Campaign guide plight of the tuatha (1) 20

Chapter One: The Lands of Aeliode
Human
When our ancestors arrived in Tir Ydrail, they had the
wisdom to learn new ways from the spirits that inhabited
the land. They had the strength to carve out their own
lands from the monstrous creatures that crossed its great
plains. When the invaders came, we had the fortitude to
withstand their ceaseless tides. Hear me when I say we
still possess these traits and with them we will one day
take back the land of our forebearers.
Though there are many tribes and differences among the
humans of the Tir Ydrail, they have a strong cultural identity that loosely binds them all under the name Triufir.
Ever since the invasion of the Avitian Empire into their
lands, this cultural identity has become even stronger. The
clans may bicker and fight on occasion, but when push
comes to shove with the Avitians, the Triufir know who
their people are.

Physiology
In general, Triufir humans are fair-skinned and haired. Hair
colors tend towards blondes, light browns, and reds. Most
humans prefer to wear their hair long as a full head of long
hair is a minor source of pride among the people. Beards
and mustaches are common among the males and are well
groomed. Braids and metal hair adornments are common
among both sexes.
Men average in height from 5’7”-6’2” and women
from 5’4” to 5’8”. As such the average Triufiri is slightly
taller than the average Avitian, though slightly shorter than
the average Ostman.

Society
The tribal society built by the Triufir is complex and possesses both quasi-democratic as well as oligarchic features.
The nature of this form of government allows for greater
flexibility in both day-to-day life and matters of state, but
can be a liability as the Triufiri do not have a centralized
power structure. Other cultures have since surpassed
Tuathan ability in matters of writing and crafting, but the
Triufir remain a powerful culture of fierce warriors possessed of a deep spirituality. Visitors to Tir Ydrail are often
surprised by the coexistence of two contradictory strains
of cultural practice, but it must be remembered that the
Triufiri gods are much closer to their people than are the
gods of other regions.
The Triufir culture’s basic social unit is the clan. A clan
is comprised of family members, both natural and adopted,
who live in the same area. These clans band together in

loose alliances with other clans to form cantrevs. The thirteen cantrevs can be thought of as kingdoms, though the
area a cantrev rules over is fluid without the defined borders
of a Kingdom. The ties that bind a cantrev together are less
than permanent and for that reason, it is not unusual for a
clan to change allegiance from time to time.
In addition to clan chieftains, druids and bards are
highly respected advisers and judges in the Tuathan community. Unlike chieftains, bards and druids can roam from
clan to clan with little fear of being accosted even if the
clans in questions are at war. Their role is as advisors and
carriers of news to the entire of Tir Ydrail, not merely one
particular clan.
In the past, clans commonly fought bloody battles
each other, if for no other reason than the glory defeating
a foe would bring the clan. It was common for a victorious

warrior to take the head of a defeated foe and keep it as a
trophy. These heads would be shown off during important
feasts and holidays and were thought to keep evil Fae and
spirits at bay. Heads would be passed down from generation to generation.
While such treasures are still valued and passed down,
the practices of intra-clan conflict and ritual beheading
have fallen out of favor in current times. Due to the pressures put on the people by the presence of the Avitians,
cattle raiding has replaced outright warfare. Being able to
raid another clan of some of their cattle is seen as a show
of strength and one that does not require the death and
beheading of warriors and chieftains.

Arts
Much of the art produced by Truifiri is carved stone or
worked metal. Intricate geometric patterns and abstract
representations of people and animals are often carved into
stones for display. Soft precious metals are worked into
intricate jewelry or added as embellishments on worked
wood or leather.
Adorning the body with artwork is common among
the Truifir. Complex geometric patterns, often said to possess or trap mystical energies, are also commonly drawn or
tattooed upon the body as well. Ornate gold torcs, often
depicting animals, are commonly worn by the wealthier
Truifiri. And though most cloth is rough-spun, complex
and beautiful patterns are often embroidered with brightly
colored thread.

History
The Truifir have lived in the land of Tir Ydrail for thousands of years. Once looked after and protected by the
elven Tuatha de Danann, the humans have come into

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