Traditional Folklore and Superstitions of Elothnin

the gnome-warding lights of Perejin

Throughout their storied history, the humans of Elothnin have incorporated a number of peculiar superstitions into their daily lives and folklore. Scholars of magicology and anthropology suggest that such superstitions are attempts to understand and control magickal forces which humans, by their mundayne nature, cannot make sense of.

Many superstitions suggest that magickal creatures (and magic itself) are dangerous, sometimes even cruel, and thus should be avoided. The marriage customs of the Fethil region are good example of this: although humans now find intermarriage between red elves and humans acceptable, taboos against this used to be in place in both cultures during the red elves' First Displacement period. Folklore from the period claimed that the red elves would use their charms and glamours to appear as lovely humans, often arriving to a town alone and forlorn (sometimes even claiming to be attacked by the very same group of elves that they in fact belonged to). Once accepted into the community, the masquerading elf would then set about seducing eligible young folk. Some stories claim that the elf would seduce multiple partners, then set them on each other in a jealous rage, so as to weaken the human community, while others say that the elves would marry a young human, then bring them back to their homeland where the human would be used as a servant or slave of some kind.

Such tales inspired a number of marriage customs designed to root out camouflaged elves - for example, both the bride and groom are expected to eat a hearty bowl of mush, a dish elves are known to find unappetizing. Similarly, Perejinders still line the perimeter of their houses with bright lanterns (thought to keep gnomes at bay, thus preventing a magickal attack in the dead of night), and not getting the lanterns lit by sunset is considered an extremely bad omen.

Folklore regarding the Shrine in the Forest and the waters of Susselfen are also indicative of the suspicious and careful approach Fethilians take to magic. Both are said to have the power to imbue even the most mundayne of creatures with magickal powers, sometimes even causing a careless human to be transformed into something unearthly. Occasionally, such tales describe positive changes (such as the Fethilian boy who, after spending the night in the Shrine, was able to call for rain during a time of drought), but more often than not, the result is quite tragic (for example, the strapping young Susselfenner who valiantly jumped into a river to retrieve his sweetheart's hat - only to grow gills in the process restricting him to a life under water forever separated from the lass). Stories surrounding the Old Man claim he has a similar eccentric and fickle tendency to either bless or curse human passers-by, often for no provocation at all. The cumulative moral of these stories highlights the great power of magick, but emphasizes that said power rarely benefits the human recipients of it.

Another common theme in Elothninian folklore is that magickal beings can be negotiated with if one keeps one's wits about them. The Perejinder custom of bringing mush to centaurs as payment for fortune telling is thought to derive from the tale of a clever young woman offered a bedraggled-looking centaur some delicious mush one day in the forest. She then uses her wits to trick him into telling her her future by wondering aloud if she would ever be able to feed him the tasty dish again.

Skillilinilia, the deity of the Great Land Sea, is the subject of many similar tales as well. Fishermen point to her legendary negotiations with King Otellian I, where he extracted a promise from her that his people would be allowed to fish in her seas as long as they did not take all her fish, as the genesis for their superstitious custom of throwing the last fish of all of their catches back.

Legend also holds that Skillilinilia's famed curiosity can be used for one's personal gain if one is willing to sacrifice. The most famous example of this is the legend of Otellian's courtship: Alethia Fenstrauer, Elothnin's future first queen, was an ambitious girl who had set her sights on climbing the social ladder while Otellian established his empire. One night, she slipped away from court and venture to the caves where Otellian was reputed to have negotiated with the deity and called for her. When the spirit arrived, dripping wet and covered in black scales, Alethia implored her to make Otellian fall in love with her and take her as his bride. Skillilinilia questioned Alethia for hours about her motivations (and Alethia, knowing that the deity had not emotional expectations of her, told her the truth) and finally agreed to give the girl what she wanted - but only if Alethia returned every morning to tell the sleepless deity what her dreams had been the night before. Hopeful maidens at court still venture down to the caves of the Land Sea and shout out their nightly visions in the hope that she will grant them their deepest desires.

High Etiquette in Elothnin

a clearly unwholesome man breaking several rules of etiquette at once

The rules of etiquette in the fair land of Elothnin are considered by many to be convoluted, contradictory, and outdated. In spite of this, they remain alive and well among the elite of the empire because proper adherence to them is seen as a mark of one's good breeding and distinguished character. This article attempts to outline some of the more well-known customs and manners, but it should be noted that it is by no means exhaustive.

Rules of Conversation

• It is considered uncouth to talk about the customs of foreign nations (as their strange ways are thought to be, in turn, frightful and titillating to women), matters of finance (since one who feels the need to crow about their spending obviously cannot support a fine lifestyle), and one's upbringing or education (royals consider childhood and adolescence undignified). It should be noted that the Border Wars can be discussed, but only in the context of veiled comments made while playing a highly popular military strategy game (usually on a giant board with obedient peasant used as pieces) named Carrot Takes Radish.

• To support the illusion that royals and vassals life a completely cloistered life, many consider it rude (verging on insulting) to be approached by their friends doing such mundane things as shopping for food, or going about their morning routine. It is considered even more rude to mention that someone was spotted doing such things in more refined environs - it has in fact, actually inspired several well-known duels.

• When engaged in conversation, one needs to strike a fine balance between affection and standoffishness. Typically, this is achieved by making a caustic remark and then immediately following it up with an affirmation of some kind. The former is meant to establish one's wit and position in the social hierarchy, while the former is an affiliative maneuver to solidify good relations.
  

• One should never laugh unless one is wearing a mask or holding an alcoholic beverage. If one is in such situations, one should laugh obnoxiously more or less constantly.
  

Rules of Cross-Gender Interaction

• A man should never approach a woman standing alone who he is not well associated with. To do so suggests that she is no better than a common whore (that said, many say that women should never stand alone as it invites such comparisons). However, a man approaching a pair of ladies is frowned upon because it may result in a pairing off that leaves the second woman alone, looking like a strumpet. Thus, men may only approach a lady if he has enough gentlemen accompanying him to provide escorts to each of her friends.
  

• Making introductions is an exception to the above rule. It is considered somewhat forward, but a single person of either gender may approach someone who they are known to be well acquainted with (of either gender) in order to approach someone they do not yet know. In such a situation, the individual approaches their friend on some shallow pretense, and their friend introduces them to the unknown person. If this exchange occurred in a public area, good faith has been established, reputations upheld, and the friend can make a graceful exit (unless, of course, they are a woman alone).
  

• Courtship in Elothnin's high society is an elaborate process of face-saving and reputation-negotiation, full of public announcements. For a man and woman caught in this process, their interactions are shifted according to each new development. Thus, a man and a woman must adhere to nonverbal mannerisms as well, so as not to give the wrong impression. In general, they should: stand no closer than 8 inches to one another, touch each other only on the shoulder or the forearm (and then only briefly), turn slightly outward so that they do not appear to be excluding others from their conversation, and either sustain eye contact or smile indulgently, but not both.
  

Rules of Conduct and Attire at Court

• Much of the time of those at court is occupied through various balls and hunts. Such activities give the court a chance to mingle with itself. Under the pretense of carefree amusement, such activities are actually sites of sexual politics, gossip, and social ostracization - each of which is fueled by someone's idiotic refusal to adhere to the basic rules outlined above. Each of those are watched much more closely at court in the contexts of social activities, thus transgressions are more noticeable and their consequences amplified.

• At a ball where dancing will ensue, men and women occupy two sides of the ballroom, separated by a satin rope. Men are allowed to cross the rope to invite ladies to dance on the floor, but for no other reason. It should also be noted that all those not wishing to dance should excuse themselves from the ballroom, since it is considered indecorous for a man of high breeding to allow a lady to go unpartnered at a dance (this usually results in many men hounding the remaining poor lass for a dance right as the music starts). However, a dance at the ball only suggests that the partners are now acquainted if neither individual has danced with anyone else (which, again, can cause some tongues to wag).

• The fashions worn at court have their own code of manners to contend with. Every royal and vassal family has adopted a family color, which should be worn prominently at such gatherings as a visual marker of who may approach who most freely, what political alliances are forming, etc., all of which play a part in who chooses to dance with who. Additionally, a man should not remove his hate before a lady removes her gloves (since both suggest familiarity), but a lady should remove one glove in order to receive a kiss on the hand from a gloved man. Hairstyles, as well, suggest certain things about those who wear them: for women, updos signal a women not interested in relations with the other sex (which cam be interpreted many ways) and intricate braids or twists suggest that a woman is open for courtship and male attention. Occasionally, a woman will let her hair fall and then invite a man to help her re-pin it - an act, while still considered polite, is thought to suggest that the pair's copulation is a forgone conclusion.
  

Elothninian Fashions

The styles of dress in Elothnin vary widely and perhaps deserve a bit of explication. As with most societies, the cut and quality of clothing convey much about an individual to those around them, and convey much about a culture or people to foreigners.

The lower classes of Elothnin, unsurprisingly enough, wear highly practical garments made of terribly mundane materials. The leggings and tunics the menfolk sport are typically woven out of cotton or linen in the warmer months and knitted from the wool of the fabled Fethil sheep during winter. Female peasants (see right) wear similarly pragmatic outfits - often a loose shirt, full skirt, bloomers, and a wide belt that also serves as a sort of makeshift waist-cincher. As women are often responsible for weaving or knitting the materials for such items, their clothing does tend to be brighter, and often sports decorative stitching as well.

Merchants and urban citizens of the empire, on the other hand, wear more body-conscious items made of finer materials. Men wear long jackets in a variety of colors, typically made of leather or dense wool, over dark trousers and plain shirts (see left). Often, men have only one or two such jackets, but own several interchangeable sets of shirts and pants, often giving the impression that they own only a single outfit! Women of this class (see right), on the other hand, typically have only a few chemises and leggings which they wear continuously under several colorful overdresses.

The fashions at court are extremely elaborate and ornate - sometimes artistic but just as often ridiculous. Unlike the fashions of the less wealthy, many styles appear for both genders with little uniformity. The general trends that do emerge, however, are bright colors for both sexes and exquisite fabrics. The clothes are typically made of fine leathers, silks, and furs regardless of time of year: royals often view it as a sign of strength to sweat the the summers and shiver through the winters in the interest of frippery. There is very little gender difference regarding the hues one wears, with men just as likely to sport traditionally feminine colors, such as pinks and pastels, as ladies.

Education in Elothnin

Elothninian schoolboys grudgingly broadening their horizons

The educational system of Elothnin is unique in many respects. It is characterized simultaneously by its egalitarian and stratified implementation: primary education is mandatory and available to all Elothninian children, but access to higher education and the quality and focus of education in general seems to vary greatly along class lines.

Primary Education
One of the major gains of Assiold II's reign was the establishment of public schools which were free and accessible to the entire population of Elothnin. This especially impacted the rural areas in the Fethil and Perejin, which had historically had little to no interaction with the education system.

The public system, in its current incarnation, mandates that all children between the ages of 8 and 15 must attend school 3 days a week and that children should be literate, have a working knowledge of mathematics, and be familiar with the history and culture of their homeland by the time they reach the age of majority. The actual implementation of this system, however, differs widely between wealthy and poor children. Less well off students generally attend rustic schoolhouses (see left) for half the day, and then go to work on farms or in factories, depending on their location. Schooling in their case is considered a nicety at best and a nuisance which interferes with their economic obligations at worst.

Children from a more privileged background, however, often receive a more thorough and longer education. Most have tutors prior to age 8, who help the children develop their academic skills early on. The parents of these children often request a waiver from attending public school, and educate their children with tutors through all of their primary education. Therefore, they are exposed to a broader range of topics in more detail. Additionally, the children of particularly prestigious families (specifically royals or vassals bound for a life at court) usually spend the last half of their education away from home. They are generally sent to either Opleneer or Neerhemhind where they receive training in etiquette, art, dancing, grooming, and sometimes dueling in addition to the more mundane and pragmatic subjects.

Higher Learning
In addition to publicly executed primary education, Elothninians have the opportunity to attend various universities, which specialize in the academic pursuit of many esoteric topics. The two primary universities of note are Opleneer University, which is committed to the arts and humanities, and Gimmelthorpe University (see right) in Neerhemhind, whose great strength is in the hard and social sciences. There are a number of other smaller colleges strewn about the empire, but those in the know generally consider believe that they produce hack academics obsessed with trivial and vain research exploits.

Though the universities do not require a tuition to be paid per se, and are thus technically available to the economically disadvantaged, it is customary to donate a large sum of money upon enrollment. In practice, the attendees of these institutions are overwhelmingly the youngsters sent here for preparatory training plus a few exceptional bright commoners (Phinneas Flumpert is one such case). The result is that those getting the free ride often emerge as the most driven and successful academics, while the rest squander the opportunity only to fall into the hedonistic revelries of the court.

Vassalships

Queen Lilhelndine making Prabil Worthis a vassal

In Elothninian culture, vassals represent the highest class of individuals who are not related by blood to the Otellian dynasty. Technically, a noble family is any whose surname appears at least once on the Otellian family tree, and a royal is someone who is a first or second degree relative to the reigning monarch. Royal and noble status ensures a place at court (and, of course, a high standard of living).

Vassals, on the other hand, are families whose status has been raised to the equivalent of nobles by an Elothninian ruler. This is a rare occurrence, and is generally done in recognition of great deeds performed in the name of the ruler which benefit Elothnin generally. Once bestowed, the vassalship is transferred through the family line. Currently, there are eight such families in Elothnin:

The Alorn family were made vassals after the great scholar, Horace Alorn, established Opleneer University. King Gimmelthorpe, who attended the school when he was in Opleneer during the city's great period of cultural renaissance, was so impressed with it that he made the Alorns vassals early in his reign.

The very first vassalship was bestowed on the Durannan clan by King Otellian I. Though the details have been lost to history, it is said that the original Durannan was a great war leader, and crucial to Otellian's campaign to displace the red elves. The Durannan clan continues to produce excellent military minds.

Rawny Fopp was a close and very adventurous friend of King Gimmelthorpe's who, as the story goes, played a major part in opening the Perejin region to Elothninian expansion. Much of the Fopp clan still resides in Perejin, and they remain one of the most powerful logging families in the empire.

The Iloskin clan were made vassals by Queen Rilinia. The Queen, who always complained of being cold, commissioned fabulous and ornate coats from the reknowned furrier Gwail Iloskin. While most of the Iloskin clan have gone on to bigger and better things, almost all try to incorporate fur into their outfits as often as possible as a homage to their illustrious ancestor.

King Malin II is often credited with the re-establishment of good relations with the dwarf communities in the wake of the dwarf-led kidnapping and killing of his great-uncle Leith Shando. In his memoirs, the king states that Trifion Lainel's discovery of precious ores in the Klevarcht Mountains was the impetus to reconcile with the short, testy mountain people.

Cacherd Perlin was made a vassal for his contributions to music by King Cius II - however, Cius II went mad and was removed from the throne six months later, so his taste in music may have been suspect at the time. Nevertheless, once a vassalship has been bestowed it cannot be rescinded, and the Perlins remain at court to this day.

King Teifus I made the exploration and use of the Great Land Sea a major focus of his reign, and expressed the utmost respect and admiration for the Robel clan, a family of fisherman who had trained mersprites to catch the rarer, tastier fishes from the deeper levels. This style of fishing is still used today.

The most recent family to receive a vassalships is the Worthis clan. Queen Lilhelndine made Prabil Worthis a vassal early in her reign, and this illustrious family still keeps a close eye on the developments in the Fethil.

The Queen's Court

the Otellian dynasty - click on this link to download it and be able to actually read it

The Queen's court is composed of Elothninians of only the highest classes, and serve to inform, protect, and entertain the monarch. Although technically anyone who meets the high standards can be part of the court, it really only reflects that portion of nobles and other sundry elite individuals who live in Neerhemhind. Above all, the court is characterized by the vast amount of importance it places on virtually meaningless and confusing rules of etiquette.

Gaining Entry
There are many ways for an ambitious young Elothninian to join the court, but one should be forewarned that the criteria for any such path are stringent, esoteric, and highly convoluted. Essentially, to be part of the court, one must either be born to it or earn through a variety of career paths. Arguably, the easiest is being noble by birthright, as it requires little more than the establishment of the correct family ties. Nowadays, this can be done by proving that one comes from a family directly related to the Otellian dynasty. Those with surnames that appear in this illustrious (and awfully gnarled) family tree (pictured above) have a guaranteed 'in,' as it were.

Vassalships are a similar way of gaining access to the glittering, luxurious world of the royal court. Once a vassalship has been established (which is no easy task), members of that family are granted access to attend court. They generally do not receive the same warm welcome and broad inclusion that nobles get, but vassals are given an entrance which the common Elothninian is not.

If one is not born a noble and is not a member of a vassalship, then the road to court has many more obstacles and is much less certain. Many of the members of the court are there because they have displayed incredible talents, and are there to entertain the royals either officially (through formal performances) or informally (through social interactions where they display their talents anyway). This most clearly applies to those in the art, musicians and poets and the like, but can be extended to beauty, wit, and charisma as well. The court also houses those who fill a more educational or informative role for the Queen. She, and virtually all rulers before her, surrounds herself with brilliant intellectuals, the finest military tacticians, and the most well-informed diplomats and politicians. It should be noted that simply being the best in a given field is not enough to land a place in court - after all, Phinneas Flumpert himself is a clerk in the Imperial Army, and not advising her majesty.

If all else fails, one can play a functional role in the court. This often takes the form of bodygaurds, assistants, and ladies in waiting. These are the necessary jobs that keep the court afloat, and while they are not highly regarded by the nobles and royals, they do provide a glimpse into their world, and possibly even entry to it.

At the Court
The actual shape and atmosphere of the court changes with each ruler, and sometimes throughout a particular ruler's reign, but the functions of the court remain stable. The primary function of the court is to build and maintain political relationships in an environment that is relatively safe for the monarch to be in. Thus, the court is necessarily closed to most. However, as the number of attendees and positions inevitably grows, the court becomes an arena for others to resolve their political and social agendas as well. For the nobles and royals, who have relatively few families to choose from when getting married, and for whom other's opinions about their manners matters in material ways, the court is a sight of veiled negotiations.

The court also affirms the ruler's bidirectional relationship with local culture. The court gives a monarch the space to explore the newest and most popular forms of entertainment without the threat of assassination or attack. Simultaneously, the ruler can affect the direction popular culture takes by implicitly endorsing some things by including them at court and rejecting others. The propagandistic effects of this should not be underestimated, as entertainment is often the closest link (in terms of shared experiences) between the common folk and their ruler.

Finally, the watchful ruler can use a setting like the court to keep tabs on those closest to her. Being able to discern someone's duplicitous nature through those they choose to interact with, and what they talk about is extremely valuable, and the court offers the perfect environment to watch possible traitors in their own element.

The Otellian Calendar

The Otellian Calendar, named for Elothnin's first ruler was created by a scholar in the year 302, while he was writing a history of the early empire. Ironically, both the scholar's name and his work have been lost to the ravages of time and the elements: the bane of books and beings alike. His dating system, however, has endured to this day in Elothnin. The calendar begins its reckoning with the estimated first year of Otellian's reign, a date that is impossible to determine accurately due to the dearth of records from that time. Jarthen's adventures begin in the year 1050, two hundred years after Lilhelndine's rise to power.

Silothil

the great Fountain of Opleneer

Silothil is the traditional Elothninian art of fountain design and construction. These sculptures, which can be found in the town square of any Elothinian city of reasonable size and repute, are made of materials indigenous to that region. Thus, the silothil in a given city represents the perfect blending of the terrain and spirit of the area.

The art form originated in Opleneer, a city which is broadly considered the artistic capital of Elothnin. Opleneer, a coastal city abundant in sand, has long been a major source of glass products, and glass has been a fixture of much of the artistic experimentation there. Nearly 300 years ago, the great sculptor Chernold Bumbolt constructed the famed Fountain of Opleneer (above). He sought to capture the effervescent spirit of Opleneer using only materials locally available to him, and his masterwork of flowing water and violet glass is widely considered the first piece of silothil.

Another notable silothil resides in Neerhemhind (see left). The creator of this famed fountain was none other than the current queen's predecessor, King Gimelthorpe, who as a lad had trained with Bumbolt to learn the arts. King Gimelthorpe unveiled the fountain immediately after his coronation, suggesting to his subjects that he was to lead them into a new golden age of art and culture. The hope and enthusiasm of the time is still evident in the fountain today.

Silothil remains a major part of Elothnian culture, but it has a distinctly classed character. Silothil exist only in the more populous, wealthier areas of the empire, and are virtually absent from the agrarian outlands of the Fethil. It has also become custom, since King Gimelthorpe's time, for families of note (especially those with vassalships, such as the esteemed Worthis clan) to send their children to Opleneer or Neerhemhind to study silothil, along with receiving training in music, languages, and etiquette. Thus, the streets of these cities are peppered with fountains of various quality around virtually every corner. Quite often, these minor silothil (which bear nameplates) are sometimes sought out as a memorial to their maker, and many times a fountain can be seen which is strewn with flowers and small tokens.

See Also:
Lendnisa Worthis

The Worthis Clan

The Worthis family coat of arms.

The Worthis clan is the most respected family in West Fethil, and, indeed, the empire as a whole. Its younger members, like Bertronius Worthis (a lad of some note), have lived a life of opulent luxury and unimaginable privilege. Bertronius’ great-great-grandfather had left Helletiern City, the then-outermost city of Elothnin, with only a shirt on his back and a dream in his heart: to establish a great farming city in the undeveloped Western lands of the good Queen’s country. This was during a time when the Northern creatures still roamed free in the untamed but fertile lands. This long-dead relative had been instrumental in protecting the Queen and her interests when the Northern creatures had treacherously rebelled against the Queen’s benevolent dominion.

The story of his great-great-grandfather’s illustrious deeds had been repeated to each successive generation of young Worthis men. According to family lore, Prabil Worthis organized the few other loyal farmers in the uninhabited territories and with the benevolent gaze of providence undoubtedly upon them, Prabil Worthis and his humble army delivered such a decisive blow against the ungrateful inhuman folk that the Queen’s perfidious enemies had no recourse but to retreat to the brooding silence of the Erkenheld Forest. Prabil Worthis opened what would later become the great breadbasket of Elothnin: as a reward for services rendered, Prabil and his progeny were made vassals of the good Queen. While this vassalship ensured that the Worthis clan would forever be enshrined in a decadent lifestyle, they in turn were responsible for protecting the arable land from invasions by the Northern creatures.

Over the years, Prabil Worthis and his sons established the garrison town of West Fethil and shaped its defenses into an admirable stronghold. Because Prabil never lost touch with his frontiersman roots, he decided to stay in the exclusively agrarian West Fethil while sending his sons (once they came of age) to the more important border towns. As the memory of the magical threat receded from the minds of the citizens of the Fethil lands the Worthises came to fulfill a more diplomatic role than a military role. Although some cities in the Fethil grew to considerable dimensions, West Fethil remained a dusty hamlet.

Worthis Manor, West Fethil

Bertronius’ father, Delando Worthis, was a younger son of a younger son of a younger son of Prabil, meaning that Delando was relegated to a less prestigious position than some of his cousins. Nevertheless, Delando, a man able to appreciate a fine summer day, enjoyed the light work load and pleasant weather that was all West Fethil had to offer. Delando was respected and considered a highly gifted leader in the remote village of West Fethil, and as such, Bertronius was treated with deference and great things were expected from him by the townsfolk. Until very recently, Bertronius' very best friend was none other than Jarthen Furblog.

See Also:
Imperial Army
Lendnisa Worthis