[ drakenet search engine ]

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DRAKENET SEARCH ENGINE

[ One of the handy features of your specially issued Drakenet phone is access to the Knight's digital archives anywhere, anytime, on the go. As long as your character knows how to operate a search engine* they may submit informational queries about people, places, species, deities, organizations, businesses, locations, objects, creatures, etc. etc. and receive relevant information here.

To use the search engine, simply leave a comment below using the following code, replacing the "search terms" with whatever you want to research, and replacing the # with your Research (INT) skill check roll:

<font face="courier"><b>Query</b> "SEARCH TERMS" <b>Research Check</b> #</font>

[ This can be used at any time, either in addition to or as a replacement for actual threading out research on any topic. ]


*and even if they don't, a successful Computer Use (INT) check of 10 or above will allow them to use the program

Comments

[burnsbright]

Scout's going to ruthlessly exploit prep time for everything it's worth. She was kind of infamous for it in the Temple.

...I am so sorry.

Query "Moon Elves"
Research Check 20

Query "Moon Elf Religion"
Research Check 16

Query "Incidents in and around Khajjiar India"
Research Check 18

Query "Attempts to close the Veil"
Research Check 8 ...she doesn't know what search terms to use there, but what can it hurt?

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"Attempts to close the Veil"

While many extremist anti-Shadow groups have professed a desire to "repair" the damage to the Veil that they believe causes these incursions, no one has yet been able to diagnose what causes them, how the Veil functions, what could close it, or why magic comes and goes in waves.

Certain scientists and research institutes have ostensibly looked into the issue, but none have published any findings of note. It's possible that privately funded groups have turned up something, but nothing available to public knowledge.

As for religious rituals with an intended purpose of closing the Veil, there is no information available on the subject.

omg so sorry for so late.

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Moon Elf Religion

All Elves worship a pantheon known as the Seldarine: the fellowship of brothers and sisters of the wood. They act independently of one another, but the elven powers are drawn together by love, curiosity, and friendship to combine their strengths, to accomplish a task, or in the face of outside threats.

These gods are:

Aerdrie Faenya: The Winged Mother, Lady of Air and Wind, Queen of the Avariel, She of the Azure Plumage, Bringer of Rain and Storms

Angharradh: The Triune Goddess, the One and the Three, the Union of the Three, Queen of Arvandor

Corellon Larethian: Creator of the Elves, the Protector, First of the Seldarine, Protector and Preserver of Life, Ruler of All Elves, Coronal of Arvandor

Deep Sashelas: Lord of the Undersea, the Dolphin Prince, the Knowledgeable One, Sailor s Friend, the Creator Intermediate Power of Arborea

Hanali Celanil: The Heart of Gold, Winsome Rose, Archer of Love, Kiss of Romance, Lady Goldheart

Labelas Enorath: The Heart of Gold, Winsome Rose, Archer of Love, Kiss of Romance, Lady Goldheart

Rillifane Rallathil: The Leaflord, the Wild One, the Great Oak, the Many-Branched, the Many-Limbed, Old Man of the Yuirwood

Sehanine Moonbow: Daughter of the Night Skies, Goddess of Moonlight, the Lunar Lady, Moonlit Mystery, the Mystic Seer, the Luminous Cloud, Lady of Dreams, Lady of Death

Solonor Thelandira: Keen-Eye, the Great Archer, the Forest Hunter

Sehanine Moonbow is specifically revered as the moon elves patron goddess. Whereas Corellon's symbol is the crescent moon, Sehanine Moonbow (SEH-ha-neen MOON-boe) is the elven goddess of the moon or, more specifically, the full moon. She governs divinations, omens, and subtle magics and protects against madness.

She watches over the dreams of the elves, keeping them from harm while in reverie and sending omens to protect them from future dangers. Sehanine also watches over the passage of all spirits from the world, and she is protectress of the dead.

The Daughter of the Night Skies is also a guardian and guide to those elves whose days in the mundane world of mortals are done and who seek to travel from the lands they know and love to distant refuges such as Ever-meet. She also watches over such refuges and ensures they are kept safe from intrusion.

Sehanine governs long journeys, both physical and spiritual, and in elven cultures that proclaim the reality of reincarnation, Sehanine and Corellon work together to guide the spirit to its best subsequent incarnation as it works its way toward perfection.

Although Sehanine is venerated by all the Fair Folk (including half-elves and a handful of gnome illusionists), she is particularly revered by moon elves, who view her as their protector, and gold elves, who are the most withdrawn from the world of all the elven subraces.

Alternately called the wife and daughter of Corellon, Sehanine is the mightiest of the female powers in the elven pantheon.

Identified with the mystic power of the moon, Sehanine's tears are said to have mingled with Corellon's blood and given life to the elven race. The elves do not forget this. Sehanine is both the primary aspect of Angharradh and one of the three elven goddesses-the other two being Aerdrie Faenya and Hanali Celanil-who collectively form the Triune Goddess. This duality tightly binds Sehanine with the two other senior elven goddesses, and the three collectively serve alongside Corellon in leading the Seldarine, just as the Goddess of Moonlight is said to do in other myths.

The church of Sehanine is generally perceived as removed from the daily concerns and outward expression of everyday life. Sehanine's temples are soaring monuments open only to elves and a few pious half-elves. Most such temples are constructed of white stone (often marble) and shaped so as to suggest imminent flight. Symmetry and circles are highly prized by the faith, reflected in the architecture of Sehanine's houses of worship.

The central chapel is always perfectly circular and is usually open to the night sky or covered by a retractable or transparent dome. Great gardens and hedgerow mazes often encircle the main structure, their formations imitating the paths of the heavenly bodies in the night sky above. Near long-standing temples, megaliths form great stone circles for use in tracking the position of the moon, fixed stars, and wandering stars by elven astrologers.

Novices of Sehanine are known as the Mooncalled. Full priests of the Daughter of the Night Skies are known as the Heavenly.

In ascending order of rank, the titles used by Sehanite priests are Stargazer, Moondancer, Sky Seer, Vision Seeker, Omen Teller, Dream Walker, Transcendentalist and Reverent Dreamer.

Dogma: Life is series of mysteries whose secrets are veiled by the Luminous Cloud. As the spirit transcends its mortal bounds and new mysteries are uncovered, a higher form is achieved and the cycle of life continues. Through contemplation and meditation, communion with the Lady of Dreams is achieved.

Through dreams, visions, and omens revealed in sleep or the reverie, the Daughter of the Night Sky unveils the next step along the path and the next destination on the endless journey of mystic wonder that is life and death and life. Revere the mysterious moon, who draws forth tides or being from us all.

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Moon Elves

Moon elves, also known as Teu-tel-quessir in their own language, or as silver elves are the most common of all the elven subraces. Like all eladrin, the Teu-tel-quessir are tall, close to humans in height, but more slender and beautiful. Moon elf skin is pale, often with an icy blue hue. Moon elf hair is commonly black, blue, or silvery white, although human-like colors are heard of as well, though very rare. Moon elf eyes, like those of other eladrin, are very commonly green, although some are blue as well. All exhibit a characteristic best described as golden flecks speckled through the iris. Male moon elves are typically taller than females.

Of all the eladrin races, moon elves are the most impulsive, with a strong distaste for complacency or isolation. Moon elves long to be on the road, traveling and exploring the untamed wilderness that lies between cities and nations. This extroverted quality is part of the reason why moon elves get along uncommonly well with other races and have come to the conclusion that the N-Tel-Quess, that is to say, the non-elves or eladrin, are not necessarily as foolhardy or unworthy as their brethren might think. Moon elves, rather than feeling that interaction outside of their race diminishes or weakens them, believe that interacting with other races, humans in particular, is the best way to spread the values of the Tel-quessir races, thereby strengthening their culture.

Moon elven society is often loosely organized and few moon elves stay in one place for more than a season or two, preferring a nomadic lifestyle. Moon elves are generally comfortable living amongst other eladrin, particularly sun elves, as well as elves, gnomes, humans, or halflings. Most moon elves organize themselves into groups of a dozen extended families or so, each ruled democratically, although often with de facto leaders whose say holds more weight than anyone else’s, an individual most often respected for either their age or their martial skill. Wherever they live, moon elves are unassuming, with homes just as humble, if comfortable.

Although often light-hearted and at ease, moon elves can leap to action if danger comes around. Like other eladrin, moon elves make sure that nearly all of their number are trained to wield a weapon and many also have some small skill in magic. However, even in such dark times, moon elves tend to find something to brighten them up, a quality that can be valuable for maintaining morale.

It is not uncommon for a moon elf to take on the life of an adventurer. After all, moon elves are innately a race driven by wanderlust and the desire to learn or do good. Altogether, moon elves are individualistic and most believe sincerely that each person can make a difference in the world, for better or worse. Because moon elves have an innate sense of altruism and good will to others, most moon elven adventurers are heroes, rather than villains, though both exist.

Generally, moon elves take things with little gravity, taking joy in the simple things of life, a trend which their music and art reflect, which are more often joyous than solemn. Moon elves are themselves very fond of art and have both a strong bardic tradition and a history of painting and sculpting. For entertainment moon elves prefer to gamble, taking little risks as part of the fun. Similarly, drinking and reveling is an important part of moon elven culture.

Like most eladrin, moon elves prefer clothing of simple design but exquisite making, using among the finest textile and most beautiful weaving designs available but typically making simple cuts and measurements, finding showy flourishes unnecessary. Moon elven clothing is often flashy in other ways, however, with bright colors popular amongst moon elves who feel comfortably at rest and away from danger. Most moon elves wear their hair in braids or ponytails, decorated with wires or beads. Tattoos are not unheard of amongst moon elves and are frequently worn, though it is not an ingrained part of their culture.

Moon elves are fond of keeping pets, in particular such animals as cats, dogs, falcons, or other hunting partners. Many also form close bond with self-aware creatures, such as blink dogs, pegasi, unicorns, or dragonnes. However, most moon elves do not keep mounts, feeling it important to walk on their own two feet.

Moon elves, like other eladrin, love the learning and use of magic, in whatever form it takes. Both traditions of arcane and divine magic are highly encouraged and those who partake in either are pushed to expand the knowledge of their race. This pressure does not bother most moon elves, who are outright delighted should they ever become masters of the Art.

Moon elves are uncommonly tolerant of the N-Tel-Quess, spending as much time within other races’ lands as they do within their own. While sun elves might wrinkle their nose at other cultures as inferior, moon elves typically feel that the diversity of this world's landscape as wondrously enchanting. To a moon elf, the insights that non-eladrin often have is a strength that others of their race too often ignore. Rather than shunning outside ideas, most moon elves embrace them and make them a part of their own culture, which often causes other eladrin and elves to look down on the subrace. As a result of this attitude, however, moon elves are the subrace that has best integrated into the modern world, and most of this world's attitude about elves is derived from their view of moon elves.

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"Incidents in and around Khajjiar India"

While there is information available about some more generic incidents: traveling accidents, weather related information, etc. Scout would also find specific information posted about by those gathering to support the sisters. There's a Twitter and Facebook movement supporting the #Close the Veil effort, for one, but also news stories about certain incidents where the crowds gathering have turned violent. Reportedly the worst such incident occurred when a group of students arrived to protest, claiming that the sisters were frauds, and tried to reach the steps of the temple. Inflamed supporters turned aggressive, and some of the students were actually beaten and hospitalized as a result. The sisters offered no comment or response, leading some more peaceful supporters to feel uncomfortable enough to leave the site, but many more arrive each day: a mix of humans, elves, and other races.