Sea Elven Domains

## History

The origins of the sea elves are largely unclear, though nearly everyone agrees they are related to drow. The most common theories are either that their ancestors mixed with water nymphs or other aquatic fey, or Caijin gave some sort of blessing to them.

It is known for sure though that some drow converted to the Caijin faith throughout the Western Elven Empire period, and even to this day there are still many drow followers of Caijin in many places around the world.

Caijin himself appears to be a Faerie Lord, albeit a very reclusive one. He kept his followers affiliated with the Western/First Elven Empire, but was never a firm member and often skirmished with other nations within the Empire. As it became clear the Azan/Dragon Empire would likely be victorious in Scimitaria, they switches sides in return for self-governance rights. They later became independent and somewhat imperialistic when the Azan/Dragon Empire territories in North Scimitaria split off from the Empire. There was some talk of establishing a sea elf empire, but after absorbing a few minor fiefdoms, Bumi and Chrysovica were the only nations they picked fights with. For the past century or so, they settled for staying within their core territories, but recently forced Chrysovica to be their vassal over a diplomatic dispute.

## Government

The sea elves, like many drow, are a matriarchal society led by female dominated noble houses. “The Domain” on Moin Duiki Island consists of several small cities under a single unified government, while the cities on the mainland each have their own government. Strangely, the priesthood is almost all male, but they fill a supporting rather than domineering role in society.

Non-sea elves tend not to have too much power, but some have managed to organize themselves into matriarchal houses and get acknowledged as nobles.

For the past few decades, the heads of the main noble houses have had a decidedly aggressive bent to them. They bullied the Earldom into submission over a minor snub, and may pick a fight with Bumi if the opportunity presents itself.

## Economy

Trade routes going around the Scimitarian Subcontinent inevitability stop at a few sea elf cities, where wines, gold bars, crafted goods, metals, and magical items are traded for local dyes, pearls, silks, rare shells, and cherry blossom cuttings.

The sea elves themselves often work as sailors, or occasionally as pirates, both on human ships, and merchant vessels of their own.

Although the sea elves control a reasonable amount of inland territory, they prefer to stay near the ocean, or baring that, near rivers, lakes, and marshlands. Seafood and salt rice are the main dietary staples.

Sea elves only mine or cut wood reluctantly. Such work is often given to low status half-breeds instead.

## Foreign Relations:

### Drow City-States

There is a lot of history between the drow and the sea elves, and despite their mutual dislike, many drow have converted to Caijin, while some sea elves have converted to the drow gods. Sea elves to business at certain drow ports like Nylo’Cormrune, but need to tread carefully as sea elves are seen as high value slaves in many drow cities. Sea elves are sometimes captured by criminals for sale to the drow, while others are captured on the high seas by drow slavers.

### Bumi

The sea elves have fought on and off wars with Bumi since its founding, but things have been fairly quiet for the past century. Sea elf luxury goods fetch high prices in Bumi, and the sea elves sometimes purchase magical goods from there, but the sea elves still don’t care much for the Mg’umba faith.

### Arangea

Some more radical minded sea elves have gone to Arangea for magical instruction, but this is rare due to Arangea’s racist attitudes. Aside from this, the sea elves see Arangea as a trade irritant due to the high taxes they put on non-human ships entering their port.

### Earldom of Chrysovica

There have been several wars with the Earldom over the past one thousand years. Neighboring nations keep out of these wars seeing them as local matters caused by Earldom stubbornness clashing with sea elf arrogance. For the past few decades, the Earldom has made a show of electing female leaders and paying fealty to Caijin, to avoid war with the current sea elf leadership. Much of the tension comes from the fact that the humans of Chrysovica are close cousins to some small human who were conquered by the sea elves a thousand years ago during their brief imperialist phase.

### Isle of Wizards

The sea elves and the wizards don’t interact much, but the sea elves respect their power and wisdom, and are one of the few nations they will listen to on many matters.

### Calcrabian Mountains

The sea elves do minor trade with the mountain hobbits, and the two generally get along.

### Terusia Peninsula

Sea elves are not uncommon on the north side of Terusia, as many sea elf trade routes end there. Drow and half-drow from Terusia have managed to forge fairly strong bonds with the sea elves and drow followers of Caijin, so drowish merchants from Terusia are a common sight in sea elf ports.

### Blesire, Aurous, and Belsirya

The sea elves get along well enough with all these nations, and have firm trading relations with all of them.

### Calcabra

Trade ships from Calcabra are common in sea elf ports. Some exiles from sea elf lands seek asylum in Calcabra, but this is only a minor irritant.

### Moreelse

White Death usage is not uncommon in sea elf territory. Although they dislike Moreelse’s involvement in the trade, they feel Moreelse itself is too far away to retaliate against. Smugglers and syndicate members caught handling White Death are dealt with severely though, as are addicts.

### Kinnog

Most sea elves are barely aware of Kinnog, though some do know that a few outcast sea elves live there.

## Geography

The sea elf lands are fairly temperate despite their northern altitude. The mainland is heavily forested, and famous for its cherry blossoms and rugged hills. Moin Duiki, location of the Domain, is colder, and is mostly pine forest, though cherry blossoms can be found here too.

Buildings are mostly made of stone, and are carefully crafted. The population is fairly stable, so new buildings are rarely build, but old ones often improved. Scenic pagodas are a common sight on noble lands or city owned parkland. Hovels and sheds are seen as eyesores and are rare in urban area, but common in rural areas, and some cities have a nearby shanty town somewhere not visible by anyone important. Many nobles would rather sleep in the open then assemble a crude tent or shack should they find themselves in an area with no existing buildings.

The main form of agriculture is salt rice farming along the coastal marshes.

## Demographics

### Sea Elves

They are the dominant race, but not necessarily the majority in all cities. They have a mildly xenophobic reputation, but are still much more open minded than many in Scimitaria.

### Drow

Drow are fairly common, particularly on the mainland. Drow are close cousins to the sea elves and are generally treated with respect regardless of whether they are from a family with pre-Azan roots in the area, or are recent exiles from the drow city-states.

### Wood Elves

Some have been in Scimitaria for millennia, while others are settlers from the eastern portions of the First Elven Empire. They are fairly common in the interior forests, but also are a common sight in the coastal cities. Wood elves from Elfwood still have some grudges against the sea elves for turning against the Western Elven Empire, but wood elves in the sea elf lands are usually just happy for a place to call their own.

### Mutts

A somewhat derogatory term for individuals of mixed sea elf, drow, wood elf, and human ancestry, they are moderately discriminated against, and usually found working low status jobs. Their low status stems mostly from the fact they are usually bastard children, the children of poorer folk unconcerned with societal norms, or descendants of such. Sea elves and drow mate frequently and their societies are closely interlinked, but humans and wood elves have distinct societies within sea elf lands, so mixed children often find themselves between worlds.

### Humans

Most humans are visiting merchants, sailors, diplomats, scholars and such. There was a few minor human fiefdoms conquered by the sea elves in the early years, but they eventually got assimilated or left. The sea elves strongly discourage immigration by humans, mindful of how the Western Elven Empire fell.

### Fey

A few other fey and fey related races live here, like water nymphs, dryads, hobbits, merfolk, brownies, and goblins. They mostly live in isolated areas and mind their own business.

## Religion

The religion of Caijin the Sea Slug God is dominant here. A harsh but firm religion that asserts the best defensive is a strong offence, emphasizes self-reliance and looking after your own before others, and supports cruel punishments for major offences. The priesthood is almost all male and typically noble houses will encourage at least one male member to join the priesthood. Some priests have divine magic like lightning magic or shapeshifting (usually into sea slugs).

Other religions are not well tolerated. The fey and wood elves mostly do their own things, as do human visitors, but drow and sea elves who convert to other religions often eventually get fed up with the low key discrimination and leave. Irem, Eili, Azra, the Cog God, a little known drow god of exiles known as Vhar, and an even more obscure Faerie Lord known as the Trickster are the most popular options. Some of them are banned in certain cities, depending on local politics.

## Military

Sea elf and drow followers of Caijin tend to be strong fighters due to religious teachings that emphasize self-reliance and the importance of winning over doing the right thing. Each city is able to assemble a disproportionally large army/navy, led by nobles and their experienced retainers. Although both genders can well fight, professional soldiers tend to be female, and officers are almost always female nobles.

Armor and clothing is light, followers of Caijin typically live and fight near water, and believe nothing should be worn that can’t be swam in. The nobles often wear magical protections in place of conventional armor.

Divine magic users are relatively powerful. There is also some conventional magic users as well, using a mix of human and fey traditions. Followers of Caijin are skilled at taming wild creatures as mounts and heavy hitters. A particular favorite mount are Ivory-Horned Elk, who are much better swimmers than horses, so are useful mounts for patrolling coastal areas, inland rivers, and small interlinked islands.