Tol Leyemil, the last elven free city

Politics and Leadership The city of Tol Leyemil and its surroundings are ruled by Achen Elavain, which could be translated in the common tongue as The Assembly of the Elves”. It is a gathering of randomly designated elven citizens, who lead the city for a tenure of 20 years. Such a tenure is not overly-long for the elves, who can live for centuries. This system aims as much as possible to prevent personal ambitions from getting in the way of the greater good of the elven civilization. Although not part of the Achen Elavain, the shamans, especially Bondmakers, are nonetheless important and influential actors in Tol Leyemil thanks to their unequalled ability to transmit the messages of nature. They are always represented in the official gatherings of the Assembly of Elves, although their opinions are strictly consultative. The Grand Shaman Aethorion is renowned even among shamans for his wisdom and foresight. Economy Much like the humans of the Charneault Kingdom, the elves rely heavily on fishing for their subsistence. Unlike the humans, however, they do not only fish in the rivers. As Tol Leyemil is a short river cruise to the sea, many fishing vessels come and go along the coast. The coast also shelters many well-maintained orchards that benefit from the temperate climate and provide heavy yields of fruits that are used for food and wines, the recipes for which are well-guarded secrets of the elven growers. Trade between Tol Leyemil and the Charneault Kingdom used to flourish. The elves rely on Charneault cereals to feed their surging population, while humans of the Kingdom buy fruits, fine beverages, and sea fish from the elves. Though the demand still exists, things have worsened since the events of the Dark Elf Curse. Even if war has not returned, trust between elves and humans has been damaged, and trade has suffered as a result.

History

The origins of the elven settlement of Caer Neiada are lost to the night of time, as is the construction date of Tol Leyemil. However, many elves claim that Tol Leyemil is the most ancient elven city on this side of the Great Sea, and the city’s impressive, convoluted, and worn-out architecture stands as proof of its immemorial age. Detailed history of Tol Leyemil and the elves of Caer Neiada is hard to come by as the elves themselves don’t like to share their history, or indeed their city, with humans. History books probably exist in the ancient libraries of the city, but they are well guarded and no human has been allowed to visit them to this day. Even if the Green Elves, who prefer to live in communion with raw nature, are indeed the first elven group to inhabit Caer Neiada and have been the largest population in the city until recently, Tol Leyemil has always been a cosmopolitan place. Elves of all origins have been freely accepted and welcomed since time immemorial, and this has further reinforced the legitimacy of the political system of the city.