Omeric Riordian

Cala'Ghires The city of Cala'ghires was built atop the crowns of majestic hills and is truly an extraordinary marvel. Its beauty is matched by the backdrop of snowy Apemine mountains which have helped shape the city to what it is today. The trade resources these mountains bring are of great importance, but they are also influential when it comes to architectural designs, as the vast majority of buildings have been built with rocks from those very same mountains. Cala'ghires, the main seat of power for the King of the blessed High Elves, can be located northwest of the Apemine Mountains. This city is the patron nation of Rome, sitting inland upon a crest of seven hills. An abundant forest of ancient oaks and chestnut trees grow, while flanking a broad river with steep banks that serve as a natural moat. The nearest landmark to this grand city is the mystical and revered Isola Tiberina.

Cala'Quessir The High Elves of Cala'quessir are a branch of the Taur'quessir, whom are the root bloodline within Taur'gossel, the sister city to Cala'ghires. These martial High Elves was a rare race to stand against Rome's opression and slavery, when this conquering force had still been in its infancy. The city of Taur'gossel was built atop the crowns of majestic hills and is truly an architectural sight. Its elegance is matched by the backdrop of majestic forests which have helped shape the city to what it is today. The riches these forests brought were of great importance, but they were also influential when it came to architectural designs as the vast majority of buildings have been built with both materials and stylistic shapes of the forests. Within the existence of Taur'Gossel's rule, which had been throughout many centuries, a member of the Gelluvien bloodline had been placed upon the throne. The ruler, technically a King as far as political dealings that came into play, manipulated its way under Rome's yolk to participate within its propserous rule. By showing both martial strength and wealth as its strengths, all established lineages were left undistubred and allowed to continue their dealings, linked closely with both Rome and Cala'ghires.

Tiberina The banks of Cala'quessir and the Isle of Tiberina are connected by a bridge, the Pont Fabricio, whom is the host to the Temple Asclepius. In accordance to the ancient High Elven texts, the fragmented sect of Cala'quessir of Aghires were granted - through the saturation of healing magic surrounding the temple - blessed these elves with the mysterious Raama'ril nimphel (translated from Elven as "Wings of Billiant Light.")

History & Geography The city of Cala'ghires was built atop the crowns of majestic hills and is truly an extraordinary marvel. Its beauty is matched by the backdrop of snowy Apemine Mountains which have helped shape the city to what it is today. The High Elves of this city are a branch of the mountain elves; the root bloodline within Taur'gossel, the sister city to Cala'ghires. Demographics A majority of the population within this city stems from the bloodlines of the Elven lineage. Anatomy & Morphology With their unearthly grace and fine features, elves appear hauntingly beautiful to humans and members of many other races. They are slightly shorter than humans on average, ranging from well under 5 feet tall to just over 6 feet. They are more slender than humans, weighing only 100 to 145 pounds. Males and females are about the same height, and males are only marginally heavier than females. Elves’ coloration encompasses the normal human range and also includes skin in shades of copper, bronze, and almost bluish-white, hair of green or blue, and eyes like pools of liquid gold or silver. Elves have no facial and little body hair. They favor elegant clothing in bright colors, and they enjoy simple yet lovely jewelry. Ecology and Habitats Most elves dwell in small forest villages hidden among the trees. Elves hunt game, gather food, and grow vegetables, and their skill and magic allow them to support themselves without the need for clearing and plowing land. They are talented artisans, crafting finely worked clothes and art objects. Their contact with outsiders is usually limited, though a few elves make a good living by trading crafted items for metals (which they have no interest in mining). Elves encountered outside their own lands are commonly traveling minstrels, artists, or sages. Human nobles compete for the services of elf instructors to teach swordplay or magic to their children. Growth Rate & Stages Elves can live well over 700 years, giving them a broad perspective on events that might trouble the shorter-lived races more deeply. They are more often amused than excited, and more likely to be curious than greedy. They tend to remain aloof and unfazed by petty happenstance. When pursuing a goal, however, whether adventuring on a mission or learning a new skill or art, elves can be focused and relentless. They are slow to make friends and enemies, and even slower to forget them. They reply to petty insults with disdain and to serious insults with vengeance. Like the branches of a young tree, elves are flexible in the face of danger. They trust in diplomacy and compromise to resolve differences before they escalate to violence. They have been known to retreat from intrusions into their woodland homes, confident that they can simply wait the invaders out. But when the need arises, elves reveal a stern martial side, demonstrating skill with sword, bow, and strategy. Elven History Although they can be haughty, elves are generally gracious even to those who fall short of their high expectations—which is most non-elves. Still, they can find good in just about anyone. Elves are a magical people of otherworldly grace, living in the world but not entirely part of it. They live in places of ethereal beauty, in the midst of ancient forests or in silvery spires glittering with faerie light, where soft music drifts through the air and gentle fragrances waft on the breeze. Elves love nature and magic, art and artistry, music and poetry, and the good things of the world.

Major language groups and dialects Elvish is fluid, with subtle intonations and intricate grammar. Elven literature is rich and varied, and their songs and poems are famous among other races. Many bards learn their language so they can add Elvish ballads to their repertoires. Culture and cultural heritage Elves take up adventuring out of wanderlust. Since they are so long-lived, they can enjoy centuries of exploration and discovery. They dislike the pace of human society, which is regimented from day to day but constantly changing over decades, so they find careers that let them travel freely and set their own pace. Elves also enjoy exercising their martial prowess or gaining greater magical power, and adventuring allows them to do so. Some might join with rebels fighting against oppression, and others might become champions of moral causes. Elven Marriages Elves idealize the concept of romantic love as much as humans do if not more so. Songs, stories, and poems are dedicated to this powerful emotion in every generation. Nevertheless, to elves, love is more frightening than it is to humans because loving another enough to share one's whole life means giving up a measure of the independence that elves so value. Thus, although the concept of love fascinates the ever-curious elves, most are in no particular hurry to find and embrace it for themselves. Courtships between elf couples are generally long, often lasting decades before the partners commit to marriage. Paradoxically, elves often find it easier to commit to long-term romantic relationships with humans than with other elves. The fifty or so years that such a union might last before the death of the human partner is nothing more than a pleasant interlude for the elf--no more than the time it might take to produce an artistic masterpiece or learn a new craft. Remaining focused on a single partner for that amount of time is relatively easy for an elf and allows him a greater understanding of the lives and thought processes of shorter-lived races. A marriage between elves, however, is a centuries-long commitment that is never undertaken lightly. Light flirtations and even long-term dalliances between elves are more common than actual marriages. Children produced from such informal arrangements bear no stigma because new life is welcome in almost any elf community, whatever the relationship that produced it. Though elves reach physical maturity at 25, marriages almost never occur at such a young age. In practice, elves less than 100 years old are considered too young for marriage and are strongly discouraged from considering such a permanent arrangement until they've had a few more decades of experience to understand themselves. No parental or clan consent is required for courtships: an adult elf is free to associate with anyone who accepts his attentions--even someone of another race. Elves almost never have arranged marriages because such a concept is diametrically opposed to their ideals of individual freedom. An elven marriage ceremony can take many forms. Though it is often a ritual celebrated before the entire community, it can consist simply of two elves speaking the words that bind them forever with no witnesses except the trees and the grass. Most elven weddings are officiated by a priest of whatever deity the couple deems appropriate (most often Hanali Celanil, but sometimes Corellion Larethian). The two elves write and speak their own vows, and the priest uses their own words to seal the union. Thus, an exchange of vows amounts to an exchange of life essence that forever bonds one to the other. Dowries are not usually exchanged unless the marriage is of considerable political import, though gifts to the newly wedded couple from the community are common. Though elves rarely fall out of love with one another almost never remarry after the death of a spouse, they often do spend time away from one another as a means of refreshing the relationship. Such "vacations" from one another keep a marriage fresh and vital by allowing each partner to grow independently of the other. Outsiders often mistakenly believe that elves have little love for family, friends, and community because they may leave home for years at a time to follow their own desires. However, while elves are undeniably self-centered, they usually harbor deep-seated affection for their families and friends. The extent of that affection can be seen in their willingness to let go and trust that their loved ones will return to share more time with them. Indeed, when an elf who has been absent from his community for an extended period decides to return home, little can stand in his way, and the joy of his loved ones upon his return is boundless indeed. Celebrations extending for weeks often surround the return of a long-absent member of the community, who doubtless has many tales to tell of his travels. Such stories serve to enrich the understanding and the lore of the entire community.

Kiel
The Unicorn of Storms, the Spirit of Guidance and Justice
Realm: The Dreamscape
A deity with a powerful voice that commands the earth, shaping mountains and valleys according to his will. Trails of smoke and purple lightning match his fury. His wards and holy fire are the equivalent of an atom bomb and are feared for good reason. He sometimes appears to those he watches over in times of need to give encouragement or aid. He visits battlefields, plague stricken cities, and areas of mass death. He searches for those who show great bravery in the face of their suffering and guides them to his realm when their time has come. It’s rumored that he can create powerful illusions to confuse and mislead those he deems as wicked. As far as vengeful deities go, he is one of the more “creative” when it comes to her punishments.

The Order of Kiel
Kiel’s Knights are given the same power as high ranking Elven Auxilia. They wear their deity’s banner proudly and wield blessed weapons that bring fiery justice down upon the wicked.

Auseu
The Gryphoness of Enlightenment and Rebirth
Realm: Elysium
Deity of the Peaceful Sunrise and defender of the innocent. Those that prey upon innocent children live in fear of Auseau. The protector of the weak, the voice of the silent. Will be compelled to act when she sees an act of great injustice or undeserved suffering. Anyone who has been in her presence has truesight for a week; in addition, they see people as they are within (their emotions and character).

The Keepers of Auseau
Followers of Auseau are tasked to train and use healing magics, then given near free rein to go out into the world and benefit a town or injured soldiers. These followers are not allowed to accept payment for their aid, however, if they request for a stipend of assistance from their temple, they are almost always guaranteed to be granted one. Every seven years these followers are required to report back to the mother temple in order to renew their vows and to record their deeds with the Keepers of their faith.

(Neither of these deities remain in a single form, nor even a singular gender, but often lean opposite of one another in order to maintain a balance of their realm and those they protect and oversee.)