From: tuff@ellis.uchicago.edu (Geoff Tuffli)
Subject: ARTICLE: Iniel, Matriarchy, some linguistic notes
Reply-To: tuff@midway.uchicago.edu
Organization: University of Chicago Computing Organizations
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 23:41:02 GMT

Hettar/C'trel	takkyon@dartmouth.edu	[ I N I E L ]

INIELIC LANGUAGE 
(Non-linguistic-techno-geeks are advised to skip.)
The Inielese in fact speak a different language entirely from the rest
of the continent, seemingly possessing a great number of its basic
linguistic roots from the tongue of demons.  Study of Inielese linguistics
is an extremely difficult task, simply because the language is *very* old
and extremely complicated.  Inielic (or, to use the term of the langage
itself, Ilfedh) nouns, verbs, and adjectives are all formed from the same
basic roots.  The Inielic verb "to run" ("olosei"), for example, is formed
from the same root as is the noun "runner" ("oloseiem") -- and, depending
on the situational modifiers and the context it is used in, "oloseiem" can
also be interpreted as "messenger", "fugitive", or "athlete".  This tends
to be somewhat rare in formal situations, where more specific nouns are
used, but is extremely common in casual-style conversation.  The listener
must thus be very conversant with the meaning of modifiers and intonations
to interpret the message correctly.

General Ilfedh pronounciation guide:
a : Usually short English a.  Long a is rare (use "y" instead).
e : Short e or "eh".  Long e (as in "eek!") is uncommon in Ilfedh, except
for use in proper names.
i : Short i ("ih").  Long i ("eye") is unused.
o : Long and short forms both used.  Short tends to be dominant.
u : Short u ("uh") at the beginning of words.  Long u ("you) tends to be
used only in the middle of words.
ie/y: Considered a single verb in Ilfedh.  Usual pronounciation is "ay". 
The Y and IE characters in Ilfedh are identical.  Y is not used in its
normal, long form.  "ie" combinations are almost never prounounced "ee",
thus "oloseiem" /oh-low-say-m/, not /oh-lo-seem/ or /oh-low-say-ee-em/.

st : T *only* appears with s or h in Ilfedh.  This combination is
considered a single character in the Ilfedh alphabet.
ts : The other combination in which t appears with s.  Pronounced as in
"tsk", often with a long u implied on the end, thus becoming a sort of
"tsuu". 
th : remarkable only for being one of the three allowed uses of t.
dh : Only combination in which d appears in Ilfedh.  Pronounciation is as
"th", but with the d implied at the beginning of the sound (just how loudly
voiced it is varies from town to town and person to person).
x : Standard pronounciation is "ch", thus "xedhel" /che-dth*-ll/.

The characters d, g, j, k, q, t and z do not appear by themselves in Ilfedh
at all.  These sounds simply do not exist in the language.  Inielic
language is generally spoken in soft, quiet tones, and most often with an
abundance of sibilants.  Inielese do not shout or even raise their voice
when speaking (except when under extreme stress), instead expressing their
displeasure through further verb and noun modifiers.  They have thus gained
something of a reputation for inscrutability in the rest of the world, as
it seems to be impossible to cause an Inielese to lose his temper or
composure.

Inielese nouns can also be difficult because there are three types of noun,
-reh nouns, -em nouns, and -vel nouns, each of which has nine cases.  For
example, the polite noun "uvelreh", meaning "empire", has the following
forms:

        Nominative (subject): uvelreh
        Genitive (of x): uvelfedh
        Dative (to x): uvelval
        Accusative (object): uvelom
        Ablative (by x): uvelnas
        Mittive (from x): uveladh
        Assistive (with x): uvelnal
        Benetive (for x): uvelvedh
        Contentive (in x): uvelxl  

 Ilfedh does not differentiate between singular and plural nouns (or
pronouns, for that matter).  -em and -vel nouns have different case
endings, of course, but one cannot reveal *everything* about Ilfedh...it
is, after all, a dark and mysterious language known by few outside Iniel.

Verbs are similar in that tense differentiation is made by adding an ending
to the  verb stem.  Ilfedh has eight basic indicative tenses (the
subjunctives are obtained by adding suffixes), present, imperfect, perfect,
and past perfect (in both active and passive).  Ilfedh contains no future
or future perfect tense, nor any method for suggesting knowledge of the
future.  The best one can do is to use a modifier of possibility  or
desire, i.e. "Couldn't it be x?" as opposed to "It will be x.".  This is
indicative of one important element of the Inielese psyche, the desire to
live for the present and the belief in the unpredictability of the future.

In similar vein, there is no second person tense in Ilfedh, only first and
third (singular and plural are, as in nouns, undifferentiated).  This
reflects the intense feelings of xenophobia harbored by most Inielese; one
may be either "I/we" or "he/she/it", a part of the group or an outsider. 
The middle ground is not considered to exist.  This naturally leads to
heavy use of the first person plural by Inielese, i.e. "Why don't we go to
the store?" as opposed to "Would you go to the store?", where the meaning
is *not* specified but implied through context and modifiers.  (In the
above case, "store" would likely have both dative and benetive suffixes,
dative coming first, or, more likely, with the dative used as a prefix and
benetive as a suffix; the implication here is "(to) the store
(for...(me))".)  Such cases inevitably cause problems for new speakers of
Ilfedh who frequently misinterpret the remarks as literal suggestions.  In
some cases, such as a suggestion that x go to bed, this can lead to amusing
results.  Fortunately, most Inielese who have any reason to be associated
with outsiders speak at least the rudiments of the tongue of the Ohs
Empire; many are excellent speakers, with only a slight accent.

RELIGION
Iniel (Anfedh to natives) is perhaps best known for its heavy emphasis on
demon worship.  Religion is not institutionalized, as a rule; some larger
towns and cities have public worship areas, but by and large the accepted
practice is for each individual to pay his respects to the _marrem_, the
common term for demon in Ilfedh, as he chooses.  Rumor has it that there
are exactly 13 Inielic demon-gods, although each reportedly commands
legions of major and minor demons.

These demon-gods, or Hrass'cipi, are of varying power and influence
(although each is far more powerful than any single mortal or demon, they
are measurably weaker than Ea's true deities).

When an Inielic child of noble birth reaches 13 years of age, he or she is
expected to complete a bizarre and dangerous ritual to attract the
attention of one of the demon-gods, who from that point serves as his
patron (He or she will still give the other 12 nominal worship; commoners
tend to worship them collectively).  Some do not opt to perform the ritual,
and some (few) fail to attract the attention of any, but these do not, by
and large, live long.  Patron demons provide advice, services, and whatever
else their level of power and their opinion of the worshipper in question
dictates, but they rarely if ever do things without expecting some return. 
The return may be minor or even imperceptible to the demon's pawn, but it
is nonetheless there (in contrast to the demonologists, who more often
threaten and demand in order to get what they want from the demons -- a
dangerous proposition at best).  There is a widespread tendency among noble
Inielese to sacrifice valuable objects, animals, slaves, etc., to their
patrons in the hope of receiving more favors.  For unknown reasons, the
demon-gods seem to become patrons in inverse proportion to their power
level; thus, the weakest of them is usually the patron of the most, and the
most powerful, the fewest (in point of fact, the strongest of the
demon-gods had not deigned to become a patron for almost two centuries
until he chose Brennan Elannon, now the Hierarch Prince of Iniel).  It is
*only* through mortal servants that the demon-gods can express any power at
all on the mortal plane, so they are usually quite willing to grant favors
to their loyal servants.  Such powers are not usually anything like the
"physical" magic of most common sorcerers; they tend toward
mind-manipulations, such as causing hallucinations, disrupting sense input,
manipulating emotions, and other such techniques. (A full description of
such magic is forthcoming.  The above should not be taken as gospel.)

THE INIELESE PEOPLE
Inielese tend to have slim, tall figures, pale skin, and dark brown or
black hair, although redheads are not especially rare.  Blondes or those
with extremely light brown hair are rare and unusual.  Eyes tend to be
large, with colors ranging from pale, almost white blue to very dark, dirty
browns; violet, pale gold, and orange eyes are not at all rare among the
Inielese, although blues and greens seem to be the most common.  The
average Inielese male stands slightly over six feet and weighs about one
hundred and fifty pounds; women are a bit shorter, at 5'10" average, and
weigh considerably less.  The Inielese as a rule are arrogant, extremely
xenophobic, proud, disdainful of those they consider beneath them, slightly
paranoid, and prone to elaborate plotting and backstairs deal cutting. 
They tend to think in convoluted fashion, rarely enter into direct
conflict, and never trust the simplest solution.  They consider their race
as a whole inherently superior to any others on Ea and display a thinly
veiled contempt when encountering such.  

POLITICS AND SOCIETY
The sociopolitical system is fairly complex and stratified.  At the top is
the Matriarch, of course, her immediate family, and the other members of
whichever family whose head is the current Matriarch.  Each Matriarch,
thanks to mysterious  and demonic magicks, has a tremendously long lifespan
(400+ years is not uncommon), a gift shared by many of the noble families. 
When the Matriarch dies, civil war erupts between the families of the Lords
of Iniel until one retains hold of Velissihl long enough to declare the new
Matriarch and "spread word to all the lands of Iniel".  (In practice, the
major towns and villages suffice.)  For this reason, troops other than the
Matriarch's are strictly prohibited in Velissihl. Just below this are the
other hereditary feudal lords and ladies of Iniel, a huge and diverse bunch
in terms of goals, power, and history.  Such lords range from the
descendents of families that have ruled the same lands since before the
Matriarchy ever arose, to petty lords who rule no more than an acre or two
of land and owe their titles mainly to generous former Matriarchs.  

Theoretically, at least, all lords are equal, and each normally bears only
the title "Lord (or, more likely, "Lady") of Iniel".  Realistically,
however, a fairly small group of families (>20) dominate the government of
Iniel.  These tend to be families controlling large areas of land, large
treasuries, large coalitions of minor lords (which are usually very
temporary, and can arise for any number of reasons), or all of the above. 
Additionally, a variety of additional titles are held, in some cases
hereditarily, and some cases on basis of competence, by the highest of the
Lords.  Such titles ("Supreme Chancellor", "Lord High Marshal", and
"Hierarch Prince" are the translations of but a few) usually carry not only
prestige and power, but often a grant of land or similar benefit.

Some of the more powerful families include: 
Beltyn: A family of cutthroats and murderers, the Beltyns would be far more
influential if they could put a stop to their continuous infighting and
concentrate more on their enemies.  So frequently do internal feuds and
murderous vendettas rip through their ranks that an Inielic joke is to
refer to something as "As lasting as a Beltyn Lord" -- that is, not very
lasting at all.

Chanthalas: The Chanthalas are shrewd merchants and scholars, exceptionally
skilled at manipulating the economy for their own greatest profit.  One of
the wealthiest of all the families, they are, alas, laughably incompetent
in the political arena, and only their wealth allows them to remain as
influential as they are.

Dharamos: An old and distinguished family, it is said that the Dharamos
line has produced more Matriarchs than any other.  The legend may or may
not be true (and the Inielese certainly aren't saying), but the reputation
-- and the vast territories -- of the family make them one of the most
powerful in the  Matriarchy.  The current Lady Dharamos, Lasella Dharamos,
is Lord High Marshal.

Elannon: At the moment, by a considerable margin the most powerful family
of the Matriarchy.  An old family, if not as old as Dharamos, and rich in
territory and intelligence, the Elannon family has tremendous influence. 
They seem to have some mysterious source of wealth, for despite low tax
rates they are among the richest in the empire.  Though led in name by
Marennia Elannon, it is Hierarch Prince Brennan Elannon who really rules
this family.

Erevul: An unremarkable family but for their influence.  Erevul is among
the younger families, having been granted title a mere three-quarters of a
milennium ago.  They have acheived their eminent position primarily due to
hard work and good luck, rather than any special talents or advantages.

Presper: This family tends to be rather erratic; they range from those with
one or two minor quirks to those who are completely mad.  When rational,
they are quite brilliant, and often make large short-term political gains,
but eventually someone lapses back into madness at an inconvenient time and
wipes out the accomplishments.

Ryhinn: This is the family of the current Matriarch, Arenna Ryhinn. 
Unfortunately, they have lost much of their power since she became
Matriarch, and to make matters worse, none of the family have even
moderately strong Hrass'cipi.  As a result, although they still retain the
position of Matriarch, the Ryhinn are most often forced to go along with
the strongest of the families in an attempt to regain their strength.

All families are ruled by a matriarch, although, as is the case with
Elannon, this rule may be in no more than name.  In general, women are
heavily favored by the entire social and political system, so much so that
women are often selected for jobs or ennoblements over better-qualified men
(more than 85% of Inielese nobles are women).  Although it is possible for
a man to rise to high position in Iniel, it is very, very rare.  Such a man
would have to be far more talented and powerful than any of his female
contemporaries, even more so as one reaches the highest levels of nobility.

Below the lords are scholars (including demonologists) and craftsmen,
followed directly by merchants, farmers and laborers, and, at the bottom of
the hierarchy, servents and slaves.  The last are not considered persons at
all, being primarily from other lands (the Inielese are notorious for
raiding neighboring lands in order to capture slaves, sacrifices, or both;
children are preferred for the latter purpose, adolescents for the former),
and killing one merely mandates that the killer pay the slave's owner the
cost of replacement. Theives and assassins are considered "craftsmen", and
as such, are the social equals of any artist or professor, although for
obvious reasons, they usually avoid revealing their status.

GEOGRAPHY
Iniel is a roughly oval-shaped land, bordered on the east by, as the
Inielic term for them translates, the Demons' Spine mountain range, and on
the other borders by the Osseral and Ralladhin rivers.  In between, Iniel
consists primarily of misty, humid swamps and thick, dense jungle, with
some clear areas to allow for agriculture, a large number of small towns
and villages, and a few major cities.  Velissihl, the nominal capital of
the Matriarchy, lies slightly to the southwest of the center of Iniel.  It
is here that the actual ruling is done, and thus most politically active
Inielese live here.

Most of Iniel, though, is still a mixture of treacherous swamp and thick
jungle abounding with disease, horrifying beasts, and, according to some,
enormous treasures left by some pre-Inielic civilization.  It is speckled
with hundreds of thousands of underground caverns, many all but impossible
to find, and in these caverns are the fabled mines of Iniel, from whence
spring the land's seemingly limitless wealth in gold, silver, and gems. 
Huge portions of land have yet to be explored and mapped in detail; quite
probably there are thousands more as-yet-untapped mines hidden somewhere in
Iniel.  The far northeast of the Matriarchy, in fact, is such dense,
treacherous swamp and jungle, and so well-endowed with all sorts of
monsters, that nearly a hundred square miles of it was declared by a
previous Matriarch as "forbidden territory" -- all entry into the area is
strictly prohibited, although few have to be persuaded, despite rumors that
this area was the center of pre-Inielic civilization.  Granting territory
in this area is a very popular way for Matriarchs to rid themselves of
lords they consider annoying, since, although no income whatsoever can be
derived from it, taxes must nonetheless be paid.
    
Brief (sorta) History of Iniel: (PT: Pre-Taeis, the period before the Ohs
Empire was founded by Taeis Dubogula; AT: the period after the founding of
the empire.

5000 PT: Human tribes begin to migrate into what will soon become Iniel,
and soon spread rapidly over the area.

3000 PT: 'Proto-Iniel' is covered by a patchwork of separate independent
states, each separate by dozens of miles of jungle.  Over the next
millenium, the states will gradually begin to unite into loose
confederations.  The first and strongest is ruled by Aruvan Dharamos.

1925 PT: The leaders of the five largest states (Peretir Dharamos, Ulen
Allaire, Tanevel Nevronar, Evali Vedrian, and Rellidan Elannon) sign the
Unification Accords, forming what is modern Iniel.  Marellya Nevronar is
declared the first Matriarch to tremendous acclaim.  She is succeeded on
her death in 1843 by her daughter, Illyana Nevronar.  These two, during
their respective reigns, begin a tendency toward female domination of the
government, even going so far as to declare the Matriarchy (which had been
originally intended as a Matriarchy/Patriarchy, depending on who held the
position at the moment) a female-only position.  This trend will continue
and grow until the present day.

1776 PT: Matriarch Illyana Nevronar dies, without having left an heir. 
After several days of wrangling over the subject of the new Matriarch, the
leaders of the five confederations agree to disagree, and civil war breaks
out.  Things rapidly degenerate as the smaller states use this excuse to
resolve disputes and attempt to gain negotiating leverage.

1770 PT: The bloodbath finally ends as the Dharamos family captures and
holds Velissihl long enough to decree their matriarch, Alleva Dharamos, as
Matriarch of All Iniel.

92 AT: The Velissihl Accords are signed, once again unifying Iniel after
almost five and a half centuries of separation.  The treaty names Danara
Dharamos as Matriarch and includes a clause ordering the resconstruction of
Velissihl for use as capital of Iniel.  Reconstruction begins at once.

114 AT: The rebuilding of Velissihl is completed, and the Matriarch takes
up residency in the Court of the Serpent, beginning Iniel's time of
greatest prosperity.


306 AT: Slightly concerned by the growing strength of the Ohs Empire in its
pushes to the south, Matriarch Baria proposes sending a delegation to meet
with the rulers of this supposed "Empire" in hopes of learning more about
it.  The measure is denounced by most families of the Matriarchy, and Baria
withdraws the suggestion.

480 AT: Baria Ryhinn dies, and is succeeded by Reia Elannon, who proves
similar in many ways to her long-dead ancestor Renata.

528 AT: The ritual of summoning Hrass'cipi is discovered by leaders of the
demon cult, who begin to teach it to the sons and daughters of their
respective families.

581 AT: An internal struggle of some sort wracks Iniel for several years,
eventually ending in the assassination of Matriarch Reia and the
declaration of demon worship as the official religion of Iniel.  The new
Matriarch, Ilyaya Chanthalas, proves a competent, if unimaginative, ruler.

762 AT: Ilyaya Chanthalas dies, and is succeeded by the former Lord High
Marshal, Kerryn Dharamos.  Matriarch Dharamos immediately begins
preparations for war with the tribes to the north, which have been growing
stronger and more threatening in recent years.

766 AT: The northern barbarians launch a preemptive invasion of Iniel. The
swampy terrain, hot and humid weather, and continual spoiling attacks
launched by the Inielese Special Tactical Battalions make them regret their
decision very rapidly, and within a year their advance has been halted.

768 AT: For the first time, demons are summoned to fight for the Inielese
forces as the northern barbarians are driven back across the Osseral river
and out of Iniel.  

772 AT: Having driven the barbarians far to the north of Iniel, Dharamos
declares the campaign concluded and recalls her forces, not bothering to
occupy the conquered land.

1015 AT: Kerryn Dharamos dies in her sleep.  She is destined to be the last
such Matriarch to do so for more than a millenium.  Her successor is
Livadha Elannon.

1143 AT: Following the accidental death of Derrin Ryhinn, eldest son of the
Ryhinn family's matriarch, an unfortunate misunderstanding and some
ill-timed political squabbles combine to rip apart the 1100-year old
alliance between the Elannon and Ryhinn families.  The Ryhinn response is a
vendetta that leaves dozens of Lords and Ladies on both sides dead,
including the unlucky or imprudent Matriarch, Livadha Elannaon. 
Eventually, after scores of charred assassins and almost as many knifed
corpses, the two families cease active hostilities, but by no means
reconcile.  Taryn Beltyn becomes Matriarch.

1206 AT: Just over 50 years into her reign, Taryn Beltyn is assassinated by
a jealous member of her own family.  In the ensuing civil war, the Beltyn
family spends more time stabbing each others' backs than attempting to
regain the Matriarchy, which, as a result, goes to Sulana Dharamos.

1433 AT: The Ohs Empire begins its attempt at conquest of the Paeni clans. 
Some few Lords and Ladies, concerned by the imperialistic tendancies of
Ohs, suggest that the Matriarch do away with them while they are occupied
on one front already.  Rather than listen, Sulana has the group executed
for daring to suggest that Iniel might need worry about a ragtag collection
of upstart barbarians.  Several weeks later, Sulana is assassinated by
relatives of several of the executed nobles.  Her successor is Imura
Xalenthil.

1586 AT: The Ohs Empire invades Iniel, to the surprise and shock of the
Matriarch.   Severak villiages are razed and their populations executed by
overzealous commanders.  Matriarch Imura sends the ISTB (Iniel Special
Tactical Battalions) to harass the invaders, which they do with such
efficiency that thousands of Imperial troops die in several days while
killing no more than a few hundred ISTB troops.  Eventually, reinforced by
the Matriarch's Own Elite Guard and a small force of major demons, the ISTB
launches a series of hit-and-run raids that devastate the Imperial Army and
force its retreat from Iniel.

1594 AT: After the death of the Dragon Emperor of Ohs, his successor
determines to reinvade Iniel, and sends 650,000 troops to subdue and
humiliate the nation.  Inielese forces fall back quickly, offering little
resistance except for the usual harassing raids.  Encouraged, Tarnil Seina
Dubogula moves her command headquarters just inside the borders of Iniel
and takes personal command of the operation.

1595 AT: Judging the Ohs Empire troops to have stretched their lines too
far, Imura Xalenthil orders a series of counterattacks all along the line
of advance, taking maximum advantage of the familiar terrain.  ISTB teams
contribute to the chaos by destroying supply depots, assassinating
officers, and disrupting lines of communications.  Within a month, the
Imperial forces are confused, demoralized, and disorganized, a situation
which worsens when a demon lord (not a demon-god, but a demon more powerful
than a major demon by a considerable factor) appears in Tarnil Seina
Dubogula's pavilion twenty miles into Iniel and rips the Dragon Empress to
shreds, then adds a company of troops to its diet when they attempt to
prevent the its departure.  The Imperial troops retreat from Iniel in
disarray.

1625 AT: The Dragon Empress of the Ohs Empire poisons the Osseral river,
hoping to revenge the defeat suffered 30 years before at Iniel's hands. 
Nearly a quarter of the population dies from eating fish contaminated by
the poison before the tactic is discovered, including Matriarch Ressil. 
Her immediate successor, Celanni Elannon, immediately begins gathering a
force of powerful demonologists.

1626 AT: Matriarch Elannon's plans finally bear fruit as a combined group
of over 500 demonologists tear open a dimensional rift in the center of
Tarn Ohs, the Imperial capital.  77 major demons and a dozen demon lords
escape from the rift before Imperial sorcerers can close it, and procede to
ravage the city over the next three days and nights.  More than half the
population of Tarn Ohs is killed, including a substantion fraction of the
elite military forces defending the Empress, and the city is essentially
destroyed.  Finally, Empress Meia Dubogula falls on her own sword in shame,
and the demons return to their own dimension.  The events of the last forty
years, however, have near-fatally strained Iniel.  As a result, the people
and the nobility as a whole sink into the langour and decadence which has
marked them ever since.

1812 AT: Celanni Elannon is slain by an assassin of the House of Ryhinn. 
Even the resulting war shows something of the apathy the Inielese continue
to feel.  Riala Ryhinn becomes the new Matriarch.

2061 AT: Matriarch Ryhinn dies of an overdose of narcotics, the use of
which has grown increasingly prevelant in recent decades.  The death
provokes a short furor, largely destroys the narcotics industry, and almost
immediately fades away.  The new Matriarch is Ethara Dharamos.

2072 AT: The 4000th anniversary of the Matriarchy's establishment passes
virtually unnoticed by the population of Iniel.

2224 AT: The Ohs Empire dissolves into civil war, a situation which is
ignored by the Inielese, despite the perfect opportunity it presents for
revenge.  The prevaling argument is that they simply aren't worth
dignifying with the effort.

2248 AT: Ethara Dharamos dies in her sleep, the first Matriarch to do so
since Kerryn Dharamos in 1015 AT.  Ethara is succeeded by Dayana Erevul.

2577 AT: Matriarch Erevul dies, after a 329-year reign that qualifies as
the longest, and possibly most boring, in Iniel's history. Her successor,
Ardulace Lathinel, proves little more energetic.

2823 AT: Nedylinn Chanthalas becomes Matriarch after Ardulace Lathinel dies
of a heart attack.

3005 AT: Arenna Ryhinn ascends to the Matriarchy.  A young, energetic
woman, albeit one with an exceptionally weak Hrass'cipi, of barely 25 years
at the beginning of her reign, she commands the full support of her family,
and seems prepared to lift Iniel out of its milennium and a half of apathy.

3007 AT: A severe policy miscalculation on Matriarch Arenna's part results
in vendettas with the Dharamos and Radhaen families.  The Matriarch loses
the support of most of the nobles and watches the few members of her family
with powerful Hrass'cipi, political influence, or both, die off one by one.
 By the end of the carnage, she is virtually powerless.

3010 AT: Brennan Elannon, oldest son of the current Elannon matriarch,
maneuvers Arenna Ryhinn into an intractable political position and, in
return for the support of his family in getting out of the situation,
demands the post of Hierarch Prince, an appointment that gives his family
large amounts of additional land, as well as control over the a number of
government agencies, including the ISTB, ISIA (Iniel Special Intelligence
Agency) and others.  Combined with the current strength and influence of
the Elannon family as a whole, this makes Brennan de facto ruler of Iniel.

3021 AT: The present.  Brennan retains his grip on the Matriarch and
continues to secure his family's power.  Arenna Ryhinn, trapped in a
position of responsibility with none of the power she needs to make the
changes she sees as vital to the survival of Iniel, plots and schemes to
rid herself of the Hierarch Prince and return her family to its former
ascendancy.  Meanwhile, a young woman claiming to be of the Nevronar line,
which had been thought lost before the Ohs Empire was formed, has appeared
and is attempting to reclaim what she insists are her lands by right. 
Rumors of dark horrors emerging from the forbidden lands to the northeast
increase in frequency every year.  To the west, the Ohs Empire still waits,
restless and eager to absorb Iniel's riches.  And the Inielese themselves
must be lifted out of their apathy if they are again to become a great
nation...

Newsgroups: alt.world.taeis