• View
• Edit
• History
• Print

RenAvehn

Ren'Avehn

A wide, open country inhabited by pre-industrious nomadic tribes of settlers. Individual tribes set up where they can divine water, have a steady food supply and source of building materials. There is no economy to speak of within the individual Renavaati tribes; they simply do what is needed of them for the benefit of others. However, luxury items rarely exist within the tribes. Jewelry, markings, and decorative artifacts all have a symbolic or arcane purpose. Trading between tribes is not unheard of, but it is not common either. Frequently when tribes encounter each other in the vast plains of Ren'Avehn, they share stories, hunting techniques, even discoveries of knowledge or faith.

Each tribe consists of at least ten families, with each of the ten matriarchs comprising the tribe’s deciding council. The council also serves as the religious focus, the source of education, medicine, training, and record keeping. Two matriarchs each take on one specific asset of the Renavaati in order to ensure that the traditions are not lost with a single crisis.

This is also helped by the practice of traditional replacement. The replacement of a family matriarch’s role in the council is passed down from mother to oldest daughter. The fact that the firstborn of all Renavaati will always be female is believed to be a blessing for their ways. As well, it ensures that there will always be a daughter to take the place of a matriarch.

Renavaati tribes always remain small, and never consist of more than three generations. In order to breed diversity, every fifteen years, all the tribes within Ren'Avehn migrate to the center of the great continent to meet at the base of the Spire. At this time, Renavaati of the appropriate age are encouraged to find others they may start families with. At this massive gathering, if there are enough new families, new tribes emerge. If a tribe grows weary of their nomadic ways, they may choose to stay at the base of the Spire, joining the Greater Renavaati. These Renavaati begin to study the ancient Path of Enlightenment, and the Way of Descent.

Renavaati who feel they are strong in mind, body, and soul, may attempt either the Path of Enlightenment; or the Way of Descent. Those attempting to follow the Path of Enlightenment make their way to the top of the spire. It is said that those worthy will become ethereal, and that their souls will be returned to the spirit of the planet, where they will be reborn with the knowledge of their previous life.

While many attempt the Path of Enlightenment, only a few of successful are known to have returned through birth. Those that have carry a bright aura of flame in their youth. As they age, the aura lessens in visual intensity, but does not fade in strength in the least. The Burning Renavaati, as the successful are called, are treated as the chosen few of their tribes, as they are stronger, faster, and much wiser at a younger age than many of their elders. The few that have come to be do have some memory of their past, but seemingly only of skills and knowledge. Burning Renavaati also seem to have some deep seeded knowledge that they are not to attempt either the Way of Descent or the Path of Enlightenment again.

The Way of Descent is the true opposite of the Path of Enlightenment. Those who choose to take the Way must make the journey deep into the planet’s surface, through the great maze of spiraling caverns beneath the spire. The way is very dangerous, and many who are courageous enough to try are never seen again. It is believed that those who successfully navigate the Way of Descent will reach the core of Ren'Avehn, and will be washed in the strength and knowledge of creation.

While there have been many more who have succeeded at the Way of Descent than the Path of Enlightenment, they have all become reclusive, and are very reluctant to share their knowledge with the other Renavaati. While Ashen Renavaati, those who return from the Spire’s Depths, are revered for their success, their common reluctance to share their knowledge is a break with the traditions of the Renavaati, and as such they frequently feel like outcasts, and leave the tribes. Like the Burning Renavaati, the Ashen Renavaati also know why only one path should be attempted, but this is a secret that they do not share either.

Naming Structures

Traditional Renavaati names tie an individual to their predecessors. Commonly, this is done with a single name. The stronger aspects of the mother's name are followed by the stronger aspects of the father's name for girls, and the other way around for boys.

For example, the daughter of Warmaiden Andalia and Warrior Raheil would be Andraiel. The son of Andalia and Rahiel would have been Rahndal. Granted, several names could have come out of either combination, these are just examples. As families are closely knit within the Renavaati tribes, It is unnecessary to include any sort of surname. If one is ever attributed to a Renavaati, it is likely because one of their parents was a foreigner. In this case they are typically given surnames that identify their foreign parents origin. The son of Rahndal and Serrena Graenheist would have been Dahrren D'Grati, and the daughter would have been Serrah D'Grati, as the mother is from Gratz. Had Serrena been of Ciivan descent, the surname would have been T'Ceva.