High Blood and Its Meaning
What does it mean, to be 'high blood?'
In one way, the high blood are a kind of natural aristocracy, though no one knows why or who appointed them. Certain land Elwen lines throughout the Third Era and beyond displayed such heroic traits in their founders that a special kind of magic and blessing from the stars adhered to them, elevating them above ordinary Elwens and giving them stronger earth magic. The high blood undergo rituals, such as the Confirmation of their Heirs (in which the Heir is presented with gifts from other high blood lines and must undergo specialized challenges such as finding a grain of soil from his or her own family's lands in a box of many different grains) that no other segment of society undergoes. (A detailed description of a particular Confirmation ritual can be found in The Horns of Morning). They are also expected to care for their lands and people with a particular fervor. Any Elwen bound to his or her land with a Claiming ritual will sicken if the land and its people are attacked, but only with the high blood does the bond seem to flow both ways. That is, if a high blood lady or lord sickens or goes mad, then his or her people and land will also sicken.
Such a responsibility means that the high blood magic, or blessing, exerts a peculiar control. High blood Lords and Ladies may still choose one of their children over another to become Heir, but the magic will not always agree. The child must not only be strong in the earth magic, which is a prerequisite for any rulership of lands, but also possess a temperament fit for ruling- flexible, critical, skeptical, and moderate- combined with the best of the traits of Elwenkind in general- strength of will, valiance, stubbornness, and pride. The first makes the Heir a good governor, the second a good protector. When war comes to the high blood lands, as it always does, a weak-willed Heir can be just as disastrous as a too-aggressive Heir in times of peace. The magic demands an Heir who can be both.
Thanks to the magic and what it demands, high blood lines tend to produce heroes. But not every child of a high blood line becomes a hero, and not every one is automatically considered for Heirship. To prove himself or herself worthy, an Heir must perform a deed that the high magic takes note of and deems worthy- a deed of lis or true glory. These deeds have ranged in the past from the adoption of a child and a sincere promise to care for it, to the bloodless release of hostages, to sparing the Councilmaster's life from an assassination attempt, to savage deeds of war and vengeance. The Heirship cannot be Confirmed until such a deed of lis is done, and then the Heir may still lose this distinction if his or her character changes so as to make rulership impossible.
Not only must they act heroically to gain the Heirship, but the Heirs, once Confirmed, must continue acting heroically. They bear a burden that no one else in Rowan, or Oak, or Pixaor, does. A hero who is not high blood may rest on his laurels- unless, of course, his actions are considered worthy to found a high blood line upon and the magic takes note of him- but high blood Heirs must continue to excel. If an Heir, or Lord or Lady, falls short of her people's expectations, then she can be considered guilty of a very special form of treason, and her power and lands stripped from her.
The Lords and Ladies are subjected to one more pressure that other land Elwens rarely feel: the obligation to marry. They must produce an Heir to inherit their lands, unless they are willing to let their lines and their bonds to their people die. (The Lord Herran Turnlong was willing to let his line pass out of existence because one of his daughters became a priestess of Suulta and the other was deemed unworthy by the high blood magic, but this is an exceptional case). The Lord or Lady may take an Heir that is not his or her direct descendant if they are also of the blood- for example, if a brother or sister has children- but this cannot be depended upon. Lords and Ladies are sometimes only children. As well, since the scions of the high blood, whether ruling or not, tend to lead in the front lines of war, casualties among them are high.
It might seem that becoming and remaining high blood is impossible, but there are families that have managed it. Most of them are minor high blood, in which the deeds of the founder are of the most import and no other member of the family will surpass her. But there have been nine lines founded throughout the Ages that are truly high blood, their deeds a matter of song through the generations, and sometimes ascending from generation to generation, until they culminate in a Flowering- a hero of such importance that he or she affects the course of land Elwen destiny and will be remembered forever. Such lines are Deerfriend, which still exists, of whom the Flowering is generally acknowledged to be the Lady Eleriad; Leaflaughter, who has apparently not yet had their Flowering; Turnlong, whose Flowering was the Lord Herran, and which has since passed out of existence; Durillo, whose Flowering might have been the Lady Brincillay, but which nevertheless still exists; Lafoxbane, whose Flowering is almost certainly the Lady Estalchin but which also continues; and Goatleap, whose Flowering was the Lord Dorren and which ended with the Change. Goatleap was the shortest-lived of the great high blood lines, and the most tragic in its ending.
Since the Change, new lines have arisen. Summerfire is the name of both a city in Audiaurea and the high blood line that rules that city. Their Flowering may have been the Lord Damiel. The Lords are avatars of the wild magic, and the rulership passes exclusively from father to son, because the wild magic is like that. Ravenshadow was created by the Goddess Tirosina specifically for the opposition of Summerfire. They do not appear to have had a Flowering yet. And finally, youngest of the great lines and the first to arise away from Arcadia and its people, the Shimmerflower line sprang into existence when the Lord Nyacifor defied the forces that wanted to conquer the rebellious city of Luras. The Lord Nyacifor only recently died, and there is now almost no contact between Luras and Arcadia, so it is impossible to know if Shimmerflower has had its Flowering yet.
The high blood continues to exist, strong and vigorous and producing heroes for this hostile world. There are some who bettered the lives of all Elwens, and others whom it would have been better never to have dreamed of. But they are part of the glory and doom of Arcadia, for better or worse.
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