The Woodland Folk of the Arylmoor
Origins
Like many of the beings that dwell in the lands of the Arylmoor, the exact methods in which the Folk came to be are a mystery. All that was known about them was that they possessed the Flame of the Children in their blood and the hearts and bodies of Man. Such properties allowed them to exist outside the Moor whereas other Moorish creatures could not. Yet they still possessed their abilities even though they were far away from the origins of the Flame.
According to a scholarly hypothesis presented by Gregory Viceman of the Order of the Intelligencia, it was believed that first Folk to roam the lands of the Moor came from none other than the streets of Old Hatlynshire or Hatlyn’s Shire as it was known. Such a hypothesis was based on the descriptions of the Old Kingdom of the Folk mentioned in copies of old tomes present within the archives of the College. The scholars pointed out similarities between the Folk and Men in both culture and architecture, suggesting possible inspirations since it was clear that Old Hatlynshire had stood far longer than the Old Kingdom in the Moor.
(Note: In the early days of the Circle, particularly during War of Banners in the 2nd Century AF, there arose a belief that the Folk predated Man and hence were superior. Yet such beliefs were disproved in the succeeding centuries.)
Assuming Viceman’s hypothesis as fact based on leading evidence. The Order of the Intellegencia would conclude that the early Folk were persecuted for their connection to the Flame and thus the Children (whom the humans had persecuted for many centuries). This would’ve led to a great diaspora of Folk from Hatlynshire, a diaspora referred to by historians as the 'The Great Exodus', into the far reaches of the Moor where they would found their own kingdom. There they would stay for untold centuries before the Doomed Campaign. While evidence of the Great Exodus is sparse, with the theory's greatest weakness being that human tomes seem to have no mention of any such event taking place, it continues to be the prevailing theory. Despite the fact that even the dates in which is took place have not been fully identified.
History
It was made clear from old tomes that survived the Flight that the Folk were ruled by a monarch. Perhaps taking inspiration from the humans and their Grand Prince. While much of the history of the Folk is lost to time, some records have survived through the old books. The earliest of these records recalls the tale of King Matthias of the Moor, a figure who seemed to be the founder of one of the earliest dynasties of Folk rulers, House of Matthias. This tale, known as The Matthiasis, recalls how Matthias endured trials set upon him by a great beast of the Moor in exchange for the power to build a wall around his then fledgling kingdom in order to protect it against invaders (almost certainly humans). It was said that upon gaining the power he built a circular wall that stood three hundred feet tall in a single day. The Matthiasis therefore is considered the oldest known mention of the Gratabithia, the legendary Great Wall in the Moor, a landmark feature that would appear in any text mentioning the Old Kingdom of the Folk.
Other records kept under the care of the Intellegencia include The Selosiad, a chronicle detailing a conflict only referred to as the Wars in the Sun, a series of wars in which the Folk led an assault upon the lands of Old Hatlynshire led by King Maxilian the Great. This conflict supposedly lasted thirty five years, ending with the repelling of the Folk and the death of King Maxillian in the Battle of Gerdburg’s Grass at the hands of the Grand Prince Janson Denbrook. The Selosiad seems to take place centuries after the Matthiasis, however the exact time difference is debated a King Maxillian is referred to as Maxillian Matthias several times during the story.
Other records include the Book of the Flame, a tome detailing the customs and traditions of the Folk, the Circle would use this book to introduce Ceremonial Initiation back into Circulion society after the Flight. And though some speculate it contains details about long forgotten magic powers its full contents have never been revealed.
But among the tomes recovered by the Intellegencia most regard the Ellad Memoria as the most significant. For it was a book written directly after the Flight by survivors of the Last Battle of Folk and Men, the last true Woodland Folk. It recalls the details of the reign of Queen Ella the Iron Willed, the last queen of the Woodland Folk. It details the battle between the Queen and Grand Prince St George Montgomery in the Field of Triumph ten miles outside the walls of Old Hatlynshire. It even makes passing mentions of the charge of St Annalise of the Burning Banner and other key moments. Therefore the Intellegencia consider it an essential tome that all must read in order to gain membership.
Culture
The Woodland Folk all wore cape-like cloaks as part of their attire. These cloaks came in various colors and contained various patterns, some pertaining to social class or occupation while most were simply stylistic. Underneath they were all required to wear a rope belt. This type of fashion is described consistently within the tome, The Boy of Hearttree, a book that describes the life of Frin, a Folk boy living in a settlement known the Hearttree-in-the-West. This tome describes the cloaks and belts being made of silky threads made from the bark of a ‘Boniwhite Tree’. Some have disputed this method claiming it as a made up process only present in the book as such weaving methods do not exist in present Hatlynshire. Others claim it is a long lost technique (possibly learned from the Children of the Moor).
The knowledge about several Folk traditions survive into the present day. The most notable of these is Ceremonial Initiation or Trial by Blood, a coming of age ritual involving the participant drinking their own blood and opening a Flame Door to the mirror. This tradition is among the few that are still practiced in regular Circulion society as most have been deemed too impractical given present circumstances. However, it is made abundantly clear through old tomes that the Folk had a deep association with the moon and the stars, similar to how the humans had a deep association with the sun (a reference to the light absent when traversing the dark forest floor). The Folk had several holidays dedicated to the moon, with one text even stating that they would host a parade on nights with full moons called the Night of Harmony, this particular parade would sometimes be celebrated by individual Hamlets even in the present day. The Folk were also described as having sung war songs on the eve of battle, a traditions perhaps borrowed from the humans. This tradition too lingers on among present day Circulions with songs such as 'When War Comes to Everton' by poet Scott Franklys.
As for their societal structure it is made evident that, by present Hatlynshire standards, it was quite feudal. With the monarch having absolute authority with a class of possible nobleman and courtiers standing above the majority. Several times in ancient texts, the Kings of the Folk have been described as wearing a crown of branches and sitting upon a throne carved from a living tree to symbolize their dominion over the Moor.
(Note: Due to lack of proper descriptions regarding the administration of the Old Kings of the Moor, scholars tend to think of the kingdom’s structure as similar to that of Old Hatlynshire’s)
Many also believe that the Folk possessed a deep knowledge of the Flame and the worlds beyond the Arylmoor, with an example of this knowledge being their ability to construct doorways to the Mirror, a plain of existence beyond the lands of Hatlynshire. Some speculate that the magic abilities possessed by Folk people far exceed the ones possessed by their Circulion descendants, a theory which is plausible given the amount of knowledge lost during the Flight. But some academics go even further, stating that the Folk had access to worlds beyond even the Mirror and had constructed great monuments in them. However, the books that describe these so called worlds are often dismissed as fiction by the majority of the Intelligencia. However, the existence of spaces beyond both the real world and the Mirror is a topic that many do not outright dismiss, as the existence of buildings whose interior space far exceeds the limitations of the exterior walls (such the Demon Family residence constructed by Allison Demon and the Great Hall of the Circle) does often puzzle the minds of any who are not part of the most the senior Intelligencia. However, the exact method behind this particular example remains confidential. Hence it is not considered as an undeniable proof for the existence of spaces beyond the Mirror and the real world, much less the assumption that the Folk had knowledge of the existence of such spaces. Hence to the Circulion public, the answer to these theories remain a mystery.
Folk architecture often mirrored the architecture of Old Hatlynshire. Except it was characterized by the use of intricate designs on the exterior of the structure, often symbolizing various things. Patterns like this included spiraling lines and a repeating pattern of triangles. The use of eyes, trees as well as stars and other cosmic objects are also present within Folk design. Such is depicted in old illustration present in old tomes. Many assume the use of such symbolism is meant to indicate a deep understanding of the Flame, the magic of the Moor and other cosmic and ever-present phenomena and concepts such as life itself. This point is further proven by the tomes mentioning the use of living puppets, the size of ordinary humans by the Folk. These ‘FireFolk’ as they are called, were often used as servants by the Folk yet how they were created or how they functioned was never in any records present within the College.
As for divine figures, they seemed to have worshiped a being known only as the King of Moor. It was in honor of such a being did they partake in what is referred to as the Walk of Faith, a journey partaken by the monarch and a retinue of followers as they traversed the Moor to a mythic paradise known as the Woods of Forever Spring in order to appease the King of the Moor. The exact nature of this ceremony is detailed in the book, The Passage of the Holy Company, which describes the harrowing pilgrimage of Princess Ania the Maiden of the Stars, which took three years to complete. Yet many scholars have considered the trials endured by the characters and the scenes and elements presented in the book to be exaggerated or fictitious hence it is unclear whether the things presented within the text are true in any sense.
For more see:
- Introduction I: The Circle
- The Demons of Allison Street
- The Organizational Structure of the Circle
- The Monetary Structure of the Circle
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