Eldreth Veluuthra
Eldreth Veluuthra is an elven secret society committed to the eradication of all human life.
Structure
The organization was cellular and leadership of each cell was decided upon by its members. If a leader could not be removed by diplomatic means, approval from the Vel'Nikeryma was sought to take further measures.[15]
Cells each operated differently with different rules under their respective leaders, but few took a militaristic approach. Instead, members went about their daily lives, working or maintaining families, and took up duties when called for. Although there were a few adventuring companies, these did not last long due to the high casualties involved in such a cell style.[16]
It was possible for established members of the Eldreth Veluuthra to request agent status with the Vel'Nikeryma, and take on duties anywhere in Faerûn. Agents would have to pass on the information they learned, and donate a portion of their treasure, to their superiors. They gained access to passwords, handshakes and symbols that could help identify them to other agents anywhere in Faerûn. An agent arriving in a cell's area would gain access to their supplies and gain their shelter. Only if the agent requested a valuable item or stayed more than a tenday would the cell's leader be justified in asking for a task or favour in return.[16]
Public Agenda
They believe that humans despoil the natural world by their very
nature and that no amount of guidance will change
what they believe to be fundamental human nature.
In Cormyr, the elves have gathered at a small
spring within the Hullack Forest known as the
Wyvernstones, where they and their fey allies plot
strikes against the nearby human settlements.
History
The incident that kickstarted the organization’s formation was Coronal Eltargrim Irithyl’s decision to open Myth Drannor to non-elves upon its foundation in 261 DR.[2] Some elves at that time pointed at the danger of such a decision due to past bad relationships with humans, like those they had with Netheril,[3] the supposed humans’ inclination to take land from elves,[4] and their supposed inability to live in a given piece of land without despoiling it.[2]
In 262 DR, these dissidents, five major elven houses, Bharaclaiev, Hyshaanth, Rhaevaern, Starym and Tellynnan, and about a dozen of minor elven houses left Myth Drannor in order to not allow social strife to develop into all out war. Outside of the capital, these dissidents founded the Eldreth Veluuthra, though at that time they neither called themselves such nor was their purpose at that time of genocidal nature. Their purpose at that time was to catalogue what they categorized as “humans’ crime against nature“ as well as to conduct philosophical discussions with other elves based on this catalogue to determine the humans’ place in the natural world. The result was to call humans vermin.[2]
The organization's formally founded itself after the Weeping War (711 DR–714 DR) calling themselves by the name Eldreth Veluuthra. A number of raids in 757 DR were aimed to lead up to a final battle against the humans.[1]
After the Elven Court was abandoned in the Retreat, the Eldreth Veluuthra set about preparing to take the forest of Cormanthor for themselves, starting with the Elven Court. They were driven away by the drow of House Jaelre.[5]
In 1277 DR, King Errilam I of Tethyr and Prince Dhanar of Amn died in a "hunting accident", an assassination orchestrated by the Eldreth Veluuthra.[6]
Notable about the Eldreth Veluuthra's history was, that they never had, throughout their history from their foundation to the 14th century DR, meaningful success at reversing or stopping human expansion.[7]
Demography and Population
Only elves are permitted to join the Eldreth Veluuthra, which prohibits drow and half-elves from joining. Traditionally the sun elves have been the most numerous although as of 1374 DR, wild elf applicants have become more common. Moon elves are fairly numerous, and there are a few wood elves and sea elves.[15]
The two main areas of recruitment for the organization are amongst the mature and wealthy, and amongst the young and poor, especially those that are also disillusioned. The young and poor make up the organization's fighting force, while the wealthy are needed to spread the organization's reputations and agendas amongst high society. The wild and green elves are the specialists in the organization.[15]
In order to join the Eldreth Veluuthra, one must be observed for a time. Those who openly seek membership of the organization are treated with suspicion (due to a history of problems with the Harpers). Once the true agenda of a potential new recruit has been ascertained, through observation by normal and magical means, he or she is approached and invited to join. Most new recruits are family members, because the trust of a family helps to maintain the secrecy of the organization. Some non-family recruits are treated with suspicion and have a hard time settling in.[9]
Once a member, an individual is bound by a vow of secrecy and a vow to punish any other member who breaks this vow. The vow is life-long and can never be broken.[16]
Territories
Its main areas of activity were ancient elven forests, including the Ardeep Forest, the Border Forest, the Chondalwood, Cormanthor, the High Forest, the Moonwood, Neverwinter Woods and the Winterwood.[1]
Foreign Relations
The organization saw humans as vermin. It maintained secretive methods while still benefitting from good funding. Some elves would openly encourage cooperation and friendship with humans while simultaneously supplying the Eldreth Veluuthra with weapons, supplies and money. Although outsiders might view the organization as evil, its members believe that they are doing good by ridding the world of humans and saving their fellow elves from human dangers.[1]
Only few humans knew that the Eldreth Veluuthra existed at all.[8] Among those who knew were the Harpers. On one hand, the Eldreth Veluuthra suffered setbacks at the hand of the spies' infiltration,[9] on the other, the Harpers supported them at remaining secret. The background for this was that the Eldreth Veluuthra were elves. The Harpers didn't want to make information public, that could tarnish the elves' reputation and could lead to their disadvantage and covered up the Eldreth Veluuthra's crimes.[3]
In general, elves who were not members of the Eldreth Veluuthra saw the organization as an unnecessary embarrassment. Its eradication is believed to have been prevented due to certain members of elven high society who remained in its favour.[1]
The organization generally benefitted from relations with the centaurs, some fey and satyrs, although they were not above teaming up with evil races in order to fulfil a goal. Over the course of the organization's history, the Harpers ruined their plans on numerous occasions, and the Eldreth Veluuthra delighted in ambushing Harpers as a result. They also targetted human rangers in general, since they were often the precursors to human encroachment in an area.[10]
Some members opposed attacking human druids, since druids were aspiring to the elven ideal that the organization was trying hard to protect,[10] though killing druids who founded their groves near human settlements was considered legitimate.[11]
They viewed half-elves as abominations,[10] alongside fey'ri,[11] and were committed to wiping them out along with humans.
They had some ties with the church of Vhaeraun[12] and were capable of working with drow together against humans.[13] Some members favoured making peace with the drow and accept their clerics to counter their chronic shortage of healing magic, although this was not a popular proposition.[14]
The organization was opposed to some traditional elven enemies such as beholders, evil dragons, gnolls, goblinoids and orcs.[10]
Founding Date
262 DR
Type
Secret, Brotherhood
