Silverleaf Shard

Silverleaf, properly named Orahnis in elven, is a mid-sized shard located in somewhere in the boundary between Africa and the Middle East of the Old World. Standing as one of the great elven kingdoms until the recent past, its boundaries were somehow breached by Seraphs which led to the complete destruction of the capital city; now the shard lies vacant, with few willing to risk making their home in a place so painfully proven to be vulnerable.

Climate and Geology

Despite being surrounded by a desert, Silverleaf itself enjoys a far more tolerable climate due to being situated on a wide floodplain-valley carved out by a major river. The river splits into countless smaller streams upon entering the valley, creating a tapestry of islands and rivulets that support vast forests of the willow trees that give the city and shard its name. Temperatures here tend to hover in the hot-but-tolerable range and sink down to a cooler but not cold climate at night; the presence of so much water keeps the air from becoming dry, but humidity is rare due to prevailing breezes through the valley. A winter rainy season, as well as the spring effects of rains far upriver of the shard itself, causes annual flooding that restores the soil and causes little damage to buildings that were constructed with this in mind.

Population and Governance

With its population once numbering well into the tens of thousands before the capital's destruction, the shard is almost deserted in the current era. In a situation similar to the shard housing the ruins of Starfall , a few stragglers and undesirables make a scant living in the outskirts of the shard; some still trying to upkeep a handful of farms in order to support themselves, some refusing to leave their ancestral home, and some simply outlaws using the shard as a convenient hiding place. It's an ungoverned and lawless place, occasionally swept by elven forces from Darkmere but largely left vacant.
Unlike Starfall, there were survivors of Silverleaf's destruction, and a population of a few thousand refugees lives within the boundaries of Darkmere. They've maintained their identity in large part due to the survival of the royal family's children, Elasion and Alysa Silverleaf, and hope to one day reclaim their homeland. However, returning to a place known to be accessible to the Seraphs is a daunting prospect. Nobody wants to see history repeat itself, and as such any plans for rebuilding Silverleaf are indefinitely on hold until the people of Silverleaf have the numbers and confidence in their ability to defend themselves following a return.

Capital

SILVERLEAF/ORAHNIS
The city of Silverleaf was once the shining crown of the desert, rising out of the willow forests with impossible grace and beauty. It was built along the length of the valley, with the palace at its heart. It exemplified the elegant ideals of elven architecture, with most structures built in an open style to take advantage of the cooling winds that swept through the valley; buildings were a combination of stone, carved wood, and woven lattice from the abundant willow trees. In many cases the willows themselves were integrated into bridges and buildings, their natural pliability and willingness to follow trained growth greatly enhanced by magic. Easily supported by the fertility of the land and the crops that grew readily along the valley's outer edges, it let the people of the city focus on the finer things in life; Silverleaf was known as a city of artists, scholars, and poets, with little interest in political ambition or conquest.

Other Notable Locations

THE FIRST TREE
A giant, gnarled willow of indeterminable age, Orim or the First Tree was generally held to be the willow from which all others in the valley are descended. It was considered sacred, a symbol of the city's pride, and towered over a small temple to the goddess Aia. Sadly, it was lost in the fires that swept through the valley during the city's destruction; rumors among the survivors say that the Seraphs made a point to torch it deliberately.
RISING SUN ISLAND
The city considered the twins Riev and Orona their patron gods, and a beautiful temple to the two once stood on an island on the easternmost portion of the delta.
RIVER'S HEART
Also called Ys'ren, River's Heart is a wide 'lake' in the middle of the shard that once bordered on wide stairs that led to the royal palace. It was a popular place to swim and relax on the hottest days, and open to all of the city's inhabitants from the poorest to the royal family themselves.

Quick Facts

Approximate Size: ~1800 sq. miles
Number of Entrances: 2
Capital City: Silverleaf (Orahnis)

Dominant Race: (none)
Approximate Population: 200

Type

Territory