I need clarification....

The Lillivear and Aestera united in times of war (what war I do not know)

Yes. Although it is not really necessary at this point here is some background to the story:

The timeline points somewhere around 5500 b.S. The Earth Peninsula is in turmoil. Each tribe fighting almost everyone else and more often than not factions within itself. A very chaotic age.

The most advanced among the tribes are the Aestera and the Lillivear, but after five decades of warring against the other you find a very frail composition on either side. The endless conflict between them has left both weak, their society fragmented. Everyday more of their realm is left in ruins – not only from the battle between them, the continuing raids by other tribes also had its toll. They no longer can afford to spend resources for the finer moments of life or even for improving the splendour of their kingdoms. Realization strikes that unless they, the two strongest tribes of the peninsula, unite, neither will survive this period of disarray.

So I would say it wasn’t exactly one major war that brought the Aestera and the Lillivear together but all the sheer multitude of skirmishes and this prolonged atmosphere of insecurity. Once they are united the other tribes realize just how strong they might be together, they are forced to join forces out of the fear of extermination and move towards the Krean for a final strike. Of course you know what happened in the end

The Krean won but the consequences weren’t pleasant for any of the sides. Actually that is why the Krean became pacifists: they were sick of the “wasted resources” (including lives) and an unnecessary diversion of their energy. You see, the Krean are too into comfort and enjoying life and its aesthetic pleasures to invest effort in warfare.

The following centuries saw the rise of the first Krean Empire, which controlled a good three fifths of the peninsula. What you have to understand here is that they did not bring all the other tribes under their rule out of a passion for conquest or even martial glory. If they were left unattended doubtlessly more wars would crop up – and hostilities are bad for trade… No trade means no prosperity, no riches to pay for the luxuries or create works of art. And the Krean simply could not allow that to happen

It did not take a lot of effort to overpower the other tribes really: They had already enfeebled each other with centuries of war and famine and now with the two major power of the peninsula working together instead of against each other…

A few centuries later the fist Krath Empire would take over from the Krean. Mostly because the other tribes had had enough with that air of superiority the Krean wore all the time (even without realizing it). The rest of the peninsula had been alienated from everything to do with the Krean and their “civilization”. They thought it too high a price to pay for a flourishing social order.

-Their relationship with nature is in a way semi-druidic (in their level of preservation)

Yup; that is why they hold elves in such high esteem. I am not an expert on elves, so what I am about to say may not be right but perhaps contrasting the Krean with elves may clarify the concept:

Firstly: The Krean are not ‘elves without pointy ears’. As I see it, elves define themselves in reference to Nature. They respect and care for nature and all its life forms so much because they are Nature. “Styrás” which means “female elf” in the elven tongue is derived from “styrá“ (“Nature”). Another interesting detail: the verb “to be” is “styrán“. Elves see themselves as a part of its grander splendour.

The Krean are not elves without pointy ears; despite their unique approach to life they are before anything human. Beauty is an extension of the Self. Nature is to be appreciated for its beauty; it is to be loved and enjoyed rather than respected. For the Krean, nature is something that must be mastered. It must continually be cultivated for efficiency and shaped to bring out a greater beauty.

Nonetheless they regard themselves more as “editors” who have to tweak something little here and there so to say than the composer. Nature already has great beauty latent in it. On general the Krean try to preserve nature as it is, making alterations where needed.

The Krean are “wardens” of nature not its children. In their meditations they try to become One with it – elves are One. ‘Becoming one’ first presupposes the existence of something other than yourself and then implies an ‘act’. But in doing that the Krean differ from the normal human tribes: In “mastering” nature they do not try to overcome or subjugate it to their power. Instead they “fuse”, merge with it and guide its existence as an extension of theirs.

- They are not fond of war and violence but can protect themselves & - Their weapon of choice is Magic

Absolutely true. Their magic was also the strongest on Nybelmar at the time (until the Year of Darkness 1648bS). But everything we know about the Krean is second-hand information; no has been no contact with that peninsula after the Year of Darkness.

- Diplomats and the such are considered mainly as men's jobs & Women are more likely to become priestesses

Hmmm… Not exactly. What you say is true for the Lillivear but quite the opposite holds for the Aestera. With the Lillivear, men take care of the more ‘mundane’ matters; the arcane and the ‘spiritual’ are generally left in the command of women.

Just the opposite of the Lillievar, here women take care of the affairs of state and men handle the arcane. But the Aestera, apart from the water priestesses, are less religious. Aesteran magic is purely magic; it’s something you are schooled in. I guess one could say that the learning and teaching of magic is almost a science among the Aestera (that’s why their magic system is written from the Aesteran point of view). In time Lillivear magic (the magic of the earth priestesses) was also “secularized” by these Aesteran schools I mentioned so men could also use it.

But you should not think that the Lillivear society values women less or that their power-politics are more patriarchal. Quite the opposite actually: With the Aestera men and women always had a very equal standing. Before they merged with the Aestera, women were a bit more in the forefront of Lillivear society. Even today the strongest magic of the Krean is that of the Lillivear priestesses of Ankriss (the High Goddess of Earth).

Therefore: When you put the two pieces of glass on top of each other this is the scene you would see at a “Krean” council: Men generally from Lillivear sections and women generally from Aesteran ones.

Summing up with the help of some images: Lillivear = Earth ; Aestera = Water. If the Lillivear are the bright rays of sunshine, the Aestera are silver shafts of moonlight striking in their graceful serenity.

- Fidelity is uncommon
What exactly do you mean here? Can you give me a hint about where you inferred that from?

- They are more artistic than the sarvonians
I don’t think even a devoted Sarvonian would not try to counteract your statement. Aesthetic appreciation and value is central to the Krean way of life.

- They are more laid-back then the Sarvonians.
You could say that (if you are only making the comparison among humans). That definitely is the picture in the middle echelons of Krean society: Very relaxed and well… happy. There is an interesting saying from the great Krean metropolis of Sihitara (one which has yet to go on the site): If you are looking for misery, get yourself more gold.

The Krean realm (the Twin Kingdom) was the most prosperous on Nybelmar – and that took a lot of cunning and effort. Metaphorically speaking, the Krean ran a “trade empire” within the Grand Empire of Krath: they controlled the money. The upper ranks of Krean society are excellent schemers – they also have to work a lot harder than everyone else not only to maintain what they personally have but to insure the smooth running of the system they established. Of course the accumulation of these concerns makes them a bit more stressed and anxious than your average Krean, but they still would pass as very calm next to a Sarvonian human.

The Krean are a very paradoxical society: They like to keep their destiny in their own hands; they want to be in charge of what happens to them. Strangely, at the same time they are very fatalistic. Those in power scheme day and night (why do you think they have such a sophisticated poison industry other than that they live in a rainforest and their propensity towards flora?) but they do not lose sleep over what might happen to them. If they fail, they would think it was supposed to be – and that well… everyone is going to die one day…

I know; it seems hard to understand how they strive so hard to be masters of their own fate yet at the same time remain so fatalistic. I will borrow a concept from the French-Lebanese historian/writer Amin Maalouf (maybe you’ve heard of him): Fate to a Krean is what wind to a sailing-vessel is. It is not up to the captain to determine from where or even how strong the wind will blow, but he can control his own sail. And that can make a great difference; the same wind may bring one sailor to a beautiful lagoon as it drags another, one who is inexperienced or careless or ignorant or wrong in his judgment, to his destruction. (Les Identités Meurtrières)

- They are more civilised than Sarvonians
Much as I believe in the superiority of the Krean (:P at Judith) “civilized” as I am sure you realize is a very subjective adjective. What is “civilized” or “advanced” depends on what your yardstick for civilization or advancement is. If your measure is prosperity, enlightenment, education or artistic achievement the Krean, who disappeared thousand of years ago, were more civilised than Sarvonians – and with that I mean the ‘current’ Sarvonians. My initial plan was to have the Krean as a sort of “Atlantis” civilization on a continent far far away.

If you take conquest, martial glory or even the strong, perseverant endurance of the poor Santharian farmer who does not have the luxury of having arcane power on his side to surmount whatever unpleasant surprise life might throw in his way, the Krean would not score very highly.

So whether they really are more “civilised” depends on the criteria (also most of the Krean related entries were written from a Krean-favourable perspective) - but still… everyone knows what you meant and just how true what you had in mind was, don’t we?

I guess it would be most diplomatic to say that they are charming in their eccentricity.

I am very impressed by how much you extracted from that rather disorderly entry!
:thumbup

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