Lalwan Eryn

The Lalwan Eryn is a welcoming place for travelers, its favorable location and temperate climate ideal to rest in. Along with the remains of the early sylayan architecture and Arboreal secrets, a successful brewery and tavern makes its home here. It can be found in a secret portion of the Egeria Forest, accessible to those who search out the tree known as Lebethron.

Found written on a plaque within the Sacred Elm is a plaque that reads:

"The Sacred Elm is open to all that would view the history of the Order of Arboreals. May our hands be ever guided by the light of Nature's way." -Erulehto, Mehtere, Ikarios, 144 AA

History

In the year 108 AA, shortly after the fall of Caanae, the surviving members of the Academia Sylvalis formed a colony within a secret portion of the Egeria Forest. These scholars and naturalists, some of the first Arboreals, compiled their research on geography and earth magick within the Sacred Elmwood and were committed to finding a way to restore the ruined earth that was destroyed by the Horde. The residents of this colony soon began to notice that no one grew old here.

As the sylayan language became more defined, the colony became known as Lalwan Eryn, the elvish equivalent to "the Sacred Elmwood".

During an earth ritual, several Arboreals found themselves in a strange grove that appeared to be the remains of an old temple or shrine. It defied many of the laws of Nature and seemed to exist outside the Prime Material Plane. Erulehto, an Arboreal Sage, managed to harness the power of this grove and created the first known union of Mortal and Nature, leading to the discovery of the skills of Groves and Bonding.

Over time, many of the residents of the Eryn ventured out into the Khandava Forest and founded what would be known as the guild of the Arboreals. The druids that remained in the Eryn grew more isolated over time, fearing the loss of their history to the dangers of the outside world. This was further amplified in the year 1 AD, when the red moon Sukhder heralded the Demon Incursions and brought forth the Age of Desperation. At this time, the residents of the Eryn created a magical barrier that cloaked their home from view and kept it from being discovered for centuries.

In the year 419 AD, Erulehto left the Eryn briefly to visit the Arboreals of Khandava. He found Rasca Aran and other members of the guild and, after verifying that the Arboreals still existed in the modern age, promised them that the secrets of the Elmwood would soon be revealed to them. Five years later, in the year 424 AD, Erulehto returned to the Egeria Forest through the Lebethron, a strange and twisted elm tree, and summoned the Arboreals. He led them back to the Eryn and introduced them to Mehtere, the Druidic Priestess. She was responsible for the upkeep of the barrier that protected the Eryn, but explained that her strength was waning and the barrier would soon fall. Caitlin Ruadh, then a high-ranking member of the Arboreals and the High Priestess of Nature, promised that the Eryn would be protected by the guild if the barrier was to be removed, which encouraged Mehtere to finish her duty as protector of the colony.

Notable Denizens

• Othenio - A small sylayan boy. He remains loyal to Cassiopeia, Goddess of the Stars.

• Alazne - A young sylayan woman and mother.

• Mehtere, the Druidic Priestess - She is a striking example of the immortal beauty of the sylayan race. Though she is one of the oldest sylayan, her appearance is that of a strikingly youthful maiden. Her loveliness could certainly not be of this world: not a single line nor blemish mars her fair skin, which is soft and smooth, pale and perfect. Her eyes are like deep, lucid pools of water, her nose small and pert, her mouth slightly pouted. Her lissome figure is accentuated by flowing robes of pale silk, and similarly sheathed by the protectiveness and secretiveness of a heavy gray cloak. Her hair is as fine as spider's silk, the whitest shade of blonde, adding to her ghostly pallor. Indeed, she seems more of a ghost, a supernatural being, the longer you are within her presence, and it is only the rosiness of her cheeks and the warmth and realness of her flesh that suggests otherwise.

• Erulehto, the Arboreal Sage - This sage is ancient, perhaps centuries old, though his sylayan features lend him the bearing of a younger man full of vitality. He is distinctly handsome and dignified, wearing a stolid expression over his face and very rarely straying from it. His brow is furrowed into a pensive frown,and by the evidence of the lines of his face, is oftentimes found that way. His hairline begins at the highest point of his forehead, and the rest of his long, white-blonde hair is swept back and over his shoulders. Physically, Erulehto is larger than a standard sylayan, with broad shoulders and strong legs, and though he has passed his youth seems to be in top fighting condition. His earth-toned clothing is light and loose beneath his armor. He wears a beautiful, although somewhat antiquated, suit of chain mail and a heavy, hooded gray cloak. A sleek ranger's bow is slung across his back, and he holds a gnarled quarterstaff in his hands. An unexplainably green, luminescent aura surrounds him, giving the false implication that he is anything more than just a mortal servant of Nature.

• Ikarios, the concoctionist - Ikarios is a distinguished, older Sylayan of his kind. Though retaining the youthful vitality of his race, there are numerous creases that line his face, ample evidence of much frowning in concentration and perusing of thought. His long, dark hair, having receded to the highest point of his forehead, is gathered into a ponytail at the nape of his neck. His clothing is similarly distinguished, bringing very little attention to himself within the Eryn, but still elegant enough to be noble in a crowd of plain-clothes outsiders. A pair of bifocals hangs on a golden chain around his neck, though he does not appear to need them as he rarely puts them up to his face unless examining a miniscule font or dainty leaf of an herb.

• Lithirea, a dryad of Oak - Her slender limbs are brown, as if mimicking the bark of an oak tree. Her body is swathed in a moss green dress that flows over her toned feet and all too slender arms. While unmistakably human in form, her beauty seems to transcend mortal limitations. It would take a mere moment to realise that this is no human, and further that she knows it only too well. Long hair cascades in a straight fall down her back, the hue of green and brown, alight with twigs and leaves that form a wreath about her head.

• Poldon, the buckawn vintner - Poldon is a cheerful-looking chap, seemingly bearing no relation to his ill-mannered cousins of the Northern Celidon. Conversely, Poldon looks to have seen few hardships in life, part of which is evidenced by his fairly rotund belly. He stands stoutly, a bit taller than a dwarf, his curved horns adding a few more inches. Poldon takes great pride in his renowned wine-making abilities, the twinkle in his eyes demonstrating that he has truly found his passion in life.

• Dulir, the collector - A tough, stout dwarven man, Dulir's width exceeds his height well enough to give him a roly-poly countenance. This could be credited to the layers of clothing and leather armor he has layered upon his frame, rudimentary garments of crude craftsmanship. A large, stuffed backpack fits over his shoulders, and strange accessories are planted about him in the pockets or straps of his clothes: a belt adorned with green orbs, a white sickle, and a glowing conch shell. Aside from these collector's rarities, Dulir appears to be quite heavily armed. A wide variety of knives and small handaxes are attached by straps to his sides.

• Risler, the miller - Risler is a young tanari male, his cool blue eyes the most striking feature of his face. He oversees the workings of the mill and its counterparts.

• Belf - Belf is in the twilight of his lifespan, yet his eyes still sparkle with a domineering countenance. His eyes are ever reproachful, the curl of his upper lip ever edging closer to the baring of fangs should one push him too far. Though too old to remain in charge of any pack, such mannerisms and habits are easily recognizable as someone who is accustomed to being obeyed.

• Tinver - Tinver is an imposing male lycaean, standing broad and with a size rivaling that of a tiger's. He is thick as a tree trunk, his massive girth sheathed in iron bands of muscle. Coarse black fur ripples on his blocky frame, as dark as the starless night sky. Tinver stands in the prime of his life, his powerful canine legs rooted to the ground as solidly as an oak, yet poised to spring at a moment. He stands still, his head low, twitching the dark triangles of his ears this way and that, as he scents the ground. He makes no noise, no overt motion, yet an aura of feral savagery hangs about him, as though he is one meal and a cold night away from the wolves of his home.

• Ingora - Gentle and merry, Ingora is a beautiful lycaean specimen if ever there were one. She looks to be very young, perhaps just bordering on adulthood. A cheerful demeanor is evident in her slight mannerisms: the lazy pant of her lupine grin, her twinkling black eyes, and the constant movement of her tail. She is covered in a smooth, healthy coat of tawny-brown fur, which turns into a chocolate brown around her paws and ears and at the tip of her tail.

• Kayn, a wily lycaean pup - Kayn is an adorable scamp of a lycaean puppy, no bigger than a dog in size and nearly mistakable for one. His fur is short and speckled, his limbs fleshed out yet with puppy fat, and his small, baby canines gleam in his open-mouthed grin. His pink tongue lolls out of his mouth lazily, his eyes continually searching his surroundings curiously. A red bandana has been tied around his neck, which he sports proudly.

• Elleth - Elleth is an eccentric tanari, and most certainly one of the oddest denizens of the Eryn. Her petite stature gives the impression of fragility, though that could lead to be quite the opposite.

Landmarks

• a weathered archway of stone - An immense structure rises from the ground, an assembly of three stone slabs leaned against one another. The stone is smoothened by time and weathering, and still strong despite its obvious age. It stands like an ancient sentinel, overlooking its surroundings with a seemingly patient watchfulness. A large ring of stone, with width only in inches but a diameter in feet, hovers just above the stone slabs, similarly a part of the archway and separate from it. It is engraved all along its outer edge in the Sylayan tongue, and it rotates slowly in a clockwise fashion. Though it is impossible to ascertain whatever purpose this ancient monolith once served, it seems to be in working order yet. It weighs about 2200 pounds.

• The Sacred Elm - The interior of the Elm is large and roomy. The ghost-white bark of the Elm emits a faint luminescence, of which recedes and emerges within the convolutions and knots within the wood. Marble tile etched in whimsical designs covers the floor, and a circular staircase of pale, petrified wood rises up from the center of the room. Built into the sides of the bark along the outer wall are tall bookshelves, housing countless tomes of lore, myth, and history, including:
  • The History of the Arboreals by Chronicler of the Lalwan and Druidic Priestess, Mehtere
  • Ainu Aeriens by Erulehto, the Arboreal Sage
  • A Compiled Dictionary of Herbs and Some Ingredients, as of 743 AH by researchers of the Academia Sylvalis

Coiling its way upwards from the base of the tree, a spiral staircase of pale, petrified wood links the upper and lower levels of the sacred Elm. The staircase is barred on either side by a banister of the same wood, left in its natural gnarled condition rather than being molded to befit some angular formation. The shrine at the upper level of the Elm, where Mehtere resides, is decorated with countless white candles casting a gentle glow over its darkened interior. They appear on either side of a long walkway down the center aisle, between rows of white pews that rise up from the floor as part of the very Elm itself. Around the room are columns of pale, petrified wood, twisted artfully like a screw so that it resembles a cyclone in nature. The dome ceiling stretches high overhead, scalloped terraces carved out from the bark in tiers appearing along the side walls. Upon them sit dozens of the white candles, some more melted than others, but all contributing their own illumination. At the head of the room is a small altar, inscribed with the phrase "Only a life lived for Nature is a life worthwhile." Roots, leaves, and other wild plants grow from the base of the altar, spreading across the far wall and stretching upwards.

• The Primordial Grove - The early residents of the Eryn called upon the spirits of the earth to create three stone monoliths that created a rough circle within the area. After many tries, the archways were activated and a portal to the Primordial Grove was created. Within this grove, outside the bounds of Nature and away from the Prime Material Plane, the ruins of a temple or shrine were found. These ruins would later be recognized as the relics of the Sacred Sites, preserved in time after the fall of Caanae. The Primordial Grove is the personal grove of Erulehto, an Arboreal Sage, and it was in this grove that the skills of the Arboreal were developed. In all four compass directions, the remains of the Sacred Sites are found:
  • North - "Ascension". An inscription on the wall here reads: "Ascension be rewarded to those true of moral and spirit".
  • East - "Degeneration". An inscription on the wall here reads: "Through shades of violence, degeneration of man shall wreak".
  • South - "Damnation". An inscription on the wall here reads: "Damnation be laid down on the souls of those that have shunned virtuousness".
  • West - "Enlightenment". An inscription on the wall here reads: "Through epiphany and enlightenment, the Way is shown".

• The Edelharn Stone - The Edelharn is a great stone monolith that rests in the center of the Primordial Grove as if some ancient sentinel. The monolith is a slanted, roughly triangular block with its heavier end pointed outwards. The rock is old, discoloured to a brownish-gray in hue, and large cracks run through its sides. It sits on a circular granite base, providing the suggestion of it being able to revolve, an implication which seems highly doubtful, as evidenced by its dilapidated and crumbled state. Every once in awhile, the stone seems to sigh wistfully, which could almost be attributed to the breeze filtering through the cracks in its surface. It weighs about 3250 pounds.

Flora and Fauna

• a bael fruit tree - A sturdy, thick trunk supports this fairly short bael fruit tree, its branches hanging low to the ground. Glossy oval leaves of green and maroon cover the tree, interrupted by yellow clusters of the life-giving bael fruit. Fragrant blossoms hover around the fruit in deeper cream tones, delicately intoxicating the room with its sweet scent. The tree blossoms eternally, encased in an aura of Divine blessings. It weighs about 125 pounds.

• a blackthorn tree - Slender, and standing only about seven feet tall, this small tree is covered in blackish bark and boasts an impressive foliage of thorny leaves. The blackthorn has small white blossoms and small, blueish-black plumlike fruits which grow numerously on the tree's branches. The fruit found on its branches is:
  • a plumlike sloe - This fruit resembles a purple plum very closely. It is small and ripe and just ready to be eaten or squashed. It weighs 6 ounces.

• a lovely peach tree - This medium-sized ashen tree displays a series of bent and tangled branches that web off from the main trunk. The bark of the tree is rather thin, the outer most layer mottled with areas that are curled and slowly peeling itself off the trunk. The leaves of the tree are large and oval, each a deep green with dark crimson veins. This peculiar tree appears to grow an even more odd black fruit that grows along its flaking trunk and branches. It weighs about 300 pounds.

• an apple tree sapling - It weighs about 6 pounds.

• a petite forest sprite - This creature could easily fit within your palm, standing at just twelve inches tall. Her small stature seems to increase her loveliness. A white shroud of a transparent dress conceals her graceful form, and her hair, the color of the golden sun, swirls about her form in loose tendrils as flutters through the air. Her features are foreign and angular, with wide blue eyes possessed of a brilliance surpassing even that of a sun-struck sapphire. A petite forest sprite is not one to be trifled with. It weighs about 1 pound.

• Iaur, the white stag - Few beings of nature are quite so magnificent as this graceful stag. Iaur's coat is a glistening, almost impossible white, astoundingly unmarred by any scratches or bites. He stands nearly twenty hands tall, muscles rippling as he moves, and two great horns adding to his splendor. His watery eyes are as dark as coals. It weighs about 250 pounds.

Shopping

• A rustic brewery - Owned and operated by Poldon, the buckawn vintner. Available items include:
  • simmering carrot and celery potage
  • a loaf of waybread
  • mead (in a carved wooden flagon)
  • a smoked mushroom
  • a large turkey drumstick
  • bittersweet bragot (in a clay mug)
  • tart cyser (in a carved wooden mug)
  • ale (in a pewter tankard)
  • red wine (in a wooden mug)

• A curio shop - Owned and operated by Elleth. Available items include:
  • a scented tin rose
  • a thrysus quarterstaff
  • a crystal ball
  • a white jasmine-scented candle
  • an elegantly-carved tinderbox
  • a silvery-tin lantern
  • a glass flower vase
  • a honeycomb

Quests and Activities

• Getting a Dust and a Can for Lithirea - A dryad of Oak guards a small garden with the last remaining treants, and requires certain items for that task.