The World of Xantera Wood Elf System of Government
The Wood Elves, or Cuul’Nitura as they consider themselves, are run by a different set of rules and a totally different standard of government. They have no monarchy or any group of special leaders over their people. They are split into two different groups: The Druids, the religious faction of the Wood Elf people who devote their time between the natural world and the healing of others; and the Gward'Nitura, or Nature's Guardians, whom are the warriors and protectors of the Cuul'Nitura lands. They are rarely seen, shadows and flickers in the light, maybe a mysterious rustle in the breeze that no one can find the source of. Many train to be either a Druid or a Guardian, neither of which is taken lightly, or they just stay as a normal Wood Elf. Despite numerous stories made up by their elven cousins and by humans alike, they do not live in trees nor do they live in huts. Their capitol, while hidden, is a city of nature and beauty. No tree was felled unless there was no other place to put whatever building needed to be there, or it was built around it. The fauna about the city lived with the elven people and sometimes even took residence in their houses. Sounds like a paradise, surely, but one not to be taken lightly.
In the center of the city, while not a tower, was a column of Quel'Stoen, or Living Stone, that was the residence of the greatest minds of their society: The Druidic Council. The greatest druids of them all, masters of everything magically inclined to nature and the oldest living Wood Elves in existence; and above them sat the High Druid, the leader of his/her people and the most beloved of them as well. The High Druid and the Council delegate the laws and deal out justice when the need arises, otherwise they give the people the right to live and do as they please. There is no theft, for many things are offered freely within the capitol, a name no elf has spoken since the Dissension and probably never will again in the hearing of an outsider or to other elves. It is simply called Home.
When the War first arose, the High Druid decided to help out as best he could at the time. He sent a contingent of Druids out to the nearby provinces of humanity - along with a silent squad of Guardians - but found the nearby town demolished and razed in the wake of the swarms of Darklings. Cautious now, the group had continued until they found a swarm of Darklings surrounding a small group of human soldiers making they're last stand around a small town. Filled with wrath and sorrow, the Druids pleaded with the greatest animals they could find to assist: The bears lurking around the forests about them and the numerous packs of wolves haunting the edges. In an agreement that will last forever, the bears of the wood and the wolves of the forest were enchanted to be twice their size - in might, speed, height, and weight - and triple their ferocity. In a swarm of tooth and claw, sword and armor, the Guardians and their small legion of beasts attacked the rear of the Darkling swarm, decimating their ranks with enchanted blades and sheer ferocity. The fight was over in minutes.
The bears, wise for their years, pleaded to be turned back, hating what they were turned into. In response, they were turned back to normal but given a wisdom beyond their years. Not a gift from Wood Elf, but from Nature Herself. She blessed them for their humbleness, gifting them with speech and incalculable wisdom. Inspired, the Wise Bears - as they are now called - wandered off to become part of the wilderness once more. The wolves too pleaded to be turned back, and were in turn gifted with speed by Nature, blessed with foresight and the means to control their sight. However, their next gift made them bigger than their kin, and feared for their strength and abilities forever after. Blessed as they were, the Great Wolves left the sight of mankind for many a year, assisting in the war by purging the many forests of Alderia of the Darkling blight, thus why Darklings now fear the dark places of the woods. The Wise Bears helped as well, removing the Darklings from the mountains and caves before sulking back into their slumber, waiting for the next time of darkness to come and when their assistance was sought. The Great Wolves, prophesying of another war, told they will be back and in even greater number when the time arrives - "When all will fall to darkness and the Wanderer awakens from his slumber. Then will we come back to the world of Man, when the need of us is great and the waters run red with the blood of the innocent. Call for us again, and we will come." - before hiding in their dens, fading back into legend.
The Wood Elves were the first elven nation to join the war, and the last to leave. They're lore was passed on to those humans most deserving, becoming the legendary corp of woodland warriors called Rangers. Thus how the ranger profession began. The Wood Elf people faded back to their secluded home, keeping a watch on the people of the outside world just in case the Darkling Plague should rise again and try to consume the world once more. They stayed within the Alliance of Nations, keeping an ambassador within the city of Arcanum to gift the world of humanity with their insight and lore.
Lord Arimor Darkheart · Sun Jan 30, 2011 @ 03:06am · 0 Comments |