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Stone Elf (Kyralia) Package
Note: Because of their unique history, there can be only one original homeland for Stone Elves (Kyralia) on Tyrra. However, they have had several millennia to expand across Tyrra, and many Kyralian communities may well be thousands of years old.
* NERO National Plot Committee)
Outline
Stone Elves show no emotion, generally having the appeare\ance of being eternally calm. This ability is one that they are now born with, and then enhance through their mind-powers. They despise being the victims of emotion, for then do lose control, the result is often terrifying as all the emotions they have spent repressing flood to the surface.
They are also well known for their inability to lie. Any attempt to tell a blatant lie results in a normally calm veneer turning into a shifty-eyed, fidgeting Elf who has suddenly begun to stutter - or some other signs that look like blathering idiaots, and make no attempt to lie.
Few Kyralia (Stone Elves) experience the desire to leave their home commuity. Those that do are considered adventurous, a behavior which is regarded by most Stone Elves as somewhat odd and disrespectful of duty. They all follow the career path of their house (family), to contribute to the community as a whole. Most of the Elves tend to the study of healing and celestial magics, some into the formal, some into the creation of potions and scrolls. There are "technicians" and alchemists, but because of their inability to lie, there are no real thieves. Only about six or seven houses are bred for fighters, to defend the community.
Stone Elves have powerful minds and as such have unusual mental abilities. They can detect the emotions and surface thoughts on a willing person, simply by touching that person's head and "viewing" their mind. Most elves don't enjoy doing this as by doing so they open their own mind to the person they are viewing. This ability weakens the Elf, making it impossible to do more than twice a day. Even twice in one day causes even the most well-trained Elf to find it hard to concentrate until they have slept.
The other unusual trait is the ability to heal mental anguish in a sentient being. This ability causes causes a strain on the Elf's mind that is incomparable to anything known to other races. The Elf has to have been trained how to do this; otherwise the results could be grave. Fortunately, this is something that is normally a part of every Kyralia's education as a youth. The most renowned case of a problem, is that of T'Sarron Tissabae Dire, who upon his first attempt at healing someone, fell into a coma for 50 years. No one, including T'Sarron, has any idea what happened during those years.
To heal mental anguish, the Stone Elf enters the mind of the other. He/she talks to the person and makes them face their problem. When the problem is clearly in view, the Elf takes the problem onto themselves, leaving the person with only the memory of the problem and none of the pain. The Stone Elf then takes on the anguish that the other person felt, but usually in a exaggerated manner (3 times worse than the other person). The Elf is always helpless after doing this and is unable to do more than sit and cry or scream or whatever the othr person was feeling for the span of no less than one hour. It is usually a good idea to restrain an Elf after they do this, as most people are so suicidal that need to be healed in this extreme manner. Persons with some Stone Elf blood are sometimes adept at this, but feel the effects for 3 times as long as those who have taken on the traits of a Stone Elf.
Stone Elves are generally a sturdy-looking race, not as frail appearing as most. They have pale skin with sometimes darker features that stand out in contrast, such as blackeyes and/or black lips. They all have the pointed ears and eyebrows that sweep up at an angle towards the temples (much like a Vilcan from Star Trek).
They can also be spotted for their drab taste in clothing, preferring the dark colors and rarely, if ever, wearing bright, flamoyant colors.
The community itself is set above ground, having been in the trees where it remains hidden from view. There are outposts and trap-alarms at various points around the community so the Elves can monitor passage through the forst. Paths go through the forest for the ease of travelers, but they do not come close to the community. Any traveler who gets too close to the community will be led away by the scouts who will make noises in the opposite direction. If a traveler is persistent, a small pack of the dire wolves (raised by House Dire) will be sent to chase the wayward traveller back to the path.
The Kyralia are peaceful, but are ready for the ever-present threat of war, especially during the age-old struggle of who will be king of the Humans in Evendarr.
Stone Elven families are set up into Houses, much like Clans, but much more civilized. Each House usually holds four generations of a family, the eldest member being the head of the household. The Houses all serve a certain duty which benefits the community, to stray from the career of a House is considered improper, disrespectful, and selfish. An example of how the Houses work is House Sartosa. House Sartosa's duty to the community is to provide it with powerful healers who also study formal magics. Arrienka, the eldest, is the head of the Healers' Guild as well as the eldest member of the High Council. As she has no living children, her position would normally go to her eldest grandchilt, Jatrina. As Jatrina is not an accomplished healer, having not been raised in Stonewood, the title goes to her nest eldest grandchild, Marouch, who is a healer. Jatrina is now studying the healing arts, as it is her duty to do, to make up for the shame she has caused her House.
The community is run as neither a patriarchal or matriarchal society. Rather it is run by a Council of twelve elders referred to as the High Council. The official head of the council will always be a member of House Sauros, the descendents of Runil Sauros. The current head is Rohirrom Sauros. The actual head is the eldest member, currently Arrienka Sartosa.
As the Kyralia deal with their own problems amongst themselves mostly, the High Council is rarely dragged into disputes. The only things the council deals with are conflicts that cause problems with the community as a whole.
There are no real laws in the Stonewood, as they are unnecessary. They respect the beliefs of other cultures, though their beliefs sometimes conflict. The most surprising difference is probably their belief on Necromancy. They find nothing wrong with its use, as all things exist in duality. The only part of Necromancy they do not deal with is the animating of undead. They are aware that Necromancy is illegal outside of the Stonewood, so they do not cast it, to honor the beliefs of the Kingdom.
If a member of the community feels that he/she has been seriously wronged by another member, that Elf may go to the High Council and demand Rite of Vengeance. The High Council will meet in private and decide if the crime was of a nature serious enough to deem this necessary. If it is found to be so, the community is gathered for the rite.
The Rite of Vengeance is similar to an honor combat, but there is no honor in it. The point is to win; no matter what means it takes. The only exception to this rule is that none of the watchers may help or hinder in any way. There is no option to choose a champion, you must fight your own battle in whatever way you can - be it sword, spells, poisons, or bare hands. The winner is deemed right in the manner and the loser is considered dead to the community. No one will heal or resurrect the loser. If the loser returns to Stonewood, they are completey ignores, with people looking through them as if they didn't exist. The Rite has not been claimed in 150 years.
The Stonewood Forest is the ancestral homeland of the Kyralia. However, whenever population pressures have strained the resources of the homeland, as has occurred many times, a Coucil is convened and a Journey is declared. The need for declaring a Journey is usually known years before the fact, so that the community is will prepared when the time comes.
Any Stone Elf who wishes, and who has seen to it that his ir her skills will not be lost to the Stonewood Forest, may volunteer for a Journey. It is not unusual for entire clans to depart as a group, provided they have trained replacements in their respective skills. Whenever necessary, the Council may require one or more able-bodied individuals with vital knowledge for the group's survival, to undertake a Journey. To refuse the Council's request would be dishonorable, but givewn the years of advance preparation, this has rarely happened.
It is customary for a Journeying group to sever all ties to the Stonewood Forest except for its history, in order to be free to settle in whatever lands they choose. This is not a banishment or formal exile; the custom exists in order to spare both those departing and those remaining any temptation to expeerience the pain of loss. All Kyralia are welcome in any Stone Elf community, no matter what their background.
Stone Elves who were not raised among the Kyralia, or who were Transformed from other races, or persons with part-Kyralian ancestry regardless of which racial traits they exhibit, are treated with courtesy by other Kyralians. However, these individuals are generally denied access to a Kyralian community until they have proven themselves capable of disciplining their emotions. They may be required to accept a test devised by the High Council in order to satisfy these conditions.
Before recorded time (over 5000 years ago), the Kyralia were a violent race which seemed to always be in the clutches of some sort of strife. One Stone Elf, Rumil Sauros, realized that if they did not change their ways, they would soon kill themselves off. He began to preach the ways of peace and soon had gotten quite a following. Many of the Elves disagreed strongly with him and formed a group of their own. The violent group left the Stonewood Forest and headed north, to start a new culture apart from the peace-loving Elves. They are rumored to have become the Wild Elves (Amani).
The group that remained began the long process of disciplining their minds-removing the emotions that would have surely killed them. They formed a government of elders, led by Rumil Sauros, and began to rebuild their society, a process which lasted almost 2,000 years.
By the time the world was run by savage Humans, they were well-established in their ways. About 500 years ago, a group of Barbarians found the calm race with their finely crafted gems and well-made garments, and made the mistake of assuming that they were wweak. When the Barbarians attempted to take control of the Kyralia, they were surprised to find themselves suddenly on the receiving end of many poisons and much magic. Needless to say, with the element of surprise and the force of their attack, the Kyralia killed most of the barbarians, taking few casualties themselves.
The Kyralia became aware of the growing Human Kingdom of Evendarr shortly after its founding, but remained aloof from its affairs until early in Evendarr's 2nd century of existence. When first Baron Deneb Warwyck - and after his death, his son Baron Roland Warwyck - began to push northward towards the fringes of Kyralian territory, a Coucil was called. After much discussion, it was concluded that this Human group was too large to contest with, and that a negotiated arrangement should be sought. And so in Y.R. 232 of the Evendarr calendar, a treaty was entered into with the Kingdom: The Ancestral Land Rights Treaty. Kyralia has been a part of Evendarr ever since.
The Kyralia fought their next great battle in the (Evendarr) year 514 Y.R., when the pirate Keegan Byrne was in the process of claiming all the land he could in what is now known as Capulus. The Elves were ill-prepared to fight such a force as that of Keegan's, and the battle was long and hard. Many Elves died in that battle before they could turn their armies away. After the losses faced in that battle, the Kyralia decided to move the entire community into the relative safety of the trees, where they could not be easily spotted.
They had little dealings with Humans after this and it was not until much later that they made trade agreements with the Capulans.
The Stonewood Forest is not considered part of the Kingdom by the Kyralia, but is separate. However, the Kyralia have always honored the Ancestral Land Rights Treaty and do not plan otherwise.
BE IT KNOWN in the Name of their Majesties, King Lawrance and Queen Marieden, King and Queen of Evendarr, Lord and Lady Protectors of the Land & Leiges of its Several Peoples, & in the Name of Her Grace Anne Rotari, Dutchess of Rotaria, & in the Name of Sir Roland Warwyck, Baron of Warwyck,
by All These Here Present, that on This Day, the 25th August, in the Year of the Realm 232, that This Treaty of Peace, Friendship, & Incorporation has been entered into between the King & Queen of Evendarr and the People of the Stonewood Forest in the Barony Warwyck, Who Call Themselves the Kyralia, in Perpetuity Binding, Who Shall Hereinafter be Known as Our Faithful Subjects & Who Shall Swear Fidelity & Service unto their Rightful Leiges & Shall Enjoy the Protection & Duty of said Leiged as Set Forth in the Code of Chivalry of the Kingdom of Evendarr,
That the Ancestral Lands of the People of the Stonewood Forest, Who shall be called Stone Elves among the Folk of Evendarr, shall be Consituted in Whole as a Shire in the Barony Warwyck & shall not be Divided or Reduced from a Single Desmesne within its Greater Boundaries, & Which Shire shall Consist of the Current Boundaries of the Stonewood Forest as Marked upon the Maps of the Barony Warwyck, the Dutchy of Rotaria, & the Kingdom of Evendarr plus an Area of Land Which shall be Established by Markers of the King and Queen,
That the Stone Elves shall Enjoy Full Hunting, Gaming, and Fishing Rights within Their Lands Which shall Entail unto them as a Freehold Known as the Stonewook Forest & the Buffering Lands surrounding, & Which is Known to the Stone Elves as Their Ancestral Home,
That the Leiges of the Shire of Stonewood Forest shall Determine the Payment of Such Taxes, Levies, & Duties as shall be Required of the Stone Elves, & such Manner & Method of Payment, whether in Coin, in Barter, or in Service, of Said Taxes, Duties & Levies,
That the Leiges of the Shire of Stonewood Forest shall Cause to be Made Known to the Stone Elves the Laws & Customs of the Kingdom of Evendarr as the Law of the Land & Its Several Peoples,
That the Leiges of the Shire of the Stonewood Forest shall Acknowledge tht Especial Customs, Conditions & Requirements of the Stone Elves in Their Relations with the People of the Stonewood Forest, & shall Refrain from making such Demands upon the Stone Elves which may cause Harm to these Vassels, excepting in Times of Dire Need,
That the Leiges of the Shire of Stonewood Forest shall Hold the Stone Elves within Their Realm as One of the Several Peoples of the Kingdom of Evendarr, & shall Govern them as it the Wont & Custom of the Laws of the Land & its Sovereign King & Queen.
This agreement Entered Unto in Full & Free Acknowledgement in the Name of the King & Queen & Their Loyal Servants, & the Representatives of the Stone Elves, at the 2nd Hour after Noon, in the Council of Elders of the Stonewood Forest, Now & Hereafter of the Lands & Realm of Evendarr, in the Barony Warwyck of the Dutchy of Rotaria.
Enscribed by Lord Valdev Byrne, ny My Hand & Seal, Seneschal to Her Grace, the Dutchess Anne Rotari of Rotaria
By My Hand & Seal
Anne Rotari, Dutchess of Rotaria
By My Hand & Seal
Sir Roland Warwyck, Baron of Warwyck
By My Hand & Seal
Osander Sauros of the Council of Elders of the Kyrelia
Recorded in the Royal Archives of the Kingdom of Evendarr on this 18th Day of November, in the Year 232 of the Realm, for Their Majestied Lawrance & Marieden, King & Queen of Evendarr
By My Hand & Seal,
Lady Antossa Evart-Landsheim, Seneschal to Their Majesties
The Kyralian are a very ceremonial race. Some of the bigger ceremonies are described below.
The Birthing:
This is a ceremony to welcome a new Stone Elf, usually a newborn, into the culture. If a Stone Elf was not raised among the Kyralian, or was transformed, or had part Kyralian blood had proven themselves, then this ritual is used. The Houses of the parents and the High Council stand in front of the community with the elf. The head of the Council speaks of the ways of the Kyralia, and of the circle of existence which embraces them and their ways. The heads of the appropriate Houses step forward ( only 1 House if a part Kyralian), and place a sash made of House colors, showing the symbol and the House motto, upon the shoulders of the elf. They say the words, "Now you are accepted as House < >, welcome.", as they place the sash upon the shoulders. The elf is then accepted and a celebration traditionally follows.
Ascension:
This is less of a ritual then the others. It is when the elf reaches the Age of Decision, which is decided when the head of the households deem the elf mature and able to choose. This is the time when the elf chooses whether to follow the House of their mother or father. Usually there are few surprises, as the elf would have shown a tendency towards one of the careers of the House by this time. There is no rivalry between the Houses, and the decision is accepted always. They then train in the career of the House they have chosen exclusively. This ceremony involves both Houses, with the Council to oversee. The elf announces their choice to the community, and offers thanks to the House they did not choose. They are then given the traditional House garments to wear, and the title of Setti, if they are from a House of the Council.
Life Mating:
This is the ritual that is done when 2 elves recognize, and are ready to commit to each other. They may have any member of the High Council to perform the ceremony. Often it is a member of House Zemvolos.
The Houses of the 2 elves stand on the appropriate side of the couple. The High Council will stand at the front of the community, with the member performing the ceremony in front of the elves (like a minister at a wedding). The bride wears a white circlet of flowers upon her head, to symbolize the never-ending circle of peace that the couple will share. The member performing the ceremony speaks of the importance of children, and the growth of the community, and sharing life with another. Also the power of recognition- unless they are not recognized. The member then makes certain that both understand and are willing to continue. Once they accept, 2 ropes weaved in each members House colors are entwined together. The member then wraps it around both elves hands, explaining the symbolism of the 2 elves joining their 2 Houses in union. The elves may speak vows if they wish. A celebration usually follows, with the mated couple attending without cutting the joining cord. At the close of the celebration, the bride throws the circlet of flowers to the attending maidens of the community. The one who catches it will meet her soulmate. Unlike human tradition, neither elf takes on the name of the other, but each will add the name of the other to the end of their name.
Death:
This ceremony involves the whole community. The body is laid out in the garments of the dead, which resemble traveling garments (this is for they believe that they are to embark upon a journey to their next life). The belongings of the dead elf go to the eldest child, as physical possessions are not needed in death. It is believed that their items will appear with them in death, as they do in the mind. Once all the community is has viewed the body and accepted the death, the community gathers at the pyre in the central region of the Stonewood. The High Council surrounds the pyre and each council member speaks of the dead elf and how that elf will face the next incarnation, relating them to their own House in some way (ie. House Purfeelo speaks of their battle nature). Once all is spoken, the eldest child and partner of the dead elf take the ceremonial death torch, and light the pyre. This releases the soul of any bond it may feel to the physical form, and allows it to travel to its next life. All the community attends, and remains until midnight. The family and close friend and sometimes the High Council (rarely) remain until the fire burns down naturally. Whatever remains is ground into ash, and worn upon the face of the partner and children, in the symbol of the lost one's House.
A seldom used ritual is the Ritual of Life. It exists from the time when the Kyralian were still warlike, and believed that death was the final stage, that your soul ceased to exist. The Illnarie, in order to preserve the knowledge and souls, began to capture the souls. At the point of death the Illnarie would appear and transfer the soul to a crystal, known as the Alen Stone. There the soul would continue on. Only the most disciplined minds could communicate with the enshrined soul, therefore only the Illnarie could access the knowledge of the elders.
In recent times this practice is still done, but in rare instances. The first is to Kyralians with knowledge that is unique, if they consent to it. The second is for Kyralians that feel that they have lived all the lives they were meant to, and wish to remain as they are. There is no higher honor that can be bestowed upon a Stone Elf. The last use for the Ritual of Life is for any Kyralian that is felt to pose a threat to Tyrra. This is done to prevent the soul from reincarnating. The High Council must always decide upon the use of this ritual, and they will never share it with any other culture. This is mostly due to the fact that they feel other cultures would abuse this power.
There are also several times of the year that are set aside for celebration. These are as follows.
New Year:
This is celebrated on the stroke of midnight on the first day of the new calendar year. It is a time when the Kyralia celebrate that they have endured for so long, and will continue for another year, at least. Banners decorate the Stonewood, each bearing the symbol of each House which lives in the forest. It is that House's duty to make their banner, and the task is often given to the newest member of the House (one who has recently ascended). It is not uncommon to allow the UnAscended children help create the banners for each of their parents' Houses.
Re-Birth:
This is observed on the Spring Equinox. It is the time when the earth awakens, and the community celebrates life. The gardens are reseeded, and all the community helps to repair any damage that may have occurred over the winter months. It is also the time when the chosen artist unveils their work. The community gathers for the presentation, and the chosen artist is given a seat, for that day, among the High Council at the head table. There is singing by the children, and appreciation of the beauty and art in the Stonewood. This is perhaps the most festive occasion in the community.
Summerfest:
This is observed on the Summer Equinox. It celebrates the longest days and time of growth that Tyrra is going through. This is one of the few times that the community will leave the cities above and travel to the Misty Lake to enjoy the nature of the forest. It is a time to celebrate the freedom that the Kyralia have from the rest of the world, and appreciate the forest in its unaltered beauty(on the ground level).
Day of Remembrance:
This is observed on October 31st. This is the time when the community ends the mourning period for any who has died since the last Day of Remembrance. At dusk, the community gathers to Be'Ane, and reflect on the senseless death that is caused by wars, and honor those who have died in defense of the Stonewood. Mourning clothes are worn by all, as well as the sigil of mourning upon the face. November 1st, all the mourning has ended, and those who have lost loved ones that year may now remove their mourning sigil. This is a very somber sounding occasion, but it actually is simply a reflective time for the Kyralia. This is mostly due to their belief that lost souls are reincarnated.
The Great Feast:
This is celebrated in the last week of November. It is the time when a feast is prepared, and all the community brings a dish to be shared. It is celebrated to share among the Kyralia, as well as to make certain that none of the food spoils. The Kyralia feast in each of the major city/town centers, and then all gather in Sansandur after dusk, to bring whatever food was not eaten, to bring it to Loch Raven, where it will be distributed to whomever needs it. In the evening at Sansandur, The teachings of Rohirrim are read to all by the current head of House Sauros, and the Kyralia take this time to reflect on his wisdom.
Yule:
This is celebrated on December 22, and is the time of giving. This is the time when the Kyralia give gifts to one another. Bells are hung on the doors of every house, and icicles line the forest, giving it a magical quality. This holiday is also a reminder that the winter months are almost over, and soon the earth will be reborn.
This is a current list of the High Council of the Stonewood Forest.
Rohirrom Sauros- Guardian of the Way. Duty is to preserve the ways of the Kyralia. (He is a stickler for custom and rarely bends in any situation where the Kyralian traditions may be at risk, no matter how obscure a chance that would seem.) House colors of House Sauros are Gold, black and silver. House motto is "In Tradition there is Strength"
Arrienka Sartosa- Guardian of the Power of the Earth. Head of the Healers Guild, Trainer of Mental Powers, Powerful Earth Caster, also trained in Formal Magics of the Earth. Her mental powers are said to exceed those of Larkhorse Serdanhia, though she will not remark upon it. (She was once as rigid in her ways as Rohirrom, but in recent years (the past 130 or so ) has become much more open minded on many issues, due to her personal life)((Fran Moore plays this NPC)) House colors of House Sartosa are Black, pale blue, and silver. House motto is "To thine own self be True"
Caira Sylvesti- Guardian of the Power of the Stars. Powerful celestial caster, also adept in formal magic of the stars. ( Very interested in magic-celestial. Almost excites, as much as a Stone Elf can, over new theories. Had 2 sons that visited Ravenholt-please contact Kat if someone plans to play a member of this House, as PC's are from it) House colors of House Sylvesti are Bright blue, black and silver. House motto is "Power is contained within the Stars"
Casseusi Dire- Minister of Alchemy. Powerful alchemist, also raises the dire wolves that guard the community. ( Very proud woman. Quiet, but tells much in her silence. Only those close to her know much of her, for she seems to keep her life out of view.)((Also a PC related character-see Chad if this one plans to be used)) House colors are Dark red, black and silver. House motto is "We walk the night as one"
Intiara Lockleer- Minister of the Stars. Seers and Astrologers, also trained in celestial magic. (Always closely following the movement of the universe. Distrustful of non-Kyralian blood. There seems a sadness about her, as though she has been deeply hurt.)((Also a PC related character)) House colors of House Lockleer are Dark blue, white and silver. House motto is "Life contains Truth"
Ksaros Alkarond- Minister of Security. Trap setters, able to solve great puzzles, very quick minds, can see every situation. (Very quick woman. Can immediately identify a problem and see troubles that may be incurred with possible solutions. May appear slow, as she has a tendency to analyze every situation.) House colors are Dark green, black and silver. House motto is "The Mind is the Key to All"
Larkhorse Serdanhia- Minister of Education. Head of the Great College. Very adept at the mental abilities. Even rumored that he and members of House Serdanhia still maintain many of the abilities of the ancient ones. ( Very old fashioned, very stern. Speaks only when he has the proper attention. Seems as though he knows what you are thinking at all times. It is rumored that he does.) House colors are Black, white and silver. House motto is "Knowledge gained is Power had"
Kyeran Lahdarsic- Master Builder. Constructs the buildings in Stonewood. Keeps the community in strong, well fortified repair. Can build anything from houses to war machines. (Strong mechanical ability, he can fix anything. Hates to leave Stonewood, and hates to admit when he's wrong) House colors are Brown, forest green and gold. House motto is "A Fortified Heart is an impenetrable Will"
Escalis Drunhea- Master of Trade. Deals with the trade within Stonewood. Makes certain that all Houses are performing their duty to the community, and is the one who makes most of the decisions of who to send on Journey. (Very relaxed and easiest to talk to- if you're a Stone elf. Never gets upset. Views other races as barbaric, especially frowns of the use of currency, when it is more beneficial to balance what the community needs and have citizens do their part.) House colors are Black, purple and silver. House motto is "When Balance is maintained, Perfection is gained".
Ranald Vrektu- Minister of Foreign Affairs. Often sent to deal with other cultures in a formal capacity. Considered a seneschal to most cultures, though there is no such thing among the Kyralia. (Has knowledge of all other races and speaks all other languages with ease. He is even able to duplicate the emotions of other races to better communicate with them, though he is still unable to lie) House colors are Dark purple, dark red and gold. House motto is "Closed minds learn Nothing"
Kanotos Purfeelo- Minister of War. Head of the largest House of fighters. ( Very straightforward, he has little to no tact. Always quite willing to voice his opinion on any matter, regardless of his knowledge of the situation.) House colors are Dark red, black and gold. House motto is "To walk around Truths is to walk into War"
Myalo Zemvolos- Keeper of the Peace. Maintains peace in all aspects within the community. If the Council is called to a dispute, she deals with it first. (Very fair and just. She listens carefully to all that is told her and spends much time deciding on any issue. She will only make a decision if she has no doubt in her mind.) House colors are White, gold and purple. House motto is "Justice maintains Balance"
9. Explanation of Council House Symbols TOP
House Sauros: Black field with gold sun, inside gold sun is the silver star which represents the Kyralia. It is contained within a circle which speaks of eternity as they are. The long rays are gold and the short rays are silver. The rays symbolize the knowledge/tradition that is being taught the young Kyralian. It only has rays on half of the sun, as the non ray half represents the knowledge/tradition not shared with other races.
House Sartosa: Black field with pale blue crescent moon and star, outlined in silver. The star within the moon symbolized that all is possible. The moon symbolizes life, and the star, knowledge. This represents that with knowledge, you can control/heal life, and the mind.
House Sylvesti: Black field with bright blue inside star/circle. Stars are all silver, large star is outlined in silver. Circle is outlined in black. Large star represents formal celestial magic, and the nine other stars represent the 9 levels of magic. The circle within reminds us that celestial magic has always existed and will always exist. The stars are within and outside the star to represent that formal magic contains the levels of magic, as well as is supported by it.
House Dire: Dark red field with a silver crescent moon and a black wolf's head with silver eyes. The silver moon symbolizes the mystical tie of alchemy with nature. The wolf represents the friendship between the Kyralia and the creatures (wolves) of Stonewood; and their alliance of peace.
House Lockleer: Dark blue field with white stars, outlined in silver. Planet is bright blue and bright green. Planet represents life. The larger star represents both formal magic, and the controlling power of the stars. The other nine stars represent both the nine levels of magic, and how they align themselves with life.
House Alkarond: Dark green field with black key outlined in silver, silver stars, and bright green symbol on bottom. Infinity symbol in key is silver. Key represents itself, infinity symbol reminds us that knowledge is always there/available, stars represent celestial/the universe, and plant symbol represents earth/what is contained on Tyrra. The stars and plant symbol show what knowledge there is.
House Serdanhia: Black field with white crossing arrows, white stars outlined in silver, white empty eye (outlined in silver), white eye with silver pupil (outlined in silver), white plant symbol outlined in silver. The four quadrants represent four aspects. Stars are celestial/all that is in the universe, plant is earth/all on Tyrra, eye with pupil is all that is known/seen, and eye without pupil is all that is unknown/not seen.
House Lahdarsic: Forest green field with brown hammer and handle, outlined in gold, and gold rays, rune in hammer is gold. Hammer symbolizes strength/fortitude, rays symbolize Will, and the rune is the rune of strength. The symbol shows that strength is at the root of a strong (impenetrable) will.
House Drunhea: Black field with purple mountain-like symbol outlined in silver, and silver crescent moon. Mountain-like symbol represents stability/the Stonewood Forest, line shows travel, and the moon shows new life. It is a symbol that shows of the many Journeys that leave the Stonewood and head towards a new life.
House Vrektu: Dark purple field with altered infinity symbol in gold, sun and moon both dark red outlined with gold, rays of sun are gold. This symbolizes that as a culture we are forever learning, night and day.
House Purfeelo: Black field with swords outlined in gold, with blades all gold, hilt is dark red with gold pommel and lines. Center symbol is dark red with gold rune. Crossed swords symbolize war/battle/strife. Center shield has a rune of protection. It shows that war is sometimes called upon for protection, and that this house is devoted to it.
House Zemvolos: Purple field with white symbol, outlined in gold. The top circle represents knowledge, and the rays represent teaching, the scales represent balance, and the bottom half represents life. This symbol speaks of how life maintains balance through knowledge. All of this is the sum of justice.
10. Stone Elven Mind Powers Defined TOP
Kyraliat are well known to the other races of Tyrra as healers of the
insane. Though many kirsriezat
(mental healers) have dedicated their lives to understanding the inner workings
of the kyralian mind, the primary emphasis has been on applying the gift to
healing the minds of those less fortunate.
There are several “laws” of mental healing accepted by all that use
it, yet it’s overall nature and limitations are truly unknown.
In part the problem lies with the individual’s interpretation; each
kyralia sees the mind of another in their unique way, and it’s difficult at
best to see the connections between the different perceptions of the mind.
Still, the commonly accepted rules of mind healing (and kyralian mind
melding in general) are as follows:
•
All of a kyralian’s senses while melding are dedicated to the task;
they have only their autonomous nervous system maintaining their body while
melding. Furthermore, all five
senses detect varying types and intensities of emotion.
How each sees/smells/hears/feels/tastes various emotions change from
kyralia to kyralia, and are thought to be in part hereditary.
Though this generally makes a kyralia totally vulnerable while melding,
more advanced healers have been known to utilize the sense of their patient to
maintain a very limited knowledge of the outside world.
Such ability requires decades of training in the many subtle aspects of
melding. Only the aym’kirsriezat
(elder healers) are known to accomplish this.
Some of the kirmest (scholars) who study the kirsriezat
have suggested that much of a kyralian’s measure of skill in melding comes in
their facility in the perception of emotion; those with finer senses often are
the best healers; however, this is no hard and fast rule.
Some of the best kirsriezat come from a long line of very
successful healers, and these bloodlines are often protected, with the aym’roin
(elder) of each assivenn (house) often denying the rights of marriage to
one until they have fulfilled their duty and chosen another who might strengthen
the bloodline.
•
A kyralia may neither create nor destroy emotion over the short period of
time that a healing lasts. Furthermore,
changing one type of emotion to another is difficult and often beyond the
ability of a kyralian attempting the healing.
Much healing is accomplished through simple transfer of emotions, which
the kyralian may then deal with at their leisure.
Here, another innate ability of the kyralia comes to play, as they slowly
assimilate trapped emotion within themselves and reduce it to neutral feelings. This can take anywhere from a month to decades, depending on
the amount and intensity of emotion.
Occasionally a Kyralia will absorb more emotion than they can safely
contain and process. In such cases,
one of several things has been known to happen.
Usually the Kyralia’s mind erects an instinctual barrier to block the
emotion out of the higher levels of thinking, at which point it invades the rest
of the mind. The other races often
refer to this as Stone Elven battle rage, when a stone elf loses control over
his or her body and it vents the emotion in whatever way available.
Often this comes in the form of rage, though other strong emotions may
take control of the body causing passion, fear, depression, or joy strong
enough, in case, to kill the body. The
shock of death does much to alleviate the emotions, but they stay with the
spirit of the stone elf through resurrection, and in rare cases a Kyralia has
been known to die in the course of battle rage, only to resurrect and continue
the venting of emotion.
•
Of all emotions, rage is the most dangerous.
Anger feeds anger, and unless a kyralia is entirely centered in their kaigir
(being) and have full control of their sixent (emotion), absorbing anger
from another often leads to the resident anger in the kyralia breaking through
the interior defenses in resonance. However,
such an occurrence is not limited to anger.
Any emotion the kyralia might not have fully under control can break
through if a similar emotion is being examined or controlled in the patient,
often to the detriment of the kyralia first, and if their defenses fail
entirely, their recipient as way.
Thus, all kyralia are taught the meditative skills early on, to center
themselves and create their internal defenses; these defenses are up at all
times, constantly being tested and reinforced.
Often a kyralia will spend half an hour to an hour preparing for a
healing, testing their own defenses before being tested by another being.
•
The patient controls their own mind.
Occasionally a kyralia will attempt sriehigir (healing) on a
being, only to find their way blocked by the unconscious defenses of the being.
In the end, a kyralia cannot do anything the mind they are healing does
not desire done; often, most of the art of healing comes in convincing the
subconscious to want the healing to be performed.
•
The sriehigir, and mind melding in general, only access emotions.
Unlike the Biata, a kyralia cannot directly influence or see memories.
However, they can often understand emotive memory, getting glimpses of
the sources of strong emotion within another being.
Sometimes the perception of emotion will render it in the form of an
experience, usually a modified form of the original experience that led to the
emotion, clouded by the emotions of the time and of the memory of the event.
For example, sadness over the death of another might be seen as a
joyfully image of the missed one, but the features twisted into those of the
dead.
•
The mind is infinite in complexity and depth.
No kyralian has ever explored all the avenues of the mind, not even their
own. There are always deeper
layers, more primeval roots, that a kyralia will never see or even know exist.
Some of the most difficult healing comes in fixing difficulties at these
levels; most of the time is spent in the diagnosis and subsequent trip to the
source of trouble. Occasionally a
kyralia has attempted to heal such a deep wound, to never again awaken, thought
to be trapped in an infinite journey to the center of the infinite mind of the
patient. Breaking contact at this
point will often free the patient, but the kyralia will most likely go into deep
catatonia, the only cure of which is mental healing.
With these rules to consider, what is it like inside the mind of another?
No kyralia will tell the same story, but it is often like visiting a
world of infinite dreams, with each blending into the other and most tinged with
various emotions. Though it is
infinite, there is a definite scale to this world; a stone elf need not look at
the deepest levels of a section of mind to get the general feel.
Often the damage to the patient has occurred at one single event, and
tracing the current dreams back to this one event often suggests a cure, by
removing the emotion associated it into the mind of the kyralia, where it is
dealt with at the leisure of the kyralia. Sometimes,
another viewpoint of the mind is required, one which sees all the fine details
as a whole, while ignoring the individual dreams.
This viewpoint is often used for damage done long in the past, which has
had much time to propagate throughout the mind and taint many parts. Both types of seeing are difficult, but the latter is more
challenging, requiring a shift of perspective alien to one’s normal viewpoint.
The
Steps
To do a mind meld under normal conditions, one usually does the
following.
[OOG: First, the player whose character is to be healed must be informed
by the player whose character is doing the healing that the entire experience is
voluntary, and at any point the recipient can push the kyralia out of their
mind. The healing cannot force anyone to do anything, nor destroy,
damage, or make anyone’s character unplayable in any way unless they agree to
it. Furthermore, the effects of the
healing or meld can be purged from the character’s mind at any time if the
player feels it is making their character unplayable.
Once the player has agreed to let the meld go on, the in game steps
begin.]
Usually the kyralia sits down to meditate, for anywhere between five
minutes and an hour, depending on the condition of the kyralia (if just coming
in from hours of intense battle, much meditation is necessary to be fully
centered and emotionless for the meld!) and the severity of the insanity.
Then, the kyralia puts their dominant hand on the head of the person
being melded with, and the meld begins. At
this point the kyralia is entirely submersed, and can only be brought out by
their own will or by having the contact broken, either through attack or by
others breaking the link. Note that
anything other than the kyralia breaking the link will result in dire
consequences for the kyralia, and occasionally for the patient; battle rage is
an example of such a side effect, as is instant death or insanity.
There are several standard techniques kyralia use while melding with
others. They are:
•
Movement. The kyralia can,
at will, move his or her perspective; however, the kyralia carries any
unshielded emotions as well. If he
or she encounters a filter wall against anger, for example, and have anger
outside his or her shields, he or she cannot pass.
Furthermore, emotion transferred to the kyralia from the patient will be
unshielded until dealt with.
•
Sense emotion. This is done
at the subconscious level and is interpreted by the mind of the kyralia as a
substitute for their body’s senses. The
dream analogy arises from this ability.
•
Transfer emotion. A simple
movement of one emotion from an area of the mind to the kyralia, or from the
kyralia to the patient’s mind. Used
to take a concentration of emotion from one area and transfer it to the kyralia
performing the healing. The kyralia
can act as a conduit, moving the emotion through them to another part of the
patient or another melded being. However,
he or she must be able to temporarily deal with the amount of emotion being
transferred.
•
Create/Destroy Filter Wall. A
boundary, through which a specific emotion cannot flow.
However, a high intensity emotion might make it through, though lessened
in the process. Filter walls can
either be very specific and very strong, or broader and thus weaker.
They are often used to isolate a section of mind causing difficulties for
the patient. Unfortunately, they
can break down over time, and is merely a temporary fix, usually put in place
before working on that section of the mind.
•
Create/Destroy Emotion Sink. Pulls
a specific emotion towards it, building a concentration of that emotion from the
surrounds. Usual used to build
sufficient emotion of an opposing type to counter the excess in a section of the
mind. Note that this type of
healing leads to a patient often prone to extremes, and is less successful than
pulling the emotion out into the healer’s mind.
However, because it uses the patients it can deal with larger amounts of
emotion than the kyralia healer can directly.
•
Move Pathway. Reroutes a
pathway for emotion within the mind. Often
used to re-associate emotions with events.
For example, if the patient cannot remember a portion of their life due
to the sadness they feel over it, the link between the sadness and that section
of memory can be rerouted to another memory, thus allowing the patient to access
it. This doesn’t actually move
any pre-existing emotion, just reroutes further instances of that emotion.
Note that it is beyond the known powers of kyralia to create or destroy
pathways; one merely changes the structure.
•
Contingency. The kyralia can
set a contingency wall, which is nearly undetectable (though careful study will
reveal it without setting off the contingency) which will activate a series of
events involving pathways, filters, transfer of emotion, communication, and even
more contingencies, after the contingency event passes the filter.
This can be used to set up a long term healing in the patient’s mind,
though on occasion a rogue kyralia will use it to set a trap within the mind of
the patient.
•
Communicate. The final, and
most powerful skill. It allows the
kyralia to communicate with the dreams encountered, or more generally, with the
various subconscious levels of the being. The
subtlest healing is accomplished by convincing the hurt portion of the mind to
begin the healing process, and this is often the most difficult task. A greatly damaged section of mind can be irrational beyond
belief, and sometimes the kyralia must provide it with the stimuli it craves, to
give it the taste of having been healed, to allow for the true healing to begin.
This story telling of a sort requires a large amount of built up emotion
within the kyralia to be able to weave the tale out of feelings.
Here, the kyralia is quite open to accidentally receive emotion from the
patient’s mind, leading to various possible problems.
The
Code of the Kirsriezat
All kyralia are taught the code of the mind healers, the quon’kirsriezat. Any kyralia who has violated the code is tracked down by the kirsriezat
and brought back to be examined; if it is thought they can be returned to the
proper ways, the kyralia will be healed by the kirsriezat and returned to
kyralian society, to be slowly reintegrated. If such a healing cannot be performed, the kirsriezat
are known to leave the perpetrator without their emotional melding abilities,
though the method for this is a secret of the kirsriezat.
Other punishments have been meted out throughout the history of the
kyralia, and often it is tailored to the offense.
The code itself comes from several millennia of healing, and is older
than most kyralia. Its tenets
follow the basic rules of healing, and the morals of the kyralia.
Roughly translated, they are:
Thou shall not intentionally harm another, or through
inaction cause harm to another.
Thou shall do all within thy power to aid those in
need of healing, and it is thy solemn duty to be ever vigilant for the insane
and less fortunate, so they need suffer no more than necessary.
Thou shall seek the aid of others when thy own skill
shall not prevail, lest two be stricken where before one was.
The mind and its memories are sacred and private.
Thou shall never divulge the experiences of another unless their healing
requires such an outside knowledge.
An
Example
The last of the war ogres flies backward at the blow, then drops dead.
Quickly, the party searches the fallen monsters for any valuables, until
a cry from beyond the next door reaches their ears. It is the beginning of horrible wailing, the sound of a
torture beyond the limits of what a human could endure. The party groups at the door, getting ready to come to the
poor man’s rescue. Guy, the
fighter, shoves the door open, hoping to surprise anyone waiting them.
A whelp of pain comes from the source of the screaming, and the party
enters the room, empty except for the source of the cries.
Amongst the debris of torture implements and manacles lies the quivering
body of Lei, the one man who might know the way out of the ogre caves they are
stuck in. All attempts by the party
to revive Lei from his catatonic state are unsuccessful.
Taking stock of the situation, the party decides that T’ressent, the
one stone elf in the party, should attempt to heal the man’s mind so they
might eventually escape. T’ressent
in turn agrees to attempt it, but warns the rest of his party to under no
circumstance allow the link to be broken. T’ressent
sits down to meditate and prepare his internal defenses, while the rest of the
party performs a protective barrier at the door.
[OOG, T’ressent’s player informs Lei’s player of the nature of mind
melding, and that Lei can shove T’ressent out of his mind at any point.
He also tells Lei’s player that the character won’t become unplayable
or be damaged unless he agrees to it. Then
T’ressent’s player tells Lei’s player to describe what T’ressent sees as
he enters Lei’s mind. The player
suggests to Lei’s player to describe the layout of Lei’s mind, in terms of
emotions; maybe a map of emotions in the mind, or several recent scenes in
Lei’s life, tinged with emotion. The
choice is Lei’s player’s.]
After several minutes of preparation, T’ressent knows time is against
him and, seating himself comfortably, places his left hand on Lei’s forehead. His eyes slowly close, and he sends his senses out through
the link into Lei’s mind, beginning the meld.
All external feelings disappear, and T’ressent is now fully inside
Lei’s mind.
As T’ressent begins the meld, Lei’s mind slowly unfolds to his
senses. He is at the boundary to
the mind, looking into a vast, complex series of ever shifting emotions.
Where, in a healthy mind happiness and humor might exist from recent
joyful experiences, only fear and anger exist.
The outside of the mind is tinged in crimson red and swirling with black;
manacles form in the mist, burning bright, to disappear again.
The swirling emotions dart towards T’ressent’s presence, aggressive
in defense of their territory. As
T’ressent forms a filter wall to block out their attack, he sees a face in the
mists, cold and calculating, features twisted into a mockery of a smile,
diabolical in its power. It reeks
of fear. He thinks, “Perhaps the
one who caused this damage…”
The anger beats against the filter wall, a tiny amount leaking through.
T’ressent feels a response from within his shields, perhaps the
emotional remains of the fight won just ten minutes past.
Knowing he must push on past this, he hopes his defenses will hold, and
begins extending the filter wall towards the mind, a spike to pierce the shell
holding the mind hostage. Slowly he extends it, trying to build a corridor protected
from the fear and rage. The walls
begin to weaken, his mind unable to allow for such a complex and large
structure, so T’ressent travels down the corridor and shrinks it behind him.
Soon it becomes a protective bubble with his mental essence in the
middle, heading straight towards the maelstrom of terror.
It rises like a wall, and the screaming T’ressent heard from Lei’s
mouth earlier comes back, now a thousand voices in dissonance.
Strengthening his filter wall to block the sound, he braces his defenses
as the bubble plunges into the swirling emotions.
He heads inwards, through denser and denser emotion, until, as his walls
begin to break down, he suddenly passes through an invisible barrier, and
suddenly finds his presence on a path, sunlight streaming through the woods
about him. He hears laughter from a
nearby meadow. Lei and another are
sitting on a blanket, food spread out around them, obviously enjoying the
beautiful weather.
T’ressent now suspects Lei’s subconscious has thrown up a barrier of
anger and fear to prevent further mental damage, and Lei’s consciousness has
been trapped inside, being fed happy memories, while the body remains
unattended. T’ressent starts an
emotional sink to build up calm, hoping to eventually bargain with the
subconscious; there is far too much anger and fear for him to deal with on his
own. He could try to capture all
the rage and terror in a filter wall boundary, and slowly let it leak out, to be
dealt with at a normal rate. But
first he needs it calmer, malleable. Ideally
he will be able to take parts of the anger and fear out over the next several
weeks until the filter wall can come down.
But right now he knows time is essential and he needs Lei conscious
again, soon. Still, the quon’kirsriezat
limits his actions; he cannot do damage to Lei’s mind in the long term for a
short-term fix.
Slowly T’ressent’s awareness spreads, diffusing throughout the
forest, through other dimensions of the mind, until he begins to see the
intricate weave which makes up the stuff of the mind.
This deeper level is the realm of the subconscious; here he is more
vulnerable, yet he can attempt to directly communicate and convince the
subconscious to corral the anger and fear.
Images of the torture room, clean and filled with friendly faces drawn
from the calm sink, are directed by T’ressent towards the elements of the
weave. It’s a diffuse signal,
unnoticed by the conscious mind enjoying its picnic.
T’ressent feels the subconscious start to recoil; he quickly recalls
the image of the torture chamber and replaces it with the surface just above the
caves, Lei and his friends walking away from the cave.
The subconscious relaxes again; T’ressent begins another tactic.
He sends images of manacles and torture implements; each is tinged with
anger and fear, and as they reach the subconscious, the fear overwhelms the
anger and then the fear and implement disappear under the careful eye of a being
resembling T’ressent, drawn away out of the mind.
T’ressent feels the subconscious begin to respond, and his peripheral
vision detects a lessening of the swirling.
Preparing his defenses for one last assault, T’ressent pulls his
essence back together, then surrounds himself with a filter wall bubble.
He wills himself outside the barrier, into the maelstrom.
However, the storm of emotion is subdued; strong, but undergoing a sort
of internal battle, as fear and anger compete in small sections.
Taking quick action, T’ressent begins to expand his bubble, letting it
collect sections of the fear and anger, slowly but surely sweeping it together,
away from the barrier. The remnants
of emotion T’ressent quickly gathers unto himself, to prevent it attacking the
filter wall from the other side. The
emotion building within him is strong, but his defenses hold.
Soon the last of the anger and fear is either trapped within the filter
wall or contained in his own defenses. Finally,
he builds a transparent contingency around the filter wall, to build another if
the first breaks. It should
hopefully last long enough for T’ressent to recover from this healing and take
more of the emotion into himself.
Finally, he returns to the barrier, within which Lei’s consciousness
resides. Drawing on the last of the emotion sink contained within, he
makes a lure outside the barrier. Looking
within, he sees Lei get up off the blanket and walk down the pathway, towards
the sense of calm. Eventually he
gets to the barrier, and puzzled for a moment, pushes against it.
It gives to his hand, and Lei steps to embrace the calm.
T’ressent slowly withdraws from the mind, and breaks contact.
His internal battle has just begun, as he attempts to process the anger
contained within his defenses. Slowly
his senses return; Lei has opened his eyes and has started to look around, his
screaming gone, but the sound of battle replaces it.
Wearied by the healing, and fighting his own internal battle, T’ressent
turns to help his friends . . .
Tidbits
A kyralia can meld with only one non-kyralia, though it is possible to
meld with two kyraliat at the same time. The
melds are usually one way. Thus,
say one kyralia, T’ressent, attempts to heal a human, Deathblade.
Meanwhile, another kyralia, Guivant, melds with T’ressent.
Guivant sees T’ressent’s unconscious and emotive mind, and can,
through T’ressent, access Deathblade, and transfer emotion from Deathblade
directly to Guivant. T’ressent,
on the other hand, will sense Guivant’s presence but be unable to enter
Guivant’s mind. Deathblade with
merely sense T’ressent and maybe another presence, though who the second is
will likely be vague. A two-way
meld is established between two kyraliat by a simultaneous meld.
This allows for emotive communication and is a sacred, bonding
experience, usually saved for marriage or blood friends.
To meld with two kyralia requires great skill, and is usually only
attempted by the more advanced kirsriezat.
Traps as set by others vary in their effects, and ideally the kyralia
doing the meld that encounters the trap will interpret its effects and role-play
it in an interesting and enjoyable manner.
However, if one is in doubt of whether a trap could be disarmed, the
following ranking system should work. The
ability of an elf is measured in the following system:
Rank
1 -- young Kyralian (150- yrs)
Rank
2 -- mature Kyralian
Rank
3 -- elder Kyralian (1250+ yrs) or kirsrieza
Rank
4 -- advanced kirsrieza (NPC only)
Rank
5 -- aym’kirsrieza (NPC only)
In
general, the time required to detect a trap as set by that of another rank is
given by the following:
| Rank(setter) - Rank(melder) | Detect | Disarm | Effect |
| -4 | 1s | 1s | No effect |
| -3 | 2s | 4s | Minimal |
| -2 | 5s | 10s | A little emotion |
| -1 | 15s | 30s | Significant emotion |
| 0 | 1m | 5m | Containable emotion |
| 1 | 2m | 10m | Almost uncontainable emotion |
| 2 | 5m | 20m | Battle rage or equivalent |
| 3 | 20m | 1hr | As above, but to death |
| 4 | 1hr | can't | As above, but continues beyond resurrection |
If two stone elves were involved in the setting, the highest rank is
used. If three or more of the same
rank set the trap, the next higher rank is used, and for each two additional,
the backlash goes up by a rank. If
two try and disarm it of different ranks, the rank of the highest is used, but
the times are halved; however, the effects hit both kyralia.
If two of the same rank try it (and any of equal or lesser rank), their
overall rank is increased by one, times are halved, and any additional beyond
the two can help to alleviate the side effects.
When someone uses an elf's soul name on them, they have complete control over them. They are still limited by their skills and racial abilities, though. For example, a Stone Elf cannot lie still, because it is genetically impossible. Lying involves a certain amount of emotion that Kyralian find impossible to emulate. So, using a Stone Elf's soul name and then commanding them to tell a lie, would cause the elf to simply state that it is impossible.
The use of a soul name cannot be resisted, as a charm effect. It is stronger than even Vampyric charm, and would cause the elf to kill themselves, or even their soul mate (name for recognized elves).
Stone Elves are generally against the use of soul names, as they are sensitive to the fact that someone can use the same to them. But, this is not a racial thing, and if you play an evil character, use them away.
12. The Stonewood Forest Culture and Community TOP
The physical layout of the Stonewood Forest is unique, for lack of a better expression. Before the year 514, it was on the ground level, but after the vicious attack by Keegan Byrne, it was moved into the safety of the trees. Now the cities are built upon platforms made of the famous Stonewood trees above the ground, out of sight. There are entrances to each of the cities from the ground, but they are well concealed and protected. They are staircases built into a hollowed out tree, with the seamless entrance held shut by an earth elemental. Members from the city know the command word for their city's elemental, but not for the other cities. This is a measure of protection. The exception to this method of entering the cities above, is the capital city of Sansandur. There is no known entrance to the Great City from the ground. (There actually is an entrance, but it is only known to the members of the High Households and the Illnarie, it is a ground level entrance to the Great College. This is kept secret for the combined protection of the college and Sansandur.) Members of the High Households and the Illnarie have the command words to all the cities entrances. Obviously, each command word is different.
The Kyralia wear their House Symbol upon their face, so that it is evident what their duties are, while in the community. Though many will go without this adornment while in their homeland, and will reserve its use for formal occasions. But most will wear it when traveling outside of the forest. There are also other sigils that are worn for certain instances, like when on council business, when engaged in war, when in mourning (these will depict who has died-to a degree), and so on. There are examples of these elsewhere in this packet.
There are 16 major towns/cities within Stonewood. Actually, only 15 that are populated, and only 14 of those are populated by Kyralians. The descriptions of the cities are as follows.
Sansandur:
Commonly referred to as the "Great City of Learning". This is the capital city of the Stonewood, and is where most of the major points of interest lie.
It houses the Great College, where every Kyralian goes to learn the knowledge of the ways. It's illustrious teachers are the Illnarie, powerful and disciplined elves who devote themselves to the ways of Rumil Sauros, and the teachings of Surrake (the first of the psi-lords to side with Rumil in the time of change). Upon the city's entrance to the college are the three symbols for body, mind and soul. The college has a ritual cast upon it that keeps any of non-Kyralian blood from entering it (Proscribe). The College is described in detail elsewhere in this document.
Behind the college are the gardens. They are well kept, and separated from the rest of the town by a wall of ivy. Flowers and waterfalls fill this area, as well as a path made out of smooth stones, gathered from the ocean. There are benches set in places where they don't detract from the scenery, and it is a popular place for meditation and thought. It is deceptively large once inside, and you can wander the gardens without ever coming across another Kyralian.
In the center of the city is the Great Pyre. It burns constantly at a low level, and is the source for a heating system that goes throughout the main city. Each of the cities/towns has a pyre to heat the buildings, but Sansandur's is the largest, as it provides heat for so much more. The only time it is turned off, is for the Ceremony of Death. This is so that the eldest member may light the pyre to burn their dead House member, and then it is burned brightly, to represent the new hope that is found in death.
There is the Great Meeting Hall, which is where most of the ceremonies of each Kyralians life take place. It is immense, and has its outside walls made to come off, so that all the Kyralia may bear witness to important events. There is a raised stage in the center, with rows of benches surrounding it. In the closest position to the stage are seats for the members of the Co'Latioue (High Council). The building itself is circular, with 12 different angles to make the circle. The roof comes to a point in the center, and is made of the wood from the Stonewood trees, as are all the buildings in the Stonewood.
Off to one secluded section of town are the Counci