By Hyoko Fujimoro
Highlord Starsnuffer is the leader and spokesperson for the Dhe'nar people. I found him to be a very impressive Dark Elf, with black skin that, at times, makes his countenance appear to fade into his robes, robes so black they seem to be fashioned of purest essence. He kept his long silver hair loose except for two braids, woven from seven strands of hair, one on each side of the face, characteristic of his Dhe'nar heritage. He was quite articulate and, despite a piercing gaze and stern countenance at times, I found him easy to talk to and even occasionally humorous.
Hyoko: The visible existence of the Dhe'nar in the Landing seems fairly new. How did it occur here?
Starsnuffer: There have been Dhe'nar living in the Landing and even calling the Landing home for well over a century. In fact, longer than the vast majority of residents currently living there. The ancient language had a different term for my people, but that word is long dead.
I believe that there recently has been more, shall we say, "attention" shown towards the Dhe'nar, but that is only to be expected. Several of us tend to stand out and occasionally cause a stir, be it in whispers or aloud.
Hyoko: I understand. Perhaps we have only noticed recently. Did the Dhe'nar prefer not to attract attention before?
Starsnuffer: Hmm, I do not believe that is it. We have never actively tried to draw attention to ourselves. I do think that being that our culture is different than what is normally expected here, we pose some degree of curiosity and question among the residents. Our numbers have grown a bit as more have migrated from Sharath, Eh'lah, and other villages, which may be another reason why we have been noticed more.
Hyoko: What is your personal history?
Starsnuffer: That is a long story, perhaps best saved for another time. I have lived a very long, very eventful life. I take it by your questioning however, that you wish to know about my past before I came to the landing. This, too, is a long tale, which I have told on occasion during dark and stormy nights among a few close friends. However, I will try to sum it up briefly for you.
I came from a small village near the base of the Great Mountain in Sharath. The people who raised me were of the working caste of farmers and shepherds. Throughout my youth I had a longing, a lusting, a burning to find every tidbit of knowledge that I could, and I was drawn towards the arcane. Without knowing more of my people's culture, this might not seem so out of place. However, the study of magic is forbidden to Dhe'nar for all but those who are chosen by the Warlock caste. The villagers in my town warned me when I was caught studying, but their words went unheeded. I merely found more secluded places for my work.
Among these places were a system of ancient caverns to which I had taken a liking. To be brief, I one day stumbled upon a hidden passage which led to a concealed library. You could imagine my surprise and delight to find row upon row of books and tomes of every design and subject. It turned out that the library belonged to an old wizard who nearly startled me back to my village when he crept up behind me. The wizard did not share much of his own past but took interest in me. He resolved to teach me his art and lore. In return I would perform mundane tasks for him, whatever he asked. The tasks ranged from hunting and preparing food, the odd job, to more obscure tasks that I've only recently understood. This went on for the majority of my childhood and teenage years.
One day the village guard burst in upon our quarters, killed the old man, knocked me unconscious and took me back to my village. I awoke to find myself stripped naked, beaten, and tied to a stake. I was to be burned for my crimes. I remembered my teachings then, and I understood a mantra I was taught to recite constantly in my head.
"Power is Everything, Emotion betrays Truth, Truth is Knowledge, Knowledge is Power, Power is Everything."
I put my petty hatred, fear, and anger behind me, and incanted a powerful spell. Fire and meteors rained from the heavens while lightning lashed down from the sky and bathed each and every villager in its brilliant destruction. Before my spell was done, every last one of them lay smoldering at my feet. I took the scalps of the warriors who captured me and braided them into a headband. This was my right of ascension. I was Dhe'nar then, not only in blood, but in power.
I remembered some obscure words my mentor had once told me. "Seek the Council, for they alone can tell you from where you come." I followed these words to the peak of the Great Mountain, and I demanded audience with the Council of Magi. I found that I was the product of a High Priestess and an Archmage who hid me in the lower villages as a babe to protect me during a degree of political upheaval They had both died. I demanded for the Council to accept me and train me as Warlock, to which they agreed begrudgingly.
The rest, as they say, is history. I must admit that my story is by no means a common one, and in fact it is still frowned upon in Sharath. You cannot begin to understand the irony I felt when I was first chosen to be Highlord of the Dhe'nar in Western Elanthia.
When my training was completed, I was appointed a Warlock by the Council. I was given a name. I then traveled. My Dhe'nar name is very difficult to pronounce in your tongue, and it is one I keep to myself. Those I met along my travels asked me my name, and I referenced an ancient Dhe'nar tale, the Star Eater, for that is what my villagers called me when they tied me to that stake and spit upon my naked body. It is a curse of sorts, but one I have since turned into a blessing.
Hyoko: All this talking must make you quite thirsty. May I offer you something to drink? I have sake with me, and I can quickly get ale, mead, or whiskey.
Starsnuffer: Ah, a fine idea. I brought a bit of wine with me. However, I do appreciate your offer.
Hyoko: What would you prefer?
Starsnuffer: This Dhe'nar wine. A fine blend. A bit of elven princess, Lorminstran priestess, and human virgin. The latter being extremely difficult to find these days.
Hyoko: I cannot fathom that kind of wine and shall leave it to your tastes. I have read some of the history of the Dhe'nar. You said, "chosen to be Highlord," yet I thought I read that it is not a choice, but a supplanting. How did you become Highlord?
Starsnuffer: Yes, and no. The title of Highlord is twofold. There came a time, many moons ago when the population of Western Elanthia was growing rapidly. We found that there were more of our kindred joining us outside our homeland and even more who claimed to be of our blood in great disgust and dismay.
We held a meeting and decided it was time to expand the Dhe'nar empire and declare territory here. After this meeting I was approached by Lord Kree and Lord Otterex, and I was asked to be patriarch of our people until such time as we could form an Obsidian Council.
This is what I refer to as being "chosen" and is the time at which I felt the irony I spoke of earlier. With some degree of prodding, I agreed. When the Council was formed, I claimed and ascended to the seat of the Obsidian Highlord, chairperson of the Council, which rules over our people here.
Hyoko: What are the general responsibilities of being Highlord?
Starsnuffer: There are several. As Highlord I speak as a voice for my people. I am not only responsible for their protection but their own actions as well. The Dhe'nar are a united people with shared goals and shared skills. As Highlord of the Obsidian Council, I arbitrate the meetings and set the agenda. However I do not vote except in the instance of a tie. Each seat on the Council represents a caste for the balance of power. It is my duty to speak as the voice of all Dhe'nar.
Hyoko: The Dhe'nar voice is sometimes in a unique language, it seems. Is the Dhe'nar language the same as the general elven language, or does it differ?
Starsnuffer: Now it is different, but long ago, when the elves were One race and One people walking under the teachings of the Arkati, we had One language. The Dhe'nar language is perhaps the purest form of the original elven tongue. However, it has been over 80,000 years. Change is inevitable.
The Dhe'nar have great care and pride for our past and our customs. We do our best to keep the language as pure as possible. However, it is a very difficult tongue. There are many dialects. Each caste has its own, and each subclass has its own. Even the dark dwarves have their own version of the tongue. Then there is the court tongue, which could be considered a language all its own. You see, we are elves, and elves have a great affinity for nature and their surroundings. Our words change as our moods and surroundings change, while remaining pure at the same time. It is a difficult thing to understand to one who is not elven.
Hyoko: Would you be so kind as to share some Dhe'nar words or phrases and their Common-language translations with me?
Starsnuffer: I will share a few that you might hear us using often so that you might better understand. You must know though that we do not share our ways often.
Two of the most common you may hear us addressing each other by are the words sho'nah and sho'rah . These mean brother and sister. We view our culture as an extended family and treat each other as such. While our internal culture is vastly different, we know our roots, and we stand behind each other with each breath.
A common greeting and goodbye, and perhaps the most famous Dhe'nar phrase, would be Kris har'esh . This means literally, "Walk with power." To Dhe'nar, power is second in importance only to family.
Hyoko: Is it an affront to a Dhe'nar for another race to speak in the Dhe'nar language?
Starsnuffer: Hmm. Yes and no. It is sometimes amusing, and to a degree flattering, if you care for such trivial things, when one takes the time to learn the pronunciation and uses the words with respect. However, when those do not take the time to learn the correct pronunciation and do not respect the words for the history and culture they represent, it is considered an insult.
We care a great deal about our culture. We would not have an outsider disgrace it no more then you would appreciate it if an outsider were to take your sword and sheath it unclean into its scabbard.
Hyoko: That I understand quite well. Earlier you said, "Emotion betrays Truth." What emotions do the Dhe'nar allow themselves, if any?
Starsnuffer: Dhe'nar have and experience emotions just as any other sentient being and elf. However, we view them differently from what is common among the other races. To put it simply, emotions fool one's mind into believing what is not there or believing what that person "wants" to believe. This does two things.
First, it betrays the real "truth" and blinds one or all of that person's senses. Second, at the same time, it creates a "truth" to that person, as truth is nothing but perception. This makes emotion a powerful tool, one that requires a great deal of training and practice to properly use.
This is not to say that all Dhe'nar are heartless machines. In fact, because of this training when we do feel true emotions, they are very powerful. We do, however, reserve the more powerful ones for those of our own blood.
Hyoko: The Dhe'nar appear to be a proud people. This is quite justifiable, given their heritage and history. How do the Dhe'nar cope with the existence of the Human Empire?"
Starsnuffer: To be honest, it is something we have only recently discovered. We do believe that, like most human things, the talk overshadows the truth. This is understandable. Mortals have short lives. They tend to make the most of what they do have during this time. Remember, though, that the life span of my people spans tens of centuries. Recently to us is in the last 300 years or so.
We are, however, aware of this so called empire and have taken steps to keep an eye on it's expansion. I have yet to see any real power in it though, but I would be a fool to ignore any challenge.
One may relate the expansion of the humans to the fall of the elven nation, the seven houses. The elves have destroyed themselves and paved the way to be overrun by the humans or any other race. The view of the Vaalor and many other houses is, "Humans are an annoyance. Merely wait a short while and they will die off." While this may or may not be true, it is foolish to ignore any rise in power. This is why the elven nation is in such a pitiful state.
Hyoko: I have heard you handle other functions on Teras, most recently the removing of sleepers from the streets. Is this part of your Dhe'nar leadership, or do you have other roles on Teras as well?
Starsnuffer: My functions on Teras are largely apart from my leadership of the Dhe'nar. For a large part, my actions on Teras are somewhat personal. I consider the island my home now, and in fact we have recently begun construction of a great tower that will be home to the Dhe'nar on Teras.
Because Teras is my home, I care for what goes on there. I am a stern man, and I do not take appreciation to others who would soil my home. It is perhaps because of this that I earned the title of "Emperor of Teras Island," another title that was "appointed" to me but none the less stuck. I am, however, far more lenient with the people of Teras then I am towards my own Dhe'nar. The rulership of the island is by no means related to Dhe'nar government. If it was, you would know it.
Hyoko: If you could reshape Elanthia according to your idea of how things should be, what would Elanthia be like?
Starsnuffer: Oh, I could go into great length explaining that. However, all I will say right now is wait and see.
Hyoko: I appreciate that you have taken time from your busy schedule to talk with me. Kris har'esh, honorable Highlord Starsnuffer.
Starsnuffer: Well spoken, and walk with power, Hyoko. I appreciate the time and respect you have shown me and my culture.