Armavaenye

The **Armavaenye**, or *People of the Iron Wolf*, known among humans as *Wood Elves,* are one of the four most prominent elven races on Terral. The Armavaenye are among the most populous and widespread of the elven peoples, split between the nomadic, roving tribes of the deserts, plains, grasslands and steppes and the settled clans who make their homes in woodland regions where the land is fertile and game is plentiful.

The Armavaenye see themselves as custodians of the wild places, by the grace of Florawyn and in the name of their guiding spirit, the Iron Wolf, or Armava, a pseudo-deity with a dualistic nature - at once a nurturing mother, a crafty hunter and protector of hearth and home, and a ferocious spirit of war and vengeance, a devourer of the honourless and cowardly. The Armavaenye, whilst appearing to be a barbaric and impulsive people to outsiders, are a fierce and proud people, slow to trust but faithful in friendship, wearing their hearts on their sleeves and with a vibrant and energetic culture, possessing great craftsmanship and extraordinary skill in metalworking, a flourishing artistic and musical tradition, and a ferocious warrior spirit.

## Description

### Physical Characteristics

The Armavaenye, like all elves, are slender, graceful humanoids, with angular faces, high cheekbones, pointed ears and aslant, almond-shaped eyes with vertical irises. The Armavaenye in particular are immediately recognizable due to their dark skin tones - ranging between caramel-brown all the way to very dark-brown and black tones. They are among the most physically capable of the elves, combining unearthly grace and incredible agility and dexterity with surprising strength, though they are still somewhat physically weaker than humans. Armavaenye are lightly-muscled, lean and hale by nature, possessed of great energy and stamina, and have a higher threshold of pain than most elves.

Their hair is most commonly raven black or dark-brown, typically wavy or curly, though straight and coiled hair is not uncommon. Dark and blood-red hair is uncommon but not exceptionally rare, often seen as an indicator of orcish heritage and prized, and blonde hair is virtually unknown among them. Eye colours are most commonly green, amber and gold, with the occasional black or red eyes indicative of Orcish lineage and seen as particularly attractive among the Armavaenye. Body hair is perhaps most prevalent on Armavaenye compared to other elves - whilst very sparse on women, the men are capable of growing beards and moustaches, with moustaches considered a mark of manhood, and full beards symbolic of accomplished warriors and elders.

Armavaenye are the second-tallest of the elven races, with only the Mordaenye being taller; men usually grow to a height of 5'9'', and women average out around 5'6'', though some men and women can grow as tall as 6'3'' and 6 feet, respectively, often due to distant Orcish genes, and shorter Armavaenye are quite common.

Armavaenye reach physical and mental maturity at the age of 30. Their lifespans are somewhat shorter than other elves, and on average, an Armavaenye will live until the age of 250-300 if they are not cut down from disease or murder.

Like most elves, the Armavaenye are psionic - they are capable of harnessing the power of their minds to a degree, and may share thoughts, concepts and emotions with other elves and sometimes non-elves, though it requires considerable concentration and trust among those involved. The Armavaenye, similarly to other elves, can form a mental bond - almost always done with a dedicated lover such as a wife or husband, or platonic comrade like a sworn oath- or blood-sibling, which allows them to read eachothers' thoughts and impulses, communicate over limited distances, and share sensations and emotions.

### Psychology

The Armavaenye, like most elves, are considerably more sensitive than other races, feeling emotions with far greater intensity than non-elves. Unlike the Tahnedaenye, who control their thoughts and feelings through strict mental discipline, or the Mihradaenye, who repress their emotions through calculated logic, the Armavaenye embrace their sensitive nature, wielding their emotions as others would wield a sword - drawing strength from their intense emotions. They are not mood-swingers or immature; instead, they simply see no reason to hide their emotions or feelings from others, making it plain if they hate or love, if they are saddened or frustrated, if they are joyful or furious.

The Armavaenye are no less intelligent than other elves - they are fully capable of scholarly pursuits and have the same capacity for learning and logic as any other elf. However, they tend to prefer more physical pursuits, such as hunting, fighting, foraging and crafting, rather than what the Armavaenye might consider erudite tasks. That said, the Armavaenye are mostly literate, and scholars, shamans, teachers and law-speakers are highly valued in their society.

Generally speaking, the Armavaenye are direct, extroverted, passionate and outgoing, often possessed of great confidence and pride; they nurture grudges, but their hatred is more akin to a fiery rage than simmering bitterness, not shy about shedding tears openly or laughing boisterously - and yet they can be incredibly secretive and taciturn as well, perfectly capable of keeping secrets or hiding themselves.

## Homelands

The Armavaenye are prolific wanderers, and have settled in many different regions of Terral. In all cases, the Armavaenye peoples are spiritual and deeply in touch with the land, as well as being astute metal-workers, having learned the secrets of steel from contact with the orcs, talented hunters, accomplished horsemen and proud warriors. They bring these traditions wherever they go, be they nomads or settlers. A common saying among the Armavaenye is "Wherever a tongue praises Florawyn, wherever the sun touches, and wherever the horizon stretches is the homeland of the Armavaenye."

### Nomadic Tribes

The nomadic tribes of the Armavaenye are most populous in the Hordelands, Sayadia and Erelon. In the Hordelands and Erelon, the Armavaenye live as hunter-gatherers on the open plains, savannas and steppes, seeking out new pastures to seek out wild fruits and vegetables to forage, follow game to hunt and to raise their cattle, migrating with their great herds and living in transportable tents, yurts and tipis, rarely settling in one place for long. They primarily ride horses, with vast herds following in their wake, using buffalo, sheep, goats and other cattle, which provide them food, drink, leathers for clothing, and other necessities.

The Sayadian Armavaenye have a distinctly different culture from other Armavaenye, revolving around locating oases and sources of water as well as making heavy use of camels and goats as mounts and food, respectively, though they are still largely equestrian in nature.

### Settled Clans

The settled clans of the Armavaenye are most prevalent in Erelon, Erodemus and Rivenle. They favour forests, shrublands and woodlands, generally preferring warmer climates, and make their homes among and beneath the trees. Their homes are almost always made of wood, with turf houses also being common, especially in colder climates.

The Armavaenye respect nature and the wild places, and seek to live in harmony with them in accordance with Florawyn's wishes. They cut down trees, but never take more than what they need, and always seek to regrow and resow what they cut down, and are conscious of only hunting to sustain themselves, without overhunting and endangering their own future. Armavaenye settlements can range to small villages built among the trees to great, fortified and cleverly-concealed oppida - sprawling, walled settlements that can defend against determined attackers due to the difficult terrain. It is quite common for Armavaenye settlements to be built in the canopies of trees, with houses and buildings built upon reinforced branches and along the trunks, usually inhabited by richer or high-ranking Armavaenye clansmen.

Food is largely provided via hunting and a mixture of private and communal gardens, where the Armavaenye grow edible crops, vegetables and fruits, and if a river is present, it will almost always be used to make floating gardens to grow various crops and vegetables.

## Culture

### Government

The Armavaenye, be they settled or nomadic, are almost always ruled similarly, and are divided into a mixture of larger Clans and smaller tribal chiefdoms.

Tribes make up the basic community within a Clan, consisting of dozens, or even hundreds, of families and their extended relations, and leadership among the various families is usually in the hands of the mothers and fathers. The Tribes elect Chieftains, Druids, Law-Speakers or other magistrates as representatives, and the position may be changed or relinquished through lawful vote and honourable duels.

The typical Clan is made up of several smaller, related Tribes, and ruled by a High Chieftain, known as the First Paramount, and commands a council of lesser chiefs, druids, elders, magistrates and warchiefs, known as the Paramounts. The Paramounts themselves are appointed by the High Chieftain to his council, taking into consideration their familial loyalties and merit. The High Chieftain is elected to rule the Clan by vote of the Paramounts, who are themselves usually elected through popular mandate to their positions, or who have claimed their positions by right of duel, recognition of merit, or contest of skill. The High Chieftain ultimately rules only by the consent of his Paramounts, and he is expected to step down after a period of between 30 to 70 years, depending on the clan.

The largest Armavaenye states are Tribal Kingdoms, comprised of multiple Clans who have banded together under a common banner, through ties of blood and friendship; they elect a High King among their First Paramounts, and the character of these Tribal Kingdoms can differ wildly, from nomadic hordes led by a famous warchief to a great confederation of settled tribes ruled by an archdruid.

Armavaenye society, thus, can largely be seen as fairly egalitarian and meritocratic, owing to the free-spirited nature of their elven psyche - free expression is encouraged, personal disputes often settled through the intervention of druids or chiefs, or failing that, through ritual combat and legalized dueling.

### Society

Armavaenye society is largely based upon the occupation and social standing of the individual and their family, and great emphasis is put upon the honour of the individual and the family, and by extension, the tribe and clan itself. The hunter, the artisan, the warrior, the dancer and the educated druid are all looked upon as noble and manly pursuits for a young Armavaenye, be they male or female; education in such pursuits is normally done by one's immediate family or more distant relations, and most Armavaenye tend to be "home-schooled" to varying degrees.

Personal honour, integrity, courage, cunning, piety towards the Iron Wolf and Florawyn, respectful behaviour towards peers and elders, and loyalty to the family are seen as the highest virtues of a well-bred Armavaenye, and most Armavaenye are taught how to shoot a bow, track a deer, skin a rabbit, wield a hatchet and ride a horse from a young age; it is said some of the nomadic tribes teach their children how to ride before they even learn how to walk.

The main indicators of an Armavaenye's standing and deeds are through the creation of personal adornments like jewellery, the acquisition of trophies such as pelts, skulls and scalps, and most importantly, through the incredibly elaborate and complex series of body tattoos that all Armavaenye bear. The tattoos indicate one's familial origins, important moments in their lives, their deeds, bearing symbols of their beloved, of their position and rank in society, their personalities, and are a mix of permanent and temporary tattoos depending on the context. Armavaenye are usually tattooed by their trusted family members or loved ones, though those who live apart usually pay a foreigner to do so, or simply do it themselves, though they rarely have access to the particular inks, dyes and pigments traditionally used among Armavaenye.

An Armavaenye devoid of tattoos is almost always an exile, having shamed his people and been shamed in turn by having his tattoos removed - becoming known as a Shorn One, detested and rejected by all Armavaenye for terrible crimes such as murdering a fellow elf without cause or betraying his people to their enemies, and they may only redeem their crimes through death.

The Armavaenye are known as some of the finest archers in the world, and are surpassed only by the Erelonians, but held in equally high regard is their ability in metal-working, having learned of it from the orcs in the distant past. The Armavaenye shun the elaborate engravings and decorations that other elves place upon their arms and armour in favour of extremely high-quality, practical equipment with minimal but meaningful embellishments. An Armavaenye pours her heart and soul into the creation of a sword, a helm or axe, and it is believed among them that a weapon often bears the strength of the one who forged it. Weapons and armour are often blessed by shamans and druids, with the occasional wizard or sorcerer enchanting the equipment, though wizardry is not common among the Armavaenye in comparison to other elven peoples.

Marriage among the Armavaenye tends to take two forms: Arranged marriages between families agreed upon by all parties for the purpose of establishing familial ties and to provide heirs, and individual weddings, usually between Armavaenye who have fallen in love on their own terms. A family cannot legally prevent their members from pursuing marriage on their own, but it is frowned upon to marry without at least seeking the consent of one's parents or elders. Homosexual marriage is seen as somewhat unorthodox and sometimes as a slight against one's family, as the nature of such relationships preclude the possibility of providing the family heirs, though such marriages are also sometimes arranged in order to ensure familial alliances, with consummation not expected in those particular cases. Generally speaking, however, the Armavaenye as a whole do not place much discrimination upon sexuality or romantic preferences, so long as the partners - whoever or however many may involved in such dalliances - demonstrate genuine love, fidelity and loyalty to each other. Most Armavaenye prefer to keep their relations among other Armavaenye or orcs, though some have married into human and even dwarven families. Mordaenye, however, are almost universally despised and unless the Mordaenye is an exile or an exceedingly rare friend of the Armavaenye, the Armavaenye in a dalliance with a dark elf is usually forced to break it off under threat of exile.

Marriages are most commonly arranged upon the meeting of tribes outside of the larger clan, among both settled and nomadic Armavaenye, and often involving the meeting of nomads with settlers, bringing forth new traditions and ideas to the tribes, and as a ward against inbreeding. Dowries are provided by the families involved, and the women are usually expected to depart their old tribe in favour of the new one, though the newlyweds are free to visit eachothers' families, with tribes keeping in touch with each other.

### Warriors and Tactics

Armavaenye are a highly martial people; all tribesmen are expected to learn how to use the bow, the spear and the axe from a young age, to at the very least serve as militiamen to defend the tribe when threatened. With the long lifespans of Armavaenye, most men and women tend to have at least passable combat training.

The Armavaenye tend to fight mostly as light infantry or cavalrymen, favouring light armour such as boiled leather, scale armour and mail shirts, with archers preferring boiled leather. The cavalrymen often wear heavier armour such as hauberks and lamellar armour, and rich and powerful are the tribes that can field heavy infantry clad in elegant plate armour. The Armavaenye favour the longbow and axe above all other weapons, with a long and proud tradition of archery, mounted and on foot, and are potent axe-fighters, though swordsmen and spearmen are quite common, especially among their champions and veteran warriors. Heavy infantry tend to be wealthier or older warriors, often clad in heavy scale and plate armour, using wide round or kite shields and long axes and swords, while heavy cavalrymen tend to use curved swords and lances, wearing heavy lamellar armour. Line-breakers usually take the form of berserkers, wielding greataxes or battleaxes - sometimes two at once - and wearing either very little besides garbs and coils of bones and trophies, and sometimes nothing at all, or wearing scale armour to protect against arrows and javelins.

Warriors among the Armavaenye tend to be a mix of standing, professional volunteers bound together in various warrior societies, and drafted citizens given military training for a campaign or defense of their homeland. The path of a warrior is a long and arduous task - a volunteer begins as a Fox Warrior (or Fennec Warrior, if they follow Sayadian Armavaenye traditions), and serve as skirmishers and scouts until they prove their worth as warriors, usually after slaying a foe or taking a trophy from them. They are then promoted to Braves, which make up the majority of Armavaenye warriors, using either bows, axes and shields with light or medium armour. From there, a Brave may test his mettle and aspire to join a Warrior Lodge, a band of oath-sworn warriors who share common fighting styles and codes of honour. Among the warrior societies are:

- Coyote Raiders (skilled light infantry raiders who master the bow and rapier, who use ambush and skirmishing tactics)

- Dog Soldiers, or the Sayadian Armavaenye equivalent, Jackal Soldiers (versatile melee fighters who use medium or heavy armour and the spear, axe, sword and shield, placing a great emphasis upon the group's honour and fighting as brothers in arms)

- Elk Knights (heavy cavalry favouring the lance and sword, with a strong sense of pride in their horsemanship)

- Bear Warriors (heavily-armoured greataxe or greatsword infantrymen who are sworn to never surrender or flee from battle)

- Mongoose Soldiers (veteran foot archers and stalkers making use of poisoned shortswords and daggers, known as tenacious battlefield assassins and ambush specialists to take out single, powerful targets)

- Doe Riders (light cavalry who use the bow, mace and spear, famously brave and bold raiders and reivers)

- Wolverine Soldiers (berserkers and shock troops who use religious rituals and drugs to enter rages, favouring the greatsword or dual-wielding battleaxes, sworn to not stop fighting until every foe is dead)

The most illustrious warrior societies are the Wolf Knights and Condor Knights, elite heavy infantry and cavalrymen who wear full plate and wield a variety of weapons, and elite armoured archers, respectively. To be accepted among the Wolf Knights or Condor Knights requires several years of illustrious service in a prior warrior lodge, and one who joins their ranks does so for life; they are essentially warrior nobility, and are the equivalent of human knightly orders among the Armavaenye. Various Clans and Kingdoms have different warrior lodges and societies, but the Wolves and Condors are omnipresent among both settled and nomadic clans.

The typical Armavaenye warband is led by a warchief, with companies of infantry, archers and cavalry, usually between 80-100 soldiers strong (30-40 in the case of cavalry), commanded by favoured family members and the bravest and most cunning warriors in a tribe, with the warchief commanding a retinue of his most loyal warriors. However, in some cases, the company commanders are elected by warriors voting before the company is formally organized. Skirmishing bands of raiding cavalrymen, infantry and archers are smaller and much more fluid, with a decentralized command structure and extensive training allowing members to take control and carry out objectives if the leaders are slain or otherwise incapacitated. Larger regiments sometime make use of similar organizational patterns, making an Armavaenye warband an incredibly efficient force.

### Warfare Within and Without

The Armavaenye, being a martial people, are no strangers to war; they do not seek out needless conflict, and tend to remain neutral in the affairs of men unless they feel threatened, or if their chieftains see opportunities to benefit their tribes, either through diplomacy or war. That said, more bellicose Armavaenye tribes send out raiders and reavers, either officially or unofficially affiliated with a family, and are not against raiding and looting isolated settlements and townships to prove their worth to the tribe, usually if they feel outsiders are encroaching upon the territories they've claimed.

Some raiders, rather than rustle cattle or ransack homes, instead stake claims to roads, especially in wooded areas, where establish passages of arms - most commonly, they bid travelers to fight or compete in contests of skill and arms, or be disgraced, surrendering tokens like hats, shoes and baubles, the goal being to encourage warriors to come face them in honourable combat to reclaim what they've claimed.. The more vicious Armavaenye outright extort and threaten travelers, ostensibly in the interests of provoking a violent reaction where they might test their mettle. Such bands are considered little more than brigands, but can be the only recourse for a martially-inclined Armavaenye who lacks a Mordaenye or other mortal enemy to fight.

More often, however, a lone Armavaenye warrior or band of like-minded comrades ride or march into foreign lands looking for honourable combat, challenging knights and warriors to duels in order to win glory for themselves and the tribe. They do not loot or steal from the weak or innocent, seeking only worthy combatants to prove their strength against.

Rare are the occasions when Armavaenye rally to wage war upon humans or other folk; but they wage wars often against orcish tribes, seizing territory and spoils, vassalizing and displacing them, but never enslaving or exterminating them, for the Armavaenye despise slavery and bondage above all others, and consider the orcs to be honourable, worthy foes.

Combat among Armavaenye is common, but ritualized, with numerous rules to prevent unnecessary bloodshed. Raids usually take the form of cattle rustling and plundering smaller settlements or nomadic families on the outskirts of larger tribes, seizing animals and valuables. Sometimes, the raiders will stake out a claim on disputed territory and dare a tribe's warriors to challenge them and fight for ownership of the spoils they've taken. Raiders and defenders usually make a conscious effort to avoid killing or maiming eachother, and a common practice is "counting coup" - touching another warrior with one's weapon, or most prestigiously, the hand, and escaping unharmed and untouched in turn, or by stealing a rival warrior's weapon or mount. Wounded and captured Armavaenye are treated with kindness, tended to by apothecaries and healers, and returned to their tribes after a ransom is paid, or if the family is unable or unwilling to pay, after a period of between three to six months - assuming they desire to return, as many tribes will attempt to convince their captives to marry into the tribe and woo them with wealth and join forces with them.

Even against other foes, the Armavaenye are wont to recognize honour and chivalry - those whose crimes against their people warrant death are still *honoured* in the sense that their skulls or scalps earn their place upon a brave's belt, but to capture, rather than kill, a human or orcish foe is considered a great feat. The Armavaenye do not massacre wantonly, and tend to take many captives to treat and ransom to their families and nations, though they often set them to work as prison labour for a period until they are released. The Armavaenye's laws of war, whilst barbaric to outsiders, tend to make perfect sense to them - after all, life is violent.

Such stipulations are thrown out when Mordaenye are involved.

The Armavaenye know only one eternal foe: the Mordaenye, and the Mordaenye Imperium. It is a trait held by tribes and clans regardless of geographical location or ethnic makeup; the Mordaenye have committed so many crimes against the Armavaenye that a state of endless war exists between them, and the existence of the Mordaenye is known as the ultimate grudge, a vengeance that cannot be sated until every dark elf is scoured from the face and depths of Terral. Mordaenye raid and, occasionally, lead entire armies to the surface to despoil, enslave, and outright exterminate Armavaenye clans, and it is against the Mordaenye and those few hated foes besides them that the Armavaenye bring to bear all the wrath, cunning, hatred and cruelty they can muster, and it is not rare for entire clans to march to battle to bring the fight to the Mordaenye in the Underkingdom itself, though it is often done in support of dwarven kingdoms or Tahnedaenye warhosts. Only a few times outside of fighting the Mordaenye have the Armavaenye raised great hosts of warriors, and the tales sung of the deeds of such warriors echo throughout their oral and written histories.

### Art and Leisure

The Armavaenye propensity for exuberance and intense emotions naturally channels into their artistry and leisure as well. Armavaenye festivals are wild affairs, and the art of music and dancing is highly appreciated in Armavaenye tribes, with minstrels, singers, poets and dancers playing a major role in the lives of the Armavaenye.

Armavaenye are prolific wood-carvers and weavers, and their clothing is simple yet elegant, often cut to reveal the tattoos on their bodies, though they dress for the climate, and winter clothing tends to be made of fur, wool and fleece, with the same symbols tattooed on their bodies embroidered upon their clothing and armour to display themselves even when covered, be it for the climate or for battle. The Armavaenye also value painting and jewellery, and are particularly fond of bone and ivory-carving and beadwork, their clothes almost always festooned with beads and decorated ivory.

Armavaenye festivals almost always take upon a religious angle, often involving animal sacrifices or libation, and celebrations for weddings, the ascendance of a new chief or Paramount, seasonal festivals, coming of age ceremonies and other landmarks for Armavaenye individuals and families are frequent. Such affairs involve wild and energetic dancing and lively singing and musical displays, with much food and drink being served, and it is at these festivals that trade deals, bartering, familial arrangements and other agreements are made - as well as the occasional grudge or slight being done. An Armavaenye festival without half the participants being drunk and a quarter of them ending up bedding eachother is usually considered a dull affair.

## Religion

### Faith and Worship

The Armavaenye primarily worship Florawyn, Mother Nature and Queen of the Forests, and the Armava, or Iron Wolf, the guiding spirit and pseudo-deity of the Armavaenye. The Iron Wolf is worshipped as the custodian and protector of the Armavaenye people, and in some tribes, is followed in preference to Florawyn herself. The Iron Wolf is seen as an embodiment of the spirit and values of the Armavaenye people itself - standing for courage and ferocity in war, the fulfillment of oaths and the deliverance of vengeance, as a defender of hearth and home, who blesses the faithful with bounties in the hunt.

The Iron Wolf's clergy is made up of a mix of shamans, druids and Wolf-Priests. Shamans are mystics and diviners, who provide spiritual leadership and guidance to Armavaenye through communing with elven spirits and the Iron Wolf through dreams and trances, as well as serving as apothecaries, healers and herbalists, tending to their people through acts of charity and compassion, and wielding their ferocious, spirit-granted powers to defend their flock; druids, educated lorekeepers and advisors who wield powerful divine magics in service to the Iron Wolf, who interpret the laws and will of the Iron Wolf through monastic worship and theological studies, and Wolf-Priests, warrior-priests and acolytes drawn from warrior societies and educated by the druids and shamans, who embody the martial and nurturing aspects of the Iron Wolf, who bless warriors and perform and lead the various religious festivals and celebrations that Armavaenye society revolve around. The Wolf-Priests perform charitable works as well as help Armavaenye carry out rites of sacred vengeance against wrongdoers and criminals - they are the executioners of Armavaenye society, who carry out the will of the druids and chieftains, but do not rule over them.

Prayers to the Iron Wolf are held in forest clearings and stone circles, or in dedicated shrines and temples. First prayers are performed at dawn, headed by the Wolf-Priests, where sermons are spoken, songs and devotional hymns are sung, and alms, food and drink are distributed. Morning is also when initiation ceremonies are begun, marriage ceremonies initiated, hunters are blessed, and druids begin teaching their students. Prayers are performed again in the evening, and is a time of reflection and rest in contrast to the bustle and activity of the day. Sometimes, sacrifices of pelts, food and drink are offered.

### Death Culture and Funeral Rituals

Most Armavaenye who die to illness, accident, murder or in battle are honoured through ritual cremation upon great pyres; the belief being that their ashes contain a portion of their essence, and scattered through the lands by the winds, can sow new life even as their spirits ascend to the Emerald Vale, the afterlife where the Iron Wolf rules over the souls of departed Armavaenye. Traditionally, family members eat a small pinch of the departed's ashes, symbolically taking upon their strength and ensuring a covenant of memory, to ensure that they will never be forgotten. Elders, champions, chieftains and other important individuals are honoured through ritual burial instead, a tree planted upon their gravesites, their bodies returned to the earth that spawned them as new life sprouts from their remains.

The Emerald Vale is an enormous valley of seemingly endless forests and rivers, broken up only by vast, open plains of rolling green grass and savannas. The sun is warm, the nights cool, and the game plentiful, where Armavaenye are returned to eternal youth where neither disease nor death may touch them, nor sorrow or boredom. The Emerald Vale is a place of freedom, of gentle, eternal summer without danger or mortal concerns, of wild, joyful revelry and quiet, peaceful happiness; where the spirits of loved ones are reunited and never again set asunder by the vagaries of fate or death. Many choose to dream in endless, serene sleep, and all are protected and watched over by the great Iron Wolf, who causes the rivers to flow and the sun to rise, and the days and nights are filled with the praise and song of Armavaenye, dedicated towards their mother.

## Trade

The Armavaenye are prolific traders, particularly among eachother and other elves, and whilst they prefer to keep other races at arm's length, most of their friendly interactions with outsiders tend to involve bartering and trade. The Armavaenye trade primarily in furs, lumber, amber, textiles, weapons, pottery and ivory, but perhaps their largest effect on trade is when their nomadic clans take up residence along an important trade route - they often help secure trade roads by keeping areas clear of banditry, with their young Fox Warriors and older Braves eager to earn coin, goodwill and glory by defending trade caravans and itinerant merchants - though it is not uncommon for less scrupulous Armavaenye families to extort or raid those same caravans, especially if they hail from less friendly regions. On rare occasions, Armavaenye tribes and clans even cut off trade entirely for the sake of vengeance and profit - acts that almost always lead to short but brutal wars to force the Armavaenye away, with varying results.