Dominion Era/Tretallë (Culture)/Di'Trigallârë

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

Di'Trigallârë represent a portion of the Tretalleri born with the relative misfortune of being born with the spark to use magic. Their position in Tretalleri society, their alien appearance, and the relative wariness with which they are treated with the general populace stems from the taboo against the arcane arts among the Tretalleri people. This caste of Tretalleri society was brought into being by the proclamation of Imperator Cilritanë a'Detvida in Y.D. 43 Although the Bound might appear to be a repressed and discriminated sector of the Dominion, many historians would argue that they were never such.

The Taboo

Despite the evident advantage of using the arcane arts to gain the upper hand in warfare, the Tretâllë, known best for their tendency to war and conquest because of the principle of the Divine Imperative to Conquest, shun magic almost entirely in all of its forms. Blood magic is the only notable exception. Individuals blessed with the Gift of Blood Magic are considered among the upper echelons of Tretalleri society, and are freely allowed to practice their art.

Although there are no documents that directly indicate the reasons for the taboo against the arcane arts in the Dominion, scholars and historians conjecture that the taboo against the arcane is the result of a distrust against magic that is ingrained in the Tretâllë by their cultural history and the memory of the many years they served and toiled under the Elledŷnnë. The only documentation that there is on the matter of the taboo exists in the form of proclamations made by Imperators over the history of the Dominion. Of note is the ban on the carrying of magical items of individuals who are Tretalleri or who possess Tretalleri heritage codified into law in Y.D. 43, at the same time as the proclamation, by Cilritanë, that created the institution of the Binding.

Despite the taboo within the Dominion against the arcane arts, the Dominion has only once attempted to quash the arcane aspects of other cultures. It was a harsh lesson learned quickly in Y.D. 1035, when the third Imperator of the Dominion, Leneri a'Zo-Hanyll attempted to apply the ban on the arcane arts to the Seýfë. This attempt was quickly followed by a bloody rebellion and one of the Dominion's most bitter defeats in its early history. The Imperatrix Leneri then decreed that magic is open to practice for any individuals who do not possess Tretalleri blood, so long as it was done under the supervision of Di'Mordë Tamarilë, the Society of Arcanology which was beholden to the Laws of Arcanology. The Laws of Arcanology are a set of rules and guidelines that Cilritanë wrote about, toward the end of his life, since he had realized that perhaps one day, the use of magic might become so prolific and powerful that the Dominion would have no choice but to begrudgingly accept it.

Since the days of Leneri, the Laws of Arcanology have been expanded upon and improved by Imperators. The most prominent of these editors to the Laws of Arcanology is the Imperator Korenn a'Zo-Hanyll, who, in Y.D. 5302, overhauled the wording of the Laws of Arcanology and defined precise boundaries and conditions that would apply to the practice of magic in all its various forms. Many cultures benefitted from the introduction of the Laws of Arcanology, in fact. Of note are the Fireshapers of the A'drekh, who flourished more under the Dominion than they ever did under the feudalistic tribal system that the A'drekh had abided by prior to their integration into the Dominion.

The strictures surrounding the practice and use of the arcane arts in Tretalleri society were loosened during and after the reign of Dalran a'Callan in ca. Y.D. 26400-26900. Dalran had, in his childhood, borne witness to one of the bloodiest acts of aggression between the Dominion and the Silvered Realm. Many Tretalleri border towns would have fallen if not for a number of brave souls that took up Elledŷnnë weaponry and used their magic to defend the Dominion border. Although the brief war was won by the Dominion, these honourable soldiers returned to the capital and submitted themselves to the justice of the Grand Hall of War. Despite being given an option to spend their lives in exile, the soldiers instead decided to face death. This event affected Dalran well into his reign, which led to him loosening the strict laws governing the use of magical items by members of the military.

Despite Dalran's proclamation, arcane items are still treated with a lot of wariness, and a court martial awaits any soldier daft enough to take up a magical weapon while the Dominion is not officially at war with the Silvered Realm.

Identity

It is worth noting that the Tretâllë view the possession of arcane abilities and items to be abominable only when the individual possessing these things is Tretalleri. There is a sort of double-think at work due to the strange paradigm of the Dominion, forbidding the use of arcane magic by the "chosen" people of the Stranger, but allowing it in everyone else. A Tretalleri individual might find no problem in entering a shop with magical illumination as long as the individual behind the counter is not Tretalleri or Elledyn'ni. Conversely, the moment that a Tretalleri individual notices that another Tretalleri individual is manning such a shop, it would not be long until that particular shopkeep is brought before a court of law and sentenced to some sort of punishment.

Because the predisposition against the arcane is so indoctrinated in the Tretâllë, individuals who realize that they are capable of performing magic, or individuals who begin to manifest magical abilities, generally volunteer themselves to the Binding so as to avoid bringing shame to their House. In fact, this volitive surrender to the will of the Dominion and the Stranger is considered the noble and "right" thing to do. Most Trigallârë, upon returning to their homes, find themselves awash in admiration—if also wariness.

The Bound who come into the Binding of their own volition are consistently praised for doing the noble thing. As such, they carry themselves with pride and confidence. The Bound also tend to internalize their position as walking symbols of the power of the Dominion. They believe themselves to be the embodiment that the great Tretalleri realm, chosen by the Stranger to dispense His will and judgment unto the world, can contain and control even the most volatile and dangerous of things: magic. There is an air of moral superiority that hangs around the Bound, although this is often attributed by scholars more to the perception of the Bound by the Dominion at large rather than an individual believing themselves to be higher than everyone else, since the Bound are also taught the value of humility and spending one's life in the service of the Dominion.

As a result of the culture surrounding the Bound and their own experiences as life-long servants to the greater good, the Bound invariably build their lives and their identities around the idea of serving the Dominion. Oftentimes, particularly elderly Bound individuals find themselves inflicted with psychological stress due to their inability to properly serve the Dominion as they did while they were alive. Part of the funding that the Bound Circle receives is in order to care for these individuals, providing enough money to cover the costs of healthcare, funeral arrangements, and, if the Bound wishes, assisted suicide.

Crises and Prevention

Suicides on the part of the Bound were rather common in the beginning of the Dominion, when programs for the welfare of the Bound hadn't quite gotten off the ground yet, and the psychological strains that came with the position were not entirely understood. Modern psychology notes three periods of highest risk for suicide among the Bound, and the Grand Rookery, with the cooperation of Imperators and the Twin Courts, has put in place measures that seek to curtail the occurrence of such suicides.

The first, and perhaps most obvious period of crisis immediately follows the Binding. The process itself is incredibly traumatic, both physically and psychologically. Physically, the Trigallarë is wracked with pains as their body adjusts to the new physiology granted by the Binding. Psychologically, even the most enthusiastic of volunteers to the Binding feel some sort of dissociation from their selves and the identities that have shaped them as people. This psychological crisis is exacerbated the longer an individual has lived prior to the Binding. It is widely thought that the reality of the situation is daunting for many, but that perhaps the factor that leads to this crisis the most is the fact that the body is changed so much and in such a fundamental way that the Bound no longer feel like they are themselves any more.

In order to prevent the suicides of individuals who have only just come into the Binding, there are entire villages on the border between the Dominion and the Desolation that serve as temporary retreats for the Bound that have just come fresh from the Binding at the Shrouded Peaks. There is much care taken to make these places as calming as possible while providing necessary instruction for the newly Bound, as well as activities that stimulate and entertain the mind to keep thoughts from straying too far in the direction of self-destructive thoughts.

The second period of crisis, another that was quickly identified by the Grand Rookery, happens near or around the age at which the average Tretalleri individual would pass away. It is still not understood why, exactly, the Trigallârë live longer than the average Tretalleri citizen, but it is a fact. Trigallârë tend to live one and a half times as long as the average Tretallë, and one consequence of this is that the Trigallârë often have to watch everyone that they ever cared about pass into the embrace of the Stranger. To combat this problem, the Grand Rookery gave the Bound Circle the authority and the responsibility to follow the status of the loved ones of the Trigallârë and give the Trigallârë what are known as "Moons for farewell" which constitute two Moons that do not count toward a Trigallârë's yearly allowance of free time, where they are given the opportunity to spend time with and perhaps say goodbyes to their elderly loved ones.

The third period of crisis was discussed briefly in the above section. Having devoted their lives entirely to servitude for the Dominion, particularly elderly Trigallârë find themselves aimless and without purpose when their bodies deteriorate to the point where they can no longer go about doing the duties that they had become so used to doing. It causes somewhat of an identity crisis, and many are simply unable to do even the simplest tasks in advanced age. The solution that the Grand Rookery proposed to the problem was two-fold.

The first measure allows the elderly Trigallârë some dignity in death, giving them the right to call for a Di'Marrë if they wish to terminate their lives before nature takes its course. There was a major theological dispute that followed the proposal of the first measure by the Twin Courts, but after the High Priest of the Faith of the Nine brought the matter forth to the Pale Imperator Jareýd a'Doroven in Y.D. 6413, the matter was resolved to the satisfaction of all involved by then-Prince-of-Ravens Nael a'Torhin.

The second measure gives the elderly Trigallârë something to do in giving them work as tutors and teachers, either for children or younger Trigallârë who have yet to learn all the ins and outs of their position. many take this second option over the first, believing there to be something still worth living for in serving the future of the Dominion.

Social Status

Di'Galteri, lit. the Bound, as the Trigallârë are known in the vernacular, are about as close to slaves as can be found within the Dominion. One of the few laws imposed by the Dominion on all cultures and realms that are under its umbrella is the ban on slavery and any economical system that is based on free, unpaid-for work of individuals who may not have consented to such a situation. The ban was instated by one of the kings of the Kingship of the Bone Trees, which was carried forward as part of the first charter of Dominean Rights and Freedoms that were declared unrescindable by the first Imperator of the Dominion, Cilritanë a'Detvida.

The Dominion's laws are rather strict on the matter of slavery, a practice that is considered abominable by the Tretâllë due to having to witness centuries of slavery at the hands of the Elledŷnnë. There are, however, comprehensive provisions for indentured servitude, and it is under the class of indentured servant that the Bound fall, however they are not simply indentured servants. They have numerous freedoms that normal indentured servants might not have. For example, the Bound are not expected to remain at their "master's" property at all times for the duration of their servitude under that particular master. Unlike indentured servants, as well, the Bound do not require the consent of their masters to leave the confines of the property.

The freedom of movement that the Bound enjoy while under contract with a particular master is subject only to one constraint: in one year while serving a master, the Bound must live at that master's property four Moons out of six. Furthermore, unlike normal indentured servants, the Bound are not truly beholden to the masters that they serve. Those individuals have simply purchased their services for a predetermined length of time. The Bound are directly indentured to the Dominion itself. Their services and their time are merely up for purchase from the Imperator, if one presently occupies The Ivory Throne, or from the Twin Courts through the Bound Circle.

In Tretalleri society, the Bound are treated to the same respect that would be afforded to a member of the High blood. Some members of Tretalleri society in fact see their status as equal to the High Blood, although there is an ingrained wariness in the public perception of the Bound that hasn't faded in all the years of the Dominion. Furthermore, there is an implicit message that accompanies a Bound person's ability to be present in the public eye. This freedom to dwell among the general populace says "I was born wtih magic. I accepted this burden. I did the noble thing and submitted myself to the judgment of the Dominion and of the Stranger." Because of this, the Bound carry themselves with pride and confidence in what they are and what they represent.

One thing of note is that the Bound are not restricted, in any way, from participating in public life. If there are events that they want to attend on their free time, they are allowed to. If there are individuals that they want to court, they may, if the other individual consents. The Bound are allowed to form their own families, although it is understandable that the Bound tend to shy away from this topic due to the widespread knowledge that the Bound live rather longer than the average Tretalleri individual. An interesting result of the nobility so often associated with the Bound is that a Bound person's House is automatically considered valid for elevation to the High Blood, if it isn't already in the High Blood.

Furthermore, the Bound are seen as the walking symbols of the power of the Dominion. They are a sign, made flesh, that the Dominion can contain and control even the most volatile of things—the vicious and uncontrollable force of nature that is magic. To a lesser extent, the Bound who wear uniforms with House crests—an evident sign that they are presently serving under a private individual—are also representative of that individual's generosity and benevolence. This is because of the payment that is made to the Dominion by the individual that wishes to purchase the services of one of the Bound, the Dominion takes only three gaerâl for each llyrâl paid for the Imperial treasury. One gaeral goes to the Bound Circle, and the rest, five gaerâl, goes to the family of the Bound individual.

There is a significant amount of disappointment associated with Bound individuals who do not come into the Binding freely and must be taken to it. These are few and far in between, but whenever Bound individuals resist their status as Trigallarë, they are rarely, if ever, seen walking among the public. They are most often assigned work in the military, either to assist in delving for metals for use in weaponry, or bolstering the back lines, for example, by setting archers' arrows alight with magical fire. These Trigallarë, and Trigallarë in general are not allowed to use their magic directly for combat and must instead use it to help soldiers be more effective in combat instead.

Furthermore, by assigning the resistant Bound to the military, rebellion is curtailed due to the fact that the military quickly and decisively deals with insubordination. The Dominion, however, is not cruel. These Trigallârë are given the right to visit with their families and loved ones, or to simply take time off, for one Moon for each year that they serve with the military. If these Trigallârë are deployed elsewhere, away from their homelands, these "vacations" accumulate and can be claimed by the Bound at any point once they return to their homeland, or whenever they wish to.

The Binding

Because the hatred of the arcane is so indoctrinated in Tretallë, individuals who realize that they are capable, or begin to manifest magical abilities, generally volunteer themselves in order to avoid bringing shame to their Blood. In fact, in many ways, this is considered the noble and "right" thing to do. This recognition, however, might as well be post-mortem, as once the Binding is performed, the individual is no longer a freeman and is dead by all rights to his/her family and the records.

There are two forms of Binding rituals: the first is for the magi who do not have the potential nor innate talent to become Trigallarrë. These magi are made slaves called the Galtë. The Bound. When a magus enters the custody of the state, either voluntarily or through capture, a Trigallarrë clasps Elledtrillë manacles and a collar made of the same metal to the soon-to-be slave. At the same time, the Trigallarë fastens an Elledtrillë band around his/her wrist.

In a long and painful process, both for the Trigallarrë and the soon-to-be-Galtë, the Trigallarrë channels the magus' well of arcane potential through the Elledtrillë. This process also siphons much of the Galtë's power and traps it in the Elledtrillë collar and manacles, with the band around the Trigallarë's wrist functioning as a control mechanism that allows its wearer to either completely burn out the Galtë's magic, or restrict and direct the Galtë's magic.

The Binding is different for the Trigallarrë, and it is one of the most well-kept secrets in the world. The temple at the heart of the Shrouded Peaks is accessible only to the highest members of the Bound Circle, the not-so-secret society that stands at the heart of the anti-arcane culture of the Dominion. In the centre of this temple is an artifact that is used to change the very chemistry and biology of the soon-to-be Trigallarrë. This artifact is called the Stranger's Embrace.

The process with which blue blood is replaced with iron-filled red is unclear, not even to the Bound Circle itself. Needless to say, the ritual is lengthy and painful. Most candidates pass out long before the blood magic working gets completely underway. When the process is complete, the candidate Trigallarrë is allowed a day's rest before the tattooing begins. Using tattoo ink with iron filings and iron oxide, a magic-inhibiting lattice is permanently drawn into the individual's skin. This process completes the Binding and after a period of rest, the Trigallarrë is educated in his/her new role in Tretallë society and trained in the requisite skills before being returned to the capital.

Governing Body

Though the Trigallarë are essentially slaves to the Dominion, and though they are often given over to certain individuals for easier management, the Trigallarë are in fact not bound by anything other than contractual obligation to any of these individuals. The Trigallarë are slaves to the Ivory Throne, and the Ivory Throne alone. The affairs of the Trigallarë are managed, mostly, by a council of the eldest of their number who serve directly under the the Pale Imperator and thus have some political clout to ensure that the Trigallarë are not being unduly hurt by anti-arcane propaganda. This council is called the Di'Galtë Mordë, the Bound Circle.