That the Vendols practice a faith that is Aelic in nature but not exactly like the worship of the Dunmar-Gog is common knowledge to most Aels; that the Vendol faiths actually can be somewhat complex and sophisticated is not. The word "Vendol" itself is inaccurate: it describes any Ael who is not a member of one of the seven Clans, and in truth, describes at least three broad categories of people.
In the same manner, the term "Ael" and "Aelic" need to be defined. Broadly speaking, there are two methods of doing so. First is to identify an ethnic group indigenous to Lloegyr that shares a number of cultural traits, most prominently the worship of Fey gods (Geor and Wraun are the two most common deities) and an ability to use magic that appears to be an inherited trait. By this measure, there are Vendol tribes who are entirely not Aelic... there are small groups of people (primarily in the far North) who have no knowledge of Fey gods, and strictly worship Chthonic gods. A second definition of Aelic is to identify the Aels as sharing a common language, and this language significantly correlates with the worship of the Dunmar-Gog. If you refer to an individual as an Ael, you typically use the latter definition, although the most studious of the Blacks prefer the former use of the term, as it seems to be more useful.
The reason the Blacks prefer the word "Aelic" to describe the worshippers of Fey gods is because it helps define the three groups of Vendols without requiring a categorical knowledge of all the Vendol dialects. Many tribes speak unique creole languages, and while there is an identifiable Vendol tongue, it is actually quite rarely spoken. It is, however, very easy to identify tribes that worship the Fey gods (one can actually estimate the isolation of a tribe by the number of Fey gods they worship). With this in mind, scholars can define the Vendol tribes as Aelic, semi-Aelic, or base Vendols.
Aelic Vendols are truly Aels who dwell outside of the established clan structure. To have a clan, a group of Aels must produce eleven priestesses... one for each month (not counting Viltem). Such a clan will keep the World Tale, and worship the Dunmar-Gog (literally the "Moon Gods"). If a worshipper of the Dunmar-Gog lives outside a clan, they are called Vendol, even though their way of life is almost identical to their cousins in places like Conley or Samon. These Aelic Vendols are most common either in tribes living along the southern part of the Vendol River, or in small homesteads (typically no more than an extended family) along the eastern slope of the Seaspur Mountains.
Semi-Aelic Vendols are defined by a divergence from the traditional worship of the Dunmar-Gog. They have a strong tendency to organize into tribes, ranging from fifty to five hundred people. While they all deviate from the World Tale, the identifying characteristic of the semi-Aelic Vendols is the removal or replacement of one of the following gods: Danna (most common), Geor, Valka, Wraun, and Parza. Virtually all semi-Aelic tribes will worship at least one but not all of those five deities. They almost always speak an Aelic-Vendol creole, and their religious ceremonies typically require initiation and are tied to specific locations (and are sometimes referred to as the Vendol Mysteries). They are most commonly found in the Seaspur Mountains, and have a reputation for hostility. Until recently, Aelic rangers known as Rochben have generally made sure that those who dwelt in the mountain stayed in the mountain, but for some reason they have suffered significant casualties in recent years.
Finally, base Vendols keep much older ways, and are generally not considered Aelic at all. They typically speak a very "pure" Vendol tongue, and worship the Viltem exclusively. These tribes are found far to the North, and very little is actually known of them.
In the same manner, the term "Ael" and "Aelic" need to be defined. Broadly speaking, there are two methods of doing so. First is to identify an ethnic group indigenous to Lloegyr that shares a number of cultural traits, most prominently the worship of Fey gods (Geor and Wraun are the two most common deities) and an ability to use magic that appears to be an inherited trait. By this measure, there are Vendol tribes who are entirely not Aelic... there are small groups of people (primarily in the far North) who have no knowledge of Fey gods, and strictly worship Chthonic gods. A second definition of Aelic is to identify the Aels as sharing a common language, and this language significantly correlates with the worship of the Dunmar-Gog. If you refer to an individual as an Ael, you typically use the latter definition, although the most studious of the Blacks prefer the former use of the term, as it seems to be more useful.
The reason the Blacks prefer the word "Aelic" to describe the worshippers of Fey gods is because it helps define the three groups of Vendols without requiring a categorical knowledge of all the Vendol dialects. Many tribes speak unique creole languages, and while there is an identifiable Vendol tongue, it is actually quite rarely spoken. It is, however, very easy to identify tribes that worship the Fey gods (one can actually estimate the isolation of a tribe by the number of Fey gods they worship). With this in mind, scholars can define the Vendol tribes as Aelic, semi-Aelic, or base Vendols.
Aelic Vendols are truly Aels who dwell outside of the established clan structure. To have a clan, a group of Aels must produce eleven priestesses... one for each month (not counting Viltem). Such a clan will keep the World Tale, and worship the Dunmar-Gog (literally the "Moon Gods"). If a worshipper of the Dunmar-Gog lives outside a clan, they are called Vendol, even though their way of life is almost identical to their cousins in places like Conley or Samon. These Aelic Vendols are most common either in tribes living along the southern part of the Vendol River, or in small homesteads (typically no more than an extended family) along the eastern slope of the Seaspur Mountains.
Semi-Aelic Vendols are defined by a divergence from the traditional worship of the Dunmar-Gog. They have a strong tendency to organize into tribes, ranging from fifty to five hundred people. While they all deviate from the World Tale, the identifying characteristic of the semi-Aelic Vendols is the removal or replacement of one of the following gods: Danna (most common), Geor, Valka, Wraun, and Parza. Virtually all semi-Aelic tribes will worship at least one but not all of those five deities. They almost always speak an Aelic-Vendol creole, and their religious ceremonies typically require initiation and are tied to specific locations (and are sometimes referred to as the Vendol Mysteries). They are most commonly found in the Seaspur Mountains, and have a reputation for hostility. Until recently, Aelic rangers known as Rochben have generally made sure that those who dwelt in the mountain stayed in the mountain, but for some reason they have suffered significant casualties in recent years.
Finally, base Vendols keep much older ways, and are generally not considered Aelic at all. They typically speak a very "pure" Vendol tongue, and worship the Viltem exclusively. These tribes are found far to the North, and very little is actually known of them.
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