Svartálfheim
The Unseelie Court of Svartálfheim, home to the black elves, or drow, is a realm of perpetual twilight and icy shadows. Nestled deep within the heart of the Feywild, Svartálfheim is a place where darkness reigns supreme, and the chill of winter is ever-present. The landscape is one of jagged mountains, dark forests, and frozen rivers that glitter like black crystal under the dim light of a perpetually overcast sky. Here, the sun never rises fully, casting the land in an eternal dusk that is both haunting and beautiful.
The black elves, also known as drow or Svartálfar, are the primary inhabitants of this cold and foreboding realm. These fey are known for their ebony skin, silver or white hair, and eyes that gleam like polished obsidian. They are masters of shadow and illusion, able to move unseen and unheard through the darkest places. The Svartálfar are a proud and secretive people, with a culture steeped in ancient traditions and a deep reverence for the winter night. They are skilled in dark crafts, forging weapons and artifacts imbued with icy magic, and are known for their prowess in both war and deception.
At the center of Svartálfheim’s power stands Queen Aibell who commands both fear and respect. Aibell is a striking figure, tall and slender, with ebony skin that seems to glow faintly in the darkness. Her hair is a cascade of silver white, often adorned with silver and onyx jewelry. Her eyes, a piercing ice blue, are cold and unyielding, reflecting the disdain she harbors for most men.
Queen Aibell’s distaste for men is well known, rooted in ancient grievances and betrayals that have left her wary and mistrustful of them. Though she allows male black elves within her court, they occupy positions of subservience, often tasked with menial or dangerous work. Her court is dominated by powerful female figures, from warrior maidens who patrol the borders of Svartálfheim to sorceresses who weave dark magics at her behest.
The Court of Svartálfheim is a cold, unforgiving place, where strength and cunning are valued above all. The court’s halls are carved from black ice, their walls adorned with tapestries depicting ancient battles and dark legends. The throne room, where Queen Aibell presides, is a grand chamber filled with the chill of the deepest winter. Her throne, made of blackened iron and adorned with frost-covered thorns, sits upon a dais of frozen stone.
Svartálfheim is a place where the weak do not survive, and where betrayal is as common as the falling snow. Queen Aibell’s rule is absolute, and her word is law. Those who cross her or challenge her authority are quickly dealt with, often disappearing into the icy shadows, never to be seen again. Yet, despite the court’s harshness, there is a certain dark beauty to it, a reflection of the winter that never ends and the shadows that are ever-present.
The Court of Svartálfheim is a place of isolation, cut off from the warmth and light of the other fey realms. Queen Aibell’s distaste for men extends to a broader suspicion of outsiders in general, and few are allowed entry into her court without proving their worth. Svartálfheim is a realm of hidden dangers and secret intrigues, where the black elves plot and scheme in the darkness, and where the cold is not just a force of nature, but a way of life.
Demography and Population
The fey of Svartálfheim are cold and cruel, tempered by the harshness of the realm. Winter eldarin, drow, and svartálfar form the settlements within the realm. Fey beasts, such as winter wolves, who can tolerate the harsh night find that they thrive within this realm. Shadow hags dwell in the darkest corners of the realm and nachtkraken, great shadowy krakens, dwell in the black, frozen lakes. Frost trolls and winter harpies seek prey in the form of any who wander too carelessly toward their hunting grounds.
Laws
- Any who would stay more than three days in Svartálfheim must swear feality to Queen Aibell.
- No one may bring light or heat into the realm.
- Any changes, disturbances, or suspicious activity must be reported to the Court.
- Everyone must obey the hierarchical order.
- No man may hold station above a woman.
The night reveals what the day conceals.
Type
Court, Noble
Alternative Names
Home of the Black-Elves
Leader
Government System
Monarchy, Absolute
Parent Organization
Location
Notable Members