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The Calendar and
Holidays
Descriptions of Holidays and Celebrating
Greetings
Farewells
Births
Family Life
Deaths
Laws and
Punishment for Crimes
Holidays
Please note that the Maia'Edhel calendar follows the same time
observances as the Human calendar, which was a gift from the High Elves.
The twelve months are as follows:
| Narvinye | -- | January |
| Nenime | -- | February |
| Sulime | -- | March |
| Viresse | -- | April |
| Lotesse | -- | May |
| Narie | -- | June |
| Cermie | -- | July |
| Urime | -- | August |
| Yavannie | -- | September |
| Narquelie | -- | October |
| Hisime | -- | November |
| Ringare | -- | December |
Narvinye 1 - The Day of the
New Year
Nenime 19 - The Falling
Sulime 20 - The Spring Equinox
Sulime 31 - The First Born Son
Viresse 29 - Day of Liberation
Viresse 30 through Lotesse 7 - Festival of Love
Lotesse 8 - Day of Life
Narie 21 - Summer Solstice
Urime 15 - The Settling
Yavannie 22 - The Autumnal Equinox
Hisime 3 - The Black Banishment
Ringare 21 - The Winter Solstice
The Day of the New Year:
This is the first day of the year in the Maia'Edhel calendar. It marks the
beginning of new lives. Often times on this day, criminals who have
committed small crimes such as petty theft or loitering are pardoned from jail
with a much smaller fee than usual.
The Falling: The day that the Lord of the Sky first set eyes on the Princess Rilma without her escorts. It is said that he was so overcome by her body and grace that he fell from his tree-top throne of vines and branches right in front of the Princess. The Princess was so scared because of ancient law that forbade contact with the Lord of the Sky that she ran off. The Lord of the Sky, in turn, fell deeply in love with the Princess Rilma at first sight.
On this day, the males and females often exchange small tokens of affection, or begin the courtship process. Some become engaged to wed, and some actually become wed. This day is a romantic day, and as such, many businesses and merchants are closed so they can spend time with their significant others.
The Spring Equinox: A day of rebirth and renewal. This is when the cold shoulder of the winter is cast aside, and life begins again. Farmers begin to replant crops, and Hunters begin to sharpen their weapons for the seasons ahead. The leaves begin to bud, and everything is cast into a sense of joy and rebirth.
Many newborns are brought into the World around this time, as it is fabled to be the best time to have children. People say that if a Maia'Edhel is born on the Equinox at a certain time, that the Lord of the Sky will grace the child with strength and courage, and Princess Rilma will bestow it with beauty and grace.
The First Born Son: The birth of Peredhel, the first son of the Lord of the Sky and Princess Rilma - the first of the Maia'Edhel. It is on this day that all shops close, and everyone celebrates. Huge feasts are made, and everyone is filled with a sense of happiness and vigor, a proud feeling of their heritage. Normally the day before and the day after are also kept clear, for preparation and recovery.
The Day of Liberation: The day when the Lord of the Sky went into the depths of the prison under the High House. This is where he slaughtered all of the Shadow Fiends, as well as the Keeper of the Grave to save his love from certain doom.
The first day of the Hunt starts on this day to symbolize the Lord of the Sky's struggle with the Shadow Fiends and the Keeper of the Grave. At midnight, horns are blown and the animals that were caught are brought into town to be made into food. A small celebration is had after that, although often very short because of the weariness of the hunters, to show the Lord of the Sky's determination to save the Princess Rilma.
Festival of Love: The seven day period from the time the Lord of the Sky saved the Princess Rilma from the prison under the High House to the time that the two departed for a year. It was during this time that the two professed their love for one another, and spent every waking moment they could in one another's arms, often times just gazing into each other's eyes.
Often, this period is a time of sexual activity for married couples, as well as the building of great feelings of lust within the males and females. Many shops close down for the week, unable to fight the urges to be with someone.
Day of Life: The time that Peredhel was actually conceived, the last day the Lord of the Sky and the Princess Rilma were together before there separation of a year. This is the period of time when pregnancy is the most abundant, and the females and males are the most fertile. Often times the males try to win over females, a smaller scale version of The Falling.
The Summer Solstice: The last day of the main hunting season. This is when the days are the longest, and the weather is the most warm and placid. The crops begin to grow large, and some are even started to be harvested. Often times preparations for the colder months ahead begin to be made, extra wood being stored and the like. This is also the only time when the Mages of the Maia'Edhel will consider taking acolytes into their teachings, seeing it as a day of immense Celestial power.
The Settling: Many years after the First Birth, the first village of the Maia'Edhel was established in secrecy in the Northern Wood of the Imirietaure. They lived in peace for some time, but were soon discovered and brought before trial where they were Banished from the Imirietaure for the rest of Time. Many years later, the first Maia'Edhel village was created outside of the Imirietaure, on the same date as the very first village founding.
Many males see this as a time to finish projects around the home, or to start new ones. Many houses are completed on this date, and many are started as well. Mostly, it is a time of construction.
The Autumnal Equinox: The ending of the warmer days of the summer and the beginning of harvesting the crops. This day is when all of the farmers ready the process of storage, and gathering of the food they have been growing throughout the year. Many barnyard animals are fattened up as much as they can be to be made into food products as well.
The Black Banishment: The day when the small village of the Maia'Edhel was discovered in the Northern Wood of the Imirietaure, and were brought before the Lord of the High Elves to receive sentence. The week before is reserved for the trials of major crimes performed during the year, and the day itself is used for punishment - often for serious crimes that of death or torture.
The Winter Solstice: The darkest day of the year. This is the day when after five years of training the acolytes of the Mages are granted the title of Mage. Also, this is an abundant time of death, many of the elderly, sickly Maia'Edhel dying for whatever reasons. Often it is a day of woeful feelings, and to reflect on the good things one has in life, and how thankful one is to have such luxuries.
When one meets another for the first time, it is standard to cross the right arm over the chest, the fingers extended outwards and thumb pressed against the index finger. The tips of the fingers press just above the heart, in the soft area of flesh between the shoulder and the heart itself. Both people then bow their heads and close their eyes while stating their names, and then their father's name. This is to set up conversation in case one of the people is of noble blood than the other can treat them properly.
When meeting with people one is already acquainted with, each person still bows in the same fashion, but merely states a simple greeting. Common greetings are listed below.
Pleasure meeting you --
Saesa omentien lle
Well met -- Mae govannen
Good (day/morning/afternoon/evening) -- 'Quel
(re/amrun/andune/undome)
Greetings -- Vedui'
Hail -- Aaye
It has been too long -- Nae saian luume'
Much like the greeting, the people cross their right arm over their chest, and extend the finger tips outwards, thumb pressing against the index finger. They then bow their heads and close their eyes, and speak some form of a farewell to those they were meeting with. Common farewells are listed below.
Fair winds -- Vanya sulie
Farewell -- Namaarie
Good (day/morning/afternoon/evening) -- 'Quel
(re/amrun/andune/undome)
May the leaves of your Life Tree never turn brown -- Aa' lasser en
lle coia orn n' omenta gurtha
May your ways be green and golden -- Aa' menealle nauva calen ar'
malta
Until next we meet -- Tenna' ento lye omenta
The act of child birth for the Maia'Edhel is a scared tradition because of how the Maia'Edhel was actually created. Often it is only the mother and father that are present during the child birth, as most families view others looking upon the process as impure. In rare instances, a Mage is brought in to lessen the pain or speed up the actually process.
After the child is born, the umbilical cord is cut, and the newborn is dried off and cleaned in water prepared during the actually birthing process. It is a mixture of blessed spring water, a few drops of the father's blood, and a few drops of the mother's blood, as well as some herb or oil to add a pleasant scent to the waters, and to help calm the newborn.
The child is then brought back to the mother where soft hymns are sung to help soothe the child and help it to fall asleep so that the mother can recover from the stress of the birth, and the father can begin to clean things up and prepare food and a place for the child to rest.
From the time of birth until the child moves out, it is always in a state of learning. Once the child is able to walk and talk, they begin to study the daily happenings around the household. Often the males follow the father around, and the females follow the mother. During this time they are taught the languages of Men and of the Noble Tongue, and are instructed on the histories of the Maia'Edhel. They are also instructed on the functioning of Maia'Edhel society, and how things operates in society.
Between seven and twelve years of age, the young Maia'Edhel begins to learn how to use his or her wings. Often through painful processes and exercises are the muscles developed so that flight can be achieved. Often times, this is a hard, grueling process and some of the young Maia'Edhel give up on flying all together.
By the late "teenage" years, the Maia'Edhel are helping around the house, doing chores and what not. Again, the males follow their fathers around and help with yard work, repair, gathering of food, hunting, fishing, and other stressful or laborious activities. The females follow around the mothers and begin to learn how to cook, wash, sew, and other things inside the house. Often, males view the females as weaker and unable to perform the more strenuous activities they do, and as such the females stay within the household and work. However, males are females are regarded as the same, and as such, have the same opportunities. For instance, if a female wanted to be a hunter, and a male wished to stay in the house and cook, such would not be frowned upon.
Once they Maia'Edhel reaches the age of thirty, they can begin to choose a profession of there own, as well as start the courtship process, and begin to venture out on there own. Often, many male Maia'Edhel begin to construct houses of there own, and start to establish themselves more within their village. The females also begin to establish themselves in society, and begin to pick and choose who a possible husband could be.
Life continues on, and the Maia'Edhel choose professions and start of on there own, some beginning their own families and some just setting off to make it for themselves.
Death, like the birth process, is viewed as a sacred time. Because of the High Elf and Angelic blood mixture, the Maia'Edhel have an extremely long lifespan, some races even considering them to be Immortal. The Lord of the Sky, the Princess Rilma and Peredhel are considered to be the only Immortal Maia'Edhel. However, there are several Elders, direct brothers and sisters of Peredhel that are almost five thousand years old, but they are scarcely seen.
The Maia'Edhel have a much higher tolerance to sickness, having a more advanced immune system than Men, as well as having heartier bodies. They can still contract sicknesses, and some can even die from them because of a weak immune system, or because of a powerful virus or disease. Most Maia'Edhel, however, die because of old age, accidents resulting from work, combat, or murder.
Regardless, the death process is viewed as the Maia'Edhel's soul leaving the mortal body and forming once again in Yaana-men'. Since the soul is gone, and the body is henceforth useless, the body is placed atop a funeral pyre and set ablaze. Often, for males, some form of a weapon is placed with them and sometimes even armor. Women have eloquent dresses and veils that flow in the winds with the smoke.
For the most part, it is usually family and close friends that attend the funerals, unless it is someone of noble blood, in which case the whole village may attend. Two days are given before the actual funeral to inform family and friends and make preparations. Seven days are given after the funeral for the grieving process.
The laws of the Maia'Edhel are virtually obvious, and quite simple. There are three types of laws; those that protect against the smaller, more petty crimes, those that protect against average crimes, and those that protect against serious crimes. Most of the laws are established by either a Magistrate, a Governor, or by one of the Maia'Edhel and must be approved by a general consensus among the people. If the law is approved, than appropriate punishments for breaking the law are established, and the law then goes into effect seven days after the initial approval. Once the law is in effect, a period of seven days is granted as a "grace" period for the law to become common knowledge and be taken into full effect.
Laws and punishments are as follows, in order of severity, although very few Maia'Edhel dare break the laws, viewing them as sacred writs from the Lord of the Sky, the Princess Rilma, and Peredhel, and that those that come up with the laws are merely given the idea from one of those three. This is in no means all of the laws that govern the Maia'Edhel, but the most common that happen if any happen at all. There are many smaller laws that have small punishments that many people commit every day, and are not listed to save space.
Disorderly Conduct -- Small
Fine, night in prison to become sober
Property Damage (Accidental) -- Restitution to Victim
Petty Theft -- Restitution to Victim, one day in prison
Assault -- Fine to Victim, three days in prison
Property Damage (Intentional) -- Restitution to Victim, seven days
in prison
Robbery -- Fine and Restitution to Victim, prison for two weeks
Theft -- Fine and Restitution to Victim, prison for three weeks
Murder -- Torture or Execution
Assassination -- Execution
