The Ilmari, the Tribe of Winds

The Ilmari are renown for their crafts, their city, but also their peculiar method of governance. Being native to a city-state, the Ilmari have a different way of seeing the world, namely with regards to gender roles and their needs for governance. The Ilmari tribe has developed a system of governance known as a demarchy.   A group of chosen jurors would be randomly selected to govern every 5 years from a pool of eligible citizens. However, only men, who had served in the Ilmari military, who were over 30 years of age, who earned a certain amount every month, and who hadn’t been chosen previously could be considered. The Ilmari believe in the importance of debate and the will of the many. The Ilmari way is to ponder all things, and make a decision based on the majority.   Infamously, therefore, the place of women in Ilmari society is greatly diminished. They can manage businesses but never own them. Military matters are solely the domain of men, and they are not considered eligible citizens until they have reached the venerage age of 50, thus severely their rights, income, possessions and civil obligations. The main method through which women can escape the fetters of society is by becoming the vestals of the Great Roc, and thus dedicating their lives to the practice of elemental magic.

These are a unique caste of Ilmari tribeswomen, who dedicate their lives to the worship, teaching and practice of elemental magic. Very few are accepted, and are even then imposed a series of restrictions to prevent their powers from ever being abused. The Vestals are women of great political influence within the Demarchy, and often preside when the jurors of the council come to a tie or cannot make a decision. It is considered unholy for members of the Vestals to be wed, or in a relationship, and thus any prior spouses or lovers they had before joining are either exiled, or broken on the wheel and kept as servants of the temple.

Architecture: The Ilmari's architecture is a peculiar mix of deep alcoves that line the flanks of their pillared mountain homes, impossibly thin bridges of burnished marble, and towering complex forts of alabaster stone. Eagle imagery is everywhere in Ilmatardal, and statues of great eagles stand askew akin to protective totems and shrines across the city. Skyports to host the winged gliders that allow the Ilmari to scale and descend peacefully are found everywhere in the city, with some of the widest mountains hosting tiered marketspaces and forums for discussion.   Bronzework: The bronzesmiths of the Ilmari are known not for their sturdiness but the complexity of their craft. It is no surprise, then, that they are capable of weaving cloth from metal, known as bronzesilk. Albeit it is not as hard as chainmail, it is nonetheless lighter and tougher than the padded gambesons of the landfolk. Ilmari bronzework is prized across Elementia, and come in the form of bowls, jewellery, ornaments of all kinds, and even weapons. A rumour claims that a sword forged by an Ilmari bronzesmith will take to magic better than any other metal, and thus can be enchanted more easily. It is, unfortunately, still make from bronze.   Tailoring: The Ilmari's garb is notorious for being flowing and enrapturing. Ilmari robes are woven with bronzesilk and a variety of other fabrics, creating an airy and resilient garment. Some Ilmari clothes are said to allow one to glide from their fall, whilst others are even capable of holding enchantments better than other robes. Many travellers to Ilmatardal claim this is true, and have seen men and children - devoid of magic - simply leaping off a ledge and floating to the ground below. Nevertheless, they do not seem capable of such flight whens old to other folk, and might simply be a clever lie for the sake of merchanthood.

The name 'Ilmari' comes from the tribes dialectic term for 'flight'. It itself is based off an ancient god-figure known as Ilmarien, the firstborn son of the Great Roc, Ilmatar, and first wind mage of the tribe. Legend has it a widow was desperately in need of a child, for else her parents would banish her into the lands below. She fled to the peaks to escape her parents' wrath, and fed off of the eggs of nesting eagles she found to stave off the hunger found in the mountains.   Given the choice between birthing a child, or dying of starvation, the woman prayed to Ilmatar, greatest of rocs, for help. The winds guided her to an alcove in the flank of the mountains, where cracks and slopes in the rock led to the great eagle's nest. Exhausted, and famished, she collapsed amidst the feathers and twigs of the nest. A great shadow passed over her, and when she woke, she was cradling an egg the size of a child. The widow nursed it as her own, and after decades it finally cracked, revealing a fully grown young man.   This was Ilmarien, and his mastery over the winds was so great, the world was plunged under storm when he raged, and swayed to slumber when he slept. The tribes of landfolk prayed to Ilmarien to keep himself under control, and in return he agreed, provided his mother could spend her last years in her homestead. When her parents refused, Ilmarien warned his mother's people that all who wished to survive his wrath join his family in the mountains, whilst all who opposed him would be swept from the earth and smote by lightning. What remains of these survivors are the Ilmari of today.