves to bustling villages, have been established throughout the region; but the beautiful valley town of Eloth-Ra, with its temples and monuments and centers of knowledge and magical study, remains the capital and focus of civilization.

The towns have no central structure, loosely arranged along the crags and valleys and coastal areas of their homeland, most lying within a few days' journey of Eloth-Ra. The Erithi build houses of wood and stone, their architecture often reflecting their environment with peaked roofs, sheer surfaces, and airy, delicate artistic touches, although many buildings are also built against the hillsides with warmer, sheltered rooms inside. Architecture is an honored art, and esthetics as well as shelter are important even in the most mundane buildings.

Important locations such as libraries, religious sites, or any place which would contain things of great value to preserve, are sometimes built deep into the high stone of the mountains (not in tunnels of dwarf-style, but in airy chambers sheltered by the surrounding stone). Much of their style is probably a reflection of their environment rather than any real relic of their distant past, which has largely been forgotten if much was remembered at all by the original arrivals.
Farming and hunting are very important in town life, as the necessities of survival in the northern climate require producing enough food for the long winters. The variety of food is typical of northern regions and mountain villages, with many crops grown only in summer and preserved or dried, as the valleys chosen for settlement are sheltered and green in summer though never warm.

Goats, sheep and domesticated mountain roltons, rabbits, and geese are raised for meat and a large amount of wild game - anything from small birds and squirrels to caribou and bear - is hunted and consumed year-round. Bees are kept for honey and the pollination of crops, and seafood is a major staple in the coastal settlements of Nathal-Ra. Oats and buckwheat are farmed, along with a variety of northern vegetables, apples, berries, and currants. The climate is too cold for grapes, but beer and ale are brewed, along with cider, mead, and fruit wines and brandies, some of the latter aged in mountain caves for a century or more and considered a great delicacy.

The traditional Erithian style of clothing and personal ornamentation tends to be simple and clean-lined, although very often ornamented with delicate and intricate artistic touches. A typical outfit might consist of basic, though well-tailored and constructed, robes or trousers of wool or linen (or finely tanned leathers, for outdoorsmen and hunters), with artistic touches such as subtle embroideries around the borders, beautifully carved buttons, and a piece or two of fine jewelry, never flashy but of exquisite workmanship. In their native lands, of course, clothing is warm and often fur-trimmed, but Erithians who move to warmer climes often adopt lighter garb of a similar style.

=Family Life and Government=

''"...and the hunters discovered the fearsome creature that had emerged from the glacier on dark nights, to ransack a herd of good stock or worse, steal a child... ...seemed to be something not of this world, as alien as this world is to us, but they slew the thing with magic and sword after an unwelcome bloody battle... Some cursed the gods..."'' - From the journals of Ilahan of the Valaka Dai

Most Erithians spend the early part of their adulthood - a period of up to a century or more, as their lifespan can exceed 300 years - pursuing knowledge and magic, work and expertise in their chosen fields, exploration or studies of the world, and personal interests. Traditionally, many males often set out to explore the mysteries of nature and the world on reaching adulthood, while females tended to remain in the towns - not just staying home in a domestic manner, but also concentrating on fields ranging from arts and architecture to the raising of animals and agriculture. Although this has changed somewhat in the present, as since the Erithi have made themselves known to the world and openly visit and reside in other towns, many females as well leave the homelands to travel. The traditional role of females in managing local town life, from building to food production, led to the development of a system of town government primarily made up of women, with older and wiser men serving in an advisory capacity. The government system, which was officially set into law some six hundred years ago by the noted scholar Ertaia Selem, is not technically matriarchal - though many outsiders mistake it for such - as it is based on age and wisdom rather than bloodlines.

They have not developed an advanced political structure, having really had no need for one, and the decision-making of the local town councils is the extent of government influence in everyday life. Although there is a central council of representatives from the outlying villages in Eloth-Ra, its control over the region is not strict. The Erithi tend to be peaceful and not prone to internal conflicts, perhaps because of their lack of enemies other than the creatures of the wilds and the environment, so their political troubles are few, simple, and local.

The Erithi usually raise their small families at an age of 100-200 years, after they have spent much time gathering knowledge and becoming fully mature adults (They physically mature, like many other races, at an age of twenty to thirty, but consider full maturity to also consist of considerable wisdom and experience in one's fields of endeavor, and few raise families before they have that). After this time, they settle down - often, but not always, with a partner chosen in youth - and spend some years raising families of generally no more than three or four children, who are attentively raised and educated for at least twenty years until they are ready to build their own lives as adults. The upbringing of children is the parents' sole responsibility for these two to four decades, as the younger adults take care of the entire town's needs; and young Erithians receive a thorough education and are never neglected or abused. Any women who do not bear children, either because they are unable or by choice, spend these years in helping with the children of others or in raising any orphans, as a knowledge of the proper upbringing of youth is considered to be an essential part of the wisdom of age, and all take part.

=Religion, Art, and Magic=

''"...and then the Mother of Wisdom herself appeared to them in the valley, and spoke to them that the portal to our home was forever closed, due to the actions of our patron, whether in wisdom or in rashness... ...and after that, they say, she swore her protection over the valley from forces not of the natural world, until time shall end..."'' - From the journals of Ilahan of the Valaka Dai

The Erithi know of the same Arkati that are followed in most Elanthian cultures and their clerical records contain many stories of dealings with them, though some of their tales and particular thoughts about them may vary, as they tend to do in any distant regions. They are not overly 'religious' as a people, and the view of many is similar to that of the Elves - that the Arkati are a superior race worthy of honor, study, and devotion, but not supernatural 'gods' in nature. But individuals vary widely, and some are devoted and skillful clerics. More than a few claim to be particularly blessed children of Fash'lo'nae. Perhaps because of their features or perhaps because there may be some truth to the story that it's his fault they are here; though this is by no means unanimous - in fact, a majority tend to follow the 'lighter' or at least less openly-evil gods, especially Koar and Lumnis.

Perhaps unique among Elanthian societies is the common worship of Lumnis and Fash'lo'nae together, as the two sides of wisdom and knowledge, the dark and the light which form a whole, and the patrons of the Erithi on Elanthia. (The Temple of Wisdom, dedicated in Eloth-Ra in the year 1000 Erithian on the millennial celebration of the city's founding, honors both Lumnis and Fash'lo'nae, as well as Koar's rulership and the wisdom of all the Arkati.) Those who are raised in coastal settlements often hold Niima in favor (though usually still subordinate to the wiser and more powerful major Arkati), but Charl's tendency to mindless destruction is seen as distasteful by most, and his followers are very few. The more violent, bloodthirsty Lornon Arkati such as V'Tull or Sheru also find almost no following, except among rare individuals who have turned completely away from the generally peaceful society.

The valley of Eloth-Ra itself is surrounded with a magical barrier, which conceals the city from travelers and unwanted visitors at its borders, including wild animals large enough to be a threat to livestock or people. The barrier seems to 'bend' the light and essence in such a way that the towns are invisible to passers-by, and subtly redirect any traveler who reaches their limits around them, allowing passage only to those who know the locations and keys to bypass their magic. Even the Erithi themselves do not know the exact magical makeup of this phenomenon, which they have found impossible to reproduce elsewhere, and thus, most attribute it to a combination of the forces of essence inherent in the valley (which are said by some to be the doing of Fash'lo'nae) and the legendary divine machinations of Lumnis to protect Eloth-Ra.

Erithian arts often involve themes of nature and spirituality. The Erithi love the wilderness that surrounds their clean and civilized towns, and their bards and storytellers often create poems, songs, and tales of journeys through the wilds or details of nature, invoking wonders of the natural world and meditations on its beauty and magic without much reference to dramatic plotlines. This can be contrary to the taste of those who prefer stirring tales of battle or ballads of intrigue and romance, but can be quite beautiful and evocative.

In around the year 3800 of the Modern Era, the Erithi built and established the Library of Eloth-Ra, which extends deep into the mountainside into sheltered halls and chambers built to preserve the knowledge of the people. Journals of explorers' accounts, studies of magic and of the natural world, and great works of art of all types are preserved here, in what is one of the greatest depositories of knowledge in the world, though far from the oldest. The Library itself is not open to outsiders at this time, however the knowledge contained within is often freely shared, and often finely crafted replicas of original artworks are displayed elsewhere.

=Conflict, Pacifism, And The Rest Of Elanthia=

The Erithi have had little to no formal contact with other cultures, who know nothing of them and have not, for the most part, explored much of the isolated region in which they live. Old records exist of Erithian contacts with gnomes, with whom they have occasionally traded supplies and artistic creations for tools, gemstones, and imported miscellany; as well as with occasional pirates and explorers who have happened upon the region from time to time. But other than these limited interactions, they have no history of ongoing trade or relations with other societies.

Likely due to the fact that the remote land in which they settled is far removed from any other sentient society but for some tribes of peaceful forest gnomes, the Erithi have no history of formal or organized warfare during their recorded history. However, they have considerable knowledge of warfare and politics, gained both from the history of their people before their arrival and from studies of Elanthian peoples over the last millennium; and in fact tend to be well-versed in the scholarship of warfare, martial and political aspects alike, despite lack of direct experience. A study of the causes and solutions of war, as well as training in weapons and arts of self-defense, is a part of almost every Erithian's upbringing, regardless of gender or profession, and some are skilled makers of fine, sometimes exotic and artistically designed, weaponry. Although they tend to be pacifistic in outlook, considering it far wiser to understand and prevent warfare than to experience its destruction, every able-bodied citizen is in essence a member of the 'militia', ready to defend against a threat - be it wild animals, rampaging monsters or trolls, or attacks by bands of pirates or raiders. Despite their peaceful history, The Erithi are far from weak and helpless.

Although their existence has been unknown to all but a few, quite a few Erithian individuals in search of knowledge have explored and visited other cultures, so although no one outside a few wandering pirates, explorers, and gnomes knows of them, they have knowledge of other races dating back for centuries, most of it not first-hand but written in travelers' accounts, primarily of the Elven nations, Dwarven strongholds of the DragonSpine, and such outposts and free ports as Wehnimer's Landing and Solhaven. The Erithi are rumored to have a smaller settlement deep in the mountains of the DragonSpine, where explorers and sometimes their families have kept an outpost for many generations, but its precise location is unknown to outsiders.

There are no known accounts of Erithian travels deep into the primarily Human Empire, but they know much of Humans from observing Human travelers in lands closer to their homeland and more accepting of mysterious outsiders. Those who have visited other cultures in the past have generally done so in semi-disguise - hooded strangers not being a terribly uncommon thing in Elanthia - and even if noticed as a stranger, have likely just been mistaken for some sort of odd half-elf to those with no knowledge of them being a separate race.

In the year 5103, the Erithians revealed their existence to the peoples of Elanith and begin to live openly among other races. Still, their remote lands are not readily accessible to outsiders from Elanith.

=Resources=
* [[A Study of the Erithi]] (official documentation)
* [[The Dress of the Erithi]] (official documentation)
* [[Erithi Tea Ceremony]] (official documentation)
* [[History of the Ferroniere#Elothrai|A History of the Ferroniere]] (official documentation)
* [[Erithian poetry lecture (log)]]
* [[Erithi poetry (saved post)]]
* [[Erithi traditions (saved post)]]
* [[Erithi Skyfire (saved post)]]
* [[Erithi theatre masks (saved post)]]
* [[Erithi tea ceremony lecture (log)]]
* [[Erithian murder mystery (saved posts)]]
* [[Elanthian Gems]]
* [[The History of the Elanthian Katana and the Order of the Watchful Eye]]
*[http://www.play.net/gs4/info/races/erithians.asp Races: Erithian], on Play.net
*[http://forums.play.net/forums/GemStone%20IV/Races/Erithians/view Officials folder]

{{Erithians}}
{{Races}}

[[Category:Races and Cultures]]

Erithian

2017-07-09T22:43:15Z

HOST-GSDJYNI: /* Description */

{{race
| [[File:Elotheans.gif|center]]
| decay = 13 minutes
| regen = 1 per 4 min
| height = 5.5' to 6.5', max 7'
| weight = 75 to 215 lbs.
| language = Common, Erithian}}
'''Erithians''' are tall, thin and have slightly pointed ears and almond-shaped eyes giving them a somewhat elf-like appearance. Hardy and deceptively tough, both genders are often balding with just a fringe of hair.

Erithians mysteriously appeared in Elanthia only 1500 years ago.

== Statistics ==
{{Race stats
|str = -5|con = +10|dex = 0|agi = 0|dis = +5|aur = 0|log = +5|int = 0|wis = 0|inf = +10}}

For [[statistic growth rate]]s by [[profession]], see [[List of statistic growth rates#Erithian]].

{|{{prettytable}}
|+ '''Other Characteristics'''
|-
!Spirit On Node
| 1 per 4 min
!Decay Timer
| 13 min
|-
!Max Health
| 120
!Base Regeneration
| 3
|-
!Weight Factor
| 0.75
!Encumbrance Factor
| 0.85
|-
!Maneuver Bonus
| Good
!Elemental TD
| 0
|-
!Spiritual TD
| 0
!Mental TD
| 0
|-
!Sorcerer TD
| 0
!Poison TD
| 0
|-
!Disease TD
| ??
|-
|-
|}

== Description ==

The true origins of the Erithians are shrouded in mystery and magic. What is known for certain is that their recorded history on [[Elanthia]] began about fifteen hundred years ago, ca. 3600 of the Modern Era. The journals of that time relate that a small population of their people was somehow transported to this world through some great magic, of which the details are unknown.

Their legends say that they were placed here by the [[Arkati]] - commonly by [[Fash'lo'nae]] himself - either intentionally or through some divine shifting of the planes; though many, considering the powerful sorcerers and wise mages of their people, insist that it was through some powerful mortal magic, either intentional or accidental. In more recent times, some more practical Erithian thinkers have theorized that perhaps they are some distant cousin of [[Elves]], long separated from the main bloodlines, who settled in the mountains many ages ago and, for some unknown reason, were nearly exterminated and chose to destroy their past history and shroud it in legends of magic and divine intervention. Perhaps there is some basis in fact to the opinion of some that they were put here by the Gods, but the true story of their origins will probably never be known.

The Erithi are slightly taller and thinner than humans, (about 5'6" to 6'6") with slightly pointed ears and almond-shaped eyes, usually with somewhat vertically 'slitted' rather than completely round pupils. They are not as lithe and quick as elves, though many believe them to be related to elves and those with no knowledge of their race often assume them to be somewhat odd-looking half-elves. They are neither muscular nor fast, but are hardy and deceptively tough, and resistant to damage and extremes in weather. They live about 300 years on average, far longer than humans but much less than the elves. Erithians have overall light coloration, ranging from nearly translucent pale white skin to almost any shade of fair - rosy, alabaster, ashen, sallow, even slightly tanned, but never dark. Their hair is also light colored - never darker than a steely grey or titian, and usually lighter - and commonly silver, white or grey even in youth. Both genders are often balding or with just a fringe of hair, males more commonly, though they are rarely completely bald - high foreheads or a fringe of hair worn long are more common. Their eye color ranges from nearly crystal-clear to medium brown, often shades of grey, blue, green, or golden, and again, never dark.

'''Famous Erithian:''' Ertaia Selem, Tirathi & Eliko Atelecha

''Did you know? Many believe Erithians to be related to Elves. In fact, those with no knowledge of their race may assume they are rather odd-looking half-elves. While there are many diverse opinions, the origin of Erithians is, however, unknown.''

== Cultures ==

All the Erithi on Elanthia can trace their ancestry back to one or more of six extended family groups who made up the original population in Atan Irith. Reverence for one's family history and ancestry is important to them - not in a religious sense of ancestor-worship, but as an assurance of keeping the history of the people and honoring the deeds and wisdom of those past. Those of the various bloodlines do not live in isolated groups - though some regions comprise a larger percentage of one bloodline than others, due to being settled by family groups in the past - and individuals of various bloodlines often intermarry, with the male taking on the family identity of the female in most cases. (Perhaps two-thirds of all marriages remain within the same family bloodline. This is not a matter of marrying close relatives - as many of the same 'tribe' are only related by blood through centuries-old ties - although marriages as closely related as cousins are not forbidden or unheard of, and even encouraged among the Eloth Dai.)

Members of the same Dai recognize their common kinship, and take part in family ceremonies of history and remembrance on certain days important to each clan. They also often go into business ventures or other cooperative undertakings with their kinsmen, and those in need of help tend to turn to others of their clan for aid. A small percentage of Erithians do not count themselves as a member of a Dai, usually because they have voluntarily disowned their family because of some dispute, very rarely in cases of a few who have repudiated all ties to others for some personal quest or other reason. These independent spirits are not outcast from society or hated for their status, but simply do not enjoy the benefits of kinship.

Erithi lore states that there were originally ten family bloodlines in their original homeland, but four of these were not represented in the population who arrived on Elanthia. These four families are referred to here only as the Agan Dai, or "old clans, and though individual members are mentioned in old historical writings, their family histories are not part of Erithi life on Elanthia except at certain ceremonies of remembrance.

=== [[Eloth Dai]] ===

Descended from a long line of adept magic users, the Eloth Dai are the most insular of the clans, rarely marrying outside the clan as many believe that talent for magic is passed along by blood. Males of other clans who wish to marry into the Eloth Dai cannot do so without the approval of the clan elders, a restriction not present in any other clan. Children of this bloodline tend to have very light-colored skin, eyes, and hair, the latter often silver or white from birth. The name means 'the sky clan' or 'high clan'.

The symbol of Eloth Dai is a grey owl.

=== [[Surath Dai]] ===

The family traditions of the Surath Dai revere the power of the physical world, the planet, and the forces of essence that emanate from and surround it. Many are adept magic users, especially of elemental or spiritual nature, though they are more sociable and open to relations with other clans than the Eloth. Many Surath consider Eonak a patron. The clan name means 'the stone clan' or 'earth clan'.

The symbol of Surath Dai is a silver or white ram.

=== [[Nathala Dai]] ===

Members of Nathala Dai hail from the coastal regions of Atan Irith, perhaps paradoxically, the Nathala tend to be both the most peace loving and the most skilled in weapons and combat of the entire race due to their experiences defending against pirates and the dangers of the sea. Those of Nathala descent tend to be of slightly darker coloration than most Erithi, tending more toward pale olive or freckled skin, light brown or red hair, and brightly-hued eyes.

The symbol of Nathala Dai is a bronze or golden nautilus shell.

=== [[Yachan Dai]] ===

Valuing the wonders of nature, the Yachan Dai prefer the greener lands found in woodlands and valleys where they can meditate on the land's beauty and complexity. Many artists, craftsmen, and bards, as well as magic users of a spiritual or mentalist bent, descend from this clan.

The symbol of Yachan Dai is a butterfly, of any or many colors.

=== [[Tichan Dai]] ===

Most populous of the clans, the Tichan Dai make up at least a third of the population in Eloth-Ra. Tichan often find they are related to just about everyone else in their town through some intermarriage or another, and often hold the more public jobs in town life - shopkeepers, healers, merchants - though among adventurers, all professions are equally represented.

The symbol of Tichan Dai is a fish, often a silver salmon.

=== [[Valaka Dai]] ===

Never settling in any one place, the Valaka Dai are the fewest in number of all other clans due to their wanderlust, rarely building large families and often intermarrying into other clans. Many explorers, traders and others who habitually travel are of Valaka blood, as they often have less clan ties and responsibilities to keep them close to home.

The symbol of Valaka Dai is a grey or white falcon.

=== [[Volnath Dai]] ===

The Volnath Dai are a recently founded religious sect dedicated to the destruction of the Undead.

Their symbol is a white nautilus shell imposed on a shield of black.

== Background ==

=== Name ===

The name "Erithian" comes from their native name for themselves, ''Erithi'', which simply means "the People." They are sometimes poetically referred to as the People of the Sky, possibly derived from the name of their capital city, [[Eloth-Ra]], which means "Sky Home."

=== Religion ===

Most Erithians are not deeply religious, regarding the Arkati as worthy of honor and devotion but not supernatural gods. They have a special affinity for Lumnis and Fash'lo'nae as the twin aspects of wisdom and knowledge. Eonak has a significant following in the Surath Dai, and Niima among those who dwell on the coasts.

=== Clothing ===

Traditional Erithian dress consists of a cloth shirt (''[[isiqiri]]''), with either flaring breeches (''[[nanjir]]'') or close-fitting leggings (''[[kanjir]]''), over which is worn a multi-layered robe with colorful floral or natural designs (''[[atanika]]''), sometimes caught with a sash (''[[vatanura]]''). The distinctive Erithian article of jewelry is the ''[[elothrai]]'', a specially chosen agate gem worn on the forehead.

== Verbs ==

{verb} set {standard/culture}
<section begin=verbs />
{|{{prettytable}}
! colspan=2 style="background:#ddd; white-space: nowrap; font-size: larger; text-align: center;" | '''[[WAIT (verb)|WAIT]]'''
|-
|WAIT:
|You stand perfectly still, like a slender reed on a windless day. Erithian stands perfectly still and unwavering.
|-
|WAIT <person>:
|You still yourself, waiting patiently for <person>.
|-
|WAIT <self>:
|You patiently wait, measuring each beat of passing time. Erithian patiently waits, a serene look on his face.
|-
|WAIT <object>:
|You patiently observe <object>. Erithian takes keen note of <object>, observing it patiently.
|-
|WAIT <creature>:
|You still yourself, carefully watching <creature>'s actions.
|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#ddd; white-space: nowrap; font-size: larger; text-align: center;" | '''[[POSE (verb)|POSE]]'''
|-
|POSE:
|You steady your breathing and slowly stretch out each of your limbs in turn, preparing ourself for activity.
|-
|POSE <object>:
|With fluid grace, you lean in to examine <object>, your every move exact and intentioned.
|-
|POSE <creature>:
|You adopt a serene, yet observant, pose as you study <creature>.
|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#ddd; white-space: nowrap; font-size: larger; text-align: center;" | '''[[PONDER (verb)|PONDER]]'''
|-
|PONDER
|You pause in a moment of thoughtful contemplation.
|-
|PONDER <person>:
|You pause for a moment to study <person>, your gaze dwelling upon her features.
|-
|PONDER <self>:
|You close your eyes for a moment and slip into a brief contemplative trance. You reflect upon your circumstances and recent past, searching for any lessons you might learn from them. Erithian closes his eyes and a serene expression overtakes his.
|-
|PONDER <creature>:
|You pause for a moment to study <creature>, observing its movements to become more familiar with its habits. Erithian pauses for a moment to study <creature>, his movements slowly coming to mirror the <creature>'s.
|-
|PONDER <object>:
|You pause for a moment to study <object>, observing the most prominent characteristics. Erithian pauses for a moment to study <object>, his expression one of thoughtful observation.
|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#ddd; white-space: nowrap; font-size: larger; text-align: center;" | '''[[STRETCH (verb)|STRETCH]]'''
|-
|STRETCH MOUNTAIN: (standing only)
|Gracefully bending at the waist, you place your palms and wrists on the ground in front of you, extending the pose forward until your body forms a perfect mountain peak.
|-
|STRETCH TREE: (standing only)
|Extending your arms straight up over your head, you draw one leg up towards the center of your body, balancing lightly on your remaining leg.
|-
|STRETCH HAWK: (sitting only)
|You fold your left leg beneath you, extending your right leg behind you fully. Raising your arms overhead you arch your back, easing the tension in your spine.
|-
|STRETCH DIAMOND: (sitting only)
|Drawing your legs together in front of you, you position your heels and toes against each other, forming a diamond.
|-
|STRETCH WAVE: (prone only)
|You fold your hands deliberately over your chest and then arch your back until your neck and spine form a perfect arch. Elevating your legs evenly, you perform the precise wave posture.
|-
|STRETCH MOON: (prone only)
|Balancing on your stomach you extend your arms above and behind you, grasping your ankles. Drawing your limbs upward, your body forms a complete circle.
|-
|STRETCH CHILD: (kneeling only)
|You slide your hands along the floor away from you as you bend forward, bringing your torso to rest between your out-turned knees. You place your forehead on the floor and relax into the posture.
|-
|STRETCH CAMEL: (kneeling only)
|Sitting up on your knees, you reach both arms behind you and place your open palms on your flexed feet. You stretch your heart upward, bowing your back as you gaze up at the ceiling.
|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#ddd; white-space: nowrap; font-size: larger; text-align: center;" | '''[[BOW (verb)|BOW]]'''
|-
|BOW CROSS:
|Crossing his arms over his chest, palms flat against each shoulder, Erithian bows.
|-
|BOW DEEPLY:
|Erithian bows deeply.
|-
|BOW FLOOR:
|Erithian bows from the waist in a fluid movement, touching his forehead to the floor.
|-
|BOW HANDS:
|Folding his hands together, Erithian bows shallowly from the waist.
|-
|BOW FOLD:
|Folding his hands together, Erithian bows shallowly from the waist.
|-
|BOW FOLD: While holding an item
|You bring your <held item> toward your torso and bow shallowly from the waist.
|-
|BOW GRACEFULLY:
|Erithian bows with sweeping grace, like a hawk gliding on the wind.
|-
|BOW RECOGNITION:
|Nodding slightly, you bow an acknowledgement.
|-
|}<section end=verbs />

==Resources==
* [[A Study of the Erithi]] (official documentation)
* [[The Dress of the Erithi]] (official documentation)
* [[Erithi Tea Ceremony]] (official documentation)
* [[History of the Ferroniere#Elothrai|A History of the Ferroniere]] (official documentation)
* [[Erithian poetry lecture (log)]]
* [[Erithi poetry (saved post)]]
* [[Erithi traditions (saved post)]]
* [[Erithi Skyfire (saved post)]]
* [[Erithi theatre masks (saved post)]]
* [[Erithi tea ceremony lecture (log)]]
* [[Erithian murder mystery (saved posts)]]
* [[Elanthian Gems]]
* [[The History of the Elanthian Katana and the Order of the Watchful Eye]]
*[http://www.play.net/gs4/info/races/erithians.asp Races: Erithian], on Play.net
*[http://forums.play.net/forums/GemStone%20IV/Races/Erithians/view Officials folder]

{{Erithians}}
{{Races}}

[[Category:Races and Cultures]]

Erithian

2017-07-09T22:41:26Z

HOST-GSDJYNI: /* Cultures */

{{race
| [[File:Elotheans.gif|center]]
| decay = 13 minutes
| regen = 1 per 4 min
| height = 5.5' to 6.5', max 7'
| weight = 75 to 215 lbs.
| language = Common, Erithian}}
'''Erithians''' are tall, thin and have slightly pointed ears and almond-shaped eyes giving them a somewhat elf-like appearance. Hardy and deceptively tough, both genders are often balding with just a fringe of hair.

Erithians mysteriously appeared in Elanthia only 1500 years ago.

== Statistics ==
{{Race stats
|str = -5|con = +10|dex = 0|agi = 0|dis = +5|aur = 0|log = +5|int = 0|wis = 0|inf = +10}}

For [[statistic growth rate]]s by [[profession]], see [[List of statistic growth rates#Erithian]].

{|{{prettytable}}
|+ '''Other Characteristics'''
|-
!Spirit On Node
| 1 per 4 min
!Decay Timer
| 13 min
|-
!Max Health
| 120
!Base Regeneration
| 3
|-
!Weight Factor
| 0.75
!Encumbrance Factor
| 0.85
|-
!Maneuver Bonus
| Good
!Elemental TD
| 0
|-
!Spiritual TD
| 0
!Mental TD
| 0
|-
!Sorcerer TD
| 0
!Poison TD
| 0
|-
!Disease TD
| ??
|-
|-
|}

== Description ==

The true origins of the Erithians are shrouded in mystery and magic. What is known for certain is that their recorded history on [[Elanthia]] began about fifteen hundred years ago, ca. 3600 of the Modern Era. The journals of that time relate that a small population of their people was somehow transported to this world through some great magic, of which the details are unknown.

Their legends say that they were placed here by the [[Arkati]] - commonly by [[Fash'lo'nae]] himself - either intentionally or through some divine shifting of the planes; though many, considering the powerful sorcerers and wise mages of their people, insist that it was through some powerful mortal magic, either intentional or accidental. In more recent times, some more practical Erithian thinkers have theorized that perhaps they are some distant cousin of [[Elves]], long separated from the main bloodlines, who settled in the mountains many ages ago and, for some unknown reason, were nearly exterminated and chose to destroy their past history and shroud it in legends of magic and divine intervention. Perhaps there is some basis in fact to the opinion of some that they were put here by the Gods, but the true story of their origins will probably never be known.

The Erithi are slightly taller and thinner than humans, (about 5'6" to 6'6") with slightly pointed ears and almond-shaped eyes, usually with somewhat vertically 'slitted' rather than completely round pupils. They are not as lithe and quick as elves, though many believe them to be related to elves and those with no knowledge of their race often assume them to be somewhat odd-looking half-elves. They are neither muscular nor fast, but are hardy and deceptively tough, and resistant to damage and extremes in weather. They live about 300 years on average, far longer than humans but much less than the elves. Erithians have overall light coloration, ranging from nearly translucent pale white skin to almost any shade of fair - rosy, alabaster, ashen, sallow, even slightly tanned, but never dark. Their hair is also light colored - never darker than a steely grey or titian, and usually lighter - and commonly silver, white or grey even in youth. Both genders are often balding or with just a fringe of hair, males more commonly, though they are rarely completely bald - high foreheads or a fringe of hair worn long are more common. Their eye color ranges from nearly crystal-clear to medium brown, often shades of grey, blue, green, or golden, and again, never dark.

== Cultures ==

All the Erithi on Elanthia can trace their ancestry back to one or more of six extended family groups who made up the original population in Atan Irith. Reverence for one's family history and ancestry is important to them - not in a religious sense of ancestor-worship, but as an assurance of keeping the history of the people and honoring the deeds and wisdom of those past. Those of the various bloodlines do not live in isolated groups - though some regions comprise a larger percentage of one bloodline than others, due to being settled by family groups in the past - and individuals of various bloodlines often intermarry, with the male taking on the family identity of the female in most cases. (Perhaps two-thirds of all marriages remain within the same family bloodline. This is not a matter of marrying close relatives - as many of the same 'tribe' are only related by blood through centuries-old ties - although marriages as closely related as cousins are not forbidden or unheard of, and even encouraged among the Eloth Dai.)

Members of the same Dai recognize their common kinship, and take part in family ceremonies of history and remembrance on certain days important to each clan. They also often go into business ventures or other cooperative undertakings with their kinsmen, and those in need of help tend to turn to others of their clan for aid. A small percentage of Erithians do not count themselves as a member of a Dai, usually because they have voluntarily disowned their family because of some dispute, very rarely in cases of a few who have repudiated all ties to others for some personal quest or other reason. These independent spirits are not outcast from society or hated for their status, but simply do not enjoy the benefits of kinship.

Erithi lore states that there were originally ten family bloodlines in their original homeland, but four of these were not represented in the population who arrived on Elanthia. These four families are referred to here only as the Agan Dai, or "old clans, and though individual members are mentioned in old historical writings, their family histories are not part of Erithi life on Elanthia except at certain ceremonies of remembrance.

=== [[Eloth Dai]] ===

Descended from a long line of adept magic users, the Eloth Dai are the most insular of the clans, rarely marrying outside the clan as many believe that talent for magic is passed along by blood. Males of other clans who wish to marry into the Eloth Dai cannot do so without the approval of the clan elders, a restriction not present in any other clan. Children of this bloodline tend to have very light-colored skin, eyes, and hair, the latter often silver or white from birth. The name means 'the sky clan' or 'high clan'.

The symbol of Eloth Dai is a grey owl.

=== [[Surath Dai]] ===

The family traditions of the Surath Dai revere the power of the physical world, the planet, and the forces of essence that emanate from and surround it. Many are adept magic users, especially of elemental or spiritual nature, though they are more sociable and open to relations with other clans than the Eloth. Many Surath consider Eonak a patron. The clan name means 'the stone clan' or 'earth clan'.

The symbol of Surath Dai is a silver or white ram.

=== [[Nathala Dai]] ===

Members of Nathala Dai hail from the coastal regions of Atan Irith, perhaps paradoxically, the Nathala tend to be both the most peace loving and the most skilled in weapons and combat of the entire race due to their experiences defending against pirates and the dangers of the sea. Those of Nathala descent tend to be of slightly darker coloration than most Erithi, tending more toward pale olive or freckled skin, light brown or red hair, and brightly-hued eyes.

The symbol of Nathala Dai is a bronze or golden nautilus shell.

=== [[Yachan Dai]] ===

Valuing the wonders of nature, the Yachan Dai prefer the greener lands found in woodlands and valleys where they can meditate on the land's beauty and complexity. Many artists, craftsmen, and bards, as well as magic users of a spiritual or mentalist bent, descend from this clan.

The symbol of Yachan Dai is a butterfly, of any or many colors.

=== [[Tichan Dai]] ===

Most populous of the clans, the Tichan Dai make up at least a third of the population in Eloth-Ra. Tichan often find they are related to just about everyone else in their town through some intermarriage or another, and often hold the more public jobs in town life - shopkeepers, healers, merchants - though among adventurers, all professions are equally represented.

The symbol of Tichan Dai is a fish, often a silver salmon.

=== [[Valaka Dai]] ===

Never settling in any one place, the Valaka Dai are the fewest in number of all other clans due to their wanderlust, rarely building large families and often intermarrying into other clans. Many explorers, traders and others who habitually travel are of Valaka blood, as they often have less clan ties and responsibilities to keep them close to home.

The symbol of Valaka Dai is a grey or white falcon.

=== [[Volnath Dai]] ===

The Volnath Dai are a recently founded religious sect dedicated to the destruction of the Undead.

Their symbol is a white nautilus shell imposed on a shield of black.

== Background ==

=== Name ===

The name "Erithian" comes from their native name for themselves, ''Erithi'', which simply means "the People." They are sometimes poetically referred to as the People of the Sky, possibly derived from the name of their capital city, [[Eloth-Ra]], which means "Sky Home."

=== Religion ===

Most Erithians are not deeply religious, regarding the Arkati as worthy of honor and devotion but not supernatural gods. They have a special affinity for Lumnis and Fash'lo'nae as the twin aspects of wisdom and knowledge. Eonak has a significant following in the Surath Dai, and Niima among those who dwell on the coasts.

=== Clothing ===

Traditional Erithian dress consists of a cloth shirt (''[[isiqiri]]''), with either flaring breeches (''[[nanjir]]'') or close-fitting leggings (''[[kanjir]]''), over which is worn a multi-layered robe with colorful floral or natural designs (''[[atanika]]''), sometimes caught with a sash (''[[vatanura]]''). The distinctive Erithian article of jewelry is the ''[[elothrai]]'', a specially chosen agate gem worn on the forehead.

== Verbs ==

{verb} set {standard/culture}
<section begin=verbs />
{|{{prettytable}}
! colspan=2 style="background:#ddd; white-space: nowrap; font-size: larger; text-align: center;" | '''[[WAIT (verb)|WAIT]]'''
|-
|WAIT:
|You stand perfectly still, like a slender reed on a windless day. Erithian stands perfectly still and unwavering.
|-
|WAIT <person>:
|You still yourself, waiting patiently for <person>.
|-
|WAIT <self>:
|You patiently wait, measuring each beat of passing time. Erithian patiently waits, a serene look on his face.
|-
|WAIT <object>:
|You patiently observe <object>. Erithian takes keen note of <object>, observing it patiently.
|-
|WAIT <creature>:
|You still yourself, carefully watching <creature>'s actions.
|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#ddd; white-space: nowrap; font-size: larger; text-align: center;" | '''[[POSE (verb)|POSE]]'''
|-
|POSE:
|You steady your breathing and slowly stretch out each of your limbs in turn, preparing ourself for activity.
|-
|POSE <object>:
|With fluid grace, you lean in to examine <object>, your every move exact and intentioned.
|-
|POSE <creature>:
|You adopt a serene, yet observant, pose as you study <creature>.
|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#ddd; white-space: nowrap; font-size: larger; text-align: center;" | '''[[PONDER (verb)|PONDER]]'''
|-
|PONDER
|You pause in a moment of thoughtful contemplation.
|-
|PONDER <person>:
|You pause for a moment to study <person>, your gaze dwelling upon her features.
|-
|PONDER <self>:
|You close your eyes for a moment and slip into a brief contemplative trance. You reflect upon your circumstances and recent past, searching for any lessons you might learn from them. Erithian closes his eyes and a serene expression overtakes his.
|-
|PONDER <creature>:
|You pause for a moment to study <creature>, observing its movements to become more familiar with its habits. Erithian pauses for a moment to study <creature>, his movements slowly coming to mirror the <creature>'s.
|-
|PONDER <object>:
|You pause for a moment to study <object>, observing the most prominent characteristics. Erithian pauses for a moment to study <object>, his expression one of thoughtful observation.
|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#ddd; white-space: nowrap; font-size: larger; text-align: center;" | '''[[STRETCH (verb)|STRETCH]]'''
|-
|STRETCH MOUNTAIN: (standing only)
|Gracefully bending at the waist, you place your palms and wrists on the ground in front of you, extending the pose forward until your body forms a perfect mountain peak.
|-
|STRETCH TREE: (standing only)
|Extending your arms straight up over your head, you draw one leg up towards the center of your body, balancing lightly on your remaining leg.
|-
|STRETCH HAWK: (sitting only)
|You fold your left leg beneath you, extending your right leg behind you fully. Raising your arms overhead you arch your back, easing the tension in your spine.
|-
|STRETCH DIAMOND: (sitting only)
|Drawing your legs together in front of you, you position your heels and toes against each other, forming a diamond.
|-
|STRETCH WAVE: (prone only)
|You fold your hands deliberately over your chest and then arch your back until your neck and spine form a perfect arch. Elevating your legs evenly, you perform the precise wave posture.
|-
|STRETCH MOON: (prone only)
|Balancing on your stomach you extend your arms above and behind you, grasping your ankles. Drawing your limbs upward, your body forms a complete circle.
|-
|STRETCH CHILD: (kneeling only)
|You slide your hands along the floor away from you as you bend forward, bringing your torso to rest between your out-turned knees. You place your forehead on the floor and relax into the posture.
|-
|STRETCH CAMEL: (kneeling only)
|Sitting up on your knees, you reach both arms behind you and place your open palms on your flexed feet. You stretch your heart upward, bowing your back as you gaze up at the ceiling.
|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#ddd; white-space: nowrap; font-size: larger; text-align: center;" | '''[[BOW (verb)|BOW]]'''
|-
|BOW CROSS:
|Crossing his arms over his chest, palms flat against each shoulder, Erithian bows.
|-
|BOW DEEPLY:
|Erithian bows deeply.
|-
|BOW FLOOR:
|Erithian bows from the waist in a fluid movement, touching his forehead to the floor.
|-
|BOW HANDS:
|Folding his hands together, Erithian bows shallowly from the waist.
|-
|BOW FOLD:
|Folding his hands together, Erithian bows shallowly from the waist.
|-
|BOW FOLD: While holding an item
|You bring your <held item> toward your torso and bow shallowly from the waist.
|-
|BOW GRACEFULLY:
|Erithian bows with sweeping grace, like a hawk gliding on the wind.
|-
|BOW RECOGNITION:
|Nodding slightly, you bow an acknowledgement.
|-
|}<section end=verbs />

==Resources==
* [[A Study of the Erithi]] (official documentation)
* [[The Dress of the Erithi]] (official documentation)
* [[Erithi Tea Ceremony]] (official documentation)
* [[History of the Ferroniere#Elothrai|A History of the Ferroniere]] (official documentation)
* [[Erithian poetry lecture (log)]]
* [[Erithi poetry (saved post)]]
* [[Erithi traditions (saved post)]]
* [[Erithi Skyfire (saved post)]]
* [[Erithi theatre masks (saved post)]]
* [[Erithi tea ceremony lecture (log)]]
* [[Erithian murder mystery (saved posts)]]
* [[Elanthian Gems]]
* [[The History of the Elanthian Katana and the Order of the Watchful Eye]]
*[http://www.play.net/gs4/info/races/erithians.asp Races: Erithian], on Play.net
*[http://forums.play.net/forums/GemStone%20IV/Races/Erithians/view Officials folder]

{{Erithians}}
{{Races}}

[[Category:Races and Cultures]]

Player Organizations

2017-07-09T22:35:55Z

HOST-GSDJYNI: Redirected page to Meeting Hall Organization

#REDIRECT [[Meeting Hall Organization]]

Erithi Clothing

2017-06-19T02:16:42Z

HOST-GSDJYNI:

{{official-document}}
<big>'''The Dress of the Erithi</big>

''From a notice sent to the Scholars of [[Ta'Illistim]] for immediate dispatch to any interested party.

Due in part to our natural reticence, the unique quality of erithian dress has been a source of admiration, but also confusion, since making our presence known. As such, many of the traveling erithi have adopted local forms of dress or modified their normal clothing. For those that choose to wear the traditional garb, both formal and utilitarian, finding a tailor that can properly craft it has been impossible. For that reason, I have tasked one of our best tailors to provide an explanation of the intricacies of our traditional attire and to travel the expanse of Elanith. Talented though he may be, however, I do realize he will never be able to seek out all traveling erithi and proffer the comforts of home dress. Thus, I hope that the tailors and seamstresses of these other lands will pay close attention to his descriptions below and learn the craft of fine erithian sewing.

:'''1 Ivastaen 5107
:'''Chief Scholar Isienaka of the [[Eloth Dai]]

== Erithian Clothing: A Guide ==

I am Vithalan of the [[Tichan Dai]], and I have the great honor to be a tailor to many important personages in [[Eloth-Ra]]. I am but a simple man, a humble tailor, and as such, my writing is less elegant than one of our scholars. Pray forgive me, but our elders felt I would be best able to describe our clothing, despite my lack of a silvered written tongue, and so, I have given it my best try.

The first item of importance when understanding attire of the erithi is that each garment has functional and formal versions which are readily apparent at a glance. Functional clothing consists of sturdier materials, simpler patterns, in essence, less "fuss" for our daily tasks. Formal clothing radiates color and cheerful excess of fine fabrics. While some sewing is obviously involved, much of the art of Erithian dress comes in the intricate folding of materials.

Typical dress consists of an atika or an elothrai, an isiqiri, an atanika, nanjir or kanjir, and a pair of yatane. Oftentimes, you will also see a vatanura. Of course, for our more adventuresome erithi, I have heard it is more and more common to wear any one of these items with foreign clothing. For example, someone might choose to wear a common skirt with an atanika, despite the obvious clash! Ah, but I get ahead of myself, as the terms I am using must surely be confusing to the non-erithi. I shall explain myself forthwith, and again, let me apologize for my lack of written poetry.
When the erithi embroider or adorn clothing, we do so most often with scenes of natural wonder and beauty. Flora and serene fauna are most common. The use of color is most prevalent in formal wear, but it is not unheard of to have splashes of elegance and color even in our daily attire. As a side note, when pluralized, none of the clothing changes form or pronunciation. Also, when referring in general to an item that has gender specific versions, you would utilize the feminine form. For example, a store sells atanika, not atanikas, nor atanika and ataniki. Atanika alone suffices, but you would state that all the men wore ataniki, since you are only referring to men at that point.
Enough of the brief language lesson and on to the clothing!

Below, I explain each clothing item in detail. When such items are commissioned, please be exact, for an atanika fit for a party looks quite different from an atanika for a day at the wharves.

=== Atika and Atiki ===

Atika (aw TEE kuh): our women's headwear, the atika is starched in a series of three or more wave-like peaks flowing back from the forehead. In everyday use, the atika is typically simple linen or raw silk, occasionally dyed, but never patterned or embroidered. Indeed, many do not even wear an everyday atika, preferring a bare head. Formally, however, the atika is a work of art, consisting of many bright hues in silks and linens. Embroidered within an inch of its life, the formal atika will often have a back-flowing veil. Acceptable materials: Most cloth, but preferably linens, muslins, and silks. Unacceptable materials: Wool, leather, suede, or any other thick, unwieldy material.

Atiki (aw TEE kee): the headgear of our men, the atiki is quite similar to the atika, but instead of arched waves, the atiki sweeps back at the crown and folds inward along the edges. Again, everyday-use atiki are made of linens with metal-clasped folds. Formal atiki clasps are elaborate, however, such as gold filigree clasps shaped like dolphins in mid-leap or an elegant crane amid the rushes. Like the atika, formal atiki utilize lush silks and linens in myriad hues and are often heavily embroidered. Acceptable materials: Most cloth, but preferably linens, muslins, and silks. Unacceptable materials: Wool, leather, suede, or any other thick, unwieldy material.

=== Elothrai ===

Elothrai (ehl ohth RAY): The erithian version of a ferroniere, the elothrai is a forehead-worn gem suspended from a fine chain. The scholars of the erithi originally wore these to signify their "inner sight" or wisdom, but the elothrai were so beautiful that men and women alike quickly adopted the decoration. Each Dai has its own signature agate for use in the elothrai, but all choose their own agate at personal whim anyway. In erithian, "eloth" means sky and "rai" is a truncation of either raiyatha (soul) or raiyartha (agate). It is amusing to this humble tailor that the jewelry designed by scholars has become a matter of debate amongst them, as there are differing schools of thought (and hence dissertations, arguments, and even petty quibbling) as to whether or not it is soul or agate. I personally believe the original one who bestowed the name left it intentionally ambiguous to spark just such debate, and even now, they look down upon us and chuckle from the skies. Acceptable materials: Any agate for the gem. Unacceptable materials: any other gem or stone. An elothrai is always made with an agate, and it is always on a chain of sorts, never a solid piece of material like a circlet.
For those interested, the traditional agates for each Dai are:

:[[Eloth Dai]]: Owleye agate
:[[Surath Dai]]: Drought agate
:[[Nalatha Dai]]: Nalatha agate
:[[Yachan Dai]]: Summer agate
:[[Tichan Dai]]: Storm agate
:[[Valaka Dai]]: Beetle agate

=== Isiqiri ===

Isiqiri (iss ih KEER ee): The isiqiri is a shirt, but of a very particular cut. The sleeves always come to the wrist and are cuffed in some manner. Isiqiri have short, stiff and upright collars which are unfolded and rise one to two fingers above the shirt. They are buttoned, often in a matching style to the manner of cuffing, but often the method of buttoning is hidden by an overflap of material. Everyday isiqiri are of raw silk or basic linens, while the formal have a greater range. However, since isiqiri are typically worn under an atanika, they are usually less elaborately embroidered, even in formal attire. There is no appreciable difference between male and female cuts of an isiqiri. Acceptable materials: Most cloth materials, but preferred materials are linens, muslins, and silks. For truly rugged professions, coarse materials like broadcloth are occasionally used. Unacceptable materials: Wools, suedes, leathers.

=== Atanika and Ataniki ===

Atanika (aw tawn EEK uh) and Ataniki (aw tawn EEK ee): Women wear atanika, the showpiece garment of our traditional garb. An atanika is a multi-layered robe with a center line opening. An ataniki, for the men, is essentially the same garment except that the cut allows a left-line wrap instead of center line. For everyday atanika, the sleeves are of a smaller bell, the vatanura (sashes) are optional, and the length is just above the knee. While some choose to keep their atanika simple and utilitarian for daily use, most erithi prefer embroidered layers of silks, linens, and other fine materials. Formal atanika are quite elaborate. All atanika do have inner ties to hold the garment together, even if a vatanura is not worn, but using the ties is also a matter of personal preference. Depending on the climate, atanika might be lined with warmer materials, such as wool or fur. Acceptable materials: Silks, linens, satins, velvets, and muslins. Wool or fur is only acceptable for lining or accents. Unaccepatable materials: Leathers, suedes, and most other stiff materials.

Allow me a brief sidenote, if you will, on the atanika. Some believe that the differing openings are symbolic in nature. Like all such opinions, no definitive answer exists, but I have always found it fascinating. The symbolism in the center line opening is that women are our centering presence and thus their atanika opens along the center line of the body, while men are driven by the bloodrush from the heart and thus ataniki open along the heart side, or left side, of the body. More prosaic women suggest that a man originally designed the garment with the left-bound opening, and his pregnant wife quickly disabused him of that notion, preferring a cut that allowed her burgeoning belly to protrude in comfort. As I said, beliefs vary, but regardless of the origin, men would not wear an atanika, nor women an ataniki.

=== Vatanura ===

Vatanura (vaw taw NYUR uh): This is a side-tied waist sash made from elaborately folded cloth. Vatanura are never sewn together, although they can be embroidered if desired. Exceptionally cleverly made vatanura often have a small inner pocket for a key or other tiny trinket. Acceptable materials: any cloth that is not overly stiff. Unacceptable materials: leather, suede, metals.

=== Nanjir, Kanjir, Kanjiqi ===

Nanjir (nan JHEER): Buttoned below the knee, nanjir are similar to other culture's breeches. They are always made roomy, never skintight or even remotely fitted, so they flare out at the hips and thighs. Men and women alike wear nanjir. While most nanjir are relatively simple in adornments, it is not unheard of to see a heavily embroidered pair made to match a formal atanika. Acceptable materials: Most cloth materials, even the coarser ones, plus leather and suede.

Kanjir (kan JHEER): As an alternative to the nanjir, women sometimes opt to wear kanjir, a tight-fitted legging that terminates at the ankle. Tradition dictates that all kanjir have at least one piece of agate sewn on them somewhere, and women are often seen wearing kanjir with a kanjiqi. Acceptable materials: Any soft cloth, such as velvet, silks, satins, or linens. It is not unheard of, although rare, to have a coarser material such as broadcloth, sailcloth, or wool. Unacceptable materials: Suedes and leathers.

Kanjiqi (kan JHEE kee): Kanjiqi are thigh-sheaths that erithian women wear with kanjir. Crafted to hold a small dagger or similar weapon, the small sheaths are worn mid- to upper-thigh and can be a fingersbreadth or a handspan in width. Young, unmarried erithi often prefer the more "enhancing" aspects of a kanjir-kanjiqi combination and wear it frequently. Nanjir are not designed for kanjiqi, and anyone wearing them together would look utterly ridiculous. Acceptable materials: Most cloth material and suedes and leathers. Metals, woods, etc may be used for adornment. Unacceptable materials: Any metals, woods, bones, that sort of rigid material.

=== Yatane ===

Yatane (yaw taw NEE): Yatane are typical erithian shoes. While we often prefer to wear sandals woven from rushes when relaxing or just walking to the market, shoes are more practical for many tasks and are preferred for formal events. Yatane are ankle-length, low-heeled, and have gently pointed toes. Most materials are acceptable for yatane, and as is common, yatane range from sturdy and practical to fancy. Acceptable materials: Any materials shoes would normally be made from, so most cloths, leathers, suedes. Unacceptable materials: Inflexible materials like metals. Woods and rushes can be used for the undersoles, but not for the rest of the yatane.

I hope this has been a useful guide. If, however, there are still questions, I will, as tasked, be visiting many towns and cities where erithi reside now, and I shall impart my knowledge to as many tailors and seamstresses as I can find.

Signed this 15th day of Ivastaen, 5107 Master Tailor Vithalan of the Tichan Dai

{{Top}}

[[Category: Official Documentation]]
[[Category: Erithians]]

User talk:GS4-SCRIBES/Docs to Transcribe

2017-06-19T02:03:12Z

HOST-GSDJYNI: Created page with "Finished those two documents"

Finished those two documents

Half-Elven Songs

2017-06-19T01:20:21Z

HOST-GSDJYNI: Created page with "'''Half-Elven Songs''' right ''The following letter was written by Davosian Windersea, Master of the Bard Guild in Fairport, upon Jastatos 7, 5103. To..."

'''Half-Elven Songs'''
[[File:Halfelfpic.jpg|right]]

''The following letter was written by Davosian Windersea, Master of the Bard Guild in Fairport, upon Jastatos 7, 5103. To date, his request for half-elven acceptance in Fairport has been refused by his home guild. Ironically, the guild in Phannus has begun to use his letter as an example in rhetoric classes.''

My guildmates,

When people refer to "half-elven culture," they rarely mean anything more by it than a joke, and this is true whether the speaker is from the Elven Nations, the Turamzzyrian Empire, the depths of a dwarven city, or the height of an icy halfling outpost. Half-elves, the traditional belief runs, do not have a culture. They are legally recognized in the Turamzzyrian Empire as nothing but another kind of elf, and Chaston's Edict covers them just as it covers the elves. There are too many and too few half-elves. They hail from a thousand places, but they never grow up together, and they are cast off and spat upon no matter what that birthplace may be. Even when they band together in adulthood, no half-elven community has ever succeeded for more than a generation or two. Elves can always return to their cities, but half-elves have no homes to which they may return.

Because of their outcast status, a surprising number of half-elves wind up as wanderers who never stay for long in any city. Some of these wanderers become traders, some become mercenaries, some become rangers, and some become bards. We, the bards of Elanith, have
always been keepers of lore, history, and culture, and, as a result, the Bard Guild has become the sole source of half-elven community that spans geography.

This odd mixture of prejudice and privilege has existed at least the life of the Turamzzyrian Empire, and this state will continue whether the local members of a given Guild wish it to be or not. While not all Bard Guilds will accept half-elves into their halls as new members (Fairport has always been steadfast in its rejection) guild law requires that, if one Bard Guild accepts a given person, then all Bard Guilds must accept that person. To do otherwise would result in the offending Guild being outcast from the Guild structure as a whole. Therefore, Fairport's Bard Guild must offer shelter to an accepted bard from Oire, even if that bard should happen to be half-elven... or dwarven, giantkin, gnomish, or krolvin! This state will continue unless we officially remove ourselves from the greater Bard Guild, an option that I recommend against. (If the reasons why are not obvious, then I recommend you back to your history teachers.)

In elven lands, the impact of such a system is not so very great, as half-elves live pitiably short lives compared to their elven relatives. In the Turamzzyrian Empire, however, the effect is quite different. While half-elves rarely hold high posts within the Guild, they routinely see several generations of humans buried, and they are taken as eternal fixtures even if they are not particularly honored. The Bard Guild prides itself on respecting skill and style over race, which, combined with the longevity of half-elves, has resulted in many half-elven songs becoming deeply entrenched within official bardic society. Several songs written by or about half-elves are used as training pieces for apprentices, while others are recorded for all time in
Guild scrolls and Guild songbooks. To jog your memory....

=[[Jori%27s_Eyes|"Jori's Eyes"]]=
With its simple melody and precise fingering, this song has long been a practice piece for students beginning the lute, but the lyrics were written by a human bard from Oire upon her first visit to Tamzyrr.

=[[The_Mule|"The Mule"]]=
This song (and its author) were removed hastily from Selanthia prior to the destruction of both in a Conquest Fete in 5098. Most bards are more familiar with a different set of lyrics for the song, and they perform it as "A Noble Daughter." Look back in the records, however, and you may determine to your own satisfaction which came first.

=[[Tansy_and_Thyme|"Tansy and Thyme"]]=
This song appears without much acclaim in the records of the Swale roughly sixty years ago. The author's trail can be followed in bardic records from the Swale all the way out to the northern lands claimed by the halflings, where this song became suddenly popular in the city of Icemule Trace. It is most often performed as an instrumental dance song anywhere south of Solhaven.

=[[Ill_Wind,_Ill_Fruit|"Ill Wind, Ill Fruit"]]=
This song comes from the elven city of Ta'Nalfein, where it was apparently discovered among the personal possessions after all members of a family were slain in an unpleasant accident. In its best-known form, this is a trio that requires two pipers and one singer. When performed in Torre, it is usually adapted for two pipers and a lute instead, as the lyrics are not particularly popular.

=[[Old_Rock_Sings|"Old Rock Sings"]]=
This song is at least five hundred years old, but it has grown steadily in popularity in the last few years, particularly in the Vornavis region. Few people requesting it realize its true significance, however -- the records vary as to whether it was written by an elf about his human lover, or by a half-elf about the love between his parents, but it is definitely an artifact of half-elven heritage.

These are only a few examples, but I assure you that I could continue the list until it stretched as long as a giantman's arm. It is time that we of Fairport recognize our half-elven community as more than cast-offs who live in other lands. Torre tradition has never permitted half-elves to enter the guild here, but I see three whenever I visit the guild in Phannus, and not one is without a weight of esteem and regard in the world. If one of those half-elves chooses to visit the guild in Fairport, we are obliged to accept his presence, but we would not accept him as a new guild member if he walked through our doors tomorrow without the word of Phannus for his prowess.

Why?

We do not introduce our songs by saying, "This song was written by a half-elf." Why should we decline potential guildmembers by saying, "This bard is a half-elf?" Why should we watch the skill of one hundred years past and three hundred years to come leave our doorstep in favor of another, more accepting venue?

Do we not want those who possess the greatest skill to be welcome in our guild? Does that not matter more than the shape of a man's ears? Let us accept the half-elven bards of Fairport openly, rather than watching them leave for River's Rest, Phannus, and parts beyond. With the ascension of a new Emperor, the Empire has entered a new age of acceptance, and it is time that we step bravely into this new age instead of clinging to relics of the past.

Upon reading these words, others will surely react with disgust, and others will say that my wits have flown to a blow from some mugger. I caution you to mute your venom. The facts may not have been thrown in your face before, but they were present for you to see, and it is hardly my fault that you preferred blindness. You may think of the authors of these songs as being gone and dead, when the songs were written four hundred years ago, but you forget that four hundred years is within the lifetime of a half-elf, and the man you decry may arrive, heavy with the weight of four hundred years' reputation, on your doorstep tomorrow. Remember the nature of the situation, and then hold your tongue.

''Davosian Windersea'' 
''Guildmaster of Fairport''

=References=

*[[Culture]]

[[Category:Races and Cultures]]

Half-Elven Songs/Old Rock Sings

2017-06-19T01:18:58Z

HOST-GSDJYNI: Created page with " '''Half-Elven Songs''' right =''Old Rock Sings''= Songbirds flutter through the sky. Here beneath an oak, I lie. Roots and ferns curl all ar..."

'''Half-Elven Songs'''
[[File:Halfelfpic.jpg|right]]

=''Old Rock Sings''=

Songbirds flutter through the sky. 
Here beneath an oak, I lie. 
Roots and ferns curl all around, 
A peaceful blanket for the ground. 
Here am I, a simple stone 
All alone. All alone. 

Night and day will pass me by. 
Here beneath an oak I lie. 
None will stop to look at me. 
Naught but cold rock would they see. 
Here I lie upon the hill-- 
Silent still. Silent still. 

A young girl came to look at me, 
Giggling with her fantasy-- 
"These ridges are like eagle wings!" 
She laughed, as girls do at such things. 
Never will a dead stone fly. 
Pass me by. Pass me by. 

Then she brushed away the sand 
And took this dull rock in her hand-- 
Tucked a stone into her skirt 
Regardless of the grime and dirt. 
As she ran, the world danced by, 
Earth and sky. Earth and sky. 

She made me her good luck charm, 
Vowed I'd keep her from all harm. 
I, a stone, to ward off ill? 
All rocks do is to be still. 
Never did I understand 
In her hand. In her hand. 

Years flowed by with laughing grace. 
I memorized her smile, her face, 
The way, in thought, she turned her head-- 
And then, so swiftly, she was dead. 
Nevermore will still stones fly, 
Rocks don't die. Rocks don't die. 

Who knew she took me from a hill 
Beneath an oak, by songbird's trill? 
I did not see, it was too fast 
When I was filled with grief so vast. 
They put me back from whence I came 
Full of shame. Full of shame. 

The memory of her laughing voice 
Still brings my spirit to rejoice-- 
Her hair was gold as autumn leaves 
Which mothering earth softly receives. 
They'd laugh, the songbirds high above-- 
A rock in love. A rock in love. 

How far above, the branches seem-- 
A rock was never meant to dream. 
I will recall her shining eyes 
Till death ignites the very skies. 
Till all that is, is at an end, 
I'll miss my friend. I'll miss my friend. 

So, bard, be kind, and still your voice, 
And put me down, and make the choice 
To leave me with my memory, 
As still as only rocks can be. 
Lay me down in fern-fronds deep. 
Let me sleep. Let me sleep. 

==References==
*[[Half-Elven Songs]]

Half-Elven Songs/Ill Wind, Ill Fruit

2017-06-19T01:16:02Z

HOST-GSDJYNI: Created page with "'''Half-Elven Songs''' right =''Ill Wind, Ill Fruit''= A western storm wrapped round a cherry tree And shook that tree till every branch was sore..."

'''Half-Elven Songs'''
[[File:Halfelfpic.jpg|right]]

=''Ill Wind, Ill Fruit''=

A western storm wrapped round a cherry tree 
And shook that tree till every branch was sore, 
Till every blossom fell from every twig 
And every twig was bent, and each leaf tore, 
And come the fall, what ugly fruit it bore! 
What ugly fruit those wounded branches bore! 

(chorus) 
Ill wind, ill fruit, 
The seasons trickle by. 
Ill wind, ill fruit, 
Ill born, swift die. 

All round it, other trees bore cherries red, 
But every cherry there was stormcloud grey 
And fragrant with the smell of western rain, 
As repugnant as any grave's decay, 
And when she could, she hid the fruit away, 
The cherry tree, she hid her fruit away. 

(chorus) 

As seasons turned, the tree bloomed bright once more, 
And once again bore fruit of scarlet red. 
The songbirds took the cherry pits away 
To lands where western winds would never tread. 
The grey fruits died, and no birds ate them dead, 
They smelled like rain, and no birds ate them dead. 

(chorus) 

I touch my ears and hear a western rain, 
I feel the western lightning in my hands. 
You seek to hide away the short-lived grey 
But please recall, the false fruit understands 
Your every word, and dreams of other lands, 
Yes, every word, and dreams of other lands.... 

(chorus) 

But fruit has no place in the western sky. 
I've outlived clouds, and you will see me die. 

==References==
*[[Half-Elven Songs]]

Half-Elven Songs/Jori's Eyes

2017-06-19T01:10:38Z

HOST-GSDJYNI:

'''Half-Elven Songs'''
[[File:Halfelfpic.jpg|right]]

=''Jori's Eyes''=

Jori's eyes are crystal blue 
And mine are muddy brown, 
But my eyes always get a smile 
And Jori's get a frown. 

Jori's hair flows golden, like 
The wheatstalks in the wind, 
My hair is ratty ugly, but 
They say Jori's is sin. 

Jori, why are they all calling? 
Jori, stop and feel the sun -- 
Jori, why must you be running? 
Jori dear, what have you done? 

Jori's skin is pale as parchment, 
Mine is freckle town, 
Jori never gets a sunburn, 
I am suntan brown. 

Jori says she hears the birds 
When I can't hear a thing, 
Jori whistles like a robin, 
I can only sing. 

Jori, why are they all yelling? 
Jori, why can't they be kind? 
Jori, why does no one like you? 
I find the answers hard to find.... 

They say elf-ears have pointy tips, 
But Jori's ears are round, 
And Jori is like any other 
Person I have found.

But Jori is a lonely girl 
And Jori walks away, 
And folks use vicious words to her 
That Ma says I can't say. 

Jori, where has your Da gone to? 
Jori, why does your Ma cry? 
Jori, why aren't you apprenticed? 
Kaith taught me to bake a pie. 

Jori, why do they all hate you? 
Jori, can't we still be friends? 
Jori, all your life is riddles... 
Birth brings riddles, death brings ends. 

==References==
*[[Half-Elven Songs]]

Half-Elven Songs/The Mule

2017-06-19T01:10:08Z

HOST-GSDJYNI: Created page with "'''Half-Elven Songs''' right =''The Mule''= My father was a donkey, for My mother loved an elf -- Or that's how people treat me, so I just..."

'''Half-Elven Songs'''
[[File:Halfelfpic.jpg|right]]

=''The Mule''=
My father was a donkey, for 
My mother loved an elf -- 
Or that's how people treat me, so 
I just keep to myself. 

I play the drum, pipe, and lysard, 
I forge, and fence with skill, 
But Cook says keep from mother's sight, 
"Your presence makes her ill." 

A pair of hairy donkey ears 
Would not cause more disdain 
Than these small pointed ears I have. 
I've folded them in vain. 

Sometimes I almost start to say, 
"This really isn't fair -- 
I did not choose to be this way!" 
But nobody would care. 

They haven't put me in a stall, 
I've got my nook and hearth, 
They haven't hitched me to a plow, 
But donkeys have more worth. 

When company is here, I'm sworn 
To never show my face, 
I'm sure visitors know I'm here, 
But I am a disgrace. 

If I could hold a concert, oh! 
What would the watchers say? 
I'd bet, "Bright gods, the boy can sing? 
We always thought he'd bray." 

I'll outlive every one of them, 
Scarce comfort that will be -- 
I'd rather die tomorrow, if 
Someone would smile at me. 

Three generations down the line, 
They'll still keep me up here 
And say, "Stay quiet, wretched thing, 
When company is near." 

I dream I see the elven lord, 
He's glad to see I grew -- 
He offers words of comfort 
And a helpful shoulder, too. 

But I wake knowing it's a lie, 
And I keep to myself -- 
His kind would name me 'mule' too, 
For I'm only part elf! 

==References==
*[[Half-Elven Songs]]

Half-Elven Songs/Jori's Eyes

2017-06-19T01:03:07Z

HOST-GSDJYNI: Created page with "'''Half-Elven Songs''' right =''Jori's Eyes''= Jori's eyes are crystal blue And mine are muddy brown, But my eyes always get a smile And..."

File:Halfelfpic.jpg

2017-06-19T00:51:06Z

HOST-GSDJYNI:

Gastronomical Identification and Imitation

2017-06-19T00:39:15Z

HOST-GSDJYNI:

'''Gastronomical Identification and Imitation ''' 
'''or, How to Recognize and Reproduce the Food of the Larger Races''' 
'''by Aesi Winedotter'''

The honor of living and working with a Loenthran family for the last thirty years has brought many good things into my life. One of these is an appreciation for the culinary traditions of many races. The master of our house is an unusually experimental gourmand, and he delights in exploring regional specialties both through travel and the teachings of visitors to the house. In recent years, I have conducted a few inquiries of my own, taking every opportunity to question traveling Gnomes about food in distant lands. Our cousins in the Human Empire have been particularly informative about the regional variations among their hosts.

In the hope that others may take interest in these findings, I present here what I have gleaned about these exotic practices. Sample menus are provided to better illustrate how a meal might be assembled in that particular culture. For the benefit of those unfamiliar with the elegance of elven cuisine, I include a section on that tradition as well.

==Sylvankind==
Sylvan cooking is almost as refined as that of the true Elves, in terms of presentation and flavor combinations. The ingredients, however, are what set the dishes apart. The central elements are gathered or hunted from the wild, never cultivated or preserved. Particularly favored are fleetingly seasonal items, or those requiring special skill or knowledge to locate or prepare. Supporting these unusual items are many of the same techniques and preparations familiar to anyone who has dined in the elven cities.

<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Sylvan Menu: Informal Autumn Lunch'''

small round loaves of acorn bread
fennel butter
sorrel and rue salad tossed with a cider vinaigrette
persimmon and mushroom soup
a cattail flour torte topped with blackberry syrup
oak leaf wine
</pre>

==Dark Elves==
I am forced to rely upon the accounts of others when it comes to the culinary preferences of the Dark Elves, as this is the only style of food strictly forbidden in the house. Through diligent inquiry I have been able to ascertain that reptile meat takes a central role. The preparations are invariably elaborate, with some of the more striking approaches making use of the inedible portions of the beast as decorative accents. Outsiders have not reported particularly pleasurable experiences with this cuisine. Although they draw upon much of the same flora and fauna, Dhe'nar and Faendryl preparations do differ. The former cuisine plays up the dangerous aspects of the ingredients used, and focuses on purity by using only one or two elements in any given dish. The Faendryl, on the other hand, use food as another way of signifying status and rank. There are detailed prohibitions regarding ingredients and preparations, making the arrangement of large dinners a logistical maze.

<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Dark Elven Menu: Dhe'nar-style Meal'''

toasted fire ants served in a tortoise shell
a prickly pear and salted skink salad
salamander and agave soup
an overlapping fan of roasted cave bats stuffed with trafel mushrooms
scorpion tail pastries
snake venom in blue agave wine
</pre>

==Dwarves==
The rustic meals of the Dwarves are charming for their simplicity and satisfying for their heartiness. Although one would never accuse them of subtlety in the kitchen, their food has a certain tenacity which no doubt serves them well in their labors. Trade with aboveground clans provides the cave-dwellers with rabbit and mutton, bulb vegetables, wheat, and preserved or dried fruits. Both meat and vegetables are generally cooked for long periods of time. I'm told by the Aledotters that a particularly dense bread studded with fruit known as sarak can be found in the pockets of many Dwarves as they go about their day. The Dwarves underground cultivate both lichens and fungi, some of which are surprisingly good. I have found the reddish-orange lichen to be the most palatable, provided it is softened up through boiling or steaming.

<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Dwarven Menu: Family Dinner'''

fried oatcakes with grumbleberry jelly
mutton and leek stew
leek and potato soup
dark ale or draft cider
rhubarb pie
</pre>

==Giantman==
The nomadic clans of this towering folk are fearless hunters, and have been known to take down even the largest plains animals single-handedly. This prowess is reflected in their cooking, which often revolves around big game animals roasted all day in a pit or over an open fire. As this is difficult to reproduce in a civilized kitchen, the essence of giantman cooking can also be approximated with smaller cuts of game grilled over smoldering coals. Equally notable are the rather unusual infusions consumed with meals and as tonics. Their pine needle tea takes some getting used to, but its sharp flavor can be just the thing after a long day's work.

<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Giantman Menu: Late Summer Festival'''

pit-roasted venison
grilled trout
fried squash blossoms
gooseberry bannocks
blue corn atole
</pre>

==Halflings==
Spicy meats, stuffed peppers, kabobs, and goat milk are some of the characteristic dishes in Halfling cuisine. Upon arrival, guests are immediately served a fermented drink made from millet, honey, and rice. A simple concoction of raw mutton minced together with salt and water is frequently seen at festivals, though it is rarely popular with outsiders. Dairy products are abundant, and feature such unusual preparations as an intoxicating churned sour milk (kumys), sun-dried curds mixed in water during the winter, and butter that has been boiled dry and preserved in sheep guts. Fish is considered inferior food by all but the Brughans, and only eaten in great extremity.

<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Halfling Menu: Spring Dinner'''

sour yoghurt and cucumber salad
potato and cabbage soup
pickled mushrooms
steamed dumplings filled with lamb and red pepper flakes
roasted marmot (left whole, gutted, stuffed with hot river rocks, and cooked over coals)
green onion griddlecakes
salty milk tea
</pre>

==Humans==
Culinary traditions vary significantly from one end of the Human Empire to the other. The demarcations are not always precise, and some may argue about where one style of preparation ends and another begins. For the purposes of this piece, however, a division of the region into five segments will suffice. As the foods found within even a single barony or county may differ, please take this merely as a rough guide.

===Northern Turamzzyrian Empire===
'''Jantalar, Mestanir, Talador, North Hendor and Riverwood'''
The primary grains found in the northern reaches of the Turamzzyrian Empire are oats and barley, which make their way into a number of local dishes. Oat meal and oat bread keep many a soul going through the long winters, along with the liberally consumed batches of metheglin and mead. Root vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, and turnips are featured on most tables during the colder months. Rivers provide eels, pike, trout, and the extremely popular salmon, which is usually cooked over apple wood. Cattle are bled as well as milked, to produce the thick blood pudding much prized by locals. Badgers and goose eggs are considered delicacies.

<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Northern Empire Menu: Picnic Lunch'''

chilled tomato soup
garlic-simmered baby eels
bacon and goose egg pie
sugared oatcakes
sloe wine
</pre>

===Western Turamzzyrian Empire===
'''Seareach, Vornavis, Torre, South Hendor, and Oire'''
The predominant foods in the western part of the Turamzzyrian Empire are vegetable, legume, meat and grain dishes using olives, tomatoes, garlic, and basil as primary ingredients. As one would expect, seafood is particularly prevalent along the coast, with a lavish seafood soup being a star dish. The large rivers that run through this region provide a bounty of freshwater fish. Although meat is featured less frequently here than in some regions, wine-braised versions of deer, boar, and rabbit are particular standouts. Black truffles are a local delicacy, and sage is one of the more common herbs in use. Olive oil is used almost exclusively in place of butter, though it is a more refined pressing than that which is found in the south. Fine wines are appreciated, and enjoyed with most meals.
<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Western Empire Menu: Rustic Lunch'''

unsalted bread served with olive oil and dark vinegar
diced octopus salad
split pea soup sausage and red wine
suckling pig seasoned with rosemary and sage
watermelon pistachio pudding
Oire rose grenache
</pre>

===Southern Turamzzyrian Empire===
'''Selanthia, Estoria, Allace, Chastonia, Aldora, and Honneland'''
The southern reaches of the human empire enjoy a warm climate and gentle terrain. The seaports of Ubl and Idolone provide abundant fish and shellfish, while the inland cities are rich in livestock and agriculture. All this has combined to produce a bountiful cuisine redolent of the sun-kissed region itself. Olive trees grow in the hills of Elstreth, and their pressed oil is used in most dishes. In this area, the dark green first pressing is preferred, whereas the Humans to the north make use of a more refined version. The lamb raised in that area is also immensely popular, and is served braised, stewed, broiled, and even spit-roasted whole for major festivals. Along the coast fish is served whole, with the head still attached. Lemon trees are everywhere, and they explain the ubiquity of a beautiful, golden lemon and egg sauce which forms a base for many dishes. Marinated vegetables are quite common, and in some places eggplant, zucchini, and spinach take the place of meat as a central element. Meals finish with cups of thick coffee and fresh fruits like melons, figs, oranges, or apples. Desserts made from thin, layered pastry drenched in honey are also common.

<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Southern Empire Menu: Casual Lunch'''

garlic-stuffed bread
artichoke, zucchini, and mushroom salad
steamed beets with garlic dip
lamb casserole in a cinnamon tomato sauce
fried red mullet
sugar-dusted almond cookies
coffee
</pre>

===Eastern Turamzzyrian Empire===
'''Highmount, Bourth, Trauntor, and Dragach'''
Food in the eastern Turamzzyrian Empire tends to be heavy, featuring sausages, boiled vegetables, and dense, rich desserts. Pork is the most common meat, and the sheer abundance of it requires a great deal of smoking and salting for preservation. Herring is consumed in a variety of forms, inclulding raw, pickled, smoked, and canned. Juniper is a traditional spice, along with caraway, dill, and marjoram. Pickled eggs are eaten as snacks, and guests are always offered coffee and cake. The most surprising recipe I have seen from this region was for snail chowder.

<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Eastern Empire Menu: Formal Summer Dinner'''

soft cheese with anchovies and paprika
chilled plum soup
sausage salad
rye bread
stewed red cabbage with caraway seeds
pork cutlets with apples and juniper
goose liver simmered in onions
a fruit-covered layer cake
sparkling wine
rum coffee
</pre>

===The Tehir===
The desert dwellers have a cuisine all their own. Though not agrarian themselves, they do trade with outsiders for cereals and pulses to supplement a diet heavy in goat meat and dried fruits. Spices are highly valued for their ability to both preserve food and disguise stale or tasteless ingredients. For a truly traditional Tehir meal, begin with strong mint tea and finish with anise-laced goat milk sweets.

<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Tehir Menu: Spring Festival for Honored Guests'''

eggplant salad
green beans with onions, tomatoes, and mint
bulgur wheat and mint salad
roasted red pepper hummus
flat bread seasoned with thyme and sumac
cinnamon goat meat stew
steamed semolina with onions and turnips
sesame-covered fried honey cakes
sweet mint tea
</pre>

==Forest Gnomes==
The Gnomes of the forests have a primitive approach to food, though I've noticed that other races seem to consider it attractively quaint. Gathered berries are made into compotes and preserves, and used in combination with ground nutmeats and small animals cooked in firepits. A few crops supplement the gathered food, generally maize and wheat. Although the distinctive tied leaf wrappers are only used when travelling, they can provide a conversational element for those recreating the cuisine at a formal dinner. There are some differences between the bloodlines, with the Angstholm eating mainly freshwater fish, the Greengair eating very little meat, and the Rosengift performing bizarre adulterations on their meals.

<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Forest Gnome Menu: Traveller's Early Summer Feast'''

thornberry balls wrapped in mustard leaves
mixed bundles of pokeweed, ramp, and mallow tied with pine needles
grilled minnows on a bed of dandelion crowns
seared fillet of trout
elderflower fritters
wild nettle tea
</pre>

==Erithi==
Although the end result of a meal prepared Erithian-style is underwhelming in its flavor, I can assure you that many ingredients are employed. As a people, they seem to have an appreciation for subtlety of taste that is lost on most outsiders. When preparing erithian food, I suggest increasing the quantities of some of the more flavorful items, to avoid the charge of insipidity from guests. Leaf and flower infusions make their way into almost every dish, from teas to breads to soups. Presentation is always exquisite, and a poorly arranged meal draws as much or more scorn than a poorly prepared one. Garnishes are chosen as comments on the dish, to call attention to surprising undercurrents or to amuse the diner with a symbolic connection.

<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Erithian Menu: Afternoon Tea'''

a nasturtium and chamomile salad on a bed of daylily petals
honeysuckle biscuits served with apple blossom jelly
fingers of rice topped with cucumber and carrot fans
quail eggs in a nest of marigolds
veal consumme
a lilac-topped angelica spongecake
chrysanthemum tisane
chilled rice wine
</pre>

==Half-Krolvin==
My own experience with the food of the Krolvin and Half-Krolvin is limited, but I have conducted a few experiments in reconstructing meals that match the reports I have heard. Almost all meat comes from the ocean, in the form of fish, abalone, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, and even whales. Shore creatures such as seals and walrus are a mainstay, and from time to time polar bears make it onto the menu, though I understand that they are a rarity. The preparations are simple, with most of the cooking done in seal or whale fat. Uncooked meats are popular, but depend on extremely fresh cuts. Hunters and other travelers subsist in between kills on strips of meat that have been dried or preserved in salt and fat. In the summer, great amounts of vodka are prepared and later infused with an astonishing variety of spices and other flavorings.
<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Half-Krolvin Menu: Hunter's Welcome Meal'''

cress and mackerel salad with ginger dressing
sea cucumber rings fried in seal fat
marinated sailfish steaks
pepper vodka
whale blubber ice cream (seal fat may be more easily obtained, and makes an acceptable substitute)
</pre>

==Elves==
Centuries of tradition lie behind the great cuisine of the Elves. The truly great chefs are able to respect this tradition and provide innovation at the same time. A proper elven meal is luxurious in every sense, from the table setting to the rich ingredients to the wines. Heavy creams are used as bases and sauces, and fine cheeses are presented with every important meal. Each region produces its own specialties, with some of the most popular being the goat milk cheeses of Nalfein, the soft, ripened cheeses of Loenthra, the crumbly blue-veined cheeses of Ardenai, the peppery, hard cheeses of Vaalor, and the rich, tangy orange cheeses of Illistim. Elven breads are also justifiably famous, and run the gamut from plump, round loaves of sourdough to small, dark loaves of walnut bread.
<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Elven Menu: Formal Banquet'''

cream-braised endive in puff pastry
sausage, truffle, and pistachio brioche
pine nut and asparagus salad
smoked ham and wild mushroom crepe
codfish carpaccio with fried leek shavings
wild duck in a red wine sauce
local wines
cherries baked in sweet cream
apple brandy
Double Gyldemar, Butterfly Teorainn, and Sylvarraend Gold cheeses
</pre>

The true test of an imitated banquet is to fool even the members of that race. To this end, properly gathered and prepared ingredients are essential. When the traditional ingredients aren't available, use local ones but employ methods and seasonings that evoke the desired culture. Food holds deep memories for most people, and there is nothing more satisfying than hearing a guest exclaim, "This tastes just like home!"

==References==
*[[EAT (verb)]]
*[[DRINK (verb)]]
*[[Food and drink]]
*[[Culture]]

[[Category:Races and Cultures]]

Gastronomical Identification and Imitation

2017-06-19T00:36:27Z

HOST-GSDJYNI:

Gastronomical Identification and Imitation

2017-06-19T00:35:33Z

HOST-GSDJYNI:

'''Gastronomical Identification and Imitation or,''' 
'''How to Recognize and Reproduce the Food of the Larger Races''' 
'''by Aesi Winedotter'''

The honor of living and working with a Loenthran family for the last thirty years has brought many good things into my life. One of these is an appreciation for the culinary traditions of many races. The master of our house is an unusually experimental gourmand, and he delights in exploring regional specialties both through travel and the teachings of visitors to the house. In recent years, I have conducted a few inquiries of my own, taking every opportunity to question traveling Gnomes about food in distant lands. Our cousins in the Human Empire have been particularly informative about the regional variations among their hosts.

In the hope that others may take interest in these findings, I present here what I have gleaned about these exotic practices. Sample menus are provided to better illustrate how a meal might be assembled in that particular culture. For the benefit of those unfamiliar with the elegance of elven cuisine, I include a section on that tradition as well.

==Sylvankind==
Sylvan cooking is almost as refined as that of the true Elves, in terms of presentation and flavor combinations. The ingredients, however, are what set the dishes apart. The central elements are gathered or hunted from the wild, never cultivated or preserved. Particularly favored are fleetingly seasonal items, or those requiring special skill or knowledge to locate or prepare. Supporting these unusual items are many of the same techniques and preparations familiar to anyone who has dined in the elven cities.

<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Sylvan Menu: Informal Autumn Lunch'''

small round loaves of acorn bread
fennel butter
sorrel and rue salad tossed with a cider vinaigrette
persimmon and mushroom soup
a cattail flour torte topped with blackberry syrup
oak leaf wine
</pre>

==Dark Elves==
I am forced to rely upon the accounts of others when it comes to the culinary preferences of the Dark Elves, as this is the only style of food strictly forbidden in the house. Through diligent inquiry I have been able to ascertain that reptile meat takes a central role. The preparations are invariably elaborate, with some of the more striking approaches making use of the inedible portions of the beast as decorative accents. Outsiders have not reported particularly pleasurable experiences with this cuisine. Although they draw upon much of the same flora and fauna, Dhe'nar and Faendryl preparations do differ. The former cuisine plays up the dangerous aspects of the ingredients used, and focuses on purity by using only one or two elements in any given dish. The Faendryl, on the other hand, use food as another way of signifying status and rank. There are detailed prohibitions regarding ingredients and preparations, making the arrangement of large dinners a logistical maze.

<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Dark Elven Menu: Dhe'nar-style Meal'''

toasted fire ants served in a tortoise shell
a prickly pear and salted skink salad
salamander and agave soup
an overlapping fan of roasted cave bats stuffed with trafel mushrooms
scorpion tail pastries
snake venom in blue agave wine
</pre>

==Dwarves==
The rustic meals of the Dwarves are charming for their simplicity and satisfying for their heartiness. Although one would never accuse them of subtlety in the kitchen, their food has a certain tenacity which no doubt serves them well in their labors. Trade with aboveground clans provides the cave-dwellers with rabbit and mutton, bulb vegetables, wheat, and preserved or dried fruits. Both meat and vegetables are generally cooked for long periods of time. I'm told by the Aledotters that a particularly dense bread studded with fruit known as sarak can be found in the pockets of many Dwarves as they go about their day. The Dwarves underground cultivate both lichens and fungi, some of which are surprisingly good. I have found the reddish-orange lichen to be the most palatable, provided it is softened up through boiling or steaming.

<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Dwarven Menu: Family Dinner'''

fried oatcakes with grumbleberry jelly
mutton and leek stew
leek and potato soup
dark ale or draft cider
rhubarb pie
</pre>

==Giantman==
The nomadic clans of this towering folk are fearless hunters, and have been known to take down even the largest plains animals single-handedly. This prowess is reflected in their cooking, which often revolves around big game animals roasted all day in a pit or over an open fire. As this is difficult to reproduce in a civilized kitchen, the essence of giantman cooking can also be approximated with smaller cuts of game grilled over smoldering coals. Equally notable are the rather unusual infusions consumed with meals and as tonics. Their pine needle tea takes some getting used to, but its sharp flavor can be just the thing after a long day's work.

<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Giantman Menu: Late Summer Festival'''

pit-roasted venison
grilled trout
fried squash blossoms
gooseberry bannocks
blue corn atole
</pre>

==Halflings==
Spicy meats, stuffed peppers, kabobs, and goat milk are some of the characteristic dishes in Halfling cuisine. Upon arrival, guests are immediately served a fermented drink made from millet, honey, and rice. A simple concoction of raw mutton minced together with salt and water is frequently seen at festivals, though it is rarely popular with outsiders. Dairy products are abundant, and feature such unusual preparations as an intoxicating churned sour milk (kumys), sun-dried curds mixed in water during the winter, and butter that has been boiled dry and preserved in sheep guts. Fish is considered inferior food by all but the Brughans, and only eaten in great extremity.

<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Halfling Menu: Spring Dinner'''

sour yoghurt and cucumber salad
potato and cabbage soup
pickled mushrooms
steamed dumplings filled with lamb and red pepper flakes
roasted marmot (left whole, gutted, stuffed with hot river rocks, and cooked over coals)
green onion griddlecakes
salty milk tea
</pre>

==Humans==
Culinary traditions vary significantly from one end of the Human Empire to the other. The demarcations are not always precise, and some may argue about where one style of preparation ends and another begins. For the purposes of this piece, however, a division of the region into five segments will suffice. As the foods found within even a single barony or county may differ, please take this merely as a rough guide.

===Northern Turamzzyrian Empire===
'''Jantalar, Mestanir, Talador, North Hendor and Riverwood'''
The primary grains found in the northern reaches of the Turamzzyrian Empire are oats and barley, which make their way into a number of local dishes. Oat meal and oat bread keep many a soul going through the long winters, along with the liberally consumed batches of metheglin and mead. Root vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, and turnips are featured on most tables during the colder months. Rivers provide eels, pike, trout, and the extremely popular salmon, which is usually cooked over apple wood. Cattle are bled as well as milked, to produce the thick blood pudding much prized by locals. Badgers and goose eggs are considered delicacies.

<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Northern Empire Menu: Picnic Lunch'''

chilled tomato soup
garlic-simmered baby eels
bacon and goose egg pie
sugared oatcakes
sloe wine
</pre>

===Western Turamzzyrian Empire===
'''Seareach, Vornavis, Torre, South Hendor, and Oire'''
The predominant foods in the western part of the Turamzzyrian Empire are vegetable, legume, meat and grain dishes using olives, tomatoes, garlic, and basil as primary ingredients. As one would expect, seafood is particularly prevalent along the coast, with a lavish seafood soup being a star dish. The large rivers that run through this region provide a bounty of freshwater fish. Although meat is featured less frequently here than in some regions, wine-braised versions of deer, boar, and rabbit are particular standouts. Black truffles are a local delicacy, and sage is one of the more common herbs in use. Olive oil is used almost exclusively in place of butter, though it is a more refined pressing than that which is found in the south. Fine wines are appreciated, and enjoyed with most meals.
<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Western Empire Menu: Rustic Lunch'''

unsalted bread served with olive oil and dark vinegar
diced octopus salad
split pea soup sausage and red wine
suckling pig seasoned with rosemary and sage
watermelon pistachio pudding
Oire rose grenache
</pre>

===Southern Turamzzyrian Empire===
'''Selanthia, Estoria, Allace, Chastonia, Aldora, and Honneland'''
The southern reaches of the human empire enjoy a warm climate and gentle terrain. The seaports of Ubl and Idolone provide abundant fish and shellfish, while the inland cities are rich in livestock and agriculture. All this has combined to produce a bountiful cuisine redolent of the sun-kissed region itself. Olive trees grow in the hills of Elstreth, and their pressed oil is used in most dishes. In this area, the dark green first pressing is preferred, whereas the Humans to the north make use of a more refined version. The lamb raised in that area is also immensely popular, and is served braised, stewed, broiled, and even spit-roasted whole for major festivals. Along the coast fish is served whole, with the head still attached. Lemon trees are everywhere, and they explain the ubiquity of a beautiful, golden lemon and egg sauce which forms a base for many dishes. Marinated vegetables are quite common, and in some places eggplant, zucchini, and spinach take the place of meat as a central element. Meals finish with cups of thick coffee and fresh fruits like melons, figs, oranges, or apples. Desserts made from thin, layered pastry drenched in honey are also common.

<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Southern Empire Menu: Casual Lunch'''

garlic-stuffed bread
artichoke, zucchini, and mushroom salad
steamed beets with garlic dip
lamb casserole in a cinnamon tomato sauce
fried red mullet
sugar-dusted almond cookies
coffee
</pre>

===Eastern Turamzzyrian Empire===
'''Highmount, Bourth, Trauntor, and Dragach'''
Food in the eastern Turamzzyrian Empire tends to be heavy, featuring sausages, boiled vegetables, and dense, rich desserts. Pork is the most common meat, and the sheer abundance of it requires a great deal of smoking and salting for preservation. Herring is consumed in a variety of forms, inclulding raw, pickled, smoked, and canned. Juniper is a traditional spice, along with caraway, dill, and marjoram. Pickled eggs are eaten as snacks, and guests are always offered coffee and cake. The most surprising recipe I have seen from this region was for snail chowder.

<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Eastern Empire Menu: Formal Summer Dinner'''

soft cheese with anchovies and paprika
chilled plum soup
sausage salad
rye bread
stewed red cabbage with caraway seeds
pork cutlets with apples and juniper
goose liver simmered in onions
a fruit-covered layer cake
sparkling wine
rum coffee
</pre>

===The Tehir===
The desert dwellers have a cuisine all their own. Though not agrarian themselves, they do trade with outsiders for cereals and pulses to supplement a diet heavy in goat meat and dried fruits. Spices are highly valued for their ability to both preserve food and disguise stale or tasteless ingredients. For a truly traditional Tehir meal, begin with strong mint tea and finish with anise-laced goat milk sweets.

<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Tehir Menu: Spring Festival for Honored Guests'''

eggplant salad
green beans with onions, tomatoes, and mint
bulgur wheat and mint salad
roasted red pepper hummus
flat bread seasoned with thyme and sumac
cinnamon goat meat stew
steamed semolina with onions and turnips
sesame-covered fried honey cakes
sweet mint tea
</pre>

==Forest Gnomes==
The Gnomes of the forests have a primitive approach to food, though I've noticed that other races seem to consider it attractively quaint. Gathered berries are made into compotes and preserves, and used in combination with ground nutmeats and small animals cooked in firepits. A few crops supplement the gathered food, generally maize and wheat. Although the distinctive tied leaf wrappers are only used when travelling, they can provide a conversational element for those recreating the cuisine at a formal dinner. There are some differences between the bloodlines, with the Angstholm eating mainly freshwater fish, the Greengair eating very little meat, and the Rosengift performing bizarre adulterations on their meals.

<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Forest Gnome Menu: Traveller's Early Summer Feast'''

thornberry balls wrapped in mustard leaves
mixed bundles of pokeweed, ramp, and mallow tied with pine needles
grilled minnows on a bed of dandelion crowns
seared fillet of trout
elderflower fritters
wild nettle tea
</pre>

==Erithi==
Although the end result of a meal prepared Erithian-style is underwhelming in its flavor, I can assure you that many ingredients are employed. As a people, they seem to have an appreciation for subtlety of taste that is lost on most outsiders. When preparing erithian food, I suggest increasing the quantities of some of the more flavorful items, to avoid the charge of insipidity from guests. Leaf and flower infusions make their way into almost every dish, from teas to breads to soups. Presentation is always exquisite, and a poorly arranged meal draws as much or more scorn than a poorly prepared one. Garnishes are chosen as comments on the dish, to call attention to surprising undercurrents or to amuse the diner with a symbolic connection.

<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Erithian Menu: Afternoon Tea'''

a nasturtium and chamomile salad on a bed of daylily petals
honeysuckle biscuits served with apple blossom jelly
fingers of rice topped with cucumber and carrot fans
quail eggs in a nest of marigolds
veal consumme
a lilac-topped angelica spongecake
chrysanthemum tisane
chilled rice wine
</pre>

==Half-Krolvin==
My own experience with the food of the Krolvin and Half-Krolvin is limited, but I have conducted a few experiments in reconstructing meals that match the reports I have heard. Almost all meat comes from the ocean, in the form of fish, abalone, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, and even whales. Shore creatures such as seals and walrus are a mainstay, and from time to time polar bears make it onto the menu, though I understand that they are a rarity. The preparations are simple, with most of the cooking done in seal or whale fat. Uncooked meats are popular, but depend on extremely fresh cuts. Hunters and other travelers subsist in between kills on strips of meat that have been dried or preserved in salt and fat. In the summer, great amounts of vodka are prepared and later infused with an astonishing variety of spices and other flavorings.
<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Half-Krolvin Menu: Hunter's Welcome Meal'''

cress and mackerel salad with ginger dressing
sea cucumber rings fried in seal fat
marinated sailfish steaks
pepper vodka
whale blubber ice cream (seal fat may be more easily obtained, and makes an acceptable substitute)
</pre>

==Elves==
Centuries of tradition lie behind the great cuisine of the Elves. The truly great chefs are able to respect this tradition and provide innovation at the same time. A proper elven meal is luxurious in every sense, from the table setting to the rich ingredients to the wines. Heavy creams are used as bases and sauces, and fine cheeses are presented with every important meal. Each region produces its own specialties, with some of the most popular being the goat milk cheeses of Nalfein, the soft, ripened cheeses of Loenthra, the crumbly blue-veined cheeses of Ardenai, the peppery, hard cheeses of Vaalor, and the rich, tangy orange cheeses of Illistim. Elven breads are also justifiably famous, and run the gamut from plump, round loaves of sourdough to small, dark loaves of walnut bread.
<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Elven Menu: Formal Banquet'''

cream-braised endive in puff pastry
sausage, truffle, and pistachio brioche
pine nut and asparagus salad
smoked ham and wild mushroom crepe
codfish carpaccio with fried leek shavings
wild duck in a red wine sauce
local wines
cherries baked in sweet cream
apple brandy
Double Gyldemar, Butterfly Teorainn, and Sylvarraend Gold cheeses
</pre>

The true test of an imitated banquet is to fool even the members of that race. To this end, properly gathered and prepared ingredients are essential. When the traditional ingredients aren't available, use local ones but employ methods and seasonings that evoke the desired culture. Food holds deep memories for most people, and there is nothing more satisfying than hearing a guest exclaim, "This tastes just like home!"

==References==
*[[EAT (verb)]]
*[[DRINK (verb)]]
*[[Food and drink]]
*[[Culture]]

Gastronomical Identification and Imitation

2017-06-19T00:33:08Z

HOST-GSDJYNI: Created page with "'''Gastronomical Identification and Imitation or, How to Recognize and Reproduce the Food of the Larger Races by Aesi Winedotter''' The honor of living and working with a L..."

'''Gastronomical Identification and Imitation or,
How to Recognize and Reproduce the Food of the Larger Races
by Aesi Winedotter'''

The honor of living and working with a Loenthran family for the last thirty years has brought many good things into my life. One of these is an appreciation for the culinary traditions of many races. The master of our house is an unusually experimental gourmand, and he delights in exploring regional specialties both through travel and the teachings of visitors to the house. In recent years, I have conducted a few inquiries of my own, taking every opportunity to question traveling Gnomes about food in distant lands. Our cousins in the Human Empire have been particularly informative about the regional variations among their hosts.

In the hope that others may take interest in these findings, I present here what I have gleaned about these exotic practices. Sample menus are provided to better illustrate how a meal might be assembled in that particular culture. For the benefit of those unfamiliar with the elegance of elven cuisine, I include a section on that tradition as well.

==Sylvankind==
Sylvan cooking is almost as refined as that of the true Elves, in terms of presentation and flavor combinations. The ingredients, however, are what set the dishes apart. The central elements are gathered or hunted from the wild, never cultivated or preserved. Particularly favored are fleetingly seasonal items, or those requiring special skill or knowledge to locate or prepare. Supporting these unusual items are many of the same techniques and preparations familiar to anyone who has dined in the elven cities.

<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Sylvan Menu: Informal Autumn Lunch'''

small round loaves of acorn bread
fennel butter
sorrel and rue salad tossed with a cider vinaigrette
persimmon and mushroom soup
a cattail flour torte topped with blackberry syrup
oak leaf wine
</pre>

==Dark Elves==
I am forced to rely upon the accounts of others when it comes to the culinary preferences of the Dark Elves, as this is the only style of food strictly forbidden in the house. Through diligent inquiry I have been able to ascertain that reptile meat takes a central role. The preparations are invariably elaborate, with some of the more striking approaches making use of the inedible portions of the beast as decorative accents. Outsiders have not reported particularly pleasurable experiences with this cuisine. Although they draw upon much of the same flora and fauna, Dhe'nar and Faendryl preparations do differ. The former cuisine plays up the dangerous aspects of the ingredients used, and focuses on purity by using only one or two elements in any given dish. The Faendryl, on the other hand, use food as another way of signifying status and rank. There are detailed prohibitions regarding ingredients and preparations, making the arrangement of large dinners a logistical maze.

<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Dark Elven Menu: Dhe'nar-style Meal'''

toasted fire ants served in a tortoise shell
a prickly pear and salted skink salad
salamander and agave soup
an overlapping fan of roasted cave bats stuffed with trafel mushrooms
scorpion tail pastries
snake venom in blue agave wine
</pre>

==Dwarves==
The rustic meals of the Dwarves are charming for their simplicity and satisfying for their heartiness. Although one would never accuse them of subtlety in the kitchen, their food has a certain tenacity which no doubt serves them well in their labors. Trade with aboveground clans provides the cave-dwellers with rabbit and mutton, bulb vegetables, wheat, and preserved or dried fruits. Both meat and vegetables are generally cooked for long periods of time. I'm told by the Aledotters that a particularly dense bread studded with fruit known as sarak can be found in the pockets of many Dwarves as they go about their day. The Dwarves underground cultivate both lichens and fungi, some of which are surprisingly good. I have found the reddish-orange lichen to be the most palatable, provided it is softened up through boiling or steaming.

<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Dwarven Menu: Family Dinner'''

fried oatcakes with grumbleberry jelly
mutton and leek stew
leek and potato soup
dark ale or draft cider
rhubarb pie
</pre>

==Giantman==
The nomadic clans of this towering folk are fearless hunters, and have been known to take down even the largest plains animals single-handedly. This prowess is reflected in their cooking, which often revolves around big game animals roasted all day in a pit or over an open fire. As this is difficult to reproduce in a civilized kitchen, the essence of giantman cooking can also be approximated with smaller cuts of game grilled over smoldering coals. Equally notable are the rather unusual infusions consumed with meals and as tonics. Their pine needle tea takes some getting used to, but its sharp flavor can be just the thing after a long day's work.

<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Giantman Menu: Late Summer Festival'''

pit-roasted venison
grilled trout
fried squash blossoms
gooseberry bannocks
blue corn atole
</pre>

==Halflings==
Spicy meats, stuffed peppers, kabobs, and goat milk are some of the characteristic dishes in Halfling cuisine. Upon arrival, guests are immediately served a fermented drink made from millet, honey, and rice. A simple concoction of raw mutton minced together with salt and water is frequently seen at festivals, though it is rarely popular with outsiders. Dairy products are abundant, and feature such unusual preparations as an intoxicating churned sour milk (kumys), sun-dried curds mixed in water during the winter, and butter that has been boiled dry and preserved in sheep guts. Fish is considered inferior food by all but the Brughans, and only eaten in great extremity.

<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Halfling Menu: Spring Dinner'''

sour yoghurt and cucumber salad
potato and cabbage soup
pickled mushrooms
steamed dumplings filled with lamb and red pepper flakes
roasted marmot (left whole, gutted, stuffed with hot river rocks, and cooked over coals)
green onion griddlecakes
salty milk tea
</pre>

==Humans==
Culinary traditions vary significantly from one end of the Human Empire to the other. The demarcations are not always precise, and some may argue about where one style of preparation ends and another begins. For the purposes of this piece, however, a division of the region into five segments will suffice. As the foods found within even a single barony or county may differ, please take this merely as a rough guide.

===Northern Turamzzyrian Empire===
'''Jantalar, Mestanir, Talador, North Hendor and Riverwood'''
The primary grains found in the northern reaches of the Turamzzyrian Empire are oats and barley, which make their way into a number of local dishes. Oat meal and oat bread keep many a soul going through the long winters, along with the liberally consumed batches of metheglin and mead. Root vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, and turnips are featured on most tables during the colder months. Rivers provide eels, pike, trout, and the extremely popular salmon, which is usually cooked over apple wood. Cattle are bled as well as milked, to produce the thick blood pudding much prized by locals. Badgers and goose eggs are considered delicacies.

<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Northern Empire Menu: Picnic Lunch'''

chilled tomato soup
garlic-simmered baby eels
bacon and goose egg pie
sugared oatcakes
sloe wine
</pre>

===Western Turamzzyrian Empire===
'''Seareach, Vornavis, Torre, South Hendor, and Oire'''
The predominant foods in the western part of the Turamzzyrian Empire are vegetable, legume, meat and grain dishes using olives, tomatoes, garlic, and basil as primary ingredients. As one would expect, seafood is particularly prevalent along the coast, with a lavish seafood soup being a star dish. The large rivers that run through this region provide a bounty of freshwater fish. Although meat is featured less frequently here than in some regions, wine-braised versions of deer, boar, and rabbit are particular standouts. Black truffles are a local delicacy, and sage is one of the more common herbs in use. Olive oil is used almost exclusively in place of butter, though it is a more refined pressing than that which is found in the south. Fine wines are appreciated, and enjoyed with most meals.
<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Western Empire Menu: Rustic Lunch'''

unsalted bread served with olive oil and dark vinegar
diced octopus salad
split pea soup sausage and red wine
suckling pig seasoned with rosemary and sage
watermelon pistachio pudding
Oire rose grenache
</pre>

===Southern Turamzzyrian Empire===
'''Selanthia, Estoria, Allace, Chastonia, Aldora, and Honneland'''
The southern reaches of the human empire enjoy a warm climate and gentle terrain. The seaports of Ubl and Idolone provide abundant fish and shellfish, while the inland cities are rich in livestock and agriculture. All this has combined to produce a bountiful cuisine redolent of the sun-kissed region itself. Olive trees grow in the hills of Elstreth, and their pressed oil is used in most dishes. In this area, the dark green first pressing is preferred, whereas the Humans to the north make use of a more refined version. The lamb raised in that area is also immensely popular, and is served braised, stewed, broiled, and even spit-roasted whole for major festivals. Along the coast fish is served whole, with the head still attached. Lemon trees are everywhere, and they explain the ubiquity of a beautiful, golden lemon and egg sauce which forms a base for many dishes. Marinated vegetables are quite common, and in some places eggplant, zucchini, and spinach take the place of meat as a central element. Meals finish with cups of thick coffee and fresh fruits like melons, figs, oranges, or apples. Desserts made from thin, layered pastry drenched in honey are also common.

<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Southern Empire Menu: Casual Lunch'''

garlic-stuffed bread
artichoke, zucchini, and mushroom salad
steamed beets with garlic dip
lamb casserole in a cinnamon tomato sauce
fried red mullet
sugar-dusted almond cookies
coffee
</pre>

===Eastern Turamzzyrian Empire===
'''Highmount, Bourth, Trauntor, and Dragach'''
Food in the eastern Turamzzyrian Empire tends to be heavy, featuring sausages, boiled vegetables, and dense, rich desserts. Pork is the most common meat, and the sheer abundance of it requires a great deal of smoking and salting for preservation. Herring is consumed in a variety of forms, inclulding raw, pickled, smoked, and canned. Juniper is a traditional spice, along with caraway, dill, and marjoram. Pickled eggs are eaten as snacks, and guests are always offered coffee and cake. The most surprising recipe I have seen from this region was for snail chowder.

<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Eastern Empire Menu: Formal Summer Dinner'''

soft cheese with anchovies and paprika
chilled plum soup
sausage salad
rye bread
stewed red cabbage with caraway seeds
pork cutlets with apples and juniper
goose liver simmered in onions
a fruit-covered layer cake
sparkling wine
rum coffee
</pre>

===The Tehir===
The desert dwellers have a cuisine all their own. Though not agrarian themselves, they do trade with outsiders for cereals and pulses to supplement a diet heavy in goat meat and dried fruits. Spices are highly valued for their ability to both preserve food and disguise stale or tasteless ingredients. For a truly traditional Tehir meal, begin with strong mint tea and finish with anise-laced goat milk sweets.

<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Tehir Menu: Spring Festival for Honored Guests'''

eggplant salad
green beans with onions, tomatoes, and mint
bulgur wheat and mint salad
roasted red pepper hummus
flat bread seasoned with thyme and sumac
cinnamon goat meat stew
steamed semolina with onions and turnips
sesame-covered fried honey cakes
sweet mint tea
</pre>

==Forest Gnomes==
The Gnomes of the forests have a primitive approach to food, though I've noticed that other races seem to consider it attractively quaint. Gathered berries are made into compotes and preserves, and used in combination with ground nutmeats and small animals cooked in firepits. A few crops supplement the gathered food, generally maize and wheat. Although the distinctive tied leaf wrappers are only used when travelling, they can provide a conversational element for those recreating the cuisine at a formal dinner. There are some differences between the bloodlines, with the Angstholm eating mainly freshwater fish, the Greengair eating very little meat, and the Rosengift performing bizarre adulterations on their meals.

<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Forest Gnome Menu: Traveller's Early Summer Feast'''

thornberry balls wrapped in mustard leaves
mixed bundles of pokeweed, ramp, and mallow tied with pine needles
grilled minnows on a bed of dandelion crowns
seared fillet of trout
elderflower fritters
wild nettle tea
</pre>

==Erithi==
Although the end result of a meal prepared Erithian-style is underwhelming in its flavor, I can assure you that many ingredients are employed. As a people, they seem to have an appreciation for subtlety of taste that is lost on most outsiders. When preparing erithian food, I suggest increasing the quantities of some of the more flavorful items, to avoid the charge of insipidity from guests. Leaf and flower infusions make their way into almost every dish, from teas to breads to soups. Presentation is always exquisite, and a poorly arranged meal draws as much or more scorn than a poorly prepared one. Garnishes are chosen as comments on the dish, to call attention to surprising undercurrents or to amuse the diner with a symbolic connection.

<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Erithian Menu: Afternoon Tea'''

a nasturtium and chamomile salad on a bed of daylily petals
honeysuckle biscuits served with apple blossom jelly
fingers of rice topped with cucumber and carrot fans
quail eggs in a nest of marigolds
veal consumme
a lilac-topped angelica spongecake
chrysanthemum tisane
chilled rice wine
</pre>

==Half-Krolvin==
My own experience with the food of the Krolvin and Half-Krolvin is limited, but I have conducted a few experiments in reconstructing meals that match the reports I have heard. Almost all meat comes from the ocean, in the form of fish, abalone, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, and even whales. Shore creatures such as seals and walrus are a mainstay, and from time to time polar bears make it onto the menu, though I understand that they are a rarity. The preparations are simple, with most of the cooking done in seal or whale fat. Uncooked meats are popular, but depend on extremely fresh cuts. Hunters and other travelers subsist in between kills on strips of meat that have been dried or preserved in salt and fat. In the summer, great amounts of vodka are prepared and later infused with an astonishing variety of spices and other flavorings.
<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Half-Krolvin Menu: Hunter's Welcome Meal'''

cress and mackerel salad with ginger dressing
sea cucumber rings fried in seal fat
marinated sailfish steaks
pepper vodka
whale blubber ice cream (seal fat may be more easily obtained, and makes an acceptable substitute)
</pre>

==Elves==
Centuries of tradition lie behind the great cuisine of the Elves. The truly great chefs are able to respect this tradition and provide innovation at the same time. A proper elven meal is luxurious in every sense, from the table setting to the rich ingredients to the wines. Heavy creams are used as bases and sauces, and fine cheeses are presented with every important meal. Each region produces its own specialties, with some of the most popular being the goat milk cheeses of Nalfein, the soft, ripened cheeses of Loenthra, the crumbly blue-veined cheeses of Ardenai, the peppery, hard cheeses of Vaalor, and the rich, tangy orange cheeses of Illistim. Elven breads are also justifiably famous, and run the gamut from plump, round loaves of sourdough to small, dark loaves of walnut bread.
<pre{{log2}}>
'''Sample Elven Menu: Formal Banquet'''

cream-braised endive in puff pastry
sausage, truffle, and pistachio brioche
pine nut and asparagus salad
smoked ham and wild mushroom crepe
codfish carpaccio with fried leek shavings
wild duck in a red wine sauce
local wines
cherries baked in sweet cream
apple brandy
Double Gyldemar, Butterfly Teorainn, and Sylvarraend Gold cheeses
</pre>

The true test of an imitated banquet is to fool even the members of that race. To this end, properly gathered and prepared ingredients are essential. When the traditional ingredients aren't available, use local ones but employ methods and seasonings that evoke the desired culture. Food holds deep memories for most people, and there is nothing more satisfying than hearing a guest exclaim, "This tastes just like home!"

==References==
*[[EAT (verb)]]
*[[DRINK (verb)]]
*[[Food and Drink]]
*[[Culture]]

Arkati

2017-06-19T00:12:49Z

HOST-GSDJYNI: /* Resources */

The [[Arkati]] are the Gods of [[Elanthia]].

Most of the Arkati belong to one of two major pantheons, named after the moons on which they once resided, [[Liabo]] and [[Lornon]]. In broad terms, the Arkati of the Pantheon of Liabo are concerned with the welfare of the mortal races, whereas those of the Pantheon of Lornon see mortals as mere tools for their own betterment. Other Arkati tend to remain neutral in the conflicts between the two pantheons.

In additional to the Arkati, various [[Lesser Spirit]]s are commonly worshipped as gods. Some of them are aligned with the Arkati pantheons, while others are local deities with their own aspects.

== Conversion ==

[[Player character|Adventurers]] can follow their beliefs and formally [[CONVERT (verb)|convert]] to the Arkati or Lesser Spirit of their choice. [[Cleric]]s and [[Paladin]]s, as primary channellers of [[spiritual magic]], receive additional benefits from conversion. Conversion does not mean that the adventurer worships only that deity.

Many deities have a [[holy critical|favored critical type]] that affects the damage dealt by cleric and paladin spells.

== Sortable list of Elanthian deities ==

{|class="wikitable sortable" {{prettytable}}
!Name !! Class !! Pantheon !! Domain(s) !! Symbol(s) !! [[Smite/Bane (302)|Smite/ Bane]] !! [[Critical]] Type
|-
| [[Charl]] || Arkati || Liabo || sea, storms || an emerald trident on a field of blue || Bane || [[Electrical critical table|Electrical]]
|-
| [[Cholen]] || Arkati || Liabo || humor, festivals, performing arts || a crimson lute on a field of gold || Smite || [[Puncture critical table|Puncture]]
|-
| [[Eonak]] || Arkati || Liabo || labor, craftsmanship, triumph over adversity || a golden anvil on a field of brown || Smite || [[Disruption critical table|Disruption]]
|-
| [[Imaera]] || Arkati || Liabo || healing, autumn, nature, plants, animals, harvest || a golden sheaf of grain on a field of green (farmers) a brown doe on a field of green ([[Sylvankind|Sylvans]]) || Smite || [[Puncture critical table|Puncture]]
|-
| [[Jastev]] || Arkati || Liabo || visual art, prophecy, poetry || a black artist’s brush on a field of grey a silver crystal ball on a field of grey || Smite || [[Steam_critical_table|Steam]]
|-
| [[Kai]] || Arkati || Liabo || strength, athletic prowess, skill at arms || a silver arm with fist clenched on a field of crimson || Smite || [[Crush critical table|Crush]]
|-
| [[Koar]] || Arkati || Liabo || justice, loyalty, law, mana, rulership || a golden crown (usually on a field of white) || Smite || [[Electrical critical table|Electrical]]
|-
| [[Lorminstra]] || Arkati || Liabo || death and rebirth, deliverance, winter || a golden key (usually on a field of black) || Smite || [[Plasma critical table|Plasma]]
|-
| [[Lumnis]] || Arkati || Liabo || wisdom, knowledge, magic || a golden scroll with olympic rings || Smite || [[Acid critical table|Acid]]
|-
| [[Oleani]] || Arkati || Liabo || love, spring, fertility, halflings || a red heart with a budding flower growing from it || Smite || [[Fire critical table|Fire]]
|-
| [[Phoen]] || Arkati || Liabo || sun, summer, fatherhood || a golden sunburst on a field of blue || Smite || [[Fire critical table|Fire]]
|-
| [[Ronan]] || Arkati || Liabo || night, dreams || a black sword with a silver edge on a field of black || Smite || [[Fire critical table|Fire]]
|-
| [[Tonis]] || Arkati || Liabo || speed, travel, thieves || a golden pegasus on a field of blue || Smite || [[Vacuum critical table|Air]]
|-
| [[Gosaena]] || Arkati || neutral || death || a silver or grey sickle on a field of green || Bane || [[Cold critical table|Cold]]
|-
| [[Zelia]] || Arkati || neutral || moons, insanity || a silver crescent moon on a field of black || Smite || each cast is random
|-
| [[Andelas]] || Arkati || Lornon || felines, hunting || a black cat's head on a field of black || Bane || [[Slash critical table|Slash]]
|-
| [[Eorgina]] || Arkati || Lornon || domination, darkness, tyranny || red, stylized flames on a field of grey || Bane || [[Fire critical table|Fire]]
|-
| [[Fash'lo'nae]] || Arkati || Lornon || magic, libraries, forbidden knowledge || a yellow, slit-pupiled eye on a field of grey || Smite || [[Slash critical table|Slash]]
|-
| [[Ivas]] || Arkati || Lornon || desire, lust, passion || a stylized, green wisp of smoke on a field of red || Bane || [[Grapple critical table|Grapple]]
|-
| [[Luukos]] || Arkati || Lornon || lies, undeath, death || a green serpent on a field of brown || Bane || [[Puncture critical table|Puncture]]
|-
| [[Marlu]] || Arkati || Lornon || demonic summoning, destruction, power || a star of six black tentacles on a field of grey || Bane || [[Acid critical table|Acid]]
|-
| [[Mularos]] || Arkati || Lornon || suffering, torture || a dagger-pierced heart on a field of white || Bane || [[Slash critical table|Slash]]
|-
| [[Sheru]] || Arkati || Lornon || night, nightmares, insanity, terror || a black jackal's head on a field of gold (and sometimes crimson) || Bane || [[Crush critical table|Crush]]
|-
| [[V'tull]] || Arkati || Lornon || bloodlust, combat || a black scimitar on a field of red || Bane || [[Slash critical table|Slash]]
|-
| [[Aeia]] || spirit || neutral || earth, gardens, [[River's Rest]] || a white lily on a field of green || Smite || [[Acid critical table|Acid]]
|-
| [[Amasalen]] || spirit || Lornon || sacrifice || a two-headed purple serpent wrapped around a crimson hand || Bane || [[Slash critical table|Slash]]
|-
| [[Arachne]] || spirit || neutral || spiders, betrayal || a black widow on a field of red || Bane || [[Unbalance critical table|Unbalance]]
|-
| [[The Huntress]] || spirit || neutral || vengeance, hunting || an eight-pointed silver star on a field of black || Bane || [[Slash critical table|Slash]]
|-
| [[Jaston]] || spirit || Liabo || air, birds, the four winds || a white feather on a field of green and white || Smite || [[Vacuum critical table|Air?]]
|-
| [[Kuon]] || spirit || Liabo || herbs, flowers || a gold leaf on a field of brown || Smite || [[Crush critical table|Crush]]
|-
| [[Laethe]] || spirit || Liabo || lost love, young love || a black rose on a field of purple || Smite || [[Fire critical table|Fire]]
|-
| [[Leya]] || spirit || Liabo || amazons, martial arts || an ivory-hilted dagger on a field of blue || Smite || [[Puncture critical table|Puncture]]
|-
| [[Niima]] || spirit || Liabo || water, sailors, sea life || a dolphin on a field of blue || Smite || [[Impact critical table|Impact]]
|-
| [[Onar]] || spirit || Lornon || homicide, assassination || a broken white skull on a field of black || Bane || [[Puncture critical table|Puncture]]
|-
| [[Tilamaire]] || spirit || Liabo || music, dance || a yellow note on a field of blue || Smite || [[Plasma critical table|Plasma]]
|-
| [[Voaris]] || spirit || Liabo || forbidden love, young love || a yellow rose on a field of red || Smite || [[Fire critical table|Fire]]
|-
| [[Voln]] || spirit || Liabo || destruction of undead || a white shield on a field of black || Smite || [[Fire critical table|Fire]]
|-
| [[Meyno]] || spirit || [[stone giant]] (good) || none || none || n/a1|| n/a1
|-
| [[Khaarne]] || spirit || [[stone giant]] (neutral) || none || none || n/a1 || n/a1
|-
| [[Illoke]] || spirit || [[stone giant]] (evil) || none || none || n/a1 || n/a1
|-
|}
#The deities of the stone giants are included here for completeness only. Player characters cannot worship Meyno, Khaarne, or Illoke through the [[CONVERT (verb)|deity system]].

== Resources ==
*[[The Gods of Elanthia]] (Official Documentation)
*[[Deity messaging]] - Deity-specific messaging for applicable spells
*[http://forums.play.net/forums/GemStone%20IV/Arkati%20and%20Other%20Spirits/view Official Forums: Arkati and Other Spirits]
*[[A Comprehensive Guide to Divination in Elanthia (saved post)]]
*[[CONVERT (verb)]]
*[[Elanthian Gems]]
*[http://youtu.be/wfqE9PLRi4o Arkati illustrated by Tisket]

{{Arkati}}

[[Category:Arkati| ]]
[[Category:World]]

Aelotoi

2017-06-19T00:12:16Z

HOST-GSDJYNI: /* Resources */

{{Race
| [[File:Aelotoi.gif|center]]
| regen = 1 per 4 min
| decay = 10 minutes
| height = 5' to 6', max 6.5'
| weight = 70 to 200 lbs.
| language = Common, Elven, Aelotian}}

Newly arrived in Elanthia from a home where they served as a slave race, the [[Aelotoi]] loosely follow the direction of their rebellion leaders, but by and large they prefer to simply enjoy their families and explore their new home. They are so fresh from slavery that they are not yet empowered by the ego necessary to have a detailed political structure, with all its inherent struggles for power.

The Aelotoi are humanoid, standing an average of 5 to 6 feet tall. They are thin with slight bone structure. They greatly resemble humans, except their heads are slightly larger, their eyes are slightly larger. Their eyes are their most distinctive facial feature, the iris being always of dark hues (dark green, brown or black) and having no whites at all; the pupil of the eye is round.

Most interestingly, the Aelotoi are winged creatures. While their wings made them valuable for slave work on their home world, they are not strong enough to fight the gravitational pull of Elanthia. Thus, they are flightless. The wings fold against the back, and are diaphanous, insect-like, and can have varying shades of golds to silvers, greens, blues and browns. It is often easy to tell how an Aelotoi is feeling based on the position of his or her wings.
{{TOC limit|2}}
== Statistics ==

{{Race stats
|str = -5|con = 0|dex = +5|agi = +10|dis = +5|aur = 0|log = +5|int = +5|wis = 0|inf = -5}}

For [[statistic growth rate]]s by [[profession]], see [[List of statistic growth rates#Aelotoi]].

{|{{prettytable}}
|+ '''Other Characteristics'''
|-
!Spirit Off Node
| 1 per 4 min
!Decay Timer
| 10 min
|-
!Max Health
| 120
!Base Regeneration
| 1
|-
!Weight Factor
| 0.65
!Encumbrance Factor
| 0.75
|-
!Maneuver Bonus
| Good
!Elemental TD
| 0
|-
!Spiritual TD
| 0
!Mental TD
| 0
|-
!Sorcerer TD
| 0
!Poison TD
| 0
|-
!Disease TD
| ??
|-
|}

== Cultures==

The three Aelotoi clans formed out of their distinct responsibilities during slavery.

=== Mrae'ni ===

The smallest of the three Aelotoi clans, members of this group lived scattered among the mining camps of the old Aelotoi homeworld. The Mrae'ni worked primarily underground as healers and performing minor magics to aid their people in enduring their slavery under kiramon rule, and thus their interests have evolved towards the mind. In their new home on Elanthia, they are actively pursuing the craft of healing, knowledge of plants, animals, and all things magical. The Mrae'ni are highly interested in all the elves are willing to teach them on these intellectual subjects.

:''In the [[A Treatise of the Aelotian Language|Aelotian language]], healers are known as '''raeno''' (m.) or '''raeni''' (f.).''

=== Vaer'sah ===

This group of Aelotoi are refugees from the roving colony of slave workers that the kiramon employed to scour their old homeworld's surface for potential mining sites. Because they had somewhat more freedom than the other two clans as they roved the planet's surface, individuals within this group are also among the most resourceful and forward-thinking of their race. Because of their background, the members of this clan are most interested of the Aelotoi in pursuits such as tracking and stealth, but are not above lifting the occasional purse. The Vaer'sah have taken to wandering the continent of Elanith, much as they did their old homeworld.

:''In the Aelotian language, travelers are known as '''vaerno''' (m.) or '''vaerna''' (f.).''

=== Gaeh'deh ===

The Gaeh'deh are revered by the other Aelotoi clans, for they bore the brunt of the physical labor demanded by their kiramon masters. Spread among all the mining sites across their home planet, the Gaeh'deh did the hard labor required to extract the metals, minerals, and other natural resources the kiramon demanded. Any Gaeh'deh would nearly always volunteer to take punishments in a Mrae'ni clan member's stead, to spare those selfless caregivers additional torment. The Gaeh'deh have, by virtue of their labors, become the warriors among the Aelotoi. They are most interested in learning all they can about the weapons and combat styles of their new home on Elanith, but still hover protectively near
the members of Mrae'ni.

:''In the Aelotian language, warriors are known as '''aehdo''' (m.) or '''aehda''' (f.).''

== Verbs ==
<section begin=verbs />
{| cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 1em; font-size: 95%; outline-style: solid; outline-width: 1px; outline-color: #aaa; background: #none; border: none; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| [[BLINK (verb)|BLINK]] <creature>
| -
| You steel your mind against any potentially threatening energy that might come from (target).
| -
| Aelotoi gazes narrowly at (target), smoothly maintaining his composure.
|-
| BLINK <object>
| -
| You briefly shut your eyes and listen intently to <target>.
| -
| Aelotoi briefly shuts her eyes and listens intently to <target>.
|-
| BLINK <self>
| -
| Shutting your eyes, you close off your mind to the world around you, grateful for the silence.
| -
| Aelotoi shuts his eyes for a brief moment.
|-
| BLINK <person>
| -
| You close your eyes and listen intently to <target>, faintly sensing his energy in the back of your mind.
| -
| Aelotoi closes his eyes and turns an ear towards <target>, listening to him/her with a curious expression.
|-

| [[BOW (verb)|BOW]] WINGS
| -
| You bow low, spreading your wings for all to see.
| -
| Aelotoi bows low, spreading her wings for all to see.
|-
| BOW WINGS <target>
| -
| You turn to (target) and bow low, spreading your wings for all to see.
| -
| Aelotoi turns to you and bows low, spreading her wings for all to see.
|-
| [[FLAP (verb)|FLAP]]
| -
| You flap your wings in a steady beat.
| -
| Aelotoi flaps her wings in a steady beat.
|-
| FLAP <person>
| -
| You flap your wings at <person>.
| -
| Aelotoi flaps her wings at you.
|-
| FLAP <self>
| -
| You give your wings a rapid shiver.
| -
| Aelotoi shivers her wings.
|-
| FLAP <object>
| -
| You glance at a curtained opening and flap your wings.
| -
| Aelotoi just flapped her wings at a curtained opening.
|-
| [[FLUTTER (verb)|FLUTTER]]
| -
| You flutter your wings creating a gentle breeze about yourself.
| -
| Aelotoi flutters her wings stirring the air slightly.
|-
| FLUTTER <person>
| -
| You flutter your wings at <person>.
| -
| Aelotoi flutters her wings at you.
|-
|FLUTTER <object>
| -
| You turn your head towards <target> and flutter your wings.
| -
| Aelotoi flutters her wings at <target>.
|-
| FLUTTER AFRAID
| -
| You flutter your wings and cower back a little bit.
| -
| Aelotoi flutters her wings and cowers back a little.
|-
| FLUTTER AFRAID <person>
| -
| You flutter your wings and cower back a little bit from <person>.
| -
| Aelotoi flutters her wings and cowers back from you.
|-
| FLUTTER AFRAID <object>
| -
| You flutter your wings and cower away from the opening.
| -
| Aelotoi flutters her wings and cowers away from a opening.
|-
|FLUTTER ANGRY
| -
| You flutter your wings and scowl.
| -
| Aelotoi flutters her wings and scowls.
|-
|FLUTTER ANGRY <target>
| -
| You flutter your wings and scowl at <person>.
| -
| Aelotoi flutters her wings and scowls at you.
|-
|FLUTTER ANNOYED
| -
| You flutter your wings and end it by sharply snapping them to your body.
| -
| Aelotoi flutters her wings sharply as she snaps them to her body.
|-
|FLUTTER ANNOYED <target>
| -
| You flutter your wings at <person> and end it by sharply snapping them to your body.
| -
| Aelotoi flutters her wings at you and sharply snaps them to her body.
|-
|FLUTTER BASHFUL
| -
| You flutter your wings gently as your cheeks blush soft pale rose.
| -
| Aelotoi flutters her wings as her cheeks blush a shade of soft pale rose.
|-
| FLUTTER BASHFUL <target>
| -
| You flutter your wings gently at <person> as your cheeks blush soft pale rose.
| -
| Aelotoi flutters her wings at you as her cheeks blush a shade of soft pale rose.
|-
|FLUTTER BORED
| -
| You lazily flutter your wings.
| -
| Aelotoi flutters her wings lazily.
|-
| FLUTTER BORED <person>
| -
| You glance at <person> and lazily flutter your wings.
| -
|Aelotoi glances at you and flutters her wings lazily.
|-
| FLUTTER BORED <object>
| -
| You lazily flutter your wings at the opening.
| -
| Aelotoi flutters her wings lazily at a opening.
|-
| FLUTTER CALM
| -
| You calmly flutter your wings in time to some unheard music.
| -
| Aelotoi calmly flutters her wings to an unheard rhythm.
|-
| FLUTTER CALM <target>
| -
| You calmly flutter your wings at <person> in time to some unheard music.
| -
| Aelotoi calmly flutters her wings at you to an unheard rhythm.
|-
|FLUTTER CRAZY
| -
| You flutter your wings wildly as if they were on fire.
| -
| Aelotoi flutters her wings wildly. She knows they're attached, right?
|-
| FLUTTER CRAZY <person>
| -
| You glance at <person> and flutter your wings wildly as if they were on fire.
| -
| Aelotoi glances at you and flutters her wings wildly. She knows they're attached, right?
|-
| FLUTTER CRAZY <target>
| -
| You flutter your wings wildly at the opening as if they were on fire.
| -
| Aelotoi flutters her wings wildly at a opening. She knows they're attached, right?
|-
| FLUTTER FLASHY
| -
| You flutter your wings, flashing them for all to see.
| -
| Aelotoi flutters her wings out wide for all to see.
|-
| FLUTTER FLASHY <person>
| -
| You flutter your wings, flashing them at <person>.
| -
| Aelotoi turns towards you and flutters her wings out wide for you to see.
|-
| FLUTTER FLASHY <object>
| -
| You flutter your wings, flashing them at the opening.
| -
| Aelotoi flutters her wings at a opening.
|-
| FLUTTER HAPPY
| -
| You flutter your wings, while bouncing in place happily.
| -
| Aelotoi flutters her wings happily, bouncing in place.
|-
| FLUTTER HAPPY <person>
| -
| You flutter your wings at <person>, while bouncing in place happily.
| -
| Aelotoi flutters her wings at you happily, bouncing in place.
|-
| FLUTTER HAPPY <object>
| -
| You flutter your wings at the opening, bouncing in place happily.
| -
| Aelotoi flutters her wings happily at a opening.
|-
| FLUTTER NERVOUS
| -
| Your wings flutter with a slight trembling in them.
| -
| Aelotoi's wings flutter, trembling slightly.
|-
| FLUTTER NERVOUS <person>
| -
| Your wings flutter with a slight trembling in them and turn away from <person>.
| -
| Aelotoi's wings flutter, trembling slightly as she turns away from you.
|-
| FLUTTER NERVOUS <object>
| -
| Your wings flutter at the opening with a slight trembling in them.
| -
| Aelotoi's wings flutter at a opening, trembling slightly.
|-
| FLUTTER SCARED
| -
| You flutter your wings, trying to hide behind them.
| -
| Aelotoi attempts to hide her head behind her fluttering wings.
|-
| FLUTTER SCARED <person>
| -
| You flutter your wings, trying to hide from <person> behind them.
| -
| Aelotoi attempts to hide her head from you behind her fluttering wings.
|-
| FLUTTER SCARED <object>
| -
| You flutter your wings, trying to hide behind them from the opening.
| -
| Aelotoi attempts to hide from a opening behind her fluttering wings.
|-
| FLUTTER TIRED
| -
| You flutter your wings momentarily, before letting them droop.
| -
| Aelotoi flutters her wings before they droop tiredly.
|-
| FLUTTER TIRED <target>
| -
| You flutter your wings momentarily, before glancing at <person> and letting them droop.
| -
| Aelotoi glances at you, flutters her wings, and lets them droop tiredly.
|-
| [[FOLD (verb)|FOLD]] WINGS
| -
| You fold your wings across your back.
| -
| Aelotoi folds her wings across her back.
|-
| FOLD WINGS <target>
| -
| You glance at <target> and fold your wings across your back.
| -
| Aelotoi glances at <target> and folds her wings across her back.
|-
| [[GLARE (verb)|GLARE]]
| -
| You narrow your eyes to mere slits.
| -
| Aelotoi narrows her eyes, her dark sclera reduced to mere slits.
|-
| GLARE <creature>
| -
| You narrow your eyes menacingly at <target>, preparing to hold your ground.
| -
| Aelotoi narrows her eyes menacingly at a creature, preparing to hold her ground.
|-
| GLARE <object>
| -
| You squint, trying to get a closer look at <target>.
| -
| Aelotoi squints, trying to get a closer look at <target>.
|-
| GLARE <person>
| -
| You narrow your eyes, giving (target) a stern look.
| -
| Aelotoi eyes (target) with a stern expression, her dark sclera reduced to mere slits.
|-
| [[PREEN (verb)|PREEN]]
| -
| You preen your wings.
| -
| Aelotoi preens her wings.
|-
| PREEN <target>
| -
| You glance at <target> and preen your wings.
| -
| Aelotoi glances at <target> and preens her wings.
|-
| PREEN <self> (male)
| -
| You lift up your chin and straighten out your wings.
| -
| Aelotoi lifts up his chin and straightens out his wings.
|-
| PREEN <self> (female)
| -
| You toss back your head and straighten out your wings.
| -
| Aelotoi tosses back her head and straightens out her wings.
|-
| PREEN <object> (held or worn, male)
| -
| You run your hand over your <object> and preen your wings.
| -
| Aelotoi runs his hand over his <object> and preens his wings.
|-
| PREEN <object> (held or worn, female)
| -
| You finger your <object> and preen your wings.
| -
| You finger your <object> and preen your wings.
|-
| PREEN <object> (not held or worn)
| -
| You glance at <object> and preen your wings.
| -
| Aelotoi glances at <object> and preens her wings.
|-
| PREEN <creature> (dead)
| -
| You preen your wings over the corpse of a {creature}.
| -
| Aelotoi preens her wings over the corpse of a creature.
|-
| PREEN <creature> (alive)
| -
| You preen your wings as you glance at a {creature}.
| -
| Aelotoi preens her wings as she glances at a creature.
|-
| [[SNAP (verb)|SNAP]] WINGS
| -
| You feel a fleeting shiver roll through the base of your (color) wings, and you flick them abruptly in response.
| -
| Aelotoi shakes off a fleeting shiver and abruptly flicks his rainbow-hued wings in response.
|-
| SNAP WINGS <creature>
| -
| You rapidly flick your (color) wings at (target) with a composed, yet dauntless cadence.
| -
| Aelotoi rapidly flicks his rainbow-hued wings at a creature with a composed, yet dauntless cadence.
|-
| SNAP WINGS <object>
| -
| You feel a fleeting shiver roll through the base of your (color) wings as you eye <object>, and you flick them abruptly in response.
| -
| Aelotoi eyes <object> and shakes off a fleeting shiver, abruptly flicking his rainbow-hued wings in response.
|-
| SNAP WINGS <self>
| -
| You idly flick your (color) wings for a few moments and sleekly rest them against your back.
| -
| Aelotoi idly flicks his rainbow-hued wings for a few moments and sleekly rests them against his back.
|-
|SNAP WINGS <person>
| -
| You glance at (target), flicking your (color) wings in a downward motion and tightening them stiffly against your back.
| -
| Glancing at you, Aelotoi flicks his rainbow-hued wings in a downward motion and tightens them stiffly against his back.
|-
| [[STARE (verb)|STARE]]
| -
| You fully extend your wings and cautiously study your surroundings.
| -
| Aelotoi fully extends his wings, cautiously studying his surroundings.
|-
| STARE <creature>
| -
| Standing perfectly still, you fully extend your wings and eye (target) cautiously.
| -
| Aelotoi fully extends his wings and stands perfectly still, eyeing a creature cautiously.
|-
| STARE <object>
| -
| You fully extend your wings and eye (target) cautiously.
| -
| Aelotoi fully extends his wings, and eyes a glass-covered wood sample table cautiously.
|-
| STARE <person>
| -
| Standing perfectly still, you fully extend your wings and eye (target) cautiously.
| -
| Aelotoi fully extends his wings and stands perfectly still, eyeing you cautiously.
|-
| [[STRETCH (verb)|STRETCH]] WINGS
| -
| You stretch, flexing your wings.
| -
| Aelotoi stretches, flexing his wings.
|-
| [[TWITCH (verb)|TWITCH ]] <target>
| -
| As you glance at (target), you begin to twitch your wings with agitation.
| -
| As Aelotoi glances at (target), you notice a faint twitch of his wings.
|-
| TWITCH (NOT INJURED)
| -
| You twitch your wings ever so slightly.
| -
| Aelotoi begins to twitch his wings.
|-
| TWITCH MINOR NERVES)
| -
| Your muscles begin to twitch involuntarily and your wings spasm slightly.
| -
| Aelotoi begins to twitch involuntarily and his wings spasm slightly.
|-
| TWITCH (MEDIUM NERVES)
| -
| You lose control of your muscles for a moment as you are wracked by a fit of convulsions, making you twitch from wing-tip to toe. They subside just as suddenly as they came.
| -
| Aelotoi's body is wracked by a sudden fit of convulsions setting his body shaking from wing to toe!
|-
| TWITCH (MAJOR NERVES)
| -
| You lose all control of your muscles and are wracked by a fit of uncontrollable convulsions that set your body and wings into motion!
| -
| Aelotoi doubles over, putting his shaking wings in the air as he is wracked by uncontrollable convulsions!
|-
| [[WAVE (verb)|WAVE]] WINGS
| -
| You gently fan your (color) wings.
| -
| Aelotoi gently fans his rainbow-hued wings.
|-
| WAVE WINGS <creature>
| -
| You spread your (color) wings wide and fan them at (target) in an attempt to appear larger and more intimidating.
| -
| Aelotoi spreads his rainbow-hued wings wide and fans them at the creature in a clear attempt at intimidation.
|-
| WAVE WINGS <object>
| -
| You fan your (color) wings and sweep them forcefully in the direction of (target), but the sudden breeze does nothing to dislodge it. Try harder next time?
| -
| Aelotoi fans his rainbow-hued wings and sweeps them forcefully in the direction of (target), but the sudden breeze does nothing to dislodge it.
|-
| WAVE WINGS <self>
| -
| You fan your (color) wings, stirring up a small breeze about yourself. Refreshing!
| -
| Aelotoi fans his rainbow-hued wings, stirring up a small breeze.
|-
| WAVE WINGS <person>
| -
| You fan your (color) wings at <target>, stirring up the air about him.
| -
| Aelotoi fans his rainbow-hued wings at you, stirring the air into a small, focused breeze that swirls about you.
|-
|}
{verb} set {standard/culture}
<section end=verbs />
== History ==

{{main|A Brief History of the Aelotoi}}

The Aelotoi were once humans from Elanthia, given their own world by the [[Arkati]] [[L'Naere]] during the [[Ur-Daemon War]]. There, on the world they called [[Bre'Naere]], they developed a peaceful civilization and lived in prosperity—until the [[kiramon]] arrived.

On Elanthia, as the power of the [[Elven Empire]] waned during the Age of Chaos, many hostile and cunning creatures that had once been kept in check arose to prey on the vulnerable peoples of Elanith. One of these was the insect-like kiramon. Possessing a hive-mind intelligence and a singular will to harvest natural resources to aid their own transcendence, they battled the [[Illistim]] elves for a thousand years until at last the Illistim expelled them through a portal to an unknown world.

When the kiramon went through the portal, they found themselves on Bre'Naere. The Aelotoi, having never faced any threats in their history, were unprepared for war and were quickly enslaved by the kiramon. Over the next fifteen thousand years, they toiled under their overseers, harvesting the once-lush world's resources until it became a barren wasteland. Their physical bodies were modified by the kiramon that they might serve better as workers.

In the year 5103, a rift opened in the Wraithenmist near [[Ta'Illistim]], and a band of Aelotoi stumbled through. With their pupil-less eyes and membranous wings, they little resembled the humans that they once were. They were quickly pursued by kiramon hunters, but the Illistim guard fought the kiramon back and took in the refugees. In the months that followed, the Aelotoi learned the elven language and recounted their history to their hosts.

On 13 Eoantos, 5103, speaking for a united Council of the Elven Houses, [[Myasara Illistim|Argent Mirror Myasara]] announced that the Aelotoi would be granted the right to citizenship in all elven cities. In addition, an abandoned town off Whistler's Pass would be given to the Aelotoi to settle as their new home. The town would become known as [[Cysaegir]].

== Resources ==
*[[Brief History of the Aelotoi]]
*[[A Treatise of the Aelotian Language]]
*[[A Glance at Aelotian Style]]
*[[The Toqua]]
*[[The Kiramon: A Scientific Study]]
*[[The Legend of L'Naere]]
*[[Zydris]]
*[[Elanthian Gems]]
*[http://www.play.net/gs4/info/races/aelotoi.asp Races: Aelotoi], on Play.net
*[http://forums.play.net/forums/GemStone%20IV/Races/Aelotoi/view Officials folder]

{{Aelotoi}}
{{Races}}

[[Category:Races and Cultures]]

Erithian

2017-06-19T00:11:48Z

HOST-GSDJYNI: /* Resources */

{{race
| [[File:Elotheans.gif|center]]
| decay = 13 minutes
| regen = 1 per 4 min
| height = 5.5' to 6.5', max 7'
| weight = 75 to 215 lbs.
| language = Common, Erithian}}
'''Erithians''' are tall, thin and have slightly pointed ears and almond-shaped eyes giving them a somewhat elf-like appearance. Hardy and deceptively tough, both genders are often balding with just a fringe of hair.

Erithians mysteriously appeared in Elanthia only 1500 years ago.

== Statistics ==
{{Race stats
|str = -5|con = +10|dex = 0|agi = 0|dis = +5|aur = 0|log = +5|int = 0|wis = 0|inf = +10}}

For [[statistic growth rate]]s by [[profession]], see [[List of statistic growth rates#Erithian]].

{|{{prettytable}}
|+ '''Other Characteristics'''
|-
!Spirit On Node
| 1 per 4 min
!Decay Timer
| 13 min
|-
!Max Health
| 120
!Base Regeneration
| 3
|-
!Weight Factor
| 0.75
!Encumbrance Factor
| 0.85
|-
!Maneuver Bonus
| Good
!Elemental TD
| 0
|-
!Spiritual TD
| 0
!Mental TD
| 0
|-
!Sorcerer TD
| 0
!Poison TD
| 0
|-
!Disease TD
| ??
|-
|-
|}

== Description ==

The true origins of the Erithians are shrouded in mystery and magic. What is known for certain is that their recorded history on [[Elanthia]] began about fifteen hundred years ago, ca. 3600 of the Modern Era. The journals of that time relate that a small population of their people was somehow transported to this world through some great magic, of which the details are unknown.

Their legends say that they were placed here by the [[Arkati]] - commonly by [[Fash'lo'nae]] himself - either intentionally or through some divine shifting of the planes; though many, considering the powerful sorcerers and wise mages of their people, insist that it was through some powerful mortal magic, either intentional or accidental. In more recent times, some more practical Erithian thinkers have theorized that perhaps they are some distant cousin of [[Elves]], long separated from the main bloodlines, who settled in the mountains many ages ago and, for some unknown reason, were nearly exterminated and chose to destroy their past history and shroud it in legends of magic and divine intervention. Perhaps there is some basis in fact to the opinion of some that they were put here by the Gods, but the true story of their origins will probably never be known.

The Erithi are slightly taller and thinner than humans, (about 5'6" to 6'6") with slightly pointed ears and almond-shaped eyes, usually with somewhat vertically 'slitted' rather than completely round pupils. They are not as lithe and quick as elves, though many believe them to be related to elves and those with no knowledge of their race often assume them to be somewhat odd-looking half-elves. They are neither muscular nor fast, but are hardy and deceptively tough, and resistant to damage and extremes in weather. They live about 300 years on average, far longer than humans but much less than the elves. Erithians have overall light coloration, ranging from nearly translucent pale white skin to almost any shade of fair - rosy, alabaster, ashen, sallow, even slightly tanned, but never dark. Their hair is also light colored - never darker than a steely grey or titian, and usually lighter - and commonly silver, white or grey even in youth. Both genders are often balding or with just a fringe of hair, males more commonly, though they are rarely completely bald - high foreheads or a fringe of hair worn long are more common. Their eye color ranges from nearly crystal-clear to medium brown, often shades of grey, blue, green, or golden, and again, never dark.

== Cultures ==

Erithian culture spans several clans known as Dai's. Though their origins are shrouded in mystery, their social structures are plain to see.

=== [[Eloth Dai]] ===

Descended from a long line of adept magic users, the Eloth Dai are the most insular of the clans, rarely marrying outside the clan as many believe that talent for magic is passed along by blood. Males of other clans who wish to marry into the Eloth Dai cannot do so without the approval of the clan elders, a restriction not present in any other clan. Children of this bloodline tend to have very light-colored skin, eyes, and hair, the latter often silver or white from birth. The name means 'the sky clan' or 'high clan'.

The symbol of Eloth Dai is a grey owl.

=== [[Surath Dai]] ===

The family traditions of the Surath Dai revere the power of the physical world, the planet, and the forces of essence that emanate from and surround it. Many are adept magic users, especially of elemental or spiritual nature, though they are more sociable and open to relations with other clans than the Eloth. Many Surath consider Eonak a patron. The clan name means 'the stone clan' or 'earth clan'.

The symbol of Surath Dai is a silver or white ram.

=== [[Nathala Dai]] ===

Members of Nathala Dai hail from the coastal regions of Atan Irith, perhaps paradoxically, the Nathala tend to be both the most peace loving and the most skilled in weapons and combat of the entire race due to their experiences defending against pirates and the dangers of the sea. Those of Nathala descent tend to be of slightly darker coloration than most Erithi, tending more toward pale olive or freckled skin, light brown or red hair, and brightly-hued eyes.

The symbol of Nathala Dai is a bronze or golden nautilus shell.

=== [[Yachan Dai]] ===

Valuing the wonders of nature, the Yachan Dai prefer the greener lands found in woodlands and valleys where they can meditate on the land's beauty and complexity. Many artists, craftsmen, and bards, as well as magic users of a spiritual or mentalist bent, descend from this clan.

The symbol of Yachan Dai is a butterfly, of any or many colors.

=== [[Tichan Dai]] ===

Most populous of the clans, the Tichan Dai make up at least a third of the population in Eloth-Ra. Tichan often find they are related to just about everyone else in their town through some intermarriage or another, and often hold the more public jobs in town life - shopkeepers, healers, merchants - though among adventurers, all professions are equally represented.

The symbol of Tichan Dai is a fish, often a silver salmon.

=== [[Valaka Dai]] ===

Never settling in any one place, the Valaka Dai are the fewest in number of all other clans due to their wanderlust, rarely building large families and often intermarrying into other clans. Many explorers, traders and others who habitually travel are of Valaka blood, as they often have less clan ties and responsibilities to keep them close to home.

The symbol of Valaka Dai is a grey or white falcon.

=== [[Volnath Dai]] ===

The Volnath Dai are a recently founded religious sect dedicated to the destruction of the Undead.

Their symbol is a white nautilus shell imposed on a shield of black.

== Background ==

=== Name ===

The name "Erithian" comes from their native name for themselves, ''Erithi'', which simply means "the People." They are sometimes poetically referred to as the People of the Sky, possibly derived from the name of their capital city, [[Eloth-Ra]], which means "Sky Home."

=== Religion ===

Most Erithians are not deeply religious, regarding the Arkati as worthy of honor and devotion but not supernatural gods. They have a special affinity for Lumnis and Fash'lo'nae as the twin aspects of wisdom and knowledge. Eonak has a significant following in the Surath Dai, and Niima among those who dwell on the coasts.

=== Clothing ===

Traditional Erithian dress consists of a cloth shirt (''[[isiqiri]]''), with either flaring breeches (''[[nanjir]]'') or close-fitting leggings (''[[kanjir]]''), over which is worn a multi-layered robe with colorful floral or natural designs (''[[atanika]]''), sometimes caught with a sash (''[[vatanura]]''). The distinctive Erithian article of jewelry is the ''[[elothrai]]'', a specially chosen agate gem worn on the forehead.

== Verbs ==

{verb} set {standard/culture}
<section begin=verbs />
{|{{prettytable}}
! colspan=2 style="background:#ddd; white-space: nowrap; font-size: larger; text-align: center;" | '''[[WAIT (verb)|WAIT]]'''
|-
|WAIT:
|You stand perfectly still, like a slender reed on a windless day. Erithian stands perfectly still and unwavering.
|-
|WAIT <person>:
|You still yourself, waiting patiently for <person>.
|-
|WAIT <self>:
|You patiently wait, measuring each beat of passing time. Erithian patiently waits, a serene look on his face.
|-
|WAIT <object>:
|You patiently observe <object>. Erithian takes keen note of <object>, observing it patiently.
|-
|WAIT <creature>:
|You still yourself, carefully watching <creature>'s actions.
|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#ddd; white-space: nowrap; font-size: larger; text-align: center;" | '''[[POSE (verb)|POSE]]'''
|-
|POSE:
|You steady your breathing and slowly stretch out each of your limbs in turn, preparing ourself for activity.
|-
|POSE <object>:
|With fluid grace, you lean in to examine <object>, your every move exact and intentioned.
|-
|POSE <creature>:
|You adopt a serene, yet observant, pose as you study <creature>.
|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#ddd; white-space: nowrap; font-size: larger; text-align: center;" | '''[[PONDER (verb)|PONDER]]'''
|-
|PONDER
|You pause in a moment of thoughtful contemplation.
|-
|PONDER <person>:
|You pause for a moment to study <person>, your gaze dwelling upon her features.
|-
|PONDER <self>:
|You close your eyes for a moment and slip into a brief contemplative trance. You reflect upon your circumstances and recent past, searching for any lessons you might learn from them. Erithian closes his eyes and a serene expression overtakes his.
|-
|PONDER <creature>:
|You pause for a moment to study <creature>, observing its movements to become more familiar with its habits. Erithian pauses for a moment to study <creature>, his movements slowly coming to mirror the <creature>'s.
|-
|PONDER <object>:
|You pause for a moment to study <object>, observing the most prominent characteristics. Erithian pauses for a moment to study <object>, his expression one of thoughtful observation.
|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#ddd; white-space: nowrap; font-size: larger; text-align: center;" | '''[[STRETCH (verb)|STRETCH]]'''
|-
|STRETCH MOUNTAIN: (standing only)
|Gracefully bending at the waist, you place your palms and wrists on the ground in front of you, extending the pose forward until your body forms a perfect mountain peak.
|-
|STRETCH TREE: (standing only)
|Extending your arms straight up over your head, you draw one leg up towards the center of your body, balancing lightly on your remaining leg.
|-
|STRETCH HAWK: (sitting only)
|You fold your left leg beneath you, extending your right leg behind you fully. Raising your arms overhead you arch your back, easing the tension in your spine.
|-
|STRETCH DIAMOND: (sitting only)
|Drawing your legs together in front of you, you position your heels and toes against each other, forming a diamond.
|-
|STRETCH WAVE: (prone only)
|You fold your hands deliberately over your chest and then arch your back until your neck and spine form a perfect arch. Elevating your legs evenly, you perform the precise wave posture.
|-
|STRETCH MOON: (prone only)
|Balancing on your stomach you extend your arms above and behind you, grasping your ankles. Drawing your limbs upward, your body forms a complete circle.
|-
|STRETCH CHILD: (kneeling only)
|You slide your hands along the floor away from you as you bend forward, bringing your torso to rest between your out-turned knees. You place your forehead on the floor and relax into the posture.
|-
|STRETCH CAMEL: (kneeling only)
|Sitting up on your knees, you reach both arms behind you and place your open palms on your flexed feet. You stretch your heart upward, bowing your back as you gaze up at the ceiling.
|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#ddd; white-space: nowrap; font-size: larger; text-align: center;" | '''[[BOW (verb)|BOW]]'''
|-
|BOW CROSS:
|Crossing his arms over his chest, palms flat against each shoulder, Erithian bows.
|-
|BOW DEEPLY:
|Erithian bows deeply.
|-
|BOW FLOOR:
|Erithian bows from the waist in a fluid movement, touching his forehead to the floor.
|-
|BOW HANDS:
|Folding his hands together, Erithian bows shallowly from the waist.
|-
|BOW FOLD:
|Folding his hands together, Erithian bows shallowly from the waist.
|-
|BOW FOLD: While holding an item
|You bring your <held item> toward your torso and bow shallowly from the waist.
|-
|BOW GRACEFULLY:
|Erithian bows with sweeping grace, like a hawk gliding on the wind.
|-
|BOW RECOGNITION:
|Nodding slightly, you bow an acknowledgement.
|-
|}<section end=verbs />

==Resources==
* [[A Study of the Erithi]] (official documentation)
* [[The Dress of the Erithi]] (official documentation)
* [[Erithi Tea Ceremony]] (official documentation)
* [[History of the Ferroniere#Elothrai|A History of the Ferroniere]] (official documentation)
* [[Erithian poetry lecture (log)]]
* [[Erithi poetry (saved post)]]
* [[Erithi traditions (saved post)]]
* [[Erithi Skyfire (saved post)]]
* [[Erithi theatre masks (saved post)]]
* [[Erithi tea ceremony lecture (log)]]
* [[Erithian murder mystery (saved posts)]]
* [[Elanthian Gems]]
* [[The History of the Elanthian Katana and the Order of the Watchful Eye]]
*[http://www.play.net/gs4/info/races/erithians.asp Races: Erithian], on Play.net
*[http://forums.play.net/forums/GemStone%20IV/Races/Erithians/view Officials folder]

{{Erithians}}
{{Races}}

[[Category:Races and Cultures]]

Elanthian Gems

2017-06-19T00:05:09Z

HOST-GSDJYNI:

Elanthian Gems

=Gems from Erithian Lands=
Like the continent of Elanith, the Erithian continent possesses a wide variety of mineral resources. The members of the "earth clan," the Suroth Dai, have primarily been responsible for investigating the precious and semi-precious stones found in Erithian territory. However, some gems hold a certain place of honor in Erithian culture among all Dai, and students of culture may find it interesting that many of those gems can be found only on the Erithian continent.
Many organizations seek trade pacts to import unique gems from the Erithian continent. Dwarves and gnomes have had the greatest success, but the Erithi have also sealed trade agreements with halflings, elves, scattered sylvans, and the Faendryl.

Although rare gems exist, the Erithi have not chosen to import any of their most precious stones to the continent of Elanith, preferring to leave that information (and, ideally, the stones in question) in their own hands. Considering that their lands have long been raided by rogues and scavengers of many races, their preference for mystery is not entirely surprising, but it is disappointing to those who wish to chronicle such matters. The gems listed below are the only ones that have been verified.

==Agate==
Many remarkable varieties of agate are found only upon the Erithian continent. Some (although not all) are described below. These stones are infrequently found, but the Erithi grant them sentimental value that places them far above diamond within the rituals and customs of the culture.
<pre{{log2}}>
'''Beetle agate:'''
Beetle agate is a black stone that displays a fiery, metallic green iridescence when held in the light.

'''Blood agate:'''
Blood agate is a deep crimson stone streaked with salmon pink.

'''Celestial agate:'''
Celestial agate is a translucent black stone shot with slender, silvery-white lines that create star-like patterns.

'''Dawn agate:'''
Dawn agate is a dark grey color banded with pastel pink, yellow, and green. When touched by sunlight, it shimmers with an intense gold hue.

'''Dream agate:'''
Dream agate is a pale grey agate with bands that appear opaque and snow white beneath sunlight. Beneath moonlight, the bands become both transparent and opalescent, threading the translucent grey stone with softly shimmering rainbows.

'''Drought agate:'''
Drought agate typically displays several shades of brown, varying from light tan to a dark, almost black color, and slender lines of pale green framed in dark gold run through its substance.

'''Iris agate:'''
Iris agate contains extraordinarily thin bands of translucent stone, each shifted only slightly in hue from the others, creating delicate rainbows that repeat multiple times through its substance. Iris agates typically have a predominant color, which may be white, black, or a pastel shade of the rainbow.

'''Nathala agate:'''
Nathala agate is predominantly an intense turquoise hue, banded with another shade of blue as well as one or more of the colors black, white, green, and gold.

'''Owleye agate:'''
Owleye agate refers not to a type of agate so much as a formation of banded agate. In owleye agate, the bands create one or more concentric patterns upon the surface of the stone.

'''Panther agate:'''
Panther agate bears a strong resemblance to tigereye. However, instead of showing shimmering bands of gold upon a surface of brown, panther agate contains shimmering bands of pale silvery-grey upon a surface of midnight black.

'''Spectral agate:'''
Spectral agate is a transparent stone, typically pale grey or pale blue, banded with opaque, faintly shimmering white.

'''Snake agate:'''
Snake agate is a variant of mottled agate. It may be grey, green, brown, black, or white in its primary hue, but its distinguishing trait is that its markings bear a strong resemblance to the scales of a snake.

'''Storm agate:'''
Storm agate is typically dark blue shading to black, shot with zigzagging streaks of silver and white.

'''Summer agate:'''
Summer agate is a bright, sunny yellow color adorned with tiny bands of sky blue and cloud white.
</pre>
In addition, every type of agate found upon the continent of Elanith may be found upon the Erithian continent, with the sole exception of chameleon agate (which is not precisely found upon Elanith in any case, as it is only found on Teras Isle.)The Erithi value agate very highly, particularly the Surath Dai. Though the record of Erithi history stretches back only fifteen hundred years, Erithian scholars are convinced that the traditions related to agate are far older. The word for "soul" (raiyatha) and the word for "agate" (raiyartha) are quite similar in the Erithi language, making linguists certain that they derive from the same source. A traditional prayer among the Erithi, also suspected to be older than their arrival in Atan Irith, addresses Lumnis as "Mother of Agates" and asks the goddess to aid the Erithian people in showing mercy to one another.

Poets among the Erithi use agate as a symbol for the soul on a routine basis, and every variety of agate carries its own special symbolism as well. Part of a traditional Erithian wedding ceremony requires the bride and groom to drink from a bowl carved of agate, and the specific agate of the bowl is chosen with careful attention to the traditional symbolism.

==Cinnamon amber==
Cinnamon amber is a transparent stone that varies in hue between fiery scarlet and a red so dark that it is almost black. It has no fire, it cannot be faceted, and, like regular amber, it often includes preserved insects or vegetable matter. Unlike true amber, it never washes ashore. Unlike many Erithian gems, cinnamon amber is not found in regions controlled by the Surath Dai, but is found within the various woodlands and valleys of Yachan Dai territory. Cinnamon amber is actually more common than regular amber upon the Erithian continent.

Cinnamon amber, like regular amber, will burn in a candle flame. Instead of producing white smoke, however, it will produce orange smoke, and the scent is quite different. When burned, cinnamon amber produces an intense spicy odor, leading to its name. This effect is little more than a novelty to the Erithi, who find the scent to be overpowering and unpleasant, but the smell of burning cinnamon amber has gained remarkable popularity with the Nalfein in the time since the Erithi revealed themselves. Trade in cinnamon amber has already been established with Ta'Nalfein. Nalfein traders are importing the stone at a remarkable rate for use in perfume and incense, and at least one Ivasian priest has made his interest in the substance known as well.

==Sunset beryl==
There is only one known deposit of sunset beryl, which lies in Surath Dai territory on the Erithian continent. Since this deposit is quite large, and since the quality is quite low, it is merely an uncommon stone.

Sunset beryl is a beautiful, dark red stone shading slightly toward pink. It often sparkles slightly from many tiny inclusions running through its imperfect substance. Unfortunately, sunset beryl is even more prone to damage than emerald, and, as a result of these contaminating inclusions, the crystals are very small. Few exceed the size of a halfling's little fingernail, and most are akin to the size of a grain of sand, but a few prized larger specimens do exist.

Unsurprisingly, most of the crystals are unsuitable in size to jewelry-related purposes. However, the stone takes on an incredible fire when faceted, and some Erithians take pleasure in wearing a single sunset beryl earring or a tiny sunset beryl pendant at the hollow of the throat.

Pieces of sunset beryl that are inappropriate to jewelry's purposes are often used in clerical rituals, as sunset beryl can serve as a useful channel for divine energy. The magical structure of sunset beryl also serves as a useful catalyst when seeking to gain the aid of rock, stone, and earth spirits.

==Coral==

Now that the Erithi have revealed their presence to the various races of Elanith, stories about the wealth of the Erithian continent have spread through seedy taverns all along the eastern shore of Elanith. From these tales, raiders and shrewd jewelers alike suspect that, as well as myriad agates, the Erithian continent possesses a wide variety of valuable corals. However, the Erithi have been fairly reticent regarding this matter, and only two unique varieties of coral have been confirmed.
One is anemone coral, which is a regular, symmetrically formed coral occurring in a delicate shade of violet with dark plum markings. The other is spiral coral, which consists of gleaming golden protrusions arranged in intricate spirals.

Members of the Nathala Dai collect these corals (and perhaps others) along the shores of the Erithian homeland. Initial trade inquiries suggest that these corals are both uncommon.

==Jade==
Members of the Surath Dai have located a number of excellent deposits of jade. These deposits include yellow, green, brown, and white jade, with white jade being by far the most common of the varieties. This may be why the Erithi have developed a sophisticated technique for dying jade through careful exposure to elemental magic.
If the technique fails, or if the exposure is accidental, the result is quite ugly, looking like nothing so much as a stain upon the stone. However, in the hands of a master, the result is quite striking. Erithian travelers have revealed that it is necessary to expose the gem evenly to only a single variety of elemental energy, but they have not explained any more of the secret, and no jeweler on the continent of Elanith has successfully replicated the effect thus far.

Water's influence produces lavender jade, air's influence creates brilliant blue jade, earth's influence will turn it pale red, and fire will turn it black. Some truly remarkable pieces exist that actually incorporate more than one color of jade in a single stone, such as swirls of blue jade drifting among a background of black. Cracking open a piece of dyed Erithian jade reveals that the hue extends only the thickness of a fingernail into the stone, leaving the natural white jade beneath. Some jewelers are experimenting with cameos and bas-relief carvings that take advantage of the contrast between the dark, dyed portions and the pale hue within.

Since white jade is so common in Erithian lands, the Erithi are trading it readily with the dwarves, and these dyed jades are valued as if they were infrequently found.

==Yellow tourmaline==
Yellow tourmaline, or "sun" tourmaline, can only be found on the Erithian continent. Its name is apt, for, if a yellow tourmaline crystal is placed in a sunbeam, the entire crystal will glow with sunlight. This effect persists even when the exposure to light is very small and the crystal is quite large. Traditionally, the Erithians have attributed the effect to solar spirits rather than to Phoen's influence, but human clerics of Phoen are less certain of the matter.
As well as existing in pure yellow crystals, this variant of tourmaline may be found in bicolored crystals. When this occurs, the other side of the crystal is invariably black.

Thus far, no one has found any magical use for pure yellow tourmaline aside from a mild affinity to spiritual blessings. Oddly, however, the bi-colored yellow tourmalines are magically inert to anything save certain aspects of demonology. As a result, the Faendryl have taken a particular interest in them.

Due to some particularly deft bargaining, the Faendryl currently have a monopoly upon yellow tourmaline importation, but it is not expected to last. The stone is common in Erithian lands, and too many people are curious enough to pay for a better look at it.

==Blue zircon (nathalene)==
The Erithi possess a blue variety of zircon that they call nathalene. It glimmers with a cold blue light like the sky reflecting back from glacial ice, and those who have seen it consider it to be the most beautiful variety of zircon by far. Still, as it is still merely a variant of zircon, jewelers will not offer very much for it.
As trade continues between the dwarven people and the Erithi in Zul Logoth, the dwarves have obtained a number of precious samples, and they report that nathalene stones are extremely responsive to bardic loresinging. Experimentation continues in this matter.

=Gemstones and the Aelotoi=
For fifteen thousand years, the Aelotoi suffered as slaves to the kiramon. The kiramon worked the Aelotoi cruelly, using them to mine and destroy the healthy, fertile world that had once been their own. Many presumably still endure in captivity upon that distant world, Bre'Naere -- for, while many were able to escape through the shimmering rift to Elanthia, there were many such mining camps, and it was impossible for Braedn, the elected leader of the Aelotoi, to save all of his people.
The Aelotoi suffered terribly beneath the dominance of the kiramon. Now, they are free -- but the memory of Bre'Naere has not left them. The kiramon destroyed lakes, rivers, trees, meadows, and mountains, but their driving goal and desire was to obtain gems, and the Aelotoi people never understood why the kiramon wanted gems so badly. The memory of the driving kiramon quest has resulted in various Aelotoi reacting in significantly different ways when confronted with gemstones, particularly rubies, sapphires, diamond, and other high-quality stones that the kiramon most desired.

While there are exceptions among any of the clans, the following attitudes are most typical among the Aelotoi.

The Vaer'sah clan takes pleasure in the idea of owning gems and wearing jewelry. The Vaer'sah enjoyed more freedom than the other Aelotoi, living in secret as refugees and avoiding the wrath of the kiramon. To the Vaer'sah, jewelry is a way of reveling in the newfound liberty of the Aelotoi. The kiramon are no longer present to stop the Aelotoi from owning gems of their own, so it is an act of defiance and freedom, the Vaer'sah say.

The Gaeh'deh react differently when confronted with gems and jewelry. The Gaeh'deh bore the brunt of physical labor on the world of Bre'Naere, and they are more communally minded than either of the other two clans. On Bre'Naere, upon rare circumstance, an Aelotoi worker would sometimes conceal a gem from the kiramon overseers. If the kiramon discovered such treachery, their reaction was violent -- not only would the offender be put to death, but several random members of the mining camp would be slain as well, and even those permitted to live would be brutally punished. The Aelotoi word "zrissantha" is a single term that means "jewel thief," "traitor," and "kinslayer." Most members of the Gaeh'deh clan will not wear jewelry or adorn their possessions with jewels, and they distrust those who do.

The Mrae'ni, primarily healers and mages, share the Gaeh'deh hesitation over wearing jewelry. They consider it disrespectful to wear jeweled ornaments when their kin are dying elsewhere for the sake of the kiramon gem-lust. However, the need to know is a driving force behind the Mrae'ni and their actions, and the Mrae'ni are asking themselves the question that very few other Aelotoi have considered: "Why did the kiramon want gems?" Illistim scholars have taught the Mrae'ni about some of the magical and metaphysical properties of various types of gems, and the Mrae'ni are starting to see possession of gems as a new way to help their people. Although they are disgusted by the idea of wearing gems for decoration, the Mrae'ni will sometimes carry a bespelled gem or two and see nothing wrong with that practice.

=Gemstones and the Arkati=
Worshippers of various Arkati or greater spirits consider specific gems significant to their faith. Please note that these attributions are not exclusive; for example, followers of Imaera and followers of Luukos both find sacred significance in emeralds.

<pre{{log2}}>
Aeia - emerald
Amasalen - heliodor
Andelas - chrysoberyl, cat’s-eye quartz
Arachne - garnet
Charl - aquamarine, coral, thunder egg geodes, mermaid's-tear sapphires
Cholen - amethyst, pyrite, blue sapphire
Eorgina - black diamond, firestone
Fash'lo'nae - deathstone, black opal, citrine quartz
Gosaena - moss agate, malachite
The Huntress - lapis lazuli, starstone
Imaera - amber, chrysoprase, emerald
Ivas - green jade
Jastev - alexandrite, lapis lazuli, rock crystal
Jaston - blue quartz
Kai - tigerfang crystal
Koar - Eye-of-Koar emerald, topaz
Kuon - green zircon
Laethe - black onyx, rhodochrosite
Leya - chalcedony
Lorminstra - black dreamstone, banded onyx
Lumnis - agate, black opal, turquoise
Luukos - emerald
Marlu - star diopside
Mularos - bloodstone, ruby
Niima - aquamarine, white opal
Oleani - morganite, rose quartz
Onar - deathstone, obsidian
Phoen - yellow sapphire, sunstone
Ronan - jet
Sheru - amber
Tilamaire - labradorite
Tonis - jasper, aventurine
Voaris - geode
Voln - onyx
V'tull - bloodjewel
Zelia - moonstone
</pre>

In looking at this list, some will pause and ask, “But what of Eonak?” The answer is that Eonak’s followers do not tie any specific gem to his worship, for all gems of the earth are beneath his sway. Pieces of petrified wood are sometimes utilized in wedding ceremonies by clerics of Eonak, as they symbolize the bond between Eonak and Imaera, but talismans of metal or simple, unadorned stone are preferred in all other cases.

=References=
*[[Gems]]
*[[List of gems]]
*[http://www.play.net/gs4/info/gems/ Gems on Play.net]

 [[Category:Gems| ]]

Elanthian Gems

2017-06-19T00:03:06Z

HOST-GSDJYNI:

Elanthian Gems

2017-06-19T00:01:39Z

HOST-GSDJYNI: Created page with "Elanthian Gems =Gems from Erithian Lands= Like the continent of Elanith, the Erithian continent possesses a wide variety of mineral resources. The members of the "earth clan,..."

Elanthian Gems

=Gems from Erithian Lands=
Like the continent of Elanith, the Erithian continent possesses a wide variety of mineral resources. The members of the "earth clan," the Suroth Dai, have primarily been responsible for investigating the precious and semi-precious stones found in Erithian territory. However, some gems hold a certain place of honor in Erithian culture among all Dai, and students of culture may find it interesting that many of those gems can be found only on the Erithian continent.
Many organizations seek trade pacts to import unique gems from the Erithian continent. Dwarves and gnomes have had the greatest success, but the Erithi have also sealed trade agreements with halflings, elves, scattered sylvans, and the Faendryl.

Although rare gems exist, the Erithi have not chosen to import any of their most precious stones to the continent of Elanith, preferring to leave that information (and, ideally, the stones in question) in their own hands. Considering that their lands have long been raided by rogues and scavengers of many races, their preference for mystery is not entirely surprising, but it is disappointing to those who wish to chronicle such matters. The gems listed below are the only ones that have been verified.

==Agate==
Many remarkable varieties of agate are found only upon the Erithian continent. Some (although not all) are described below. These stones are infrequently found, but the Erithi grant them sentimental value that places them far above diamond within the rituals and customs of the culture.
<pre{{log2}}>
Beetle agate:
Beetle agate is a black stone that displays a fiery, metallic green iridescence when held in the light.

Blood agate:
Blood agate is a deep crimson stone streaked with salmon pink.

Celestial agate:
Celestial agate is a translucent black stone shot with slender, silvery-white lines that create star-like patterns.

Dawn agate:
Dawn agate is a dark grey color banded with pastel pink, yellow, and green. When touched by sunlight, it shimmers with an intense gold hue.

Dream agate:
Dream agate is a pale grey agate with bands that appear opaque and snow white beneath sunlight. Beneath moonlight, the bands become both transparent and opalescent, threading the translucent grey stone with softly shimmering rainbows.

Drought agate:
Drought agate typically displays several shades of brown, varying from light tan to a dark, almost black color, and slender lines of pale green framed in dark gold run through its substance.

Iris agate:
Iris agate contains extraordinarily thin bands of translucent stone, each shifted only slightly in hue from the others, creating delicate rainbows that repeat multiple times through its substance. Iris agates typically have a predominant color, which may be white, black, or a pastel shade of the rainbow.Nathala agate:
Nathala agate is predominantly an intense turquoise hue, banded with another shade of blue as well as one or more of the colors black, white, green, and gold.

Owleye agate:
Owleye agate refers not to a type of agate so much as a formation of banded agate. In owleye agate, the bands create one or more concentric patterns upon the surface of the stone.

Panther agate:
Panther agate bears a strong resemblance to tigereye. However, instead of showing shimmering bands of gold upon a surface of brown, panther agate contains shimmering bands of pale silvery-grey upon a surface of midnight black.

Spectral agate:
Spectral agate is a transparent stone, typically pale grey or pale blue, banded with opaque, faintly shimmering white.

Snake agate:
Snake agate is a variant of mottled agate. It may be grey, green, brown, black, or white in its primary hue, but its distinguishing trait is that its markings bear a strong resemblance to the scales of a snake.

Storm agate:
Storm agate is typically dark blue shading to black, shot with zigzagging streaks of silver and white.

Summer agate:
Summer agate is a bright, sunny yellow color adorned with tiny bands of sky blue and cloud white.
</pre>
In addition, every type of agate found upon the continent of Elanith may be found upon the Erithian continent, with the sole exception of chameleon agate (which is not precisely found upon Elanith in any case, as it is only found on Teras Isle.)The Erithi value agate very highly, particularly the Surath Dai. Though the record of Erithi history stretches back only fifteen hundred years, Erithian scholars are convinced that the traditions related to agate are far older. The word for "soul" (raiyatha) and the word for "agate" (raiyartha) are quite similar in the Erithi language, making linguists certain that they derive from the same source. A traditional prayer among the Erithi, also suspected to be older than their arrival in Atan Irith, addresses Lumnis as "Mother of Agates" and asks the goddess to aid the Erithian people in showing mercy to one another.

Poets among the Erithi use agate as a symbol for the soul on a routine basis, and every variety of agate carries its own special symbolism as well. Part of a traditional Erithian wedding ceremony requires the bride and groom to drink from a bowl carved of agate, and the specific agate of the bowl is chosen with careful attention to the traditional symbolism.

==Cinnamon amber==
Cinnamon amber is a transparent stone that varies in hue between fiery scarlet and a red so dark that it is almost black. It has no fire, it cannot be faceted, and, like regular amber, it often includes preserved insects or vegetable matter. Unlike true amber, it never washes ashore. Unlike many Erithian gems, cinnamon amber is not found in regions controlled by the Surath Dai, but is found within the various woodlands and valleys of Yachan Dai territory. Cinnamon amber is actually more common than regular amber upon the Erithian continent.

Cinnamon amber, like regular amber, will burn in a candle flame. Instead of producing white smoke, however, it will produce orange smoke, and the scent is quite different. When burned, cinnamon amber produces an intense spicy odor, leading to its name. This effect is little more than a novelty to the Erithi, who find the scent to be overpowering and unpleasant, but the smell of burning cinnamon amber has gained remarkable popularity with the Nalfein in the time since the Erithi revealed themselves. Trade in cinnamon amber has already been established with Ta'Nalfein. Nalfein traders are importing the stone at a remarkable rate for use in perfume and incense, and at least one Ivasian priest has made his interest in the substance known as well.

==Sunset beryl==
There is only one known deposit of sunset beryl, which lies in Surath Dai territory on the Erithian continent. Since this deposit is quite large, and since the quality is quite low, it is merely an uncommon stone.

Sunset beryl is a beautiful, dark red stone shading slightly toward pink. It often sparkles slightly from many tiny inclusions running through its imperfect substance. Unfortunately, sunset beryl is even more prone to damage than emerald, and, as a result of these contaminating inclusions, the crystals are very small. Few exceed the size of a halfling's little fingernail, and most are akin to the size of a grain of sand, but a few prized larger specimens do exist.

Unsurprisingly, most of the crystals are unsuitable in size to jewelry-related purposes. However, the stone takes on an incredible fire when faceted, and some Erithians take pleasure in wearing a single sunset beryl earring or a tiny sunset beryl pendant at the hollow of the throat.

Pieces of sunset beryl that are inappropriate to jewelry's purposes are often used in clerical rituals, as sunset beryl can serve as a useful channel for divine energy. The magical structure of sunset beryl also serves as a useful catalyst when seeking to gain the aid of rock, stone, and earth spirits.

==Coral==

Now that the Erithi have revealed their presence to the various races of Elanith, stories about the wealth of the Erithian continent have spread through seedy taverns all along the eastern shore of Elanith. From these tales, raiders and shrewd jewelers alike suspect that, as well as myriad agates, the Erithian continent possesses a wide variety of valuable corals. However, the Erithi have been fairly reticent regarding this matter, and only two unique varieties of coral have been confirmed.
One is anemone coral, which is a regular, symmetrically formed coral occurring in a delicate shade of violet with dark plum markings. The other is spiral coral, which consists of gleaming golden protrusions arranged in intricate spirals.

Members of the Nathala Dai collect these corals (and perhaps others) along the shores of the Erithian homeland. Initial trade inquiries suggest that these corals are both uncommon.

==Jade==
Members of the Surath Dai have located a number of excellent deposits of jade. These deposits include yellow, green, brown, and white jade, with white jade being by far the most common of the varieties. This may be why the Erithi have developed a sophisticated technique for dying jade through careful exposure to elemental magic.
If the technique fails, or if the exposure is accidental, the result is quite ugly, looking like nothing so much as a stain upon the stone. However, in the hands of a master, the result is quite striking. Erithian travelers have revealed that it is necessary to expose the gem evenly to only a single variety of elemental energy, but they have not explained any more of the secret, and no jeweler on the continent of Elanith has successfully replicated the effect thus far.

Water's influence produces lavender jade, air's influence creates brilliant blue jade, earth's influence will turn it pale red, and fire will turn it black. Some truly remarkable pieces exist that actually incorporate more than one color of jade in a single stone, such as swirls of blue jade drifting among a background of black. Cracking open a piece of dyed Erithian jade reveals that the hue extends only the thickness of a fingernail into the stone, leaving the natural white jade beneath. Some jewelers are experimenting with cameos and bas-relief carvings that take advantage of the contrast between the dark, dyed portions and the pale hue within.

Since white jade is so common in Erithian lands, the Erithi are trading it readily with the dwarves, and these dyed jades are valued as if they were infrequently found.

==Yellow tourmaline==
Yellow tourmaline, or "sun" tourmaline, can only be found on the Erithian continent. Its name is apt, for, if a yellow tourmaline crystal is placed in a sunbeam, the entire crystal will glow with sunlight. This effect persists even when the exposure to light is very small and the crystal is quite large. Traditionally, the Erithians have attributed the effect to solar spirits rather than to Phoen's influence, but human clerics of Phoen are less certain of the matter.
As well as existing in pure yellow crystals, this variant of tourmaline may be found in bicolored crystals. When this occurs, the other side of the crystal is invariably black.

Thus far, no one has found any magical use for pure yellow tourmaline aside from a mild affinity to spiritual blessings. Oddly, however, the bi-colored yellow tourmalines are magically inert to anything save certain aspects of demonology. As a result, the Faendryl have taken a particular interest in them.

Due to some particularly deft bargaining, the Faendryl currently have a monopoly upon yellow tourmaline importation, but it is not expected to last. The stone is common in Erithian lands, and too many people are curious enough to pay for a better look at it.

==Blue zircon (nathalene)==
The Erithi possess a blue variety of zircon that they call nathalene. It glimmers with a cold blue light like the sky reflecting back from glacial ice, and those who have seen it consider it to be the most beautiful variety of zircon by far. Still, as it is still merely a variant of zircon, jewelers will not offer very much for it.
As trade continues between the dwarven people and the Erithi in Zul Logoth, the dwarves have obtained a number of precious samples, and they report that nathalene stones are extremely responsive to bardic loresinging. Experimentation continues in this matter.

=Gemstones and the Aelotoi=
For fifteen thousand years, the Aelotoi suffered as slaves to the kiramon. The kiramon worked the Aelotoi cruelly, using them to mine and destroy the healthy, fertile world that had once been their own. Many presumably still endure in captivity upon that distant world, Bre'Naere -- for, while many were able to escape through the shimmering rift to Elanthia, there were many such mining camps, and it was impossible for Braedn, the elected leader of the Aelotoi, to save all of his people.
The Aelotoi suffered terribly beneath the dominance of the kiramon. Now, they are free -- but the memory of Bre'Naere has not left them. The kiramon destroyed lakes, rivers, trees, meadows, and mountains, but their driving goal and desire was to obtain gems, and the Aelotoi people never understood why the kiramon wanted gems so badly. The memory of the driving kiramon quest has resulted in various Aelotoi reacting in significantly different ways when confronted with gemstones, particularly rubies, sapphires, diamond, and other high-quality stones that the kiramon most desired.

While there are exceptions among any of the clans, the following attitudes are most typical among the Aelotoi.

The Vaer'sah clan takes pleasure in the idea of owning gems and wearing jewelry. The Vaer'sah enjoyed more freedom than the other Aelotoi, living in secret as refugees and avoiding the wrath of the kiramon. To the Vaer'sah, jewelry is a way of reveling in the newfound liberty of the Aelotoi. The kiramon are no longer present to stop the Aelotoi from owning gems of their own, so it is an act of defiance and freedom, the Vaer'sah say.

The Gaeh'deh react differently when confronted with gems and jewelry. The Gaeh'deh bore the brunt of physical labor on the world of Bre'Naere, and they are more communally minded than either of the other two clans. On Bre'Naere, upon rare circumstance, an Aelotoi worker would sometimes conceal a gem from the kiramon overseers. If the kiramon discovered such treachery, their reaction was violent -- not only would the offender be put to death, but several random members of the mining camp would be slain as well, and even those permitted to live would be brutally punished. The Aelotoi word "zrissantha" is a single term that means "jewel thief," "traitor," and "kinslayer." Most members of the Gaeh'deh clan will not wear jewelry or adorn their possessions with jewels, and they distrust those who do.

The Mrae'ni, primarily healers and mages, share the Gaeh'deh hesitation over wearing jewelry. They consider it disrespectful to wear jeweled ornaments when their kin are dying elsewhere for the sake of the kiramon gem-lust. However, the need to know is a driving force behind the Mrae'ni and their actions, and the Mrae'ni are asking themselves the question that very few other Aelotoi have considered: "Why did the kiramon want gems?" Illistim scholars have taught the Mrae'ni about some of the magical and metaphysical properties of various types of gems, and the Mrae'ni are starting to see possession of gems as a new way to help their people. Although they are disgusted by the idea of wearing gems for decoration, the Mrae'ni will sometimes carry a bespelled gem or two and see nothing wrong with that practice.

=Gemstones and the Arkati=
Worshippers of various Arkati or greater spirits consider specific gems significant to their faith. Please note that these attributions are not exclusive; for example, followers of Imaera and followers of Luukos both find sacred significance in emeralds.

<pre{{log2}}>
Aeia - emerald
Amasalen - heliodor
Andelas - chrysoberyl, cat’s-eye quartz
Arachne - garnet
Charl - aquamarine, coral, thunder egg geodes, mermaid's-tear sapphires
Cholen - amethyst, pyrite, blue sapphire
Eorgina - black diamond, firestone
Fash'lo'nae - deathstone, black opal, citrine quartz
Gosaena - moss agate, malachite
The Huntress - lapis lazuli, starstone
Imaera - amber, chrysoprase, emerald
Ivas - green jade
Jastev - alexandrite, lapis lazuli, rock crystal
Jaston - blue quartz
Kai - tigerfang crystal
Koar - Eye-of-Koar emerald, topaz
Kuon - green zircon
Laethe - black onyx, rhodochrosite
Leya - chalcedony
Lorminstra - black dreamstone, banded onyx
Lumnis - agate, black opal, turquoise
Luukos - emerald
Marlu - star diopside
Mularos - bloodstone, ruby
Niima - aquamarine, white opal
Oleani - morganite, rose quartz
Onar - deathstone, obsidian
Phoen - yellow sapphire, sunstone
Ronan - jet
Sheru - amber
Tilamaire - labradorite
Tonis - jasper, aventurine
Voaris - geode
Voln - onyx
V'tull - bloodjewel
Zelia - moonstone
</pre>

In looking at this list, some will pause and ask, “But what of Eonak?” The answer is that Eonak’s followers do not tie any specific gem to his worship, for all gems of the earth are beneath his sway. Pieces of petrified wood are sometimes utilized in wedding ceremonies by clerics of Eonak, as they symbolize the bond between Eonak and Imaera, but talismans of metal or simple, unadorned stone are preferred in all other cases.

Elope with me! Weddings

2017-03-16T02:14:30Z

HOST-GSDJYNI:

<section begin=image />[[File:Gs3wed1.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Weddings]]<section end=image />

This package is for those characters who, for one reason or another, are looking for an easy and inexpensive way to begin their life together. Simply drop by [[Elaraeyn%27s_Boutique|Elaraeyn's Boutique]] in [[Wehnimer%27s_Landing|Wehnimer's Landing]] (located south of [[Dari%27s_Clothiers|Dari's Clothiers]]) and purchase your clothing. If you like, you may rent one of the party tents located in Wehnimer's Landing or [[Icemule_Trace|Icemule]], just purchase a token from Elaraeyn's boutique. Additional tent [[Wedding_tent_locations|tent locations]] can be found in each city. The guard at the tent will be happy to let you use it for 2 hours, dance floor and food included! Grab your favorite cleric and off you go!

=Resources=
*[http://www.play.net/gs4/weddings/ Wedding Signup], on Play.net
*[[Cathedral Wedding Tips]]
*[[Elaraeyn's Boutique]]
*[[Wedding tent locations]]

Elope with me! Weddings

2017-03-16T02:12:46Z

HOST-GSDJYNI: /* Resources */

<section begin=image />[[File:Gs3wed1.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Weddings]]<section end=image />

This package is for those characters who, for one reason or another, are looking for an easy and inexpensive way to begin their life together. Simply drop by [[Elaraeyn%27s_Boutique|Elaraeyn's Boutique]] in [[Wehnimer%27s_Landing|Wehnimer's Landing]] (located south of [[Dari%27s_Clothiers|Dari's Clothiers]]) and purchase your clothing. If you like, you may rent one of the party tents located in Wehnimer's Landing or [[Icemule_Trace|Icemule]], just purchase a token from Elaraeyn's boutique. The guard at the tent will be happy to let you use it for 2 hours, dance floor and food included! Grab your favorite cleric and off you go!

=Resources=
*[http://www.play.net/gs4/weddings/ Wedding Signup], on Play.net
*[[Cathedral Wedding Tips]]
*[[Elaraeyn's Boutique]]
*[[Wedding tent locations]]

Cathedral Wedding Tips

2017-03-16T02:11:39Z

HOST-GSDJYNI: /* Resources */

You met, fell in love and you finally decided to get married. Let's suppose you accept — Hey! You can always say no! ;) — and you plan to get married. What to do now?

Everything you ever wanted to know about weddings!

=Wedding Staff=
Your wedding staff will include a Wedding Negotiator, who is your primary contact about your wedding. They will answer your questions, review your items, coordinate the rest of your Wedding Team, and if needed, check in from time to time to make sure everything is moving along smoothly. They are generally assigned upon receipt of your list.

Once your list has been received, your Wedding Negotiator will be in touch with you about any suggestions or comments regarding your items. They will also be able to answer questions you might have about your wedding and your assigned wedding staff.

Your Wedding Builder and Wedding QC person work hand-in-hand to guarantee that your wedding items are made correctly and meet our alteration guidelines. You will probably not have any contact with them. If they have questions about your items, they will work with your Wedding Negotiator, who will consult you should any issues arise. NOTE: QC will ALWAYS have the last say about your items and if any changes need to be made so that they fit into our guidelines. This entire process can take as long as 8 weeks to complete, which is why we sell tickets two months in advance.

Your Wedding Coordinator (assigned when you pick a date) works with you to create your special effects messaging, based on your own suggestions and ideas. They meet with you prior to the wedding to discuss the logistics of your wedding ceremony -- the order in which the wedding party enters the celebration area, where and when to meet to get changed, and help deliver some last minute invitations.

=Wedding List Items=
The first thing you need to do is send your list of items to gs4weddings@simutronics.com. When you mail the items list, remember to put the name of the bride and groom on the subject line. (It is easier to look for "Uglydwarf's and Prettyelf's" wedding items, than to have to sort through a bunch of "Wedding Items" letters). Please don't send attached files -- sometimes we can't read them.

For your items, you are allows 18 items of your choice, 2 wedding rings, and 2 ring boxes, for a total of 22 items. Please check the '''ALTER''' verb in game for up-to-date information on alteration guidelines. Keep in mind, we will pocket things that are normally pocketed (cloaks, satchels, pouches) AND you can also get two other items pocketed that do not normally have pockets (trousers, boots, bodices, etc).

Please be sure to look over the guidelines provided on the Simutronics web site Wedding page, as well as the in-game verb '''ALTER''', and feel free to ask your Negotiator for clarification of any questions you might have. You might also wish to view '''PREMIUM 4''' and '''8''' when in the game for additional hints about how item alteration works.

We DO follow the alteration guidelines, so just because a merchant may have created a particular item is in no way a guarantee that we will do so. If we
consider the item OOG or inappropriate/not wedding-related, we reserve the right to change or refuse a request on any item. Purchase of a wedding ticket should in no way be interpreted as a chance to get items that violate the guidelines, or repeat the past mistakes of a merchant.

These items should be designed to make your wedding event special. We will work to craft the items as close as we can to your specifications, but
understand that these items are intended to enrich your wedding, and are not specifically intended to be part of your every day wear, although certainly you can design them as such.

We will not make OOC/OOG items. Nor will we use very rare materials and non-existent materials -- like shadowsilk, moonlight, stardust, etc. Rare metals will need to be supplied in appropriate quantity.

=Setting a Date=
You cannot choose a wedding date until your item list has been fully negotiated and has been sent off to the builder. The reason for this is to avoid not having your items ready when your wedding date rolls around! Once you and your Negotiator are done with your list, the Negotiator will "release" your wedding and explain to you how to choose a date! Once you have chosen a date, you will be contacted by your Wedding Coordinator, usually a GameHost, who will help you make your ceremony as special as possible!

=Wedding Mood Messaging=
Mood messaging can really add that extra flare to your wedding and make it even more special. You and your wedding coordinator will work together to create appropriate mood messaging that can enhance your ceremony. The ceremony is yours to plan, we just add little highlights to make it more unique than if you were to do the wedding yourself, using the SMILE and ACT verbs. You are certainly free to work with your friends however, to create something a little more involved, if you wish, and the Wedding Coordinator will work with your plans.

=Your Wedding Day: What to Expect=
Your Wedding Coordinator will plan on meeting you and the rest of your party about 60 minutes or so before your wedding. That will give you lots of time to get ready. Make sure you have invitations for yourself, your future spouse, and all of your wedding party, as you will need them to get into the wedding tent at the Wedding Glade. Bring any extras you might have, someone always drops or forgets theirs. Keep one or two spares handy, since you can "wave" your invitation at a disruptive person in attendance at your wedding, and they will be removed.

Come as "naked" as possible, since you will be brought to a dressing area to don your wedding clothes. Bring along an empty backpack or other container to carry any wedding gifts you might receive from your friends, as well.

After the ceremony, and before the reception really gets started, your Wedding Coordinator will be taking you back to the dressing rooms to pick up anything you have left up there. That way you won't be constrained by their schedule and can enjoy your reception as long as you like, though there is a 4 hour limit. When in the dressing rooms, type '''FLAG MARRIED''' to access your new verbs as a married couple. We could tell you what they all are but trust me in this... it is more fun to discover them yourselves.

The Wedding Coordinator will let you know which Honeymoon Cottage you are scheduled to use in the resort area. You can access that area by entering the Moss Covered Gate next to the wedding tent you entered to get to your wedding... you can't miss it! The doors to your cottage are keyed to the two of you, so you can both lock and unlock the door. You will have this cottage for 4 nights and 5 days, including your wedding day.

=Engraving Your Rings=
You will both be able to inscribe your spouse's wedding ring, this is how to do it.

Swap rings in a quiet location... I recommend the honeymoon cottage myself. You should already have the other's ring when you are in your waiting room before the wedding, if you wish to do it then. Then type:

'''ENGRAVE MY RING (or BAND)'''

Next you will have to '''RECITE''' what you want to inscribe. Be careful about capitalization and punctuation, check it over carefully before you recite. Keep it short, remember it is an inscription inside a tiny ring! Then you will have to type '''ENGRAVE MY RING''' again. You can now swap rings back, (or give it to your spouse during your ceremony) so that each of you has your own ring again. At that point you will have to wait for the Wedding Guru or your Negotiator to approve your new inscriptions, which should happen very quickly... usually a couple of days. If there is a problem with your inscription, we will get back to you on it.

=Resources=
*[http://www.play.net/gs4/weddings/ Wedding Signup], on Play.net
*[["Elope with me!" Weddings]]
*[[Wedding tent locations]]

Elope with me! Weddings

2017-03-15T23:12:11Z

HOST-GSDJYNI: /* Resources */

<section begin=image />[[File:Gs3wed1.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Weddings]]<section end=image />

This package is for those characters who, for one reason or another, are looking for an easy and inexpensive way to begin their life together. Simply drop by [[Elaraeyn%27s_Boutique|Elaraeyn's Boutique]] in [[Wehnimer%27s_Landing|Wehnimer's Landing]] (located south of [[Dari%27s_Clothiers|Dari's Clothiers]]) and purchase your clothing. If you like, you may rent one of the party tents located in Wehnimer's Landing or [[Icemule_Trace|Icemule]], just purchase a token from Elaraeyn's boutique. The guard at the tent will be happy to let you use it for 2 hours, dance floor and food included! Grab your favorite cleric and off you go!

=Resources=
*[http://www.play.net/gs4/weddings/ Wedding Signup], on Play.net
*[[Cathedral Wedding Tips]]
*[[Elaraeyn's Boutique]]

Cathedral Wedding Tips

2017-03-15T23:11:59Z

HOST-GSDJYNI: /* Resources */

Cathedral Wedding Tips

2017-03-15T23:10:00Z

HOST-GSDJYNI: /* Engraving Your Rings */

Elope with me! Weddings

2017-03-15T23:09:15Z

HOST-GSDJYNI: /* Resources */

<section begin=image />[[File:Gs3wed1.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Weddings]]<section end=image />

This package is for those characters who, for one reason or another, are looking for an easy and inexpensive way to begin their life together. Simply drop by [[Elaraeyn%27s_Boutique|Elaraeyn's Boutique]] in [[Wehnimer%27s_Landing|Wehnimer's Landing]] (located south of [[Dari%27s_Clothiers|Dari's Clothiers]]) and purchase your clothing. If you like, you may rent one of the party tents located in Wehnimer's Landing or [[Icemule_Trace|Icemule]], just purchase a token from Elaraeyn's boutique. The guard at the tent will be happy to let you use it for 2 hours, dance floor and food included! Grab your favorite cleric and off you go!

=Resources=
*[[Cathedral Wedding Tips]]
*[[Elaraeyn's Boutique]]

Elope with me! Weddings

2017-03-15T23:08:54Z

HOST-GSDJYNI:

<section begin=image />[[File:Gs3wed1.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Weddings]]<section end=image />

This package is for those characters who, for one reason or another, are looking for an easy and inexpensive way to begin their life together. Simply drop by [[Elaraeyn%27s_Boutique|Elaraeyn's Boutique]] in [[Wehnimer%27s_Landing|Wehnimer's Landing]] (located south of [[Dari%27s_Clothiers|Dari's Clothiers]]) and purchase your clothing. If you like, you may rent one of the party tents located in Wehnimer's Landing or [[Icemule_Trace|Icemule]], just purchase a token from Elaraeyn's boutique. The guard at the tent will be happy to let you use it for 2 hours, dance floor and food included! Grab your favorite cleric and off you go!

=Resources=
[[Cathedral Wedding Tips]]
[[Elaraeyn's Boutique]]

Elope with me! Weddings

2017-03-15T23:06:48Z

HOST-GSDJYNI: Created page with "<section begin=image />Weddings<section end=image /> This package is for those characters who, for one reason or another, are looking f..."

<section begin=image />[[File:Gs3wed1.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Weddings]]<section end=image />

This package is for those characters who, for one reason or another, are looking for an easy and inexpensive way to begin their life together. Simply drop by [[Elaraeyn%27s_Boutique|Elaraeyn's Boutique]] in [[Wehnimer%27s_Landing|Wehnimer's Landing]] (located south of [[Dari%27s_Clothiers|Dari's Clothiers]]) and purchase your clothing. If you like, you may rent one of the party tents located in Wehnimer's Landing or [[Icemule_Trace|Icemule]], just purchase a token from Elaraeyn's boutique. The guard at the tent will be happy to let you use it for 2 hours, dance floor and food included! Grab your favorite cleric and off you go!

File:Gs3wed1.jpg

2017-03-15T23:02:17Z

HOST-GSDJYNI:

Cathedral Wedding Tips

2017-03-15T22:58:50Z

HOST-GSDJYNI:

Cathedral Wedding Tips

2017-03-15T22:58:05Z

HOST-GSDJYNI: Created page with "=Cathedral Wedding Tips= You met, fell in love and you finally decided to get married. Let's suppose you accept — Hey! You can always say no! ;) — and you plan to get marr..."

=Cathedral Wedding Tips=
You met, fell in love and you finally decided to get married. Let's suppose you accept — Hey! You can always say no! ;) — and you plan to get married. What to do now?

Everything you ever wanted to know about weddings!

=Wedding Staff=
Your wedding staff will include a Wedding Negotiator, who is your primary contact about your wedding. They will answer your questions, review your items, coordinate the rest of your Wedding Team, and if needed, check in from time to time to make sure everything is moving along smoothly. They are generally assigned upon receipt of your list.

Once your list has been received, your Wedding Negotiator will be in touch with you about any suggestions or comments regarding your items. They will also be able to answer questions you might have about your wedding and your assigned wedding staff.

Your Wedding Builder and Wedding QC person work hand-in-hand to guarantee that your wedding items are made correctly and meet our alteration guidelines. You will probably not have any contact with them. If they have questions about your items, they will work with your Wedding Negotiator, who will consult you should any issues arise. NOTE: QC will ALWAYS have the last say about your items and if any changes need to be made so that they fit into our guidelines. This entire process can take as long as 8 weeks to complete, which is why we sell tickets two months in advance.

Your Wedding Coordinator (assigned when you pick a date) works with you to create your special effects messaging, based on your own suggestions and ideas. They meet with you prior to the wedding to discuss the logistics of your wedding ceremony -- the order in which the wedding party enters the celebration area, where and when to meet to get changed, and help deliver some last minute invitations.

=Wedding List Items=
The first thing you need to do is send your list of items to gs4weddings@simutronics.com. When you mail the items list, remember to put the name of the bride and groom on the subject line. (It is easier to look for "Uglydwarf's and Prettyelf's" wedding items, than to have to sort through a bunch of "Wedding Items" letters). Please don't send attached files -- sometimes we can't read them.

For your items, you are allows 18 items of your choice, 2 wedding rings, and 2 ring boxes, for a total of 22 items. Please check the '''ALTER''' verb in game for up-to-date information on alteration guidelines. Keep in mind, we will pocket things that are normally pocketed (cloaks, satchels, pouches) AND you can also get two other items pocketed that do not normally have pockets (trousers, boots, bodices, etc).

Please be sure to look over the guidelines provided on the Simutronics web site Wedding page, as well as the in-game verb '''ALTER''', and feel free to ask your Negotiator for clarification of any questions you might have. You might also wish to view '''PREMIUM 4''' and '''8''' when in the game for additional hints about how item alteration works.

We DO follow the alteration guidelines, so just because a merchant may have created a particular item is in no way a guarantee that we will do so. If we
consider the item OOG or inappropriate/not wedding-related, we reserve the right to change or refuse a request on any item. Purchase of a wedding ticket should in no way be interpreted as a chance to get items that violate the guidelines, or repeat the past mistakes of a merchant.

These items should be designed to make your wedding event special. We will work to craft the items as close as we can to your specifications, but
understand that these items are intended to enrich your wedding, and are not specifically intended to be part of your every day wear, although certainly you can design them as such.

We will not make OOC/OOG items. Nor will we use very rare materials and non-existent materials -- like shadowsilk, moonlight, stardust, etc. Rare metals will need to be supplied in appropriate quantity.

=Setting a Date=
You cannot choose a wedding date until your item list has been fully negotiated and has been sent off to the builder. The reason for this is to avoid not having your items ready when your wedding date rolls around! Once you and your Negotiator are done with your list, the Negotiator will "release" your wedding and explain to you how to choose a date! Once you have chosen a date, you will be contacted by your Wedding Coordinator, usually a GameHost, who will help you make your ceremony as special as possible!

=Wedding Mood Messaging=
Mood messaging can really add that extra flare to your wedding and make it even more special. You and your wedding coordinator will work together to create appropriate mood messaging that can enhance your ceremony. The ceremony is yours to plan, we just add little highlights to make it more unique than if you were to do the wedding yourself, using the SMILE and ACT verbs. You are certainly free to work with your friends however, to create something a little more involved, if you wish, and the Wedding Coordinator will work with your plans.

=Your Wedding Day: What to Expect=
Your Wedding Coordinator will plan on meeting you and the rest of your party about 60 minutes or so before your wedding. That will give you lots of time to get ready. Make sure you have invitations for yourself, your future spouse, and all of your wedding party, as you will need them to get into the wedding tent at the Wedding Glade. Bring any extras you might have, someone always drops or forgets theirs. Keep one or two spares handy, since you can "wave" your invitation at a disruptive person in attendance at your wedding, and they will be removed.

Come as "naked" as possible, since you will be brought to a dressing area to don your wedding clothes. Bring along an empty backpack or other container to carry any wedding gifts you might receive from your friends, as well.

After the ceremony, and before the reception really gets started, your Wedding Coordinator will be taking you back to the dressing rooms to pick up anything you have left up there. That way you won't be constrained by their schedule and can enjoy your reception as long as you like, though there is a 4 hour limit. When in the dressing rooms, type '''FLAG MARRIED''' to access your new verbs as a married couple. We could tell you what they all are but trust me in this... it is more fun to discover them yourselves.

The Wedding Coordinator will let you know which Honeymoon Cottage you are scheduled to use in the resort area. You can access that area by entering the Moss Covered Gate next to the wedding tent you entered to get to your wedding... you can't miss it! The doors to your cottage are keyed to the two of you, so you can both lock and unlock the door. You will have this cottage for 4 nights and 5 days, including your wedding day.

=Engraving Your Rings=
You will both be able to inscribe your spouse's wedding ring, this is how to do it.

Swap rings in a quiet location... I recommend the honeymoon cottage myself. You should already have the other's ring when you are in your waiting room before the wedding, if you wish to do it then. Then type:

'''ENGRAVE MY RING (or BAND)'''

Next you will have to '''RECITE''' what you want to inscribe. Be careful about capitalization and punctuation, check it over carefully before you recite. Keep it short, remember it is an inscription inside a tiny ring! Then you will have to type '''ENGRAVE MY RING''' again. You can now swap rings back, (or give it to your spouse during your ceremony) so that each of you has your own ring again. At that point you will have to wait for the Wedding Guru or your Negotiator to approve your new inscriptions, which should happen very quickly... usually a couple of days. If there is a problem with your inscription, we will get back to you on it.

Faendryl Enclave

2017-03-06T03:40:16Z

HOST-GSDJYNI: /* Information */

The Faendryl Enclave is a [[Meeting Hall Organization]] located in [[Wehnimer's Landing]]. It is an organization formed for the following goals:
#Provide a refuge for [[Faendryl]]
#Promote Faendryl culture & history
#Provide training for typical Faendryl skills (OOC, provide a platform for RP-related interactions)
#As an outreach to local governments to foster improved relations
__NOTOC__
==Officers==
{|{{prettytable}}
|Japhrimel
|Co-Founder
|-
|Malkave
|Illusionist
|-
|Durakar
|Palestra & Master of Siegery
|-
|Lylia
|Sorceress Supreme!
|-
|Aeavenne
|Event Coordinator
|-
|Alasatia
|Elemental Overlord
|}

==Information==

Current meetings are held on the second Tuesday of the month outside Wehnimer's Landing at the Alabaster Spire at 9-9:30pm

==Resources==
*[[The Theory of Governance and Social Order]]
*[http://forums.play.net/forums/GemStone%20IV/Meeting%20Hall%20Organizations%20(MHOs)/The%20Faendryl%20Enclave/view Official GS4 Subforum] - Link to Faendryl Enclave's subforum on the officals.
*[http://forum.gsplayers.com/group.php?groupid=1 Player Corner Group] - The Faendryl Enclave Player's Corner group
*[https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/gsiv-faendryl-enclave Enclave's Google Group]

{{Meeting Hall Organization}}

Faendryl Enclave

2017-03-06T03:38:44Z

HOST-GSDJYNI: /* Officers */

The Faendryl Enclave is a [[Meeting Hall Organization]] located in [[Wehnimer's Landing]]. It is an organization formed for the following goals:
#Provide a refuge for [[Faendryl]]
#Promote Faendryl culture & history
#Provide training for typical Faendryl skills (OOC, provide a platform for RP-related interactions)
#As an outreach to local governments to foster improved relations
__NOTOC__
==Officers==
{|{{prettytable}}
|Japhrimel
|Co-Founder
|-
|Malkave
|Illusionist
|-
|Durakar
|Palestra & Master of Siegery
|-
|Lylia
|Sorceress Supreme!
|-
|Aeavenne
|Event Coordinator
|-
|Alasatia
|Elemental Overlord
|}

==Information==

Current meetings are held on the first Tuesday of the month outside Wehnimer's Landing at the Alabaster Spire at 8pm

==Resources==
*[[The Theory of Governance and Social Order]]
*[http://forums.play.net/forums/GemStone%20IV/Meeting%20Hall%20Organizations%20(MHOs)/The%20Faendryl%20Enclave/view Official GS4 Subforum] - Link to Faendryl Enclave's subforum on the officals.
*[http://forum.gsplayers.com/group.php?groupid=1 Player Corner Group] - The Faendryl Enclave Player's Corner group
*[https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/gsiv-faendryl-enclave Enclave's Google Group]

{{Meeting Hall Organization}}

History of the Elanthian Katana and the Order of the Watchful Eye

2017-03-06T02:05:15Z

HOST-GSDJYNI: /* The History of the Elanthian Katana */

Compiled by an unknown Erithian historian.

=The History of the Elanthian Katana=
Legends written in ancient journals bespeak of the katana within Erithian civilization. A powerful weapon forged by the Elojun Iritin, a name that means “the wise or the seeing,” that was used solely as a tool to swiftly bring peace in times of great strife. The Erithi were a peaceful race, striving to avoid conflict with those they encountered, but when conflict could not be avoided, the Elojun Iritin were dispatched to bring calm to the fields of battle.

Some revered the Elojun Iritin as powerful entities, though they were mortal like any man. Their use of the katana was graceful, yet deadly, a combination that often caused their enemies to underestimate them. The katana was said to be an extension of the Elojun Iritin's body and soul, and it took centuries before the two were bonded to form a perfect wholeness.

Yet those who were on the opposite end of the katana would swear to the heavens that the weapon was more than just metal. They say it held a sentience that gave mystical abilities to the Elojun Iritin, allowing them to perform impossible feats of physical prowess and unstoppable katas. A gentle force, when combined with the extensive training of the wielders, could bring a halt to any battle with but a few motions of their blades.

When the Erithi found themselves in Atan Irith, it became quickly apparent that none of the Elojun Iritin came with them. An outcry of fear quickly spread among the people as they no longer had their protectors, and a growing concern rose that the knowledge of the katana was lost to the Erithi. However, a single elder by the name of Dalathi, a master blacksmith, calmed the masses as he spoke of what he knew of the katana and of the ancient journals he preserved. The Erithi placed their faith in Dalathi, who confidently accepted his people’s charge to restore the katana and their protectors.

Dalathi’s talent exceeded even that of the most capable master blacksmith, and for this knowledge of the ancestral weapon he was honored. Dalathi's time was short, however, for he was old and had spent decades already trying to replicate the ancestral weapon.

The ancient journals detail a specific process though which the metal of the weapon must be forged; the flattening of the metal, the great folding, and the honing of the edge. It also spoke of an additional process that brought the katana its great strength, a secret only known to the Elojun Iritin. However, Dalathi made many attempts using various components and different ways to finish his katana but they all ended the same. Some claim the weapons were exceedingly fragile, and broke when they struck anything – even something as delicate as a leaf.

The years continued on and in the year 3724, Dalathi resigned to the fate that had befallen him. He knew the answer to the puzzle would not be found in his lifetime, and in order to preserve the knowledge of the ancestral weapon he would have to take on a protégé to take his place in the quest. Dalathi searched most of Eloth-Ra for a young blacksmith who was capable of learning the knowledge. It was in this search that Dalathi found Elatho, and took him up as his Shioni-Ro, meaning "disciple or student.”

Dalathi spent twenty years teaching Elatho the forging process of the katana, and he also spent any extra time teaching Elatho the way of using a katana, should he ever succeed in forging one. The studies the master put the disciple through were both physical and spiritual, as in order for a katana to be wielded properly, one must hone their spiritual prowess as well as their physical knowledge of weaponry. Dalathi spent many nights telling stories of the Elojun Iritin to Elatho, entertaining the young student with tales about how they were revered in ancient times as protectors and peacekeepers of the cities.

Dalathi passed away in the year 3744, and he never saw a forged katana. Elatho continued his master's teaching and spent forty more years trying to find the correct formula by which a katana could be crafted. Through trials and study of arcane lore, Elatho determined that the secret process the Elojun Iritin kept had to do with the element of earth, the giver of life. But he, too, knew his time was limited.

In order to assure that the knowledge would stay alive to the Erithi, in 3784 Elatho turned his path to preserving the lore. Elatho searched for master blacksmiths who wished to help him in the quest of forging the katana. Acquiring a fair number of willing adherents, Elatho and the initial members spent many years building a structure of teaching, as well as foundation in which to share their knowledge. It was then that the Order of the Watchful Eye was formed in 3814; thirty years after Elatho started his path of preservation. The blacksmiths who joined the Order of the Watchful Eye swore an oath to give up forging common tools of war. They would focus, instead, on honing their spiritual and physical prowess and dedicate their lives to studying the way of the katana.

Elatho never did live to see the creation of a katana. In the year 3864 he, too, passed away like his master, sad that he never found the end of the quest, but comforted in knowing that the quest would carry on. The Order of the Watchful Eye survived Elatho, the master blacksmiths striving for their goal of forging the ancestral weapon, but also focusing on the forging of their bodies and spirits for the day when it would be made. Time continued to pass and decades became centuries. New master blacksmiths were invited to join the Order, and older members passed on.

On a seemingly uneventful day in the year 4000, a man by the name of Dachitai, a middle-ranking member of the Order who joined in 3964, returned from his recent travels to remote caves. There, he saw various rock formations striated with numerous fascinating crystals that brought inspiration and intriguing concepts to his mind, and he was eager to begin a new attempt at forging the ancestral weapon. Dachitai spent most of the day in meditation while holding the fine steel bar that he chose for the project, and that evening he began his task. The forging process started like many others before. He heated the bar and worked rigorously at flattening it, then continued by folding the metal down. But instead of stopping there, he continued these steps throughout the night and into the following three days.

Dachitai continued working the glowing hot steel of the blade against his anvil. His meditation and discipline strengthened his resolve, and he fought off the need for sleep or nourishment as he continued to work, though the fatigue was beginning to set in. When the last of the metal had been folded a dozen times, creating thousands of layers within the blade, he returned the sword to the fires of the forge. After a waiting for some time, he withdrew the blade and strived to carry on on.

As the sword swiftly cooled, Dachitai crafted a sharp edge into the softened metal, making a distinctive slope along the length of the blade. It was now ready for the final stages of work. Dachitai took the blade to the fires of the forge once more, and then a moment later quenched it in a trough of oil. However, the exhaustion of the past several days caught up with him that night, and the sword slipped from his tongs as he carried it from the trough. Dachitai vainly tried to catch the blade in the darkness, but it tumbled away and fell into the soft clay on the stream bank alongside the trough.

Frustration welled up inside Dachitai as he grabbed the unfinished clay-covered sword and stared at it. Soft earth coated his creation before its completion, a clear sign of an omen overshadowing the forging process. Dachitai turned towards the flames and hurled his creation into the forge. The momentary frustration passed and sadness began to creep over him as he gazed at the blade, most of it covered in clay as it tempered in the flames. Dachitai sighed to himself, his patience having snapped and caused him to react violently against his teaching, and now the forge baked the clay around the metal. Believing his hard work now ruined and worn out from the trials, he moved into a meditative pose and succumbed to its restful arms.

*issue starts here.

=The Order of the Watchful Eye=
The Order of the Watchful Eye has a basic structure like any monastic Order. There is a tiered hierarchy in which the members rise in rank, starting with Shioni-Ro (disciples) up to Elojun Iritin (master forgers/katana wielders). Above the Elojun Iritin is the Headmaster, or Eloun Irin, who oversees the daily welfare of the members.

The Order teaches its members the way of using the katana to its full potential, as well as providing a balance of spiritual necessity to their physical prowess. Often times, meditation is performed multiple times a day, if not for extensive periods of time, to find one's inner tranquility. There are also styles of Erithi kata the members perform, both with a katana and without.

The katana is a sacred status symbol among the Elojun Iritin. Once a member has forged their first katana, they no longer forge for a period of time while they bond and learn how to use the weapon effectively. The first katana always belongs to the Elojun Iritin, any katanas they forge afterwards can be given away as gifts, or sold.

The symbol of the Order of the Watchful Eye is a slit-pupiled eye overlaying five conjoined circles, each colored to represent a different aspect of knowledge.

=Resources=
*[[Erithian]]
*[[Katana]]
*[http://www.play.net/gs4/info/armory/edgedweapons.asp#katana Weapon Guide: Katana], on Play.net

{{Erithians}}

History of the Elanthian Katana and the Order of the Watchful Eye

2017-03-06T01:58:31Z

HOST-GSDJYNI: /* The History of the Elanthian Katana */

Compiled by an unknown Erithian historian.

=The History of the Elanthian Katana=
Legends written in ancient journals bespeak of the katana within Erithian civilization. A powerful weapon forged by the Elojun Iritin, a name that means “the wise or the seeing,” that was used solely as a tool to swiftly bring peace in times of great strife. The Erithi were a peaceful race, striving to avoid conflict with those they encountered, but when conflict could not be avoided, the Elojun Iritin were dispatched to bring calm to the fields of battle.

Some revered the Elojun Iritin as powerful entities, though they were mortal like any man. Their use of the katana was graceful, yet deadly, a combination that often caused their enemies to underestimate them. The katana was said to be an extension of the Elojun Iritin's body and soul, and it took centuries before the two were bonded to form a perfect wholeness.

Yet those who were on the opposite end of the katana would swear to the heavens that the weapon was more than just metal. They say it held a sentience that gave mystical abilities to the Elojun Iritin, allowing them to perform impossible feats of physical prowess and unstoppable katas. A gentle force, when combined with the extensive training of the wielders, could bring a halt to any battle with but a few motions of their blades.

When the Erithi found themselves in Atan Irith, it became quickly apparent that none of the Elojun Iritin came with them. An outcry of fear quickly spread among the people as they no longer had their protectors, and a growing concern rose that the knowledge of the katana was lost to the Erithi. However, a single elder by the name of Dalathi, a master blacksmith, calmed the masses as he spoke of what he knew of the katana and of the ancient journals he preserved. The Erithi placed their faith in Dalathi, who confidently accepted his people’s charge to restore the katana and their protectors.

Dalathi’s talent exceeded even that of the most capable master blacksmith, and for this knowledge of the ancestral weapon he was honored. Dalathi's time was short, however, for he was old and had spent decades already trying to replicate the ancestral weapon.

The ancient journals detail a specific process though which the metal of the weapon must be forged; the flattening of the metal, the great folding, and the honing of the edge. It also spoke of an additional process that brought the katana its great strength, a secret only known to the Elojun Iritin. However, Dalathi made many attempts using various components and different ways to finish his katana but they all ended the same. Some claim the weapons were exceedingly fragile, and broke when they struck anything – even something as delicate as a leaf.

The years continued on and in the year 3724, Dalathi resigned to the fate that had befallen him. He knew the answer to the puzzle would not be found in his lifetime, and in order to preserve the knowledge of the ancestral weapon he would have to take on a protégé to take his place in the quest. Dalathi searched most of Eloth-Ra for a young blacksmith who was capable of learning the knowledge. It was in this search that Dalathi found Elatho, and took him up as his Shioni-Ro, meaning "disciple or student.”

Dalathi spent twenty years teaching Elatho the forging process of the katana, and he also spent any extra time teaching Elatho the way of using a katana, should he ever succeed in forging one. The studies the master put the disciple through were both physical and spiritual, as in order for a katana to be wielded properly, one must hone their spiritual prowess as well as their physical knowledge of weaponry. Dalathi spent many nights telling stories of the Elojun Iritin to Elatho, entertaining the young student with tales about how they were revered in ancient times as protectors and peacekeepers of the cities.

Dalathi passed away in the year 3744, and he never saw a forged katana. Elatho continued his master's teaching and spent forty more years trying to find the correct formula by which a katana could be crafted. Through trials and study of arcane lore, Elatho determined that the secret process the Elojun Iritin kept had to do with the element of earth, the giver of life. But he, too, knew his time was limited.

In order to assure that the knowledge would stay alive to the Erithi, in 3784 Elatho turned his path to preserving the lore. Elatho searched for master blacksmiths who wished to help him in the quest of forging the katana. Acquiring a fair number of willing adherents, Elatho and the initial members spent many years building a structure of teaching, as well as foundation in which to share their knowledge. It was then that the Order of the Watchful Eye was formed in 3814; thirty years after Elatho started his path of preservation. The blacksmiths who joined the Order of the Watchful Eye swore an oath to give up forging common tools of war. They would focus, instead, on honing their spiritual and physical prowess and dedicate their lives to studying the way of the katana.

Elatho never did live to see the creation of a katana. In the year 3864 he, too, passed away like his master, sad that he never found the end of the quest, but comforted in knowing that the quest would carry on. The Order of the Watchful Eye survived Elatho, the master blacksmiths striving for their goal of forging the ancestral weapon, but also focusing on the forging of their bodies and spirits for the day when it would be made. Time continued to pass and decades became centuries. New master blacksmiths were invited to join the Order, and older members passed on.

On a seemingly uneventful day in the year 4000, a man by the name of Dachitai, a middle-ranking member of the Order who joined in 3964, returned from his recent travels to remote caves. There, he saw various rock formations striated with numerous fascinating crystals that brought inspiration and intriguing concepts to his mind, and he was eager to begin a new attempt at forging the ancestral weapon. Dachitai spent most of the day in meditation while holding the fine steel bar that he chose for the project, and that evening he began his task. The forging process started like many others before. He heated the bar and worked rigorously at flattening it, then continued by folding the metal down. But instead of stopping there, he continued these steps throughout the night and into the following three days.

Dachitai continued working the glowing hot steel of the blade against his anvil. His meditation and discipline strengthened his resolve, and he fought off the need for sleep or nourishment as he continued to work, though the fatigue was beginning to set in. When the last of the metal had been folded a dozen times, creating thousands of layers within the blade, he returned the sword to the fires of the forge. After a waiting for some time, he withdrew the blade and strived to carry on on.

As the sword swiftly cooled, Dachitai crafted a sharp edge into the softened metal, making a distinctive slope along the length of the blade. It was now ready for the final stages of work. Dachitai took the blade to the fires of the forge once more, and then a moment later quenched it in a trough of oil. However, the exhaustion of the past several days caught up with him that night, and the sword slipped from his tongs as he carried it from the trough. Dachitai vainly tried to catch the blade in the darkness, but it tumbled away and fell into the soft clay on the stream bank alongside the trough.

Frustration welled up inside Dachitai as he grabbed the unfinished clay-covered sword and stared at it. Soft earth coated his creation before its completion, a clear sign of an omen overshadowing the forging process. Dachitai turned towards the flames and hurled his creation into the forge. The momentary frustration passed and sadness began to creep over him as he gazed at the blade, most of it covered in clay as it tempered in the flames. Dachitai sighed to himself, his patience having snapped and caused him to react violently against his teaching, and now the forge baked the clay around the metal. Believing his hard work now ruined and worn out from the trials, he moved into a meditative pose and succumbed to its restful arms.

=The Order of the Watchful Eye=
The Order of the Watchful Eye has a basic structure like any monastic Order. There is a tiered hierarchy in which the members rise in rank, starting with Shioni-Ro (disciples) up to Elojun Iritin (master forgers/katana wielders). Above the Elojun Iritin is the Headmaster, or Eloun Irin, who oversees the daily welfare of the members.

The Order teaches its members the way of using the katana to its full potential, as well as providing a balance of spiritual necessity to their physical prowess. Often times, meditation is performed multiple times a day, if not for extensive periods of time, to find one's inner tranquility. There are also styles of Erithi kata the members perform, both with a katana and without.

The katana is a sacred status symbol among the Elojun Iritin. Once a member has forged their first katana, they no longer forge for a period of time while they bond and learn how to use the weapon effectively. The first katana always belongs to the Elojun Iritin, any katanas they forge afterwards can be given away as gifts, or sold.

The symbol of the Order of the Watchful Eye is a slit-pupiled eye overlaying five conjoined circles, each colored to represent a different aspect of knowledge.

=Resources=
*[[Erithian]]
*[[Katana]]
*[http://www.play.net/gs4/info/armory/edgedweapons.asp#katana Weapon Guide: Katana], on Play.net

{{Erithians}}

History of the Elanthian Katana and the Order of the Watchful Eye

2017-03-06T01:57:46Z

HOST-GSDJYNI: /* The Order of the Watchful Eye */

History of the Elanthian Katana and the Order of the Watchful Eye

2017-03-06T01:57:30Z

HOST-GSDJYNI: /* Resources */

History of the Elanthian Katana and the Order of the Watchful Eye

2017-03-06T01:57:20Z

HOST-GSDJYNI: /* The History of the Elanthian Katana */

History of the Elanthian Katana and the Order of the Watchful Eye

2017-03-06T01:56:52Z

HOST-GSDJYNI:

History of the Elanthian Katana and the Order of the Watchful Eye

2017-03-06T01:56:38Z

HOST-GSDJYNI: /* The History of the Elanthian Katana */

Compiled by an unknown Erithian historian.

Compiled by an unknown Erithian historian.

=The History of the Elanthian Katana=
Legends written in ancient journals bespeak of the katana within Erithian civilization. A powerful weapon forged by the Elojun Iritin, a name that means “the wise or the seeing,” that was used solely as a tool to swiftly bring peace in times of great strife. The Erithi were a peaceful race, striving to avoid conflict with those they encountered, but when conflict could not be avoided, the Elojun Iritin were dispatched to bring calm to the fields of battle.

History of the Elanthian Katana and the Order of the Watchful Eye

2017-03-06T01:51:26Z

HOST-GSDJYNI: /* The History of the Elanthian Katana */

History of the Elanthian Katana and the Order of the Watchful Eye

2017-03-06T01:51:08Z

HOST-GSDJYNI: /* The History of the Elanthian Katana */