Songbird Seed
|
Contents
Orgin & History
The Lenetta seed originated with one man, an elven warrior by the name of Faelian.
In a time before recorded history, the ancestors of the mali’ame lived not in cities, but roamed the deep forests in nomadic tribes. Often, these tribes found themselves at war- for various petty reasons. An insult, a dispute over hunting grounds, a slight at a ceremony.
We know not what tribe Faelian belonged to, only that he was a fearsome fighter, whose barbarity and bloodlust in battle led many to believe he was directly possessed by the great Wolf spirit himself. Faelian took charge of many raids against his enemies, leaving a trail of blood in his wake.
As Faelian grew older and wiser, he began to see error in his ways. The remorse for the killings he had committed, and the grief he had put upon thousands of widows and orphaned children came down upon him like the weight of a mountain. He turned away from his tribe, and burned his bow and spear, swearing never to take another life. Faelian left into deep, primal wilds where he was unable to be found, and spent years living life as a recluse, drowning in guilt.
After a decade in isolation, Faelian experienced a miracle. As he drank from the pool of a clear spring, a god appeared to him in the shimmering water surface: Kwakwani, the great Raven trickster. Kwakwani spoke to Faelian, telling him there was still a chance for him to bring balance to his life, spread happiness and joy to the world to counteract the pain and suffering he had caused.
Thus, the Raven presented Faelian with three blessings. He gave the elf compassion, and took the bloodlust from his soul. He gave the elf peace to his heart. Most importantly, Kwakwani, patron of all artists, bestowed Faelian with the gift of music- giving him a voice that could charm the iciest of women, and bring tears to the hardiest of men.
Faelian the warrior died that day, and he was reborn, as Faelian the singer. He returned to the world of the elves, where his gift of music began to draw eyes across many of the wood elven tribes. He soon became the master of the lute, the harp and the pan flute. His reputation quickly grew, and soon, entire tribes would travel many miles just to hear him perform.
Over time, Faelian took a wife, Tarra, and by her had two children, a son named Lavelan, and a daughter named Hamasia. He also accumulated many followers, apprentices who wished to study the way of the song under him. They slowly grew into a tribe of their own. Faelian considered this tribe his new family, and named them Lenetta- the Songbirds. For centuries, the Songbirds traveled from tribe to tribe, delighting men, women and children alike with their melodies. They expanded from songs, beginning to perform plays, and execute daring, dangerous stunts. Even if two tribes were at war, they would pause hostilities if Faelian and the Songbirds were travelling through their territory. No one dared harm the blessed entertainers. Not long before our time, a cataclysm wreaked through the world of the nomadic wood elves. A war that left them so depopulated they were forced with a choice- band together and live in a city, or die out entirely. The Songbirds had escaped the destruction of this war, but were faced with a similar choice: settle into Laurelin, the new elven city, or remain true to their nomadic roots.
Faelian was ancient by now, on his last breath. But the gods were not quite yet done with him. Nemglan, the great Eagle spirit, came before him in the form of a dream. He commanded Faelian to have the Songbirds continue to wander the world, sing their songs to all who would listen. Not just elves, but to men and dwarves as well. Nemglan proclaimed that as long as the Songbirds remained true to their nomadic routes, they would always have the eagle’s blessing when travelling.Faelian commanded this to his disciples when he awoke. Three days later, he passed away.The Songbirds kept true to their master’s command and the eagles will. To this day, the Songbirds roam between the world’s cities, never permanently settling in one. They devote themselves to performing, making a name for themselves as artists, singers, dancers, playwrights and stunt masters, taking great joy in their craft.
Bloodlines
The Songbirds are divided among two main bloodlines. The Eagle moiety, named for Nemglan who blesses the Songbirds’ travels, and the Raven moiety, named for Kwakwani who gifted their forefather Faelian with the gift of song. Elves of one bloodline are encouraged to take mates in the other bloodline to preserve genetic diversity.
The Raven Bloodline
The Raven lineage Elves are thought to be descendants of Lavelan, Faelian's son. They usually have dark hair and blue eyes. In general, they excel in musical disciplines such as singing and instrument playing.
Notable Raven bloodline: Lenn Songbird aka Filli-yar
The Eagle Bloodline
The Eagle lineage Elves are claimed to be descendants of Hamasia, Faelian's daughter. They often have auburn hair and gold eyes. They generally excel in physical performance, such as dancing and stunts.
Most notable Eagle bloodline Raj Songbird
The “Bloodless”
The Bloodless are elves that have no bloodline but have been accepted into the Songbirds because of their talent in the performing arts. Bloodless people are not looked down upon. They are treated equally in the family as long as they are able to perform. Notable Bloodless: Chieftess Devika Songbird
Appearance
In general, Songbird elves enjoy bright attire and jewelry that show their individuality and tastes. Female Songbirds frequently like clothes that allow them to dance in a whimsical manner. Ideal clothing should be light and airy, such as silks that flow from the shoulders and hips. They are eager to expose skin to complement their work but are wary of being too scandalous for fear of offending the folks they are currently attending. The same is true for male Songbirds, who love breezy attire that bares a lot of flesh.
Songbirds enjoy painting their skin with vivid colors when they perform, ideally with pigments that are simple to change or remove. Festival paints in vibrant colors may frequently be seen dancing across naked flesh in the goal of piqueing the interest of those watching.
Like other ancestral wood-elven tribes, the Lenetta all bear a tattoo that distinguishes them to one another. It's likeness closely resembles Kwakwani’s Wings, a marking usually meant to distinguish artists and poets of any Seed. Given that all Songbirds’ are performers, this mark has been adopted as the emblem of their tribe, with some modification. The dark shades of the raven are juxtaposed with the bright gold of the eagle, ensuring both of the tribes patron Mani are represented.
Tidbits
Adria is a city in Atlas. Adria's coat of arms included a juvenile songbird, and their allegiance extended all the way to the great fire of Adria. The leaders begged the attackers not to burn down the songbird camp.
