The Fehladurh; Sauron's Gambit and the Gauredurh Variations or The Unbearable Bitchiness of Slants

[Snargash Moonclaw]

I'm running into a hurdle in looking at the perceptions of the smaller sun through these cycles. I like the idea of Hebnitarath representing a more abstract concept - carried over fairly intact by the Lyricists - the ideas of entropy and change being recognized as natural forces/tendancies but not deeply understood. When the sun reappeared then and Hebnitarath chose not to take an active role in mortal affairs the "chair" was open.

I had initially planned to fill it with a failed attempt by Jhessanak (as Grand Sultan of the Efreet simply the to gain followers,) during the Age of the Old Sun followed by a more successful attempt (in disguise) as the New Sun. The Old Sun just doesn't go anywhere useful that way tho' - I can't find a decent story line in it (origins of the Illithid are not that important - I can still find other approaches if I really want them in the setting. . .).

Instead I'm thinking of Thelema taking ascendancy for the cycle, as the various races explore the implications of karma and fate - both effects of past actions and understanding the patterns that project into their futures and require their planning. She too would disappear then in the 2nd glacial cycle, but by that time her teachings would have given the world a better chance to prepare for it - the adoption of the veil over the eyes and faces of her clerics subsequent to the disappearance of the sun would reflect a similar imagery to Hebnitarath's becoming a god of darkness. In the Age of the Old Sun as well I need to work out a little more of the change in Shalirea to a stellar deity (Shaliah) among elves concurrent to the rise of Salistreah as a solar deity among humans. I don't see the influence of Avalyin's teachings on the church of Shalireah significantly effecting that pattern - the expansion of the humans worshiping Salistreah as a remnant of religion inherited from their elven forebears and the choice by the elves not to meddle in the affairs of others would account for a lot of the shift world-wise, but doesn't speak so well to what the elven perception of the deity underwent.

The rise of Melanar Bloodmoon as an orkhish goddess of healing during the AOS makes good sense. Surnest is a little more iffy, as is Delatrian Roadstar. Both conceivably could have been known/worshipped during the AOS, but the primary races doing so withdrew underground once more for the most part during the 2nd GP. Other human deities are very clearly ANS, although Varrul Morningstar could easily be an earlier AOS deity - possibly even predating humans but adopted more avidly by them. So, I'm slightly stalled. . . any parallax views would be appreciated.

[Snargash Moonclaw]

Not long after the Benaedreshan merchant caravels had establishes many of their principle ports among the Melanosha the Felhaldurh who had birthed their race chose to end their long, self imposed exile. Sailing across the ocean in vessels of unprecedented design, they sought first their hidden cousins among the eastern archipelago, making landfall in places far from any potential navigational paths from either coastline. While the Malenosha were suspicious of them at first, uncertain as to their origins and intentions, the Beneadresha, exploring the islands of the Dividing Sea eventually stumbled upon them. Finding them much different from the nations of Fehladurh they were familiar with they were able to reassure the Malenosha that these were indeed the descendants of those Old Ones who had led them to their home. This meeting likewise gave the sea elves to understand that the war which they had fled was long since over and its true causes now known. They stayed for a time, learning of the chain of events subsequent to their diaspora and establishing envoys among the Malenosha. Returning to their secluded home once more, they related what they had learned to their people and subsequently began cautiously sending other vessels first to the shores of the southern continent and later to the north.

When they had renewed contact with their own kind upon the continents, the changes which the Kith War had wrought upon the remnants of those who had engaged in it and the contemplative influence of Avalyin were much in evidence. The Felhaldurh had grown even more cautious, not only in act, but in counsel, especially such as given to others. While they had not suffered so much a lack of confidence, they were very concerned to ensure that their counsel was valued, proffering little by way of advice to others save that it were specifically requested of them. They had become much more introspective as a whole, not only in the conduct of their affairs as a people but likewise as individuals in the  examination of their desires, goals and motives. Beyond re-examining and rebuilding their relations with the Khurorkh, they were further having to consider the changes wrought in the world by the introduction of the Burrowing Peoples.

As the Age of the Old Sun wore on, this was further accentuated by their rather reluctant, but gradually increasing, contact with the human descendants of the clans of Kith and Kin. These newest nations, slowly expanding and exploring the world, had forgotten their ancient ancestral origins among the Kith which, for  the Fehladurh, only brought the memory of their mistakes and the rift they created into sharper relief. As much as they could then, the Fehadurh remained  aloof and neutral in their relationships with others, the Tarag-duhl (tarag: after, following [chronologically], descendant; duhl: those [who], the ones [that, which], or Kin, in particular. Nonetheless they were the primary influence behind the broadest religious and spiritual developments which characterized the age.

Fate, or fortune, formerly seen as a fickle, random force in the world against which one struggled in life, had been perceived instead by Avalyin as a force arising as the result of one's actions. As such, it was therefore something which not only could be foreseen in relation to past and present actions and conditions, but created through conscious choice of action given sufficient understanding of the forces and elements involved. Through this change in perception of the operative force came a related alteration in the perception of, and relationship with, the deity associated with it. Thelema ceased to be associated with the slower, far wandering moon and instead was portrayed, like the brighter sun, as illuminating one's path, laying bare and revealing what would otherwise be hidden in shadow from one's awareness. The desire to comprehend and understand this process became a universal occupation and temples of the Revealing Light became commonplace among all of the races. They remained centers of thought, learning and especially, planning, until the light of her sun disappeared from view once more, thousands of years later. By that time however, her followers were well prepared for the coming darkness.

Additionally, the church of Shalireah underwent significant change, directly reflecting the changes in her worship among both Fehladurh and Tarak-dulh. The Kin had retained a strongly animist and solar focused religion from their forebears which had slowly changed through their many centuries of isolation. The reverence of Salistreah, the vital red sun, had eventually assumed a place of primacy among the human tribes who viewed her more simply, and potently, as the source of creative energy itself which invigorates and gives life to the world. Meanwhile, the Fehladurh had grown to view the creative force and appreciation of beauty inspired by Shalireah in a more personal manner as expressed through their various burgeoning art forms and reflected in the light of the evening star. By the end of the Age of the Old Sun there were clearly two distinct goddesses, Salistreah and Shaliah, and their ethos's, followers and churches much as they are now.

For their own part, the sea elves, or Salidurh as the became known, remained much more like the Fehladurh had been originally. They kept to themselves as well however, little involved in the affairs of the world and kept the location of their new homeland a secret, voyaging to the continents but inviting no visitors from them. Even they were somewhat changed, and perhaps even more reticent in their counsel than their cousins, watching with evident unease many of the changes occurring between their visits.

Through the course of the 2nd glacial period many of the Fehladurh maintained their 'separate but cooperative' stance with the surrounding nations, abandoning their inland cities to the encroaching ice once again and sealing them magically to preserve them until their eventual return, leaving behind secret caches of magic, tools and weapons against their future need. Of those forced to relocate, a large portion sought refuge among those of their race in warmer climes. A significant number however, largely followers of The Friends and members of their church's associated orders, chose instead to join the Khurorkh and Tarag-duhl in their migrations and settle among them. These latter both learned and shared much in this time, helping to establish strong ties and relationships among all three races in some areas which persist to this day. Additionally they were able to act as envoys between their settlements and the Fehaladurh fastnesses to the benefit of both.

When the New Sun finally dawned upon the world the basis of much of the current social and cultural conditions, particularly interracial, on Panisadore had been formed. The Fehladurh had come to focus much of their social energy and attention upon establishing and maintaining their integrity among others, both with regard to their motives and their neutrality in racial and sectarian matters. The deepest and most significant cultural development however, was a passionate and driving sense of purpose, largely individual, but also informing larger collective social groups. In observing the swift passage of change over those with whom they lived, the Fehladurh were often at a loss as to how to react and adapt to these changes as well as the loss of those whom they had barely begun to know. Their dilemma forced them to consider profoundly what truly mattered to them, which, once discovered, served as a sort of anchoring polestar, or personal context around which these changes spiraled and in relation to which they could understand and respond to them. Whether this was the creation of enduring beauty, establishing harmony among the discordant, some spiritual ethos or perfecting some personal capability, the hallmark of the Fehladuirh became an unwavering dedication to a chosen cause. Communities and other social groups among them likewise sought to determine a sense of purpose, such as the preservation of a natural region, diplomatic objectives or, as always, plans and contingencies for the future.

Among individuals such a raison d'etre is taken very personally, though expressed openly, focusing much of their sense of self. This, coupled with their regard for integrity, forms the basis of their acute regard for personal honor. To question an elf about their cause, whether its value, their dedication to it or  worse, their motives, is to give intolerable insult regarding a matter in which they strive fiercely to be above reproach. In defending their honor, elven dueling then is as much a matter of demonstrating the strength of their dedication through its grave risk as it is one of retaliation for the insult given. The practice has taken on a mantle of formality (in some cases quite elaborate,) in its execution. Not always lethal, it is not uncommon to bid some thing or service related in some fashion to the cause for the duel and defaulting to the victor upon first blood or yielding. The practice has further taken on many forms besides by blade, most commonly arcane or a combination of the two, but may also include the agreement of both parties to face some common challenge competitively.

[Snargash Moonclaw]

Well, this hasn't taken me as far from the core description of the race as I had initially expected, but it does present some elements quite unique to the setting and ultimately the race I think is both a little meatier and grittier than the norm. Of course, I'm painting with a broad brush here - any of these races will show cultural variation - but even the Malenosha can be characterized in certain general ways as a whole, racially speaking. So, while there are reasons why humans display greater diversity of culture than other races, the generalities of these racial texts should not be taken to imply an absence of similar diversity among the other races. At any rate, I think the Fehladurh have been shaped into something interesting, if perhaps a bit difficult, to play, struggling to walk a fine line between highly valuing self determination and the realization that they are aware of much that others don't perceive and can't take into account toward that self determination. I'm not sure if after all this stuff they need a "summation" of how to approach playing the race as current in Panisadore (which would include any change to favored class - wizard has simply never had much rational ground) or if they're pretty clear at this point. anyhow, here's the rest:


. . .The practice has further taken on many forms besides by blade, most commonly arcane or a combination of the two, but may also include the agreement of both parties to face some common challenge competitively. The classic 'Riddle Game' has become an extremely formal dueling practice commonly engaged in even among juveniles for the settling of disputes. Personal combat can take numerous forms '" duels originally employed spears cast between the combatants twice (essentially returning the weapons to their owners) and then used in melee should the throws prove indecisive. As a result of metallurgical advances during the Age of the New Sun, elven bladesmiths have developed rapier-style swords to their highest known forms, creating weapons of unparalleled lightness and balance employed in personal combat. Another weapon unique to the Fehladurh, commonly referred to as simply the elven buckler (detailed elsewhere) is frequently used in duels incorporating arcane combat and/or archery. Less common, and frequently the most lethal, are archery duels, usually limited to between 3 and 5 arrows fired in quick succession. Finally, the least common and most formal type of duel is the Counter-Hunt. This is usually a combined arcane-physical contest incorporating all the abilities at each duelist's command in a strictly circumscribed area for the safety of others. Primarily practiced in regions where the landscape provides varied terrain incorporating numerous opportunities for cover and concealment, it essentially constitutes a no-holds-barred combat between individuals or small groups beginning the duel from separate locations and seeking out their opponent(s) while attempting to prevent them from doing the same..

As the ANS has progressed, the Fehladurh on the whole have settled into a position of neutral diplomacy among the nations which have arisen around them. They have taken great pains to establish good relationships with their neighbors as much as possible, utilizing diplomatic means to subtly influence matters around them rather than seeking to shape other societies directly. While their awareness of 'the long view' continues to inform and shape their own culture(s) and policies, they have accepted the fact that they cannot expect other races to defer to them in acknowledgment of this, at time presenting them with great dilemmas as to how to ethically accomplish things they recognize as vital necessities which lie outside the comprehension of the shorter lived races, or at least stand far lower in their more immediate concerns and priorities. The most pressing concern of the Fehladurh as a whole in the present epoch is their awareness of the solar/glacial cycle and the fact that the world is nearing the peak of its current interglacial period. The (relatively) recent reappearance on the world's surface of the Lyricists, initially as a self-exiled renegade religious faction of the Druewenh, has made it clear to them that during the coming glacial period the Gauredurh (as they have come to name the Druewenh,) can be expected to attempt to return to, and reclaim (i.e., enslave,) the surface. Much of the Fehladurh's planning therefore is toward what they perceive as an inevitable war for which the exiled Gauredurh have been preparing for millenia.