Sha'Irna (love it, hate it, tell me what you think)

[Soup Nazi]

I've been messing around with Sulos for a while now, and while there are things I really like, there are those that have seemed somewhat flawed in my eyes for some time.

For example, I never really fully bought into Tair'Shola. While I enjoyed the idea of elven druids trying to put their pasts behind them and move forward, the nation seemed too stagnant. All their major impact took place in the distant past, they were too uninvolved in the present setting, there wasn't enough internal conflict for many interesting adventures within the nation, and I didn't like the name too much either.

I've tried to address these concerns in this newer version of the elven homeland. While this is the first nation I've posted for revision, I'm going to be posting more updated versions of various nations within Sulos, and asking for opinions. These updates are not set in stone, and will only be implimented if they actually seem better than what I have already written.

So I ask of you wonderful folks, What are your general opinions on Sha'Irna (the updated version of Tair'Shola)? Do you see areas that should be expanded? Do you see things that seem out of place? What would you do for a Klondike Bar?

Shaâ,¬,,¢Irna

Capitol: Shae'Malsir (27,500)
Size: 960,000 square miles
Civilization: 28,800 square miles (3%)
Wilderness: 931,200 square miles (97%)
Population Density: 4 people per square mile
Total Population: 3,840,000 people
Rural Population: 1,728,000 people (45%)
Urban Population: 384,000 people (10%)
Isolated Population: 1,728,000 people (45%)
Races: 95% Elf, 5% Other
Common Classes: Bard, Druid, Fighter, Ranger, Scout, Wizard
Common PrCs: Animal Lord, Arcane Archer, Beast Master, Blade Singer

The elfin homeland is known to the humans as the Shadow Wood, but the elves call the forests of their nation Shaâ,¬,,¢Irna. Though the languages are different the meaning is essentially the same. Shaâ,¬,,¢Irna is a dark forest, thick with vegetation, and a healthy mix of towering trees, and heavy underbrush. Very little sunlight trickles down through the thick canopy, and the deeper one moves into the primeval forests, the darker it becomes. In some places the shadowy forest is dark as midnight, no matter the actual hour of the day. It is a deathly quiet realm and only the occasional shuffling in the underbrush or raven cawing in the trees breaks the unsettling silence.

The elves live primarily by hunting and gathering. They collect many natural herbs, spices, berries, mushrooms, and greens which grow wild in the great northern forests of their homeland. The principle meats eaten in the elfin nation include mainly those that can be hunted, such as quail, deer, elk, and wild hogs. Most elves sweeten their foods with various honey based products, wild beets, and black berries. Elfin honey mead is not only popular within their own lands, but throughout Sulos; the sweet mild liquor fetches a pretty penny within the markets of the known world, particularly in L'Landra where most dining establishments and inns serve many different varieties.

The history of the elfin people is steeped in mystery. For as long any can remember the elves have lived within the antediluvian forest, and many of their great historical documents have been burned or destroyed to hide the diabolical secrets of their past. Whatever the truth may actually be, there are many among the elves living with unmerciful shame and self loathing for the past crimes of their people. It is whispered among the learned elders of the elfin druids that long ago, the insatiable craving for knowledge among their people, tempted them to commune with demons. The demonic beings of distant unspeakable realms, taught the elves the secrets of arcane magic, and shared their knowledge of the false gods with their elven students. Inspired by demonic influences, and perhaps even possessed by their masters, the elves sought to rid the world of the creatures that had forsaken the natural order to serve the false gods. This druidic lore however, is more here-say than fact.

The Druidic Wars, as they would soon be called, soon brought the elves into contact with the other sentient nations and peoples of those ancient times. The elfin blade singers and arcane hierophants battled fiercely with the clerics and warriors of the orcs, dwarves, halflings, and gnomes. However the elfin armies and their mastery of both druidic and arcane power had the tactical advantage. Combined with the martial skill of the elfin blade singers the armies of Shaâ,¬,,¢Irna cut through the other nations, and shattered their resistances. When the elves finally decided to end the campaign approximately 5,800 hundred years ago, they had successfully accomplished their mission. The orcs, halflings, and gnomes were no more, and the dwarves had retreated into the dark underground fortresses of their mountainous realm. No longer did the heretical followers of the false gods rule the lands of Sulos. The zealous crusade of the elfin people left much of Sulos in ruin, and as they celebrated their victory, the devastating price of two centuries of war finally began to sink in.

In the aftermath of the Druidic Wars, the elfin people withdrew to their shadowy forests to contemplate the meaning of what they had done. While the heretics of the false gods had been defeated, the elves wondered if the extermination of their enemies was a necessary sacrifice, or if perhaps they had been mislead by their demonic teachers. The druids of Shaâ,¬,,¢Irna collectively decided that the power of the demonic gift (the arcane) was distorting the elfin vision, and that the demons had been manipulating their people. They destroyed the summoning circles, burned the diabolical texts that had been used for generations to contact the demons, and hoped that the world would one day forget the atrocity of the Druidic Wars.

For many centuries the druidic circles lobbied among their people to ban the use of the arcane, rather than tempt the demons to return. Their people were torn among those who claimed the secrets of the arcane could be mastered without demonic taint, and those that were unconvinced. In the end rather than face potential wars among their own kind, the arcane hierophants who were the leading proponents of arcane study left Shaâ,¬,,¢Irna and their brethren behind to establish new colonies where they could pursue academic and magical study in peace.  There was little objection to their departure, though it left the blade singers in an unenviable position where they were quite alone, mistrusted by their own kind, and suspected of treachery far more than they deserved.

It was only when the goblinoids of Hazraâ,¬,,¢Ghalduur began to invade Shaâ,¬,,¢Irna more then 4,500 years later that the blade singers were finally recognized for their abilities. Were it not for their combination of magical and martial skill, the goblinoids would almost certainly have defeated them. The druidic elders of Shaâ,¬,,¢Irna, recognizing that they had misjudged their kinsmen, declared the blade singers the official guardians of the elven people, and the prejudices of the elven people towards the corruptive powers of the arcane began to fade.  Today the elves are once again studying the arcane, and rapidly attaining a level of mastery unseen in thousands of years. The druidic circle of elders however, have begun to fear that the grievous sins of their past have been forgotten, and remind their kin to be wary of demonic temptation.

In this modern era the elves are a throwback to ancient ways and ideals. Having been withdrawn from the world for as long as they have, they are completely out of touch with how different Sulos has become in their absence. They really no longer fit into the greater picture of Sulos, and are rapidly losing their chance to have any effect upon the future at all. While some elves do trade peacefully with the merchant sailors of L'Landra, they for most part, have almost no other contact with the outside world. Young elves yearning for more excitement and adventure have been leaving Shaâ,¬,,¢Irna in droves. They run away from home or stow away on merchant ships, just to get away from the stagnant conservatives who rule their nation. Elfin adventurers are quite common, and many sail the seas on merchant vessels to wonderful far away lands and places, unlike any they had ever imagined. Wanderlust is only natural for a young elf, and the elders of the community generally don't worry too much about these free spirits, but they are concerned that the impetuous youths may return to Shaâ,¬,,¢Irna, with corrupted vile beliefs that seem so common in the barbaric lands beyond their forests.

Though elfin myth and history stretches back thousands upon thousands of years, all the way to the primordial creation of the world, the druidic traditions of Shaâ,¬,,¢Irna have always (as far as the elves can remember) been a part of the elfin culture. As a people the elves have tried to live in harmony with nature, and they have groomed the humanoids of the world to do the same. In their eyes Sulos is a place where all plants, animals, lands, and people should be able to coexist. Not all druids however, believe that the elves should be the benevolent overseers of the world. There are those who feel the elves should take responsibility for protecting the world as well; but protect it from what? There in lies the question that has caused so much dissention within their people for generations, and the motivation for the Druidic Wars which have horribly scarred the souls of the elves to this day.

Among the elves the very concept of worship is alien. They do not believe in deities or the divine hand of the gods. The world and the forces and energies of the planes are the source of all things, spiritual, physical, or mental in nature. Gods did not craft the elves in their divine images. The elves born of the primordial building blocks of the world, just as all creatures were. While an evolutionary view of the genesis of life and the creation of the world seems controversial, it is perfectly natural to them. The elves have never seen any evidence of gods, and yet theyâ,¬,,¢ve seen goblins evolve from cave dwelling savages to an organized and sophisticated (though none-the-less brutal) people. The elves believe all divine power comes from the strength of oneâ,¬,,¢s conviction to a cause or ideal. If you choose to personify that ideal in imaginary higher powers, so be it, but it will not change the truth.

Places of Interest

The Tainted Circles

Long ago when the elves still had contact with the denizens of beyond they summoned and contacted the demons by means of massive stone summoning circles. These unique locations built by the arcane hierophants, were the center of arcane learning, and the means by which the elves sought guidance and knowledge of their foes. The great summoning circles were places that radiated with demonic arcane energies. For centuries every elven community had a circle at its heart, and the elves revered their guides from beyond as powerful sages of unmatched skill and brilliance.

After the druidic wars, the elves changed their tune. Realizing that the demons were using them as a tool for evil, the druidic elders destroyed the circles, and executed those who refused to break their demonic pacts. It was a time of great fear and unrest, as the druids swept through villages burning heretics at the stake, torching arcane libraries, and shattering the circles. Many elves lived in fear that the demons would retaliate, but they equally feared the zealous druidic inquisitors, who could appear at any time within their community.

While the circles have been destroyed, the lands around them have been permanently tainted with demonic power.  The trees are twisted dead husks; the soil has been reduced to lifeless ash, and the creatures that dwell too long within the area, become sinister insane monsters. Many of the old circles are gathering places for dark fey, twisted treants, and evil dryads. The elves stay far from these tainted circles, and warn their children never to venture too close, lest the demons claim their souls.

It is even said by some in hushed whispers that elves born within or near a tainted circle are touched by the powers of the demons, and born with horrible mutations, like gnarled claws, goat-like horns, forked tongues, and cloven hooves. These tainted children are actually becoming more and more common as time passes, and some of the revered elders of the druidic circles believe the power of the circles is growing, and the reach of the demons is extending further and further into the lands of Shaâ,¬,,¢Irna. Many of the tainted children are stillborn, though those that survive are often taunted and ganged up on by other children. Those that live to adulthood are usually introverted, violent, and even slightly deranged, though it is difficult to say weather their behavior is inborn or the result of a brutal childhood.

Many among the elves firmly believe that some of the circles survived the druidic inquisition, and that isolated communities of demonic possessed hierophants still dwell in the deepest and most impenetrable places of the immense forests of Shaâ,¬,,¢Irna. If these communities do indeed still exist, they have hidden themselves well. They may use powerful illusions or shadowy magic to mask themselves. They may prey upon those who come too close, or sacrifice them to demonic masters, as dead men tell no tales. It is also possible however, that these rumors have no actual basis in fact, and are little more than the product of paranoid imaginations run wild.

Power Groups

The Druidic Elders

The leaders of the elfin people are the elder druids.  While there are dozens of druidic circles, with numerous different philosophical beliefs, such as the Order of Balance, The Fittest, The Animal Lords, and the Guardians, all are lead by their eldest and most powerful member. These elders are the governing body of the nation, and the spiritual teachers of the elven people, and the caretakers of elven tradition, history, and legend. Rarely do the druidic elders completely agree on every course of action or direction they seek to lead their people, but they live by the majority vote, and have successfully for countless millennia

Among the druidic circles there have been many different chapters and philosophies over the millennia to have had an impact upon the elves and their homeland, though no other has had the earth-shaking influence of the arcane hierophants. It was the hierophants who first contacted the realm of demons, from which the elven people learned how to harness the power of the arcane. It was the hierophants who first proposed the druidic wars to purge the world of the tainting influences of those deemed unworthy of the air they breathed. It was the hierophants who nearly tore the elfin people apart, and who subsequently left Shaâ,¬,,¢Irna in shambles, when they finally left. While the other circles would prefer to forget the hierophants, the lessons of the past should not be forgotten, and they reluctantly remind their kin of the price one pays for power.

The elves celebrate the changing of the seasons, and revere the celestial movements of the heavens. Great celebrations during the winter and summer solstice, lead by the druidic elders are eagerly awaited by the elfin people. Feasting, dancing, and music are but a few of the common rituals. A sacrificial deer is usually the centerpiece of the festivity, and the elder druids hold the exclusive honor of slitting its throat, seasoning and cooking the deer, and carving the roast. During the full moon, the elves paint their faces in animal blood and dance naked under the luminous skies.  During the waxing moon, the druids lead the elves in solemn chants. In recognition of their mortality and brotherhood, the elves draw blood from their wrists with ceremonial daggers, and pool it together into a communal goblet from which they all drink.  

The elders of the druidic circles often wield great command over the primal forces of the elements. Many seem capable of summoning creatures from the elemental planes, and the greatest among the druids can themselves assume the forms of the elements. These raw untamed powers are the building blocks of the universe, and the druids command them and bend them to their will. The elementals are often tamed and bound for long tenures of service, for the construction and of great monuments, buildings, bridges, and more. Most of the elfin cities seem to flow naturally from the earth. There is no mortar, or stonework in elven towers and temples; they blend harmoniously with the trees, earth and stone, and seem to grow and evolve in and of themselves. The numerous pools and fountains of crystal clear water, are so pure and untainted, they seem to have been summoned from no earthly source. Eternal funeral pyres burn though the centuries in celebration of fallen heroes. Towers stretching thousands of feet into the heavens would crumble and fall were it not for the spirits of the winds who hold them aloft. These wonders would never have come to pass, were it not for the druidic circles and their command over the forces of nature and the elements.  

The druidic circles not only command the powers of the elements but they have considerable command over the numerous wild beasts and creatures of the forests. They share a bond with their animal companions that in time borders upon an almost total sense of spiritual and mental unity. They can command and speak with animals as well as they converse with their own kind, and summon the creatures of the forests to serve them as easily as they command their druidic magic. The elves fear not the animals and beasts who wander among them knowing that their druidic elders can control them with ease. There is no reason within elfin villages to fear even largest and most terrifying of natural predators such as great bears, wolves, and wild boars. If they truly posed any threat, they would never have been permitted to wander within the elfin communities. So intimate is the trust between the druids and their followers that the elven children of the community play with the beasts like enormous pets.

In times of war the druidic elders draw their brethren together for war painting and battle song. During these preparations the blade singers and druids put their differences aside and join forces to rally their people and strengthen morale. The elves are unmerciful in combat, and taking prisoners is seen as a sign of weakness.  The druids have long taught their kin that nature shows no mercy for her enemies, and neither should the elves. So long as their cause is just, the druids believe their people cannot be defeated, and they point to their numerous repulsions of Hazraâ,¬,,¢Ghalduur as exemplary instances of their righteousness.

The Blade Singers

The blade singers have harnessed the ability to weave magic through their songs, and their heavenly voices carry with them unearthly power. Combining swift agile swordplay, with the eldritch power of their songs, the blade singers weave a deadly tapestry of whirling steel and arcane power. No other elves strike fear into the hearts of their enemies like the blade singers. They have such elegant and misleading command over the power of magic that those who first encounter them are often mesmerized and frozen in fascination, without knowing how close they walk to the brink of death. It is often too little and too late that their foes realize the magnitude of the threat, and feel the deadly sting of the blade singerâ,¬,,¢s sword and spell.

Throughout their time in Shaâ,¬,,¢Irna the blade singers have been both the heroes and the scapegoats of their people. They were the generals of the elven forces during the Druidic Wars, but they were persecuted in the aftermath when the druidic inquisition swept through the nation. Yet when the armies of Hazraâ,¬,,¢Ghalduur invaded Shaâ,¬,,¢Irna, it was the blade singers who defended their brethren from the seemingly unstoppable juggernaut of the goblinoid war machine.  The blade singers have remained loyal to their people through thick and thin, and despite a long history of such unshakable resolve, they have at many times been forced to deal with harsh criticism from their own people.

In the modern era the blade singer are once again the heroes of Shaâ,¬,,¢Irna. Their continuous battles with the goblinoids have cemented their place within elven society, and they are exploiting their time in the limelight to further the study of the arcane, while they have the window to do so. The blade singers have had few opportunities to pursue their arts without skepticism or second guessers doubting the sincerity of their intentions. In the last two hundred years they have refined their blade song style to unprecedented levels. As the goblinoids continue to perfect their own arcane crafts, the blade singers have been pushed in a magical arms race. The two cultures push each other to their arcane limits, and the raw firepower loosed upon the battlefields has become staggering.

The Demon Born

The children tainted by the power of the shattered summoning circles, have been growing in number as the years pass. Many have begun to unite together, for mutual protection and the betterment of their kind. While many have less than honorable intentions, there are just as many who wish for nothing more than the freedom and rights that are a given for other elves. Only time will tell which faction will win them over, but at the moment they are torn between those who crave revenge, and those who desire a peaceful resolution.  

Calling themselves the Demonborn, the tainted elves are feared and hated by their own kind, and the abuses they suffer as children change them forever. Some become paranoid and introverted, while other become violent and reactionary. Compounded by the demonic taint within their souls struggling to free itself and take control, it is amazing that any retain control of themselves at all. It is a daily struggle for the demon born to control their violent feral urges, and in the company of their own kind they may actually stand a chance.

Most of the demonborn live within their own isolated communities far from their kin. They often share their techniques of meditation, spiritualism, or personal disciplines that help them control their instincts. They have attempted to recover some of the forbidden texts that were destroyed or burned during the days of the druidic inquisition, not for the power, but for the understanding of what they truly are. The lost lore of those eras however is almost nonexistent, and the druidic circles are quick to destroy what little turns up. The demonborn constantly find themselves at odds with the druidic circles, yet neither has taken any permanent stance against the other.

The power of the demonic blood flowing through their veins has unlocked potent arcane abilities within the demonborn. They are natural sorcerers and it seems as though all manifest at least a rudimentary understanding of the power inherent within them. Many however become truly mighty sorcerers that rival the arcane might of even the mightiest wizards and sorcerers of Rhoenheim. No other people seem to have such latent arcane power as the demonborn, but they are so few in number that few realize the power they may potentially unlock within themselves. The druidic elders have their suspicions, but even they do not know how powerful the demonborn really are.

The Light of Pholtus

While many young elves return from their wanderlust with tales of mysterious powers, places, and ideas, they rarely have any impact upon the general outlook or beliefs of elven society. The adventures of youth are an exciting period, but they are only a minor fraction of the elven lifetime. The elders and druids who lead the people of Shaâ,¬,,¢Irna understand that their children will return home excited and full of interesting new philosophies. They understand that their children will have seen wonders of technology and magic. They understand that their children will feel empowered by their discoveries, but they are still children who have not yet learned why the elves live as they do. The other races of the world are short-sighted, and blinded by their own mortality. They seek to bend the world to their will, because they fear they will be unable to have an impact during the time frame of their limited life spans.  The elves inevitably learn however, that patience and natural harmony are a necessity for their people. Haste is synonymous with carelessness in the elven tongue, and all elves eventually learn to embrace the teachings of the druidic circles.

Generation after generation of wanderlust has time and time again given way to an understanding that the pace of the outside world does not harmonize with the culture of the elves. Many have returned home thinking they are adults, only to realize that despite their experiences, they are still children. However approximately fifty years ago a young elf adventurer returned home with an idea that could not so easily be dismissed. This young elf known to his brethren as Vasilius, returned to his people with a message that would not die. Vasilius had embraced the Light of Pholtus, and he returned to Shaâ,¬,,¢Irna as a messenger of the faith.

When Vasilius returned to home from his adventures, he refused to give up his beliefs, and acquiesce to the pressures of his elders. He had been touched by the light, and none among his kin could convince him that faith is something elves cannot believe in. Vasilius the Messenger, as he gradually became known, defied his elders, and began to teach what he had learned. While most elves were skeptical, the simple message of Pholtus seemed to in no way contradict or undermine the beliefs of his people. Vasilius taught those who would listen, that Pholtus is an internal force. All sentient creatures possess it in their souls and hearts, though only those of pure intention, kindness, and virtue can unlock the full potential of the light. Unlike other faiths that had come before, Pholtus was not a god, or an idol, or a totem; Pholtus was an idea and philosophy. The druidic elders could crush belief in a false god, but they found the idea of Pholtus much more difficult to dismiss.

Among the first to embrace the teachings of the Messenger were the demon born. Long treated as second class citizens, persecuted for their differences, and mistrusted for the evil brewing within their souls, they felt no obligation to adhere to the edicts of the elder druids. The demon born sought ways to control the primal urges that brewed within them and through Pholtus they found what they had longed for. Vasilius taught his tainted kin how to strengthen the good within them, and how to focus and direct their passions into less destructive things, like art, poetry, song, and community. The Light of Pholtus gave the demon born the focus and brotherhood they needed to feel that they were part of something bigger than themselves and the Messenger is still seen as a great man by their kind.

Tragically Vasilius was murdered within a decade of his return to Shaâ,¬,,¢Irna. Some say he was assassinated by druidic elders. Other say he was killed by his own followers among the demon born. Whatever the truth may be, his message touched enough of the elven people that the Light of Pholtus continues to grow. There are a few brothers of the light in almost every community of elves. Many of the demon born who have not yet succumb to the taint of their souls embrace the light as a means of fending off the darkness. The most outspoken disciples of the Messenger continue to carry on in Vasiliusâ,¬,,¢s name, and they travel the nation spreading the faith to those who willingly listen.

The Light of Pholtus has caused minor uproar within the druidic circles. While nothing inherent to the philosophy of Pholtus contradicts or undermines their beliefs or traditions, the growing power of the religion frightens them. Not since the rise of the arcane hierophants has any faction within the elven people had such an impact upon Shaâ,¬,,¢Irna, and while the religion is still in its formative stages, and only a tiny percentage of the elven population count themselves as converts, the elders are still quite concerned. Zealous faith is what caused the Druidic Wars so long ago, and they do not wish to repeat the mistakes of the past. The elders seek a way to slow the progression of the faith, without going to war against them. Ultimately the druidic circles do not feel that the Light of Pholtus is problem in and of itself, so much as they feel that the power and passion of organized religion is too easily corrupted; given that the most influential missionaries of the light are also demon born, clinging to their sanity, the potential for disastrous consequences or dangerous movements within the religion are almost inevitable.

[Numinous]

I love this, I really do.  you've established bits of conflict in a previously simple land.  Do you think it would be possible for there to be a favored soul of Pholtus?  because that would be beyond sweet...

Anyway, I am so moving my PC"s here as soon as possible.

So, is there some magic in the summoning circles that prevents the elseworld creatures from dissolving?  What if you set it up so that demons that come through these portals can live on Sulos, and maybe they still haunt the forests?  

Just trying to think of cool stuff...

EDIT:  How are new bladesingers recruited?  Is it a program, a famil thing, what?  Are they on good terms with the demon-touched?

[Soup Nazi]

I love this, I really do. you've established bits of conflict in a previously simple land. Do you think it would be possible for there to be a favored soul of Pholtus? because that would be beyond sweet...

I hadn't considered it, but I cannot see any reason why not. Pholtus has no domains or portfolio so it is ill-suited to clerical worship, but I cannot see any reason why a favored soul could not feel kinship with the Light of Pholtus.

Anyway, I am so moving my PC"s here as soon as possible.

This is a good place for short adventure stints, but not really loaded with action packed potential like the rest of Sulos. Adventures here are more about prejudice, traditions, and a hint of demonic stuff, that really is better suited to high level play.

So, is there some magic in the summoning circles that prevents the elseworld creatures from dissolving? What if you set it up so that demons that come through these portals can live on Sulos, and maybe they still haunt the forests?

No but the demons can breed with the sentient races of the prime, or possess them, or taint them. Half-demons can be native to the prime, and they are not subject to the weakness/immortality of the native creatures of the elseworld.

Also keep in mind that a powerful demon can live on the prime for weeks if their charisma is powerful enough. Though they become more bestial and horrific the longer they stay (as their charisma depletes), they can still survive long enough to do some significant damage. The summoning circles enabled them to come and go daily, so they never had to worry about the debilitating effects of the prime material plane upon their otherworldly bodies.

EDIT: How are new bladesingers recruited? Is it a program, a family thing, what? Are they on good terms with the demon-touched?

I hadn't really considered how they were recruited. I would assume they could come from all walks of life. Arcane casters are not particularly trusted by the elves, so many would join the bladesingers simply for mutual protection, kinship, and the oportunity to consult with their peers. There could also be families of elves who have been blade singers for generations (possibly all the way back to the Druidic Wars).

As for their relations with the demon born individual blade singers vary. Presumably as a persecuted minority themselves, they may have more empathy for them. On the other hand it is the demon born who give arcane magic a bad rap, so they might also be the most active detractors of the demon born. I leave it up to you.

[Velox]

This looks interesting. Elves that once destroyed the world in the name of false gods... very cool.

[quote nastynate]In the aftermath of the Druidic Wars, the elfin people withdrew to their shadowy forests to contemplate the meaning of what they had done.[/quote]

While it might seem possible that a nation could go to war, destroy entire cultures and nations, and then stop after the fact and say "Hey! This isn't right!" (ahem), it's alot harder to do it in a world without jet airplanes and 2000lb bombs. I like the idea of elves destroying the world, but I would have trouble believing that they wouldn't contemplate the entirety of the situation before mobilizing their soldiers and siegeing the many fortresses that would need siegeing. I guess they could get it done quite fast with their mastery of the arcane and demonic help; but still, I'd consider going with another angle. Maybe one elf rose up as a great leader at the time, and every other elf fell under his charismatic influence, followed his message (which just happened to be BURN THEM ALL!!!). It has happened many times before in history... maybe they were all possessed (on one level or another) by demons, and it took a small intrepid group of heroic adventurers to find the source of the demons power and destroy it, restoring the elves to their natural way (yay!). Just a suggestion from your friendly local madman; if you really like your idea, then my suggestion is rubbish!

I'll keep reading this, and if I have further insight I'll post more. It definately looks cool, and I may take some inspiration from this for my game (without plagarizing, of course).

[Soup Nazi]

Your ideas about demonic possession are not off the mark. The druidic wars were not so much the decision of the elves but the decision of their demonic masters. It was only when they began to question the wisdom of their mentors, that they begen to question their own actions.

The elves got caught up in something beyond their control, and only really had the chance to think about it after it was already too late. Demonic influence comes in many forms. The elves may have been misled, or bribed, or even possessed, but the details of the past are not well known. The druids burned everything during the inquisition, and those involved in the wars are long since dead, so who really knows for sure?

-Nasty-

[Epic Meepo]

This is a good place for short adventure stints, but not really loaded with action packed potential like the rest of Sulos. Adventures here are more about prejudice, traditions, and a hint of demonic stuff, that really is better suited to high level play.

Also keep in mind that a powerful demon can live on the prime for weeks if their charisma is powerful enough. Though they become more bestial and horrific the longer they stay (as their charisma depletes), they can still survive long enough to do some significant damage.[/blockquote]
Cool!  Where'd that rule come from?

Also, elves seem to be rather opposed to the technology that is so commonplace elsewhere in Sulos.  What happens when that 5% of the population that is non-elven tries to establish industry or import large amounts of technology?  Do the elves resist such efforts?  For that matter, what is the relationship between demons and technology?  I could almost see demons scheming to turn the elven forest into so much kindling for some kind of fiendish factory.

[Soup Nazi]

Cool! Where'd that rule come from?

That's something I've been experimenting wish. I made the elseworld a parallel word from whence extraplanar creatures come from. Fell free to check it out in the main thread. I'm not 100% on it yet; the elseworld is a work in progress.

Also, elves seem to be rather opposed to the technology that is so commonplace elsewhere in Sulos. What happens when that 5% of the population that is non-elven tries to establish industry or import large amounts of technology? Do the elves resist such efforts? For that matter, what is the relationship between demons and technology? I could almost see demons scheming to turn the elven forest into so much kindling for some kind of fiendish factory.

Those 5% are usually merchants, craftsman, and various other trade outposts. They certainly would have some technology, but nothing compared to what they would have back home in L'Landra. The elves would resist attempts to industrialize, and foreigners who live within Sha'Irna need to live by the rules of the Druidic Circles, just like the elves. When in Rome as they say...

I love your vision of the demonic industrialization, but at the moment the demons do not have enough influence over the elves for such an undertaking to occur. I could see it in the future however, or as an onging campaign where the demons wrest control from the druidic circles once again.

-Nasty-