Taking Root (Player-Run Storyline)

Taking Root is a player-run storyline that began 6/1/2022 and is currently set to run through the summer months.

The main plot surrounds an arranged marriage between two prominent Ardenai families. The viewpoints and goals of these two families are quite opposed. One, based in the city of Ta'Ardenai proper, believes the Ardenai need to make a greater cultural contribution on par with the other houses guided by a more "civilized" approach. The other family hails from the wilder, more sparsely populated lands north of the city and profess a strong belief the "Old Ways" of tapping into the strength of primal energies.

Goals

• Explore Ardenai lore and culture; to that end, we encourage Ardenai players to read https://gswiki.play.net/Ardenai_(Player-Created_Lore) and submit anything you wish to be included
• Collaborate with other players to give said culture a greater identity than merely "Sylvan Lite"
• Offer opportunities for individuals unfamiliar with Elven Nations RP a chance to get involved
• Offer opportunities for players to create a new character just for RP; if you’ve never really tried to RP before, we’d love to see you! If you are someone who has an established character and just wants a fresh experience, please join us!

How to Get Involved

Roleplaying events will be announced via Discord in the "Festivals and Events" and "Ta'Vaalor" channels. You are welcome to bring any interested characters to these events. We also are open to anyone rolling up a new character that is part of one of the two families. If you’re interested in doing this, please contact Uniana or Teveriel to coordinate so that the bride or groom know who you are!

Central Characters

Solvei Aeldrish Ardenai - Daughter of Lord Aeldrish Ardenai, a commoner who was elevated after rising to prominence on the cross-nations board of the United City-States Bank.

You see Solvei Aeldrish Ardenai.

She appears to be an Elf.

She is shorter than average. She appears to be youthful. She has deep-set green eyes and golden brown skin. She has shoulder length, thick auburn hair with a braid of sunny yellow primrose woven into the strands. She has an angular face, a sloping nose and a pointed chin.

She is in good shape.

She is wearing a pair of teardrop opal earrings marbled with gold and blush hues, a silver-dipped aspen leaf stickpin, a wide mantle fashioned from cloth-of-gold, a silver charmeuse cotehardie veiled with a sheath of golden blazestars with a blush-tinted creamy silk satin chemise underneath, a pair of vintage gloves with gold lacing down the front, and a pair of slim iridescent gold slippers.

Celothor Gildorion Ardenai - Son of Lord Gildorion, who governs a cluster of villages on the shore of the hinterlands north of Ta'Ardenai. Heir to a proud and ancient lineage, he greatly values his freedom and rustic way of life.

You see Celothor Gildorion Ardenai the Hunter.

He appears to be an Elf.

He is very tall. He appears to be youthful. He has almond-shaped grey-green eyes and lightly tanned skin. He has shoulder-length, fine light brown hair pulled back over his shoulders with several stands falling to either side of his brow. He has well-muscled shoulders and arms.

He has a chain of intricate runes tattoo on his neck.

He is in good shape.

He is wearing a winter-weight dark wool cloak mantled in taupe brown bear fur, a recurve composite bow inscribed with pale cerulean runes slung over his shoulder, a dark studded leather jerkin embossed with a crosshatched pattern over a shirt of silvery elven chainmail, a supple leather belt, a distressed doeskin bag fringed with various talons, a slender faenor quiver containing a bundle of glowbark arrows hanging from a belt loop, a pair of elk hide breeches, and a pair of wood opal-buttoned smoky brown leather knee-boots.

Current Timeline of Events

1 Lumnea, 5122 - A number of personages of various backgrounds gathered in Lilly's Tavern to discuss their plans for a busy summer. Among them was Celothor, a young scion of an Ardenai lord who is a friend to Lord and Lady Anduin, who declared his discontent with his impending marriage which was arranged by his family. His plight captured the interest of several in attendance as he explained his misgivings were rooted in his fears that his cultural identity adhering to the Old Ways was being supplanted, and this marriage exemplified this at its worst. The evening ended with Lady Anduin ultimately deciding to invite the young Lady Solvei to Ta'Vaalor where they would host a tea to properly introduce Celothor and his betrothed.

Tea and Sympathy

After another early morning amid ledgers and licenses Teveriel returned to their country manor in the middle of the afternoon. He greeted Uniana with a kiss on the temple, bending to do so, before he joined her at the small wrought vaalorn table that occupied one corner of the garden.

"Did you get the letter out this morning with regards to hosting Miss Aeldrish?" He inquired as he reached for the porcelain teapot in the middle of the table and poured himself a bit tea. The scent of cardamom and turmeric wafted up from the steaming liquid.

Uniana smiled and shook her head. "No, I saw little reason to. Celothor's betrothed is no doubt already on her way seeing as I extended the invitation some weeks ago."

Teveriel let forth a mild chuckle and shook his head. This was her way, he thought to himself; always several steps ahead and wholly confident in her capability to persuade others. He tasted the tea appraisingly, letting it warm his lips before committing to a generous sip. "In that case, you may leave Celothor to me. I shall see to it that he is at his very best."

4 Lumnea, 5122 - The young Lady Solvei arrived promptly for tea at noon. Despite his misgivings over the entire affair, Celothor attempted to make her feel welcome and she seemed rather taken with him from the start. As the event progressed, however, the ranger grew more and more somber in demeanor. She was dressed in a garish gown more suited for a Loenthran ball than a casual afternoon tea; she was enamored with horses to an almost childish degree, speaking of little else. After she departed Celothor once again, and most vehemently, declared that he could never marry such a pampered girl. Lord Anduin managed to assuage some of his fears, advising him to send a missive to his lord father. Lady Anduin spoke with Solvei afterward, confirming her approval of Celothor and she also sent a letter.

Solvei's Letter

Dear Mother and Father,

Thank you for permitting me to stay with the Anduins. The lord and lady are very gracious and have me staying at their chalet within a hilly park area of the Fortress. It is down the way from a stable and I have fed the horses there twice already.

I met Celothor. He is tall and handsome, just as you said Mother. He prefers elks over horses but I still look forward to our wedding all the same. Please send some more bolts of cloth-of-gold. I would like to thank my hostess and make a new dress in the Vaalorian style.

Dearly,

Solvei

Celothor's Letter

Father,

As you have undoubtedly heard, I had the dubious pleasure today of meeting the girl you wish me to wed. Did you know she likes horses? Well, she really likes horses. She came to us wearing a dress made for one, I think, and then proceeded to drone on and on about them in what may well be the most wearisome "conversation" to which I have ever been subjected.

And I can sense your thoughts, Father, as you read this missive. You are no doubt thinking, "Surely there is something interesting about the girl. Some redeeming quality that my son can focus on and come to love about her." Well, if there is, then she stymied all of our efforts to uncover it. Even going so far as to excuse herself early from tea with the Anduins so that she could feed the stabled horses!

If this is who you insist I am to marry, then you must demand of Lord Aeldrish twice whatever dowry he has promised. The happiness of your son and the preservation of his sanity, I hope, is worth at least such a sum.

Yours in blood,

Celothor

18 Lumnea, 5122 - In the spirit of the pageantry and passion for the hunt present at the annual fete at Rumour Woods, Celothor spoke to a small gathering of revelers regarding the hunt as understood by the Ardenai of both the new and the Old Ways. The discussion included a rather graphic demonstration of skinning a mink, the grisly act making Solvei visibly ill and causing her to excuse herself--much to Celothor's amusement. After the end of the presentation, Solvei returned and Lord Anduin informed the betrothed couple that a missive had arrived from Celothor's father Lord Gildorion. Celothor read the letter aloud, which was to inform him that he was sending his own court Spiritcaller to speak with both Solvei and himself before communing with the spirits to take measure of their impending marriage. Celothor was instructed to heed her counsel. Solvei expressed apparent distaste with the practice, to which Celothor took offense with harsh words for the young lady. She departed emotionally, and Celothor showed some small amount of guilt afterwards although he maintained he did not love the girl.

Ardenai Hunting and the Old Ways