Rules and Clans

The Clans of Eterne Forest
Like all other races, there are clans and distinctions among the drow. The cultures among the Dark Elves differ greatly from one another, and as with any other race, they have their tension and wars, too. Unlike other races, though, most Drow clans care little for control, and their greed goes only as far as pretty things and smooth skin.



The Highest Council
The Highest Council is made up of the most honored Speakers among tribes and clans. It is an unspoken and unwritten law for the Highest Council to always be a third of the number of Speakers, so if there is twenty-one Speakers, the Highest Council will have seven members.

The Highest Council among the Dark Elves is something like a supreme court, working over matters of peace, equality, and the laws themselves. It is up to the Highest Council to decide the punishments of Clans as a whole, or terrible Drow or Outsiders.

The members of the Highest Council have ultimate power and immunity, and serve their entire lives, unless someone proves better than them, or if they break the code of the Council.



The Ultimate Laws
The Ultimate Laws were set by the Highest Council thousands of years ago, and are the rules that all Dark Elves obey, with almost absolutely no exception.

Speaker’s Pass
Speaker’s Pass is the same as the human rule for diplomatic immunity, with some exceptions, of course. Speakers are almost as high as a Clan Leader in rank, but unlike their Leaders, Speakers travel among other clans for most of their lives, seeking peace and good relations among clans. Speakers are immune to racism among the clans as a result, and if a Speaker is killed without reason, not only are the murderers brought before the Highest Council for the ultimate death penalty, but the clan responsible loses merit among others.

The Balance
The Balance is likely the largest of the Ultimate Laws, excepting only one clan out of all of them. The Balance refers to the wildlife, and keeping it steady, so all may live at least with some ease. No animal is to be over hunted, nor over fed. Few trees may be cut down, and only if they have been scouted- to make sure there are no rare or uncommon animals living within it or on it- or tainted by sickness that may or will infect the wildlife around it. At most, a clan can only cut down two Scouted trees a year, but must go out of their way to prevent sickness. Penalties for killing what should not be killed include things like having the hunters branded with a mark of shame, or even being skinned alive. Penalties for taking down too many trees include death and the lowering of a clan’s power in the Forest.

Cultural Sanctuary
If a clan is defeated by an outside force, or dwindles because of little success or a terrible year, they may join another clan. This requires them to give up most of their ranks and offer services to the clan that takes them in. They are to act honorable and be grateful towards the clan that has taken them in. The Clan that takes them in have authority over almost everything that they do, but they may not try and force the weaker clan to change cultures or beliefs. The reason behind this law is the belief that a clan that can hold onto their cultures and religions is more likely to fight for freedom should some force try and take it. The Dark Elves like their freedom, after all, and it is one of their most basic needs for life.




The Lauf Clan

The Lauf Clan, known also at the Leaves That Shoot Arrows, is descendent of a band of guerilla warriors from long, long ago, who decided to settle in a quiet, uninhabited part of the Eterne forest. Their primary concerns are for their freedom, the freedom of their children and their children’s children, and for the well being of the forest in which they live. They seek freedom more than almost every other clan in the Eterne Forest, except one.

Despite the fact that this clan specializes in ambushes and guerilla warfare, they’re extremely peaceful among themselves and towards other drow, or elves in general. There is, of course, tension between clans, much like with wolf packs, but as long as they do not offend each other greatly, break the Great Laws of other clans, or attack members of another clan, there is generally peace. Those of the Lauf clan are suspicious of outsiders.




The Leaf-walking Clan

It’s said that Leaf-walkers can spend their entire lives in the trees, without ever once touching the ground. This is almost completely true.

Leaf-walkers are strange, in that they do not make homes of any sort in the canopy of the trees. They build nothing except nests, actual nests, constructed with vines, animal hides and leaves. The only things these people make are nets, swivel-saddles, dyes, canopy remedies, spears, and incredibly high-powered bows.

These Dark Elves have, naturally, an incredibly pale skin, so much so that they are almost luminescent with the color blue. However, they use dyes on their entire bodies since birth, making their skin a light green, and their hair a darker green. Their eyes vary from a light shade of gray to a rusty red.

The swivel-saddles that they make are used on large mounts that look something like oversized rats, called Leapers. Really, really oversized rats, just a few hands shorter than the average horse, with extremely long bodies and very flexible tails. These tails have bone spurs that, when extended, become hooked weapons, or barbs with which they can hang upside down from limbs. They share a similar feature with the saber toothed tiger, with long teeth extending past their lower jaw. Despite their vicious appearance, most of these creatures’ teeth are actually used for cracking open nuts, or for delicately gathering berries without bursting them.

The Leaf-walkers form their bonds with their mounts early on in life by gathering nuts and berries themselves to offer to the creatures. Once one of the leapers accepts the offering, a bond is made, and luckily, these creatures live up to fifty or so years. Little mourning occurs when a Leaper dies, because they tend to hand down their Bond to their most recent offspring. Leaf-walkers claim that these specific offspring are so much like their deceased parents that it is like the parents have simply been reborn. These certain offspring are shockingly easy to train as a result. There are many, many mysteries surrounding Leaf-walkers and their Leapers, which they refer to as Brothers or Sisters.