Beginners Guide to House Sar'Donnath
Welcome to the Live Action Role Play World of House Sar’Donnath.
The House has a rich history, much of which is located in other sections
of this web site, but such a large amount of information can be more than
slightly overwhelming so, what we have here is the basic information that you
will need to bring you up to speed with what is going on.
If you
have any questions, feel free to post them on the Message Boards or email us.
House Sar’Donnath is made up, virtually entirely, of Elves. Anyone who was born into the House will be an Elf.
Some people, from other races, have joined with us but the vast majority
are of Elven heritage. However, the House removed itself from Elven heritage many
centuries ago and now no longer considers itself to be part of that race.
Every child has their pointed ears cropped at birth and no member of the
House will refer to themselves as Elven, they are simply Sar’Donnath.
Over a
thousand years ago, when Sar’Donnath was still thought of as Elven, there was
a great war amongst the races and the Elven people were scattered across the
lands. House Sar’Donnath settled
on an island in the Varallan Archipelago, along with many other Elven Houses.
Centuries
passed quietly as the Elven people tried to recover from their losses and House
Sar’Donnath grew in strength and number after all that they had suffered
during the war. Initially, the
Elves worked together for the betterment of all, but over time, things changed.
For many different reasons, there was a split within the Elven ranks and
the House was forced to flee from the islands.
For almost six hundred years House Sar’Donnath has been a nomadic people,
never settling in any one place for very long.
Whenever things seemed to be settling down, the Varallan Elves would find
where the House was and we would be forced to flee once more.
During that time, we came to rely greatly on our ancient warships and we
have developed many sea-faring skills.
While
still strong in the Magical Arts, much knowledge has been lost over time and the
House has nowhere near the Arcane strength that it once had.
Our numbers have dwindled to almost nothing, our soldiers are the
remnants of what was once a vast and feared army.
In brief, the House has stared into the face of death and destruction and
is slowly but surely dragging itself back from the brink.
Sar’Donnath is made up of two distinct, but interlocked factions – the Sul’Kath and the Dar’Kath. Basically, the Dar’Kath are the military arm of the House, made up mostly of soldiers and warriors, while the Sul’Kath are the masters of the Arcane and Diplomatic arts. The division is not as clean cut as it seems and there is nothing to prevent a member of the Dar’Kath from using Magical skills or from a member of the Sul’Kath to train in the use of sword and shield. Neither faction is superior to the other, neither one has any more authority than the other and both groups are necessary to the survival of the House
Captain Kalanthas Dar’Kath leads the House soldiers on the battle field, and, as the House is mainly a military force, this gives him a lot of power and responsibility. Ayersgarth is the head of the Sul’Kath and the senior SpellCaster within the House.
Two years ago, the remnants of House Sar’Donnath landed on the shores of the Wolf lands of Norska. In these last two years, the House has formed some very strong relations with the Wolf Faction and we now are located on a series of islands off the Eastern shores of their mainland.
Lordhel is the god-figure, the ancient ancestor of House Sar’Donnath and upon reaching the age of puberty, every House member goes through a Ritual in which they pledge their loyalty to him and to the head of the House. The current leader of House Sar’Donnath is Prince Arion Sar’Donnath. He is the undisputed leader of the House and it is through him that the words of Lordhel are passed on to the rank and file.
Out of Character – Any player who wishes to join
House Sar’Donnath must realise that we are mainly a military group and at the
larger events, you will be expected to follow a chain of command.
This does not mean that you have no free will or that you have no say in
the running of the House, it simply means that there will be times when you are
expected to obey the orders of your character’s superior officers.
Of
course, it does also mean that there is plenty of opportunity for you to advance
within the House ranks. When you
first join, your character will be expected to serve for a year as a member of
the Blessed, the main unit of the House troops, but once this year is over, you
have the opportunity to moving to one of the other units if you so wish.
As the
House expands and grows, there is a constant need for more officers and higher
ranks within both the Sul’Kath and the Dar’Kath. These positions are open to anyone who has proven their
abilities during their initial year.