Tannelorn
12-10-2008, 10:25
Population: [32% Arendacilian [numenorean high men] 40% half elf 3% sun elves 25% moon elves
Break down: Arendacil five million [national average applies] Siluvair two hundred and seventy thousand 87% sun elf, 9% half elf 2% arendacilian 4% Moon elf. Harenor three hundred and fourty thousand 75% Arendacilian, 12% half elf 13% Moon elf Crown Lands Three million three hundred and ninety thousand. Arendacilian 40% Half Elves 35% Moon Elves 24% Sun elves 1%
Total Populations
Arendacilian 2.7 million Moon Elf 2.2 million Half elves 3.8 million Sun elves 300 000
Majour Exports: Weapons and armour, Ore, fine Jewelry, Magic, Foodstuffs, wines, art, lumber.
Governmental style: Feudal empire, consisting of several smaller kingdoms. The Crown lands The high kings lands, Siluvair, Sun elf kingdom, Coronal, Arendacil Human and moon elf majourity, Half elf line of Grand Dukes, Harenor Arendacilian majourity, duke.
Military size
Host of Tannelorn
ten Legions of the high King [each legion is one thousand men]
Knight orders [Around one hundred orders exist, each one numbers from fifty to three hundred men]
The army of Siluvair Two legions, as well as up to ten legions of citizen-soldiers may be called up in wartime. At any single time two legions of Citizen-soldiers are training/performing watch/militia duties in Siluvair.
The Army of Arendacil
Five legions
Five active citizen-soldier legions engaged in patrol/training/watch duties, up to Ten citizen soldier levies can be called up in war time.
Host of Harenor
One legion
Peasant levies/militias equivalent numbers of ten legions in wartime, varies in peacetime
Freemen's levy
At any one time up to six active legions equivalent, of the Freemen's levy is active in the Crown lands, particularly on the frontier's where the frontier's men, farmers and miners would have to wait up to several days to be relieved by a Knight Order.
History
The history of the Divine Kingdom of Tannelorn is as old as the elven empires who once dominated the area it now encompasses. The history of those lands, is the history of the elves themselves, the Crown wars against the dark elves, who would later be the drow were fought and won, as well as thousands of years of war against encroaching humans, orcs and goblins as well as dwarves.
Roughly twenty five hundred years past, the Moon elf kingdom of Rillith Tormal was crushed by a massive orc and goblin invasion, spurred by a demonic incursion near the site of an ancient battle of the crown wars. Old elfgates, still active after almost eight thousand years were used by agents of the dark gods to allow tanar'ri to spill forth. These Tanar'ri quickly enslaved the orcish tribes around them, and set about breeding an army containing tanarukk's, Orog's and other fell beasts. In the final days of the battle, the Sun elves of Siluvair used the moon elves cities as shields, using high magic to unleashe devastating plagues and magical storms to slow the horde. This did not stop them, however it bought time.
From the west, men appeared on ships, however these were not like the men that had appeared before. Tall and straight limned, sophisticated and accomplished mariners, they landed and immediately set about making peaceful contact with surviving elven settlements. Upon learning of the situation their new friends found themselves in, they pledged themselves to help face the massive horde. Siluvair joined the war in earnest when the Arendacilians and surviving Moon elf armies started to win against the severely weakened horde.
After the rest were put to the sword, a lasting peace and alliance was drawn up between siluvair and the Arendacilian's, and the moon elves displaced by the war were welcomed in to Arendacil proper. All continued like this for hundreds of years, the people prospered and grew strong. Order's of Knights and the code of chivalry adopted from Siluvair prevailed across the lands east of the Gulf of tobias, which would one day form the Divine Kingdom. At this time three realms existed, encompassing a much smaller territory then today. The Kingdom of Siluvair continued to remain strong after the wars, and grew rich in trade with Arendacil, the kingdom of Arendacilians and Moon elves that grew after the war, and Harenor, the original realm settled by the Arendacilians.
The sun elf high mages constructed a gate network that would allow trade to pass quickly between the three nations. In this fine work of peace, the roots of the next war could be found. Gates weaken the planes in the area they exist, and it was only a matter of time before a few Baatezu managed to sneak their way in. Over a period of hundreds of years they corrupted several sun elf houses, and much of harenor. A thousand years after the end of the war, the peace finally broke when those corrupted by the devil's attempted to conquer Arendacil and Siluvair.
The war lasted nearly a hundred years, devastating all three nations until a divine manifestation of the avatar of the Lion God Nobanion, Torm, and Corellon Larethian descended on the field of battle, slaying the disguised pit fiends that lead the corrupted forces and exposing them for all to see. With them came a great host of Knight's, the forebears of the modern knightly order's, smashing the heart of the traitor forces in the seventh battle of Aren Targos. After this, the divine mandate of Nobanion and Corellon Larethian formed the Divine Kingdom. They chose an Arendacilian man of great virtue, honour and courage, and a sun elf woman of a great noble house, and named them high king and high queen of all the Divine Kingdom.
The entire region was renamed Tannelorn. The first High King and his queen ruled fair and justly, and had many children together. Ever since then, when a high king dies, Nobanion, now a greater deity due to the influx of worshippers, and Corellon larethian choose the new high king's of the nation, through portents and dreams to their high priests.
The high priests then go forth and seek out the new high king, always an Arendacilian, and a new high queen, always a sun elf, and appoint them to the crown.
Tannelorn then lived in peace for another thousand years, having to suffer only the usual plagues of undead that boiled forth from the devastated cities of the ancient moon elf kingdom of Rillith Tormal. It was at this time, that skirmishes started to break forth between the dwarves of the eastern mountains, and the men and elves of Tannelorn. Unbeknownst to them, the dwarven kings had fallen under the sway of abbathor, and their greed had lead them to declare a war over mountains they had never before claimed dominion over. They attempted to sieze the mineral rich Tarednor mountains to the west of their own kingdom from the Tannelornians. The war lasted nearly fourty years and ended abruptly. One day no more dwarven armies came to raze and pillage towns in the Crown lands. One day the fighting simply stopped. The dwarves had spent themselves so severely that a massive orcish horde, boiled up from the underdark. Presumably running themselves from some dire threat, destroyed them.
The orcs of that horde were different. Organized, Uniformed and ruled by a true king, they attempted to build up civilization. It all ended when the orc's attempted to make peaceful contact with the Tannelornians. The Tannelornians simply would not abide an orcish kingdom next door. They destroyed it in the course of a year, unleashing high magic and righteous wrath upon them. They justified it with the death of the dwarves, that the orc's would wipe out entire cultures if given a chance. The lands east of the tarednor mountains are known to be haunted now, and armies of undead sometimes spill forth in to the lands of the living bent on revenge. Once every hundred years, on the anniversary of the silence of the Dwarven realm of Khazad Knor, a great host of undead dwarves spills forth. Fighting the orcish undead and the Tannelornians until they are destroyed once more, only to rise again a hundred years later.
It has happened five times in the history of Tannelorn and likely would happen again. Harenor has also attempted to secede on numerous occassions, the last war utterly devastating them and reducing them to a shadow of their former selves.Few now live upon those desolate moors. Only the actions of the Church of bane, deposing the agents of the Baatezu who still controlled influential figures within the province saved them. The church of Bane now rules the land of Harenor, keeping in line the greater ambitions of the Barons and guarding against the Baatezu lord's who attempted to control them. Bane after all, brooks no master but himself. However he does not wish for those under his control to waste what power they have, so an uneasy acceptance of the church of Bane allowed Harenor to exist in its current form.
Today Tannelorn is much the same as it was fifteen hundred years ago, though plagued by undead and the detritus of failed magical experiments. It only officially goes to war within its own borders, its own Feudal system preventing it from acting outside of the country on official mandate except for trade. However Crusades have been called in the past, by the High King, or by the Church. Often Knights and legion's of the High king are sent out in these "crusades" to aid nearby nations, to quest for long gone relics of the past, or simply to kill orcs, goblins and other humanoids.
Culture
The unifying Culture of the Divine Kingdom is an archaic form of chivalry, based on ancient Arendacilian and Sun Elf traditions, merged with Moon elven ideals of freedom and independence. Everyone aspires to be fair and just in their dealings with others, to find true romantic love and to live long, happy lives free of concern or meddling from others.
The average Tannelornian, tends his field or shop, mines ore, log's or traps outside of the large cities, providing for Tannelorns massive resource based economy. The rest either tend city fields, or act as artisans, shopkeeps and honest merchants inside the cities themselves.
Though there is much toil in the life of your average Tannelornian, the widespread use of magic and the dirth of magical colleges ensures that even the lowliest village has a fair bit of magical aid in its endeavours. This ensures more productivity for less work, and Tannelornians typically celebrate the night away while working hard in the days.
Though High Magic is not as widespread as it used to be, it is still plainly evident in the large cities of Tannelorn, each of which is protected by Powerful Mythals, preventing teleportation, and gating of demons as well aiding directly in defense. It is for this reason that only the Capital, Hoffnungschimmer, has any appreciable walls.
As a society, Tannelornians have a fine appreciation for the arts. Over the years the mingling of elven and Arendacilian culture has resulted in an increased value in the bardic traditions and artistry of all kinds. During all aspects of life, from martial practice, to labour to mingling song always fills the air. Bards accompany military formations en masse to inspire the troops and in turn be inspired to write stories of bravery and valor.
The people themselves aspire to emulate such stories of virtue, and during times of great strife the nation can call upon massive levies of civilian soldiers and militia, all of which hoping to be noticed by the legions or the Knightly orders. Most Tannelornian youths, Moon elf, Sun elf, Half elf or Arendacilian aspire to join either the legions of the high king, or a knightly order, but few are chosen for the regular armies. Still they try in any way they can and attempt sometimes suicidal feats of valour in the field, so heavily are the virtues of chivalry and defending the weak are instilled in the populace.
However there are some regional differences in Culture as described below.
Siluvair [Seel-oo-vay-eer]
Siluvair is the only elven realm to survive the war against the demonic horde, today its population is small, but stable. Once it was much larger then it was and today only the "Radical" population remained. After the corruption by demonic agents, much of the population decided to leave the affairs of "lessers" behind. Those that stayed believed in the nation, as Corellon himself had a hand in its creation. Despite this, they are considered to be the most conservative of all the members of the Divine Kingdom. There are few Half sun elves in Tannelorn, and most of them reside in Siluvair itself.
They are protected by a small but powerful army, as well as many traditional Sun elf knightly orders, however unlike the Arendacilian orders, they tend to include far more Bladesingers, mages and clerics, boasting considerable magical might. Magic is far more common place. Conservatories and colleges dot the mountainous landscape that makes up Siluvair. Outside of Siluvair the great colleges of magic are located only in the largest of cities, Twenty majour schools reside in the Divine Kingdom, and ten of them are located in Siluvair. The only schools to teach and practice high magic are located here.
Every citizen can boast some small meager magical talent, and many would be considered mages of no small means in other nations. This however, does not mean Siluvair is filled with hundreds of thousands of ready battle mages, as battle mages are much rarer then simple hedge wizardry and hobby magic. Still, Siluvair can boast an entire legion of Battle-mages and spellsingers.
As a rule, the inhabitants do not disdain contact with Arendacilians, moon elves and half elves, but a tiny minority does. This minority, made up of one majour house and a few smaller ones does not wish for Siluvair to be corrupted any further by contact with "lessers" but will not go against the will of Corellon. Instead they act as a voice against any contact with the rest of the world, wishing for the Divine Kingdom to stay apart, so that they can control the influx of culture.
Arendacil
Arendacil is the nation that formed from the remains of the Moon elven realms and the soldiers who fought in their lands to remove the demonic horde that nearly annhillated it. Over the years, Arendacils population has grown to become the largest population of Half elves in the known world.[At least to the Divine kingdom.] Fully half the population is half elven, and a greater emphasis towards bardic colleges and art typifies the settlements of this land. Bards are as common as battle mages in Siluvair, in Arendacilian armies.
The moon elves and Arendacilians share a common culture, and in fact it is more common for moon elves to marry arendacilians then it is for them to marry each other. However this is not to say moon elves are slowly being absorbed, as moon elves still live three times as long as Arendacilians. As many also worship Nobanion, family is incredibly important, and moon elf women often have over a dozen children, elven and half elven. It is common for half elves to have elven and arendacilian siblings. Arendacil contains three of the majour ports of the Divine kingdom, as well as dozens of bardic colleges, the high temple to Sehanine Moonbow and four colleges of magic. The capital of the Province-kingdom is the port of Reinheit, where the king and queen reside.
King Altenor Kendall and Queen Fiona Kendall have ruled the province justly for the last sixty two years, and have produced several heirs. They are well loved by the people and just. Altenor strengthened the navy of Arendacil after several pirate raids sacked small communities along the coastline.
Harenor
Harenor is a gloomy, broken land and its people suffer under the burden of their past actions. Here the church of bane rules tenuously through the faith of Duke Bagrin Haramir. The blackguard of Bane as he is known to the rest of Tannelorn only maintains power through his actions in the last majour secession attempt, twenty seven years past. The church of bane rallied against the demon cults that had taken control of the elite and excised them, replacing them with a strictly ordered feudal society.
Seeing the choice between destruction under the blades of the rest of the Divine Kingdom, the Duke swore fealty to the high king, and returned the old laws to the land. However he applies them in a totalitarian manner, all capital offences wind up as sacrifices to banes glory and continued power in Harenor. The people are taught that through the strict observance of the laws set forth by the high king, and the complete power of the Duke, that they will be saved from the demons if they return.
This dark land is also home to the only purely moon elf city in the entire kingdom. They are the tattered remnant of the old ways of Rillith Tormil. Through repeated failures to rally the moon elves of the realms to remove the "usurper" arendacilians and retake their lands, they sided with the demons. After suffering a lengthy siege they surrendered and agreed to the rule of the high king. They are remarkable only for their stand offishness and the location of the largest church of Shevorash in Tannelorn. Not so much for the hatred of drow but the concepts of revenge that he embodies.
All from the lands of Harenor are mistrusted by the rest of Tannelorn, and two of the high kings legions are stationed next to the border of the province, ready to strike at the capital within days.
The crown lands
Aside from a fierce rugged sense of self determination, and a large amount of rangers and woodsmen, the people of the Crown lands are the same as the basic national personality. The crown lands comprise all the lands gained since the foundation of the nation of Tannelorn. About half of all the lands, and a quarter of the entire population of Tannelorn is located here. Only two great cities mark the landscape. The Capital of Tannelorn, Moranthalas, and Heroth Torm. The high church of Nobanion is located in the capital, while the high church of Torm is located in Heroth torm. Otherwise the majourity of the population is scattered across the lands in hundreds of villages, devoted to mining, trapping, farming or forestry.
The crown lands are also dotted with over seventy knight holds. Many young men of the land aspire to join the knightly orders, and journey each years to try out to become a squire. It is considered a great honour to have a family member who was a Knight.
Military
The army of the Divine Kingdom, while large, well trained and extremely well equipped with mundane and magical items, is still ponderous outside of the nation thanks to the feudal structure. The legions of the high king number only ten thousand, but they are the best trained and equipped warriors in the nation. The rest of the armies have their own chain of command and duties, and muster to the call of the king. The high king alone does not have the power to call wars outside of the country, those must be decided by all of the kings of Tannelorn.
The high king, High priest of Nobanion and High priest of Corellon larethian have the ability to call a crusade. Whereby a voluntary army may be formed to fight outside of the country. These are primarily called to slay orcs, goblins and other evil creatures, find lost elven relics, or aid nations or city states in distress.
The armies themselves are supplemented by citizen-soldiers. Three months out of the year, male citizens of the cities of the divine kingdom are required to train and perform militia duties. This is a constant rotation and also provides the police force of the nation.
Citizen soldiers are always either light cavalry,heavy Spearmen or Archers. These forces can be called up to defend the nation quickly, and were deemed a necessity due to the constant threat of necromancers and lunatics unleashing armies of undead from the ruins of the elven, dwarven and orcish realms that Tannelorn now encompasses. These ruins were never cleansed, but avoided and still harbour dark secrets and treasures of a bygone era, as well as the animated corpses of over a million dead.
The divine kingdom is an ancient land, and the dead do not rest easy in the dark wilderness.
The host of the Crown
The host of the Crown only accepts experienced adventurers, soldiers and mercenaries in charter. They are exorbitantly well equipped and experienced and answer only to the high king. There are more wizards in the ranks of Host of the crown then any other provincial army outside of Siluvair. In fact the entire first legion is made up of Eldritch Knights. Mighty warriors devoted to the gods of good whose discipline and focus enables them to master the art of blade and spell equally. Though they are not the match of the mightiest battle mages and archmages in a contest of spells, they are truly fearsome opponents. They are regularly split between the other legions and sent out on special missions for the crown outside of Tannelorn. They are lead by Knight-General Schneider and his lieutenant Knight Commander Aramir Yannericil.
Standard organisation varies between each legion, but always includes heavy cavalry, heavy infantry, elite archers and a cadre of spell casters, be they wizards, clerics or bards.
Host of the Crown
Ten legions for a total of Ten thousand men.
Host of Siluvair
The host of Siluvair is bolstered by citizen soldiers when in battle. Primarily because the actual army consists entirely of battle mages, spellarchers and bladesingers. Second to none in skill and magical power, the host of Siluvair marches to war only in the defense of the Divine Kingdom. The Knightly orders that dot Siluvair's mountain valleys are reknowned for their bravery and willingness to join crusades launched by the high king or church of Corellon. Siluvair does not require most of its citizens to become Citizen soldiers, relying heavily on their own mythals, and the fact they are the only ones who can wield high magic.
Host of Siluvair
Two legions
Citizen soldiers available at any time: two thousand
Available during wartime: eight thousand
Host of Arendacil
The host of Arendacil is a mix between traditional Arendacilian and Moon Elven militaries. Each legion consists of two hundred cavalry, four hundred heavy infantry [spearmen], two hundred light infantry [swordsmen] and three hundred archers. The army is maintained at a high level of training and excellent,often magical equipment. [spears and shields primarily as they are easiest to enchant.] Those that dont have magical equipment, are armed with master worked weaponry. The Province of Arendacil spares no expense in its own protection. Many of the Archers are also spellarchers, as many as one in ten. They often form small units to bolster ranks of archers in the field. As well as the standard repertoire of battle mages, Arendacilian armies are accompanied by dedicated corp's of those trained in bardcraft, some of who are often Eldritch Knights, specialising in song magic.
They also rely on a citizen levy of up to ten thousand warriors. In theory it could be much higher then that, but unless the utmost need is upon them, the Arendacilian Grand duke would prefer not to destroy the economy for a sake of a war. Combined with the rest of the divine Kingdoms army, this well trained, highly mobile fighting force has always been enough for the battles they have faced.
Five legions of regular soldiers
Five Citizen soldier levies, ten can be raised without harming the economy in war time.
Crown Lands
The Knightly orders are the primary forces in this land, aside from the legions which make their fortresses throughout the wild and lush frontiers of this massive stretch of land. The Knights are armed and armoured with magical weaponry, assisted by mages, eldritch knights and clerics, and boast a large amount of Paladins and divine champions. They range from fifty to three hundred knights with three times as many squires and servants. They gain their income from tithes granted by the villages they protect as well as through the retrieval of artifacts and items from the ruins of the crown lands.
They regularly face down undead, demons bandits and other such scum and are always ready to answer the kings call.
However the freemen of the frontiers have learned not to rely upon the knights entirely, knowing that time can be the enemy that destroys them, not any inadequacy of the Knights. The freemen form their own militias, with tactics taught to them by the knightly orders. Many freemen save up to buy magical weaponry, usually something simple like a spear or arrows to better fight the undead that occassionally come to attack them, as well as the goblinkin that still swarm in the most desolate reaches of the Crown lands.
Knightly orders
Anywhere between six and seven legions equivalent at any one time.
Freemens militia.
Anywhere between ten and twenty legions worth can be called up in times of war, normally six legions worth active in militia and town watch duties at any one time.
Host of Harenor
The host of Harenor is very small, consisting of the dukes personal forces, the remaining forces of the moon elf city of Rillith Mornil. The dukes forces contain a large amount of clerics of bane and disgraced knights, while the moon elves consist primarily of archers and rarely move to defend anything but their own lands.
Host of Harenor
One legion equivalent
Several legion equivalents of peasant militia can be hastily called up. Citizen soldiers are no longer allowed to be trained in Harenor.
The Races
Sun elves are a subrace of elves characterised by their coppery, tanned skin and hair colours ranging anywhere from black to light brown. They are tall and straight limned with a slightly haughty air. They are natural spell casters and excel at forms of magic most Tannelornians cannot match. They are not as characteristically dextrous as moon elves, but are far more insightful and quick of mind then most. Sun elves regularly reach six hundred years of age, but more powerful mages regularly live to ages of a thousand or more.
Moon elves are a subrace of elves who are typical in their attributes. They have hair ranging from black to blue to silver, and skin ranging from the slightest tinge of blue to pale white. They have a love of singing, dancing and natural things, though not anywhere near to the level of wood elves. They are naturally cosmopolitan and enjoy the company of other races. Most half elves are from moon elves and Arendacilians. Moon elves regularly reach up to six hundred years of age.
Arendacilians are a subrace of humans hailing far from the west. Their own lands froze over after a magical experiment created an expanding glacier that was stopped too late. This is recorded in myth, as for hundreds of years they sailed the world setting up temporary kingdoms and moving on before finding the Gulf of Tobias and settling. They are almost exactly the same as regular humans, only they regularly live to two hundred years of age and are all tall, the men universally reach heights of six foot two and more. Half elves born from arendacilian-elven unions regularly reach four hundred years in age.
Geography
The Province of Arendacil extends east from the gulf of tobias encompassing much of the land north of the Terednor river. . This "Middle river" as it is often called is one of the most fertile stretches in the entire nation. The land is characterised by wide plains and rolling hills, more civilised and pasturised then the crown lands. It still contains a great deal of pacified forest, which the citizens of Arendacil have learned to harvest thanks to Moon elven influence. Arendacilians want for no foodstuffs, even during harsh winters.
Harenor encompasses a small amount of land south of the Terednor, it is a rough rocky moor, devastated by hundreds of wars with its neighbours. It is perhaps the most haunted of "civilised" Tannelorn, and undead bands regularly roam the lands, being hunted by the forces of the Duke.
Siluvair is nestled in the mountains and valleys west of Arendacil. Its land is perfectly cultivated by magic and careful nurturing, and its cities are full of breathtaking architecture, like castles of solid stone rising out of the mountains. The land is completely pacified and the magic of great Mythals protect the cities and forests of Siluvair.
The crown lands are mostly wild frontiers. All lands gained by the Divine Kingdom since its inception have. by divine mandate been granted to the high king. Despite being the largest total territory of Tannelorn, it only contains twenty five percent of the population. Its mountains, forests, moors and swamps, plains and ruins are only sparsely inhabited by small villages, forming greater communities of free spirits.
However the land is also filled with ruins of lands fallen to great magic and death. Undead regularly roam these lands, their numbers kept in check only by the diligence of the Knightly orders that dot the land.
It is wild and untamed, yet civilisation is slowly making its presence felt. Were it not for the presences of vast tracks of haunted forests, and hell cursed wasteland, it would likely be settled almost completely by now.
Break down: Arendacil five million [national average applies] Siluvair two hundred and seventy thousand 87% sun elf, 9% half elf 2% arendacilian 4% Moon elf. Harenor three hundred and fourty thousand 75% Arendacilian, 12% half elf 13% Moon elf Crown Lands Three million three hundred and ninety thousand. Arendacilian 40% Half Elves 35% Moon Elves 24% Sun elves 1%
Total Populations
Arendacilian 2.7 million Moon Elf 2.2 million Half elves 3.8 million Sun elves 300 000
Majour Exports: Weapons and armour, Ore, fine Jewelry, Magic, Foodstuffs, wines, art, lumber.
Governmental style: Feudal empire, consisting of several smaller kingdoms. The Crown lands The high kings lands, Siluvair, Sun elf kingdom, Coronal, Arendacil Human and moon elf majourity, Half elf line of Grand Dukes, Harenor Arendacilian majourity, duke.
Military size
Host of Tannelorn
ten Legions of the high King [each legion is one thousand men]
Knight orders [Around one hundred orders exist, each one numbers from fifty to three hundred men]
The army of Siluvair Two legions, as well as up to ten legions of citizen-soldiers may be called up in wartime. At any single time two legions of Citizen-soldiers are training/performing watch/militia duties in Siluvair.
The Army of Arendacil
Five legions
Five active citizen-soldier legions engaged in patrol/training/watch duties, up to Ten citizen soldier levies can be called up in war time.
Host of Harenor
One legion
Peasant levies/militias equivalent numbers of ten legions in wartime, varies in peacetime
Freemen's levy
At any one time up to six active legions equivalent, of the Freemen's levy is active in the Crown lands, particularly on the frontier's where the frontier's men, farmers and miners would have to wait up to several days to be relieved by a Knight Order.
History
The history of the Divine Kingdom of Tannelorn is as old as the elven empires who once dominated the area it now encompasses. The history of those lands, is the history of the elves themselves, the Crown wars against the dark elves, who would later be the drow were fought and won, as well as thousands of years of war against encroaching humans, orcs and goblins as well as dwarves.
Roughly twenty five hundred years past, the Moon elf kingdom of Rillith Tormal was crushed by a massive orc and goblin invasion, spurred by a demonic incursion near the site of an ancient battle of the crown wars. Old elfgates, still active after almost eight thousand years were used by agents of the dark gods to allow tanar'ri to spill forth. These Tanar'ri quickly enslaved the orcish tribes around them, and set about breeding an army containing tanarukk's, Orog's and other fell beasts. In the final days of the battle, the Sun elves of Siluvair used the moon elves cities as shields, using high magic to unleashe devastating plagues and magical storms to slow the horde. This did not stop them, however it bought time.
From the west, men appeared on ships, however these were not like the men that had appeared before. Tall and straight limned, sophisticated and accomplished mariners, they landed and immediately set about making peaceful contact with surviving elven settlements. Upon learning of the situation their new friends found themselves in, they pledged themselves to help face the massive horde. Siluvair joined the war in earnest when the Arendacilians and surviving Moon elf armies started to win against the severely weakened horde.
After the rest were put to the sword, a lasting peace and alliance was drawn up between siluvair and the Arendacilian's, and the moon elves displaced by the war were welcomed in to Arendacil proper. All continued like this for hundreds of years, the people prospered and grew strong. Order's of Knights and the code of chivalry adopted from Siluvair prevailed across the lands east of the Gulf of tobias, which would one day form the Divine Kingdom. At this time three realms existed, encompassing a much smaller territory then today. The Kingdom of Siluvair continued to remain strong after the wars, and grew rich in trade with Arendacil, the kingdom of Arendacilians and Moon elves that grew after the war, and Harenor, the original realm settled by the Arendacilians.
The sun elf high mages constructed a gate network that would allow trade to pass quickly between the three nations. In this fine work of peace, the roots of the next war could be found. Gates weaken the planes in the area they exist, and it was only a matter of time before a few Baatezu managed to sneak their way in. Over a period of hundreds of years they corrupted several sun elf houses, and much of harenor. A thousand years after the end of the war, the peace finally broke when those corrupted by the devil's attempted to conquer Arendacil and Siluvair.
The war lasted nearly a hundred years, devastating all three nations until a divine manifestation of the avatar of the Lion God Nobanion, Torm, and Corellon Larethian descended on the field of battle, slaying the disguised pit fiends that lead the corrupted forces and exposing them for all to see. With them came a great host of Knight's, the forebears of the modern knightly order's, smashing the heart of the traitor forces in the seventh battle of Aren Targos. After this, the divine mandate of Nobanion and Corellon Larethian formed the Divine Kingdom. They chose an Arendacilian man of great virtue, honour and courage, and a sun elf woman of a great noble house, and named them high king and high queen of all the Divine Kingdom.
The entire region was renamed Tannelorn. The first High King and his queen ruled fair and justly, and had many children together. Ever since then, when a high king dies, Nobanion, now a greater deity due to the influx of worshippers, and Corellon larethian choose the new high king's of the nation, through portents and dreams to their high priests.
The high priests then go forth and seek out the new high king, always an Arendacilian, and a new high queen, always a sun elf, and appoint them to the crown.
Tannelorn then lived in peace for another thousand years, having to suffer only the usual plagues of undead that boiled forth from the devastated cities of the ancient moon elf kingdom of Rillith Tormal. It was at this time, that skirmishes started to break forth between the dwarves of the eastern mountains, and the men and elves of Tannelorn. Unbeknownst to them, the dwarven kings had fallen under the sway of abbathor, and their greed had lead them to declare a war over mountains they had never before claimed dominion over. They attempted to sieze the mineral rich Tarednor mountains to the west of their own kingdom from the Tannelornians. The war lasted nearly fourty years and ended abruptly. One day no more dwarven armies came to raze and pillage towns in the Crown lands. One day the fighting simply stopped. The dwarves had spent themselves so severely that a massive orcish horde, boiled up from the underdark. Presumably running themselves from some dire threat, destroyed them.
The orcs of that horde were different. Organized, Uniformed and ruled by a true king, they attempted to build up civilization. It all ended when the orc's attempted to make peaceful contact with the Tannelornians. The Tannelornians simply would not abide an orcish kingdom next door. They destroyed it in the course of a year, unleashing high magic and righteous wrath upon them. They justified it with the death of the dwarves, that the orc's would wipe out entire cultures if given a chance. The lands east of the tarednor mountains are known to be haunted now, and armies of undead sometimes spill forth in to the lands of the living bent on revenge. Once every hundred years, on the anniversary of the silence of the Dwarven realm of Khazad Knor, a great host of undead dwarves spills forth. Fighting the orcish undead and the Tannelornians until they are destroyed once more, only to rise again a hundred years later.
It has happened five times in the history of Tannelorn and likely would happen again. Harenor has also attempted to secede on numerous occassions, the last war utterly devastating them and reducing them to a shadow of their former selves.Few now live upon those desolate moors. Only the actions of the Church of bane, deposing the agents of the Baatezu who still controlled influential figures within the province saved them. The church of Bane now rules the land of Harenor, keeping in line the greater ambitions of the Barons and guarding against the Baatezu lord's who attempted to control them. Bane after all, brooks no master but himself. However he does not wish for those under his control to waste what power they have, so an uneasy acceptance of the church of Bane allowed Harenor to exist in its current form.
Today Tannelorn is much the same as it was fifteen hundred years ago, though plagued by undead and the detritus of failed magical experiments. It only officially goes to war within its own borders, its own Feudal system preventing it from acting outside of the country on official mandate except for trade. However Crusades have been called in the past, by the High King, or by the Church. Often Knights and legion's of the High king are sent out in these "crusades" to aid nearby nations, to quest for long gone relics of the past, or simply to kill orcs, goblins and other humanoids.
Culture
The unifying Culture of the Divine Kingdom is an archaic form of chivalry, based on ancient Arendacilian and Sun Elf traditions, merged with Moon elven ideals of freedom and independence. Everyone aspires to be fair and just in their dealings with others, to find true romantic love and to live long, happy lives free of concern or meddling from others.
The average Tannelornian, tends his field or shop, mines ore, log's or traps outside of the large cities, providing for Tannelorns massive resource based economy. The rest either tend city fields, or act as artisans, shopkeeps and honest merchants inside the cities themselves.
Though there is much toil in the life of your average Tannelornian, the widespread use of magic and the dirth of magical colleges ensures that even the lowliest village has a fair bit of magical aid in its endeavours. This ensures more productivity for less work, and Tannelornians typically celebrate the night away while working hard in the days.
Though High Magic is not as widespread as it used to be, it is still plainly evident in the large cities of Tannelorn, each of which is protected by Powerful Mythals, preventing teleportation, and gating of demons as well aiding directly in defense. It is for this reason that only the Capital, Hoffnungschimmer, has any appreciable walls.
As a society, Tannelornians have a fine appreciation for the arts. Over the years the mingling of elven and Arendacilian culture has resulted in an increased value in the bardic traditions and artistry of all kinds. During all aspects of life, from martial practice, to labour to mingling song always fills the air. Bards accompany military formations en masse to inspire the troops and in turn be inspired to write stories of bravery and valor.
The people themselves aspire to emulate such stories of virtue, and during times of great strife the nation can call upon massive levies of civilian soldiers and militia, all of which hoping to be noticed by the legions or the Knightly orders. Most Tannelornian youths, Moon elf, Sun elf, Half elf or Arendacilian aspire to join either the legions of the high king, or a knightly order, but few are chosen for the regular armies. Still they try in any way they can and attempt sometimes suicidal feats of valour in the field, so heavily are the virtues of chivalry and defending the weak are instilled in the populace.
However there are some regional differences in Culture as described below.
Siluvair [Seel-oo-vay-eer]
Siluvair is the only elven realm to survive the war against the demonic horde, today its population is small, but stable. Once it was much larger then it was and today only the "Radical" population remained. After the corruption by demonic agents, much of the population decided to leave the affairs of "lessers" behind. Those that stayed believed in the nation, as Corellon himself had a hand in its creation. Despite this, they are considered to be the most conservative of all the members of the Divine Kingdom. There are few Half sun elves in Tannelorn, and most of them reside in Siluvair itself.
They are protected by a small but powerful army, as well as many traditional Sun elf knightly orders, however unlike the Arendacilian orders, they tend to include far more Bladesingers, mages and clerics, boasting considerable magical might. Magic is far more common place. Conservatories and colleges dot the mountainous landscape that makes up Siluvair. Outside of Siluvair the great colleges of magic are located only in the largest of cities, Twenty majour schools reside in the Divine Kingdom, and ten of them are located in Siluvair. The only schools to teach and practice high magic are located here.
Every citizen can boast some small meager magical talent, and many would be considered mages of no small means in other nations. This however, does not mean Siluvair is filled with hundreds of thousands of ready battle mages, as battle mages are much rarer then simple hedge wizardry and hobby magic. Still, Siluvair can boast an entire legion of Battle-mages and spellsingers.
As a rule, the inhabitants do not disdain contact with Arendacilians, moon elves and half elves, but a tiny minority does. This minority, made up of one majour house and a few smaller ones does not wish for Siluvair to be corrupted any further by contact with "lessers" but will not go against the will of Corellon. Instead they act as a voice against any contact with the rest of the world, wishing for the Divine Kingdom to stay apart, so that they can control the influx of culture.
Arendacil
Arendacil is the nation that formed from the remains of the Moon elven realms and the soldiers who fought in their lands to remove the demonic horde that nearly annhillated it. Over the years, Arendacils population has grown to become the largest population of Half elves in the known world.[At least to the Divine kingdom.] Fully half the population is half elven, and a greater emphasis towards bardic colleges and art typifies the settlements of this land. Bards are as common as battle mages in Siluvair, in Arendacilian armies.
The moon elves and Arendacilians share a common culture, and in fact it is more common for moon elves to marry arendacilians then it is for them to marry each other. However this is not to say moon elves are slowly being absorbed, as moon elves still live three times as long as Arendacilians. As many also worship Nobanion, family is incredibly important, and moon elf women often have over a dozen children, elven and half elven. It is common for half elves to have elven and arendacilian siblings. Arendacil contains three of the majour ports of the Divine kingdom, as well as dozens of bardic colleges, the high temple to Sehanine Moonbow and four colleges of magic. The capital of the Province-kingdom is the port of Reinheit, where the king and queen reside.
King Altenor Kendall and Queen Fiona Kendall have ruled the province justly for the last sixty two years, and have produced several heirs. They are well loved by the people and just. Altenor strengthened the navy of Arendacil after several pirate raids sacked small communities along the coastline.
Harenor
Harenor is a gloomy, broken land and its people suffer under the burden of their past actions. Here the church of bane rules tenuously through the faith of Duke Bagrin Haramir. The blackguard of Bane as he is known to the rest of Tannelorn only maintains power through his actions in the last majour secession attempt, twenty seven years past. The church of bane rallied against the demon cults that had taken control of the elite and excised them, replacing them with a strictly ordered feudal society.
Seeing the choice between destruction under the blades of the rest of the Divine Kingdom, the Duke swore fealty to the high king, and returned the old laws to the land. However he applies them in a totalitarian manner, all capital offences wind up as sacrifices to banes glory and continued power in Harenor. The people are taught that through the strict observance of the laws set forth by the high king, and the complete power of the Duke, that they will be saved from the demons if they return.
This dark land is also home to the only purely moon elf city in the entire kingdom. They are the tattered remnant of the old ways of Rillith Tormil. Through repeated failures to rally the moon elves of the realms to remove the "usurper" arendacilians and retake their lands, they sided with the demons. After suffering a lengthy siege they surrendered and agreed to the rule of the high king. They are remarkable only for their stand offishness and the location of the largest church of Shevorash in Tannelorn. Not so much for the hatred of drow but the concepts of revenge that he embodies.
All from the lands of Harenor are mistrusted by the rest of Tannelorn, and two of the high kings legions are stationed next to the border of the province, ready to strike at the capital within days.
The crown lands
Aside from a fierce rugged sense of self determination, and a large amount of rangers and woodsmen, the people of the Crown lands are the same as the basic national personality. The crown lands comprise all the lands gained since the foundation of the nation of Tannelorn. About half of all the lands, and a quarter of the entire population of Tannelorn is located here. Only two great cities mark the landscape. The Capital of Tannelorn, Moranthalas, and Heroth Torm. The high church of Nobanion is located in the capital, while the high church of Torm is located in Heroth torm. Otherwise the majourity of the population is scattered across the lands in hundreds of villages, devoted to mining, trapping, farming or forestry.
The crown lands are also dotted with over seventy knight holds. Many young men of the land aspire to join the knightly orders, and journey each years to try out to become a squire. It is considered a great honour to have a family member who was a Knight.
Military
The army of the Divine Kingdom, while large, well trained and extremely well equipped with mundane and magical items, is still ponderous outside of the nation thanks to the feudal structure. The legions of the high king number only ten thousand, but they are the best trained and equipped warriors in the nation. The rest of the armies have their own chain of command and duties, and muster to the call of the king. The high king alone does not have the power to call wars outside of the country, those must be decided by all of the kings of Tannelorn.
The high king, High priest of Nobanion and High priest of Corellon larethian have the ability to call a crusade. Whereby a voluntary army may be formed to fight outside of the country. These are primarily called to slay orcs, goblins and other evil creatures, find lost elven relics, or aid nations or city states in distress.
The armies themselves are supplemented by citizen-soldiers. Three months out of the year, male citizens of the cities of the divine kingdom are required to train and perform militia duties. This is a constant rotation and also provides the police force of the nation.
Citizen soldiers are always either light cavalry,heavy Spearmen or Archers. These forces can be called up to defend the nation quickly, and were deemed a necessity due to the constant threat of necromancers and lunatics unleashing armies of undead from the ruins of the elven, dwarven and orcish realms that Tannelorn now encompasses. These ruins were never cleansed, but avoided and still harbour dark secrets and treasures of a bygone era, as well as the animated corpses of over a million dead.
The divine kingdom is an ancient land, and the dead do not rest easy in the dark wilderness.
The host of the Crown
The host of the Crown only accepts experienced adventurers, soldiers and mercenaries in charter. They are exorbitantly well equipped and experienced and answer only to the high king. There are more wizards in the ranks of Host of the crown then any other provincial army outside of Siluvair. In fact the entire first legion is made up of Eldritch Knights. Mighty warriors devoted to the gods of good whose discipline and focus enables them to master the art of blade and spell equally. Though they are not the match of the mightiest battle mages and archmages in a contest of spells, they are truly fearsome opponents. They are regularly split between the other legions and sent out on special missions for the crown outside of Tannelorn. They are lead by Knight-General Schneider and his lieutenant Knight Commander Aramir Yannericil.
Standard organisation varies between each legion, but always includes heavy cavalry, heavy infantry, elite archers and a cadre of spell casters, be they wizards, clerics or bards.
Host of the Crown
Ten legions for a total of Ten thousand men.
Host of Siluvair
The host of Siluvair is bolstered by citizen soldiers when in battle. Primarily because the actual army consists entirely of battle mages, spellarchers and bladesingers. Second to none in skill and magical power, the host of Siluvair marches to war only in the defense of the Divine Kingdom. The Knightly orders that dot Siluvair's mountain valleys are reknowned for their bravery and willingness to join crusades launched by the high king or church of Corellon. Siluvair does not require most of its citizens to become Citizen soldiers, relying heavily on their own mythals, and the fact they are the only ones who can wield high magic.
Host of Siluvair
Two legions
Citizen soldiers available at any time: two thousand
Available during wartime: eight thousand
Host of Arendacil
The host of Arendacil is a mix between traditional Arendacilian and Moon Elven militaries. Each legion consists of two hundred cavalry, four hundred heavy infantry [spearmen], two hundred light infantry [swordsmen] and three hundred archers. The army is maintained at a high level of training and excellent,often magical equipment. [spears and shields primarily as they are easiest to enchant.] Those that dont have magical equipment, are armed with master worked weaponry. The Province of Arendacil spares no expense in its own protection. Many of the Archers are also spellarchers, as many as one in ten. They often form small units to bolster ranks of archers in the field. As well as the standard repertoire of battle mages, Arendacilian armies are accompanied by dedicated corp's of those trained in bardcraft, some of who are often Eldritch Knights, specialising in song magic.
They also rely on a citizen levy of up to ten thousand warriors. In theory it could be much higher then that, but unless the utmost need is upon them, the Arendacilian Grand duke would prefer not to destroy the economy for a sake of a war. Combined with the rest of the divine Kingdoms army, this well trained, highly mobile fighting force has always been enough for the battles they have faced.
Five legions of regular soldiers
Five Citizen soldier levies, ten can be raised without harming the economy in war time.
Crown Lands
The Knightly orders are the primary forces in this land, aside from the legions which make their fortresses throughout the wild and lush frontiers of this massive stretch of land. The Knights are armed and armoured with magical weaponry, assisted by mages, eldritch knights and clerics, and boast a large amount of Paladins and divine champions. They range from fifty to three hundred knights with three times as many squires and servants. They gain their income from tithes granted by the villages they protect as well as through the retrieval of artifacts and items from the ruins of the crown lands.
They regularly face down undead, demons bandits and other such scum and are always ready to answer the kings call.
However the freemen of the frontiers have learned not to rely upon the knights entirely, knowing that time can be the enemy that destroys them, not any inadequacy of the Knights. The freemen form their own militias, with tactics taught to them by the knightly orders. Many freemen save up to buy magical weaponry, usually something simple like a spear or arrows to better fight the undead that occassionally come to attack them, as well as the goblinkin that still swarm in the most desolate reaches of the Crown lands.
Knightly orders
Anywhere between six and seven legions equivalent at any one time.
Freemens militia.
Anywhere between ten and twenty legions worth can be called up in times of war, normally six legions worth active in militia and town watch duties at any one time.
Host of Harenor
The host of Harenor is very small, consisting of the dukes personal forces, the remaining forces of the moon elf city of Rillith Mornil. The dukes forces contain a large amount of clerics of bane and disgraced knights, while the moon elves consist primarily of archers and rarely move to defend anything but their own lands.
Host of Harenor
One legion equivalent
Several legion equivalents of peasant militia can be hastily called up. Citizen soldiers are no longer allowed to be trained in Harenor.
The Races
Sun elves are a subrace of elves characterised by their coppery, tanned skin and hair colours ranging anywhere from black to light brown. They are tall and straight limned with a slightly haughty air. They are natural spell casters and excel at forms of magic most Tannelornians cannot match. They are not as characteristically dextrous as moon elves, but are far more insightful and quick of mind then most. Sun elves regularly reach six hundred years of age, but more powerful mages regularly live to ages of a thousand or more.
Moon elves are a subrace of elves who are typical in their attributes. They have hair ranging from black to blue to silver, and skin ranging from the slightest tinge of blue to pale white. They have a love of singing, dancing and natural things, though not anywhere near to the level of wood elves. They are naturally cosmopolitan and enjoy the company of other races. Most half elves are from moon elves and Arendacilians. Moon elves regularly reach up to six hundred years of age.
Arendacilians are a subrace of humans hailing far from the west. Their own lands froze over after a magical experiment created an expanding glacier that was stopped too late. This is recorded in myth, as for hundreds of years they sailed the world setting up temporary kingdoms and moving on before finding the Gulf of Tobias and settling. They are almost exactly the same as regular humans, only they regularly live to two hundred years of age and are all tall, the men universally reach heights of six foot two and more. Half elves born from arendacilian-elven unions regularly reach four hundred years in age.
Geography
The Province of Arendacil extends east from the gulf of tobias encompassing much of the land north of the Terednor river. . This "Middle river" as it is often called is one of the most fertile stretches in the entire nation. The land is characterised by wide plains and rolling hills, more civilised and pasturised then the crown lands. It still contains a great deal of pacified forest, which the citizens of Arendacil have learned to harvest thanks to Moon elven influence. Arendacilians want for no foodstuffs, even during harsh winters.
Harenor encompasses a small amount of land south of the Terednor, it is a rough rocky moor, devastated by hundreds of wars with its neighbours. It is perhaps the most haunted of "civilised" Tannelorn, and undead bands regularly roam the lands, being hunted by the forces of the Duke.
Siluvair is nestled in the mountains and valleys west of Arendacil. Its land is perfectly cultivated by magic and careful nurturing, and its cities are full of breathtaking architecture, like castles of solid stone rising out of the mountains. The land is completely pacified and the magic of great Mythals protect the cities and forests of Siluvair.
The crown lands are mostly wild frontiers. All lands gained by the Divine Kingdom since its inception have. by divine mandate been granted to the high king. Despite being the largest total territory of Tannelorn, it only contains twenty five percent of the population. Its mountains, forests, moors and swamps, plains and ruins are only sparsely inhabited by small villages, forming greater communities of free spirits.
However the land is also filled with ruins of lands fallen to great magic and death. Undead regularly roam these lands, their numbers kept in check only by the diligence of the Knightly orders that dot the land.
It is wild and untamed, yet civilisation is slowly making its presence felt. Were it not for the presences of vast tracks of haunted forests, and hell cursed wasteland, it would likely be settled almost completely by now.