Eslurians
Eslurians are the people of Eslura. The first of them were five people the god Aezaros made with the Eyearke Stone as a test of its power, and those five were held to be Eslura's first inhabitants and its very first Rulers and Head.[1]
Appearance
Eslurian is not a description of a body. The three Eslurians who sit together over tea in Alpin Loomin's library at Farenworth are a lizard, a gopher and a woman.[2] Alpin later counts himself, a mouse and an Olphin boy together as "Eslurians like us", and Ferra Ellisvat, who is human, says "we Eslurians" of the same group.[3][4]
The edges of the word are not fixed. Tabitha Glowdish, an Olphin, calls Fawn the first Eslurian who ever gave her a chance to be something other than just the Olphin, which sets herself outside the word rather than inside it.[5]
Society
Eslurians commonly carry a surname, which is one of the things that marks them out from the Nelazgians, who have none.[6] Aero Ellisvat says the Eslurian line traces back to Aezaros, the first Head of Eslura.[7]
Narrower names sit alongside the broad one. A native of Ovallia is an Ovallian, and a native of Galecrest a Galecresteen.[8][9]
The four kingdoms answer to their Sacred Rulers and their Books. Varaar claims independence and is run by its five gangs, but by Tab's account it still falls under the rule of the Rulers all the same.[10] Eslurians travel from all over the land for the High Moon Festival, and once did the same in Zybersia, where the same festival was called First Flames.[11][12]
Descent matters where the Books are concerned. Reagan Hideaway, raised on Earth, assumes a Book could not choose someone who is not from Eslura, and is told she is Eslurian because her parents were trueborn Eslurians.[13] Beatrice Tidal is not Eslurian and has no Eslurian family, and is Sacred Head regardless.[13]
History
Creation
Aezaros and Nelazgus were given the Eyearke Stone out of the sky. Aezaros reached it first and made the settlement of five. Nelazgus stole the stone while she slept, made a people of his own ruled by one all-powerful king, and tried to make them just like Eslurians, though as the god of darkness and death his creations came out otherwise.[1][14]
The War of Shadows
Eslura fought Obellius Kalaar and his allies in the War of Shadows, and afterwards banished the Olphins to Morgaedion for a betrayal Seely's research later shows they were compelled into.[15] It also cost the academy in the Sacred City, which Nindra describes as once the best in the world. A new one stands in its place, and she is candid that it is not as good.[16]
Under Obellius
The Nelazgians buy young Eslurians in Varaar from those willing to sell children, then raise and train them to lead Nelazgian ranks, on the reasoning that Eslurians are more fit for leadership.[7][4] Ferra Ellisvat, taken this way, commands at Veskadoth under an enchanted necklace that will kill her if she leaves the island, and says the Eslurians held there are meant as a bargaining chip.[4] Eslurian prisoners are taken across the kingdoms as the war widens, Pemadee among them.[17]
Known members
Eslurians named in the books include:
- Alistair Archibald
- Millennium Loftwind
- Alpin Loomin
- Lumikki Otsby
- Reagan Hideaway
- Aero Ellisvat
- Ferra Ellisvat
Behind the scenes
The pronunciation guide at the back of both novels gives Eslura as Ez-lure-uh and Eslurian as Ez-lure-ee-ann, and lists Ovallia and Ovallian on the next line. A Sacred Tale Collection has its own guide, which lists Eslurian alone.[8]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Book 2, Ch. 24.
- ↑ Book 1, Ch. 8.
- ↑ Book 2, Ch. 14.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Book 2, Ch. 22.
- ↑ Collection, "The Way Shadows Live".
- ↑ Book 2, Ch. 19.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Book 2, Ch. 16.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Book 1.
- ↑ Book 1, Ch. 5.
- ↑ Book 1, Ch. 14.
- ↑ Book 1, Ch. 3.
- ↑ Book 2, Ch. 20.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Book 2, Ch. 26.
- ↑ Book 2, Ch. 25.
- ↑ Book 1, Ch. 17.
- ↑ Book 2, Ch. 17.
- ↑ Book 2, Ch. 27.