Velloren is the youngest of the human nations in this part of Erde.  Even so, it’s been nearly two thousand years since its founding.

A Brief History

The coast of Velloren was once part of the Eidechse Empire, as the Kältheim Mountains were once part of the goblin empire.  The humans in the area were tribal nomads following herds of deer through their yearly migrations.

When the Duerfar and Alfar rose up against the goblins and Eidechse the humans were caught in the middle.  Though they tried to avoid the conflict they were often conscripted into one army or another, used as porters, servants, and shock troops.  Then the Duerfar made a breakthrough against the goblin capital, and the goblin armies retreated to attempt to reclaim their home.  The Alfar drove forward against the Eidechse who, without the support of the goblins, could not stand against Alfar magic.  In relatively little time, the Eidechse Empire lay in ruins.  The Alfar were well on the way to establishing themselves in the area when the Svartalfar attacked their cities in the Deep Wood.  Many of the Alfar returned home to help repel the Svartalfar invaders.  Those left behind continued the work of settling the area.  Then came the cataclysm.  A great tidal wave swept the land, destroying farmlands, orchards, surviving Eidechse communities, and the new Heart Trees planted by the Alfar.

The only Heart Tree to survive was the one at Koenigsburg.  The Alfar there were not so lucky.  When the water retreated, the humans found the Heart Tree and began to settle around it.  The Tree, bereft of her people so soon after planting, adopted the human survivors.  She sheltered them with her magic, and provided what food she could.  The human settlement grew, and became the foothold the humans needed to develop their own nation.

Politics and Culture

The name Velloren means “the Lost People”, and it’s true that the humans of Velloren seem to have suddenly appeared around twenty-five hundred years ago.  With their pale skin, yellow hair, and blue eyes they look quite different from other humans in this part of Erde.

Velloren is patrilineal, tracing lineage through the fathers.  It is also patriarchal, though women often hold positions of great power.  For much of its history Velloren has been feudal, the duchies coming together only when the nation was threatened by Unhur’ahn from the south or goblin-folk from the mountains.  The nearly constant skirmishes among themselves have helped to keep Velloren warriors honed, making them powerful adversaries.

The people of Velloren have brought unique and beautiful arts with them, from textile patterns to music.  Velloren is famed for its furs and leather work, woodwork, basketry, and clothing.  Velloren brocade and embroidery can be found in nearly every noble court and Trade house on the continent.

The Velloren people aren’t much for theatre, but they love music and dance.  Minstrels are common, and it’s not unusual for a community (no matter how small) to have one or two people who can play and sing.  Since literacy is rare, much of Velloren’s history is taught by way of song and verse.  Current events are often the subject of minstrel songs, so Vellorens get their news in this way as well.  Knowledge is passed on through song as well, and Vellorens are practical.  Where Yoremban teaching songs are primarily about proper behavior, Velloren songs teach children what to plant, when to plant it, and when to harvest.  On the coast, songs teach how to recognize dangerous weather systems, and what to do during storms.  Festival music is another matter.  During festivals, Vellorens set aside all practicality to sing and dance for the sheer joy of being alive.

Velloren has a rich culture steeped in tradition, and many of their songs come from before the cataclysm.  Many of the patterns used in their cloth and pottery also pre-date cataclysm, and possibly pre-date their arrival on this continent.  However, their ability to hold onto their past has in no way stopped them from moving boldly into the future, and Velloren has become a political force to be reckoned with.

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This work by Jean Headley is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.