"The land rises towards the boughs as the trees themselves grow higher around it. It is not the ground that carries the city, but the trees themselves, slowly bringing the city closer to the heavens as years pass, bowing under and around it like rock and walls. The road leading up to the city is like a path in a gorgeous garden: flanked by planted greenery and trees that grow side by side like dear friends, and among them, dancing tiny balls of light illuminating the path to travellers."
Yusokalai is a primarily elven city-state located in the old forest of Fernwood in
Ager. Until very recently, humans were not welcome, and even today, they may be treated coldy as the people are still adjusting to the new political atmosphere.
In the royal garden is a Heartree called Onnuson, or Heaventree in the common tongue, which provides the forest and its inhabitants with magic.
History
Yusokalai is one of the oldest elven kingdoms, and its rulers, the Agarbráits, can trace their origins to the few Firstborn elves that travelled north when elves and humans became their own race and all races became mortal.
The Years of Madness
"Someone is sitting at the base of the tree, slouching, eyes on the ground. Long, light grey hair cover her face. The drab clothes are worn out and dirty.
"The humming ends. The stranger sways like a willow in the spring wind; or perhaps to music only she can hear.
"Then, the humming continues."
- The arrival of the princess and her allies to Onnuson.
Some fourty years ago, the then ruler of Yusokalai, Emeroth Agarbráit, the twin to Eleoth, found a partner in a human bard, Joselyn. One day, the lovers and Eleoth were out walking in the forest with the Royal Guard, enjoying the peace and each others' company when they were ambushed by shadowy creatures. Emeroth lost his life and Eleoth was gravely wounded. He eventually recovered, but carried within a sickness that wouldn't leave despite the healing. From him, the sickness entered the Heartree and began to spread all throughout Ferwood, and the spirit of sickness, Denishar, began to whisper in the new ruler's ear.
Emeroth was buried, and he and Joselyn's daughter never had the chance to meet his father. For a while, they stayed in the palace, but Denishar's whisper convinced Eleoth that she was responsible for his brother's death, that she betrayed him. Joselyn sensed that something was wrong and escaped with her child before Eleoth could bring either of them to harm.
In the following years, Eleoth's Madness grew worse. Because of it, most people of Yusokalai believed that Joselyn had indeed seduced Emeroth to enter the family's inner circle and to betray the family to take the throne for herself. Additionally, Eleoth's general paranoia towards humans soured Yusokalai's political relationships in the predominantly human Ager, leaving most choosing the long way around the forest rather than through it for the sake of safety.
When Joselyn's daughter returned decades later with her allies, they dealt with the sickness, killing the Spirit of Madness and clearing Eleoth's mind. While the woman was a princess, born in marriage, the two agreed that it was unlikely the people would accept her as their leader despite her legimacy. She was happy to keep to the life of adventure, accepting she now had a home to return to, leaving Eleoth the leader of the city-state.
Lodgings
Travellers to Yusokalai can find a place to rest from either in Mitalen, a high-quality inn in the central parts of Yusokalai, or from the mediocre Wreath closer to the gates.
The Palace
The palace is a wide, light building with a greyish blue roof. Many plants and trees grow around it, and one can always hear the singing of the birds when walking near the building.
The palace has a royal garden that has a variety of plants and its own small forest. Anyone working in the palace has free access to it, but outsider require permission and an escort to enter.
Current Coutriers
Below are listed some of the people working in the palace.
Butler Engála Sirio: an older elf with silver hair and eyes the colour of the summer sky. He is quick to speak and slow to listen, often sending people to work before they can approach him about matters that need addressing. Persistance is the key, but newer courtiers always take some time to learn this.
Cook Grafatt: a half-orc man with dark red skin and bright yellow eyes. He always makes more food than necessary to make sure the courtiers can also eat their fill, and is known for his good heart and willingness to help those who are willing to work.
Cooks apprentice Falia: a teenage elf, alert and quick.
Servant Saiwenn: an elven man who's worked in the court for a long time. He's tall, slender and has a long face, and doesn't like to talk about the more sour matters he's witnessed.
The Guard
Guard captain Lohael Indrod: an elven woman with golden, short hair and moss green eyes. She's strict, and expect people to act quickly, and can seem harsh and demanding to outsiders: this comes from the place of caring, however, as she would hate to lose any of her people due to poor training.
Odul: an aasimar man who prefers to observe rather than take action when not necessary.
Moss-song: a short halfling with warm brown skin and an outgoing, welcoming personality. He is known as the source of terrible jokes, something that he seems quite proud of.
