[[:Template:Aelwyn]]
Aelwyn
(Pronounced: eil-win)
The story of the Aelwyn people is similar to many species that have found Ta Los and the world of Kralis as a new home, having fled horrific disasters, unbeatable odds, or the destruction of their homeworlds. The Aelwyn are not only a people without an ancient homeworld, they are refugees from another dimension known as Gaidunia as their homeworld was destroyed by a dimensional rift. This rift was caused by the Lorkach, a horrific and vile species that hunted and enslaved the Aelwyn.
Surviving on their homeworld for countless generations by evading, hiding and blending into the environments to avoid the Lorkach. From the moment that Ta Los and the whole of Kralis became their “new home” they easily blended into the background. So accustomed are other species of seeing the Aewlyns, they literally are a part of the fabric that makes up Ta Los and its history.
Referred to as the “children of the world”, Aelwyn are amongst the smaller species including Ba-Liyan, Ha’vatu and Manax. Adults range between 3 and 4 feet in height, and weigh between 45 and 62 pounds. Adult Aelwyn are extremely well muscled for their size despite being of a light frame. They are easily mistaken at first glance as young Ta'Jahu or Human children.
They have finely-chiseled features with no facial hair (even among males), long pointed ears extending beyond the tops of their heads, and large roundish eyes. Aelwyn skin color has a large range of coloration from light brown, to chocolate brown, to deep brown to a rare dusty gray or white skin. Their eyes are almond shaped and range from pale blue, to silver to deep blue, to deep black or rarely purple. All Aelwyn wear their hair long, tied in top knots and range in color from auburn to silvery white to gray or deep brown.
The Aelwyn people are made up of five distinct sub-cultures with considerable variation in their cultures, traditions, politics. However, the commonalities of the various subcultures of the Aewlyn people are greater.
Selathan
It is very difficult to describe what a “typical” Selathan is like. While they have a core set of beliefs, their over all behavior and personality outlooks are varied.
The majority of Aelwyns in most worlds hail from the Selathan sub-culture and they are the origin of the stereotype that most others expect from all Aelwyn. They seem to be born with a heart for exploration and innate intense curiosity not traditionally found in the other four sub-cultures of Aewlyn. This innate behavior nearly trumps the Selathan family first structure, as the pull to explore is so strong.
Selathan are known for their fairness and tolerance of nearly everyone that they come across. There is a naivety that almost all Selathan have about the rest world. Often far too trusting, and they are taught form birth that loyalty and honesty are the foundations of Selathan culture, so why would they not expect the same from everyone else the first time they meet. They are open minded, hospitable and tend to accept other species without question.
When one does speak of “fearless curiosity” many take it that they are speaking of the Selathan. The Aelwyn lack of fear is strong within the Selathan, but the Aelwyn curiosity is even stronger and runs deeper. They are attracted to mysteries and the unknown like bugs to a light source. While there is a rudimentary sense of caution, it does not have a strong control. This does not mean that a Selathan is any more reckless than other Aelwyn or without a sense of self-preservation.
Of the various Aelwyn people, the Selathan tend to value Kesumbar or “wonderlust” much more. This is the biggest impact on Selathan culture. This drive to leave home and explore the world is very strong. But so is the desire to return home once they reach a certain age, typically around the age of 30.
Most Selathan tend to wear leather pants, cloth shirts, hard leather boots, and vests for the men and a bodice for women, rather then the standard skirt and wrap.
Ufgyds
Ufgyds have a reputation for being friendlier, more relaxed and easy going that other Aewlyn. They place a premium of hospitality avoiding conflict. From an early age they learn a large variety of emotional expressions, body language and gestures. They place a great importance on friendship and companionship. Making casual friends with an Ufgyd is very easy, but making close friends and having a deep understanding of them takes more time.
A dominate trait among the Ufgyd is their natural non-assertiveness. They are gentle, accepting, and forgiving of shortcomings.
Ufgyds like to talk, converse, gossip and engage in animated discussions. They prefer good stories, and of all the Aelwyn, place a great deal more emphasis on the collecting of stories from all sources. It can be argued that Ufgyds love the act of talking. A good conversation is not necessarily a deep, though provoking or philosophical.
They abhor violence and physical confrontations and do not permit weapons within their villages or towns. Most Ufgyd practice a belief of “non-injury” which has the ethical principle of not causing undue harm to other living things. This does not mean that an Ufgyd is a push over, or will not resort to actions of defense if need be. While Ufgyds abhor violence, they are quite skilled in hand-to-hand combat that allows them to defend themselves while also protecting their attacker from injury.
Ufgyds have a reputation of being very good and sharp-minded in the ways of trade, mercantile and business. This is a result of their natural instincts of deduction and being able to read the emotional cues of others as well as the fact that the Ufgyds, of all the Aelwyn, place an emphasis on learning and literacy.
This has lead to an honor-caste within the Ufgyds based on their ability to deal and garner the best trade conditions not only for their individual villages and towns, but also for the Aelwyn people as well.
Bhaju
The Bhaju, Burrow Folk or People of the Hills are considered among the Aelwyn to be one of the more open and friendly of the kin, much like the Selathan are.
Among the Aelwyn the Bhaju have always been close to the land and have a reputation for being hardworking and extremely clever. They are well known for their ability to bring life to nearly patch of land that they touch. Able to grow fruits and vegetables in some of the most desolate locales.
As a people they prefer the comfort of dwelling in large, dug out homes in what ever region they find themselves in, often sharing space with the Fyrgins and the Grtyhi how also tend to occupy these same locales.
Bhaju tend to dress in colorful woven shirts, cotton pants and sandals or leather boots. Men tend to wear vests, while women tend to wear a type of short coat-bodice.
They are a matriarchal hierarchical based society generally with the eldest female of each family ruling over the family and are referred to as duchess.
They tend to follow a strict moral code ad rules which encompasses the concept of righteousness, good character, tolerant and justice seeking.
Most tend to be very direct and opinionated. They are often looked at for their unique talent for being inventive, able to think on their feet better than most, can often improvise their way of most situations. They tend to learn, absorb, mimic and clone those around them.
Bhaju take pride in their ability to learn and mimic others. Often this pro-active mind looks for short cuts and temporary solutions and puts many Bhaju on recruitment lists for engineers, sages and other intellectual pursuits.
“These quirks are special. They make us who we are. They make us embarrassingly, painfully, hilariously, unapologetically and proudly Bhaju Aelwyn. They may not always define all of us, but more often than not, we take a lot of pride in these traits and quirks.” - Thon Xulyani
Grythi
As an ethnic group, the Grythi have a reputation of being more withdrawn, stern and serious. They tend to live within various other cultural sub-groups of Aelwyn. Though they tend to condense in smaller communities to avoid conflicts due to their seriousness and the tendency to be offend others by their behavior.
They can sometimes be uncouth, boorish and be more impulsive, quicker to act on their emotions than other Aelwyn. Most other Aelwyn tend to regard them with a bit of disdain, but are well aware of the Grythis ancestral promise of protecting the Aelwyn species.
While they are stubborn, and often irrational, especially when confronted by enemies or opponents, they have a strong sense of honor and loyalty. Grythis tend to accomplished warriors, known for their sly fighting tactics that set them apart from most Aelwyn. As a fighting force they are known for ferocity and unique, if not unusual, combat tactics that they have developed over many generations.
War and battle is regarded as an honorable sacrifice and fallen heroes and heroines are worshiped in the form of a Pahlabatu “hero stone”; a memorial commemorating the death of a Grythi in battle. Each Grythi is trained in martial arts, and specialized in three weapons: Vebak (spear), Pedan (sword), and Busak (bow).
Grythi frequently decorate themselves with body art. They love designs inspired by their battles, often creating elaborate tattoos. They tend to also wear a band of black make-up across their eyes, a tradition that both males and females take part in.
Typically Grythi clothing consists of leather or cotton pants, and a garment wrap. Both men and women wear pants, though women are known to wear the cotton variety more so that they can tie of the pant leg above the knee. The garment wrap acts a both a make-shift shirt, and part of the traditional dress of male grythi. These garment wraps are wrapped around the waist to create a skirt with one end, and the other end draped over the shoulder, often baring the midriff. Many Grythi also wear simple cotton shirts or bodice of various colors.
When they are exploring or waging war, they tend to trade in the garment wraps for elaborately etched sleeveless leather tunic and cotton shirts. Both sexes wear leather leggings and soft leather boots.
Fyrgins
Fiercely independent, suspicious, and paranoid, the Fyrgins or the Deep Folk, live and breath beneath the surface of the world. They prefer the solitude that the depths of Tav Aeduhn provide and the relative freedom it has provided, despite the occasional run ins with the monsters of the world’s depths.
Most Fyrgins are a principled people. Most tend to believe good should be pursued in the face of evil, but the end never justifies the means. They are willing to fight for just and right causes. They are often relied upon by most other Aelwyn to defend them from things in the dark.
It has been said that there is an air of superiority with most Fyrgins, a near arrogance in the view towards their cousins. While they are not convinced that their sub-culture is more advanced than the others, they believe that their solitude in the depths of Tav Aeduhn has made them better suited to survive any world that they find themselves on.
They ferociously defend the under realms of most Aelwyn settlements, rarely retreating, and many times doing so without their cousins even knowing how close they may have come to destruction.
Fyrgin dress is designed to by highly functional, tends to be dark gray to black in color. In the case of begin outside of their villages or towns, they dress in a black-gray full body suit up to the neck and up to the wrists, even their feet are covered in this suit. It is built for survival in the various regions and depths of Tav Aeduhn, and in some cases the depths of the Void. These suits have form fitting gloves and a facial mask could be worn so that they are not exposed to harmful gases they may encounter.
When they are home they tend to wear cotton or leather pants, soft leather or cotton shirts and jerkins. These tend to be a bit more colorful, but are muted and darker than those found above surface.
Both men and women wear jewelry. Nose rings and earrings are extremely popular with both sexes. They tend to avoid wearing in type of jewelry or material that can “clink” together and make noise.
Psychology
The Aelwyn people are a conundrum and confounding people to the general outsider. On the one hand they seem to always be busy, rushing from one place to another, and in the other moment have a sense of deep calmness and acceptance of the world around them; an inner peace that seems to make even the stoic Acireans a hyperactive child in comparison.
Despite their outward, extroverted behavior and their near god-like calmness and fearlessness, most all Aelwyn still feel the emotional effects of the destruction that their ancestors fought against and seem to be cursed to fall into a deep depressive state, when alone or made to feel unneeded. This has been burned into their species memory.
Their calmness and near whirlwind movements are a direct response to their torture at the cruel, sadistic hands of the Lorkach.
The Aelwyn people are well-known for their gentleness and peacefulness,. They have strong family ties. They are honest, fiercely loyal companions and can be vicious when defending family and friends. They enjoy simple crafts and camaraderie – wealth is all but meaningless to them, and greed is unknown.
They are a curious and fearless species; born with the heart of an explorer, that must peek into every hole, open every door, and unlock every lock. This strong curiosity has often found more than one Aelwyn staring down an earth dragon or facing a demon with a wry smile.
They make lifelong friendships and are unwavering in their faith to them. Aelwyns are very kind to those that they view as not being evil or having no desire to cause harm to the innocent and they feel a deep need to protect those that are weak or in need. They have a strong connection and empathy for animals, both wild and domesticated. Many become bonded with a specific type of animal that they choose as a companion, believing that these animal companions are the spirits of ancestors and reincarnated in the form of an animal.
Aelwyn feel no fear, at least not for themselves, but often can feel weird feelings of fear towards those the they care about. But they themselves cannot feel fear, though they can feel that the situation that they are in is likely perilous. This by any definition does not mean that they are foolhardy or reckless or wish to die. Yet with their core religious believes about death and the afterlife, it does make sense for them to feel fear the way other species do.
Society and Culture
Aelwynian society is based on village-life, family, and exploration in that exact order. Those that have lived among Aelwyn for any length of time come to understand that beyond anything their families are the core driving force behind most of their motives.
They are a hierarchical society. Whether Selathan, Ufgyd, Bhaju, Grythi, or Fyrgin, urban living with other species or remote villages hidden from seeking eyes, virtually all things, species, groups, etc., are ranked according to various essential qualities.
Each of the four sub-cultures tend to follow a type of caste-like system related to lineage or kinship called the Alti . Each sub-culture arranges importance of their Alti according to their own priorities. Generally, these positions are called the Ki’Dawa (priest/spellcaster caste), Peju (warrior/guardian/soldier caste), Dagan (merchant/trader/shopkeeper/farmers caste), Kisat (storyteller/ sage/artisans caste), and Tokala (leader/guide/preceptor). While hereditary they are not so rigid as to keep an Aelwyn attempting something new.
Aewlyn are also well known for their deep ingrained curiosity, which during their youth is often the driving force behind what is termed Kesumbaur (wanderlust). This wanderlust is highly treasured and of great value to Aelwyn, not only to the individual but also to the community as a whole.
Family And Structure
The family is important and plays a central role in the lives of most Aelwyn. Aelwyn families are generally made up of members extending beyond parents, or siblings, and includes aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins generally all living in the same household. Aelwyn families are usually ruled over by the oldest female, generally a grandmother, or great-aunt or great-grandmother.
As a collectivist society, Aelwyns emphasize loyalty and interdependence amongst family members. The interests of the family usually take priority over those of the individual, and decisions affecting one’s personal life – such as marriage and or pursuit of a caste – are generally made in consultation with one’s family. Aelwyn tend to act in the best interest of their family’s reputation, as the act of an individual may impact the perception of the entire family by their community.
Aelwyn families tend to stay close to each other geographical, most often living on the same bit of land with interconnecting homes or within a large cavern that they mold into their needs.
Aelwyn are encouraged to have relationships with their aunts and uncles, which are just as strong as parental relationships. In many Aelwyn villages and towns, it is common to find three or four generations living together. In more urban areas, Aelwyn will usually live in smaller families while maintaining strong ties to their extended family.
Until the age of one or two, Aelwyn children are reared and cared for by their mother who keeps them close by, often caring one or two in sling type carriers called “koptah”. After the age of two, Aelwyn children quickly become great wanderers, and will often explore their village, town or neighborhoods of larger cities with great zeal which leads to the whole community raising them.
This high regard for family and its importance has developed in order to protect the Aelwyn from becoming an extinct species because of their natural resilience to fear and their inborn drive to explore the world.
Nearly from birth Aelwyn are encouraged to explore and with their natural fearlessness this often leads young Aelwyn to find themselves on their own and in interesting situations. But they always seem to end up back home, a little worse for wear than not, but filled with even more excitement and desire to explore.
Beyond their family and their caste-service, this Kesumbar or “wonderlust” is amongst the most important aspects of their lives. As young Aelwyn mature they tend to explore further and further away from their villages.
As they grow through their young adult years, this natural curiosity intensifies into severe wanderlust. This urging is responsible for them packing up their belongings and heading into the wild world looking for adventure. This desire for a “walk-about” is nearly all consuming and causes Aelwyn to have to know what is around the next bend, in the next city, what is in that last cave, find those lost dungeons or even sail on to far away worlds.
However, this does not mean that an Aelwyn will always be on the go, and will often make close friends with other adventurers and make a home away from home amongst their comrades.
This wanderlust generally lasts for 5 to 20 years and once it comes to an end, Aelwyn do one of two things: travel back to their original community or settle in a new region and establish a new community or join an existing one. Once Aelwyn have children they settle down (as much as an Aelwyn can settle down), wherever they are, and begin raising that family.
Community
Majewan (community councils) are the main organizing forces within a community. These councils, made mostly of the eldest Aelwyn, help settle disputes, allocate scarce resources, make decisions on communal events, and make arrangements for the seasonal festivals.
Most Aelwyn communities are common on the outskirts of cities, towns and large villages of other societies, but they can be hidden and found in remote locales. The most common type is a village. They are large built around 50 to 100 families clustered together near some large, unusual, landscape feature such as a single large hill, a single-large wooded outcropping, large standing stones, high cliff sides, etc. In nearly all cases these villages are circular in nature with three to four major roads leading towards the center of the village which is home to some important aspect of the community: from a large standing stone carved with runes to a large geyser of water sprouting from the ground.
Around this are built the more important buildings or homes of the community. These include the most eldest of the community, its leaders, and other proper dignitary. The remaining surrounding buildings are made up of homes, craft shops, and other important buildings that each particular community finds important to the business of living.
Many times these villages are built with a rudimentary defense system, generally large mounds of earth, small pit traps, or even pike fences. Often these villages are often cloaked by magical veil setup by powerful Aelwyn spellcasters or powerful friendly spellcasters of the community. In all cases, villages tend to be built as though they were grown from the very surrounding areas.
A second type of community are “burrows” or Liacari . These are large, deeply cut tunnels, caverns and caves within the Upper Regions of Tav Aeduhn. These liacari hail back to when the Aelwyn were hunted by the Lorkach hiding their communities from their cruel reach.
Many of these communities are dug beneath Aelwyn villages, some beneath cities, towns or villages. They tend to follow the same type of layout that normal, above villages do with a large, unusual aspect in the center of these burrows, most are large stalactite forests, underground lakes, or even a deep chasms. These burrows seem to go on forever, but are typically a half mile in diameter and are just as deep. Many a Chovah, despite their lack of understanding the Aelwyn mindset, has been heard saying how impressive the burrows can be for “such rustic simple minds.”
Most Aelwyn settlements are traditionally rustic in nature, even when they are within a human metropolis. Rather than traditional crops, Aelwyn grow their food from plants integrated into the town itself – in heavily forested areas, Aelwyn towns are so well-blended with the surrounding landscape that they practically disappear.
Most communities are self-sufficient, traditional councils often overlap with official laws of the local government and its leaders. They supplement themselves through crafts, which are sold to nearby communities. Aelwyn communities are known for fine leather goods, excellent pottery, stunning form of metal handicraft that uses zinc, copper and this sheets of pure silver, and a unique craftwork, known as Thokra, made from a non-ferrous metal casting which are often in great demand and as well as berry wine, a very thick and powerful spirit that most other species cannot drink without going through “berry dreams” – a psychedelic state of relaxation and awareness.
Art
The Aelwyn are known for their elaborate singing and dancing rituals. As a result of their melodic language, they seem to have a natural attraction to dance and music. Most of these are drawn on themes from their mythology and have very rigid presentation rules. One of the most common type of dance that most all Aelwyn perform is the Ilkathak, where a dancer acts out a story almost exclusively through gestures. Another common dance is known as the Atanali which is traditionally performed by women that expresses various Aelwyn spiritual ideas. The Athundi is a highly stylized dance-drama performed by both men and women that play out mythical legends. It incorporates movements from the martial art known as Akali and athletic traditions. The dancers are often adorned with small bells. Every dance is accompanied by classical Aelwyn rhythms played on a variety pf drums, flutes and guitars.
Developed over many thousands of generations and still taught for health, artistic and martial reasons the ancient art of Akali (Martial Arts skill: Akali Training) is an Aelwyn fighting system and is practiced by most Aelwyns but is of intrinsic value to the Grythi, who originated it, and the Peju Alti (warrior caste). It includes strikes, kicks, grappling, and weaponry usage and is based on elegant, flexible movements, evasions, and jumping. It follows hard impacting based techniques and pressure points.
Customs, Traditions and Beliefs
Between the various sub-cultures, there are hundreds of different customs, traditions and unique beliefs. However, there are a number of these that seem to be common among all Aelwyn sub-cultures.
A common custom is not eating with utensils, but instead with your fingers and/or flatbreads if needed. It is believed that using utensils disconnects the food from the body and the spirit of the eater. Sharing of food is just plain good manners and Aelwyn will eagerly share what they have, its adventurous to try new things, especially food.
It is unlikely anyone will hear an Aelwyn say “Thank you” for a meal, but they will often praise the food itself as it is being devoured.
Aewlyn timing is just that: Aelwyn timing. Aelwyn have a bad sense of time and rarely show up on time, even to invited events. Most of the time they are fifteen to thirty minutes late, most often because something caught their attention and distracted them for a moment or two, or four.
One of the most important customs that Aelwyn partake in is what is called Dahsenu, and is performed by two individuals pressing their foreheads together while holding the back of the others head gently in one hand. This is a symbolic show of unity, and the exchanging of breath and life. This is generally only done between Aelwyn and those that they consider close friends.
On a whole the Aelwyn people dislike to refuse something or someone outright. If they are inclined to say no, they will first dissuade the asker by saying “I will try.”
Marriage
Most Aelwyn marriages tend to be arranged between families, though both children can influence the arrangement, often even breaking one to make another. These arrangements tend to unite children and families that have a long history with each other. Many times these marriages occur between a closely related cross-cousin, a mother’s brother’s daughter or a father’s sister’s daughter.
Most marriages are typically arranged through a matchmaker (typically a well connected aunt), the couple’s parents or some other trusted third party.
Typically these marriages are influenced by the Alti of each family. Where most families will stay within their Alti, but this is not a hard and binding rule. This is done in part because arranging marriages is a family activity that is carried out through pre-existing networks of a broader community.
Although people will marry within the same caste, families avoid marriage within the same subcaste. The institutions of arranged marriage and caste endogamy enable parents to influence the futures of their children as well as sustain the local and social structure. Yet, not all Aelwyn follow this rule as some have wandered very far from their home, often to new regions, new kingdoms or even new worlds. Regardless of how one finds a spouse, the family is nearly always consulted in the marriage process.
Holiday/Dates of Importance
As with so many other species cultures, Aelwyn are known have a number of important days. This is increased by the four sub-cultures of Aelwyn. As a people the Aelwyn revere some dates common to all of them.
Daru Felar (Festival of Light): The most important date to the Aelwyn is the Festival of Light that is celebrated every fall in the month of Kerics, generally on the third Kellemes of the month. The Daru Falar symbolizes the victory that the Asier had over the Lorkach when they created the Ahupak for their people to flee through. It is considered a “victory of light over darkness, good over evil and spiritual knowledge over death.” During the celebration homes, temples, and shops are brightly illuminated and climaxes on the dawn of the next morning when a circle of fire and flame is set alight.
Saru Ula (Festival of the Moon): Celebrated each year in the hottest part of the year, generally in the month of Elenk when the twin moons are going to be at their brightest. The festival is dedicated to the goddess Suya, Queen of the Night in celebration of the darkness that was provided to hide the ancient Aethynar people from the Lorkach. This is generally celebrated by Aeylwns take baths in holy well springs in the moonlight. It is also a time when many arranged marriages are both planned and tend to take place.
Saru Ula (Festival of the Moon): Celebrated each year in the hottest part of the year, generally in the month of Elenk when
Dress/Clothing
Most Aelwyn clothing is closely identified with the colorful shirts and relatively baggy pants worn by many. A traditional piece of clothing is an unstitched piece of cloth that is tied around the waist and legs. Men also wear a loose shirt that is worn about knee-length. Women tend to wear a type brazier that is emblazoned with traditional symbols and is done in elaborate stitching in many colors.
For special occasions, Aelwyn wear a long coat that with a collar having no lapel. It is buttoned up to the collar and down to the knees. Often a shorter version of this jacket is worn for less special occasions.
Food
Most of what makes up the Aelwyn diet is wheat, rice and black chickpea along with rich spices, including ginger, coriander, cardamom, turmeric, dried hot peppers, and cinnamon, among others. This is often accompanied by a thick sauce made from assorted fruits and vegetables. Many Aelwyn are vegetarian, but lamb, fish and chicken are common in main dishes .
Most Aelwyn cuisines are eaten with fingers or with flat breads. There is a wide array of flat breads served with meals, leavened, oven-baked flat breads; and a fried, fluffy flat bread.
Religion and Spirituality
The Aelwyn people have a set of ancient texts heralding from the time they were known as the Aethynar. These holy texts and scriptures are known as the Bari Tulisi (Books of Light). These books are thought to be the spiritual commandments of the Asier to the Aehtynar/Aelwyn people. It also tells the of the Asier Trinity.
The Gods
The Aelwyn have a set of three traditional deities called the Trinity. While the Trinity are their core deities, they also venerate many of the deities of Kralis. The Trinity is thought of as all powerful and consists of Lord Melihar, Lord Cipta and Lord Usak.
Lord Melihar is described as the Supreme Being and absolute truth. He is viewed as the preserver and protector of the Aelwyn people, when they are threatened with evil, chaos and destructive forces. It is stated that he has no true form and is described as swirling clouds having a pale or dark blue color. Many Ta Los scholars believe that Lore Melihar is actually a portion of the One have taken form to help and protect the Aelwyn.
Decribed as the creator, the bringer of life, Lord Cipta is thought of as the creator of the Aethynar people as well as all living beings. Lord Cipta is traditionally depicted as dark red being with four sets of eyes, four arms and four legs. In each of his hands he holds a symbol: Knowledge, Creation, Time, Water. Many scholars believe that this is the Ta Los god Odiryn or Daemah based on the symbols that Lord Cipta is said to hold sway over.
Lord Usak is called the Supreme Chaos who is thought to be the transform of worlds and creation. There are many depictions of Lord Usak as both benevolent and fearsome. Seen as a sagely monk with a long beard, four arms and often fighting four demons: Lust, Wrath, Ego and Greed. He is stated to be of a deep purple color with “eyes glowing of golden fire.” Many Aelwyn equate Lord Usak with meditation and healing.
Death and Funerals
For Aelwyns death is not the end this lives journey. They do not fear it, and since they know death is inevitable and just another step in their journey they truly believe that the fear of death makes no sense. It is seen as a transformation from one state of being to another process that will continue until the end of the known Omniverse.
After Life
Since Aelwyn view death as the next step in their journey, they also believe in the rebirth and reincarnation of the essence of a being called the Vistru. How a being returns is directly related to how they lived their previous life, their life value or Himtra is weighed by the Trinity and if they are found to not have lived well they may not be allowed to be reborn or reincarnated for a great long while, regaled to lower worlds of suffering and torment.
Language
Aelwyn speak the Rhavad language that has a melodic sing-song sound and is quite soothing to listen to, as if someone was softly singing to you. Each of the five sub-cultures speak core- Rhavad, through each as a unique dialect that adds or combines specific words unique to the sub-culture. Each of the dialects is based on standard Rhavad. Each sub-culture consider themselves as speaking “kinds of Rhavad”. These dialects are: Selathan -Tahiraan. Ufgyds speak with the Bahiraan dialect. Bhaju - speak the Juraan dialect. Grythi speak with the Nuhataan dialect. Fyrgins speak with the Niraan dialect.
Uniquely, Aelwyn children are encouraged to be loquacious and to manipulate the Rhavad language for fun. With peers, they engage in games of Berbidur, or talking backwards, often to befuddle the adults.
All ages participate in riddle contests. These games along with a rich folklore tradition, have helped the Aelwyn to become some Ta Los’ most prolific bards, poets and songwriters.
