Quendi
History
The First Age
It is said that the ancestors of the Quendi came across the Sea, walking atop the waves as if they were gods themselves. Indeed, the Quendi to this day believe they are descendants of gods and treat their ancestors as such. Is there truth to that? Possibly. The gods do as they please, after all. But the truth is lost to time, and the Quendi believe their histories as much as any other pride. Long before anyone born could remember, three lions whose names were long forgotten came over the waters and began to make their way to the place the Quendi call home. On their journey, they came across three rogue groups of lions and each ancestor claimed one group as their own. By the time they'd reached the place they would settle, the three groups had grown considerably in number due to the length of the journey from the Sea. Two of the ancestors had aided in the growth of their families, but the third ancestor who had claimed the largest group of rogue lions hadn't, seeing that their adoptive children could take care of their own increasing population. Once all three groups of lions were settled in their new home, the three ancestors departed to head back to the Sea and their home on the other side, known as Valinor or the Undying Lands. It is said all Quendi - even Teleri, the lowest caste - are able to return there when their life is at its end.
The Quendi began to thrive and had to begin to expand their pride, and in doing so they discovered they had neighbors. They met the Khazâd in a valley between their lands and the great mountains that the other pride called home, and for a time they were thick as thieves. They helped one another in battle, they traded and bartered, they made friends and there are even rumors that some may have even found a lover among the stocky lions. But all of that changed quickly when one ill-fated friendship met its end. A member of the Quendi pride had found a rare gem that he wished to be made into a beautiful necklace and asked one of his dear friends from Khazâd to be the jeweler who crafted it. The Khazâd lion agreed, but as he worked with the gem the dangerous illness of goldlust settled into his mind, making him want to keep the finished necklace for himself. When his friend came to pay him for his time and effort, the Khazâd lion killed his Quendi friend to keep the prize for himself. When word spread of the greedy deed, friend turned on friend and war broke out between the two prides. Each side suffered great losses and when the two groups had no more fight to give, they agreed upon a truce and left the valley they shared as a no man's land between their prides. The Khazâd returned to their mountains while the Quendi crossed the river, disappearing into the misty lands beyond.
The Second AgeThe battle with the Khazâd has severely hurt the Quendi in terms of numbers, almost losing all of the Vanyar and most of the Noldor castes. They withdrew, licking their wounds and finding it hard to trust any that hadn't been born in their pride. Their numbers continued to dwindle and it wasn't until even the Teleri's caste began to scrape the bottom of the genetic barrel that the Ingaran at the time decreed they had to open their borders and try again or else face their destruction. Although their ancestors were believed to have been gifted with immortality, the Quendi knew they were not given the same gift. They had to repopulate or face extinction. It was their luck that the first contact they made was with a pride that had settled in the valley where they'd once mingled with the Khazâd. The Sûzat were a friendly, hospitable group of lions who became fast friends with their neighbors over the river and with their help the Quendi bounced back. They opened their borders to rogues who wished to join them - under the stipulation they could only join as a Teleri, of course - and slowly but surely their numbers began to increase. Thanks to the Sûzat the Quendi became more involved with other prides, engaging in cautious trade and soon they were back to their old glory.
The Third Age By the time the Khazâd showed their faces, the Quendi were stronger than ever. Their numbers were replenished, they had successful trade and bartering allies, and it was as if the horrors of the First Age hadn't happened at all. They are still on a strong upward track in terms of success and even their old friends turned enemies won't stop them on their climb.
Pride Lands
The Quendi's home is bordered to the west by a great river which, during the rainy season, causes their home to be shrouded in mist. The majority of their territory is a dense forest full of trees with incredibly thick branches that grow quite close to the ground. The Quendi have learned to use the trees and their strange branches to travel through the forest unseen by prey or enemies as they leave no trace of their passing where one might normally look. In the center of the forest is an opening where the pride holds their council meetings, general gatherings, and where the sleeping areas are found. The great branches of the trees provide enough shelter from the elements that no dens are necessary, this far into the forest being warm and dry enough during all times of the year.
'Elves'
The nickname Elves was given to the pride by the three ancestors who settled the Quendi and is interchangeable with the official name of the pride. Since Quendi is a word from their native tongue, it is often easier for other prides or rogues to simply refer to them as the Elves. While a Quendi lion will call himself or herself a Elf among strangers for ease of understanding, it's rarely used within their pride.
Size
Quendi are long-limbed, sleek, and slim lions with elegance and grace dripping from every inch. Old blooded Elves are about average in height and below average in weight. Upper caste and some middle caste lions hold the physical ideals close to their hearts and will not breed with joining rogues, who only join the lowest caste. The lowest caste is therefore a wide range of shapes and sizes.
Language
The Quendi have their own native tongue called Quenya which is spoken by the Elves in their homeland. Joining rogues are expected to learn it and use it. The common language spoken by others outside of the pride is known as well but only used when traveling. Names in recent times have taken on a less traditional turn and any language is acceptable to use, though old blooded families and those in the highest caste lean more towards names that roll off the tongue and have beautiful, cryptic, or profound meanings. The lowest caste, due to the multitudes of joining rogues, speak Quenya but with a different dialect from the upper and middle castes. They are still understood, but the dialect is looked down on a bit by the upper and middle castes.
Beliefs
CastesThere are three castes within the Quendi and where you are on the caste determines what ranks you can hold, who you can breed with, if you can have a familiar, and, for the old-blooded Elves, your ancestral beliefs. It is important to note that despite the different castes, there are no slaves here. There may be some prejudice between the castes but never enough to cause a civil war. Yes, the Vanyar are snobs and sure, the Teleri can get a bit rowdy and out of hand, but at the end of the day they are all Quendi and would die to protect one another. The castes are as follows:
--- Vanyar: The high caste. Their numbers are the fewest and their bloodlines are most strongly connected to their ancestors. Tradition holds those born here tight in its grasp and they know their importance to the pride as a whole. They consider themselves the purest Quendi, though whether or not that's true is up for debate. Generally a bit snobby even around other Elves, the Vanyar can hold any rank they please. They are also fiercely protective of their home and traditions as it was one from their caste that was murdered by the Khazâd lion that began the feud between the prides. They are least likely to see eye to eye with any Dwarf that crosses their paths. The Vanyar believe that their ancestor returned to the Undying Lands once the pride had been settled.
--- Noldor: The middle caste. Their numbers are few but have been growing in the past few generations thanks to the allowance of rogue-born cubs climbing to this caste. The lions of this caste hold tradition close to their hearts as well, though with the influx of new blood coming in it's easy to find lions less interested in tradition. It's a mixed bag here in terms of personalities, some will act like obedient 'friends' of the Vanyar to seem more important or higher up than their Noldor castemates, others will joke and play with the Teleri, and everything in between can certainly be found. Noldor lions can, in theory, hold any rank with the exception of the royal ranks but they have to work a bit harder if they want a title usually given to a Vanyar. Those of old Quendi blood will hold more of a grudge against the Khazâd, but newer members of the caste may be more curious about their foes. The Noldor also believe their ancestor returned to the Undying Lands once the pride had been settled.
--- Teleri: The low caste. Their numbers are the highest by far. For every one Noldor there are five Teleri and for every Vanyar there are ten or more. This is because this is the only caste that joining rogues may be claimed by. Tradition is something that is fast and loose in this caste and each individual can make their own decision as to how much they want to play into the pride's history and legacy. They have their own dialect of the Quendi language and, although it's understood by the upper two castes, there are a few slang terms that the Teleri enjoy using to confuse the Noldor and Vanyar. Teleri can only hold certain ranks and while a lion born into the pride has a chance to climb to the Noldor caste, they have to do so before seeking any sort of higher rank. The grudge against the Dwarves is understood by the Teleri but this is the caste that has the most lions who would ask questions first, attack second. There are certainly Teleri who are traditional and hold the beliefs of the pride high, but since this is the caste of joining rogues there are more here who are open minded. True to the story of their history, the Teleri don't believe their ancestors went to the Undying Lands as the lion who claimed the original group of Teleri never sired any cubs, but they understand that when their time has come they are as welcome as the other castes to make the journey across the Sea.
ColorationThe upper caste favors pale, soft colors and beautiful markings. Lions born with plain pelts in the upper caste generally seek out artists to tattoo themselves or wear the pelt of a more beautiful creature. The middle and lower casts favor pale colors as well but it's common to find any color among their ranks. All castes love to decorate themselves with fine jewelry, pelts, and anything else they can get their hands on.
GodsAs they believe they are descendants of the gods, the Quendi respect and revere all immortal beings. Gods are welcomed into the pride and are treated as the most honored of guests. Those with less than favorable domains are still treated well in hopes that no curses or blights will be laid upon the land. It is common for those of any caste to seek gods out to be the second parent to their children.
SeersWhether god-born or by luck, Seers are held in high regard, just below that of the Royals. They area always moved to the Vanyar caste if they are not born there and are encouraged to select mates from the high caste. A Seer that willingly takes a lower caste mate is stripped of their rank and seen as a bad omen or untrustworthy. It is not uncommon for joining rogues to hide their Seer abilities to avoid the stricter lifestyle of the Vanyar, but if it is found that a Seer is hiding their powers, they are banished from the pride.
Other SpeciesQuendi look upon non-lions with pity as they believe they are lesser beings and will not allow any to join their pride. They may visit for a time, but that is all. Even the lowest caste holds this belief. Upper caste members usually have a familiar or two, but middle and lower caste members are forbidden to have even one.
Gender Equality/Breeding/SexualityMales and females are equal in everything but childbirth. Females that are pregnant or have young cubs receive the support of the entire pride in raising them unless they are upper caste, then they are raised just by their parents. Rogue breeding is not permitted and breeding between the castes is means for demotion and a caste change.
Caste ChangesThere are a few reasons a lion might change their caste. At any time a member of a higher caste may move to a lower caste on their own free will. This does not happen often but has in the past, especially when love blossoms between two lions from differing castes. The lion moving down can never move back up so it is a choice they must be satisfied with for life. A lion may also be forced to change their caste due to breeding with a lion outside of their caste. They would be forced to whatever caste the mother/father is in whether or not the mother/father will play a part in raising the cubs. A lion can move up from the Teleri caste to the Noldor caste if they were born into the pride and participate in a limited event that will take place occasionally. The lion in question must also have 10 RPs, 7 of which must take place in the pride's thread.
Ranks
Noble Ranks - Only held by Vanyar Elves
Ingaran - King/Queen (1/1)
Arandur - Mate of the King/Queen (0/1)
Vardo/Aryon - Heir (male title, female title) (0/1)
Túrion - Children of the current King/Queen (0/?)
Galu - Seer. Seers are held in high regard as they are believed to be closer to their ancestors and the gods due to their powers. This is the only instance where someone outside of the bloodline can join the Vanyar caste. (Unlimited)
Council Ranks - Usually held by Vanyar Elves, can be held by Noldor Elves. The Council also includes the Ingaran
Arhest - General, leader of the army. (0/1)
Námo - Judge, oversees arguments within the pride. Must be a Seer. (0/1)
Penedh - Speaker, there is one lion from each caste with this rank, including Teleri. They bring the concerns of the caste to the council and speak for their castemates during meetings. (0/3)
Vanyar Specific Ranks - Vanyar Elves can hold any rank they wish, but if they don't want to pick a specific path, they may choose the following.
Arato - Noble, default rank for Vanyar (Unlimited)
Noldor Specific Ranks - Noldor Elves can, in theory, hold any rank they wish, but if they don't want to pick a specific path, they may choose the following.
Arquen - Noble, default rank for Noldor (Unlimited)
Mid Tier Ranks - These ranks are either limited time ranks, ranks you have to RP for, or are special circumstance ranks. Only Vanyar and Noldor may hold these ranks.
Canthael - Tattooist. This lion is responsible for making the dyes that are used to tattoo the pale-coated lions of the Vanyar caste, as well as doing the tattooing itself. (1/1)
Dínen - Silent. These are warriors who have shown they excel in battle and are used as a sort of special force. They are adept at moving through the trees and being deadly on the ground. They are looked to by the Roquen and often lead small bands of scouting parties out of the woods to hunt larger game than what is found in the forest. They report directly to the Arhest. (Unlimited, 5 RPs as a Roquen required)
General Ranks - Any caste may hold these ranks.
Maitar - Artist, encompasses musicians, poets, storytellers, visual arts, crafting, etc. Any caste can take this title, but only Vanyar and Noldor can perform for higher castes. Maitar from the Teleri caste are thought to be more crude and vulgar with their art though that is not always the case. On rare occasions Teleri Maitar have been awarded a caste change due to exemplar skills in their art.
Roquen - Warriors. Any Teleri wishing to climb up from their caste must take this rank to be considered eligible. Must have 2 RPs as an Ohtar to take this rank.
Ohtar - Squires, those training to become warriors, can only be taken by adults.
Nandor - Default rank for Teleri, primary hunters of the pride. They may take other ranks as they see fit.
Hina - Child. Default rank for cubs and adols.
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