Moriquendi Eli'tha: An Inside Culture

[Tiyribi Andares]

Moriquendi Eli’tha: An Inside Culture

Introduction:
The Eli’tha are a conservative sect of Moriquendi who, for religious and political reasons, separated from the mainstream Moriquendi thirty-two patterns after the Great Divide. The Eli’tha are still a relatively small group, and live by very strict rules of propriety and manner. Hidden away, the Eli’tha’s name is well known throughout the Moriquendi as a sort of folklore, or through the Eli'tha missionaries that move to live in Ethgan'tor, but are rarely known outside of the dark elf kin. Physically the Eli'tha are completely identical to the mainstream Moriquendi, but have developed an unique culture and society due to their extreme isolation. After their separation from the mainstream Moriquendi, the Eli'tha migrated to the Sherian province, settling in near Aestas.

In their physical stature and appearance, the sect of Eli'tha have retained all of the traits that both grace and curse the secular Moriquendi; however, for obscure reasons, the Eli'tha have an almost pure bloodline of blue eyes, much unlike common Moriquendi; the typical dark eye colors and the occasional violet are almost never seen and are generally looked down upon for being unique.

History:
The Eli’tha were a part of the original Moriquendi. Cursed by Meephos and Haya, the Moriquendi fought against the light elves in the Great Divide, inducing massive casualties on both sides. During the battle, a group of dark elves realized their great wrong, and, in an attempt to correct it, replaced their Vysstichi brethren’s weapons with inferior ones, then left the battle, deceitfully giving the light elves the edge. Settling away from the other elven cultures, the Moriquendi earned the hatred of most other races and began the formation of their own distinct culture. Approximately ninety-three patterns after the Great Divide, Yirel Eli’tha, a young Moriquendi noble, began penning his “Poth’ia Ideals”, a strict code of traditions, values, and ethics, calling for complete obedience to the hierarchy and to Aetheria itself. He attracted followers, who quickly clung to his ideals and set themselves apart from the rest of the Moriquendi. This sect worshipped Carmelya as a primary deity, calling for “Piety, Perseverance, and Patience”, a complete withdraw from “secular” society. They also tended to disagree with most of the political policies set down in the Moriquendi society, and thought the customs and etiquette repulsive. At first this sect attempted to change the Moriquendi culture from the inner workings of their government, but soon became disheartened with the lack of visible change. The Eli’tha also attempted “street revivals”, hoping to reach the common people to their cause. Led by Yirel and annoyed with the lack of complete change in the Moriquendi race, the sect left the common Moriquendi nearly twenty patterns after the Poth’ia Ideals were written, calling themselves the Eli’tha after their leader and creator, intent upon living their lives as they saw fit and pleasing while condemning the mainstream Moriquendi for their “heathen” ways and proclaiming that they still followed the way of Jalat, Jorel, and the others of Aeternia.

The Eli’tha settled in the foothills of the mountains in Sherian Province, a distance away from Aestas, founding the one main Eli’tha city named Joi’qui, quickly holding fast to the complete separation of the Eli’tha from the common Moriquendi and most other races. Their lands and borders are not well guarded, persay, but quite unknown; only two outsiders have ever entered the Eli’tha cities. Joi'qui itself holds little interest for the world outside of the Eli'tha, as it is no more than the central point of Carmelyan temples and stores where food is shared or bartered. The Eli'tha do use the monetary system of the Aelyrian Empire, but sparingly, as much emphasis is placed on generosity. To attempt to repay one for a gift is a great offense.

History records little of the Eli’tha, as they have refused to enter the “outside world’s” wars and have kept mostly to themselves throughout the eras. Some estimates have placed the number of Eli’tha members at five thousand, but this is quite uncertain. The Eli’tha are all subsistence farmers, making enough to feed themselves and share with others in their society. In latter years, however, it has become necessary for the Eli'tha to leave Joi'qui and conduct business with the outside world, gathering necessary supplies they are not able to make on their own or food when the harvest fails. As a result, some Eli'tha have taken to making crafts at home, such as baked goods or hand-made decorative articles to sell for enough crowns to buy what they need.

The Eli’tha society itself is called the “Old Ways” by their members, held to be time-honored traditions and sacred ways of life. The sect of Eli’tha is called the “People”, while anyone outside of the Eli’tha are known as “Outsiders”. Occasionally, when an Eli’tha will leave the faith, they are put under the ban of expulsion. Depending upon the level of the crime against the faith, or often the mood of the high priest of Carmelya, the ban can consist of complete exile from the Eli’tha lands to simple lack of caring for the individual’s needs. Expelled Eli’tha members are not uncommon, but, because of their harsh upbringing, rarely ever tell the outside world of the inner workings of the Eli’tha under threat of retribution by the People.

Religion:
The Eli’tha, as their secular Moriquendi brethren, have eagerly turned their backs on the gods of Aeternia, angered at their curse under Meephos and Haya. Instead, the Eli’tha embrace Carmelya higher than all, revering Ioannes and his three virtues of Law, Order, and Justice slightly less. Orod and Diana are also extolled, but at a very less extent. All members of the Eli’tha are required to serve Carmelya primarily; following other gods is highly disapproved of and can lead to one’s expulsion from the society. As a whole, the Eli’tha are very religious, almost to the point of being pious. They are conservative in their views, constantly seeking to out-do their lust for power and heightened emotions. It is considered improper for an Eli’tha member to lose self-control in a public place or to show any outward emotion, as these are meant to be saved for the festivals. Each citizen is expected to visit at least one temple one day a week. There are numerous religious festivals held for various Aetherian gods, averaging about one every other cycle. The festivals always include at least one feast, to which each family is expected to bring one dish. Other tasks such as collecting and piling stones at the town square, a ritual dedicated to Orod, are held before the feasting actually begins, varying depending upon the chosen god. The festivals are almost always loud and chaotic, as participants are allowed to “let it all go”, pouring out their emotions. Alcohol and dancing, often erotic, are also constant presences. By the next brightening, the entire city has generally passed out or is suffering from immense hangovers. After they recover from their festivals, the Eli’tha go about their daily lives with their usual propriety and impassive manners until the next cycle.

The Poth’ia Ideals are held by the Eli’tha to be equal to direct commands from Aetheria itself. Penned by Yirel Eli’tha, the Ideals extol the values of “Piety, perseverance, and patience.” Piety is fulfilled by strict reverence and loyalty to Carmelya primarily, including the required attendance by every adult at each festival and one temple visit weekly. Eli’tha are required to be the soul of propriety, completely forbidden from expressing the strong emotions given to them by Haya, and expected to follow all commands by the High Priest of Carmelya, the Eli’tha government, and the Ideals themselves. Perseverance is the ideal of equal work and responsibility between all members of the society with no tolerance nor room for excuses. The Eli’tha accept troubles as Carmelya’s displeasure, often calling for even more fervent worship, sacrifices, and festival involvement. To the Eli’tha, as with other elves, time means very little due to their extended life spans, and they are very rarely discouraged by a lack of progress in a certain task. Patience is the Eli’tha’s hope that they may someday convince the outside Moriquendi of their wrong, as the Eli’tha have, over the ages, constantly attempted to “bring their brothers back to the fold”. As taught from an early age, the goal of the Eli’tha is to, firstly, uphold the Poth’ia Ideals for future generations, and, secondly, to bring both the outside Moriquendi and the various other races of Telath into the Path.

Various other traditions held as law in the Eli’tha society are the strict enforcements of no facial hair for both males and females. Mothers are expected to hold the upkeep of their home as their primary goal; a sloppy house is considered a disgrace to both wife and husband. Children, both boys and girls, are to wear head coverings, made to resemble a hood, until they become adults. As young children, the color of the coverings is supposed to be green. At age thirty-two, the color changes to yellow, and at age sixty, the color is to be white. Hair is forbidden to fall below one’s back, regardless of gender. All Eli’tha are to be farmers, tilling the land supposedly given them by Carmelya herself. Most importantly, all Eli’tha are to study the Poth’ia Ideals each morning before any work is done, which are expected to be memorized by heart by age sixteen.

While maintaining their separation, the Eli'tha do seek to bring the rest of Telath, particularly their Moriquendi brethren, into the fold of their society and way of life. Though rare, there have been Eli'tha "missionaries" that have left Joi'qui and travelled to Ethgan'tor with the specific intent to convert as many as they could. These missionaries are trained at a very young age in the art and ideals of conversion of an unbeliever, and, upon their entrance into adult society, are sent to Ethgan'tor to reach the secular Moriquendi. They live within Ethgan'tor and dedicate their life to sharing the Ideals. Any convert deemed true to the Eli'tha way of life is escorted to the city of Joi'qui and accepted into the society, given a place to work and be useful. The Eli'tha's relations with other races, however, are much more tempered. In recent patterns they have been known to frequent Aestas on business trips, buying their needs and selling their wares. Their interaction with their customers, however, is limited to strictly business. Most Eli'tha will become tight-lipped and downcast when confronted with one of another race outside of Moriquendi, saying little more than the absolute necessary. While wishing that all of Telath would realise the light, the Eli'tha are loathe to encounter one of another race, refusing to share their ideals with anyone but their Moriquendi brethren.

Society:
The Eli’tha are entirely substinence farmers. On rare occasions, due to a blessing of extreme fertility by Carmelya, the Eli’tha will produce more food than is needed to feed their city, and travel to the secular Moriquendi cities to sell their wares. The Eli’tha are also renowned for their cooking skills, particularly jellies and pies. The Eli’tha consider cooking an honor to the goddess Carmelya and hone their skills as an act of worship and with fervor. The Eli’tha have been known to buy goods from the secular Moriquendi in times of great need, but these are few as the Eli’tha pride themselves on their self-sufficiency and will rarely ask for help, particularly from those they consider heathen.

As an Eli’tha member reaches adulthood, he or she is expected to contribute to the common good. Laziness is not allowed; the Eli’tha live by idea of making your own way. If a child is deemed to be incapable or unwilling to work, they are denied the rights and privileges of adulthood, no matter what the age, and are considered a “loss” to the society. However, the Eli’tha care for such people, but place a ban of no communication by Eli’tha members to the “loss”, hoping that such severe treatment will bring the “loss” back to the fold. Once a couple is married, they are expected to provide for themselves, parents taking a hands-off approach. The more children born, the more blessed the marriage is considered, and the more hands the family is gifted with on the farm. Once the youngest child reaches adulthood, a couple is considered “successful” and entitled to “retirement” to be cared for by the recipient of the family land.

As stated before, the father is considered the head of a family, but outside the family, gender plays no role in determining leadership positions. All opportunities outside the home are open to both male and female; it is as common to find a female Senator as it is to find a male. There is no said ruler over the Eli’tha, although the head priest or priestess of Carmelya is considered the ultimate authority. The Eli’tha government consists of the Thane, responsible for most governmental decisions, followed by the Great Council of twelve members, which has at least one military officer included, then the Senate, which swells depending on the population of the city. All governmental officers are elected or appointed for life, although they generally serve only a few terms due to the extreme stress and constant threats to their positions and lives. The officials are not paid any monetary compensation for their time; instead, they are generally older, retired elves that have family to care for their needs. Senators are elected, while Great Council members and the Thane himself are theoretically hereditary, although positions rarely ever pass down through the generations. Rival families are more than welcome to turn to civil war to gain political positions, as this is viewed by the Eli’tha as a test of strength. The Eli’tha firmly believe in the idea of “trial by fire”, believing that governmental coups and power struggles are only the test of one’s right to wield power. As a result, Eli’tha society is riddled with constant unrest. Riots plagued their city and little thought is given to any disturbance to the peace. There is no noble class, per say. Families that have maintained a great lineage and constant political presence are considered “noble”, as they have demonstrated their extreme strength and the favor of Carmelya in keeping their positions and their lives.

Family:
The family is considered the core structure of Eli’tha culture. By the time a couple marries, they are generally both employed and have saved enough to buy a small house. Marriage is considered a partnership, as both father and mother share the same amount of responsibilities, though in different areas. The father is considered the head of the household; this authority, however, disappears outside the house as both males and females are considered equal. The father is responsible for most familial decisions, but both parents are expected to contribute to the family income. The responsibility of rearing children is split equally between the two parents, the mother being the “nurturer” and primary teacher for the girls, and the father being the “authority” and primary teacher for the boys. Children, especially great amounts or multiple births, are considered a sign of Carmelya’s favor upon a marriage, and held in great regard, particularly because of the difficulty involved and the lack of actual successful births. As most elven races, however, the Eli’tha females have a gestation cycle of two patterns, which places great strain upon their bodies. Also, because of the Eli’tha lifestyle of constant hard work, females tend to have even more miscarriages than their elven brethren, adding to the rarity of numerous children. Therefore, families larger than four or five children are quite rare.

Until age five, children are allowed to do as they please, with no responsibilities placed upon them whatsoever. At age five, however, children are then expected to begin learning the faith and other simple ideas, such as beginning to learn the ways of the farm. Boys tend to be taught more “outdoors” while girls are primarily taught household chores, in preparation for the day they will run their own house. At age eighteen, all teaching stops. The next three years are called the “run around” years, which are set apart to give the children an opportunity to enjoy their youth. All expectations and rules are lifted; by this age, it is assumed that they have been taught fear and respect for Carmelya and Ioannes and his virtues and will not break them. At this stage, Eli’tha children are also given the opportunity to visit secular Moriquendi society, presenting them with a choice between their taught Old Ways or the outside world. If a child does decide to leave the People, he or she is forever expelled from the society and his or her existence is denied by the Eli’tha. At their twenty-first birthday, if the child has decided to remain amongst the Eli’tha, all running around ceases. At this age, the Eli’tha Moriquendi children are expected to be more mature and levelheaded than previously, and serious education begins. The children are instilled with an even greater fear and love of Carmelya, Ioannes, and the other gods of Aetheria, and are expected to begin visiting the temples at least once a week and join in with religious festivals.

Education is held vitally important; both parents teach children at home jointly. Secular Moriquendi, Eli’tha Moriquendi, a dialect of the Moriquendi speech that has been skewed almost beyond recognition because of the Eli’tha’s extended separation, and the Common Tongue are almost always taught, as well as mathematics and history. While still expected to fulfill certain household chores, the children are required to spend three-fourths of their day inside the house among their books and studies, and all lessons are focused on academic pursuits. As an Eli’tha Moriquendi reaches age sixty, academics cease. The youngest child inherits the parents’ farm, but is required to care for his or her parents, often building a separate section to the main house and providing for their parents. The child is given an equal partnership with their parents until adulthood, when full ownership is transferred from the parents to the new generation. Older siblings are paid for their services on their family’s farm, or entitled to find employment on other neighborhood farms. The money is saved to buy their own parcel of land once they reach adulthood. At age eighty-five, an Eli’tha Moriquendi is officially thought of as an adult, and is allowed all privileges and responsibilities included in adulthood.

[Tiyribi Andares]

Relationships and Marriage:
As an emotional race, generally the Eli’tha allow couples to being courtship based on romantic feelings, although arranged marriages, particularly with the influential, are not uncommon. At age thirty-two, a child is officially “on the market”. Boys and girls usually meet at religious ceremonies or at the marketplace. The boy is expected to make the “first move”, buying a gift and delivering it to the girl’s parents. The parents examine the gift and its giver, determining if they believe the suitor worthy of their daughter. If accepted, the girl is then left with a choice: Accept the gift, showing that she intends to pursue the relationship, or quickly send the gift back to its giver. Often a girl is more heavily influenced by the quality of the gift than the actual giver. If she rejects the gift, the relationship ends immediately. If she accepts, the boy is allowed to call upon the girl. The couple is not allowed any unchaperoned meetings, and most “dates” are not held in private places, but rather in public, as it is much easier to “hide” from peering eyes in crowds. There is no physical touching allowed until age eighty-five. A relationship can be easily broken for numerous reasons with little more than sore hearts as a result. This cycle can continue until age eighty-five.

However, at age eighty-five, relationships take a serious turn. By this age, most have already “coupled” with their intended life partner, and are married within a year. For those few that still remain single, the courtship practices morph from frivolous youth to mature adulthood. As before, the male generally starts the relationship by sending a gift to the girl’s parents, but greater quality is expected. If accepted, the couple is allowed private, unchaperoned dates and allowed to physically touch each other, though in most cases, any further than kissing is forbidden. By the fifth month of being together, a couple is considered “serious” and the relationship may only be broken by great financial retribution to the spurned partner. If the relationship continues past a year, the couple is considered “promised” and is compelled to be married, with no exceptions. The betrothal stage is no more than a public proclamation of the couple’s intentions to marry, and is considered unbreakable.

The marriage ceremony is elaborate, spanning two days and involving feasting and partying, often causing the parents of the couple to go into debt. The first day of the marriage the couple is kept separate, the groom at his bride’s house, and the bride at the groom’s. Each family serves a ceremonial breakfast to either bride or groom, consisting of three eggs, one piece of a waterfowl, one slice of wheat bread cut diagonally, and a glass of citrus-fruit juice. The eggs’ round shape represents an unbroken eternity together; while the three parts of an egg show the three virtues set by Ioannes. Ducks and geese pair for life and are considered symbols of fidelity and everlasting love. The wheat bread represents the fertility of Carmelya, while the diagonal cut shows a connection with Aetheria and Telath. The consumption of citrus juice is the pledge of the couple to take both sweet and bitter in their life together. Both bride and groom spend the rest of the day at Carmeyla’s temple, meditating, praying, and clearing their mind for the next day. The groom returns to his soon-to-be in-laws’ home, while the bride returns to his.

The next day is begun by the actual wedding ceremony. The groom is dressed in blue, a sign of loyalty and truth. The bride wears white, symbolizing her kept virginity. After dressing, they walk from the houses on foot, purposely avoiding each other, to their own homes. Each set of in-laws is given a handful of wheat, a pledge of the couple to bring their parents grandchildren. The couple then leaves their houses and walks to the main Temple of Carmelya kept in the city. The crowd is kept outside, while a priest will say the rites of marriages over the couple in privacy. The couple is expected to write their own vows of love to each other; though the rest of the ceremony is kept uniform. After the ceremony is completed, the priest joins their hands together, leading them outside, then pronounces them man and wife.

The in-laws have, by this time, arranged for great tables and large quantities of food to be set up in a park or outside the city walls. The Eli’tha Moriquendi believe that the more people invited and fed at the wedding, the more fertile the couple will be. Feasting occupies the rest of the day, and at the conclusion, the couple retires to a small hut built in the woods for their first night alone.

Relations with Other Races:
The surface and underground races hate all Moriquendi with a passion, although, because of the extended separation and isolation of the Eli’tha Moriquendi, very few outside races know of their existence. All light elves hate the Moriquendi immensely, as they still belong to the class of dark elves and contributed to the bloodshed against their light brethren during the Great Divide. However, the light elves do recognize the Moriquendi attempt to rectify their mistake and their aid of the light elves against the Vysstichi. As a result, the light elves’ hatred of the Moriquendi is not as severe as their hatred of Vysstichi, and, on the rare occasion an Eli’tha is found on light elven lands, they are never molested. The Moriquendi, particularly the Eli’tha, completely avoid the Vysstichi Moriquendi if it is possible, as their history has created an even larger rift with the Vysstichi than it has with the light elves. The Vysstichi hatred stems from the Moriquendi treachery and betrayal during the Great Divide, while the Moriquendi hold the Vysstichi in contempt for their reverence for Meephos, Haya, and the other gods of Aeternia. The Eli’tha purposefully avoid any contact with their Vysstichi cousins, and will not hesitate to kill any Vysstichi that happens to cross their lands. The outside Moriquendi have, over history, attempted to bridge their gap with humans, dwarves, and other surface races, but are hindered by their dark elf classification, although Eli’tha rarely ever have contact with races outside of the Moriquendi. A handful of patterns ago, it would be entirely possible for an Eli'tha child to grow up without ever knowing of any other race outside their society. However, in recent patterns, it has become necessary for the Eli'tha to have relations with other races, mainly those who inhabit Aestas. The Eli'tha hold the naturally "evil" races, Vysstichi, dracons, and orcs, in great contempt and, while tempering their actions in public, will not hesitate to kill any member of the three races without a second thought if found in private. Humans, dwarves, and various other races, however, are generally shied away from and ignored, as the Eli'tha hold to the belief of "live and let live". They have no qualms about dealings with any race besides the "evil", but do guard their separtism fiercely and refuse to allow any besides Moriquendi in the main area of Joi'qui.

According to the Poth’ia Ideals, the Eli’tha believe that only complete separation from all mainstream culture can keep their faith from becoming tainted. Only if one is proven to be firm in the Eli’tha faith is an outsider accepted into their lands. All outsiders are treated with suspicion and contempt, and are never allowed inside Joi’qui. The rumors of the Eli’tha have recently begun to spread, however, due to the sudden influx of expelled members, as, to compete with the overwhelmingly modern times, the Eli’tha have taken an overly conservative view of the Old Ways. The Eli’tha are weakening, though none will admit it, and stories of their way of life are told without fear. Time is slowly catching up to their society, and there is little that the Eli’tha or their treasured Poth’ia Ideals can do to fight against it.

All righty, any more comments/ideas? I'm about done with all I could wrack my brain on in the way of edits, so criticisms/points/questions will be very welcome.

[Iranir Andares]

Hey, just remember that the Moriquendi have less bodily hair than humans, so I really don't know why they should have less than the common dark elf would. I tried to keep it to a minimum, so if there was any less it wouldn't really do any good. Other than that, I guess that it's good work aside from the fact that they don't freckle. Also, in the places that they reside, farming would be rather hard :/ That's why I created a game-centered culture. Perhaps they live farther south? More information on location would be nice.

[Tiyribi Andares]

Ach, yeah, the location thing really got me...gotta do like tons of research and junk. Ok, yeah, I figured there's some stuff I gotta tweak...lol, like I noticed I kept spelling Carmelya wrong...hehe. Thanks for the input. ^_^

[Iranir Andares]

No worries, I spelled Carmelyn and Carmelyan for the longest time. I think that I still do, and it's loaded into my spell checker Good job, I can't find any more errors.

*sulks about* I deleted the part on beards and body hair, so you can edit yours too *goes into a corner to cry*

[Tiyribi Andares]

Harumph. Lol. No hair? Fuzzy Mories would be cute. *sniffs*

Edits and rewriting junk is taking forever...so...um...everybody bear with me? *smiles pitifully*

[Jack Sparrowe]

I don't actually understand why Moris have no body hair. Vyssies don't because they don't need it underground, it's cool enough to not have you use it, but moris live on the surface and all. *looks pensive*

[Gavyn]

Very good! Separate cultures are fun.

[Jack Sparrowe]

It's more of a subculture, really.

[Tiyribi Andares]

*apologizes profusely* I'm so sorry, RL's caught me by the neck all of a sudden and this write-up is at the bottom of my priorities list. So please bear with me...there are some little tweaks and changes to be made, like I want to get specific on their location, change their occupations, junk like that, so yeah...patience please!

[Mizushin Junzo]

True...they'd be half-way between Vysstichi and normal elves.

[Jack Sparrowe]

Did I...get Junzo's agreement? *swoons*

[Thamsîn Matrona]

whew, just read it through, good job... no insightful comments here, but praise is always good, no?
yeah, I agree they need more geography and maybe some more on what exactly do they farm...
eh, and about their preaching, do they go out and preach to other Moriquendi or not? Somewhere I think you said they do, but on the other hand that wouldn't really fit with their complete isolation and their non-acceptance of others.
again, great job!!!!

[Mizushin Junzo]

A swoon? That's uh...well, anyway, I shall leave no comment over that.

And yes, praise is always good.

[Tiyribi Andares]

All right, I'm going to have to do extensive research on location (can anybody help?) Hehe, I gotta find a very secluded, out-of-the-way spot, and may have to change primary occupation...hehe *marks down "look for maps" on her mental checklist*

Hey, Mizushin, did I remember right and think you offered to help with the military part? Hehe, yeah, the Eli'tha are going to have to have a speciality (I'm assuming long-range weaponry, tho that seems so sterotypically elvish) that is stealthy and lethal, as they guard their borders so closely. So, if I did read that right, and the offer still stands, would love to have some help with that. ^_^