Moon Elf Culture
Appearence:
Moon Elves tend to be a little taller than your average Noldor elf, but smaller than wood elves. Generally have silvery-blond hair, and wear their hair in elaborate braides according to the class system in which their society functions. Their eyes tend to be silver, green, or blue. Skin is a pale almost white color, and they have long fingers. Moon Elven Females are willowy, limber, and appear frail. There is however, a major contrast in muscle defination. All females have muscles according to their weapon of choice. Male Moon Elves tend to be more defined then the females, and have broader shoulders and stronger legs. All moon-elves stray to the skinny side, and have an almost ethereal look to them.
Colors:
The royal family favors the colors silver and blue, and the occasional green.
However, their are certain colors per ceremony.
: Female wears the color of purity: Silver. The belief is that Ithil represents the absolute purity in her chastity, hence: all brides wear the silver of the Moon's light.
Weddings
Funerals: The color gray or black, depending on class. Black for the lower, gray for the higher, the lightest being reserved for the royal family. The idea is built on the notion of Ithil welcoming the dead elves soul into her Gray Radience.
Religious Ceremony: (IE: Festival of Moon, Sacrilege) All population wears white, the need to be cleansed.
Class System in Society:
Moon Elves have a rigid class society. The stations are determined by lineage, profession, and birthright.
Royalty: Foremost class, the Nilmar Family. Holds all rights in government, and can do what they please with laws.
Priesthood: The priestesses of Ithil hold the next highest positions, and their family does as well.
Nobility/Warrior: If someone in your family was a high-standing warrior, the family would qualify as Nobility. Warrior pay is close to the priest hood pay.
Subservient Class: The second lowest class, the ones who tend the farms and serve. Have basic moon rights.
Serf Class: The lowest class until Garaden of Nilmar abolished the class. No rights, not even basic needs, ecept right to Ithil.
The moon elves had a strictness to the class. Where your family was, was where your family stayed. There was no rising above your class in any way unless you married into a family of priesthood, or royalty. There was enough nobility that they never needed to blend, and the occasion child out of wedlock was often accepted by the higher ranking parent. Moon Elves had little prejudice against children born out of wedlock, EXCEPT in the royalty and the priest classes.
Basic Moon Rights:
Rights were valid for all classes except the serf class.
Right to Shelter: The crown would provide shelter for all the citizens who held the right. Law breakers forfeit the right to shelter, and are deemed to life in serfdom.
Right to Food: All citizens had food, except law-breakers.
Right to Ithil: All moon elves, even serfs, had the right to go to services, and any sacrifice ceremony given to Ithil.
Right to Death: All Moon-Elves were given the chance to kill themselves with honor should their honor be questioned, and they found guilty.
Right to Hearing by the Crown Prince (cess): All elves, EXCEPT: Serf/subservient had a right to petition the courts, namely the Prince or Princess. Some rare cases document subservient classes also petitioning. Circa Garaden reign, the right for the subservient class was with-held.
Laws and Punishments:
All classes, except royalty, were held to the same laws and punishments.
No Goddess other than Ithil shall be revered by any or all Moon Elf in the Havens who hath not been banished nor excomminitcated. To do so would mean immediate banishment and/or excommunication, and all rights were forfeit.
Do not attempt to raise above thy class in which thy family hath been recieved. Shouldst thou attempt, thy honor of thee and thy family shall be stripped, and thy family subject to serfdom and/or exile for the dishonored one.
Do not conspire against thy royal family nor thy betters. Shoudst thou be discovered, death shall be warrented without the "Right of Death" in place.
Do not come forth to royal council without first pertaining to the proper procedures.
Do not associate with those elves who do not serve the light.
Do not serve the dark lord.
Honor the foreign leaders who hath come forth.
*As written in the Ye Booke of thy Moone*
Religion:
The Moon Elves worshiped the Moon Goddess Ithil, as well as the Sun God, Arun (to an extent) the worship was practiced in a variety of ways, including, but not limited to, attending the temple twice a week, the sacrifices demanded once every four new moons, and the Festival of the Moon.
Twice a week (14 days in normal time) The entire population would gather in the various temples for cleansing. Includes chants, "Gaspes", and lessons for the younger members.
Temple:
Sacrifices: Every four moons the Moon Elves would gather a third of their harvest and sacrifice it to the goddess Ithil. Ceremony intricacy depended on class. the Subservient were required to give less, and the royalty required to give more.
Festival of the Moon: Once a year (every 24 Moons) the population puts down the work, and merry-makes. Marks the beginning of a new year, and all past sins are cleansed. Ritual involves temple time, sacrifice, and feasting, all takes place in the Royal Grounds.
Often, to cleanse one's spirit of sins, the sinner had to fast for a week and complete rigourous punishment given by the priesthood, but decided by the royal class. Often more difficult than simple, yet not cruel.
Moonless Nights
Some moon elves, the priestesses and most royalty, were afflicted by an ailment known as Tylaer Bol or Moon Sickness. When the moon ended it's cycle and was not visible, the certain elves were affected with fever or headache.
While some moon lore had forms of remedies for the ailment, the treatment was fairly inaccurate. Short of prescribing rest and herbs to reduce a headache, there was little the afflicted elves could do.
Herbs that were believed helpful included:
- Athelas : It's healing properties were believed to renew strength in the afflicted one, and allow the elf to have more will to fight the ailment. It is unsure if this treatment worked, Athelas was difficult to find in Nilmar.
- Saylor: This herb tended to make the elf fall asleep for the duration of the moonless nights. By doing this, especially with young children and older elves, the afflicted one could sleep through their illness and escape the pain.
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