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The Adena (A."Natives", "Relatives"), sing. Aden people formed a major ethnic group in Khâradûnê, Elorna, and Zimrathâni. They were stated to be primarily an ‘urban’ people or ‘settled’ farmers; the more ‘primitive’ Adena as found mostly in Elorna were also known as the ‘Elornan’. Cosmopolitan in many ways, they appeared to be also deeply traditional and conservative, with restricted marriage options and morally reserved.

History[]

The Adena and Sederi were descendants of the Second Age Mayitû-culture.

Society[]

The Adena are oligarchic, and their tribe revolves around powerful matriarchs.

The Adena trace their descent matrilineally. Men live with their mothers and sisters all their lives, and raise the children of their sisters rather than their own. However, Adena men and women are always monogamous. Adena marry outside their own tribe, generally to one of the partner-tribes among the other Adena.

Both men and women are trained to fight. Each household is equipped with at least two spears and one sword.

Religion[]

The Adena openly worshiped spirits associated with the union between earth and water, which connects life and fertility. Serpents dominated their pantheon, and the winged serpent served as their most illustrious diety. The horned serpent, the spirit of conception and birth, was the most beloved Aden god, while the sea-serpent was feared for its association with rain and storms.

One strange religious practice is the head-binding of infants, although this is believed to be a minority, practiced only by extremists.

Speculations[]

The Adena culture is thought to be influenced by the African Hausa-people. Also "Adena" may be derived from the Hausa word ‘dhan’ = ‘son, relative, native’.

References[]

  • MERP Fan Modules: Name concordance for Shadow in the South
  • MERP: The Shadow in the South
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