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The Col'amni
Credit and my thanks to Lord Harrow Darkbriar for teaching me new words and providing this topic to me.
The Col'amni, the Family, is the base upon which our society rests. The Nalfein hold loyalty as a virtue of the Gods, one that must be emulated by all elves. Loyalty to the family is paramount, even over oneself.
Col'amni is the elven name for the great families of Ta'Nalfein. Each family has its own estates and businesses as well as codes of conduct and customs. Each col'amni has a cantyr, the head of the family. There is a myth which states that long ago before Nalfein was a great nation, Lumnis descended from the heavens and blessed thirteen children, giving them knowledge and the power to lead. These thirteen grew and began thirteen noble col'amni. One rose as the royal family, the Patriarchal family. The Patriarch came to be known also as the Ar'cantyr, the head of the nation. Since those beginnings, all the great families have descended from the original thirteen which grew and split with time.
The greatest honor a col'amni can aspire to is to have its cantyr invested as the Ar'cantyr. Thus, most nobles invest their energies to this end. Once a col'amni has the authority of the Patriarch, it is very difficult for another to come into power. Most often another family assumes the leadership because the old Patriarchal line was left without heirs. This happens because in the quest for power and glory, many people do not have the ability to raise a family. They set their quest above the need to produce heirs and strengthen their blood. Once in power, a family will often inbreed in an attempt to keep other families from getting a foothold in the race for power. This leads to many undesirable things, such as insanity, disease and weakness. Also, the smaller the Patriarchal family, the more numerous the attempts at their assassination.
The cantyr of a family can be either male or female, and is usually a hereditary office. It is often passed from parent to the eldest child, though the system of succession is a very complicated one. It can also be passed to siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins and spouses. The cantyr traditionally runs the family estates. Families often have extensive holdings, but there is always one castle or manor house that is regarded as the seat of power within the family; this is where the cantyr lives. Things are rarely quiet within a col'amni, a cantyr is responsible for sorting out disputes and making sure everything runs as smoothly as possible. Cantyrs are often sought to approve marriages and dowries during negotiations, as well as bless newborn children into the family. They grace social occasions and hold court. They are responsible for the reputation of the col'amni, and must hold accountable each family member for their actions. While it is a position of extreme prestige, it requires wisdom and no small amount of hard work.
The forming of a new col'amni is a large event in Ta'Nalfein. In order for this to occur, a current col'amni must have reached such a size that the cantyr cannot rule it properly. Also, there must be an agreement between the family over who is on which side and so forth. The cantyr of the col'amni to be split must approach the Patriarch and admit that they cannot handle their family. Obviously, this is very painful on the pride of the cantyr, and not often done. The Patriarch will then privately review the family and the members of the new family. If they are in his high favor, and he does not view this new col'amni as a threat, he will give his permission and assign the new family a cantyr. Estates and business will be split during extensive negotiations, though the new col'amni receives very little. They must then build a seat of power for their family, and send proper representation to the government, as well as arrange large social functions in honor of themselves. The whole process takes many years and has dwindled to almost nothing in recent years.
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