Campaign guide plight of the tuatha (1) 20

Chapter One: The Lands of Aeliode Human When our ancestors arrived in Tir Ydrail, they had the wisdom to learn new ways from the spirits that inhabited the land They had the strength to carve out their own lands from the monstrous creatures that crossed its great plains When the invaders came, we had the fortitude to withstand their ceaseless tides Hear me when I say we still possess these traits and with them we will one day take back the land of our forebearers Though there are many tribes and differences among the humans of the Tir Ydrail, they have a strong cultural identity that loosely binds them all under the name Triufir Ever since the invasion of the Avitian Empire into their lands, this cultural identity has become even stronger The clans may bicker and fight on occasion, but when push comes to shove with the Avitians, the Triufir know who their people are Physiology In general, Triufir humans are fair-skinned and haired Hair colors tend towards blondes, light browns, and reds Most humans prefer to wear their hair long as a full head of long hair is a minor source of pride among the people Beards and mustaches are common among the males and are well groomed Braids and metal hair adornments are common among both sexes Men average in height from 5’7”-6’2” and women from 5’4” to 5’8” As such the average Triufiri is slightly taller than the average Avitian, though slightly shorter than the average Ostman Society The tribal society built by the Triufir is complex and possesses both quasi-democratic as well as oligarchic features The nature of this form of government allows for greater flexibility in both day-to-day life and matters of state, but can be a liability as the Triufiri not have a centralized power structure Other cultures have since surpassed Tuathan ability in matters of writing and crafting, but the Triufir remain a powerful culture of fierce warriors possessed of a deep spirituality Visitors to Tir Ydrail are often surprised by the coexistence of two contradictory strains of cultural practice, but it must be remembered that the Triufiri gods are much closer to their people than are the gods of other regions The Triufir culture’s basic social unit is the clan A clan is comprised of family members, both natural and adopted, who live in the same area These clans band together in loose alliances with other clans to form cantrevs The thirteen cantrevs can be thought of as kingdoms, though the area a cantrev rules over is fluid without the defined borders of a Kingdom The ties that bind a cantrev together are less than permanent and for that reason, it is not unusual for a clan to change allegiance from time to time In addition to clan chieftains, druids and bards are highly respected advisers and judges in the Tuathan community Unlike chieftains, bards and druids can roam from clan to clan with little fear of being accosted even if the clans in questions are at war Their role is as advisors and carriers of news to the entire of Tir Ydrail, not merely one particular clan In the past, clans commonly fought bloody battles each other, if for no other reason than the glory defeating a foe would bring the clan It was common for a victorious warrior to take the head of a defeated foe and keep it as a trophy These heads would be shown off during important feasts and holidays and were thought to keep evil Fae and spirits at bay Heads would be passed down from generation to generation While such treasures are still valued and passed down, the practices of intra-clan conflict and ritual beheading have fallen out of favor in current times Due to the pressures put on the people by the presence of the Avitians, cattle raiding has replaced outright warfare Being able to raid another clan of some of their cattle is seen as a show of strength and one that does not require the death and beheading of warriors and chieftains Arts Much of the art produced by Truifiri is carved stone or worked metal Intricate geometric patterns and abstract representations of people and animals are often carved into stones for display Soft precious metals are worked into intricate jewelry or added as embellishments on worked wood or leather Adorning the body with artwork is common among the Truifir Complex geometric patterns, often said to possess or trap mystical energies, are also commonly drawn or tattooed upon the body as well Ornate gold torcs, often depicting animals, are commonly worn by the wealthier Truifiri And though most cloth is rough-spun, complex and beautiful patterns are often embroidered with brightly colored thread History The Truifir have lived in the land of Tir Ydrail for thousands of years Once looked after and protected by the elven Tuatha de Danann, the humans have come into 19