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Elf bloodlines and family names

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
akhena
Dec 03, 2010 2:48:45 I have a question regarding elf bloodlines and family names. I understand that a bloodline can be traced back to one of the tribes that followed Aerenel during the exodus. And in one bloodline exists many different family names.

My question is this : is Phiarlan an elf bloodline ? And if that's the case, is Paellion (from the shadow schism) a family name or a bloodline as well ? Or could you be a Phiarlan but from the Jhaelian line ?

I'm a bit confused here, and I would like to get this right.
#2
Hellcow
Dec 03, 2010 9:27:51
My question is this : is Phiarlan an elf bloodline ? And if that's the case, is Paellion (from the shadow schism) a family name or a bloodline as well ? Or could you be a Phiarlan but from the Jhaelian line ?

Check out the Dragonshard archive, specifically the articles on Aerenal and House Phiarlan. Phiarlan is NOT an Elf bloodline; it is an alliance of a number of different families including Elorrenthi, Tialaen, and Shol. The Paelion family was also part of Phiarlan until the schism. So Paelion is a family, Phiarlan is not. A proper name of a Phiarlan elf would be along the lines of Jaena Elorenthi d'Phiarlan.
#3
akhena
Dec 03, 2010 12:45:28 Thanks a lot for this answer !

Now I read also that an elf can have a family name which is different from the name of his bloodline. The example gave an elf from the Jhaelian line with the family name Dolorenthi. So I guess he would be called for instance Jaena Dolorenthi of the Jhaelian line (assuming he is coming from Aerenal).

If this assumption is correct, does this mean that the same happens in the Houses of Phiarlan and Thuranni ? Could we have a Jaena Dolorenthi d'Phiarlan of the Elorenthi line ?

It seems like I'm looking for small details here. But it might be important for one of my player, who's playing a Valenar elf. He is unaware that his father is a survivor of the Paelion line who hid among the Valenar after the Shadow Schism. Of course the father changed his name. But I wanted to know what his original name was. And here I have it : Paelion.

What about marriage ? If a Paelion marry an elf from the Jhaelian line. Which name will the children bear ?

Thanks again.
#4
Hellcow
Dec 03, 2010 16:43:55 I was slightly unclear in my previous post. I'm writing on a phone, so I can't quote the relevant material, but check the Aerenal Dragonshard or the ECG. Short form:

An Aereni line and a dragon marked house are actually similar. Both are alliances of multiple families. The line is, essentially, a political entity. Every Aereni elf has a line and a family.

In Aerenal, the name of the line is also the name of the ruling family. So you can be a Dolenthi elf from the line of Jhaelian, or you can be a jhaelian elf from the line of Jhaelian. This isn't true with Phiarlan, as there is no Phiarlan family... But it is true with Thurani, where Thuranni is the name of the house and one of the families in the house.

So it's Jaena Elorrenthi d'Phiarlan, not Jaena d'Phiarlan of the Elorrenthi line. Phiarlan filled the same role as a line - a political alliance of multiple families.

In terms of name, in marriage one partner joins the family and line of the other, and the child takes that name and lineage. So you wouldn't have Jaena Dolorenthi d'Phiarlan because Dolorenthi is a Jhaelian family. Either Jaena keeps her Elorrenthi name and her husband is brought into the Elorrenthi family and Phiarlan house.... Or she joins the Dolerenthi family and Jhaelian line. This is a political consideration, and Aereni marriages are often arranged.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 akhena Dec 03, 2010 2:48:45	I have a question regarding elf bloodlines and family names. I understand that a bloodline can be traced back to one of the tribes that followed Aerenel during the exodus. And in one bloodline exists many different family names. My question is this : is Phiarlan an elf bloodline ? And if that's the case, is Paellion (from the shadow schism) a family name or a bloodline as well ? Or could you be a Phiarlan but from the Jhaelian line ? I'm a bit confused here, and I would like to get this right.
#2 Hellcow Dec 03, 2010 9:27:51	My question is this : is Phiarlan an elf bloodline ? And if that's the case, is Paellion (from the shadow schism) a family name or a bloodline as well ? Or could you be a Phiarlan but from the Jhaelian line ? Check out the Dragonshard archive, specifically the articles on Aerenal and House Phiarlan. Phiarlan is NOT an Elf bloodline; it is an alliance of a number of different families including Elorrenthi, Tialaen, and Shol. The Paelion family was also part of Phiarlan until the schism. So Paelion is a family, Phiarlan is not. A proper name of a Phiarlan elf would be along the lines of Jaena Elorenthi d'Phiarlan.
#3 akhena Dec 03, 2010 12:45:28	Thanks a lot for this answer ! Now I read also that an elf can have a family name which is different from the name of his bloodline. The example gave an elf from the Jhaelian line with the family name Dolorenthi. So I guess he would be called for instance Jaena Dolorenthi of the Jhaelian line (assuming he is coming from Aerenal). If this assumption is correct, does this mean that the same happens in the Houses of Phiarlan and Thuranni ? Could we have a Jaena Dolorenthi d'Phiarlan of the Elorenthi line ? It seems like I'm looking for small details here. But it might be important for one of my player, who's playing a Valenar elf. He is unaware that his father is a survivor of the Paelion line who hid among the Valenar after the Shadow Schism. Of course the father changed his name. But I wanted to know what his original name was. And here I have it : Paelion. What about marriage ? If a Paelion marry an elf from the Jhaelian line. Which name will the children bear ? Thanks again.
#4 Hellcow Dec 03, 2010 16:43:55	I was slightly unclear in my previous post. I'm writing on a phone, so I can't quote the relevant material, but check the Aerenal Dragonshard or the ECG. Short form: An Aereni line and a dragon marked house are actually similar. Both are alliances of multiple families. The line is, essentially, a political entity. Every Aereni elf has a line and a family. In Aerenal, the name of the line is also the name of the ruling family. So you can be a Dolenthi elf from the line of Jhaelian, or you can be a jhaelian elf from the line of Jhaelian. This isn't true with Phiarlan, as there is no Phiarlan family... But it is true with Thurani, where Thuranni is the name of the house and one of the families in the house. So it's Jaena Elorrenthi d'Phiarlan, not Jaena d'Phiarlan of the Elorrenthi line. Phiarlan filled the same role as a line - a political alliance of multiple families. In terms of name, in marriage one partner joins the family and line of the other, and the child takes that name and lineage. So you wouldn't have Jaena Dolorenthi d'Phiarlan because Dolorenthi is a Jhaelian family. Either Jaena keeps her Elorrenthi name and her husband is brought into the Elorrenthi family and Phiarlan house.... Or she joins the Dolerenthi family and Jhaelian line. This is a political consideration, and Aereni marriages are often arranged.