Arilan Atrin

The City of Silver Spires
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The King of Silver Spires

Sindamintar Morsulion
The Sindamintar (or King of Silver Spires) is also known as the Lord of the Blackwind. A powerful and ancient eladrin lord, it is said that black-maned Morsulion has belonged to different Houses at different points in his life, marrying into some, being adopted into others. No one truly knows what House he was born into, though the Tirnalle, Serkeril and Elenrusse all have plausible stories of his origins. He refuses to allow such things to be discussed in his presence; some even claim that he is common-born.

Although officially aligned with the Gloaming Court, Morsulion has extremely strong ties to the Summer Court as well - explaining the strong presence of Sidhe Houses of both Courts in his domain. The Lord of the Blackwind is clearly aware of both the danger and potential of Liminal's intersection with his city. He permits the Sidhe Houses to choose among their finest for the Sidhe Seats in the Accord of Worlds, while he himself chooses his official ambassadors to the Accord.

The Fey Courts in Arilan Atrin

Language of the Sidhe

The names of the Feywild nobility are constructed using Tolkien's Quenya language, which can be found here: http://www.rialian.com/quenya-english.htm

The Summer Court

• House Tirnalle (Valeguard): A distinctly military House, the Tirnalle are a long tradition of warrior eladrin, spellblades and Spire Knights, as long as anyone can remember. They are usually thought of as the foremost of the Sidhe Houses of Arilan Atrin, and tend to hold themselves aloof from the politics of the Houses...or so they claim. Outside of Arilan Atrin, the Tirnalle are fairly rare - their Seat is in Arilan Atrin proper. Heraldry: A sword above seven spires, in silver, on a field of blue.
• House Belegaur (Sunmight): The Belegaur are somewhat notorious among the Sidhe Houses for a simple reason: many of their scions have embraced the worship of the gods. Arguing that what the archfey require of them is fealty and not worship, the eladrin and elves of this House claim there is no conflict between them. While such sentiments would sit ill in other places of the Feywild, so near to the mortal city Liminal, a bit of contamination from the world of mortals is to be expected. It is for this reason that House Belegaur makes its Seat out of Arilan Atrin. Heraldry: A golden sunburst with quillions, hilt and down-ward pointing blade extend out of it, on a field of white.
• House Lotemire (Jewelbloom): The lovers and singers of the Lotemire are famed for the beauty of their faces and their voices across the Summer Courts. Though the House has its Seat elsewhere, the aesthetes of this House are somewhat in love with the world of men, and take great delight in Arilan Atrin's proximity to Liminal. Heraldry: A white rose, with a diamond in its center, on a field of red.
• House Serkeril (Bloodflame): If there is aught the Serkeril are justly known and feared for, it is the powerful magic that runs through its scions veins. Their favored children who are not potent sorcerers with sharpened natural gifts tend to be wizards, and all of them prefer the terrifying spells of elf-fire that are the House's mark of renown. Heraldry: A burning manticore, in red, on a field of gold.

The Gloaming Court

• House Elenrusse (Starblade): Though the Tirnalle and Belegaur are tremendous warriors, it is said that none of the Sidhe match the Elenrusse as sheer killers. They are quick and silent, masters of small, thin blades usually engraved with starburst designs. This skill extends to the political arena as well; the members of this House play for keeps. It is also said that the Starblade spy network is second only to that of some of the archfey in their reach. Heraldry: Twin crossed blades in white, surrounded with white stars, on a field of blue.
• House Delduwath (Nightsfear): Enchanters, fear-weavers and poisoners, the Delduath are justly feared. They are said to have the blood of shadar-kai somewhere in their lineage, so dark is their hair and so pale their skin, but the stars that sparkle in their eyes are pure eladrin. This House produces a great many magicians who specialize in the manipulation of emotion, the creation of illusion and prophecy. Heraldry: A violet belladonna blossom, on a field of black.
• House Lomelindi (Dusksinger): If the Elenrusse are the danger that lurks in the dark, and the Delduath the fear of the dark that hides in the breast of all mortal things, then the Lomelindi are the sweet seductions of the night time. They have a reputation as hedonists and seductresses, lovely creatures whose song lures mortal men to untold passions in the lands of the fey. Heraldry: A grey nightingale, on a field of royal purple.

The Other Courts

• House Ringwealin (Frostmorn): Winter Court. The Ringwealin - made up mostly of eladrin, with a few elves among them - tend to hold themselves aloof. Their house takes a great deal of pride in its long-term thinking and planning. They are also carefully neutral in their interactions with other Sidhe, so much so that they have won one of the Sidhe Seats in the Accord of Worlds in Liminal. Heraldry: A gold sunrise, on a field of blue.
• House Aldaron (Treelord): Green Court. The elves and eladrin of the Aldaron are regarded as dangerous and vindictive. They are primal, as befits those in service to the Green Lord, though far from feral - their is a dangerous and haughty nobility, which does not brook insolence or hesitate to declare vendetta against their enemies. Heraldry: A wide-boughed oak in copper, with a copper crown above it, on a field of green.

Other Factions

Gods of the Feywild

Although the Sidhe Houses, being aligned with the archfey, tend to look down on the feyborn who worship the gods, the fact is that godly worship has been in the Feywild for many centuries know, and probably will be forever more. The gods have taken on different forms or identities, in some instances, better aligned with the nature of the Feywild's denizens, in order to foster that worship. The information below indicates how they vary from the godly descriptions in Gods of Liminal.

Empyrean Gods

• Airevilya: The feyborn revere the father-god Aevo as Airevilya, the "Sky Most Holy." He is considered an unfit god for worship by the common Seelie folk, but is best suited for the Sidhe, particularly since most of the Court themes (Summer, Winter, Gloaming) have something to do with the sky. As a result, he is often one of the least-worshipped of the gods in the Feywild. Airevilya is revered as one third of the Holy Trinity, the triad of holy lovers who created all things in feywild theology.
• Taridore: The two Mother Goddesses Edyma and Ulandira are considered the same entity by the feyborn, a Mother figure of all health and the land called Taridore, the Lady of the Earth. The themes of domestication and civilization are strong in the theology of Taridore. Taridore is revered as one third of the Holy Trinity.
• The Brilthor: The Divine Androgynes Aeldryn and Ildinmara are also revered as a single entity: the Brilthor, or "Glittering Radiance." A divinity that governs that which is wild and untameable, the Brilthor is the sea - both the literal oceanic mass of body, and the great body of magic that lies unseen beneath the world. The Brilthor is revered as one third of the Holy Trinity.
• Aldinmure: Worshipped in an elven form, Aldinmure is also considered the god of fey crossings and worldfalls. He is seen as an eladrin with long hair of many colors.
• Fana: Called by a name that means "the Veiled," it is considered unlucky by those divine-worshipping feyborn to depict the goddess Kaedlah as anything but a mysterious, veiled figure. Her role as a goddess of thought and communication is far downplayed compared to her role as the Goddess of Mystery.
• Khoro & Xanayr: The Divine Twins are revered in the Feywild as twins, save that Khoro is the patron goddess of the eladrin, and Xanayr is the patron god of the elves.
• Wenya, Oreya & Mornaya: Rather than a single triune goddess of love, the feyborn actually revere Elbitara as three separate hermaphroditic entities: Wenya, the Virgin, the god/dess of pure and virtuous love, the realm of fancy and infatuation; Oreya, the Lover, god/dess of marriage and sexual consummation, as well as the embodiment of blossom-love; and Mornaya, the Spouse, god/dess of long-term commitments and root-love. (See Sexuality in Liminal regarding some of these terms.)

Talion Gods

The feyborn do not acknowledge the Talion gods as worthy of worship, save among the debased cults of the Unseelie. The only Talion deity spoken of by the Seelie is Makoryn, who is said to be worshipped among the drow as a spider-goddess whose name is forbidden to be spoken.

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The Spire Knights

The Spire Knights are made up of warriors of all sorts, including paladins in service to Airevilya, the feyborn's emanation of the Empyrean god Aevo.

The Guardians of the Greensward

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The Hallowed

A powerful order of magicians, the Hallowed are not in service to the City of Silver Spires, though they do lend the Sindamintar magical aid when the safety of the city requires it. They are a secretive order of magi, made up of commoners and Sidhe alike. The Hallowed don't usually get along with the Keepers of Accord in Liminal.

Telluma Beleg

The Dome of the Mighty is a great central temple in Arilan Atrin, dedicated to the worship of the gods revered by the feyborn. It is known to have two powerful sponsors, the Sindamintar and House Belegaur, and is rumored to have a handful of other, secret sponsors. A knighthood, the Ohtar Telluma, also called the Dome-Wardens, act to defend the great temple and its priesthood.

Districts of Arilan Atrin

Like many eladrin cities, Arilan Atrin is divided into different wards. Each ward is governed by an ostoher, or "fortress lord" - one of the Sidhe houses based out of the palace given over to their use. These are always the ruling Houses of the city. Some districts may also be home to vinyeher, or "young/lesser lord" Houses, who are assumed to owe fealty (but only in the context of the city's governance) to the ostoher who hosts them.

• Tarmatil: The Crown Peak is the tallest hill in the city, upon which is built the Undomiel Varda, the Exalted Evenstar, as the palace of the Sindamintar is called. The entirety of this district is the palace of the ruler, a vast complex of gardens and grottos interconnected by labyrinthine collonades and domed chambers.
• Firimarando (Gate of Mortals), also called the The Greensward, imbricate to the city of Liminal. The Greensward is home to mostly elves and other folk with fey blood, but a number of wealthy estates can be found there as well. Unlike the other districts, the Greensward has no ostoher, but is considered under the governance of the Sindamantar directly. To some of the Sidhe, the imbricate nature of this district is deeply offensive; such folk usually call this district Engwarando, or "Gate of the Sickly," after the insulting Feywild term for those who dwell in the mortal realms.
• Caliando (Lightgate): Caliando is the largest district in Arilan Atrin, filled with wide tree-lined boulevards and beauteous tall, sunlit homes of many levels. The ostoher of Calidando is House Tirnalle, who rule the district from Andoen, the Great Gate, a massive palace built on the two hills that flank the road that leads into Arilan Atrin. The palace itself spans above the road itself, forcing those who enter the city to do so beneath the watchful eye of House Tirnalle. Caliando is also home to the Minaserke, the "Blood Tower" of House Serkeril, who are vinyeher to the Tirnalle, lending their magic in the protection of Arilan Atrin.
• Gayagwath (Shadowawe/Shadowdread): In the shadows cast by the forested hills of Arilan Atrin lies the Gayagwath, a term that translates to "dread or awe of the shadows." The district is shadowed much of the day, with a scattered population center. The lonely paths that wind through Gayagwath frequently hear the caws of ravens by day and owls by night. Its people dwell beneath the trees in low homes shrouded by the boughs above them. In the darkest of the valleys is the palace Tumbale, the Deepenvale of House Elenrusse, who are ostoher of the district. The Elenrusse also have a pair of vinyeher: House Delduwath, whose lonely hilltop palace is called Vanimar or Losthome; and the Green Court Sidhe House Aldaron, who dwell in a much wilder portion of the district called Tauremarde, Foresthome for its wild tangles of trees and ample wildlife (notable even for a city of the Feywild).
• Hisimar (Misthome): The low-lying Misthome valley district lies near the sun-dappled lake of Sindamir (Silver Jewel). Here, the lords are House Belegaur, whose keep is Khelekfana, the Glassveil for its tall, mirrored walls that reflect the mist surrounding it. Only in a district where the god-loving Belegaur are ostoher would one find a place such as the Telluma Beleg, the great central temple to the gods as the elves worship them. The Winter Court Sidhe House Ringwealin can be found here as well, acting as vinyeher to the Belegaur from their palace of Hrivemarde, the Winterhall.
• Elerinna (Starcrown): The district closest to Firimarando, the Starcrown is a gloaming district, full of shadows and starlight. Rather than making it sinister and unsettling (as in Gayagwath), it renders the place lush and mysterious. Starcrown is well-known as a place for pleasure-seekers, an understandable reputation given its ostoher, House Lomelindi, based out of Kyerme (or "Prayer"), best known for the Sacred Garden, a vast arboreal seraglio populated by House paramour satyrs and hamadryads. Likewise, the aesthetes of vinyehar House Lotemire - renowned for their singers and artists - contribute their own talents to make the district of Elerinna an otherworldly place of beauty and pleasure. The Lotemire are based out of Minas Alcar, the "Tower of Glory."
• Atalante: Like other eladrin cities, Arilan Atrin has a district referred to as the Atalante, the "Downfallen" - a portion of the city where outcasts, the poverty-stricken and other unfortunates are given space to dwell. It is well-guarded, and the responsibility of all the Sidhe Houses to support and govern. It is considered a tremendously onerous duty - indeed, a punishment - to be assigned to occupy one's House seat in the Coratalante, or the "Circle of the Downfallen," the council of Sidhe governors of this district.