"...northwest of Meridian beyond the Valley of Oblivion lies an area consisting only of hills and mountains, surrounded by water except for a small area to the north. The eastern border, to Meridian and the tribal territories of the Quitaron, is formed by the river Kanuba, the remaining borders by the sea. only in the north there is a land connection to the territory of the Quitaron. This area consists of a large mountain range surrounded by hills. This mountain range is called Jazabal'Jarh, which means 'Holy Land' or 'Holy Mountain' in the language of the Elves living there, the Atiarel. These Atiarel are of tall, slender stature, and of varying skin colour, be it normal, like Humans, alabaster white or stone grey. They wear their hair, which is thin and silky, either long, bald, or one, or both, sides shaved off. They also have large, slanted eyes of a bright colour. The Atiarel are rarely seen, as they live a secluded life in the mountains..." ~
Jazabal'Jarh or The Land of the Atiarel
The land of the Atiarel consists of a mountain massif in the middle and the hills around it. The mountain massif, which is called "Jazaba'Jahr" by the Atiarel, is steep and high, but gives way to a vast plateau half the size of Yadosien.
"Our people live in the mountain range which lies in the 'Hills of Solitude', and which is called by us Jazabal'Jarh. We live only in the mountains, as the 'Hills of Solitude' are not to be inhabited.... Why? Well, it's simple, you just go mad in these hills, as everything you see now can be different in a day, or even in a minute. These hills are hard to cross, so they are our protection and our prison at the same time. Jazabal'Jarh, on the other hand, is not dangerous, and like the 'Hills of Solitude', is picturesquely beautiful. The rivers and streams are the clearest I have ever seen. The birds sing as brightly and beautifully as nowhere else on Tirakan. The grasses and trees are sap green. the animals leap for joy to be here. And our people live in peace and harmony with nature. Every time I come back home, my heart almost bursts with joy. Our children are happy children, they laugh, jump and dance. There are large patches of moss by each stream, inviting the walker to settle down to enjoy the water of the stream and the air, and to listen to the music of the mountains and its inhabitants.... " ''Ancenrion, Atiarel Ranger, to a lost wanderer in the hills of solitude''
The Cities
The Old City
The mountain massif Jazabal'Jahr in the middle of the realm of the Atiarel forms a huge plateau surrounded by mountain peaks. In this plateau, most of the Atiarel live in the "Old City". This city was supposedly built aeons ago in an extinct volcano. The wrath of a mighty being once struck this city, tearing volcano and city in half. Thus, the "City of Temples" is located in the northeast, and the "Living City" in the southwest, separated by a rift several hundred metres deep. The Living City is seen as the capital of the empire, open, loud and full of life. Over time, the buildings changed, some were torn down and rebuilt, others simply repaired. The city of temples has remained unchanged for thousands of years. It contains temples, two ancient academies, and three sword schools. The only people inside the City of Temples are the priests and the members of the academies and the sword schools. The only connection to the City of the Living is an ancient stone bridge, which is heavily secured by the City of Temples. According to legend, the academies and sword schools were founded to protect the temples.
The culture of the Atiarel
The people of the Atiarel are strongly influenced by religion and have thus been divided into two classes over the course of time. One class is the De'NunKahr, which roughly translates as 'The Physical', the other class is the so-called A'Nunkahr, the 'Spiritual'. The clerics are the only ones of the people who are allowed to work magic in any form. Casting magic from a corporeal is punishable by death, if not worse. These rules are now so deeply ingrained in the Atiarel consciousness that the corporeals would never think of working magic on their own. Children of corporeals who show magical talents are taken away by the so-called winged squadrons of the temple city. Depending on the behaviour of the parents, they are either executed or only lightly punished, with light punishments ranging from a ban on further procreation (which is at least punished by castration if not complied with), to fines, to the loss of a body part.
Restriction: Atiarel player characters cannot learn any divine professions like priest or paladin. All priests, etc. from the Atiarel are pure NPCs.
The history of the Atiarel
The Atiarel appeared about 3500 years ago in the vicinity of northern Tirakan and settled in the northwest in a mountain massif surrounded by hills that they called Jazabal'Jarh. Where the Atiarel really come from is doubtful, as the old legends speak of four elven peoples and say nothing about a fifth.