Difference between revisions of "Dominion Era/Tretallë (Culture)/Traditions"
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From a theological standpoint, the Lighting of the Lamps represents a special act of communal supplication to the [[Dominion Era/Averrë Nenn#The Crone|Crone]] when it is performed to welcome an individual into public office. Although she is considered to be a trickster deity, the Crone is also considered the goddess of worldly Wisdom, especially that which comes from life experience. It is through the Lighting of the Lamps that a community beseeches the Crone to guide the individual so that they can properly assume their office, that they may have the Wisdom to do what is right and what is necessary. When it is performed as a funeral rite for a deceased individual, it takes on a different meaning entirely. In this situation, the Lighting of the Lamps represents the community asking the Crone, who is the psychopomp of the Tretalleri pantheon, to guide the deceased with her lantern into the Stranger's embrace. | From a theological standpoint, the Lighting of the Lamps represents a special act of communal supplication to the [[Dominion Era/Averrë Nenn#The Crone|Crone]] when it is performed to welcome an individual into public office. Although she is considered to be a trickster deity, the Crone is also considered the goddess of worldly Wisdom, especially that which comes from life experience. It is through the Lighting of the Lamps that a community beseeches the Crone to guide the individual so that they can properly assume their office, that they may have the Wisdom to do what is right and what is necessary. When it is performed as a funeral rite for a deceased individual, it takes on a different meaning entirely. In this situation, the Lighting of the Lamps represents the community asking the Crone, who is the psychopomp of the Tretalleri pantheon, to guide the deceased with her lantern into the Stranger's embrace. | ||
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| + | === The Pilgrimage under Starlight === | ||
| + | Once, on the ninth Night of each Highest Moon, the Tretâllë gather. Families, where possible, attend to their Bone Trees at sunset, carrying unlit oil lamps and unlit beeswax candles scented with Neýrsë, the sap of the bone trees. Alternatively, the communal Bone Trees are open for all. For families that are either far away from their Bone Trees, or families that do not have them, this is their only option. As the first stars of the night begin to emerge in the sky, the elders of the community, or the individual families, begin to read from ''[[Dominion Era/Averrë Nenn#The Book of Hymns|Di'Thimôrë Brelerrë]]'', the Book of Hymns, which is a text that exists within the canon of the Faith of the Nine, but outside of the definitive canonical text: the Pale Grimoire. | ||
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| + | After the readings or the songs, dinner is brought out to the Tretâllë who are gathered around the trees. The meal that follows the songs is often eaten in silence. Some communities or families take the time to talk, catch up, or make friends. In other more religious communities, however, the solemnity of the meal is more strictly enforced. This second part of the Pilgrimage under Starlight is meant to foster a sense of community between the individuals that are participating. It is meant to strengthen the bonds between friends and family and create a sense of peace even when the Dominion is at war. | ||
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| + | The readings from the Book of Hymns and the meal that follows make up a tiny portion of the meaning and significance of the Pilgrimage under Starlight. The final part of the Pilgrimage takes place once the moon, and when present, its twin, reaches its zenith. In the folklore surrounding the Pilgrimage under Starlight, it is said that at this moment, the moon begins to shine brighter than at any other time during the year. Whether or not this is truly the case, the gathered Tretâllë begin to light their beeswax candles, filling the area around the Bone Trees with the smell of honey and burning Neýrsë, almost like incense. This part of the Pilgrimage is meant to reestablish or strengthen bonds between the living and the ancestral dead. | ||
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| + | The lighting of the candles is meant to imitate the ignition of stars, and their flickering light is meant to symbolize the guidance of the Crone's lantern. The Pilgrimage under Starlight is meant to deliver unto the souls of the departed prayers of those living who still remember them. The Tretâllë believe that the Pilgrimage allows the memory of those who have lived before to guide the living. In return, the Tretâllë also believe that by lighting their candles, they are creating lights that line the path from the mortal realm to ''[[Dominion Era/Averrë Nenn#The Sacred City|Di'Cilkarë Cselvë]]'', the Sared City of the Stranger where all those who came to death in peace and acceptance. | ||
Latest revision as of 04:41, 18 March 2016
This page discusses a part of the lore of the Dominion Era Tretallë. If you are interested in seeing the Tabletop RPG stats associated with this race, visit: Tretallë (Stats).
| Dominion Era Tretallë | |
|---|---|
| Bone Elves | |
| Istfet, The Strangers, Invaders, Deathriders | |
 Imperial Standard of the Tretalleri Dominion | |
| Land of Origin | |
 | |
| Continent of Origin | Termalttë |
| Homeland | Teýrivellë |
| Capital | Ifatallë Cselvë |
| Racial Lore | |
| Language | Tretalleri |
| Characteristics | Tretallë (Characteristics) |
| Culture | Tretallë (Culture) |
| History | Dominion Era |
| Government | Tretallë (Government) |
| Military | Tretallë (Military) |
| Stats | Tretallë (Stats) |
| Racial Relations | |
| Allies | None |
| Enemies | Elledynnë |
| Neutrals | None |
Collectively, the Tretâllë are much less festive—or hedonistic, depending on who is asked—than their Elledyn'ni cousins. Emphasis on the superficial as well as light-heartedness are not as prolific within the Dominion as they are within the Silvered Realm. Stereotypically, the Tretâllë are considered to be morose, solemn, somber, and basically joyless creatures. There is very little validity to this stereotype as historically, the Tretâllë have been prone to the very same gamut of emotions that all other creatures of Sekhar are, although they are certainly less prone to humour and merrymaking than the others.
Religious Traditions
Although the Tretâllë are not too fond of celebration, and though their culture does not lend too much importance to religious observation, there are certainly a number of traditions in Tretalleri society that are informed by the The Faith of the Nine. Although many of these traditions had secular origins, the symbolism that surrounds them have been adopted into the theology of the Faith of the Nine.
The Lighting of the Lamps
One of the aforementioned traditions with secular origins, the Lighting of the Lamps hearkens back to the days of the Kingship of the Bone Trees. Although the name of the tradition has not changed in the long time since its foundation, the Lighting of the Lamps has certainly expanded in scope and changed significance since then. Originally, the Lighting of the Lamps was solely performed to welcome new elders elected to the council of town elders. In modern days, however, the Lighting of the Lamps accompanies any individual taking a position of public authority. Distinct from this, the Lighting of the Lamps also has a funereal purpose, and it is often performed prior to the burial of prominent community figures.
In the Lighting of the Lamps, the main thoroughfare of a settlement, whether it is as small as a village or as large as a city, is lined on either side with lit lamps and lanterns at sunset. When done as a ceremony of acceptance for individuals taking office, the individual walks down the length of the path at the head of a small procession of some of the community's leaders and a Di'Marrë. When done as a ceremony undertaken at the end of a public figure's life, the individual's corpse is instead borne down the length of the lit path in a covered palanquin as a song of lament is sung by the Tretâllë that are present.
From a theological standpoint, the Lighting of the Lamps represents a special act of communal supplication to the Crone when it is performed to welcome an individual into public office. Although she is considered to be a trickster deity, the Crone is also considered the goddess of worldly Wisdom, especially that which comes from life experience. It is through the Lighting of the Lamps that a community beseeches the Crone to guide the individual so that they can properly assume their office, that they may have the Wisdom to do what is right and what is necessary. When it is performed as a funeral rite for a deceased individual, it takes on a different meaning entirely. In this situation, the Lighting of the Lamps represents the community asking the Crone, who is the psychopomp of the Tretalleri pantheon, to guide the deceased with her lantern into the Stranger's embrace.
The Pilgrimage under Starlight
Once, on the ninth Night of each Highest Moon, the Tretâllë gather. Families, where possible, attend to their Bone Trees at sunset, carrying unlit oil lamps and unlit beeswax candles scented with Neýrsë, the sap of the bone trees. Alternatively, the communal Bone Trees are open for all. For families that are either far away from their Bone Trees, or families that do not have them, this is their only option. As the first stars of the night begin to emerge in the sky, the elders of the community, or the individual families, begin to read from Di'Thimôrë Brelerrë, the Book of Hymns, which is a text that exists within the canon of the Faith of the Nine, but outside of the definitive canonical text: the Pale Grimoire.
After the readings or the songs, dinner is brought out to the Tretâllë who are gathered around the trees. The meal that follows the songs is often eaten in silence. Some communities or families take the time to talk, catch up, or make friends. In other more religious communities, however, the solemnity of the meal is more strictly enforced. This second part of the Pilgrimage under Starlight is meant to foster a sense of community between the individuals that are participating. It is meant to strengthen the bonds between friends and family and create a sense of peace even when the Dominion is at war.
The readings from the Book of Hymns and the meal that follows make up a tiny portion of the meaning and significance of the Pilgrimage under Starlight. The final part of the Pilgrimage takes place once the moon, and when present, its twin, reaches its zenith. In the folklore surrounding the Pilgrimage under Starlight, it is said that at this moment, the moon begins to shine brighter than at any other time during the year. Whether or not this is truly the case, the gathered Tretâllë begin to light their beeswax candles, filling the area around the Bone Trees with the smell of honey and burning Neýrsë, almost like incense. This part of the Pilgrimage is meant to reestablish or strengthen bonds between the living and the ancestral dead.
The lighting of the candles is meant to imitate the ignition of stars, and their flickering light is meant to symbolize the guidance of the Crone's lantern. The Pilgrimage under Starlight is meant to deliver unto the souls of the departed prayers of those living who still remember them. The Tretâllë believe that the Pilgrimage allows the memory of those who have lived before to guide the living. In return, the Tretâllë also believe that by lighting their candles, they are creating lights that line the path from the mortal realm to Di'Cilkarë Cselvë, the Sared City of the Stranger where all those who came to death in peace and acceptance.
