Fiction:Eza'naerani Dominion

"To become one with the Nine-Faced God; one must become the storm. Bind together; become feared and face all enemies as if one were the strike of thunder and the wind of storm itself. There you will find comfort among your own people as their strength becomes yours."

- Scriptures of the Shoni, 1:5:23

The Dominion of the Eza'naerani is a gerontocractic civilisation situated upon the northernmost reaches of Koldenwelt's Polar Lands, governed by the feline culture known as the i. Reclusive and enigmatic from even ancient times, the Eza'naerani remain a subject of great interest to scholars and historians alike, as their lack of contact has created a great interest to inscribe their histories and their knowledge.

It is known that the Eza'naerani Dominion worships the Nine-Faced God; a polytheistic interpretation of Nalashtannylor, the Simulacrum of Purity and are headed by the elder populace of their Dominion. Their worship of Nalashtannylor has earned them the respect and caution of other northern cultures.

History
There is no recorded history of the Eza'naerani before the turn of the seventh millennium BNA, through records of the then-existing. During Matthias Castus' rule, multiple expeditions were undertaken to seek out undiscovered cultures in north; however it is agreed that initial contact between the Eza'naerani and the Orichalcum Elves occurred much farther south than the Eza'naerani Dominion. Vague descriptions of the Eza'naerani speak of them as enormous and bipedal white lions - their gait was compared to that of the, a much more known kind of feline beastman that the Orichalcum Elves had contact with in the desert. It was likely that the encounter was a trading route of the Eza'naerani, possibly heading towards Talmyr.

It was believed that the Eza'naerani had formal relations with the early until the War of the Thirteen Kings between 651 BNA - 635 BNA had severed most trade routes as the kingdom had fell apart. Some indication entails that the may have had contact with the Eza'naerani Dominion in similar times, although for reasons unknown the Dominion sought to end the contact.

Government
Though headed by an Elder, the Dominion of the Eza'naerani's leadership is a chamber of nine aged Eza'naerani (known as the Chamber of Elders) said to symbolise the aspects of the Nine-Faced God, and thus practice each facet of the Nine-Faced God's philosophy in order to bring about balance in the Dominion itself. The Elder is the symbolism of the Nine-Faced God's most balanced aspect, and acts as a speaker of the entire chamber and delivers the final decision according to the opinions of the eight before them. The tradition of this governmental system has continued for millennia, and little is said to have challenged it nor has there been the desire to amend its process.

It is also believed that the core tenets of the Eza'naerani were etched upon a great wall of stone - according to legend, the stone was rendered unbreakable by Nalashtannylor himself as his divine talons had inscribed the laws upon the stone itself. The sacred nature of the wall was the cornerstone of the Chamber of Elders' place of convening, and thus the elders themselves often meditate facing only the wall as they speak among themselves. Some belief from the north implies that the Elders have been rendered blind from the wall's magic.

Society
Driven by the word of the Elders, the Eza'naerani Dominion is a strict society that follows the tenets supposedly written by Nalashtannylor himself. It is thought that there is a form of caste system within the Eza'naerani species to denote role, although scriptures imply that no caste is above or below another. There is no knowledge of the Eza'naerani's attitude towards outsiders, although it can be formulated that the Eza'naerani are not too welcoming of outsiders unless they are mutual worshippers of Nalashtannylor. Elders are the most revered demographic within the Eza'naerani Dominion - the Chamber of Elders themselves are elected to become the governors of their society until their death.

Trivia

 * The Eza'naerani were inspired by the Khajiit from The Elder Scrolls series of games.