Two forces govern Aerenal. The Sibling Kings hold all temporal power. By ancient tradition, the nation must be ruled by a bonded brother and sister. When either sibling dies, the Undying Court selects a new pair to rule. The Sibling Kings are seen as the living embodiment of Aerenal, and the conduit for the power of the Undying Court. The current siblings are Belaereth and Tezaera of the line of Mendyrian.
While the Sibling Kings guide the daily affairs of Aerenal, the Undying Court shapes the destiny of the elf race. This council of the deathless selects, advises, and empowers the rulers of the land. The motives of the Undying Court cannot be understood by mortal beings; their plans stretch out over millennia. But those who have studied the elves—and their conflicts with the dragons in particular—are convinced that the deathless have a goal whose fruition may still be centuries away. Indeed, since the deathless measure existence in time spans that even dragons cannot imagine, their machinations and plots worry the dragons no end.
Each family owes obeisance to the Sibling Kings and the Undying Court, but each has its own traditions of internal rule. Some are matriarchal, some are patriarchal, and others have their own sibling lords.
Aerenal is open to travelers. After arriving at a port, a visitor can explore freely. However, the elves don’t give foreigners a warm welcome. Crime is rare in Aerenal, and punishments are severe. Lawbreakers can expect swift capture and punishment, often involving exile or execution.