Evening Song

The largest jundari eyrie that stills survives in the Realms. Its counterpart, Morning Calm, was built in the northern Abjurer Mountains and abandoned generations ago. The central eyrie is located on a large plateau high in the western Iron Mountains. While few people actually live in here, most visit at least once a week. The majority of the population is scattered across the mountains in small tribal villages.

• Official Languages(s): Airish

  • Regional Languages(s): none
• Demonym: Jundari
• Government: Shamanistic Council

  • Head of State:
• Area:
• Population:
• Currency: barter

Four great eyries were built upon the world for the jundari, each one dedicated to one of the four winds that served their goddess. Evening Song was dedicated to the western wind that brought music and spiritual strength to the world as it slept. Its sister city to the east, Morning Calm, was dedicated to the eastern wind which gave the world a reborn life. Night Mourning is actually twin locations both at the very top and very bottom of the world, while Blazing Glory is a single range that runs the equator.

However, the troubles of the lesser races soon came to rest at the doorstop of the Evening Song. For generations they have lived above them, soaring through the clouds above them heedless of their petty thoughts and ambitions. However, the lowlanders coveted what the goddess gave to her children and with iron and steel in their hand they came to take what they wanted.

They arrived outside the gates of Morning Calm just after sunset. The jundari mistook them for some of the nearby villagers that occasionally left gifts for them. However, these men struck down the jundari with swords and axe. When they tried to fly away, the men had bows with sharp barbed heads to force them back to the ground. Less that half of the jundari that lived in the city were able to escape to their sister city.

The people of Evening Song will never forget the lesson the goddess taught to her children on that day, the lowlanders often covet that which they do not possess. The jundari must remain ever vigilant if they are to survive in this world they must become part on the land, as the wind and earth are both part of the world. They must use their friendship with the dwarves to bring the glory of their being to the world.

However, the ways of the jundari do not change quickly as they are nearly as immortal as the elves. So, while the humans saw the passing of several generations, the jundari were still debating with those that survived the attack upon Morning Calm. Finally, enough of the Whisperers spoke out that the people of Evening Song would begin making contact with the nearby humans, who seemed to control most of the land.

Their first contact was with the Kingdom of Dakar and Krandryia went smoothly. While the staring from the people at first disturbed the jundari, they eventually fell into old habits of accepting gifts from the lowlanders as proper tithing. However, their mistake in treating all humans as one led to their worst mistake.

Their greatest hunter, Windstar, led a trade delegation to speak to the Brundswag to the far north. Their ruler killed the delegation and made Windstar’s wings into his own personal cloak. The jundari were outraged by this most evil act and would have taken their hatred out upon all human; except for the intervention of Bellini, they youngest Whisperer ever. She told them that the evil was of the Brundswag leaders, not the evil of all humans.

While the jundari claim all of the lands east of the Gate of the Gods, in actuality their most eastern villages are several kilometers from the Gate. However, since they care little for what happens below their peaks, they often trade the valuables of the land for the food and metals of the dwarves.

Very few of the jundari live within the only true city. Instead, they tend to say as mated pairs or in extended families in the peaks scattered across their land. Most jundari are very protective of their territory, but a few prefer to share the winds near their home with others. Evening Song was built by the west wind and dedicated to the strength of spirit and music that are its gifts to the world.

Chimes of made of gold, diamond, brass, and other materials are scattered around Evening Song to catch the beauty of the wind. Of particular note are nearly a hundred large bells cast by the dwarves with no striker that somehow still manage to ring clearly.

This is the human name given to the slightly flattened peak that marks the Whynnie ancestral home. Her family has lived here for over ten generations and is not likely to move soon. While they allow proper jundari to visit and share their winds, they would never allow another jundari family to live within their lands. At the top of the peak are some of the valuable sundrops that the lowlanders covet. During the spring the children fly to the peak and harvest the plants to sell to the dwarves that live inside the mountain.

This wind comes from many directions but comes together around the base of the Gods Peak. During the warm months it will swirl around the east peak, while the cold months around the west. This wind spirals around the mountaintop, disappearing into the clouds. No jundari has ever found the top and returned; however, many try each year to reach the peak. The jundari believe this is a gate, or pathway, to the heavens.

The jundari have no recognized rulers or nobility, instead each territory is able to decide its own direction. However, the Whisperers, which would be similar to shaman in other cultures, command a great deal of respect. Unlike the shaman of other cultures, a Whisperer can command the respect of others from the moment they can hear the wind.

Another figure that is greatly respected is those that have be granted many different totems, especially the totems of the spirits themselves. Since the granting of a totem is often a sign of overcoming adversity and displays of courage and wisdom, a jundari with several totems is considered a revered figure. Some say a jundari that is not a Whisperer and still commands many totems is doubly blessed, for the Great Spirits saw their true nature without the blessing of the goddess.

The jundari of Evening Song are so aloof from others as to make the elves seem friendly. They live so up high in the mountains that few races could survive for even a short time without collapsing. This has created a sense of superiority among them, which the rest of the world finds very annoying. Instead, the lowlanders are usually struck speechless by the beauty and grace of the jundari.

See also: Brundswag

If the jundari numbered more they would sweep over the snow plains and push the entire nation into the sea. A society based upon selfish needs and brutal strength can never be called “civilization.” The fact that the coat of the so-called overlord contains the feathers of a legendary jundari Windstar just fuels the fires of hatred. However, the jundari have tried several times to take this cloak back, or destroy it, but each time they have met with failure.

See also: Kingdom of Dakar

The old Dakarian culture worshipped the jundari as the angelic messengers of the gods and while the commoner is still awestruck by them most nobles take a more pragmatic view. The jundari could really care less what the Dakarian’s think of them, only that they trade fairly for their goods. There are quite a few medicinal and magical plants that only grow high in the mountain peaks and the jundari have discovered that some Dakarians will pay well for them. This has led to a small trade business during the flowering season.

See also: Ellendar

The jundari of Evening Song dislike the extreme arrogance of the elves, especially in a race bound to the earth. The northern Elven City that was built upon the ice and snow of the great north was a sweeping series of open-top spires. While the elves may have thought they were paying homage to the wind, instead they trapped its power and force it to their will. They change not themselves, but their environment to do their bidding.

See also: Stoneheart Hold

While there have been some minor problems between these nations, Evening Song is most closely allied with the dwarves of Stoneheart. The jundari worked out an agreement with the dwarves concerning the mining of the their land in exchange for them maintaining the heavy stone work of their city. The jundari pity the dwarves and their close ties with the earth. While the jundari don’t consider the earth evil, it is definitely healthy to live where you can touch the wind.

The jundari have no military although they do train in the use of various hunting weapons. They prefer the javelin, net, and light crossbow. However, those that have furthered their study among the humans have learned some of their weapons. However, the inhospitable nature of their land makes invasion by a foreign power nearly impossible. Instead, individuals train so they will not be helpless when they go to trade among the low landers.

When the land of a family, called a nest, is threatened they are expected to defend their own territory. If the invaders are very powerful or numerous, they will probably call upon the assistance of their neighbors. In times of emergencies they will travel to Evening Song and speak to all of the families. In most cases, the families will come to their aid, since the family being threatened could be a different family in the future.

There is very little the jundari want that they cannot provide by themselves. Those things that would be difficult to get, like metal goods, are often traded to the dwarves for some of the high mountain roots and flowers. Some jundari have begun to gather the flowers and trade them to the Dakarian’s, whose magicians find the flowers a invaluable assistance to their study. In return, the jundari often ask for small trinkets of great beauty. These trinkets may have little value to the humans, but the jundari care little for there worth since it’s the beauty that is important.

Internally, their economy is built on one of barter and trade. However, because most jundari have very little need and live in communal environments, there is little reason to barter outside of one’s village. Most of the things within the village belong to the village — all personal things are done through trade or person craftsmanship. While they are not great craftsmen, like the dwarves, the jundari take a fierce pride in what they make for the glory of the goddess.

Evening Song is the only large jundari community left in the Realms. Located so high in the Iron Mountains that few other races would find the land comfortable for living, Evening Song is comprised only of jundari and a few scattering of dwarves. Generations ago the majority of the jundari from Evening Song looked down upon the refugees of Morning Calm, but as they have mated together the lines have become blurred into a single society.

The dwarves are there to payback the jundari for protecting many of their children during the years when they were forced to slave for the giants. The dwarves consider this a lifelong oath to protecting and helping the jundari, while the jundari considered their actions the result from any civilized race. The dwarves live exclusively in the city, in a small structure that looks out of place with its four stone walls and pyramidal shape. There are connecting underground pathways between the city and Stoneheart.

The religion of the jundari, like its magic, is an ingrained part of their life. The jundari know they have very intimidate relationship with their goddess and her children. However, it is only the Whisperers that can fully understand the words of the goddess. While the goddess often speaks to many of the jundari through her children, only a Whisperer can fully comprehend her true meaning. For although the jundari feel close to their goddess, she is still a being of infinite power and wisdom, while they are mere mortals.

By their more deeply held understanding of the goddess and her vision, a Whisper is often the holder of many totems. Few of the Great Spirits would deny their totem to someone touched by the goddess; however, there are some that would deny their totem just because of this relationship. For those totems, a Whisperer is often forced to undergo very difficult tasks to prove their worthiness of holding their totem — not just because the goddess favors them.

Magic is a part of their religion and by extension a part of their everyday life. Their magic takes the form of various totems — or animal spirits. A jundari that wishes to learn magic must make a journey to the places where few travel and beseech the Great Spirit. If the spirit find them worthy they may grant them the use of its totem.

Invoking a totem entails infusing the totem with some of your life energy and calling forth the spirit. If the spirit responds they will aid the jundari in any task they can perform — the more life energy and more pure the request the more powerful the spirit that may arrive.

Some of the example totems are the Hawk, Griffin, turtle, Sailfish, Spider, Raven, Ki-Rin, and Wolf. At one time there were also Dragon, Phoenix, and Moon but these have been lost to the jundari for generations. Some jundari have actually been granted the totem of individual creatures, like Su’Tur the Watcher of the Seas, and StormMane the Running Thunder. These totems are the most power, but are rarely granted.

While many of these spirits recognize the goddess of the jundari, few see her as little more than the Great Spirit of the Air. However, most do not hate the jundari because they worship her as a goddess — for the sight of a mortal is far from complete understanding.

Most of the other nations would consider the jundari of Evening Song as little beyond the culture of most hunting tribes. They have no ruling class, very little economy, and trade for things of little wealth. However, the jundari consider their culture the peak of civilization. They live in harmony with the world and all that exists under the winds. While the other nations pollute the waters and rape the world of its treasures, the jundari live above their petty concerns.

Instead of these physical things the jundari excel in philosophy, the natural sciences, and the arts. Poets, Songwriters, and Playwrights are as important to their cultural being as Hunters and Warriors. This has given them intolerance to acts of wanton destruction and great evil. Most of the people that see jundari away from their homes are involved in hunting down and destroying those of people that have committed a great evil.