Life to Death

[ Orphans and Foundlings ] [ Book of Kin ]
[ Marriage ]

Dyrling are the longest lived of all the races of Comraich and other cultures of the world sometimes can not comprehend or misunderstand the Dyrling's way of life. For instance from birth until 18 years male and female children grow up side by side in the society. Even though they “look” like teenagers, they have the naivety and curiosity that a younger child four years old possesses. Before reaching their eighteenth year girls and boys of the culture live an almost blissful life with a minimal amount of schooling in math and reading. They are encouraged to have fun, play and find the joy and pleasures of what life has to offer.

Once they have their “Coming of Age Day” celebration, males go off to “find the path” while the females learn to “carry the line”. These years of learning for either sex lasts until they are married. A marriageable age is usually in the early thirties and that is considered rather early to most Dyrlings.

When a male Dyrling goes out to ‘find the path’ he is actually going to the local Academy, College of Paths or a trade school. Every male in the Dyrling society is welcomed into any of the Learning Institutes, regardless of wealth. For example if a Traveler (Sora'Nau) wanted to attend the College of Paths he would be welcomed. During these years political, economical and social relationships are formed while learning child rearing and household expenditures. Males that do not marry tend to become teachers, clerics or even rangers. However, if they do marry they are the ones that are usually the main care giver and after the children have grown it is not unusual to see a 80 year old or even 100 year old Dyrling Ranger roaming the Queens forest.

To “carry the line” is extremely important within Dyrling society. It is the female job within the culture to keep adding to the “Book of Kin” and before any Dyrling (male or female) is allowed to leave the home or marry they must have a book of kin. Usually the woman are responsible for creating this with help from her grandmothers, mothers, aunts, sisters and cousins. She learns the intricacies of the bloodlines, which is highly important for inbreeding is frowned upon. During this time as well a women helps her father with siblings and households duties, as well as assisting midwives with birthing duties in preparation for her time. Lastly in her spare time she is taught the basics of self preservation and weapons use. It is highly unusual for a woman not to marry but it has happened. However, once a woman marries and the household is established she attends school and finds her own path in life. Husband and wife share household duties and after the birth of children; (twins or triplets are prevalent) they equally share the parenting duties although men tend to assume the role as main caregiver since the woman is usually working and studying . Childbearing years last until 100 years.

A Dyrling's life is not just filled with work, school and study. They enjoy daily naps for quite a few hours in the afternoon, numerous feasts, celebrations, entertainment and storytelling. You could say the Dyrlings feel that there is plenty of time for work and play. Rushing through your chores, job, stitching, studies or anything even mundane is frowned upon.

After the children are married or a Dyrling reaches their sixtieth birth month; society deems they are free from familial priorities (leaving Elders in charge) and embark upon their 'Life Dreams" of adventuring, trading, careers or other aspirations that they have wanted to pursue over the years. Dyrlings begin this phase of life with a rush of adrenaline that they had never felt previously, in fact most the notable heroines and heroes of the Dyrlings were over the age of sixty years.

Generally, Dyrlings do not slow down until well into there one hundred and sixty years. That is when they assume positions within the house as Elders, taking place of a parent that is off on a Life's Dream. To think that they sit at home in a rocking chair knitting or witling would be a mistake! Elders are active in daily chores, businesses, government and other aspects of the society. Plus, they are a very important part of celebrations and storytelling.

All ages within the society play a significant role. They give and receive their entire lives, which can be up to two hundred years long. There is no specific age for death. Just a vision and the 'shiver' tells a Dyrling when there time upon Comraich shall end. When it is their time they dress themselves in their favorite clothing and scents. They take their book of kin and the locket of Athlendyr and walk with dignity; shoulders straight and head held high into the forests of Telrae'dor into there fathers arms.

Heaven: When a Dyrling dies they come directly before Athlendyr and are judged. If they are deemed worthy they are taken to the “summer lands” where they live out the balance of their lives in a place of perfect joy and happiness with all their loved ones and no suffering. Another term that suits the “heaven” of Athlendyr is Avalon.

Hell: There is no hell in the Dyrling mythology. Those that are deemed unworthy by Athlendyr simply never go on. They in effect cease to exist.

Ghosts: Those that have either lived bad lives or are afraid to face Athlendyr for what ever reason may not “appear before him”. They may linger around the mortal world hiding from his judgment. Ghosts in Telrae’dor typically go to locations as remote and as unwelcoming to mortals as possible. This reinforces the folklore fiction of the Dyrlings.

Reincarnation: Reincarnation is not a common belief in Telrae’dor, tho it is by no means a non-existing belief. For the most part some Dyrlings may believe in reincarnation and others do not. However it is a belief that is not supported in either way by the clericy. The truth is … no one knows. When asked, Athlendyr says “Everyone’s summer land has different trees”, which leads the clerics to believe that some peoples idea of heaven is to return to the mortal world.

Marriage

The woman takes the man's name in Dyrling Society. This is the "age of chivalry" culture and follows traditional English notions in these situations.

The fact that the woman determines nobility is a hold over from an ancient pact made between Athlendyr and the Sidhe Queen from a culture and time period when the "mother's line" was counted as predominant. (Pre-Christian times by earth reckoning).

This also accounted for one of the reasons that the Book of Kin become so important, as even though the line of nobility was traced thru the woman's line, it started to become confusing as Dyrling woman and children took their fathers name. Hence the Book of Kin rather then "last" name was used to determine nobility.

Orphans and Foundlings

For the children of Athlendyr, nothing is as important as Kinship--a sense of one's place in the world through your connections to those around you. For this reason, the plight of orphans and foundlings is a matter of great concern to the Dyrling.

If an child old enough to answer for herself is found with no relatives around--say the sole survivor of a monster raid, then a reasonably accurate Book of Kin can be made for her from her memories. In time, and if she wishes it, she can travel to the Capital to consult the master books.

How this is handled for foundling babies depends on the individual circumstances. If a child's parents are killed in the Capital, it is a simple matter to consult The Books and reunite him with his nearest relatives. If the child is found in the Wilderness, it is, on the one hand, impractical to go to the Capital, at least not at once. On the other hand, the locals will likely know who, for example, farmed across the valley, and may well be able to infer enough of a lineage to suffice until their next journey into the City.

Occasionally, a babe will be found and none will be able to tell anything about her background at all. In those cases, the child will simply be reckoned a brother or sister of the adoptive family, and be given a Book of Kin matching that of his adoptive siblings

Assorted BoK Suggestions

These are suggestions for the Book of Kin. Feel free to use them in your Role-Play as you need.

Suggestion: Rule Zero: You need not write a Bok! It's an RP-thing, not a homework assignment. Knowing your mother and father, and siblings is usually enough. If you need more for a quest or you WANT to make more, then by all means Go For It. But otherwise, YAGNI.

Suggestion 1:It's nice if your parents and you have a few extra sisters and brothers. This is in keeping with Dyrling tendency toward large families. As a bonus, it also helps folks who join us later "fit in" to our vast colorful tapestry.

Suggestion 2: Prominent Ancestors

There are a number of prominent ancestors whose names come up in the BoKs.

1. Nobility -- It came up in chat that folks had names for some of these ancestors. Maybe we could post them as a basis for the "noble" corner of the ancestor web. That way, those who come later can fit better within the existing fabric.

2. Alear: "Filea-who-Saw" -- (It's recursive, actually) Very first of the Alear. Those things are not random, Uzina -- note: I get the idea that this is a "girl thing?" Please correct me if that's a misimpression. The name works in either case.

3. Danial-by-Sheltered Waters -- During a three-winters-long drought, Danial found an easily defended spring that did not fail. His camp remained even after the drought ended, becoming the very first of the Dyrling to form fixed settlements. Other settlements formed around similarly reliable water sources, with a founder who may (or may not) trace his ancestry to Danial.

4. A Pard probably knows his or her Mentor, and they might want to agree on whom they regard as the earliest of them all: Their "Yoda," so to speak.

Suggestion 3: Genealogical Resources

We need some. How to write a genogram (BoK, essentially). Programs to help? Kal has one, but is it legal for us to link it? My husband's uncle traced his lineage. I'll ping him for stuff. Unless someone's REAL ambitious, we don't need THAT much, but it'd be nice if we have a few so people can use them