Illalona
Purpose / Function
Serving as a landing point for elves from the South, Illalona was formed on the rocky shores on the Southwest side of the Northern Elven Kingdom. The city became a safe haven for the elves fleeing the Southern Elven Kingdom before it was ultimately obliterated during the Realmswar. It has become a trading hub for the Norther Elven Kindom and supplies many of the resources within their nation.
It also serves as home to the Winddream family and their leader and ruler of the city, Ronan Winddream. He has ruled over the city for hundreds of years and has led it to a point of prosperity again.
Architecture
Unlike how the Dwarven architecture stretches into the mountains and is carved out of them, the elves tend to build around the natural formations of the world, leaving its beauty as undisturbed as possible. The city extends into the gaps of the mountain peaks and has varying colors that mirror the Ferriden mountain range surrounding it. The walls tend to be shades of black, dark grey or even white in some place, while the roof tops and windows are usually a deep blue or green.
The buildings differ greatly from those in the capital city of Nyl Thalas, some of them are as large as temples or citadels and house many elven families in one building. They often stack them on top of one another as well to allow for more efficient construction and to impact the land around them as little as possible while remaining safe.
Defenses
The treacherous Ferriden mountains that surround the city provide cover and make bringing siege weapons over it impossible. Only a few known passes over the mountains exist and they are difficult to traverse meaning an invasion through them would be very impractical. The ocean to the south makes it difficult to attack from any direction, with watch towers stationed along its shores. They also have a fairly decent naval force that patrols the waters and ensures safety to ships bringing resources to the Northern Elven Kingdom.
The city also has a hidden connected pathway that was established with Ebony Ridge back when it was under the control of the Dwarves, this allowed troops to travel back and forth between the two cities who were allies. Now a human city controlled by the Thornevale family, they formed an unlikely alliance and offered to extend help if the elves needed it.
The elven city also has a wall that surrounds the city and a large military force within its walls to protect from anyone who did make landfall on their shores.
History
Illalona was one of the first cities built after Nyl Thalas by the Northern Elven Kingdom as it gave them better access to the Southern Elven Kingdom. It's location was not only chosen for its proximity to the sea and the natural defensible position but also due to the magic that permeated the Ferriden mountain range. The elves studied its magical properties for generations and drew from its powers.
Several millenia later the Dwarven City known as Ebony Ridge was constructed on the opposite side of the Ferriden mountains for the same reason. The Dwarves mined magical ore from within the mountains and over time extended a tunnel system deep within its roots and out to the elven city as well.
They established a diplomatic relationship and began trading as well. This continued until the dwarves abandoned it and joined their brethren in the country now known as Estrya. The city remained empty for thousands of years after that until the Thornevale family discovered it and started restoring it and establishing an alliance with Ebony Ridge once again.
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