THE
AK'VÁTH'RHÍM
ELVES
("HIGH
BEAUTY
TRIBE") |
The
elven Ak'váth'rhím tribe
(initially called "Akái'aváth'rhím" or Styrásh
Akái'aváth'rhím,
lit. "High Beauty Tribe") is made up of various looks, however the general appearance is jet
black hair with coloured streaks throughout. Their skin is rather pale. Their
attitudes differ from most dark elves in that they are somewhat self-serving,
honouring beauty and status within their tribe more so than anything else.
Status being held by beautiful objects and so forth, money value is nothing.
These elves will often do what ever is necessary to keep their public appearance
as being one of the most beautiful and respected of all
elven tribes. However
their attitudes towards others tend to hinder this, causing more disliking
towards people not of their tribe.
Although the location of the Ak'váth'rhím is isolated
(Kanapan Peninsula
wastelands) and their dislike for other races and
elves is some what forth coming, as it has been many centuries since any of the other
races or their own has been seen. Ak'váth'rhím believe that they are the only living
things left of Caelereth. Waiting for the day when they are greeted again by
Avá
and then rewarded for their beauty.
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Appearance. Ak'váth'rhím have jet black hair, often streaked with different colours, using a special dye to do so. Gold and silver colours are reserved for those with the current Akái'ástyrás (dominant female) blood, blues and purples are for those with magical abilities. All other colours are available for the tribe members to decorate themselves with.
The Ak'váth'rhím teeth are also different to normal
elves, the canine teeth are often slightly
elongated when compared to other
elven and two legged species. As a once
brutal and bloodthirsty tribe, they used their teeth as a weapon by biting their
victim or pray. As a large meat eating tribe, once they domesticated themselves
from hunting they no longer had a need for their huge teeth and as a result
treat them as another way of determining beauty.
Coat of Arms/Sign.
Slightly rounded at the top, reaching down to a point. The inside of the Coat
of Arms represents a roughly drawn hunting male and a delicately dressed female. The two
figures facing each other holding hands above their heads. On less detailed
Coat of Arms the male and female are often seen as simple stick figures.
The Coat of Arms was changed many generations ago from a simple hunter holding a spear
to the current theme.
Territory.
Ak'váth'rhím inhabit the
Kanapan Peninsula wastelands on the eastern side above the Gulf of Glandor,
reaching out to the Stone Fields of Peat where most of their housing materials
are found.
People.
Once mighty hunters, with vicious ways, Ak'váth'rhím are now a fairly domesticated
tribe, living in their own self-importance,
with their own yearn to create the
most beautiful material for the most beautiful piece of clothing.
Their natural talent with the
Element of Water is also uncanny. While the elves
who are gifted with this power over the element they are often called by the
Shin’Shee demon and tutored with the demons
for many years with other elves
who
are gifted, fearing for their lives and the lives of their families if they fail
to comply with the Shin'Shee. Their training takes hundreds of years, once they
are released from the demon's lair they are then granted their part freedom, as
they are now fully trained wizards/sorceresses of the
Water
Element and now have to
pay back the demon
acting and doing his bidding on the Caelereth lands. Generally
the elves die before they are granted their full freedom, and only one has ever
escaped the demon lair.
As the Shin'Shee are limited to the northern continent, the
Ak'váth'rhím are
the only tribe whom they have found to be gifted enough with the
Water
Element
to then be able to ride across it and travel to the other areas of
Caelereth.
Housing.
The Ak'váth'rhím are living in elaborately designed housing, often coloured in pastels.
They are mainly living in
family units one per house, each house is often two to three stories in height
and each is made from various rocks in the area. Arches and flowing
elven material made
by the family to display their skill is often hung along the front section of
the house.
The rocks are cut up in delicate designs by each family at the Stone Fields of
Peat and then transported back to their place of choice. Once erected strong
dies are used to colour the rock formations.
Inside, each of the rooms are separated by maneuverable walls allowing their
fickle tastes in arrangement to be satisfied whenever they change their minds.
It isn't uncommon to see a house reach down in to the
Caelereth grounds either, as
the climate is cooler and the ground somewhat more stable than some of the
rocks which are used to build their houses.
Bathrooms, cooking rooms, and other utility rooms are generally kept in the
lower levels. The higher your bed
is towards Avá and the other
Gods the better as this is also seen as a mark of status,
showing that your building knowledge and skill is
enough to build a high sleeping place. Often the Akái'ástyrás ("Dominant
Female") of
the Ak'váth'rhím will have the highest bed. Failing that, she will take over
the previous Akái'ástyrás ("High Female").
Clothing.
There is no real difference between the male and female clothing other than the
general cutting. Males wear long dresses, just like women wear trousers,
generally it is a combination of them both. The clothing is often one to two
colours, although it's not uncommon to see three. Four or more colours are not
worn.
Eye shading and lip colouring along with nail paint are often used to decorate
the body, always in matching colours to what is in their clothing. Jewelry isn't
uncommon as it's seen as a decoration, and often worn in masses.
Diet.
Having come from being hunters, they are a large meat eating tribe. As a result
their slender frames are all muscle. Although they do eat vegetables they are
more for snacking on than anything else.
Meat is generally eaten raw to medium rare, slightly warmed in the fire. They
are not picky about which animal, all are alike on
Avá's green
Caelereth.
The Ak'váth'rhím's food is also relying heavily on the Shin-Shee demon to provide much of the crops and
animals to sustain their diet.
Weapons.
The teeth are and have been a major part of the
Ak'váth'rhím's history, hunting and
fighting alike. Although the Ak'váth'rhím are civilized with their culture, there are still
those who practice the art of the sword, using it more for fancy swirls than for
attacking gestures. The bow is an uncommon site amongst these elves
as they are
somewhat fist to face fighters.
Occupations.
Males and females are viewed as equals until their union celebrations begin.
Each is free to dress, decorate and create what ever they see fit for themselves.
Government.
Once being governed by the most dominant male fighter, the tables turned when
the tribe became somewhat isolated.
Now the most dominant female reigns over
the Ak'váth'rhím, also known
as Akái'ástyrás, as they are seen as the "breeders", the most beautiful, and
fertile of the tribe. As this is a some what "grey" area it is also deemed on
personality and has over the decades created clashes amongst the tribe. Murder
has often been recorded within their own history.
Production/Trade.
Ak'váth'rhím are not traders, as they are isolated in their position. They are viewed as
a myth, and some believe that the Ak'vathrhim don't exist at all, believing that
they died along their travels along the east.
Natural
Resources.
None other than the basic yet rare wood, water, rocks and other such resources.
All jewels and other precious items are either found or passed on from parent to
child. Although wood is seen as a precious resource as it's somewhat rare, and
also valuable.
Holidays, Festivals and Observances.
Each male and female tribe members are taught how to dye cloth, and each how to
weave it. Gender isn't really a part of their society until it
comes to courting, which is somewhat
more complicated than at other
elven tribes.
Mating couples are often put together for their beauty. The male picks his
female during a half yearly celebration. That female either accepts or rejects
that male's proposal and then they either couple or move on to their next choice.
This has many flaws in the plan, however they believe that this is just.
The female then takes the male and then for a week he has to prove himself
worthy of her. Once the week is past, the male and female then couple. If a
child is born of that union they are united for an unset period of time.
Each male and female enters in to the celebration at their own will.
Couplings during the year, before the union celebration are frowned upon.
During the festival the Ak'váth'rhím also honour the Shin-Shee demon, for fear that they
will take back their gifts which help then sustain their life in the wastes. In
return the Shin-Shee often take an elf for their own pleasure during the week of
the celebration. What happens while the chosen elf
is with the Shin-Shee demon
is unknown, and not talked about. All that is known is that they are honoured to
have been chosen.
There's also a festival remembering those who have gone to study with the Shin-Shee, as they are
generally never seen again. A small memorial at the beginning of the festival
then turns in to the celebrations and worshiping of the Shin-Shee.
History.
Ak'váth'rhím initially developed from the
Hovel Frond Dark elves
(Diorye'oleal "Hidden Wind"
tribes) who left before SW
III and ended up establishing the town
Hovel Frond in the wastes north of the
Kanapan Peninsula.
Separating themselves from the Diorye'oleal
Elves approximately
2000 years ago, the Ak'váth'rhím headed east. The reasons for the separation are
currently unknown however, still being researched.
They were stopping when they could go east no more. Taking with them various plants and
animals along the way, they shortly gave up their hunting instincts finding them
useless in their current terrain for a desire to live, and became farmers,
weavers and occupied themselves with their own self importance.
Along their ways the Shin-Shee demon found them and fed of their devotion, vanity and
pride, thus the Shin-Shee granted them some various items such as good
harvests, and meat as way to survive in the wastes.
Having spent most of their existence somewhat isolated from other people the
Ak'váth'rhím had to change their ways from hunters, to farmers. While domesticating themselves, they also took in many of the animal life around the area and
domesticated and herded them also.
Information provided by
Uragel
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