Tytherin
History
The Ellyllon of Tytherin trace their origins to the Bloom Age, when their lands stretched across the western forests, moors, and grasslands. They lived alongside early human communities, trading freely and sharing deities with those who dwelled along the rivers and coasts. Their homes blended with the land, and magic was a practiced craft, carefully woven into daily life. To the south, the Dwergar built their halls in the mountains, and to the east, Powrie clans wandered the frozen plains. Bound by the gods and the land, the Ellyllon saw no reason to hide.
The Blood Age brought ruin. Powrie warbands swept in from the east and northeast, driving the Ellyllon from the open grasslands. Human city-states rose along the rivers, expanding into Ellyllon territory with axe and sword. Some of the gods once shared between the two peoples were "killed," their manifestations destroyed, their sanctums defiled. The Ellyllon resisted, but war twisted their craft into a weapon. Magic, once a gentle shaping of the world, scarred the land with each act of defense. Settlements were abandoned, groves corrupted, and the Ellyllon retreated into the forests and northern wilds.
The Blight Age brought no reprieve. The scattered city-states became Ibunor, an empire of black powder and steel. Tytherin's eastern grasslands were claimed, and the last ties to shared deities were severed. The Ellyllon were left with the mountains, forests, and the moors that faded into the cold sea. They did not meet the Ibunese in open war. They vanished. Paths twisted, mists thickened, and those who sought to claim the woods were led astray or never returned. The Ellyllon survived, but their world had grown small.
Now, Tytherin is surrounded. Ibunor controls the lands to the east and south, with only the Môr Draigwen Sea to the north. The Ellyllon endure, their homes hidden beneath roots and stone, their gods guarded in secret. But the forest grows quieter with each passing year, and the world beyond their borders moves on without them.
Government
Tytherin is ruled by the Mamhen (Chief Matron) and Tavhen (Chief Patron), elders chosen from among the settlements to guide society. The Mamhen directs defense, oversees childbirth, and ensures lineages continue. The Tavhen manages food, resolves disputes, and maintains the relationship between the people and their gods. Together, they safeguard the survival of their people.
Each settlement is led by a Mamwyn (High Matron) and Tavwyn (High Patron), selected from the respective Mams and Tavs within the community. The Mamwyn defends the community, monitors population needs, and coordinates scouting and foraging. The Tavwyn secures food, mediates disputes, and upholds faith within the community.
Families form the root of society. Each is led by a Mam and Tav, typically the eldest capable woman and man. The Mam ensures the family's survival through childbirth and household protection. The Tav provides food, settles internal quarrels, and preserves family traditions.
Leadership flows upward through selection. Families choose their community leaders. Communities elevate the Mamhen and Tavhen. Tradition is the guide, rather than law, and authority is held by those deemed most capable as evidenced through their roles.
Interesting Facts
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When an Ellyllon dies, their body is returned to the land. Some are buried beneath the roots of trees, others set adrift on blackwater bogs. No grave markers are needed. The land remembers.
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Ellyllon homes blend seamlessly with the land, built into tree hollows, beneath tangled roots, or hidden behind dense thickets. To the untrained eye, an Ellyllon village is nothing but forest. Larger cities and settlements are surrounded by dense thickets or trees carefully woven into walls.
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Ellyllon music is not composed but discovered, drawn from the land itself. They coax melodies from the world around them: the whistle of wind through hollow reeds, the patter of rain on taut hide, the deep groan of shifting branches. They can replicate the sounds of nature, weaving them into lilting melodies, as if carried on the breeze. To outsiders, their songs seem formless, but to the Ellyllon, they are echoes of the land's own memory, a harmony older than speech.
Current Challenges
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The Breaking Point. The Ellyllon have fought to endure, striking from the forests and vanishing before their enemies could retaliate. Now, survival is no longer enough. Ibunor's black powder weapons have turned the tide, and some argue that tradition must be broken to preserve their people. Should they wield the weapons of their enemies? Should they break their isolation to seek out foreign allies? Or would such choices unravel what it means to be Ellyllon?
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The War for Tytherin. The war has never ended. The Ibunese always want more, pushing deeper, burning forests, killing gods, and driving the Ellyllon further into retreat. Now, they press into Gwernfain, Llafain's province, with fire and steel. Cannon fire shatters ancient trees, rivers run black with ash, and for the first time since the Blood Age, a god stands on the precipice of destruction.
Mams and Tavs
The Ellyllon are bound by duty, but duty is not uniform. While all Mams and Tavs serve their people, some dedicate themselves to specific tasks, forming distinct groups within their society. Some defend their borders, others safeguard the gods, and others ensure their people are fed. These are not rival factions but extensions of Ellyllon survival, each ensuring that Tytherin endures.
Cadwyn
The Cadwyn oversee battle readiness, border scouting, and tactical leadership. Mams within this faction allocate warriors, plan defenses, and determine when to strike. They train younger Ellyllon in the art of war, ensuring the people of Tytherin are never unprepared. While all Mams hold authority over defense, the Cadwyn are those who dedicate their lives to it, forming the backbone of Ellyllon warfare. To defend Tytherin is to defend the gods.
Derwriad
The Derwriad tend to the gods, preserving their sanctums and ensuring the rites are upheld. Tavs within this faction oversee the protection of holy places, maintain offerings, and pass down oral histories of the gods and their people. They are both priests and guardians, their duty tied to the land and the deities who dwell within it. To the Derwriad, protecting a god is protecting all Ellyllon.
Gorwelion
The Gorwelion are pathfinders and navigators, responsible for mapping hidden routes and ensuring safe passage through the dense forests of Tytherin. They guide scouts and messengers between settlements, making sure that knowledge and resources flow where they are needed. In times of war, they identify enemy movements and coordinate the hidden paths through which Mams and warriors strike unseen.
Porthbwyd
The Porthbwyd secure food, overseeing hunting, foraging, and agricultural efforts. Tavs within this faction determine which regions can be safely harvested, guide hunting parties, and manage food storage. They ensure that settlements are fed, that trade between communities remains steady, and that no Ellyllon goes hungry. In times of hardship, the Porthbwyd are the ones who ration supplies and lead the people through famine.