I should be working on other things but this has been stuck in my head for a while now. Also my headcanon dictates that all dwarves are part of a clan but only Rilem and Space have proven to be powerful enough to be independent.
Codex: Nefel Nanoi/Clan Rilem
Clan Rilem, or Nefel Nanoi in their tongue, are the amber-skin dwarves of Obelisk/Fragment One. Brought into existence millenniums after the creation of the first dwarves by the god Mavnon, Rilem has always had mixed relations with their older kin. While physically and genetically identical to other dwarves, the Rilemi hold the drinking of alcohol to be abhorrent, a cultural trait that has never ceased save for the few assimilated Rilemi amongst the dwarven nations. In some ways, which few dwarves care to admit, the Rilemi's haunting sobriety has been beneifical. More than one kitchen has been saved by the one dwarf who wasn't drunk on his ass and more than a few employers are thankful that their workers didn't turn up drunk today. On the other hand, most Rilemi never experience the wonders of a 'pub brawl' or the smell of vomit in the wee hours of the morning, a fact which has created considerable barriers between Rilem and the other clans.
Oddly enough, the fact that many Rilemi worship the hermaphroditic deity of conflict and the dangerously-human god of ambition never seems to be a major point of contention. Rather, the fact that the Rilemi always turn up sober to meetings with a face that screams I'm better than you
seems to be a much greater factor.
The Rilemi for their part see the other dwarves with a mix of scorn, pity and awe. On one hand, the dwarves are their racial compatriots and most would rather socialise with another dwarf than anything else. Furthermore, they are known as great masters of craft and innovation, something many higher-brow Rilemi love with glee. However, the Rilemi also see the other clans as too engrossed in their crafts and brews, not caring about the greater scheme of things. If the other clans were to be more like them, they think, the world would be a far better place. But most Rilemi intellectuals understand such a change to be impossible, unless sponsored by the gods. In lieu of this, most advocate an understanding between the Clans that while there are differences amongst them it makes them stronger as a species rather than weaker.
The government of the Clan be roughly generalised as the twelve-member Supreme Council and all employees overseen by the members. In the early days of the Clan, when nearly every decision was advised by the goddess Mavnon, the Regent was the total ruler over the Clan with all other councilors clearly his or her subordinates. Of course, the Regent's supremacy was not a god-ordained right. Indeed, the Mother of Hope had only ordered that the Regent and the Council rule the clan. As such with the growth of the Clan, so to did the Councilors grow in power. Increasing construction, population, technologies and land saw several duties parceled out amongst the Councilors. While the Regent could theoretically overrule them, early Regents rarely exercised this right as the Councilors more often than not were loyal appointees. In time however, many clanmembers questioned the dictatorship of the Regent.
This questioning eventually culminated in the 'Week of Standing' wherein mobs removed the Regent's throne from the Council Chambers as well as his loyal supporters, leaving only the more independent-minded members with comfortable arrangements. By threatening the Regent with the mob, these ambitious souls passed several laws that would enshrine the Regent as simply first-amongst-equals rather than outright ruler. That Mavnon has not reacted towards the shift in political power at all is a sign seen by many as the goddess' approval.
Another major ruling was that Councilors were no longer to be chosen by the Regent but by vote. When a position was empty, the Councilors would vote a candidate from any amongst the Clan and whoever garnered nine votes became the new Councilor. When such a vote is not reached within a week, the vote is tossed out to the populace to decide. This is not merely metaphorical but literal; the council ballot box is tossed into the streets with all councilors legally forced to act disgusted and/or outraged for the remainder of the week.
These 'democratic elections' are perhaps one of the most intriguing events in Rilemi culture. Any Clansman (or woman) may nominate themselves as a candidate, up to and including non-dwarves. For the remainder of the month, these candidates campaign for votes throughout the Clan's territories, hoping to convince their fellow Rilemi that they are the right person for the job. Theoretically. In practice, most candidates concentrate on the Mountainhome and its surrounding settlements as individuals living in these 'core territories' have twice the vote of other regions. Murder, blackmail and other usually criminal acts are well-known aspects of "Election Month", one which leaves many visitors amused or disgusted.
No matter how a Councilor attains their position, they still need power to do anything with it. Unlike other political entities, the Councilors lack any inherent authority. Rather, Councilors pick-and-choose which aspects of the Clan they wish to oversee. This often results in junior members getting the worst jobs like keeping an eye on the Seerstones and senior members enjoying the luxuries of mining ventures. Of course, this is not always the case. should an entire industry or group petition to be overseen by another member, the involved Councilors will have no choice but to agree to it. As such, Councilors must maintain good relations with their subordinates to retain any real power. The only exception to this is the Regent's absolute control over the Durazni, a fact that has irked many politicans throughout the centuries.
While the Councillors may bicker over many decisions, up to assassinating their opponents, none would dare defy a direct order from the Father of Ways. Despite all their fights over power and independence, all will serve Mavnon no matter what it is she asks for. His whims are of course, used by politicians as ammunition to throw at their rivals during debate. Take Mavnon's desire to wage war on the humans for example. Several Councilors had supported friendly ties with the weaker tribes, hoping to win them over through economic and cultural superiority. More hawkish members had wanted to invade them and annex their lands into Clan territory. When Mavnon declared an invasion, the hawks spent the next few days lambasting their opponents for such impious words and that clearly as men who had previously spoken against the goddess, they were utterly wrong. As such, making use of the god's seldom-heard words is integral to ensuring political domination. With the coming of the High Church, this has only expanded with the words of the Aspects and Patronius.
Before the conversion of Clan Rilem to the High Church, Rilem worshiped all gods, honouring Mavnon as their greatest deity. Rather than dedicating priests to her, Rilem worshiped her as a personal god who listened to all their pleas. If a worshiper wanted to offer a sacrifice, they would offer up a sacrifice at a personal shrine, or if the sacrifice was large enough, at a public altar.
While no priesthood existed this is not to say that the values of Mavnon were not espoused. Rather, the Clan taught his values through everyday wisdom and tradition. Storytellers would teach the youth parables and tales of Mavnon and her mysteries. Sacrifices and other religious customs were constantly taught by the Clan's government itself through a religious bureaucracy that ensured all members understood what Mavnon expected of them. As such, while they lacked an organised priesthood, the clan did ensure that Mavnon's beliefs were spread throughout the populace.
What very few Rilemi knew however was that Mavnon maintained a small number of 'Enlightened', dwarves who had proven themselves to be utterly loyal to Mavnon and yet wise enough to also believe in her goals. These dwarves, through their everyday activities, would spread the goals of Mavnon.
(More later.)
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Topic: Litany of the Void: A God Game (24/⊕∵↯) (OOC) (Read 258233 times)