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THE
GOLTHERRHIM
ELVES |
The Goltherrhim are a
now extinct tribe that once lived in the Goltherlon Forest. The High Wars
agains the Helcrani caused these
elves to dwindle in numbers, and they
eventually left their massive forests to live with the Sanhorrhim, their more
successful and peaceful brethren to the west. Few pure-blooded Goltherrhim live
to this day; their blood has mixed with the Sanhorrhim.
Appearance. The Goltherrhim were considered a beautiful tribe in their time. They shared
many similar traits of the neighboring tribes; Long flowing hair in an
abundance of hues (mostly blonde and black) and wide, long-lashed eyes. Their
faces were exquisite to look upon, as if their features had been carved from
stone or sculped from clay. Subtle brows and elegant noses, soft yet sharp
lips, yet males and female were nearly indiscernable in battle armor. These
elves were usually blue or brown eyed, but when under stress, their eyes turned
a bit dark, as if the color was clouded by their emotion. Goltherrhim were tall
and lithe, with soft skin shielded by the massive and ancient trees of the
Goltherlon.
Goltherrhim seemed to be flawless in every sense of the word, until one got on
their bad side.
Their tempers would then flare, their movements be quick and sharp. They were a
terror in anger, their beauty distorted into a mask of hatred and disgust. The
Goltherrhim were a danger in their rage, they became brash and impulsive and
thus was the reason for their eventual downfall. In their time, a brooding
Goltherrhim was perhaps the most dangerous type of
wood-elf, his fury built up until
he released it, and once that happened, the elf could not be bolstered until
all
his anger was released.
Coat of Arms/Sign.
The Coat of Arms of the ancient Goltherrhim is shrouded in history, rooted deep in the skills of the
tribe. It is said to have consisted of a circular shield of gold with a knotted stylized tree in the
center, with two swords wrapped within the twists and turns of the tree.
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Picture description: The location of the Goltherlon, home of the Goltherrhim Elves. Map by Artimidor Federkiel. |
Territory.
The Goltherrhim once lived in the Goltherlon Forest, where they shed much blood
upon the forest floor in their wars against the
Helcrani. Upon losing many lives in
these wars, what was left of them sought refuge in the Vontron among the
Sanhorrhim, who had embraced a more peaceful way
of life. Since that time, the Goltherrhim began mixing their lives with their
brethren and little more than 100 pure-blooded Goltherrhim exist nowadays,
compared to little more than 400 pure-blooded Sanhorrhim.
People. The Goltherrhim were much like any other
elven tribe. They had skill in
weapons, and were for the most part a peaceful tribe. They lived in trees, and
had a central town in which they congregated, named Ashafir. In Ashafir they
traded and bartered, and this was where the Rónn resided. The Goltherrhim lived
in and among the trees, the buildings of the Goltherrhim mimicked the trees.
The buildings of the Goltherrhim are now either ruins or renovated by the
gnomes who took up major residence once the Goltherrhim
had left.
The Goltherrhim were good craftsmen, they traded secrets and metals from time
to time with the nearby Thrumgolz, who bartered for wood. Their skills with
making elven blades were amazing; roughly half of the blades of
elven make are
either Goltherrhim blades (some Sanhorrhim practiced the making of such weapons)
or replicas.
Men were the ruling sex in the Goltherrhim, they were admired for their
strength and intelligence. Women did not partake in things such as politics and
warfare; they preferred to bring things to life. They gardened and raised
animals, and were artisans to a great degree.
The
fury of an
angry Goltherrhim was terrifying. They could hold their
anger for some time like most elves, but their realm of tolerance is low for a
wood-elf. When they breached their level of anger, they exploded much like a
volcano and couldn't stop until their anger is expelled.
This made the Goltherrhim a deadly force of warriors.
Housing.
The Goltherrhim lived in and among the trees. Their
homes were of gorgeous craftsmanship; interwoven wooden
carvings and trained vines and trees that knotted into
massive natural tapestries around and inside the homes made the Goltherrhim
villages an awe-inspiring sight. Now these homes are gnarled and unkempt, they
look more like the forest is consuming itself in an attempt to rid the
Goltherrhim touch from its soil. Ashafir was a paradise, the
nightshimmer vines
and other various luminescent plants were cultivated to keep the city glowing
and alive in evening as the sun kept the town alight and alive during the day.
Now Ashafir is in ruins, save for those buildings owned by the
gnomes. They
don't tend to the plants half as well as the Goltherrhim did, but they do so
enough for the ancient beauty to shine through.
Clothing.
The Goltherrhim were fond of mostly greens and yellows in their clothes. Blues
and reds were usually used for accent work. Jerkins were common, flowing
sleeves and elegant cuts (long or short) to flatter their thin forms. Breeches
were form-fitting, they slid into plain boots of fine make. These boots ranged
in length from ankle to high thing depending on the wearer. Vests were commonly
worn over the jerkin, long coats and cloaks were worn as well; especially in
political meetings and when the need to impress arose. Intricacy was loved by
these elves, they would embroider phrases and blessings into the collars and
sleeves of their clothing, as well as knots and stylized leaf art. They did not
commonly use animals as a motif, if they did it was usually of animals present
in the forests. Mythical animals were not usually illustrated. Women always
wore dresses. Even if the Goltherrhim were fighting (which was rare) they would wear a
heavy, jacket-like gown with breeches beneath. Most women were not fighters,
nor did they hunt.
Diet.
The Goltherrhim were omnivorous, leaning more towards
herbivorous fashions. The women of the Goltherrhim had a wonderful ability with
plants. They grew food well and succeeded in feeding their families. Hunting
was seen as a past-time, though one of the men dabbled in nearly every day.
While not every day a man brought a meal home, at least twice a week he was
successful in bringing in a small animal. When a man brought home a larger
source of food, he tended to keep it for himself, eating what he and his family
could for the first few nights and then preserving the meat by drying it and
dispersing it among his friends.
Weapons.
The Goltherrhim were expert archers. Their range and aim were unsurpassed in
their time, for they seemed to shoot as far as they could see. Some claim it
was because of their knowledge of wood; if they could
grow it in all directions, surely they could harvest the straightest shafts and
bows with a perfect arch. Less adept at swords than their archery, they
nevertheless were a match for a handy Helcrani.
Occupations. Male
elves controlled the government and the structure of society, while the
females took care of the homestead. Men were heavy into politics, they created
the rules and punished those that did not follow them. Like the
Quaelhoirhim,
they were somewhat political. Goltherrhim did get angered easily, but they could be
calmed with the proper ceremony and actions. If the procedures were followed in
the proper fashion, an angered Goltherrhim could be calmed with relative ease.
While males ruled the Goltherrhim Forest, the females were honored and revered
as creators. They gave birth to the children, tilled the
earth, sang and played
instruments, and were skilled in the arts. Men respected the women due to this,
and the women respected the men for their ability to keep the forest efficient.
The men had several types of jobs. There were the judges, who held council with
the Rónn and decided the rules of the tribe and the punishment of those that
broke the rules. They were proud men who were usually capable of keeping their
tempers in check.
Smiths and fletchers were another type of job. These people made weapons and
armor, combining Goltherrhim skill and gnomish influence into works of both art
and war. They seemed to be the most even-tempered; working dilligently among
their fields with their hands was a good release.
Rangers and traders were less common among the Goltherrhim, those that were
of these professions constantly left the Goltherlon. Some pure-blood Goltherrhim may live among the
general elven populus, but their lack of a tribe as well as similarities to
other tribes makes them hard to distinguish.
Few Goltherrhim were librarians, scholars or bards.
Government. The
Goltherrhim government was a patriarchial hierarchy, the male is the Rónn of the
tribe. There was only one Rónn at any time, and the Mantle of Rónn was handed to the
next male in line, skipping women. The mantle of Ronn could be handed to
relatives by marriage, cousins or even personal guards if the need arose, but
never to the wife or daughter. If the elven
circle required an Avá'ránn, then
the eldest lady of the line could then step forward. Most ladies spent their
entire lives waiting for that call.
Judges had great influence as well. As a voice of reason, the judges had the
right to speak to the king at any time; with or without appointment. There were 9 judges
at any time; if one passed on or relinquished his title, then the Rónn would
choose another.
Production/Trade.
The Goltherrhim trade was quite brisk for elves. They traded
lumber with the
Thrumgolz, who gave them metal for
weapons, which they traded or kept, depending on the need.
Natural Resources.
Wood was a major natural resource for the goltherrhim. The Goltherlon wood, which
could be cultivated
in amazing shapes and colors by the Ladies of the Goltherrhim were made into
weapons that were also traded. Their skill alone as smiths and fletchers could
be all they needed, the skills in their time were quite good.
Holidays,
Festivals and Observances.
None described yet.
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