The Law

The Echmeri Law (also known as The Law) is the ancient set of guidelines that the bat elves abide by. To an Echmer, the Law comes before all else; if something even seems like it will disrupt the protocols in the Law, the individual will not undergo it. There have been exceptions to this rule, when certain Echmer break the Law without regrets. The penalty for such a thing varies depending on the severity of the crime, ranging from title strippage to banishment to execution.

No one truly knows when the Law was created, but it is speculated that it was during the year 1A 704 due to the fact that the  Council of Dull Chimes had finally solidified and the modern Echmer race emerged from the ruins of their ancestors the Protoechi. Since the first record of the Law comes from this historical period, this reason seems solid.

According to Echmeri scholars, the general consensus is that through the use of primal acoustineering (their version of tonal architecture) the Law was permanently engraved into the literal psych of the Echmeri people due to the fact that all members of their kind are born with its protocols inside their mind. The nature of this process is unknown, and the binding of an entire people is interesting to think about. Although the Law can be broken, an almost unanimous mental response will alert the nearest Echmer of what just happened. The response is slightly painful, and the perpetrator will show up uniquely when using echolocation.

There are many different protocols within The Law, but the top five of priority are as follows:

''[01] All blood comes from the same source. To defile the blood of a friend or direct kin is the defilement of yourself. Such defilement includes murder, theft, and relatable acts.''

''[02] Loyalty to one’s friends and family is invaluable. Do not abandon your family or friends in their time of need and they wont abandon you.''

''[03] Honor one’s ancestors, including the ancestors of others, as you would honor yourself. Desecration of the dead or troubled spirits is prohibited and vile.''

''[04] Do not make promises idly; always fulfill the ones that you make. Lying is frowned down upon unless it is out of necessity.''

''Find the facts behind all being, because everything has a truth behind it. Do not just see with your eyes, but with all of your other senses as well.''

Foreigners are exempt from The Law, which resulted in a brief turmoil with the Echmer when the Tamrielics arrived and assimilated their land of Yneslea. They have since recounciled this issue, by allowing the Tamrielics to be ruled over by Imperial laws and customs (which they have also begrudgingly added into their own traditions).