Dhe'nar Culture & Lore

All credit for this information goes to the original Obsidian Tower websites, including Lord Celtic's site.

My intended changes will be primarily to reformat and fix spelling issues as needed. This site was created to aid in the distribution of knowledge about a Gemstone IV culture I played and loved, and I do not lay claim to any of this information within as my own.

Please note that, as much of the information was written before the Dhe'nar became an official culture, some of it is out of date. In addition, much of it is not officially recognized but intended to fill in and enrich the sparse official information.

I will also note here that, while the Obsidian Tower was the sole way of being recognized as Dhe'nar in the past, this is no longer the case. It remains a useful and important method of doing so, however.

-- Serenwy

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If you've chosen to come to our collection, then it's likely that you're wondering just who the Dhe'nar are. Rest assured that you aren't the first to ask such a question, and certainly won't be the last.

At our most basic level, the Dhe'nar are a Family. First recognized as a separate Bloodline of the Elven Empire some 80 thousand years ago, the Dhe'nar continue to maintain their unique heritage and way of life despite the ire and misunderstanding of those around them.

Digging a bit deeper, one finds that the Dhe'nar are a race committed to perfection in all its forms; be it of the mind, the body, or the Family. The honing of a keen mind and intellect is the first goal of all Dhe'nari training, and perfection of the physical is just as important. Above all, however, is the overarching need to bring the Family to new heights, to demand the most from its members, and to insure that strength and rigor is rewarded, rather than punished.

Such a people, one might correctly surmise, are also dedicated to Power. Power comes in many forms in Elanthia--power over others, power over nature, power over the elements, and power over oneself. The competent accumulation of power is expected of Dhe'nari nobles, and those unwilling or unable to do what it takes to get ahead are culled, so that the Family might grow stronger. Power, in all its forms, is one of our greatest virtues.

Some--in fact, many--have faulted the Dhe'nar for their pursuit of power and perfection, even at the cost of their lives. To us, however, the ability to shape the world, to influence those who we touch, and leave a lasting legacy all outweigh the potential costs. Indeed, we often live by the saying:

"Everything is Knowledge. Knowledge is Power. Power is Everything."

And I think, should you ever taste it, you will agree.

Kris har'esh.