Aëduan

Another Elven offshoot appearing roughly around the same time as the **Domaen**, the **Aëduan** were known for their military power and greater size in comparison to their cousins, closer to that of **Svelden**. They are generally larger than their brethren, dark of hair and eye. Once a military power rivaling the Domaen, they have since fettered off, living within a few enclosed regions in the kingdom of Galea and sending hunting parties outside of their lands. Little is known of them, as they are very secretive.

## History

Originally known as the **Aethon**, the Aëduan recieved their name from the Hunters of the Aëduan, a supremacist faction in Aethon society that believed itself to be the purest of the old noble bloodlines. A militant faction that still worshipped Huín and Neliel, they rose to might as they overthrew their government and established a theocracy based around the beliefs and teachings of the Drowned Gods. The Aëduan prided themselves on their martial tradition and soon sought to leave their forest and mountain homes. Declaring war on Lyen while it was engaged with Fel, they succeeded in conquering numerous cities and towns. Seeing themselves so threatened, Lyen sued for peace and made concessions to Fel. In return, Fel chose to safeguard its investment and crushed the Elven armies.

Hounded, the Aëduan sought to retreat to their ancient strongholds, but found themselves denied access to the mountains by the Lyenni armies. Their king, a great hero and wizard named Col'cen Druach, led the legendary charge that came to be known as the Tide of Lances. Breaking through enemy lines, the King led their army into Galea, establishing themselves there. Only after days of riding non-stop did the King finally succumb to his grievous wounds, having neither slept nor eaten.

Their arrival was a few years after the treaty between Galea and the Red Knights was signed. As the Knights' first task, they were to expunge the race of heretics and mages. The desperate people fought with a wild strength, but were beaten back to the forests. The Warrior at the time led a charge into the woods with ten thousand others to purge the enemy once and for all. None returned from the woods, however, as they fell prey to the Elves' natural superiority in their usual environment. Forced to retreat from the Forest of Whispers, as it was named henceforth, the Hunters of the Aëduan have since eked out an uneasy existence. Their worship of the Drowned Gods immediately sets them at odds with most other factions within Galea, and even other Elves.

## Defining Characteristics

The Aëduan are known for their their height, large size relative to most other elves, and dark skin and hair. What is unique about them is that they are always born with a certain birth mark, a token of an ancient mage, which indicates what clan lines they are from. More than a few wars have started because a father has found a friend's clan mark intermingled with his wife's on his child's skin rather than his own.

Aëduan are also occasionally born with golden eyes, considered a rare and lucky trait. They frequently adorn themselves in bright tattoos and fearsome armour when in combat. Aëduan craft capes which they wear their whole lives from an animal's hide, the first they slay during their initiation Hunt as they graduate from adolescence to adulthood. They enjoy dressing in gaudy colours and garments, and their armours are frequently impressive burnished bronze with intricate in-lays. Both men and women dress the same, with women wearing a bridal arm-band constructed from pearls when married.