Rhoynish Clan - Ilian

[Jumpy]

History

A Rhoynish clan that moved to the desert after their escape. They conquered ancient ruins and built upon them, settling the town known as Ilburg when discoveries lead them to believe that Njorun The Undying used to live there. Despite the rough conditions the clan managed to thrive and grow in the middle of the desert; banditry and theft were their main income for many years. Their unexpected success and might on the battlefield eventually attracted other Rhoynish clans and escapees alike to Ilburg, putting them in a prominent position for the leadership of Ilburg across the years.

Further back in their history, the Ilian are believed to have built the ruins that lay underneath modern-day Ilburg. A temple dedicated to Njorun as well as the hidden city under the sands were inhabited before a great majority of the Rhoynish living there were either killed or forced into indentured servitude following an aggressive investigation by the Osronan noble and scholar Caleb Pelleux who sought out to discover more about another set of ruins below the aforementioned hidden city. With men and machine in their grasp Osrona overpowered the ancient Ilian that had been residing in the city since the day Njorun used to walk upon Esshar. The operations brought the population of the hidden city down to single digits; as Lorekeeper Missell drew his last breath he sealed the city away from outsiders, suspending it in time. The temple dedicated to Njorun and the city built around it was soon forgotten and engulfed by the surrounding desert, leaving naught but ruins for Ilburg to be built upon.

Clan Ilian's ancestors are believed to have met the Primordial Njorun during his time in the physical realm. It was The Undying that first lead this Rhoynish clan to conquer and bask in glory, as well as having instructed them where to build their city. Recent discoveries suggest that Njorun gave such an indication for one of his greater projects to be protected by those who would benefit from it in during their lives, and after. This clan that dates back to ancient times is still alive today, and thriving more than ever.

Culture and Beliefs

While a lot of the Ilian culture has been lost due to genocide and forced indentured servitude, tales of how they lived as warriors and even nomads before the days of the city hidden in the sands have been passed down. The people of Rhoynur have a great number of clans and the Ilian are no exception; they follow the same common beliefs as the others and respect their ancestors as well as their primordial of choice. Traditional Rhoynish cultural representations are still present within this clan. Festivals are organized every few years to celebrate their success and their ability to do more than survive, but thrive.

Most of the clan's culture is passed down through oral and physical tradition; tales, stories, and dances that depict their vast culture are at the forefront of their teachings. In some few cases texts and paintings will illustrate their more ancient past as is the case in the temple dedicated to Njorun below Ilburg. Culture is passed down by the Lorespeakers of the clan; their knowledge of their past is seen as a treasure to protect. In a similar way to most Rhoynish clans, this one holds many families all tied together under one symbol and name; children often consider one another siblings despite the lack of blood relations. The bond within this clan is one meant to remain unbroken. Disagreements will often result in a heated duel with both warriors fighting with their heart out and their true convictions for all to see. Death occurring from clan disagreement is extremely rare, and frowned upon. The low birthrate of the Rhoynish has ingrain a sense of self-preservation between those of the Ilian.

The rite of passage of the Ilian is traditional to the Rhoynish standard in some ways, yet different in others. The silver arm ring they receive at the age of twelve remains with them and has to be protected throughout their lives. At the age of nineteen a member of the Ilian are expected to partake in a trial against darkness: They will face Nethradin, Witches, Demons, or any other beings of the dark. Those who return with victory in their grasp and their honor intact are granted their golden arm ring and are considered adults. Following the rite, one is expected to seek out the elders of the clan in order to receive their mark of adulthood: A tattoo placed on the person's body in a location of their choice depicting the Ilian clan's mark.

Tattoos and marks are earned as a member of the clan accomplishes feats of strength and grows up. Non-Rhoynish who join the clan through union or are accepted in it will receive their mark of adulthood after reaching the age of nineteen and being subjected to a personal trial, if deemed necessary.

The Ilian clan follows Njorun The Undying and his teachings. They see confrontation, disagreements, and conflict as a battle of its own. The first thing that is taught to an Ilian child is that every battle is born with a loser. Defeat is not seen as shameful on a general level, but is instead meant to teach the defeated about their own weaknesses, and to learn from them. They rejoice in battle and surrendering is seen as dishonorable, no matter the person's personal honor code. Njorun's words are spread vast and wide, but at the core of them all stands an important teaching and one of the three major teachings that the primordial wishes for his people to follow. This is Njorun's one law of war:

"If I live, I will kill you. If I die, you are forgiven. For that, is the rule of honor."

The other two important tenets were spoken by Njorun during his time on Esshar, and at the moment of his passing to the spirit realm respectively. For one to care little about titles of accomplishments, as they do not determine the outcome of a battle. For one to look upon their ancestors for knowledge and guidance; to learn from the mistakes they've made and follow in their footsteps, rather than following Njorun's own footsteps.

It's believed that Njorun is the primordial who shepherds the Rhoynish, and his worshipers spirits, taking them to his own area within the spirit realm to fight an endless war against the Nethradin. Those who die in battle are granted acceptance to the endless war, and may fight until their spirit no longer has any fight left in it, leaving it to rest peacefully after such. Those who do not die in battle will be brought forth by their ancestors and judged by Njorun himself. While some may think that the Ilian fight against Nethradin due to them being evil or dangerous, it is far from the truth. Nethradin are merely plentiful and violent, making a perfect opponent for Njorun and his eternal army.

Duels of honor and wars will have the clan members draw the mark of Ilian upon their face with ink, blood, mud, or anything in the vicinity. Should the nature of a war or a duel changes, the warrior is expected to use their own judgement and personal code of honor to determine whether a death is necessary, or even if a fight should still occur. The latter is rarely negative, even more so for the Rhoynish members of the clan. During a war any who volunteer are welcome to participate, but some expectations are made regardless: Children are discouraged from taking part unless they have a personal stake in the battle; single parents of many children are expected to prioritize their progeny over the conflict, and must name a godfather or godmother should they insist on fighting; Lorespeakers are expected to be the last ones to enter battle, for their death will mean the death of their culture.

Personal codes of honor are present in the clan and can be spread to others should they wish to adhere to it. While some codes may contradict one another, they all remain under this banner of unity and preservation of the Ilian. It is expected for any prominent member of the clan to work for the betterment of their vast family. Trust and bonds are eternal within the Ilian; members will rarely doubt the motivations behind the decisions their clan mates take and the actions they make.

The Ilian see the mistreatment of the deceased as shameful, unnecessary, and in some cases grounds for duels of honor. When one dies, whether they were friend or foe, their body is expected to be treated with dignity and respect for they now join the realm of ancestors, be it personal or to another. The deceased have no fight in them and will never do, thus, one should treat them with nothing but respect. The clan buries their own dead and will do everything in their power for them to be brought six feet under alongside their arm ring, and any other possessions that hold greater emotional value than utility.

Membership

While founded upon Rhoynish values and mostly filled with people of such, the Ilian welcome any outsider regardless of race, affiliation, or reputation. Those who wish to join with no link with the clan will be subjected to one or many trials. Those trials range in duration and focus and are always tailored to the person joining. The leader of the clan will keep on giving trials to an applicant so long as they are not certain of their decision, be it approval or denial.

Those who join the clan via union, marriage, or alliance will be accepted without question. The clan will trust its family member's judgement and will leave the decision of exile, membership, or neither to the member in question.

Exile from the clan is possible should one betray one of the values of the Ilian in a manner that cannot be forgiven nor punished. There is no clear protocol or situation that surrounds the exile of a member, as it is on a case by case basis. Exiles are incredibly rare, as is the case of a member leaving voluntarily. The deep bond the Ilian share with their brethren is never cast away. Those who join the clan will, in practically every single case, die with its mark upon their body worn proudly.

Marriage

Rhoynish marriages are performed outside, typically upon earth blessed by a Priestess— or Lorespeaker, when a Priestess is not available. Typically, the head of a Clan will officiate, unless they themselves are marrying, in which case the most senior member of the Clan will. Rhoynish marriages begin with the declaration of the two involved's Clan, followed by a prayer to the Clans' patron spirits. Finally, those to be wedded affirm their commitment and a Handfasting is performed.

When members of two different clans wed, traditionally the member of the larger clan will join the smaller. However, this is not a requirement, and it is not unprecedented for those to be wedded to come to a different agreement.