Cuerno Verde

Cuerno Verde

In the area West of the Spina Armagada mountains, the land known as Ruta Verde, there is a system of indenture called Cuerno. Under this system, inhabitants who reach the age of majority undertake a period of servitude to a Sponsor. Sponsors are important people, members of the ruling Council of Merciantes. Many simply spend the time working for their sponsor, but some are given a task of greater magnitude. A quest. A Mission to fulfill.

History
Many years ago, when the High Elves first wandered through the pass from the East and settled the area now known to them as La Ruta Verde, there was no such thing as a Cuerno Verde. The High Elves were very much merchants and traders, taking the treasures of the new world back to the old world and selling old world goods and knowledge to the Wood Elves and other races who inhabited the land west of the Spina Armagada mountains.

The Merchante Society, or Merchants Guild, became powerful in this new land. Many people wished to join the Society, and in order to qualify a system of indenture was established. Potential Merchantes were given a disk of specially dyed horn, branded with the mark of the Merchante they had sworn indenture to. This disk of dyed horn is known as a Cuerno Verde.

They would serve a period of two or three years service for their sponsor, and during this time, could be required to perform other services for other Merchantes, provided these tasks did not conflict with their service for their sponsor.

Extra tasks performed would also be marked on their Cuerno, and would, in theory, be taken into account on their application to join the Merchante Society. A completed Cuerno was then branded on the reverse, and was considered a Sealed Cuerno.

Anyone possessing a Sealed Cuerno held a higher status than anyone not possessing one. The more brands and clips the Cuerno held, the better. Clips round the edges of the disk are given by those Merchantes of lower status, brands by higher status Merchantes.

Recently
The Cuerno Verde has become mandatory. This has evolved to be the case, and was not a sudden
occurance. The Sealed Cuerno became gradually more important, until the position now where anyone not possessing a Cuerno is effectively able to be enslaved by anyone who does.

The Merchante Society has become the Merchante Council, who are the government. Elves hold especially high positions in the Council, and are very much the dominant race, though any member of any race who possesses a Sealed Cuerno can theoretically rise to prominence.

Cuernos are branded by those with the right to brand, and clipped by those of lesser status. There are in practice many more people who can clip compared with those who can brand. The right to brand and clip is given by the Merchante Council, and is considered a mark of status in the community.

While indentured, the Cuerno Verde must carry with them a disc of green-dyed horn bearing the brand of their sponsor. They also strive to collect the brands of other sponsors, and the clips of lesser citizens, as a sign of the services performed for the community. Some consider the Cuerno a chore, others consider it an honour and a vital part of their passage into adulthood.

After the period of servitude, the Cuerno Verde, is sealed by the sponsor with a brand on the reverse. A sealed Cuerno is the passport to freedom in Ruta Verde. An adult without one could end up as no more than a slave. Four of the original party are Cuerno Verdes, sponsored by Belogard Unstwill, Governor of Puerto Verde.

Cuerno Blanco
There is a rare form of Cuerno which is undyed. In fact specifically bleached white.
The Cuerno Blanco is held only by people who are performing special missions on behalf of the Merchante Council. A Cuerno Blanco does not hold the lowly status of the Cuerno Verde, but is more a badge of office for people who might need assistance. It will normally remain hidden, and be "flashed" much like a police warrant or FBI shield might be used in our world. It will be greeted in much the same manner as such a badge might be. Some will see the bearer as an important official to be given every assistance. Others will see the bearer as an interfering official, demanding one more drain on the resources of the person being "flashed".

The Cuerno Verde Characters

• Astra
  • Librarians
• Woodstrike
• Tamuril Seregon
  • Tamuril's Journal & Letters Home
    • Amael's Letters
    • Sinta's Letters
    • Rumil's Letters
    • Armagada-Laures-Letters
    • Armagada-Megilars-Letters
    • Armagada-Eludilim-Dictionary
• Luthien

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