The Elven Kingdom, Pallanth.

[Anastasia]

---The Elven Kingdom.---

Pallanth - the name of the kingdom in Elven and used by it's natives entirely - is a vast realm of forest and elven culture. Seperated by humans from a great wild stretch of goblin and trollish lands, there are rarely disturbances.

The Kingdom is ruled by a King who is advised by a council of elders. The current ruler is King Lorthan, who has held the throne for 174 years. He is said to be a respectable king with proper wisdom, but in this mere span of time it is still too early to say.

The council advises the king on all matters, though he makes the final choice regardless. The six great noble houses each get a seat and two seats are at large, granted to those whom have received the highest honors of the kingdom. These often vary and rotate.

---The noble houses---

Highsun: The strongest noble family. They rule vast tracks of land including much of the area around the Citadel of Noon. Ambrose Highsun sits on the council, a vibrant and energetic man. The symbol of this house is a golden sun, shimmering in it's own bright light.

Gaial: A once proud noble house that has suffered setbacks both politically, financially and internally. The old scion on the house, Lavandear Gaial, died from a sudden infection 12 years ago. The current young leader, Amaryl, tries to hold her house together despite no organization or no strong plans in place of Lavandear's death. The symbol of this house is a silver embossed spheremap of the world.

Desjardin: The oldest noble house, claiming that it's roots go back ten generations. They hold a great, ancient library of historic texts and control this knowledge, making them the definitive source of elven history. The scions of the clan only go to the council for historical matters and advice, with Juai Desjardin leading. The symbol of this house is an hourglass overflowing with sand.

Silverleaf: A new noble house, formed in the last 500 years. Idril Silverleaf is a reclusive cleric for the Gods, or was. Since forming his house he has not cast a spell, even after invoking a miraclous 'Miracle' spell to stave off a great ambush of a hundred trolls. He leads his family distantly, saying little but commanding his own powers. The symbol of this house is a leave with a single vein of silver down the center.

Drake: A noble house said to have been founded by an elf given the right of dragonkin. If this is true, only the family and perhaps the lorekeepers of Desjardin know for sure, but regardless the family holds great wealth and power. Celebrimbor Drake leads this house, a wizened old student of the magical arts. The symbol of this house is a tiny dragon in flight, a ball of fire clutched in it's talons.

Chillander: This noble house rules the fartest reaches of the forest, where trees freeze solid and the ground never thaws. A distant clan, ruling over lands that few ever wish to have or to see. Despite that, the vast reserves of diamond and gold that lie in the frozen soil make them influential in the Pallanth. The scion is Kortan Chillander and the symbol of the house is a pine tree made of white metal.

---Places and locations---

Borderlands: The long border with the goblin wilds, where past it the kingdoms of humankind reside. Rangers patrol these lands to prevent unwanted excursions into the elven lands. Very few elves live here beyond rangers, and this land is ruled directly by the Crown and Ranger forces.

Citadel of Light: Past the borderlands and deeper into the forest, the scent of the sea fades. Deeper in you go, past countless ways. Yet what lies within is magificent - a lake as large as a great castle city ten times over, filled with crystal clear water. IN the center rests a large island, overbrimming with trees and houses. In this idyllic scene, a great Citadel of pure stone and platinum rises, blindingly bright. THis is the capital of the elven lands, where the King and Council keep. The very heart of civilization, where a secluded race lives. These lands are mainly owned by the Highsun families and the Crown, though all the families own a few tracts for nearby villas and the like.

The Southern Reaches: Going south, you come to lands filled with elves. The Gaial clan holds sway here, before you finally reach the Borderland with Malmuth. A border that rarely sees any sentinent creature cross it, two distant kingdom further seperated by the vast wilds.

Northern Coastline: Here the forest thins somewhat, crops grown and more open living found. The swamps have been mostly drained, the coasts home to Elfsander, the great elven port town. While ships rarely sail for trade, the kingdom maintains knowledge of the see doggidly. The King and Council seem deadset on this. This area is ruled by the Drake and Desjardin clans.

Scape Dutchies: East of the citadel lies countless miles of land, elves and elves and elves. Here the culture blossoms in a great tract of land - far away are more borderlands and distant races, but such isolation exists that few know or care of them. The Silverleaf clan knows and owns many expansive parts of this land.

The Frozenland: Far to the north on the coastline, the temperature drops. The forest becomes a maze of ice and snow year round, Mother Nature's mercy eroded. The Chillander clan rules, once said to be a small family of elves who found a way to extract the great wealth snowed in.

---Religion---

The pantheon of elven gods are worshipped, Corellon Larethian in particular remaining in favor. However, as the Gods have grown distant, some human gods have gained some sway. Waukeen, with her dogged insistance of trade, has gained a few important followers. Lathander, close to many elven values, has always garnered some respect. Helm, the watcher god, finds respect in the most unlikely places.

The Seven Fold Temple of Elysium sits in the Citadel of Light, the resting place of kings and the home of elven religion.

---Contact and Trade---

The elves are isolationists. While some trade exists, it is distant and faraway. Instead, they live in a glorious, splendidly isolated empire. Elves that go into the world are rare, rarer still are those that come back.

The notable trade locations are the Citadel of Light, where most foreign traders are guided to. Elfsander receives trading ships on occasion as well. Finally, persistant rumors of a hidden cave that dwarven traders use flow regularly. It is suspected that it may exist, but various political and cultural reasons dictate that it is not directly acknowledged.

---Half elves---

While rare, half elves are accepted in the elven lands. They may not be -comfortable-, however, as racism does exist in various manners. Most can live here well enough, however.

Half elves are generally never on the council and noble families that have a half elf may elect to send them into the world with ample funds.