Eordand

A region of Northwestern Aelantir populated by Fey and Season worshipping Eordan Ruinborn Elves. It is centered around the Domandrod, an ancient and forbidden forest populated by the Fey, and around this axle the Eordan build civilizations like spokes on a wheel. The Druidic magic taught to the Eordan after the Day of the Ashen Skies broke the Eordan into five cultures: the Selpheregi who venerate Spring, the Caamas who venerate Summer, the Tuathak who venerate Autumn, the Snecboth who venerate Winter, and the Peitar who strive to maintain balance and heed the orders of their Fey masters.

## History

### Prehistory and the Day of Ashen Skies

Once a backwater during the days of the Precursors, this land was sheltered by the southeastern mountains from the Day of Ashen Skies. The relative protection from initial blast and fallout of the disaster allowed the survivors to flee to the Domandrod, an forest wilderness more of the Feyrealm than the Material Plane. During the Day of Ashen Skies, the Feyrealm opened into the proto-Domandrod woods, centered around a manor of an eccentric Precursor elf collector and hobbyist scientist who collected a vast amount of Fey creatures and elements. These survivors were welcomed by the Fey who shaped them to be willing servants. Here the Eordand Ruinborn were created, moreso from the influence of the Fey than from the fallout of the Day of Ashen Skies. They were taught to live in harmony with nature and how to access Druidic magics through upholding balance of the seasons. However, the Fey became bored of acting as teachers over a few generations and evicted the Eordan from the Domandrod, telling them that the outside is now safe and is a gift for them to start anew.

### Resettling of Eordand and the Schism of Eordellon

Eordand was settled by the fey-touched Eordan anew, for only very few survived outside of the Domandrod. For centuries the lands were inhabited by semi-unified tribes who revered the Fey and respected the seasons equally as they were taught under the Eordellon religion. Those who did not balance the seasons or rejected the Fey were exiled to the south, becoming the Fograc. However, over time the most talented of the Eordan druids learned that by focusing on one season they could channel far greater power, and that some regions of this land were attuned specifically to one season above all else.

The balance of the seasons upset, the Seasonal Courts of Eordand were created and Eordellon splintered. This schism erupted in war amongst the heretics and against the infuriated loyal Eordellon. The original Pelodan Oathsworn swore an oath to the Fey to end this schism and bring order the seasons, and united the newly forged Peitar tribe who were loyal to Eordellon against the Seasonal Courts. Pelodan Oathsworn saw repeated victories and pushed back the Seasonal Courts to their far-flung strongholds until they united against him. Pelodan and the Peitar alliance were defeated by the Seasonalists near Kairncal, and with the death of Pelodan the Peitar tribes were splintered forever.

## Cultures

Eordand is populated by five distinct Ruinborn cultures who disagree on the primacy of the seasons. These cultures often correspond with a Seasonal Court, such as the Selpheregi with the Spring Court, but even after conversion to another Court or Eordellon these cultures retain their physical traits and cultural values.

### Selpheregi

The Selpheregi uphold the season of Spring as the most superior season. They reside on the western coast of Eordand, centered around the ancient rebuilt Precursor city of Arakeprun. The Selpheregi are the most inquisitive and creative of the Eordan, being surrounded by Precursor ruins that inspire them to discover the secrets of the past. They often have a sense of superiority towards the other Eordan because of the flourishing wonders of their homeland. The season of Spring gives them a natural aptitude towards growing plant life, as well as enabling them to grow flowering bushes on themselves. They have pinkish-white or light green skin and vibrant hair the color of flowers, generally long and flowing unrestrained. They often wear extravagantly dyed silk clothing and adorn themselves with amber jewelry.

### Caamasi

The Caamasi uphold Summer as the primary season. They reside on the southern coast of Eordand along the Sarmadfar and the Elarbarc seas. The Caamasi are renowned for being expert traders and traders, and are naturally adventurous and charismatic. They ply the seas around Eordand and beyond for new lands to discover and new people to make deals with, and the city-states of the Sarmadfar coast use these qualities to find an edge over their Caamasi and other Eordan rivals. The Caamasi are most tolerant of the Selpheregi, as they see the season of Spring as just the introduction of the primary season of Summer. The Caamasi have orange or reddish skin reminiscent of the setting sun, and have short red or brown hair. They are blessed by Summer's warmth, growing taller than other Eordan, and wear short and loose cotton clothing to remain comfortable and free in their warm homeland.

### Tuathak

The Tuathak uphold Autumn as the season paramount. They reside along the Milsgelp and the Randrunnse seas, with the former being their homeland and the latter a conquest by crusades against the Snecboth. The Tuathak are a disciplined people, ever-preparing for the hardships of winter and war by gathering vast stores of supplies through organized labor. They hold an eternal hatred of Winter and the Snecboth who worship it for the cold starving months that arrive each year, resulting in the Boreal Crusades against the Snecboth as both revenge and a means to end the Winter. They have bright autumnal leaf colored skin in oranges, reds, and yellows that all change to brown in the winter. Their hair is typically black, a stark contrast against their normally vibrant skin. The Tuathak often wear armor or clothing that might serve for war or survival, and prefer to wear bright autumnal colored clothing.

### Snecboth

The Snecboth reside in the harsh lands of the north where Winter is the strongest season. In order to survive they are primarily semi-nomadic, migrating across their lands to where is best suited for each month of the year. These migrations have incurred the wrath of the Tuathak, who viewed them as trespassers during their migrations and have blamed the Snecboth for their hardships caused by Winter. The Snecboth maintain strong interfamilial and inter-clan relations, and prefer to calmly discuss matters instead of rashly acting with violence, but do not trust and easily help outsiders who have never helped the Snecboth. They have very pale white to slightly blue skin, long black or white hair, and primarily blue eyes. The cold winter forces the Snecboth to wear thick fur clothing for warmth, even despite their resilience to the cold.

### Peitar

The Peitar maintain the balance of seasons of the Eordellon faith taught to them by their Fey Lords in the Domandrod. Scattered throughout Eordand, the Peitar ever struggle to end the seasonalist heresy of the other Eordan, by force if necessary. Over the centuries of struggle and isolation from their seasonal cousins, the Peitar have grown bitter and zealous, ready to prove why they are the Chosen Servants of the Fey. The Peitar tribes tend to work together unlike the seasonalists, often allying and working together in war. Due to upholding the balance of seasons, the Peitar are not as strikingly apparent as the rest of the Eordan: they have white to darker than skin, ginger to blond braided hair, commonly wear elaborate warpaint, often have green eyes, and dress in green and brown clothing to blend into the deep forest in both humble linen and fine silk.

Example of a Selpheregi. By Noa-IkedaExample of a Caamasi. By Tiago AlexandreExample of a Tuathak. By Andrew Mar