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Ephillion is the planet featured in the world of From The Waters. It's the second of five planets from its sun, Zon, and has two natural satellites. The two satellites are Kafeo, which is larger but is further from the planet, and Balaja, which is smaller but closer to the planet.
Ephillion is able to support a wide variety of living beings because of its diverse regional climates, which range from extreme cold at the poles to tropical heat at the Equator.
Aelin regional climate is considered temperate. In general, it rarely features the extremes of heat or cold, drought, or wind that are common in other climates. Typically the weather conditions range from cool, wet winters and warm, wet summers.
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The only language on Ephillion is Aelinua. This language is not learnt, it is ingrained knowledge from birth for almost every member of the population. Exceptions to this are very rare and suffer from a twist that renders them wordless.
Aelinua gradually evolves, but these evolutions are naturally introduced into aelinuan minds as they occur, so learning or relearning is never necessary.
The written language is not ingrained in the same way as the spoken word; it must be consciously learnt when an aelinuan is young and any changes to it are normal as society progresses rather than part of the shared language knowledge updates.
There are three written languages. Aelinua is the original language that originated from the relocation of Aeternia to Ephillion. This uses an alphabet writing system and is used by the majority of the planet.
The second language is Barteidian. Which was developed in the far side of the Sanobi Desert and is a consonantary writing system.
The third language is Kahpheeni. This was developed on the continent of Kahpheen and is a far more symbol-based writing system.
There is a common signed language used across Ephillion known as Aelinuan Standard Sign Language or ASSL.
Aelinuans do not have a concept of gender, however they do have a social construct similar to masculinity and femininity, the equivalents of which are called feminuan and mascinuan.
The primary religion of aelinuans is Aelia and is centred around Aeternia and the aetris, which makes Aelin City and the other aetri cities the destination of pilgrimages for many aelinuans across Ephillion. A believer of Aelianity is an Aela and the religious representatives and ministers are called clerics. The holy text of Aelianity is the Bibaelia.
The Oracle is the head of the Aelian religion and the only being able to commune directly with Aeternia and the aetris via visions and dreams. The Oracle is also always the Blue Eminence.
A bonding is a ceremony that forms a union between two individuals. It is organised by Blue Hues and performed by the Blue Eminence. It is an irreversible process that forms the three keys and locks between the individuals being bonded.
When the individuals in question have exchanged cimerence gifts and agreed to be bonded they are known as damosée. Once bonded, they are referred to as damoreau.
Bondings are also performed for people who are not citizens of Aelin, however the ceremony must be performed in Aelin City because it requires fresh mother tree bark and the specially designed Affinity Temple.
The process of having a bonding ceremony requires the participants to petition the Blue Eminence and have multiple meetings with him over a period of five years to ensure they understand the permanence and commitment prior to the ceremony itself being arranged. This five year period is referred to as the pre-bonding hiatus. Prior to 5113 the meetings were twice a year with the Eminence, however since that time they are split between the Eminence and specially-trained Psychiatrists.
Haoran, the first Blue Eminence, received a vision from Aeternia telling him how to perform the ceremonies and this knowledge has been passed on since.
The equivalent of marriage. Involves a ceremony. Common in countries east of the Sanobi Desert, rare elsewhere. After the proposal the individuals are referred to as being betrothed. Individuals who have been entwined are known as husbands. Once entwined the individuals wear a thumb ring as a sign of their commitment. Breaking an entwinement is known as divorce.
An exequy is funereal ceremony held when an aelinuan dies to honour their soul's return to their aetri. In Aelin City, the Blue Eminence performs all exequies. Traditions surrounding exequies vary from country to country as well as between Aelin ranks.