In contrast the Radiant Wings, the Filial are a mixed society of elves and fallen men, they represent a society aligned with Yevanian values, in opposition to the Radiant Wings. Instead of individualism, they focus on community, in place of a focus on technological progress, they make the most of what they have. Technology is based less on direct magical application and more on biological systems when it is employed. This stems from their preference of looking understanding the uses of the bounty already existent around them, instead of devising novel methods and devices.
The Filial bear their title as they are the loyal children of Eleyon. The elves have never lost their original communion with the Creator, while the Repentant are the fallen humans who strive to serve the purposes of the All-Father, despite their weakened spirit links. I wanted to reflect the sense that Eleyon maintained a close familial relationship with his followers, so the word filial, normally reserve for parent-child relationships, was nonetheless applicable.
Now to narrate the events that led to this faction's formation. After Ällora appeared to Cevan, he returned to the rest of the fallen, exiled humans and beseeched them to come away with him to a future of independence from Eleyon. Aram and Etria distrusted Cevan's claims of Ällora's promises, as they had suffered great loss from the Prometheus Chalice. Even so, Cevan took some of his siblings, children, nieces and nephews away to the east to found Elenis. The rest of the Fallen remained with Aram and Etria, and called themselves the Repentant.
A choice was offered to the few immaculate elves who remained in the Garden of Elen after the Rebellion. Elenrise would soon occur, so the elves there needed to relocate. Yevanis and The Soul of Eleyon, Eleyon's energy aspect, told them each elf could either leave the broken physical reality of Eldawn, or remain to try and work against the influence of Ällora. All but 14 of the elves decided to depart into the energy plane and leave their corporeal reality behind. Another protected reality would be made for them, distinctly located, and they feature very little in the rest of the story. Of the 14 who stayed, 7 were male and 7 female. All the elves in Eldawn post-Rebellion are descended from these 7 immortal unions.
Following Elenrise, the Elves reach out to the small settlement of the Repentant which had established itself on the shores of Varives lake. The elves took the Repentant into their protection and moved north, into Vedathen Forest. The Repentant dubbed their magically adept protectors 'Guardians', and so collectively, the Guardian elves and the Repentant humans constituted the Filial.
The Filial established the city of Yevanis in the Vedathen. The Guardians assumed authority, directing construction and progress. They interfaced with the vital animating energy of the forest around them. While animals and plants do not have a Spirit, etheric aspect, they still have an energetic aspect that exists in the energy plane. With their magical prowess and spirit link, the elves are able to direct changes in the flora and to influence the behaviour of the fauna around them. The city of Yevanis would become an apex of bioengineering, a homeostatic system of symbiotic interaction.
The Repentant helped out where they could, but they were severely limited by their compromised magical ability. Their focus is to attain the same degree of intimacy with Eleyon as they used to have. They wanted to maintain a society of emotional and spiritual functionality, material and technological advantages were relatively unimportant. Together with the Guardians, the Repentant strive to be the ideal community that Eleyon wanted. When the Body of Eleyon made his way to Yevanis, they care and support him.
Despite their efforts, conflict inevitably did arise, new generations of humans did mot share the same beliefs as the older ones, the first death, Aram's, unsettled them all. Tensions rose between groups of discontent men and the perceived elvish elite. Their existence was far from ideal.
Nevertheless, their society believed in contentment as much as possible, to live in simplicity and community. The atmosphere of the Filial was markedly different from the social philosophy of the Radiant. They focused on the heart and the human condition. Examining the spirit and the soul, they tried to strengthen the tenuous connection by striving and prayer, pious deeds and goodwill. The result was a society deeply concerned with human relations, equality and mutual respect.
Apart from interpersonal relations, the Filial also busied themselves with the study of biological and environmental systems. They did not forget their commission as the stewards of creation, a task assigned to mankind when Eleyon first created them in the Garden. This was done to preserve as much of the biosphere as possible, and to ensure ecological security in an imperfect reality. So, while the Radiant were linked with light and the heavens, the Filial were associated with life and the earth.
Social standing in Filial society was naturally determined by age, just as it was with the Radiant Wings. In addition, moral integrity was highly valued, as judged by the codified ethical system that developed from their musings on human interaction. The elves, as the ageless, flawless Guardians were necessarily accorded their due respect. In terms of numbers however, the elves were only about a fifth of the population.
And so, the Filial represent the Yevanian-valued society while the Radiant are aligned to Älloran thinking. The interplay between these two factions allows me to examine both the results of these contrasting ideologies and the tension between individual thinking and a society's culture. There will of course, be those who are born into a faction and disagree with their elders, they may defect, or turn themselves out of social company, feeling isolated just as any of us would in their situation. Yet, both societies begin on a fresh slate, traditions barely established, that perhaps does distinguish them from our history laden world. Or does it? In this time of increasingly globalised world-views, homogenous culture and a cessation or diminishment of many traditional practices, perhaps we are not so different from a newly awakened collection of humanity, without the burden of inherited customs.
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