Legends of Belariath

The High Elves of Har`Amrun (The Veiren Clan)

Past the verdant forests of the elven woods and the glittering coastline of the open sea’s, a high elven clan known to most as the fire dancer's has made the old ruins, plains and coastline of the land beyond the black sanded deserts their home. It was said that they had once been exiled from the white towers of Verdspar, but ask any member of this proud society – and they will tell you, they chose this path, and have since been seen as one of the original elven clans that established themselves millenia ago.

City of Har`Amrun

The clan is divided into permanent and nomadic residences, the nomadic half consisting of traders, drovers and the younger caste who can spend up to half the year traveling outside of the city walls. Those who keep a permanent residence, are often Elders, House servants, teachers and those of Academia.

Horse Breeding

Though the primary focus on the Clan has always been enrichment through the arts, breeders and laymen of the city are known to produce some of the fastest and sturdiest horses within the southern hemisphere. These horses are smaller than the more traditional chargers, with a range of 14 to 15 hands in height, smooth lustrous brown and black coats and short muzzles. Smart, well trained, they have the tenacity to endure the harsher climates of the desert.

Exotic Spices & Herbs

Other talents for the Clan also extend to spice farming, fragrant and exotic; the high elves of this region brought with them the talent for agriculture to apply to the more arid climate. Some of the more exotic herbs and spices known in both culinary and magical arts are said to only be obtained from this particular region of the south.

Fighting Techniques

The local guard and those assigned the honor and duty of protecting the Veiren Clan from outside raids are entrenched in a fighting style that has developed through centuries of technique and training. It is based on the fluid dancing style of the seven brothers of Tari’mor from the third generation. This fighting style utilizes fast, athletic twists, turns and agility, coupled with minimal but flexible armor, and two-handed blade wielding. At the Summer Solstice, the guard is given the honor of demonstrative fights to showcase these techniques, though the art itself is only passed on from teacher to student within the tight knit group of soldiers. Joining is often based on a strict set of rules, though those rules are kept secret from outsiders.

Architecture

The city itself is compromised of rising turrets of grand architecture, made of polished stone, brick and glass collected in the black sands of the cursed desert to the north. Stunning designs, the are high elves, after all, and despite the heavy emphasis on travel that the founding father’s had set down – the buildings which House the families are seen in are testaments to the combined talent of the artists who call the city their permanent residence.

The primary structure located at the center of the village houses both the council meeting rooms, and the Veiren School of Arts – those arts ranging from magical to the primary custom of dance and singing.

The patron Goddesses of the School and city is Calastra and Elania, several city events and festivities set up to honor the goddesses of music and the arts. The rest of the Elahil are also worshiped as well, but not as predominantly.

Marriage, Education and established Customs

The first custom to be established with the elven leaders was, ‘do as thou wilt..’ but with most literal terms, it was later changed by the second century to ‘do as thou wilt, but harm none.’ Do as you will, so long as it hurts none. It was the rule that established the customs that defined Veiren’s first set of followers, those who wished to establish themselves outside the velvet gloves of the Verdspar Empire.

The second established custom, set down more as an abiding rule, was that marriages would be treated on a different scale then the old Elders. Marriage worked in the same sense, that most high born or established families within the sect were paired through arranged couplings. This would ensure that bloodlines were not diminished and that the strength of the community was upheld through family bonds.

Beyond that, many couples chose to take paramours outside of the marriage. This was fine by community standards, but a few rules were established in the clan’s bi-laws to ensure that the first tenant was adhered to.

• That paramour should not be taken or acknowledged before the first child of the couple is born. This is to ensure that heirs are properly recorded as being the legitimate offspring of the union.
• The paramour will have no legal right to their lover’s estate, despite years that may be between. The established relationship outside of legal marriage extends to that of ‘consort’ or ‘companion’ and nothing else.
• If offspring is produced by the Husband, with the woman of his second choosing, those offspring will be considered true children of the ‘House’ rather than of the marriage – as such, these children are given the full protection and rights to inheritance and schooling. This does not extend to half-breeds, who are exempt from inheritance law, unless otherwise stipulated through the Patriarch’s will and approved from a presiding Council.
• If offspring if produced by the Wife outside of the sanctioned marriage, then that offspring is extended the full rights of protection and inheritance by either the child’s biological father, or the wife’s paternal family. Offspring of this coupling should not be brought under the same House as the husband, as that is the domain of the husband and as such, would infringe upon his rights as Patriarch.
• There will be no legal limit on how many lovers a husband or wife may take outside of marriage, but, it is frowned upon to have one’s Wife and Mistress under the same roof, unless said Mistress is collared and therefore falls under House property and responsibility. This of course applies if one were to collar their male paramour as well or same sex couplings. This rule is of course subject to change (and has been many times through out the Clan's history, depending on whose wife or mistress has made a complaint to their cuckholded lover..)

The Consummation

On the night of a marriage of a high ranking couple, it is customary to hold a feast celebrating the union. Though the guests for this smaller celebration is smaller in number, and kept secret from the majority of the formal guests. The reason for this is that in keeping with the high elves sexual appetites instead of a dance the attendees partake in a sexual orgy that in the end results in the witnessing of the bride and groom formally consummating their union before an audience of their most trusted friends. Thus it is considered a sign of deep trust and respect to be invited to a gathering of this nature.

The actual invitation would be something subtle. Either a small cloth of silk or a pouch of spices left at the would-be attendees place of residence, usually a combination of two objects together, one object representing the bride and groom respectively.

It would be frowned upon for the guests to discuss what transpired that evening with anyone else, even privately with another attendee much less publicly announcing the acts of debauchery that transpired that night. Such an act would violate the the trust shown by the initial invitation, and the couple would be well within their rights to sever all ties with the offending party at the least; at most being able to demand concessions from the offender's entire house, financial and political. It has not been unheard of for one house to be completely ruined because of a member being unable to hold their tongue regarding attending a Consumation.

Regardless of birth, all children of the Veiren Clan are extended the benefit of an education through the Veiren School of Arts; from the rudimentary classes on languages, mathematics, simple spell casting and musical arts – to the more advanced and sought after levels of advanced spell casting, dance, music, architectural and culinary arts as taught by the clan’s elder’s and visiting dignitaries.

After the basic’s of education is satisfied, an elf who has reached maturity is given two options – to go out into the world, for no more than fifty years and establish themselves. Or continue their education and become one of the artisans, teachers or breeders of the city. If they choose to wander for the fifty years of self imposed exile, that member is then expected to return, whether as a vagabond or an entrepreneur of great success, it is generally expected that any wealth or debt acquired is to be shared by family, where the member is re-absorbed into society and expected to uphold to their family obligations; primarily that of marriage and later offspring.

One day of each year was set aside to celebrate the founding of the Clan. On this day, all mature elves, regardless of position, standing, or family connection, would have a great feast and festival of the arts. On this day, all were encourage to ‘do as thou wilt’, provided such did not extend to murder – often on this day, passions run deep, declarations of love were made, and a general spilling out of frustrations, vices and needs were declared without fear of retribution or retaliation. It was law that anything ‘done’ on this day would be excused or forgotten amongst the members, provided of course that such was done in a ‘clear case of passionate display’.

Origins

The clan and settlement itself is a fairly new one, less then nine centuries of established tradition and hierarchy – as such, it is considered a minor House, to some not even a House. Their origins, as whispered on the lips of Elder’s within the Council of Verdspar, come from the scandal a millennia past, when the founder, Veiren Flame, defied the rulings of his patriarch for the sole purpose to be besotted to his married lover, a nobleman destined for an elder seat.

Veiren was a consummate patron of the arts, particularly of nubile young men and woman and the defying way they could arouse emotion through such articulate arts. He was well-to do, the only son of his father’s House, destined for a seat on the Council once his father stepped down, and of course, provided he partook of an advantageous marriage. Handsome, rich, powerful, and charismatic and dramatic as only an artist should be; He was loved by many, adored by much more; many clambered to be his student in the musical arts, though few obtained the privilege. Veiren had it all, but what he did not have, was the sole attention of his secret lover, the married Nobleman of equal standing.

In Verdspar, such liaisons are always kept secret, and for Veiren he bulked at every rule and stricture that kept him from being truly free, of being in love, as he wished to be.

However – Veiren was not the only victim of the High Elven call for the suppression of anything not deemed appropriate for the most superior race of the surface world. Veiren’s apprentice and assistant, a young fire-mage by the name of Ester, was a low caste female who did not have enough standing in the city to warrant a second look. Ester, in love with Veiren and loyal to fault, watched as her Master continued to fall into a reckless pit of his own obsession, railing inwardly at a system that would oppress his feelings, and at the same time, her inner fury and jealousy grew to a tenable degree.

The situation peaked, during the festival of the arts, when Master’s and their enclaves were encouraged to compete; showcasing their skills, talents and new pieces. Veiren, had convinced himself he would finally come out and declare his adoration for his lover, and beseech him to follow him outside Verdspar were they could be happy.

This would not do for Ester; she loved him, and promised that she would save the man from his own foolishness – so she worked to seduce him one night. A bit of powder and spells that she had learned without her Master’s knowledge, Ester tricked Veiren into lying with her, into staying with her the first night of the festival, to keep him out of trouble. When Veiren realized that he was under the influence of the girl, he grew angry, despondent, angry again and finally disappointed in his student, a wealth of pity growing in him as he listened to her rail and plead with him not to go on with such a foolish plan.

So, in a moment of pity for his young assistant, Veiren promised her, that if his lover were to refuse, he would take the honorable way out and throw himself from the highest turret of the highest building.

Ester, distraught, bowed her head to her Master’s wishes, wondering what she could do to stop his foolishness.

On the second day of the festival, when all members had come to display their art and be judged by their Elders, Veiren took the stage. He looked out into the sea of adoring faces, and saw himself reflected in their eyes – so, smiling, he turned to address the Council, and more importantly, he looked directly at his lover.

They say that the sun grew dark; merely to weep at the beauty of Veiren’s musical presence, the crowd quiet, as he lamented his feelings to his lover by lyrics and the strings of his mandolin. He was able to invoke imagery through magic, as he sung, he painted the portrait of he and his lover running away, to lands south, where the tree’s were exotic brushes and the sunsets were vivid oranges and reds. He spoke of the distant ocean’s and ice capped mountains, wanting to draw his lover into the seduction of the offer.

When his song had ended, there was a booming silence – before pandemonium broke loose. From one side, the ragged cheers and cries for more, as his adoring students and would-be cried with passionate delight. From the other side, more silence, the stunned and dumfounded expression of the Elders turning to mottled red, angry visages of hate, distrust and disgust. Veiren ignored it all, looking to his beloved for the telltale answer he sought.

What he saw mirrored the disgust and dismay of his council men, enough that Veiren felt it like a physical lash against himself. He stumbled back, and cried out his horror, doubling over as the pain of rejection hit him; Ester was there, immediately there to comfort him, but as he had promised, he looked away from her towards the highest peak of the highest building.

He would have carried out what he had said, to die an honorable death on the heels of being rejected so publicly. However, the Veiren Clan would not have to fruition if he had, at least, that is what the story teller’s state. As Ester clung to her Master, a pathetic loyalty by all accounts, he was able to hear the chants of those most faithful of him, so adoring of him, those who had been moved to wish as hard as he that they could find a paradise that he had described. Now, Veiren was anything but noble, he was vain and proud, as much as or more so than anyone else of his caliber, and when he heard those chants he turned with a fist over his heart.

‘I will die, as your rejection would kill me – but I will rise higher than this!’ he proclaimed proudly, scornful as much as those he faced were. If he was not rejected at that very moment, it would not have mattered in any case, as Veiren, with his clinging student and faithful – marched with the items he had upon his back, past the pearlescent and gold gates of Verdspar.

For a century, he traveled with his new ‘troop’ and lived on the merits and coin that talent would bring, teaching what he knew to those willing. He saw ocean’s, mountains, and those exotic deserts that he had painted so long ago – and when he died, (they say from fatigue, while others speculated it was truly a broken heart) his faithful created their own city in his name, on the site of his burial. Ester, as loyal as ever, was said to have bore him a son, but speculation had often been lost amongst the scrolls of origin, though her progeny and the progeny of the original settlers would be the first Houses, or ‘Families’ to make up the numbers of clan and settlement populace.