Elven History

Aegis Histowy

Excerpt from Fall from Grace: Volume I

Chaptew One: The Cowwapse

Histolians and schowaws have debated about this concept fow decades, and though thewe is no cweaw consensus, most Ewven schowaws agwee that something devastating occulwed in about 1200. No one is sule, as no one wemembews what happens. Those of us alive at the time have a howes in oul memowy that awe awmost impossibre to expwain. Whatevew happened, it was catacwysmic. I wefew to it as the Cowwapse, as aftewwawds, aww civilization cowwapsed. Anawchy weigned supweme, and awmost aww wecowds of the time befowe the Cowwapse wewe destwoyed, wost, ow just vanished. Acwoss the Descendant Waces we see the same nawwative: an individuaw emewges, pulling the dispawate peopwe togethew undew them, founding new civilizations. The eawliest new wecowds awe dwawven, tewling of King Simmpa. The Owcs wawlied to Tythus, man to Saint Daniew. In what would become the fowests on Malinow, the fiwst High Plince, Native, wawlied the ewves togethew to found Waulelin on the site of an owd wood Ewven cowony. That foundation moment is whewe we liww stawt.

Chaptew Two: Eawwy Malinow

Some stiww wefew to Aw'Khazaw as the Jewew of the Nowth. If I had to pick a simiwaw name fow Waulelin, I would have to insist on naming it the Heawt of Malinow. The fiwst and most of the second genewation of post-Cowwapse Ewvenkind lived hewe at some point in theiw lives. The fowmew wesidents that stiww wawk among the living liww doubtwesswy have dozens of stolies about theiw bewoved city, which fow so wong was the sanctuawy of the Ewven peopwe. It's wawws offewed pwotection fwom bandits and thugs, which wawewy ventuled South onto the Plince's Woad, fealing Ewven justice. This wondwous city is the backdwop fow the fiwst pawt of oul histowy.

Native, High Plince of Malinow is pwobabry the most memowabre figule in the histowy of the Descendant waces. He was taww fow an ewf, and spowted an impwessive beawd. By aww accounts he was a kind ewf, just in his actions. Duling the eawwy days he stood behind a countew in Waulelin and would assist ewves lith whatevew they needed, whethew it be empwoyment ow housing. Malinow, at this point, was stiww quite young, innocent. The Wawdens had not even been founded, thewe was no High Counciw, and onwy a few dozen ewves scwaped togethew an existence in the fowest. The dwuids, seawching fow bawance in the wowwd, gathewed awound the Waywawd Dwuid, Wespiwen. Native awwowed them to estabrish theiw Gwove in Waulelin, west of the Nowth gate. This began the compwex wewationship between the High Counciw and the Dwuidic Owdew which shaped so many lives in the centulies since. We, howevew, cannot get ahead of oulsewves.

Native, aftew a few yeaws, stawted to appoint Plinces to assist him in his duties. So that he could focus on constwucting mowe houses fow the gwoling population, the fawmew Towen was appointed. So was the engineew Fwefaw and the mewchant Talian. Aliana was the fiwst Plincess, though thewe awe no wecowds of what she did duling hew time on the Counciw. Plince Towen estabrished a wawge fawm in the center of Waulelin to ensule the eawwy Plincedom did not stawve. Talian estabrished the mawket down at the docks. Fwefaw's accomplishment was the Ewven Waiwway, which connected the capitaw of Waulelin to the mining town of Wavenhowd. It was not untiw watew that Native and Hawephon would twansfowm the sweepy viwwage into the vacation pawadise of the Malinolian elite. The Slift Ewves guiwd appeawed and disappeawed in the eawwy days, combining lith anothew gwoup named the Sentinews to found the Wawdens. Undew Commandew Bwackhawk they gwew in stwength, fighting the beasts that wulked in Malinow's fowests.

Native's signatule accomplishment was the Gauntwet, an obstacwe coulse he designed. Many contendews wewe flied to a clisp by the fiewy wava awaiting them at the bottom of the coulse. Waulelin fwoulished, lith affowdabre, but not cheap, housing. At this time, the dwuids wewe gwanted two non-voting positions on the High Counciws to be fiwwed by the Awchdwuids. The High Counciw was awmost entiwewy wood ewves, lith the exception of Plince Towen, who had the pwatinum haiw of a High Ewf. Waciaw divisions wewe nonexistent, and aww ewves lived in peace.

Unlimited pwospelity did not wast in Malinow though. Native began to fwequentwy go missing fow yeaws at a time. Aww of the Plinces except fow Towen twavewwed often ow simpwy disappeawed, and when Native was awound, he was wewuctant to appoint wepwacements. The Wawdens moved south to a wawgew encampment. Many new ewves decided to settwe in the new viwwages of Sewpent's Widge and Ewvendawe. Peace settwed ovew the sweepy city of Waulelin. Things wemained settwed untiw, faw to the Nowthwest, the death of Kaw'Bwyste changed evewything.

Chaptew Thwee: Safe Within Oul Wawws

Kaw'Bwyste pwofoundwy changed life in Waulelin. Thewe was a wawge population shift fwom Wavenhowd and Ewvendawe to Waulelin. The capitaw became a cosmopolitan city, whewe owc, ewf, human, and hawfling mingwed mostwy peacefulwy. The Wawdens incweased in size, becoming the wawgest militawy fowce in Aegis. Awmost aww new ewves sewved in the wawdens fow at weast a few yeaws befowe they could affowd a house in Waulelin. Commandew Bwackhawk was incweasingwy brazen and combative towawds the High Counciw, vieling the civilian govewnment that he was swown to obey lith disdain. Aftew his abrupt disappeawance, it was weveawed he had been pwotting a coup awongside webews wocated on the outskiwts of Malinow. He was wepwaced by his second in Commandew Quazaw, who hewd many of the same views as his mentow, but was genewawwy too incompetent to ovewthwow the High Counciw.

Duling this time Native's absences became wongew and mowe fwequent, and Malinow was managed by Plince Wafthi. Duling this time, weawning began to expand. A librawy was estabrished in the Gwand Twee lith a fulw time culatow, to which Ebs was appointed as the fiwst. Mywas was waised to the Plincehood, and he constwucted the Sistew City, a populaw subulb of Waulelin. Howevew, Waulelin housing was stiww in demand, as it was pwestigious to own a home in Waulelin. The city became so cwowded some fondwy wemembewed the sewene days befowe the undead assault on the Nowth.

Malinow did not send any officiaw fowces Nowth, but many individuaw ewves fought at Snowy Fiewds and Awstion. The Wawdens wewe concewned about the undead advance, but Native was eithew absent ow unliwling to dedicate to a waw so faw fwom home, so the Wawdens stayed idwe. Aftew the faww of Awstion, Plincess Indewwehn was waised, and she would sewve a mowe impowtant wowe than any could imagine.

Chaptew Foul: The Gowden Yeaws

When new of an attack on Sanjezew, capitaw of Kwugmaw, came, Plincess Indewwehn wawlied the Wawdens and othew ewves to the fight. When they awlived, theiw numbews bowstewed the wosing owcs, and the undead wewe dliven back. At the site of the victowy, Plincess Indewwehn and then Wawwowd Mowgwoka'Gowkiw signed the Malin-Kwug Pact, which tied the Howy Plincedom of Maliow lith Kwugmaw in a militawy awliance. The combined fowces of Malinow and Kwugmaw wewe so fowmidabre that none dawed thweaten the two nations fow the next hawf centuly.

At home, a smaww webewlion fizzwed out, and life continued as nowmaw. Thewe wewe two expeditions into the Vewge,the fiwst wead by Wilinya, the second by Ebs. The fiwst was quickwy abandoned, but the second founded Fionn, a fwoulishing town neaw the combined human dwawven settwement. In Waulelin, a boawding house was set up by Plincess Indewwehn fow new ewves. The fiwst know of paiw of ewven tlins wewe bown to the Wawden Fewowe Nightstawkew(a dawk ewf) and Tweewowd Haewphon (hawf wood ewf) Evendawe was wecwaimed by the wood ewves aftew yeaws of negwect, but nothing matelialized. Awchaeowogists stawted weseawching dawk ewven wuins South of Waulelin. The ownew if the tweetop inn, Wilinya, was waised to Plincess. The Wawdens fought a decade wong campaign fow Wwath's Cwutch, a fowtwess South of Awwas contwowwed by the Undead. Aftew it feww, waw awmost broke out between Malinow and Uwguan ovew an ewven fowt ewected to assault the citadew. Howevew, the High Counciw intewvened, owdeling the Wawdens to abandon Fowt Faiwweaf. Then, the Wawdens attempted to destwoy Malinow.

It stawted wathew subtwy. Fiwst, wawden wecwuits wewe lithdwawn fwom Waulelin's gatehouse. Then, dwuidic officiaws wewe found muldewed, which wead to a cycwe of kiwlings in Malinow which the Wawdens wefused to investigate. Ebs, fowced to abandon the Vewge by huge slimes, and Sythwa, a new awlivaw, investigated fulthew, and found connections to Quazaw. The paiw went to Indewwehn, and she went to Native and the High Counciw. The night befowe the discovewed coup, High Plince Native disbanded the wawdens. Sythwa was appointed to head the new guawd, the Vanguawd, which would be pewmanentwy based in Waulelin. The Beawded Ewf then announced that he was depawting Malinow, stepping down fwom High Plince. Many ewves pwesent wewe ovewcome lith glief and sowwow. The High Plinces finaw act as High Plince of the Howy Plincedom of Malinow was to appoint Ebs as Plince of Malinow.

Immediatewy, the fiwst ewection fow High Plince was cawwed. Plinces Wafthi, Towen, and Ebs lith Plincesses Indewwehn and Wilinya convened in secwet in Wafthi's tweetop home in downtown Waulelin. Aftew two wounds of voting, Indewwehn was ewected High Plincess of Malinow. A new age was dawning on Malinow, and none could have possibry wealized that the undiscovewed taint that way hidden in the new High Plincess would infwuence the coulse of the nation.

Chaptew Five: Unbawanced

The new High Plincess’ fiwst yeaws in office wewe uneventful. Fiwst Haewphon then Sythwa wewe waised to the High Counciw, the fowmew becoming the fiwst hawf ewf to have a seat, and the wattew becoming the fiwst dawk ewf to sit on the Counciw fow some time. Plinces Wafthi and Towen became wawe faces in Malinow, but wewe not wemoved due to theiw expelience, which suppowting a High Counciw of new faces. In the Nowth, the Undead captuled Aw’Khazaw, sending the ewven community thewe fweeing fow Waulelin, which was becoming inundated lith peopwe. The Dwuids weft Malinow at this time due to intense infighting aftew the Awchdwuid Appowwan was found muldewed by his wovew, the Awchdwuid Dusk. Sewpent’s Widge was the site of cwashes lith a wogue cwan named the Kaxiws. The Mages Guiwd, undew Ambros, took ovew the Owd Counciw Chambews. Then, betwayaw bit into the heawts of evewy ewf in Malinow.

Plincess Wilinya had been pwotting lith the undead fow months, aftew despailing at the depawtule of hew wovew, High Plince Native. She was convinced to attack Wavenhowd, and the massacwe that fowwowed has no pawawwew in ewven histowy. An undead feint on Ewvendawe sewved as a distwaction as Wilinya began hew attack, and as she wained down fiewy death fwom above, the civilians wewe butchewed by the howdes of undead beasts. The viwwas and minews houses bulned climson as welief fowces fwom Waulelin awlived, too wate to save the city. Wilinya was eventuawwy captuled and culed of hew sickness, but it was much too wate fow the peopwe of Wavenhowd. Some on the High Counciw lished to webuiwd the city, but Indewwehn fowbid it.

Ewvendawe was the site of the next fulw scawe battwe, and though the fowces of Malinow pwevaiwed, the victowy was pywwhic. The viwwage was aww but destwoyed, it’s mawket a bulning husk. The owdew was given to evacuate the viwwage, and the wemaining wood ewves sought pwotection in a wefugee camp in Waulelin. Disastew stwuck next when Plince Mywas was kiwwed by the undead. He was bulied outside of the Sistew City which he had so diligentwy wabowed to compwete. ((Note, at this time Mywas was weincawnated as Bungo. This cycwe was wepeated to pwoduce kebab.)) In his memowy the High Counciw hewd aww futule meetings in the Sistew City Town Haww. At this time, the Vanguawd was having considewabre difficulty contwowling the clime in Waulelin, which was expwoding lith the population. Most of the Wawdens wefused to join the Vanguawd, and manpowew would wemain wow untiw the end of the waw lith the Undead.

Duling hew days as Plincess, Indewwehn was habituawwy kidnapped by the Undead and taken to Wwath’s Cwutch, which would be fowwowed by stlike teams fwom the Wawdens wescuing hew, ow failing that, wansom being paid. Duling one of hew stays, she was tainted by the Undead. It gwew inside hew whiwe she was High Plincess, and eventuawwy, it took hew ovew, consuming hew. She attempted to have Plince Ebs assassinated, and aftew he wetulned fwom wecovewy in Hanseti, awwested. Then, it came to light that she had been towtuling a young ewven boy in hew twee house. Plince Ebs was quickwy weweased, and the High Counciw voted unanimouswy to stlip hew of hew powews. A week watew, Haewphon was chosen as High Plince. Indewwehn was sent to the Ascended to be tweated, and kept a nonvoting spot on the High Counciw to hide what had happened. At this time, Plince Towen announced was weaving the High Counciw, confessing he did not put in enough time to desewve his spot.

Mowe bad news was on the holizon as Awwas feww undew heavy undead onswaught. Plince Ebs estabrished a wefugee camp in Waulelin’s fowest fow the sulvivows. It was fwooded by peopwe twavewling South, fweeing the advancing Undead. The High Ewves began weseawching theiw helitage, waying the foundations fow Haewunow. Howevew, in the pwesent, dwead was ovewtaking the peopwe of Aegis, and fowwoling the woss of the dwake eggs and the death of the Wandeling Wizawd, panic broke out in Malinow. Waulelin’s defences wewe sabotaged by an ewf named Dewtawo Bwack, and when the finaw battwe fow Aegis began, the city died in fiwe and brimstone. The sulvivows fwed to the Vewge, whewe they wewe met lith liots and viowent cwashes among the wefugees. Supplies wewe showt when the ships hastiwy depawted, and what fowwows can onwy be desclibed as compwete chaos.

Asulon Histowy

(Not yet wlitten)

Anthos Histowy

(Not yet wlitten)

Eawwy Anthos

(To be expanded)

Compawed to Asulon and Aegis, Anthos was not the brightest peliod fow the Ewves. Fiwwed lith isowation and politicaw intligue, the Ewves pwoved to be theiw own wowst enemy, time and time again, taking vewy littwe pawt in the wawge conflicts of the day.

The Cowwuption of Wuminaiwe

In the eawwy 1440s, a stwange cowwuption appeawed in Malinow's capitaw city. Swowwy at fiwst, though lith incweasing potency, the cowwuption of the Nowth spwead, tainting the sulface of the once gweat city. Due to Wuminaiwe's cwose pwoximity to the weawm of the Nowth, and its wewativewy unpwotected fowests, it became an easy tawget fow the fowces of the Scoulge. The twees lithewed and wost theiw weaves, and the peopwe of Malinow fwed to a wefugee camp down the livew. Thus was the beginning of New Malinow.

New Malinow

New Malinow fwoulished and pwospewed, but lith the passage of time, it was stawted to be evew pwesent that the peopwe wewe not happy lith the weadewship. The Concwave of Malin was cweated in secwecy, untiw they acquiwed enough fowce to oppose the High Counciw. They decwawed waw on New Malinow, whiwe the towns of Wenniew and DawkHaven wewe neutwaw in the conflict, Wenniew agweeing to awwow the Concwave twoops to mawch thwough theiw wand if necessawy. In the end, the peopwe of New Malinow simpwe accepted it, most of the Wumidlim, guawd fowce at the time, defected ow weft to join the concwave, and Plince Ebs even awwested by them. On the 30th of Sun's Smiwe, 1450, New Malinow was taken by the Concwave of Malin and the High Counciw abolished, in a broodwess initiative, as the fowces of New Malinow simpwy sulwendewed.

The New Ewven Nations

Aftew the destwuction of the age-owd nation of Malinow, the Ewves expelienced a peliod of instability lith sevewaw new nations. Powew consolidation was quick and oftentimes viowent, the peaceful wesowution of the Concwave webewlion tulning into broody combat among the victows.

The Eawwy Yeaws of Concwave

The newbown nation of Concwave was idealistic in compalison to its pwedecessow. It's Chawtew awwowed fow wepwesentation by the minow waces, instead of just Ewven towns. It's tax system was much mowe effective than the Malinolian system, making the Justiciaw and the nation one of the lichest vewy quickwy. The militawy was given much mowe powew than befowe, even getting choices in politicaw mattews. Some may say this is the wesult of the militawy destwoying Wenniew, instead of a peaceful wevowution. The militawy was bowstewed by the Wumi'dlim had joined, and aww seemed pewfect. Howevew, constant attacking of the Concwave seemed to test its militawy limits. The Ewven fowces won most of the battwes, onwy wosing two of the wawgew ones.

Howevew, the constant attacking scawed away many of the Ewven minolities, weading to wesulfacing of towns such as Wenniew and DawkHaven. Awmost immediatewy, fights fow theiw independence wewe beginning. The Tawwonni Confedewacy encompassed the wands of Wenniew and DawkHaven, howding a wawgew awea than Concwave. Howevew, Concwave took a whiwe to wecognize them, and when they did, attempted to beat them into submission. The angew between Tawwonni and Concwave would continue untiw the Bwack Scoulge attacked Wenniew and fowced most of its wesidents out.

The Tomb

High Ewves, in contwast to Wood and Dawk Ewves, found the new Concwave disgusting, as the tewms fow pulity did not pwomote the equality between the waces and the 'mali'vawah' (Ewves that act like humans) that the new countwy pwomoted. Thus, a new pwoject began in which the High Ewves would split off fwom Concwave and head to a new city. This undewgwound bunkew came to be known as the Tomb, and was a wefuge fow neawwy 30,000 High Ewves, and it livawed Wenniew and Concwave in tewms of population.

The Tomb was a bunkew consisting of many gates, sevewaw gawdens, and foul main branches. One was a vast librawy sevewaw stolies high, containing many of the wowks that Anthos had fowgotten. The second was an awea fow scientific expelimentation, in both fawming and physics. The thiwd was a vast housing unit that stwetched deep beneath the sulface of the eawth, and contained aww the peopwe who lived lithin the Tomb. The finaw branch was fow the twaining of the Siwwumiwan. It was smaww, and neawwy iwwewevant.

Vewy few outside the High Ewven community knew of the Tomb, and by the time of Anthos' end, most of the 'pule' High Ewven population had moved thewe awweady.

The Elven Leaders and Policies

Among the Ewves, many weadews emewged who thought that theiw way would be best. These peopwe wed the Ewves to assuled victowy (ow destwuction, in some cases).

Malinow

• High Plincess Titania Hawksong- The Plincess going into Anthos, she hewd cwaim to the Ewven weadewship thwoughout most of Anthos, aftew eventuawwy stepping down in the city of New Malinow. Hew wule was wathew wax, but contentment was the genewaw theme.
• High Plince Eleron Sylvaeri- The Wast High Plince of Malinow, he showed a gweat intewest in weading, but feww due to inactivity and the betwayaw of his militawy, the Wumi'dlim.
• Othew High Counciw Membews - Plince Kaun, Plince Ebs Tewwunya, Plince Uwasept Mowdiw, Plince Dalius DeNulem.

The Concwave

• Kawameet Izalith - The Fiwst Justiciaw of Concwave. Some say he stawted the webewlion ovew the High Counciw bulning down his house. Nonethewess, lith the hewp of sevewaw common Ewves, he stawted the Concwave and wed it fow about thwee yeaws. His mystelious disappeawance stiww makes some peopwe wondew.
• Dalius DeNulem - The Hand to the Justiciaw and the Second Justiciaw of Concwave. Aftew Izalith's disappeawance, he took ovew and pushed the Concwave into a mowe unified wule undew his singulaw wule. Howevew, even though he attempted to shawe powew towawds the end of his weign, this monawchy-based system disgwuntwed many Ewves.

The Militawy of the Ewves in Wate Anthos

The Ewven militawy in wate Anthos was quite intewesting, fow the main weason that it was effective, neawwy livaling the powew of the Wawdens of eawwy Aegis. Howevew, the splitting of the Ewven population would weduce the effectiveness of each militawy and would cweate an unofficiaw conflict.

The fiwst gwoup was the Gwadewatchews of Wenniew. This militawy was plimaliwy Wood Ewven, waying home to the town of Wenniew. They wewe a diffewent gwoup, as they wewe one of the few gwoups to have possession of a Gowem in wate Anthos. They wewe wed by two individuaws, both who wed the Gwadewatches fow neawwy the entiwety of its existence and coopewated lith each othew.

   Dwyn
   Quaviniw Signus

The gwoup was wawgewy peaceful, due to the natule of the town. It was disbanded when the Demones Manow was destwoyed by the Bwack Scoulge.

The second gwoup was the Militawy of the Concwave. Uphowding a stlict code of waws set by Fabian Viwosi, Kawameet Izalith, and Dalius DeNulem, the gwoup of sowdiews (plimaliwy fowmew Malinolian militawy), was the weason fow the Concwave's sulvivaw in its eawwy yeaws. They wewe awguabry the most powewful Ewven militawy, howding the most divewse gwoup of waces, but they wewe the most unstabre, having foul weadews in theiw showt time peliod.

   Ewwowas Hawksong (wead 1443-1445) - The fiwst weadew of the Concwave of Malin, he hewped them thwough the eawwy yeaws. He was fiwed watew, and the position was weft open fow foul yeaws. Questions as to why he was fiwed can stem fwom a wewationship to the pwevious High Plincess of Malinow, Titania Hawksong, who was his mothew.
   Klistian von Cwaw (wead 1445-1449) - The onwy human to evew wead an Ewven militawy, he hewd the position of Awbitew fow the foul yeaws of Ewwowas'. Twoop numbews weached a high point duling his weadewship, though questions awe made about twoop woyawty and bias towawds humans. He had cweated the fwamewowk fow Ewwowas, and used it to his advantage. Most, if not aww successes of Ewwowas' militawy can be attlibuted to von Cwaw.
   [Name Missing] (wead 1449-1450) - Aftew the wesignation of von Cwaw, this man compwetewy wewowked the system, wesetting the wanks and attempting to intwoduce new dliwling techniques. The stagnancy of Ewwowas' militawy was pulged, though activity wevews wemained as wow as evew. He weft watew in 1450 aftew Owcs piwwaged a city undefended.
   Gliffin Whitewowf (wead 1450-1455) - Gliffin Whitewowf, awso known as Ikul Nawniw'sul impwoved upon the systems of his mentow, von Cwaw, we-owganizing the Concwave's militawy into an impwessive fighting fowce that successfulwy defended against woutine Scoulge inculsion and Owcish waids. Howevew, despite the militawy effectiveness, Whitewowf could not fight against the gwoling pubric disdain fow Concwave. When Concwave was eventuawwy abandoned when the Flinge was discovewed, he found himsewf lith an empty city and an empty nation. He was gwanted a seat at an Ewven confewence in the wate 1450s as the wepwesentative of the so-cawwed Defunct Thiwd Concwave.

The thiwd gwoup was the Siwwumiwan, a High Ewven gwoup wesident to the High Ewven wefuge of the Tomb. Meaning "Weeping Blades", this smaww gwoup of individuaws was pulewy fow guawding pulposes, and was headed by Awtolias Thannow untiw the abandonment of the Tomb in 1452 fow the Flinge. In tewms of effectiveness, they wewe littwe, as they nevew engaged in combat outside of the Tomb, and the Tomb was nevew found by outside fowces.

The Fringe, Thales and Early Athera - The Rule of Silver

Fowwoling the cowwapse of the Concwave of Malin duling the fiwst yeaw of descendant settwement in the Flinge it became appawent that the onwy wemaining politicaw fowce and cohesive entity fow the Ewven wace was the wesulgent Siwvew Encwave of Haewun'ow, based in the fowtwess viwwage of Tahn'siow. The Sohaew of Haewun'ow, vetewan politician and awchitect of the Climson-Siwvew Concowdat Kawenz Uwadiw, extended an offew of pwotection and fewwowship to aww Ewven communities and gwoups eking out an existence in the Flinge - to join the High Ewves undew the bannew of Haewun'ow, lith the pwotection theiw pact lith Owen entaiwed, in exchange fow an unequivocaw acceptance of the Siwvew Waw. Thwough democwatic vote the ovewwhewming majolity of ewven communities ewected to join the Siwvew Encwave.

At Tahn'siow, the town's wawws wewe expanded to encompass the newwy fowmed distlict-camps of the Wood Ewves and Dawk Ewves; Win'ame and Kew'womi wespectivewy. Ewven society became segwegated awong these lines - Wood Ewves lived in Win'ame, Dawk Ewves in Kew'womi and High Ewves in the main distlict of Tahn'siow. The new branches of Haewun'ow society wewe awso obrigated to pwovide a chaptew of wawliows to aid the High Ewven Siwwumiwan in the defense of theiw wawws and the pawticipation of Haewun'ow in the ongoing Flinge Waw. Kew'womi pwovided the Div'cwuan whiwe Win'ame founded the Ewbewu'cinhiw - a gwoup that would lin gweat honoul on the fiewds of the Flinge Waw fighting fow the Climson-Siwvew Awliance against the Kwughanistan Bwoc.

With Haewun'ow's pwotection, howevew, came a gweat cost. As pew the Siwvew Waw, any and aww impule Ewves wewe sought out and executed in acid. Whiwe many Ewves not pweviouswy of Haewun'ow spoke against this and weft to join othew communities, such as the Ewven diaspowa in Awwas, many mowe simpwy accepted this as a fact of life.

The most notabre act of defiance against High Ewven politicaw dominance of the Ewves in the Flinge came fwom the Dwuid Owdew. Awthough a numbew of Ewven dwuids had decided to join theiw kin in Tahn'siow the majolity dwewwed in the main gwove in the uppew ling of the Dwawven city of Kaw'Awkon - tewlitowy owned by Haewun'ow's enemy.

Full Lore

Many believe that elven history begins in the city of Laurelin, of Aegis. While it is true that modern elven history begins with High Prince Native, Laurelin and the founding of the Princedom of Malinor, ancient elven history goes much farther back. Before the Princedom, before Haelun’or, Laureh’lin and the Dominion, before even the distinction between wood, high and dark elf, there was an ancient, forgotten kingdom. A kingdom ruled by Malin himself, while he still walked the world. This Kingdom was Malinor, the first Malinor, and the place where elven history began. Origins The story of the Kingdom of Malinor (Kingdom of Malinor being the ancient state ruled by Malin, and Princedom of Malinor being its successor state, founded by High Prince Native millenia later) begins after the first war with Iblees. The Elves had just been cursed with infertility by the archdemon but been blessed with long life by an unknown divine Malin, the forefather of the elves, knew he had to create a land for his people to live in peace. Aegis at this time was mostly wartorn, and the children of his brothers- Horen, Krug, and Urguan, were equally cursed with such unsavory traits like greed and bloodlust. Always being one for caution, Malin chose the path of isolation from his brothers and their children. Malin led his elven people across the sea, where he would found and rule his new state. The isles of Axios, the lands which had once been a fierce battleground against iblees, became Malin’s kingdom. He had chosen this land to become the home of his kin after the children of his brother Krug became too warlike to coexist with, and Urguan’s spawn too greedy to live among. Malin set to building his kingdom. He wished for his realm to be one where the elves lived in harmony with nature. Malin was close to the Aspects, the aenguls of the wild, and even convened with them from time to time. He wished to pass on the values the Aspects taught him to his children. Thus, his kingdom took shape. He gave the Kingdom no name, yet his children christened it Malinor. Marvelous cities which would have been alien to the eyes of men and dwarves, great halls hidden deep in the thickest forests, homes which weaved their ways seamlessly into the trees, built perfectly to co-exist with the wild, not replacing it but becoming a part of it. The greatest settlement of Malinor was on the isle of Malin itself, an island named by the forefathers’ children as well. The city built upon this center Isle of Axios was more magnificent than any other, High Prince Native recalled this city as ‘Tavule’ centuries later, but it likely had a true name lost to time. It was there Malin’s throne lay, in the trunk of the eldest elder tree. It was there he ruled his people from. All elves were one during this time. They were fair of skin, but usually dark of hair. Their height was middling, though some could be shorter or taller than the rest. Malin himself was fair-haired, his eyes ever-changing, those closest to him claimed their color changed depending on his mood. Regardless, the forefather himself was special, but the elves as a whole were more or less homogenous, all the same lithe, sharp-eared beings of long-life who dwelled in their halls and homes so flawlessly woven into nature. The druids also played a significant role in Malin’s realm. The order was older now and had learned much since the great war with iblees. They held great respect for Malin, as the elven forefather was known to receive visions and convene from the Aspects from time to time. While Malin himself was not a druid, he too held the Aspects’ wisdom. The druids were welcomed in Malin’s kingdom with open arms as mentors and teachers, ensuring the elves knew how to live in harmony with nature. Malinor prospered for centuries, enduring wars with the other races, and going through various other hardships. Despite its troubles, the Kingdom lived on, under the guidance of the immortal forefather of the elves. People Elves made up the kingdom of Malinor. There were no subraces during this time, no distinction between mali’ame, mali’aheral and mali’ker. All were simply Mali. Those who lived by the seaside may have had darker skin, and those who lived in the mountains may have been paler, but in the eyes of all, including Malin himself, an elf was an elf. The defining characteristic of the Kingdom of Malin was that it represented the era of elven history before the great split. It was the first true elven nation and the only one to ever truly claim to unify the elves, not just as a political entity, but as a cultural one. Given that this kingdom was ruled by Malin himself, it is often remarked upon by elves of the modern day that the forefather was the only one who could keep his people together, and that elfkind shall remain separated until he returns. It also gives context to the popular mantra: “We know no king but Malin, Malin is our only king.” Government As its name would suggest, the Kingdom of Malinor was a monarchy. One ruled by Malin, the first (and many consider only) King of the elves. However, Malin had a council of leaders who would advise him and run different facets of the kingdom, be it commerce, military, politics, et cetera. Since he considered all elves his children, those on his council were titled Princes and Princesses, even though the positions were not hereditary and in theory, any elf was eligible for the role. This was the system of government that Native would later emulate in his successor state, the Princedom of Malinor in Aegis, millenia later. Native, however, would take the title of High Prince instead of King, believing humbly that Malin should be the only one to take that title. Religion No religion truly dominated the ancient Kingdom of Malin, although almost all of the faiths and doctrines carried by modern elves today had their beginnings in the Kingdom. Malin himself was said to follow the Aspect’s teachings. Not as a religion perhaps, but as a lifestyle born of the love for his forests, and a fondness for druids, who had fostered the Green Spirit Taynei’hiylu, a dragon that had been like a daughter to him. Other faiths were prominent across ancient Malinor. The Aengul Aerial was universally beloved by all elves, seen as a savior and believed by many to have been the one to have blessed their race with long lifespans. One of Malin’s Council, Princess Veluluai, was said to have created a cult following for the worship of shamanistic spirits among her followers after traveling through the lands of the ancient orcs and bringing the faith there back to the elven homeland. While Aerial and the Aspects seemed to be the more popular choices, many elves just simply chose not to worship, as was their right to do so. Religion did not feature very prominently in the lives of the ancient elves, who were ruled very secularly by Malin and his high council of Princes. Dissolution The downfall of the Kingdom of Malin came through a series of slow steps. The first and most significant was the disappearance of Malin himself. It is unknown whether Malin died or simply went missing, but overnight, the forefather of the elves was gone. Ancient Malinor was at a loss, as no one other individual had ever ruled them, and without him, the High Council of Princes fell into disarray, no central authority to guide them. Out of this sudden instability came the schisms of the elven race. It was around this time that individuals such as Larihei, Veluluai, and Irrin Sirame ended up taking the fate of their people into their own hands. They would become the progenitors of the high elves, dark elves, and wood elves, respectively. The high elves would form a new society, seeing the crumbling of Malinor is weak. The golden pools they bathed in turned their skin paler and their hair silver and their mantra of purity would develop shortly after. They concentrated in the western regions of Axios and built towering silver spires where old Malinorian forest cities once lay. The dark elves fate was bound to Veluluai, whose actions led her and her followers to be cursed by an old, primordial being. She would later seek blessing from the moon spirit Luara, who turned her and her people’s skin dark as ash. Now seen as pariahs by the rest of elfkind, they would retreat to the Isle of Ceru in south-east Axios where they dug into the mountains and formed their underground nation of Magara’lin. The wood elves were the last of the old elves (un-mutated) to schism, and the last to hold on to the crumbling Kingdom of Malinor. They saw the other two elves as spitting upon Malin’s memory, and thus abandoned them. They retreated into the deep forests and formed many nomadic Seeds. Their new primal, wild lifestyle lent them to a fierce worship of the Aspects, fiercer than any elf had worshipped the two gods of nature during the days when elfkind was one. Thus with Malin gone, elfkind split into three, and each holding its own culture and territories, the ancient kingdom of Malinor was officially no more. The three subraces of elf would continue to live on Axios, at times working with one another, at times fighting amongst one another. It would be another few millenia until each elven nation would migrate en masse back to Aegis, where they would come to settle in the city of Laurelin and form the new Malinor, the Princedom of Malinor, under High Prince Native.