Dylanthatar

Dylanthatar is the land of the First Elves. Elven history claims that when elves first came to Embril, they arrived in the Westwoods. But history was not kind to the First Elves and the nation of Dylanthatar was not officially founded until after the fall of the Andarian Empire.
Dylanthatar is steeped in rich elven history and tradition, while still managing to integrate itself into a world largely dominated by humans. Its population is more diverse than that of the elven nation of Aravess in the Great Forest. A significant percentage of its citizens are half-elves and humans. Not considered as mysterious as Aravess, Dylanthatar does not hide itself away in the Westwoods. It is surrounded by humans and dwarves, and trades freely with the nations on the west coast. Elven ships from Dylanthatar even trade throughout the Mathari Sea, these long journeys being but a fraction of time in their long lives.
King Siverael Ehlnorym has ruled since 284 AV and is considered old, even for an elf. Though visibly in good health, it is unknown how many more years he will endure. The Ehlnorym family has ruled Dylanthatar since its founding. Prince Halanir is next in line for the throne, he himself almost 500 years old.

Life and Society

The traditional clan customs dominate society in Dylanthatar. Most of the families are led by a patriarch, but a few rare clans answer to a matriarch. Due to elves’ long lives, a patriarch can help care and guide as much as five, sometimes even six, generations of his family. Most of the clan lives in close proximity to one another, with an ancestral home as the family base. But large settlements being more custom in Dylanthatar than in Aravess, many family members move to another city or town to establish their own branch of their clan, though still deferring to the patriarch. Elves are not as quick to procreate as shorter-lived races typically are, so the common elven family has only one or two children.
Dylanthan society is divided into the royals, nobles, and commoners. The royals are the king’s family and his direct descendants. Nobles are old families who were there at the founding of Dylanthatar and any families who have been honored with the title. Younger families, such as those formed by dividing branches of a clan, or elves new to Dylanthatar, are commoners.

Major Geographical Features

All of Dylanthatar exists within the Westwoods, with mountains on one side and the sea on the other. Though settled by the elves, this forest may appear primeval to those unfamiliar with it. The Dylanthan do their best to preserve the natural qualities of the Westwoods, respecting nature in all its forms. Wild animals live in the wilderness and are left alone, except when hunted for the purposes of gathering food. Monsters or creatures that upset the balance of nature are hunted for the purposes of extermination.
Haegren Barrens: This inhospitable wasteland is home to many monstrous tribes and creatures. Goblinoids are the most common of the humanoid monsters, with a sizeable population of orcs coming in second. Many kobolds also live in the Haegren Barrens, but mostly near the mountains. Reptilian and insectoid creatures are also quite common. Because of the harsh, dry climate, only hardy, adaptable species tend to thrive. Few trees grow in the Haegren Barrens, with brush and scrub being the more common flora.
Civilized humanoids tend to avoid the Haegren Barrens. Survival within is difficult, with both the terrain and the inhabitants posing potent dangers. Though adventurers often explore this wasteland in search of rumored treasures or rare components sought after by spellcasters.
Lake Crin: This lake sits at the base of the Stone Horn Mountains and empties out into the Crin River which makes its way to the Gaer Sea. Lake Crin is considered the origin point of elves on Embril. The first elven city of Sembria was founded on its southern shore. Various sylvan species live in and around the lake. It is also said that unicorns frequent it, though they seldomly allow themselves to be seen by non-sylvans.
Dylanthatar’s northern border ends at Lake Crin and the Crin River.
Stone Horn Mountains: This mountain range is considered the origin point of dwarves on Embril. The first dwarven city of Alkren was founded in the northern part of the range. Just about any kind of mountainous creature can be found here, from goats to dragons and anything in between. The Stone Horn Mountains form a natural barrier between the majority of the Haegren Barrens and the Westwoods. Many caves in the Stone Horn Mountains are said to lead to the Underdark, and at least one known drow city, Tlac’ven.
Dylanthatar’s eastern border ends at the Stone Horn Mountains.
Westwoods: The Westwoods covers a large portion of the west coast of the continent of Velen. It is home to many woodland creatures, monsters, as well as elves and humans. It bares several varieties of tall, leafy trees. The undergrowth in the forest is moderate, and the trees are not as densely packed as in the Great Forest. But the thick canopy keeps the majority of the forest floor in perpetual shade.

Important Settlements

Dylanthan villages blend into the forest, causing as little damage as possible. Dylanthans hunt, gather food, grow vegetables, and are able to support themselves without the need to plow land. To the untrained eye, most Dylanthan villages are nearly invisible until right upon one. Their architecture is in the elven style, organic, appearing grown rather than built. Their structures are built around nature, not in spite of it. Natural colors are favored, though on the inside, they are opulently decorated. Many of their buildings have multiple levels with an open design that makes it appear as if one is standing on a walkway that sprouted out naturally from the tree it is attached to. Ramping walkways and stairways wind up around the tall trees, disappearing into the wide leafy branches.
Hovian (Small City, 5,500): Hovian was built at the edge of the forest, more than fifteen miles from the shore. It began as a small forest town but grew into a proper city as the small fishing villages on the shore expanded, creating small ports for sailing vessels heading up and down the coast. Though not in direct control of those ports, Hovian receives the bulk of the trade. The villagers have adapted as a result, adding caravan services to and from the coast to Hovian. As the coastal villages continue to grow, they threaten to merge into Hovian, further expanding the city.
On the west side of Hovian there is a market district which handles many imported goods. Several visitors come to Hovian and can enjoy reasonable accommodations with an elven flare as well as elven cuisine. Farther in from the market district, the city recedes into the woods where locals can often escape the bustle of its western half. The majority of the buildings under the canopy of the trees are residential dwellings.
The current warden of Hovian is Ruven Quindar.
Lirinin (Small Town, 1,500): Lininin is a small Dylanthan town that grew out of a collection of smaller clan villages. It does not receive as many visitors as some of the nation’s larger cities, and those who do visit are typically just passing through. Still, Lirinin has two inns and a small open market that specializes in local wares.
The current warden of Lirinin is Ulreth Aldovara.
Sembria (Large City, 14,500): Sembria is the capital of the elven nation of Dylanthatar. The current incarnation of the city has existed for a little less than a millennium, but its denizens still refer to it in historical terms as the first elven city on Embril.
Sembria overlooks Lake Crin to the north under the shade of mountains to the east. Because of the clearing it is built on, the city is comprised mainly of freestanding buildings of stone, garnished with greenery giving it a natural look and feel. The city appears clean and somewhat pristine with white stonework contrasting with the green and browns of the vines, leaves, and sporadic trees. A dock along the lake caters to the riverboats that sail up and down the Crin River between here and the city of Valquin.
The royal palace sits near the center of the city framed by two enormous oak trees. A grand park with well-tended flowery gardens is off to one side of the palace with a lightly forested glade on the other. Various buildings fan out from there around streets that look like they just formed in natural patterns, as opposed to being built in straight lines. This makes getting around difficult for non-elven newcomers to the city. Because of the human and dwarven city-states to the north, Sembria sees its share of foreign travelers.
The current warden of Sembria is Rellion Daecynar.
Tallridge (Large Town, 3,800): This town sits at the southern foothills of the Stone Horn Mountains, along the Escarian River. It was originally founded by the humans of Escaria, but became part of Dylanthatar over 200 years ago as a result of the Westwoods War. Since then, it has become a blending of humans, elves, and half-elves. In fact, the majority of its population is half-elves and humans. The only mining operations in Dylanthatar are based out of Tallridge.
The current warden of Tallridge is Lathai Lorahara.
Valquin (Small City, 8,000): Valquin is the main port and trade hub in Dylanthatar. Ships from up and down the coast, as well as the islands to the northwest, visit its docks. In addition, trade caravans carry goods in and out, to and from neighboring nations and city-states. This city entertains the most visitors to Dylanthatar and has several inns and taverns to accommodate.
Located on the coast, this city is the least forested city in Dylanthatar, however, several trees have been planted around the city to make it greener than most human settlements. To the east of the city, the residential areas boast the majority of the trees. The market area is large, just inland from the docks to the west, trading elven wares for imported goods.
The current warden of Valquin is Ellek Pieros.

Regional History

Elven legends claim that Corellon Larethian sent a group of elves on a quest through a rift in the Feywild to discover the new world of Embril. These elves found an untouched paradise and began settling it immediately. According to elven historians, the original city of Sembria was their first settlement, founded in 304 AE. The First Elves expanded through the Westwoods and within months came into contact with orcs, new to Embril themselves. Conflicts with the orcs proceeded in the typical traditions of both races, but they each staked a claim to territory on this new world. For almost 1,800 years, the Westwoods was dominated by elves, with the orcs pushed north of the Crin River.
Content to allow the orcs territory to the north, and overconfidently assured of their own strength, the elves of the Westwoods were ignorant of a powerful orc chieftain named Gralmok, who managed to unite the orc tribes. This led to the elves’ greatest failure and shame when Gralmok’s army razed the city of Sembria in 1094 AC, and scattered the elf clans there. King Gralmok continued his campaign throughout the Westwoods and ultimately conquered its entirety. In 1123 AC, King Gralmok was killed by the green dragon Medrydandril, and his kingdom split into separate tribes by his sons. However, the orcs remained powerful, and the elves were unable to reclaim their homelands. Orcs continued to rule the Westwoods for another 221 years.
Throughout most of this time, the elves of the Westwoods were also ignorant of the human empire that had been growing over a thousand miles away until its armies crossed the Haegren River to the south. By 1344 AC, the Andarian Empire had conquered the Westwoods up to the Crin River. The surviving orc tribes were forced to retreat north across the Crin. And again, the scattered elves were powerless to reclaim their homelands as they were now occupied by a mighty human empire.
But as short human lives fade, so do their empires. In the wake of the collapse of the Andarian Empire, human control of the Westwoods began to weaken. Petty human warlords rose to power in fragmented territories, fighting amongst each other for whatever piece of the Westwoods they could claim. Seizing their opportunity, in 2100 AC, the elf clans struck, defeating the humans and driving them out of the northern Westwoods. The elves then rebuilt the city of Sembria upon the site of its ruins and created the nation of Dylanthatar. King Anhoyron Ehlnorym was crowned its ruler and the Ehlnorym clan has ruled ever since.
The elves continued to rule most of the northern Westwoods, but humans remained a presence to the south. Eventually, humans united to form nations. The first of these in the Westwoods was Escaria, and for its first 250 years, they managed to stay out of the elves’ way and peace was maintained. But in 279 AV, Escaria’s expansion in the Westwoods began to press against Dylanthatar’s borders and the elves viewed the human city of Tallridge as a direct breach of their borders. Dylanthatar went to war against their human neighbors in what would become known as the Westwoods War. The Westwoods War was bloody, and costly, for both sides. Ultimately, in 295 AV, Escaria sued for peace and conceded Tallridge to Dylanthatar. The elves, tired of this conflict, accepted the terms. Tallridge was integrated into Dylanthatar, but many humans remained in the town and its surrounding environs. Despite cultural differences, these humans were begrudgingly accepted into Dylanthatar, and the humans begrudgingly accepted their new rulers. By the second human generation under elven rule, their grudges began to fade, so the elves began to let them go as well. In 344 AV, Dylanthatar and Escaria united to fend off a goblinoid invasion from the Haegren Barrens, in a conflict known as the Goblinoid Incursion of 344. As a result of this alliance, peace and favorable relations grew between the two nations. The peace and friendship between Dylanthatar and Escaria has lasted through present day.

Capital
Sembria
Government
Monarchy
Banner/Flag
Blue background with silver filigree depicting a unicorn surrounded by leaves
Population
447,000 (elves 90%, half-elves 5%, humans 3%, halflings 1%)
Demonym
Dylanthan
Religions
Corellon Larethian, Mundus, Terra
Imports
Gems, glass, ivory, metal
Exports
Hides, jewelry, textiles, wine
Language
Elven
Alignment
CG, NG, CN

The Continent of Velen

Open full size