Amira gets back to what she started

The Quealhoirhim Elves

Overview
The elves of the Zephiranian forest. Numerically the Quealhoirhim are the largest of the Santharian Elven tribes. They are also the most friendly and gregarious of the tribes, with their settlements generally being open to visitors of all races. They're knowledge of current and past affairs makes them naturally wise, as such they often see themselves as the most important of the wood elves, and that arogannce often annoys many of the other elven tribes. However, they are closley related to the Ylfferhim, who were originally part of this tribe, before the Quallian was cleaved from the main forest by flooding. They also enjoy good relations with their Tethirhim neighbours and with the Aellenrhim, with whom they share much of their outlook on life.

Appearance
If one is lucky enough to see an elf abroad, for contary to popular myth, scare few people in this modern age ever get to meet one, then without a doubt, that elf would likely be of Quealhoirhim origins. For of all the elven tribes, the Quealhoirhim are the least shy of men, and the most open to other races. However, their natural tendency to get involved affairs of other tribes and races, often lead them to become involved in conflicts more often than other elves.

As a result the Quealhoirhim are sometimes called 'Classical' elves, for when humans speak or come to depict elves, they often show elves of the Zephranian, for few humans know of the considerable difference between this tribe and say the Aellenrhim, with their sharp features and small frames.

The Quealhoirhim are thus elves of typical human imagination: With sharply pointed ears and high cheekbones, and considered very attractive to human eyes. They are slender and tall in appearance, aprox. 2 peds, the same height as a tall human male, though they are as a tribe slightly shorter and more well built than their Ylfferhim cousins. The Quealhoirhim are also generally longer lived than their Ylfferhim kin, generally reaching the grand age of 500 to 600. Male elves have an androgonous beauty, with graceful fragile features and little beard growth, which makes them difficult to discern from females and both sexes usually have big, expressive eyes usually ranging from deep shades of blue and purple through to deep green. What marks the Quealhoirhim apart from the Ylfferhim is their colouring. The Quealhoirhim are typically of golden or olive skin, and exhibt a magnificent range of marvelous hair colourings from jet black, through brown and bright red (perhaps due to some Tethrihim influence) to Gold, though no lighter, and a variety of strangely glimmering, undefineable colours inbetween.
Hair is worn uncut and open, though while at work or in battle, elves commonly remove their hair from their face using ties made of string or flax. Female elves of the Quealhoirhim often cultivate flowers to wear in the hair, which is often worn loose or with small braids.

Like all elves there is always light on the face of an Quealhoirhim elf. Light that he/she seems to draw, from the beauty of the surrounding nature itself, which is thus reflected in the elven features.

Coat of Arms
The vast population of the tribe has had several different coats of arms, and there have been many different coats of arms over the years. However the official banner of the Quealhoirhim since the outbreak of the First Sarvonian War is a rather abstract affair depicting a gleaming sword engraved with the eye of Ava on a red field flanked by two frost dragons. The sheild is based on the events prior to SW1 when Mengolth blood (symbolised by the red field) that the elves had hidden to prevent men angering the gods and dragons, while the sword shows that the Quealhoirhim were willing to fight to prevent the Age of Blood.

Territory
The Quealhoirhim elves dwell in the Zeiphyrian Forest, but also on the forest's southern coast. Isolated members of the tribe live on the Elvenground

People
The Quealhoirhim are an increadibly diverse bunch of elves, the jacks of all trades, having learnt all sorts of skills from other elves and other races. They are great traders and craftsmen, producing some of the most beautiful items of elven craft in Santharia. Each village, town and city has their own specialities, while the capital, is a thriving metropolis where these skills can be traded. Settlements deeper in the forest often home rangers and wood crafters.

Like the Ylfferhim, the Quealhoirhim have a natural ability for magic and like the Ylfferhim use this to protect the larger towns and cities. However, unlike the Ylfferhim, they do not keep people out but simply create another level, no less real, but not the real city, into which other races are admitted, allowing the Quealhoirhim to satisfy their elven need to some secracy. They have a rich oral and musical tradition.

They are not a warlike tribe, but they have been hardened by their involvment in many conflicts over the centuries. The Quealhoirhim are the politicians of the elven world, loving to debate and argue. As a result they have got involved in some confilicts that perhaps did not concern them and leads them to be a little dominerring at meetings of the High Elven Circle. Each settlement has their own defences and all members of the tribe are trained in long range weapons, such as the bow and arrows and slings. A main armed force is kept in Elving consisting of two contingents of archers and a a mounted core.

The elves are the only tribe to have a standing navy, though that navy also doubles as a fishing fleet, depending on which boats are in use. The Quealhoirhim navy are based at Elving.

Housing
Housing, like everything about this tribe is very varied. In Elving and the other city - Saloh - buildings are grand and made of stone and clay and surrounded by huge city walls and very much like any human city, though cleaner and kinder to the land they are built on. Other towns contain small wooden huts. Some members of the tribe live in wooden built houses. Near the coast the natural caves are converted into energy efficient homes. Caves on the cliffs around the port town of elving often double as strategic forts and look out points. In the depth of the forest villages are very much like those found in the Quallian, a network of wooden dwellings on various levels, linked by wooden walkways and plating of the tree branches, in the trees and invisiable if you don't know where to look. The Quealhoirhim are the only elves to dwell outside the forest, on the Elvenground, isolated family enclosures can be found, which the elves farm.

Clothing
Fashion is very varied. The Quealhoirhim elves have a taste for bright colours, though they are normally based on natural shades and exotic fabrics that they recieve through trade. Common fabrics are cottons, organza and silk which they recieve from northern visitors. Style is a matter of personal taste, though loose flowing clothes in lighter colours are generally more practical in the heatof the forest, though elves living in the trees find closer fitting clothes more practical.

The Quealhoirhim are also well known for enammel broaches and jewellery. They gather sand from the shore and mix it with colourings that they trade for. It is common for such a broach to be given to youg elves on their 30th birthdays.

Food
What is consumed again depends on the circumstances in which an individual elves are based. In Elving Fish is the main foundation of diet, though elving also recieves many foodstuffs from other settlements and tribes. On the elvenground, meat and vegtables are consumed and the excess sent to the larger settlements. Deeper in the forests, many elves are gatherers, surviving on roots, seeds, fruits and nuts to be found in the forest.

Occupations
Occupations are increadibly diverse, but seem to be governed by the location of the indvidual. In deep forest locations, elves are rangers, wood crafters or archers. On the elven ground, the elves are farmers, and provide food to nearby human settlements as well as to Elving. Within the twin cities, occupations are diverse. In the temple area one will find clerics, who devote their lives to serving the Gods, mages who maintain the multilayers of the cities, traders, craftsmen, fishermen, politicians, bakers, ect. There is no trade that connot be found somewhere.

Government
The Quealhoirhim have an exceptionally complicated governmental style in comparison to most elves. This is partly due to the fact that the tribe is so numerically large, while activities undertaken are so diverse, and partly because they have observed that some human methods of administration have exceptional organisational benefits.

Generally on day to day issues, Quealhoirhim settlements are self-governing, most being small enough to do this in a community fashion. The two cities come under the duress of a City Chamber, consisting of temple elders, mages, military experts and the oldest members of the tribe. These meetings are headed by the 'Rann or 'Ronn of the tribe.

Overall decisions that affect the whole tribe are taken by a 'Rann, or rarely a 'Ronn. They are responsible for overseeing the welfare and interactions of all parts of the tribe,trade routes, as well as ensuring good relations with other races and tribes. Their power depends on prestige and the respect of their people rather than on family connections, as the settlements of the Quealhoirhim are rather independant of mind and will not tolerate poor leadership. The best leaders of this tribe are those who are strategically and politically minded while being in touch with all the various settlements that make up the tribe. A big requirement for anyone individual in a tribe so large and diverse. As a result an Quealhoirhim 'Rann or 'Ronn may well employ many talented indviduals from many different backgrounds as advisors. There may be as many as 60 advisors at any one time so the 'Rann or 'Ronn's children, when old enough are often required to take charge of these advisors and compile all the information from the advisors into consise proposals for the 'Rann or 'Ronn to deal with. But ultimatly descisions lie with the 'Rann or 'Ronn.

When many tribes have only a single level and more equal way of governing policy, this may seem exessive, but it has provided the Quealhoirhim with several advantages since the system was adopted midway through SW1. Until this point the settlements, while recognising a certain shared origin and a need to cooperate, were seperate war entities. In the first part of the war suffered several heavy defeats, culminating in the anihalation of the Zephrianian in 806b.S. Elf for Elf the tribe were more than a match for the invading humans, but part of the cause of these defeats was that they lacked the miltary organisation and - perhaps even more important - the administrative and logistic machinery underpinning the organisation which made Human troops impressive. As a result in b.S 811 the first 'Rann was elected.

At first similar problems remained with logistics. War leaders employed to organise village defences tried to centralise and make armies more mobile, but found they could only keep warriors in the field, far from home, for at most a few weeks. After that they would be either starving, or bored, or worried about their crops, or families, and would simply go home. However, gradually, a human like centralised army and navy evolved, which alliveated this problem.

Production/Trade
The Quealhoirhim are known for their craftmanship, beautiful emammeled jewllery, beautiful and highly decorated armour and swords. They also produce strong functional wares. The superficial level of Elving is a trade centre for that area. Wares from all over Santharia pass through here. If something is required, merchants in Elving will probably be able to get hold of it.

Natural Resources
Sand from the coastline at the southern edge of the forest can be used for glass and building. Some amount of gold can be found in the western edges of the forest.

Weapons
The weapon of choice for a Quealhoirhim elf is of course the bow and arrow, though elves who live in the densest part of the forest tend to find long range weapons inaffective. As such many elves also carry small daggers of bronze or iron make which can be obtained from the port of Elving.

Festivals
The Quealhoirhim believe in the High Gods (Ava/Coor) and the Aviaria. There is a understanding in the tribe that each God as important as the next, and that imbalance leads to disaster. But the Quealhoihim can't help but hold three of the Gods above the rest of the Aviaria. In the West, the tribe, like their Ylfferhim cousins hold the Godess Sayella in the highest reverance. Nethor is also held by the whole tribe in special reverance. Like him, they believe they feel the greatest joy, the greatest sorrow and that have the greatest responsibility for the wealfare of Aér'aí'chan. In the forest settlements however, Arvins is also held in high reverence.

There are no specific festivals. The temples are always open for elven meditation. Though 'Temple' is a very rough term, the Quealhoirhim do not really have temples in the Human sense of the word, knowing that Gods do not exist inside buildings. Instead their religious sites are places of divine reverance. An enormous ring of standing stones North West of Saloh is the temple to Urtengor, Nethor is worshipped in a great Tree Catherdral outside of Elving. Every sunrise and sunset is an important time for the Quealhoirhim. Walk through the forest at night and the air is alive with the increadible beautiful song, as tales of the Gods and of times past are carried on the wind.

History

AGE OF MYTHS
Origins of the Quealhoirhim: There are many different versions of how the tribe came to be. One popular myth is Cárpa'ál'Wievóc, common also to the Ylfferhim. What seems to be certain is that the tribe are the descendants of Light elves that were trapped in physical form after the burning of the Eu'roll, and chose not to return to the Thealon to reclaim their wind forms, but to stay in the forests.

13000b.S First confirmed settlements in the Zepheranian Forest.

12689 b.S. First buildings on the site of Elving. Proposed arrival of Vai'linai and Ioawlen. Vai'linai chooses to stay. She is not a 'Rann as such, but a wise advisor to surrounding settlements.

10000 b.S. The City of Elving is a thriving Metropolis. Protected by the elves from other visitors by Quealhoirhim Magi who make the real Elving inaccesible to other visitors. Later this is extended to the emerging city of Saloh.

5000 b.S. In the far eastern part of the forests, three settlements, influenced by the Tethrhim and unhappy with the Quealhoihim way of life left the forest and settled further north, forming the Jhehellrhim. For many years this offshoot of the Quealhoirhim have little contact with their mother tribe.

AGE OF AWAKENING
Capher. Any details you wish to insert at any point?? I'm not very hot on the War of the Chosen.

1067b.S Colonisation and cultivation of Elven ground by isolated farming families.

841b.S Human child is found by a Quealhoirhim merchant family abadoned on the Elvenground. Is raised as part if the family. Named Wegerrand (later Gorm)

AGE OF BLOOD

822 b.S Wegerrand, when in the Bolder, with his adoptive family, received knowledge of the location of the powerful blood of the once sacrificed Maengolth, who died from the sword of his own son. The blood had been taken away by the elves to prevent the humans of enraging the high powers, the dragons and the gods. The holder the holy blood of Maengolth within himself shall unite all the human tribes and lead the humans to domination over the world of Aér'ai'chán.

Leaves his tribe to retrieve the chalice, and returns to Humans.

819 b.S. The Coronation of Gorm. Quealhoirhim desperatly petition Gorm to return the blood. Messengers are exceuted. Elving and Saloh are heavily fortified.

811 b.S.
The Assassination of Gorm
A Quealhoirhim send an assassin managed to sneak into the king's palace and to lay fire on the bedchamber of the king. Just like Caein hundreds of years before him Gorm suffered a terrible death for his unceasable will to gain power.

806 b.S Battle of Annihilation at the Zeiphyrian Forests, Five years after the murdering of Gorm a ruthless assault on the elven fortresses at Elving, south of the Zeiphyrian Forests, was initiated by Viginold Deresvungen. Although not all human tribes declared war on the elves, the strength of the human forces was gigantic. Some human tribes, even joined the elves and also dark elves supported the elven cause, fighting especially the dwarves, who were promised to receive valueable mines for their help at the Rimmerins-Ring by the human leaders.

The battle lasted for many months and thousands of soldiers of all races died at the brutal slaughtering, but no army could decide the enormous battle, which caused terrific destruction among both sides. Elving was destroyed completely and most parts of the Zeiphyrian Forests as well as the adjacent Auturian Woods were burnt. The first major Sarvonian battle at the Zeiphyrian Forests indeed was a cruel slaughtering which was unique in Sarvonian history so far, but it should only be a glimpse of even fiercer battles to come: It was the beginning of the so-called War of the Blood which would last nearly 80 years and which would result in lots of bloodshed but would bring no victory to any of the fighting races.

804 b.S. First 'Rann of the Quealhoirhim declared and centralised government created. Settlements are still to some extent self governing.

The First Great Flood
From 806 to 804 b.S. extensive deforestation of large tracts of the Zeiphyrian Forest took place as the area came under repeated attack in the First Sarvonian War, was cleared by human forces to allow easy access, both on foot and by boat, to the fort of Elving, and to provide materials for fortifications and naval technology on both sides. The worst affected area was that around the stretch between the present border of the Zeiphyr and the Thaehelvil river. On the first day of the Avénni'modía (Month of the Awakening Earth) 804 b.S. the rains came. Heavy rainfall saturated the forest floors. Where trees once would have intercepted the water, rain flowed straight into the Thaevelvil River. On the third day the river burst its banks and flooded a vast swaith of the land either side of the river, its immense power sweeping away everything in its path. The rain continued for three weeks, and the flood took a further two to subside.

This first flood cleared vast tracts of the remaining forest around the Thaevelvil river, widened its course and its flood plain and created the start of the delta with the Aetryam Sea, and created the Aieryn river that today flows through the forest.

796 b.S. The Second Great Flood
The elves often refer to this as "The Severing". The second flood occured in much the same way but affected a slightly lesser area, but it cleared the last remaining fragments of forest around the river banks, cleaving the Quallian from the main branch of the forest. It also widened the delta and deposited alluvial soils along its banks, making the whole area incredibly fertile.

760 b.S Ylfferhim declare their independance from the Quealhoirhim and pull out of the war.

to be added to later.

Wren
The dappy Elven One. Keeper of the Sacred Winegums, And Three sandwiches and a pack of polos short of a full picnic.
Oh And Santharia's People mod.

Edited by: Wren at: 5/12/02 12:46:46 pm