The chance to get not just Teclis-Sempai, but Teclis-Kouhai?!?
Oh my
@Blackout, you do spoil me. Can I put all six of my votes towards Sapherian Tutelage to increase the chance of pushing it into the top 6?
Alas, but no. But you
can vote for both Sapherian Tutelage and Survivor of the Battle of the Holy Flame to increase your chances of knowing Teclis.
Also, because the Heir of Anaerion pick changes the options from 3 to 6, I suspect this favors the Heir of Anaerion option being taken because those who might not want the Heir of Anaerion status and 6 traits can't simply push forward a 3 trait plan with no Heir of Anaerion.
I... genuinely don't see how? They can just vote against Blood of Aenarion, it's a direct yes/no vote.
And, presumably they don't really factor in Snorri Halfhand's (son of the High King at the time) genocide at Kor Vanaeth because (if I remember the timings right) it happened roughly at the same time as the shaving (though each side learned of the respective atrocities a bit later given the time lag on communications across the ocean).
I'm curious as to whether the Dawi consider it a factor at all
Elven history says that when the Sundering was over, they tried explaining to the dwarfs about the Druchii, but their simple minds just couldn't understand the concept of kinstrife and betrayal, as no dwarf would ever break their oaths and turn on their lord.
When the dwarfs accused them of attacking their trade caravans, the elves again tried to explain it was the Druchii and to investigate the matter to find evidence, but such calls fell on deaf ears. High King Starbreaker made outrageous demands of recompense and weregild, and in response Caledor II reminded him that he dealt with another sovereign, not one of his vassal kings, and that he would not have terms dictated to him.
On the morning of the dwarf ambassador's arrival to Lothern, word came by messenger hawk that a dwarf throng led by Prince Snorri Halfhand, son of the High King, had attacked and razed Kor Vaneth to the ground, slaughtering tens of thousands of elves. Outraged, the Phoenix King demanded an explanation from the ambassador, who pretended to not know of such a thing happening. Seeing that the dwarfs were not negotiating in good faith, Caledor II sent him back to Karaz-A-Karak, but the ambassador refused to leave, drawing his axe upon the Phoenix King and swearing by his beard that he would not leave until the matter was settled. Drawing a weapon in the presence of the Phoenix King was punishable by death, but Caledor II nonetheless understood that the dwarfs were simple creatures who did not understand basic manners and took mercy on him, only shaving his beard in echo of the oath he made.
The dwarf version goes that while they noticed elgi troops and fleets leaving the Old World and that some colonies were abandoned, they thought it was elgi business and left it at that. Their records show earthquakes and freak magical turbulence after about five hundred years of silence, followed by the elgi returning to the continent and things went back to normal. When questioned on the matter the elgi were elusive and refused to answer what had happened, so the dawi didn't look any further into it.
When elgi began attacking dawi trade caravans the High King demanded an explanation and weregild from the Phoenix King, but received only insults. Later they would learn that the attacks were, in truth, perpetrated by Malekith who had risen in rebellion against the Phoenix King and the grudge was stricken out, but since the elgi had concealed the truth from them the dawi felt that they had acted appropriately. By then it was no longer about the attacks, it was how the elgi had responded to the accusations that was the source of the grudging.
Even in the face of elgi arrogance and perfidy the High King held back his Thanes and vassal kings, trying for one last diplomatic effort by dispatching his ambassador to Lothern to negotiate with the Phoenix King directly, but Caledor II had him shaved in a deliberate insult. This outrage was such that there could be no other response but war, and Prince Snorri marched upon Kor Vaneth to seek vengeance for the ambassador.
Imperial scholars who have heard both of these tales suspect that each of them has been edited afterward to make their own side look good, but they keep their mouths shut about such thoughts around the elder races. Ultimately nobody alive was present to see the exact sequence of events, and it would be impossible to prove either way.
Edit: forgot to mention. Blackout you've done an outstanding job with the magic item and trait options. They feel so flavourful and wonderful.
Thank you! I'm gonna be honest I was running on major creative block and wrote up most of them in the last three hours before the vote ended, but apparently I did some good work under time pressure.
Wait what year are we starting at?
Yet to be voted on.
