The Mantle of the Drottnira
A sacred garment worn only by the ruling matriarch of the Velkara.
The Mantle of the Drottnira is worn only by the ruling matriarch of the Velkara. It is constructed from sacred materials collected over generations — sabretooth fur, ancestral bone, carved horn, woven ash leaves, and each Drottnira alters it slightly during her reign.
Some add carved antler caps, others stitch claw marks into the lining. The mantle is meant to evolve, but never to be replaced.
Wearing it marks a threshold. No Drottnira dons it casually, and no other Velkara is permitted to wear it. It is worn during formal judgments, rites of succession, solstice gatherings, and certain funerary rituals. In most cases, it is kept under protection at the Ash Tree or guarded by a member of the elder council if the Drottnira is not in residence.
The core of the garment is sabretooth hide, taken only from creatures who have died naturally or during ritual combat. Across the shoulders are bone plates carved with runes from previous reigns. Some bear only a name or symbol, while others record events: a famine, a death, a great migration. The lower hem is weighted with ash leaf patterns, usually embroidered with iron-dyed thread or sewn directly with preserved leaves. The effect is ceremonial, but practical.
The mantle is a record of each woman who has held it. Those who see it during rites are expected to lower their eyes, not out of fear, but recognition. It is a reminder of what has been carried and what is yet to come.
Some add carved antler caps, others stitch claw marks into the lining. The mantle is meant to evolve, but never to be replaced.
Wearing it marks a threshold. No Drottnira dons it casually, and no other Velkara is permitted to wear it. It is worn during formal judgments, rites of succession, solstice gatherings, and certain funerary rituals. In most cases, it is kept under protection at the Ash Tree or guarded by a member of the elder council if the Drottnira is not in residence.
The core of the garment is sabretooth hide, taken only from creatures who have died naturally or during ritual combat. Across the shoulders are bone plates carved with runes from previous reigns. Some bear only a name or symbol, while others record events: a famine, a death, a great migration. The lower hem is weighted with ash leaf patterns, usually embroidered with iron-dyed thread or sewn directly with preserved leaves. The effect is ceremonial, but practical.
The mantle is a record of each woman who has held it. Those who see it during rites are expected to lower their eyes, not out of fear, but recognition. It is a reminder of what has been carried and what is yet to come.
Mantle of the Matriarch
Worn only by the ruling Drottnira, the mantle is passed down from one reign to the next. Each bearer adds to it. Each bears the weight of what was added before.
