Difference between revisions of "Tretallë"
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{{Infobox tretallë}} | {{Infobox tretallë}} | ||
| − | They are the architects, engineers, builders, and heirs to the greatest and most successful empire that the history of the world of [[Sekhar]] remembers. | + | They are the architects, engineers, builders, and heirs to the greatest and most successful empire that the history of the world of [[Sekhar]] remembers. They are known by many names to many people all throughout the years of the long and storied histories of the world of Sekhar. To some, they are jailers, to others liberators, and to many more, their arrival is believed to herald a wave of death and destruction that washes over the land, leaving nothing but those who capitulate in its wake. What hasn't changed over the years is how they view themselves—as the protectors of the world from the corrupt ways of their wayward sister-race the [[Elledŷnnë|Elledynnë]]. |
| − | |||
| − | They are known by many names to many people all throughout the years of the long and storied histories of the world of Sekhar. To some, they are jailers, to others liberators, and to many more, their arrival is believed to herald a wave of death and destruction that washes over the land, leaving nothing but those who capitulate in its wake. What hasn't changed over the years is how they view themselves—as the protectors of the world from the corrupt ways of their wayward sister-race the [[Elledŷnnë|Elledynnë]]. | ||
Although history remembers them as consummate warmongers, the Tretâllë are anything but. Modern scholarship has come to the conclusion that as accurate as the Tretalleri histories might be, they tend to gloss over the empire's more peaceful conquests which far outnumber their military ones. In truth, for the most part, the Imperators and the Twin Courts avoid war as much as possible as the instability that they cause make integration all the more difficult. | Although history remembers them as consummate warmongers, the Tretâllë are anything but. Modern scholarship has come to the conclusion that as accurate as the Tretalleri histories might be, they tend to gloss over the empire's more peaceful conquests which far outnumber their military ones. In truth, for the most part, the Imperators and the Twin Courts avoid war as much as possible as the instability that they cause make integration all the more difficult. | ||
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== Names == | == Names == | ||
| + | Because of the widespread influence of the [[Dominion]], many names came to be associated with the Tretâllë. A number of them are considered quite offensive these days but were, generally speaking, descriptive to the people that gave them those names. | ||
| + | |||
| + | One of the names that entered popular usage, particularly because of the huge population that accompanied the integration of this particular culture, is the name [[Tretallë|IstFet]] from the [[Lexicon:IktOrryk|IktOrryk]] of the [[IstEri|Races of Man]]. The name comes from the word ''fetir'', which means death. Originally, the Tretâllë were known as the IstAyna, from ''aynara'', which meant stranger. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Shortly after the [[Conquest Era#IldCarr|massacre at IldCarr]], however, the tone of popular perception of the Tretallë began to shift. Among the kingdoms that had already capitulated or enthusiastically entered the Dominion, the effect was less pronounced as the people were enjoying the stability that Dominion rule brought. Among those that were still in the process of joining, however, bitterness was rampant. The bloodshed at IldCarr served as a reminder that the otherwise-benevolent visitors would not hesitate to resort to violence if they were repelled. By giving the Tretâllë the name IstFet, the Races of Man were not simply calling them the bringers of death, but rather they were calling the Tretâllë a people ''of'' death. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Half the world away in the [[Pāll-tanír]], the Tretâllë were met with a very different tone. To the A'Drekh, they became considered the liberators because they freed those among the [[A'Drekh]] that had been enslaved. Furthermore, their coming had also put an end to the wars that were constantly waged between the A'Drekh and the Arventiri over the Font of Life. For this reason, the [[A'Drekh#Ascendants|A'Drekh Ascendants]] called the Tretâllë ''Kumārë''. | ||
| + | |||
| + | On the other side of that conflict, however, the Arventiri were less than pleased by the Tretalleri occupation of the Pāll-tanír. Not only had the Tretâllë banned warfare and forced them to cooperate with the A'Drekh, they had deprived the Arventiri of their believed gods-given right to take, enslave, and use for their own means the other creatures that lived in the Pāll-tanír. To them, the Tretâllë became Q'ulvyari, the bringers of chains. The oppressors. | ||
| + | |||
| + | To the [[Sylvari]], who, prior to the arrival of the Dominion had only just begun building their civilization, the Tretâllë were a godssend. The Sylvari are nearly as long-lived as the Tretâllë and had had a lot of trouble figuring out how to best set up their lives and communities with that in mind. The arrival of the Tretâllë, who had dealt with this matter already, was hailed as a message from the gods. To the Sylvari, then, the Tretâllë became ''Gamora'' and ''Ganrak'', "Namegiver" and "Lawgiver", respectively. | ||
| + | |||
| + | === Self-naming === | ||
The earliest known name for the Tretâllë is ''Syd'Taedë Aedyla'', one given them by the [[Prophetess Llyrileýwa]] in the ancient tongue of [[Lexicon:Aenevelyndë|Aen<sub>e</sub>velyndë]]. The phrase is believed to mean 'The Pale Ones,' although knowledge of Aen<sub>e</sub>velyndë was at best fragmentary, even when the Dominion first started keeping meticulous historical records. | The earliest known name for the Tretâllë is ''Syd'Taedë Aedyla'', one given them by the [[Prophetess Llyrileýwa]] in the ancient tongue of [[Lexicon:Aenevelyndë|Aen<sub>e</sub>velyndë]]. The phrase is believed to mean 'The Pale Ones,' although knowledge of Aen<sub>e</sub>velyndë was at best fragmentary, even when the Dominion first started keeping meticulous historical records. | ||
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Another name that saw widespread use among the early Tretâllë was ''Di'Terredŷnë''. It was believed to have been adopted in opposition to the use of the remnants of the Aen<sub>e</sub>veri empire's use of ''Di'Elledŷnnë''. The earliest known work to have used the term is a short essay written on a badly-preserved scroll found soon after the founding of the Dominion. The work was entitled "Against the Deceivers," and contained the phrase, translated into modern Tretalleri, ''Sendë qrivë têýna De'nakhë Elledŷnnë te têýna`na Ganë vîttë qrivë îdë De'nakhë Terredynë kirannë vittë enkonë îdë nara s'khatha têýna'', which means "If they give the name of Children of the Stars to themselves, then we will give ourselves the name of Children of the Earth so that we will learn that they are enemies." | Another name that saw widespread use among the early Tretâllë was ''Di'Terredŷnë''. It was believed to have been adopted in opposition to the use of the remnants of the Aen<sub>e</sub>veri empire's use of ''Di'Elledŷnnë''. The earliest known work to have used the term is a short essay written on a badly-preserved scroll found soon after the founding of the Dominion. The work was entitled "Against the Deceivers," and contained the phrase, translated into modern Tretalleri, ''Sendë qrivë têýna De'nakhë Elledŷnnë te têýna`na Ganë vîttë qrivë îdë De'nakhë Terredynë kirannë vittë enkonë îdë nara s'khatha têýna'', which means "If they give the name of Children of the Stars to themselves, then we will give ourselves the name of Children of the Earth so that we will learn that they are enemies." | ||
| − | The name ''Tretâllë'' did not come about until much later in the history of the Tretalleri people. It at first referred to the group of people who were able to learn how to use the indigenous population of horses for advantage in armed conflict. It is widely believed | + | The name ''Tretâllë'' did not come about until much later in the history of the Tretalleri people. It at first referred to the group of people who were able to learn how to use the indigenous population of horses for advantage in armed conflict. It is widely believed, even more so with mounting evidence from recent archaeological findings, that the name ''Tretâllë'' was originally borne by a group of notorious bandits who wore the bones of their dead on their bodies so that their arrival would always be heard and feared. |
| + | |||
| + | The early history of the name is rather unclear. What evidence survives to the modern age comes not from historians themselves, but from the accounts of men and women who had been alive during [[Dominion Era#The Consolidation|the Consolidation]]. However, what is readily apparent is that the [[Kingship of the Bone Trees]], ''D'Lanakhë Di'Lignetallë'' in seeking to bolster its military might, offered pardons and gold to the Bone Riders in exchange for their services, making them, for a short time, the largest mercenary group on the continent. | ||
| + | |||
| + | No one knows how or why the transition happened, but soon after being hired, the Bone Riders officially became part of the Kingship of the Bone Trees' military, and a significant one at that. As time went on, the name became associated with the Kingship of the Bone Trees, and when the first Imperator, [[Cilritanë a'Detvida (Imperator)|Cilritanë a'Detvida]] established the Dominion, he allowed the name to remain and adopted it officially as the name of his people, thinking it an honour to the Bone Riders who had won for him a great many battles and without whom his dreams of a unified empire for the Tretâllë would have never come to pass. | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Historical Background == | ||
| + | === Early Populations === | ||
| + | It is believed that the early Tretalleri peoples were originally a sub-group of a larger population, particularly an advanced civilization known as the [[Aenevë]] or the Great Elves of the East. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Archaeological digs at suspected sites of Aeneveri cities have revealed surprising evidence with regard to the mythical origins of the Tretâllë. Particularly, pottery and murals from the period show that there was an air of growing political discord at the time, due in large part to the gradual waning of immortality in the Aeneveri population. | ||
| + | |||
| + | At this time, the ancestral Tretâllë were a people with a common ethnic background that lived, most likely, in and around the southernmost region of [[Termalttë|Di'Termalttë]]. Biologists believe that the pale complexion of these ancestral Tretâllë developed as an adaptation to the more temperate climes of the region. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Unfortunately for the ancestral Tretallë, their different appearance made them an easy target for savvy politicians. Although initially the populace largely dismissed the outlandish idea that somehow the ancestral Tretâllë were the cause of the waning immortality, the introduction of and rapid adaptation of the faith of the Triple Goddess turned public perception. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Eventually, the ancestral Tretâllë were singled out and blamed, as a scapegoat, for the public health crisis. Although initially, this meant segregation, growing civil unrest and a series of extremist government leaders saw this original discrimination turn into full-blown slavery. The ancestral Tretâllë were uprooted from their home and set to work in the depths of the Shrouded Peaks as a labour force, mining gold and silver and gems that were vital for the new religion that was sweeping across the Aeneveri empire. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Ultimately, the ancestral Tretâllë were able to break free in an unprecedented slave-revolt thanks to the tireless work of the Prophetess Llyrileýwa. Streaming out from the Shrouded Peaks into the Desolation, the ancestral Tretâllë, in the myths, took two Lengths to rest and settle their elderly and their young, before taking up arms in a war of attrition against the empire that had so wronged them. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Although they were untrained and largely undisciplined, the war turned in the ancestral Tretâllë's favour as the military tactics of the Aeneveri had stagnated due to decades of misuse under relatively prosperous peace, as well as because of a handful of particularly wise military commanders whose knowledge of Aeneveri tactics proved vital to conquering the field. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The ancestral Tretâllë waged a decade-long war of attrition against the Aeneveri until public perception of the government hit rock-bottom and the disillusioned and dissatisfied portions of the populace attempted numerous coups, causing the surprisingly dramatic implosion of the Aeneveri empire. | ||
| + | |||
| + | As a result of their martial victories, the ancestral Tretâllë were able to create for themselves a pocket of Di'Termalttë that they could call their own, even though it was far away from their home in the south. As the last fragments of the Aeneveri empire collapsed under their own weight, the ancestral Tretâllë divided themselves into groups to pursue their own goals, thus creating the first of the ancestral Tretalleri clans. They did this, however, with the understanding that should the Aeneveri or their descendants ever rise to power again, the Tretâllë would unite to beat them back down. | ||
| + | |||
| + | === The Dominion === | ||
| + | For a few centuries after the Diaspora, the Tretalleri clans remained largely disparate. That is, until the man that history alleges is the first Imperator of the Dominion, Cilritanë a'Detvida, consolidated the clans into a single unified empire. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The rise of the Dominion, as well as the [[Silvered Realm]] that came soon after it, ushered the world into a new era. This era is marked by three things: slow, methodical technological advancement on the part of the Dominion, rapid expansionism leading to numerous military campaigns abroad, and constant skirmishing and warfare between the Dominion and the Silvered Realm. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Despite the fact that history remembers mostly the conflicts that occurred during the many millennia of uninterrupted Dominion rule, for the most part, the [[Dominion Era]] was largely prosperous. During this time, the Tretâllë began to colonize other continents and islands. The first few were established not far from the mainland, but far enough away that trade was strained for the larger part of the early Dominion Era due to Elledŷnnë raiding along the sea routes used by the Tretâllë. | ||
| + | |||
| + | As the Dominion matured, however, the Dominion gained more and more resources and could afford to regularly patrol the sea corridors used by mercantile vessels. As a result, trade flourished between the mainland and the island colonies. The economic prosperity brought about by the unrestricted trade is evidenced primarily in the Kosë, the heaviest denomination of coin, of the time which was stamped with images of seafaring ships on the reverse side. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The establishment of a protected sea corridor between the mainland and the island colonies also facilitated the Dominion's journey westward, toward the land of the Sylvari. They were accepted quite openly by the peoples of the island chain and were given more than enough room to establish their colonies in the region. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Although there was some friction due to the differing cultures, the two species lived in relative prosperity with one another. It was only a matter of time before the Sylvari, impressed by the amount of food that the handful of established colonies received from the mainland, asked to join the Dominion. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Once the covenant between the two races was established, a second period of flourishing trade dawned on the Tretâllë. | ||
| + | |||
| + | This is a scenario that repeats itself many times through the long and storied history of the Dominion. Only rarely did a people resist the Dominion so much that it was forced to bring to bear its significant military might. Over thirty millennia, though, the occasional conquest added up, giving the Tretâllë a reputation as a warmongering people. | ||
| + | |||
| + | During the Dominion Era, patronage of the arts, while not nearly as extensive as in the Silvered Realm never truly wavered in any significant sort of way. Tretalleri architecture evolved in the mainland over the years and advancements there filtered to the rest of the Dominion's colonies through builders and traders that visited them. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The trade routes also provided a way for the rich cultures with which the Dominion came into contact with to leave a lasting mark on the mainland. The Tretalleri practice of wearing accessories to indicate one's marital status or romantic availabiltiy was adopted from the Sylvari that came to live in the mainland. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The colonisation of these faraway lands also had a profound effect on the Tretalleri language, which slowly inherited some structures and words from the others. The words ''matrë'' and ''patrë'', for mother and father respectively, for example, came from the A'Drekh ''maekhë'' and ''faekhë''. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Tretalleri civilization was in its golden age during the Dominion Era, and by extension, so too were the civilizations of the peoples that had submitted or been forcefully integrated into the Dominion. Although all the cultures of the world retained their individuality, the borders between them slowly began to blur. Aspects of each culture were integrated into Tretalleri culture, just as aspects of Tretalleri culture were adapted by others, and over the years, these disparate fragments formed a single Dominean culture. | ||
| + | |||
| + | == The Tretalleri Peoples == | ||
| + | === The Dominean Tretâllë === | ||
| + | It is difficult to ascribe any sort of nationality or regionality to Di'Tretâllë as the earliest historical records we have date back to well after the formation of the Dominion. Although at the time, there were certainly still some distinctions between groups of Tretâllë who lived in different regions, these are somewhat vague and only mentioned passing by the works of historians such as [[Qerodë a'Morra]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Based on archaeological and linguistic evidence, however, modern experts have managed to reconstruct a loose categorization of regionalisms within the early Dominion, in addition to those that have been named in the literature. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==== Regional Ethnic Groups ==== | ||
| + | {{columns-list|3| | ||
| + | * Di'Garroteni | ||
| + | * Di'Naborreni | ||
| + | * Di'Rodeni | ||
| + | * Di'Averreni | ||
| + | * Di'Elleni | ||
| + | * Di'Fioreni | ||
| + | * Di'Terjeni | ||
| + | * Di'Elmireni | ||
| + | * Di'Khalmireni | ||
| + | * Di'Rivelleni | ||
| + | }} | ||
| + | |||
| + | Now, of course, it is impossible to fully reconstruct the many disparate Tretalleri clans that formed pre-Dominean society. As appealing as the idea might be, much of the archaeological evidence from the period has been built over or destroyed. Even if there were comprehensive records, Qerodë admits in his ''Stories'' that other than in the surviving clan names, there was no way to determine how many there had been in the past. He adds that to complicate matters, the clans were ever-changing, growing, splitting, shrinking, dying, and joining up over the course of years as leaders and priorities changed. | ||
| + | |||
| + | === The Exiles === | ||
| + | Di'Khyrêni, the Exiles, are Tretâllë who, over the years, migrated ''[[Di'Lanakhyrë]]'', the [[Exiled Realm]]. These Tretâllë fled the relative safety of the Dominion for the uncertainty of the Exiled realm either because they were ejected from their homeland for serious crimes or treason, or they were simply disillusioned by the policy of conquest and the ideology that pervades it. | ||
| + | |||
| + | History attempts to paint the Tretâllë as a singular people with a single identity and ideological leaning, but this could not be further from the truth. No doubt this was an attempt to promote the strength in unity that the Dominion espouses, but it is no excuse for failing to report on the truth. | ||
| + | |||
| + | There are two primary groupings among the Exiles. There are ''Di'Risseni'', the Peaceful Ones, who are a group of consummate pacifists who refuse even the basic military training that is mandated for all Tretalleri young, and then there are ''Di'Khymaltteni'', the Homeless, who are Dominean Tretalleri exiles who still attempt to emulate life in the Dominion as much as possible. Among the latter are a few descendants of once-prominent Houses who still cling on to the hope of a pardon for their bloodline. | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Languages == | ||
| + | There is only one official language spoken by the Tretâllë, used in all forms, branches, and institutions of government for a primarily Tretalleri populace and that is [[Lexicon:Elle'lyndë/Tretalleri|D'Lyndë Tretalleri]]. The lingua franca of the Dominion and the later [[Confederation of Sovereign Nations]] is Dominean, which is primarily influenced by Tretalleri, but is also comprised of loan words and borrowed structures from the many other languages spoken by different ethnic groups in the Dominion. | ||
| + | |||
| + | There are numerous regional dialects of Tretalleri, a natural consequence of the wide territory that belongs to the Dominion. The island colonies, for example, speak a form of Tretalleri that is distinct from that spoken by those on the border with the Silvered Realm, and with those that live deeper in, around the Ivory City. There is also a distinction between common Tretalleri, which is what most people speak, and the so-called "High" Tretalleri which is a heavily regulated form of the language spoken primarily by the aristocratic classes and regulated by a government body. | ||
| + | |||
| + | "High" Tretalleri is not as adaptive to change as common Tretalleri and, by extension, Dominean. As a result, it is used mostly for imperial declarations and legislative or academic texts. | ||
| − | + | == Religion == | |
| + | Modern Tretâllë are relatively more religiously diverse than their Dominion Era counterparts in terms of religious belief. Although there are no accurate third-party records, it is widely believed that over 95 percent of Tretâllë in the Dominion Era were [[Averrë Nenn|Avereni]]. | ||
| − | + | In the modern day, however, census results paint an entirely different picture. While the bulk, 70% of the Tretalleri populace still hold to the Avereni religion, a significant amount, 20%, either claim that they have no religion, that they are not particularly religious, or that they are spiritual instead of religious. 9% of Tretâllë have adopted Tolvaari animism or have returned to the Druidic Lore, 1% have converted to the [[Sanctum]] faith, while the rest have taken to believing other religions in numbers too small to be statistically significant in relation to the total population. | |
Latest revision as of 23:17, 15 December 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 |
They are the architects, engineers, builders, and heirs to the greatest and most successful empire that the history of the world of Sekhar remembers. They are known by many names to many people all throughout the years of the long and storied histories of the world of Sekhar. To some, they are jailers, to others liberators, and to many more, their arrival is believed to herald a wave of death and destruction that washes over the land, leaving nothing but those who capitulate in its wake. What hasn't changed over the years is how they view themselves—as the protectors of the world from the corrupt ways of their wayward sister-race the Elledynnë.
Although history remembers them as consummate warmongers, the Tretâllë are anything but. Modern scholarship has come to the conclusion that as accurate as the Tretalleri histories might be, they tend to gloss over the empire's more peaceful conquests which far outnumber their military ones. In truth, for the most part, the Imperators and the Twin Courts avoid war as much as possible as the instability that they cause make integration all the more difficult.
The Tretâllë are also known for their martial lifestyle, their acceptance of individual choice and liberty, but perhaps, most of all, their impeccable ability to control their emotions. The former two are certainly pillars of Tretalleri culture and society, but the latter is entirely the result of a misapprehension of the extreme care with which Tretâllë treat their interactions with individuals of other races. The government's tacit approval of the stereotype certainly did not help the matter.
Contents
Names
Because of the widespread influence of the Dominion, many names came to be associated with the Tretâllë. A number of them are considered quite offensive these days but were, generally speaking, descriptive to the people that gave them those names.
One of the names that entered popular usage, particularly because of the huge population that accompanied the integration of this particular culture, is the name IstFet from the IktOrryk of the Races of Man. The name comes from the word fetir, which means death. Originally, the Tretâllë were known as the IstAyna, from aynara, which meant stranger.
Shortly after the massacre at IldCarr, however, the tone of popular perception of the Tretallë began to shift. Among the kingdoms that had already capitulated or enthusiastically entered the Dominion, the effect was less pronounced as the people were enjoying the stability that Dominion rule brought. Among those that were still in the process of joining, however, bitterness was rampant. The bloodshed at IldCarr served as a reminder that the otherwise-benevolent visitors would not hesitate to resort to violence if they were repelled. By giving the Tretâllë the name IstFet, the Races of Man were not simply calling them the bringers of death, but rather they were calling the Tretâllë a people of death.
Half the world away in the Pāll-tanír, the Tretâllë were met with a very different tone. To the A'Drekh, they became considered the liberators because they freed those among the A'Drekh that had been enslaved. Furthermore, their coming had also put an end to the wars that were constantly waged between the A'Drekh and the Arventiri over the Font of Life. For this reason, the A'Drekh Ascendants called the Tretâllë Kumārë.
On the other side of that conflict, however, the Arventiri were less than pleased by the Tretalleri occupation of the Pāll-tanír. Not only had the Tretâllë banned warfare and forced them to cooperate with the A'Drekh, they had deprived the Arventiri of their believed gods-given right to take, enslave, and use for their own means the other creatures that lived in the Pāll-tanír. To them, the Tretâllë became Q'ulvyari, the bringers of chains. The oppressors.
To the Sylvari, who, prior to the arrival of the Dominion had only just begun building their civilization, the Tretâllë were a godssend. The Sylvari are nearly as long-lived as the Tretâllë and had had a lot of trouble figuring out how to best set up their lives and communities with that in mind. The arrival of the Tretâllë, who had dealt with this matter already, was hailed as a message from the gods. To the Sylvari, then, the Tretâllë became Gamora and Ganrak, "Namegiver" and "Lawgiver", respectively.
Self-naming
The earliest known name for the Tretâllë is Syd'Taedë Aedyla, one given them by the Prophetess Llyrileýwa in the ancient tongue of Aenevelyndë. The phrase is believed to mean 'The Pale Ones,' although knowledge of Aenevelyndë was at best fragmentary, even when the Dominion first started keeping meticulous historical records.
Although the name was passed down through oral tradition, the first known genuine written record of the name comes from a clay tablet discovered at an archeological dig by the Rodë Reýlinë, some hundred miles east of Di'Ifatallë Cselvë. It is believed to be a memorial marking for those that passed during the war for the liberation of the ancestors of the Tretâllë, as it recounts the story of the days of the Pale Ones' slavery under the Aenevë.
This finding was corroborated by Elloreni Qor'Zavë, Elloreni the Elder, who was the last of the immortal elves to live among the mortals. Initially he confirmed the findings in a missive to the Grand Rookery, but later on, he expanded upon the lore of the name in his seminal work Di'Bremiernë, which was published a few short decades before he eventually succumbed to Di'Wirenë. It is from this that we know that the name was bequeathed to the ancestors of the Tretâllë by the Prophetess.
Another name that saw widespread use among the early Tretâllë was Di'Terredŷnë. It was believed to have been adopted in opposition to the use of the remnants of the Aeneveri empire's use of Di'Elledŷnnë. The earliest known work to have used the term is a short essay written on a badly-preserved scroll found soon after the founding of the Dominion. The work was entitled "Against the Deceivers," and contained the phrase, translated into modern Tretalleri, Sendë qrivë têýna De'nakhë Elledŷnnë te têýna`na Ganë vîttë qrivë îdë De'nakhë Terredynë kirannë vittë enkonë îdë nara s'khatha têýna, which means "If they give the name of Children of the Stars to themselves, then we will give ourselves the name of Children of the Earth so that we will learn that they are enemies."
The name Tretâllë did not come about until much later in the history of the Tretalleri people. It at first referred to the group of people who were able to learn how to use the indigenous population of horses for advantage in armed conflict. It is widely believed, even more so with mounting evidence from recent archaeological findings, that the name Tretâllë was originally borne by a group of notorious bandits who wore the bones of their dead on their bodies so that their arrival would always be heard and feared.
The early history of the name is rather unclear. What evidence survives to the modern age comes not from historians themselves, but from the accounts of men and women who had been alive during the Consolidation. However, what is readily apparent is that the Kingship of the Bone Trees, D'Lanakhë Di'Lignetallë in seeking to bolster its military might, offered pardons and gold to the Bone Riders in exchange for their services, making them, for a short time, the largest mercenary group on the continent.
No one knows how or why the transition happened, but soon after being hired, the Bone Riders officially became part of the Kingship of the Bone Trees' military, and a significant one at that. As time went on, the name became associated with the Kingship of the Bone Trees, and when the first Imperator, Cilritanë a'Detvida established the Dominion, he allowed the name to remain and adopted it officially as the name of his people, thinking it an honour to the Bone Riders who had won for him a great many battles and without whom his dreams of a unified empire for the Tretâllë would have never come to pass.
Historical Background
Early Populations
It is believed that the early Tretalleri peoples were originally a sub-group of a larger population, particularly an advanced civilization known as the Aenevë or the Great Elves of the East.
Archaeological digs at suspected sites of Aeneveri cities have revealed surprising evidence with regard to the mythical origins of the Tretâllë. Particularly, pottery and murals from the period show that there was an air of growing political discord at the time, due in large part to the gradual waning of immortality in the Aeneveri population.
At this time, the ancestral Tretâllë were a people with a common ethnic background that lived, most likely, in and around the southernmost region of Di'Termalttë. Biologists believe that the pale complexion of these ancestral Tretâllë developed as an adaptation to the more temperate climes of the region.
Unfortunately for the ancestral Tretallë, their different appearance made them an easy target for savvy politicians. Although initially the populace largely dismissed the outlandish idea that somehow the ancestral Tretâllë were the cause of the waning immortality, the introduction of and rapid adaptation of the faith of the Triple Goddess turned public perception.
Eventually, the ancestral Tretâllë were singled out and blamed, as a scapegoat, for the public health crisis. Although initially, this meant segregation, growing civil unrest and a series of extremist government leaders saw this original discrimination turn into full-blown slavery. The ancestral Tretâllë were uprooted from their home and set to work in the depths of the Shrouded Peaks as a labour force, mining gold and silver and gems that were vital for the new religion that was sweeping across the Aeneveri empire.
Ultimately, the ancestral Tretâllë were able to break free in an unprecedented slave-revolt thanks to the tireless work of the Prophetess Llyrileýwa. Streaming out from the Shrouded Peaks into the Desolation, the ancestral Tretâllë, in the myths, took two Lengths to rest and settle their elderly and their young, before taking up arms in a war of attrition against the empire that had so wronged them.
Although they were untrained and largely undisciplined, the war turned in the ancestral Tretâllë's favour as the military tactics of the Aeneveri had stagnated due to decades of misuse under relatively prosperous peace, as well as because of a handful of particularly wise military commanders whose knowledge of Aeneveri tactics proved vital to conquering the field.
The ancestral Tretâllë waged a decade-long war of attrition against the Aeneveri until public perception of the government hit rock-bottom and the disillusioned and dissatisfied portions of the populace attempted numerous coups, causing the surprisingly dramatic implosion of the Aeneveri empire.
As a result of their martial victories, the ancestral Tretâllë were able to create for themselves a pocket of Di'Termalttë that they could call their own, even though it was far away from their home in the south. As the last fragments of the Aeneveri empire collapsed under their own weight, the ancestral Tretâllë divided themselves into groups to pursue their own goals, thus creating the first of the ancestral Tretalleri clans. They did this, however, with the understanding that should the Aeneveri or their descendants ever rise to power again, the Tretâllë would unite to beat them back down.
The Dominion
For a few centuries after the Diaspora, the Tretalleri clans remained largely disparate. That is, until the man that history alleges is the first Imperator of the Dominion, Cilritanë a'Detvida, consolidated the clans into a single unified empire.
The rise of the Dominion, as well as the Silvered Realm that came soon after it, ushered the world into a new era. This era is marked by three things: slow, methodical technological advancement on the part of the Dominion, rapid expansionism leading to numerous military campaigns abroad, and constant skirmishing and warfare between the Dominion and the Silvered Realm.
Despite the fact that history remembers mostly the conflicts that occurred during the many millennia of uninterrupted Dominion rule, for the most part, the Dominion Era was largely prosperous. During this time, the Tretâllë began to colonize other continents and islands. The first few were established not far from the mainland, but far enough away that trade was strained for the larger part of the early Dominion Era due to Elledŷnnë raiding along the sea routes used by the Tretâllë.
As the Dominion matured, however, the Dominion gained more and more resources and could afford to regularly patrol the sea corridors used by mercantile vessels. As a result, trade flourished between the mainland and the island colonies. The economic prosperity brought about by the unrestricted trade is evidenced primarily in the Kosë, the heaviest denomination of coin, of the time which was stamped with images of seafaring ships on the reverse side.
The establishment of a protected sea corridor between the mainland and the island colonies also facilitated the Dominion's journey westward, toward the land of the Sylvari. They were accepted quite openly by the peoples of the island chain and were given more than enough room to establish their colonies in the region.
Although there was some friction due to the differing cultures, the two species lived in relative prosperity with one another. It was only a matter of time before the Sylvari, impressed by the amount of food that the handful of established colonies received from the mainland, asked to join the Dominion.
Once the covenant between the two races was established, a second period of flourishing trade dawned on the Tretâllë.
This is a scenario that repeats itself many times through the long and storied history of the Dominion. Only rarely did a people resist the Dominion so much that it was forced to bring to bear its significant military might. Over thirty millennia, though, the occasional conquest added up, giving the Tretâllë a reputation as a warmongering people.
During the Dominion Era, patronage of the arts, while not nearly as extensive as in the Silvered Realm never truly wavered in any significant sort of way. Tretalleri architecture evolved in the mainland over the years and advancements there filtered to the rest of the Dominion's colonies through builders and traders that visited them.
The trade routes also provided a way for the rich cultures with which the Dominion came into contact with to leave a lasting mark on the mainland. The Tretalleri practice of wearing accessories to indicate one's marital status or romantic availabiltiy was adopted from the Sylvari that came to live in the mainland.
The colonisation of these faraway lands also had a profound effect on the Tretalleri language, which slowly inherited some structures and words from the others. The words matrë and patrë, for mother and father respectively, for example, came from the A'Drekh maekhë and faekhë.
Tretalleri civilization was in its golden age during the Dominion Era, and by extension, so too were the civilizations of the peoples that had submitted or been forcefully integrated into the Dominion. Although all the cultures of the world retained their individuality, the borders between them slowly began to blur. Aspects of each culture were integrated into Tretalleri culture, just as aspects of Tretalleri culture were adapted by others, and over the years, these disparate fragments formed a single Dominean culture.
The Tretalleri Peoples
The Dominean Tretâllë
It is difficult to ascribe any sort of nationality or regionality to Di'Tretâllë as the earliest historical records we have date back to well after the formation of the Dominion. Although at the time, there were certainly still some distinctions between groups of Tretâllë who lived in different regions, these are somewhat vague and only mentioned passing by the works of historians such as Qerodë a'Morra.
Based on archaeological and linguistic evidence, however, modern experts have managed to reconstruct a loose categorization of regionalisms within the early Dominion, in addition to those that have been named in the literature.
Regional Ethnic Groups
- Di'Garroteni
- Di'Naborreni
- Di'Rodeni
- Di'Averreni
- Di'Elleni
- Di'Fioreni
- Di'Terjeni
- Di'Elmireni
- Di'Khalmireni
- Di'Rivelleni
Now, of course, it is impossible to fully reconstruct the many disparate Tretalleri clans that formed pre-Dominean society. As appealing as the idea might be, much of the archaeological evidence from the period has been built over or destroyed. Even if there were comprehensive records, Qerodë admits in his Stories that other than in the surviving clan names, there was no way to determine how many there had been in the past. He adds that to complicate matters, the clans were ever-changing, growing, splitting, shrinking, dying, and joining up over the course of years as leaders and priorities changed.
The Exiles
Di'Khyrêni, the Exiles, are Tretâllë who, over the years, migrated Di'Lanakhyrë, the Exiled Realm. These Tretâllë fled the relative safety of the Dominion for the uncertainty of the Exiled realm either because they were ejected from their homeland for serious crimes or treason, or they were simply disillusioned by the policy of conquest and the ideology that pervades it.
History attempts to paint the Tretâllë as a singular people with a single identity and ideological leaning, but this could not be further from the truth. No doubt this was an attempt to promote the strength in unity that the Dominion espouses, but it is no excuse for failing to report on the truth.
There are two primary groupings among the Exiles. There are Di'Risseni, the Peaceful Ones, who are a group of consummate pacifists who refuse even the basic military training that is mandated for all Tretalleri young, and then there are Di'Khymaltteni, the Homeless, who are Dominean Tretalleri exiles who still attempt to emulate life in the Dominion as much as possible. Among the latter are a few descendants of once-prominent Houses who still cling on to the hope of a pardon for their bloodline.
Languages
There is only one official language spoken by the Tretâllë, used in all forms, branches, and institutions of government for a primarily Tretalleri populace and that is D'Lyndë Tretalleri. The lingua franca of the Dominion and the later Confederation of Sovereign Nations is Dominean, which is primarily influenced by Tretalleri, but is also comprised of loan words and borrowed structures from the many other languages spoken by different ethnic groups in the Dominion.
There are numerous regional dialects of Tretalleri, a natural consequence of the wide territory that belongs to the Dominion. The island colonies, for example, speak a form of Tretalleri that is distinct from that spoken by those on the border with the Silvered Realm, and with those that live deeper in, around the Ivory City. There is also a distinction between common Tretalleri, which is what most people speak, and the so-called "High" Tretalleri which is a heavily regulated form of the language spoken primarily by the aristocratic classes and regulated by a government body.
"High" Tretalleri is not as adaptive to change as common Tretalleri and, by extension, Dominean. As a result, it is used mostly for imperial declarations and legislative or academic texts.
Religion
Modern Tretâllë are relatively more religiously diverse than their Dominion Era counterparts in terms of religious belief. Although there are no accurate third-party records, it is widely believed that over 95 percent of Tretâllë in the Dominion Era were Avereni.
In the modern day, however, census results paint an entirely different picture. While the bulk, 70% of the Tretalleri populace still hold to the Avereni religion, a significant amount, 20%, either claim that they have no religion, that they are not particularly religious, or that they are spiritual instead of religious. 9% of Tretâllë have adopted Tolvaari animism or have returned to the Druidic Lore, 1% have converted to the Sanctum faith, while the rest have taken to believing other religions in numbers too small to be statistically significant in relation to the total population.
