Eledar, The Highfolk

Eledar

Eledar is the ancient kingdom of the first elves that arrived on Middle-earth. When the gods/angels prepared to leave Middle-earth and travel to the land of Amaril, (a sort of afterlife), many of the elves refused to go. For this Munandih`l (God of death) cursed the Elves as he saw their gesture as a betrayal against him, their creator. Usually when elves die their souls venture over to the land of Amaril for eternal rest. As punishment Murnandih`l counseled against allowing their souls to return to the blessed realm on their demise. The curse divided the elven race, and also created the dark elves as many were spiritually corrupted by the divine powers that left Middle-Earth. Leaving room for the corruption already present in the realms. The elves were divided and weakend at this point. Then the other races took their chance. Mankind took control over the greatest cities by military force and scattered the elven people, and in the process destroyed the elven kingdom.

Today Eledar is a "moderate to high" corrupted country, housing several callous or pragmatic individuals who values gold, land and merchandise over a persons life. Money is power.

The Cabal: Corrupted aristocratic and non-aristocratic families known as the Eledarian Cabal, or just "Cabal" to native Eledarian people. They wage their shadow wars against the reigning monarchs of Eledar. None of the two factions dares to throw the first card on the table, as this means revealing oneself to the other. Position and intention. The cat and mouse game continues, attempting to do as much damage to each other under the table without risking direct confrontation.

- The Cabal have secret allies, assassins, thugs and spies everywhere. The monarchs possess many landed knights, the manpower and military commanders to obliterate any threat within days, but they first need to know where to strike first.

- Other countries hear rumors of a dark presence in the shadowy corners of the Eledarian society, which slowly feeds on the dispair and wickedness of its people. Wealthy locals dismiss these rumors as rubbish, mustering a level of pride bragging of still thriving economically under such harsh conditions.




Capitol: Apuria

Rulers: The five strongest noble houses in Apuria (military authority, knightly orders). Led by the Archduke. Grand duke of the fifth biggest house in Eledar.

Races: Human, elves ?, goblin, orc, dwarf, ++, there is a higher frequency of half-breeds in Eledar compared to other countries.

Population in capitol: There is no way of knowing the excact number of inhabitants since illegal transfers and slaves are brought, lost, killed or sold quite often. The cities are often overcrowded. Estimated population 8 million+/-

The rest: ??


Politics

Each four houses have their own Grand Dukes. They have elected and crowned an Archduke, who is the overhead of the the fift and strongest noble house. The Archduke is no true king, but he is the most powerful individual of the five noble houses´ Grand dukes. The territory ruled by the Archduke is the northeastern Archduchy in Eledar. They hold much merit and respect for being able to defend Eledar from the horrific creatures that leake from the glacial mass of ice, stemming from the eastern ocean´s gargantuan floating iceberg; The Icy prison of the famed Arkenstone of Frost.
The Cabal are a loose association of secretive groups, that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct. Their common enterprise is protection racketeering. Each group, often known as a "family", "House" or "clan", claims sovereignty over a territory in which it operates its rackets – usually a town or village or a neighbourhood of a larger city. Some controlling even bigger areas. Its members call themselves "Men of Honor", although the public often refers to them as a Crime syndicate.

Slavery: Eledarian diplomats will not hear of accusations of their nobility cultivating slavery. They are merely citizens who are employed in the service of the Archdutchy. Convicts or willing free man. They are granted a roof over their head, food and beds for their families, and clear purpose in a unforgiving daily life. To be allowed to work in the Archducthy or any other region in Eledar, a man must be freely enlisted in the workers union, thus making them the "willing" property of the Archduke.


Climate
It rains alot in Eledar, some say it is the divine curse put on the elves that lived here in the 2nd age. People burns buttloads of garbage and even bodies to dispose of in a cheap way when burial is out of the question. Reasons to this can be the muddy or ground layers of clay disolving due to the several periods of heavy rain. They also add more pollution by their extensive mining operations in Eledar and extract ore by burning massive amounts of charcoal. Some belive the pollution serves as a cathalyst for diseases, spreaded by polluting or poisoning the drinking water in the major cities and the overflowed rivers/canals. Others say the source of the decay comes directly from the suffering of Eledar´s citizens, a more spiritual origin.

On a regular summers day its about 14-20 degrees celsius accoding to gnomish alchemical thermomiters. Lore state that Eledar used to be warmer in the 2nd age.



Economy:


- Mining and woodcutting.
- Feafs.
- Real Estate.
- Trade: Transporting goods, animals or poeple by sea, land or through the Northern Starstone; trading with Zephyria and Eboracum. Two countries below the southern hemisphere.
- Buying glass from Zephyria for high nobility housing, alchemy etc. and various dried exotic fruits.
- Buyng spices, grape wine, olives and grain from Eboracum. Trading military equipment and siege weapons.
- Selling slaves/workers, wood, iron ore and coal.
- Regular farming, woodwork, hunting, quarries and mining (often for military purposes).

The people of Eledar work and pay taxes or pay for direct protection of The Cabal. The international politics and documented rapports serves just as an outer image. The reality of the Cabals´ underworld is not apparent at first glance.

Underworld Economy:
Smuggling, extortion, financial frauds, chemical drugs (for medical use but mostly sold as dope).

One of the main source of income is by protection racket. It is an extortion scheme whereby the criminal groups of Eledar coerces a victim (usually a business) to pay money, supposedly for protection services against violence or property damage. Racketeers coerce reticent potential victims into buying "protection" by demonstrating what will happen if they don't—they damage the victims' property or body. In most cases, many racketeers do not actually protect their client from anything but the racketeers themselves, and their "protection" is merely extortion. Often impossible to prove. However, if their victim is seriously threatened by a third party, the so-called protectors will protect their source of revenue with blood, sweat and tears. It´s after all better with living paying customers than dead bodies lying in the gutter.


Economic status in Eledar:
The nobility is the officially strongest presence in Eledar. Still they cannot deny that The Cabal has a significant financial control and influence over many political areas within the borders of Eledar. Money is deemed as the most important asset to the people in this country, to buy safety and a better future for their kin. Capitalism is king. Corruption is strong, and nobody knows truly how deep the financial corruption goes within each city.


Military defensive/offensive force, siege weapons and the nobility

Discipline and military force has another meaning in Eledar. The high nobility and Cabal adhere to certain laws and codes, but in the eyes of several other countries they control the population with fear. Many of the soldiers or town guards are payed off by The Cabal to assist protecting the cities they heavily influence. The City Watch get paid slighty extra and everyone is happy.

The cities have good defenses. A huge workforce consisting of citizens and slaves. The loyalty and morale of the people is questionably fragile. The people live like frightened sheep. Led by their shepherd; The Archduke.

The noblemen, knights and its military is not directly influenced by The Cabal. They uphold their own codes and laws, but still governs their territories with an iron fist. They do not bow to anyone, but they understand the value of bartering rather than aimlessly killing opposing forces. Thus there are conspiracy theories telling that the nobility often deal in secret with The Cabal for joint profit. If the lawless gangs provoke the landed knights, a brutal and ruthless war will most likely break out, and they would have to face several armies of heavy cavalery, ready to trample anyone daring to threaten their power. If they can locate them of course.


The lands:
Its a total mess outside of the cities, but The Cabal is rumored to control a great deal of the villages and smaller cities inhabiting thugs, gangs, low and high nobility. It can difficult to differ between which noble houses are unofficially governed by the Cabal and can be trusted by the monarcs.


Allies
Whomever they have bought or built bridges too with gold coins or trade agreements.


Organized magic: Sorcery and witchcraft
- Casters, no matter class, is referred to as a sorcerer, warlock or witch in the local tongues. Often uttered with fear and disgust. There are individual casters but not many organized guilds. There excist more partnerships rather than a permanent area with regular procedures. This means it is easier to break laws within the mages hierarchy and experiment in the shadows. Rogue wizards excist but they know the risk of getting caught by the everwatching Inquisition, and usually keep as low a profile as possible. It is not uncommon that the Inquisition amputates the hands and tongue of a suspected sorcerer during arrest, to keep them under controll for their journey. Later restoring their lost bodyparts after being brought into custody and preparing them for lenghtly and exhausting interrogations.

Ithildin:
The Northern Star Fragment named Ithildin means moonlight or starlight in elvish. This huge sized fragment of starmetal is under the juristiction of Valerian The White, an Eldroinian Archmage. Political neutral in his position as Arch Gatemage. To still the bloody civil wars between the population of Zephyhria, Eboracum and Eledar, they employed Valerian to govern the Star Fragment and it´s gating properties. Creating a foundation of peace built upon the common ground of trade. Valerian still oversee the Grand gate of the Star Fragment, and hosts a university of Conjuration and Abjuration Wizards specialized in teleportation, gate spells and wards. Common practice is to lend out practicing wizards to participate in the community serving a monarch or going on a expedition for a given number of years before receiving their full status as a White Mage.  


Crime and punishment:
To carry arms or utilize spellcasting within any establishment, city or area is deemed illegal. Decided by political votings or royal decree. Weapons must be bonded or turned in by the city gates into the custody of the city watch unless the proper documentantion can be presented. To many deaths, crimes and exploitation have taken place at the hands of magic, as one fingersnap can be enough to level a settlement to the ground. Casting spells on the street can terrify commonfolk. People bearing arms and armor in times of peace scare townsfolk and provoce any city or town guard/watch or other a law enforcement.

Exeptions: Proper documentation or positions within the hierarchy are exceptions to wearing armor and to carry peacebonded weapons.

Sentencing: Death sentence is not uncommon. Either being excuted in public or sent to work in digging sites, quarries or underground caves can be expected for low ranking citizens.



Western Eledar (The borderlands)
The westerners. Ruled by the 4th greatest Grand duke of Eledarian nobility. The westernmost parts of the country are rolling plains and foothills of the Foresthold Mountains. The air is cleaner here although the wet mud and clay infest these lands as well as hosting a range of dead forests and swamps. The people live a fairly nomadic life, following their herds of sheep and cattle. Still settlements and smaller cities can be found throughout the boarderline west towards Eldorin. Unlike many westerners the people have a good opinion of The Iron Church. Their Templars have been protecting people from goblinoid/hobgoblin raids the past years and against other beasts lurking in the dead woods and swamps. Doctors and educators from the order have increased the public health and the literacy rate in the west. This has led to many landed knights with elite soldiers from joining the Solerian armies of The Iron Church, as scouts, inquisitors and cavalry. Many of the members of the fallen 6th noble house reside her. Either as travelling nomads or inhabitants of the city allied to The Iron Church.

The Economic Alliance in the Eastern Kingdoms allows to have the border walls manned with soldier patrols and guards along the wall which separate the countries. But if the manpower exceed a certain level it will be seen as an act of war from the side responsible for stepping up the presence of military force. Thus the guardians just make sure to keep the peace and a moderate presence of men. To ensure some level of safety and preparedness.


Northern Eledar:

The heart of the Iceberg: Arkenstone of frost.
A blue burning meteorite of unearthly origin entered the atmosphere six decades ago and hit the ocean northeast of Eledar. As the meteor burned off ice, gasses and unknown particles it plummeted into the northeastern ocean, destroying an armada of ships which was present after slaying a sea serpent of gargantuan proportions. Legend say that survivers bared witness to a glowing blue gem of indecipherable size as it seemed to distort vision around it. As the blue glowing gemstone sunk it built up layers of ice, keeping it afloat, rendering it able to be studied for some time. After several weeks rumors spread fast of a gemstone named The Arkenstone of Frost which claimed many lives who dared to touch it, and drove many a sturdy sailor mad from horrible nightmares. Several search parties and an armada of ships rushed northeast to the area to claim the mysterious artifact as their own, in hope of bringing glory to their own noble houses.

A 6th noble house came first. Their Grand Duke hoped to become the next Archduke by controlling the mystical and horrible power of the Arkenstone of Frost. Over the next week the majority of the aristocratic faction and other rogue parties were reported swalloved by the power of the fabled Arkenstone of Frost. The growing layers of black ice and unearthly blizzards of extreme cold incased anything ther Arkenstone of Frost came close to; humans, ships, animals. They were never seen again after being engulfed in black blue ice. As it grew the ice became dark blue leaving the centre dark as the void.

The remaining members of the noble house was scattered across the western region of Eledar, trying to save what estate and belongings they could. The house was deemed as fallen after loosing their greatest members and their families to the tragic expedition. Those who succumed to madness either perished, or was lost in the dark wilderness, mountains or underdark caves surrounding the northeastern part of Eledar.

Today the colossal iceberg lies in the ocean close to the northeastern coast, encircled by a glacial landscape and covered by an eternal blizzard. The freezing cold and majestic weather conditions make travelling there deadly. Horrific creatuers are rumored to have been witnessed roaming the outer vicinity of the glacial landscape, barely visible through the blizzard. From time to time these entities emerge and attack the surrounding settlements and the closest city. Now heavily defended by the Archduke.



Races in Eledar:

Dwarves:
They generally live in small, extended family units of 5-10, and clear enough land to raise some pigs and goats, grow a garden and have room for a couple small buildings (generally sturdy and semi-subterranean log cabins in the most heavily guarded cities). Below the ground they build their great forges and practice their craftsmanship. Never letting their edge for crafting dull.

They may have passing relationships with human traders, and can give a lost hunter shelter for the night if travelling in caravans. But they fervently resist any sort of attempt to "civilize" themselves to human standards. They speak the secret dwarven language Baradri, but they know and use the Eledarian language in all contact with non-dwarves.


Halflings:
The world has become much more dangerous to traveling halflings, so these little folk aren't as common as they once were. However, they are cunning go-getters, and are willing to risk life and limb to help the efforts. Tribal, they live in forests, making their villages high in the trees. In cityscape environments the halflings have proven their resourcefulnes and ability to adapt in a way that even humans would envy and admire.

Gnomes:
Gnomes do not age as other mortals do, beginning to fade and ‘’bleach’’ only when they lose passion and fail to experience new things. Many gnomes in Eledar, often those who are slaves or held captive have seemed to fade long ago, and has gotten more greys-kinned and white-haired after everything they`ve been through. Many rarely come forth as joyful and cheerful in Eledar, and rather posess a stern and serious look on a daily basis. But they survive.

Though gnomes are not full-blood fey, their fey heritage can be seen in their innate magic powers, their oft-capricious natures, and their outlooks on life and the world, even in a grim place such as the Kingdom of Eledar.

Gnomes have no particular tendency to gather in specific neighborhoods in the cities of Eledar, even when a large number of them live among other races.

Even though gnomes have their own way of communicating, they usually are able to seal business deals without any issues. The other races have grown somewhat accustomed to the gnomish race, and are most of the time aware of their personal characteristics. Even some knights have been known to overlook or ignore situations initiated by gnomes, where the other races would have to pay with their lives, but maybe rather have them captured and tortured to teach them to shut up if they don´t respond to threats like humans do.

Gnomes respect elves, and have a sense of pity towards them in their enslaved and persecuted state.

Gnomes are physically weak compared to many races, and turn to other opportunities or possibilities to grant them an edge in conflicts. In urban areas streetwise usually serves gnomes good.

Elves:
Eledarian elves are the decendants of the once great high elven bloodline. Once ruling their ancient elven kindgom. FOr th epast centuries the whole landscape have been littered with the traitorish human civilazation who litter and inhabit the elves´ ancient city ruins. Ruins made by human hands.
Most of the high elves escaped south into the forest lands, the root of their creation. Mostly they traveled on their own but some human factions actually aided high elves in their escape south. Elves that was captured or stayed behind either serve as slaves or even live as slave masters, or nobility (although fallen nobility) within their own commuinities, side by side with humans.

Orcs:
Orcs are outlawed as enemies in Tharstellding. There are divided opinions about this decision, but deemed to safeguard the lands better.