Fey Court - Elfin Lordships

More detailed history:

Joining the ranks of the few races that were existing before the current world are the Elves, though their history is long lost to the sands of time. What they were back then is considerably different as to what they are now. Before they didn't care about nature, crafting an entire empire based on the foundation of arcane discovery and exploitation. Thanks to their centuries of unimpeded study and no enemies to have to worry about, a society of arrogant and over-ambitious wizards were born. There was no limit to their curiosity and lusts for power.

This would become their downfall as their last emperor dabbled in serious dark magic. He had delved into the magic that dealt with the planes of the undead and the infernal, crossing the boundaries of safe magic and into dangerous terroritories that had no coming back. This action created a cataclysm that had resulted in the purging of the old world and the making of the world we see today.

The Elves themselves, however, were nearly wiped off from the face of the old world. All that remained were those that were at the epicenter of the cataclysm, horrifically scarred by the dark magic into twisted beings of darkness, and those that were away who had lost their connections to the arcane powers. These disconnected Elves fled from what is now known as The Badlands and into the Steppes, wanting to find a home for themselves that was away from their murderous and **** obssessed brethren, the Dark Elves. The Dark Elves had fled underground and have never been heard from since.

The fleeing Elves had become nomadic, forgetting their opulent lifestyles as they were **** to live off the land with no home to call their own. For generations, all they knew of their old life was that progress had led to danger and arrogance. All you would ever need to live is the land itself, anything else was only one step in the wrong direction. And for a time, they were content...until it happened.

It seemed that with their disconnection to the arcane, their very nature had changed as well. First it started off small, rather strange. They noticed that they could in fact die of old age, their life spans cut significantly shorter to houndreds of years, rather than thousands. And when they buried their dead, flowers would spring up from the grave site. They had not relealized that they had become Fey.

And when mighty Thal'roon sacrificed himself to create the World Tree for all Fey kind, the Elves did not notice it at first. They of course did see the World Tree on the horizon, but they were busy trying to survive. Their nature as Fey creatures were still young and not prominent. After a few generations however, they felt the urge...the calling, that came from that massive tree. Eventually, it became too much and they started their pilgrimage.

The rest of their history results in what they are now, the kings of the Great Glades, the guardians of the Fey, the challengers of civilization, and the wardens of the wilds.

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Eflin Power Structure:

Elves are creatures of tradition and duty, sacrifcing the self for the greater good of the wilds they swore to protect and to serve their gods. They honor these duties to such extremes, that chosen Lords would walk to the World Tree and allow their gods to inhabit their bodies. The old Lord dying, his spirit joining his brethren in ages past, and allow the gods to walk among mortals. It is not typical that many gods do this, really the only one who makes a compulsary habit of this is the Celestial King himself, Vyl'sar. Every once and awhile, he will choose a female so one of his wives may also inhabit her body, but this is more on a whim than anything else.

All Elves are drafted into service for the Fey Court in some way or another. Typically, you'll find them becoming scouts, or hunters, maybe a ranger or two. However, there are certain groups that special Elves may find themselves in that are honorable traditions and are held at great value in Elfin society.

Circle of Blades: From a time past, before the cataclysm, Elves had learned how to channel magic through the arts of dance and combat. Combining the two, they were able to cast magic with runed swords and sweeping, graceful motions. Now that they have taken on their duty as guardians of nature, this tradition has changed. Now it is an elite order of warriors called Wardancers who train everyday of their lives to perfect their craft. During times of peace, they are entertainers that tell stories of great wars and battles through their dance. In war they are deliverers of **** as they move faster than the wind, and their blades sing sharper than the cries of a banshee. A deathly ritual is required to join this order, and not many survive the trials.

Circle of Staves: An order of druids and shaman, the wisemen of the Elves. They typically reserve themselves to study with the wise Treemen of the glades or advise Lords in their courts. Their wisdom is well sought after as they spent their lives learning the ways of nature and communing with the gods above. Tales are told of these wisemen...being able to summon roots from the ground, opening portals for a team of Treemen, turning into great beasts, and even summoning powerful spirit animals from the celestial plane. But it has been far too long since there were times of great need for these shaman and druids to use their legendary powers. Only those that have proven themselves worthy to study underneath them know their true powers.

Circle of Horns: Upon their entry to the Great Glades, their first encounter were not that of Treemen...but of Unicorns. Unicorns are special creatures for the Fey, for they were the first of the Fey to ever be born on the world. Since the beginning of the world, long before even the old world, the Unicorns have been around. And if one were to have the fortune of fate on their side, they may receive a mark of a Unicorn. This mark was a gift to the Elves, to show their destiny as rulers of the wilds. Those who are born with this mark is fated to meet a Unicorn foal, and they will be like siblings. These fated few become the greatest warriors and rangers on horseback that the wilds will ever see, with near immortal lifespans to use to hone their combat prowess.

Circle of Shadows: A near impossible to find group within the ranks of the Elves, these assassins are adept in their dark hobbies. The only way to identify a member, is if you were in the courts of Elfin Lords, otherwise all you'll see is a pretty Elf. This group is made entirely of women, as an Elfin woman is truly one of the most beautiful creatures one will ever lay eyes on. Famed for being great lovers during the day, but your worst nightmare at night. This order is used to provide the best offspring for the most powerful of Lords and to be the best spies, infiltrators, theives, and assassins in enemy territories available. It is always safe to assume that if you see an Elfin woman of great beauty, she is more than likely a member and you should never, ever anger her.

Circle of Crowns: These are the most powerful and most fortunate of Elves. The Lords of the entirity of Elfin kind and that of the Fey. They populate their courts to rule over the Great Glades and conduct diplomacy amongst each other and decide the ways best to protect their domain. And among them, is the High Lord, the warrior-king that sacrifices himself to Vyl'sar so the Celestial King may walk on the mortal plane. No one Glade Lord is garaunteed this, for the Lord must be chosen by Vyl'sar himself when he feels like coming for a visit. The Lord himself is changed to a form more fitting for the Celestial King, typically very beast-like in nature...like a more human version of a Ram-lord. They are free to set their courts as they like and do their business as usual, having the ultimate power of the wilds at hand.

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Pantheon:

Vyl'sar - The Elf god of order, courtly referred to as "The Celestial King" and "The First Lord". He is the king of the Elfin pantheon and his will is absolute. He typically reincarnates into the greatest Warrior-Lords, thus making those that claim to be him and can back up are the High Lord of the Fey Court. And as the High Lord, they take on many other aspects of Elf culture, being their own judge and executioner of the law and their own best military strategist. However, like most kings, he thoroughly enjoys participating in "The Noble Duty"...sewing his "seeds" wherever he can for his inheritor.

Sil'thesia - The Elf goddess of beauty, regarded as "The Grand Lady" and "The Courtesan of ****". Beauty in Elfin society hold a duality. The Elves believe that beauty is the measurement of quality for giving life and delivering ****. A beautiful Elf is desirable for creating children as well as potential assassins. Sil'thesia is both the favored wife of Vyl'sar as well as his most capable assassin. It is common for beautiful Elves who do not favor the battlefield to use their beauty to flaunt...the action allowing them to manipulate events as they see fit, to either gain prestige, a worthwhile mate, or to steal and kill as they please.

Ia'enassa - The Elf goddess of hunting and nurturing, respectfully titled "She Who Provides". For the longest time, and even now, the main means of acquiring food for Elves is hunting. Sure, you'll get the occassional Elf who'll gather up berries, fruits, nuts, and roots. But Elves find it more noble to go out and hunt for your food, to become one with the beasts around them. Ia'enassa, the second favored wife of Vyl'sar, encourages the Elves to go out and seek their food, acquire honorable kills, but to do so responsibly. Gluttony is a grave sin, and one should not waste what they kill, to make use of everything. And since this is the most favored way of acquiring food, so is it the best means to nuture the young.

Yon'graun - The Elf god of beasts and communion, also bequethed the title "The Host of Nature". Older brother to Vyl'sar, he had rejected the crown of Celestial King to become one with nature. He is the trees and animals within them. It is through him shaman and druids gain their powers, and how the Elves gain their rulership over nature. One must respect nature, for it is to respect Yon'graun. He also lends aid to help the Elves partner with animals, to become companions with them in their duties to defend the natural world, or to better udnerstand the animals to become them.

Yl'tial - The Elf goddess of protection and promises, also known as "The Keeper of Unicorns". It is believed that Yl'tial was birthed when Elves made contact with the Unicorns, and thus she was fated with the mythical beings. It is through her that the Elves are able to bond with them, Unicorns considered to be above mere beasts and almost celestial creatures walking on the mortal plane. She had married Yon'graun for this very reason, as the duty to the wilds and the bond with the Unicorns are inseperable.

Minor gods and goddesses: Here you will find other beings in the pantheon that are still very highly regared in Elfin society, but are dangerously overshadowed by thos above. Mostly they are wives to Vyl'sar, with the odd loner goddesses or gods here and there.