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Heavenly Empire of Yllendthyr
Menel Ndor en'Yllendthyr
Nation Overview
The Heavenly Empire of Yllendthyr, the eccentric land of the elves. While far from being the sole elvish community Yllendthyr is currently the only nation in Albion under elf rule which along with their long isolation in the distant Yllend'tollome archipelago led to their unique culture. In the distant past each island grew its own tribe of elves. Yet as shipbuilding improved the so far vast distances grew awfully short and wars were inevitable. Legend says Yllendthyr was the greatest tribe and over the time it conquered all neighbors and declared itself empire over all seven islands. Yet it was not enough, in order to provide unity Yllendthyr spread a new religion known as Arvandor. Undeveloped and new at the time, Arvandor basically just provided an excuse for the Ymheodr (Emperor) to declare divine mandate and legalize the rule of their dynasty as God's will. Thousands of years passed in slow growth, relatively unchanged. The religion of Arvandor grew powerful and gradually reversed the balance, making the royal family rely on them instead. Yet the rule of the emperors didn't end until a few centuries ago. By this point Yllendthyr was long past its phase of isolation and actively interacted with the rest of Albion. Thus when their allies came under attack by Lindosian crusaders Yllendthyr came to their aid, with disastrous result. The military failures and loss of nobles shook Yllendthyr's society and the royal family had no choice but hand over the empire to the Arvandor church. Ironically aside from the dethronement of the last emperor, Yllendthyr didn't change. In a sense the archpriestess of Arvandor took over the same role. Unlike the Emperor the Archpriestess owned no land and the system shifted even more towards the nobles. At the same time Lindos died and his hastily conquered empire fell into pieces. Using the chaos Yllendthyr conquered the country of Galhonore and made a foothold in the main continent of Albion. In the eyes of many Yllendthyr might had been just an empire in name but this status could change any time.
Alternative Names: Yllendthyr, The Elvish Empire
Territory Names: Yllend'tollome (Yllend Archipelago, mainland), Sephylan (island of fairies), Galhonore (continental holdings)
Demonyms: Ylendlen (from Yllendthyr, pl: Ylendlin), Edhelywen (high elf, pl: Edhelywlin), Syndwen (common/wood elf, pl: Syndwlin), Mutgwen (human in Yllendthyr, pl: Mutgwli), Tylwyth (Fairies), Ur-Khazd (Ur-Dwaves, unique group originating from Uralith), Ngheldyn (Centaurs, especially those native to Galhonore)
Geographic Overview:
Yllendthyr is the dark cyanish green territory on the North:
Map Legend
- 1 -Yllendost
- 2 -
- 3 -
- 4 -
- 5 -
- 6 -
- 7 - Sephylan (faerie island)
- a - YllumÃrë (capital)
- b -
- c -
Yllendthyr's main holdings are the 7 mysterious islands of Yllend'tollome. The archipelago is surrounded by ancient magic that permeates everything. In spite of being at the edge of the tundra zone Yllend'tollome enjoys an evergreen temperamental climate with rich forests and unique species. Without the trained eye Yllend'tollome might seem wild and untamed, the neverending lush forests covering most of the surface. Only the neat order of the trees show signs of cultivation. Ylledthyr's elves live in harmony with the nature and long mastered to blend in with the surroundings. You might cross an elvish village without ever realizing it. Cities as a whole are a rare sight and generally associated with major ports.
Galhonore is a relatively fresh addition to the Empire, formed just a few hundred years ago. Relatively rich yet rural lands once part of the great Lindosian Empire. This didn't change much even after they came under Yllendthyr's rule. In spite of this Galhonore holds more than 80% of the Empire's population, mostly working in farms. What makes these fields unique the alarming lack of crops. Yllendthyr encouraged the cultivation of edible roots. Radish and turnips are all what the average peasant could eat. In addition they're known for growing a species of hemp unique to Yllendthyr, their white stalks becoming an increasingly common sight surrounding rich manors. While the rural nature of Galhonore barely changed, its environment underwent considerable shift to resemble Yllendthyr, even if just barely. Forests are sacred and shine with almost unearthly beauty. Even the environment changed with winters becoming tame as of late. Nobody among the common folk knows what could've caused this. Some claim divine miracle while others cry "damned daggerears' conspiracy" to turn the very lands against their inhabitants. We might never learn the truth.
Society Overview
Government
Yllendthy is nowadays considered a theocracy yet it's mostly the same imperial system as it's used to be in the past. This is partially because the Arvandor priesthood had de facto control over the Empire for long so the most striking difference is really just that instead of the Ymheodr (emperor) and his royal line the official ruler of Yllendthyr is the Herastareth (archpriestess) now called the Ymhastareth (untranslatable, the term hierophantissa-empress or just archpriestess would do). Since only a short few hundred years passed since the "coup" the reformed empire only has one priest-empress, Iallril Iorthoniith Isyranshara.
As an empire Yllendthyr has a complex government system but before we get to it we need to distinguish two classes of elf (or practically three): commoner and nobles. Yllendthyr's elves believe in freedom as far as their race goes and thus sneer at even the idea of serfdom. In Yllendthyr no elf can be slave. Freedom to travel, migrate or practice any of the acknowledged professions are given from birth. Anything but ownership of land. That's the privilege of Aradynn (nobles) who can practically "rent" their lands to commoners. The price of this would be always discussed between parties, if the commoner finds it too much he or she can try searching elsewhere. This degree of competition and minimal government oversight prevents abuses and ensures the survival of the system. Aradynn were once the warrior caste of the elvish race, tasked to protect the land with their lives in return for unique status and privileges. Over thousands of years this had changed, they formed a semi-feudal system with nobles of higher rank ruling lower nobles who in turn governed their lands. While military power remained within their grasp they were no longer soldiers, even if they often prided their warrior roots. While the archpriestess is considered the ruler of Yllendthyr the true political power lies entirely within the hands of nobles. That being said there's no noble who wouldn't bow in the reverence of Arvandor thus while the archpriestess technically owns no land she can exert her power the same.
Another unique class of elves are the religious order of Arvandor. Back when nobles were still chiefly warriors and they lived in more chaotic times it was a custom to send the daughters of the family to the Church to become priests. That wasn't so much motivated by piety but practicality, in order to ensure the family's survival no matter the fortunes of battle. This custom grew into tradition, the tradition then grew into something akin to a dogma. The priestesses of Arvandor enjoy a special status their male brethren cannot compare to. That being said priesthood is no longer exclusive to noblewomen and if they feel the call, noblemen or even commoners can join. The role of priesthood is a complex one. Aside from their religious duties they have near monopoly on education and magical practice. There's no rule preventing schools not aligned with the Church but they're extremely rare. Priesthood in general forms the intellectual core of Yllendthyr's society and they teach everyone from the aristocrats to the last elvish commoner. Arvandor's priests are unique in their vows of non-violence. Those becoming fully fledged members of the Church renounce any acts of violence, no matter how small. Although it worths noting that this violence only applies against people, nor it prohibits indirect acts. Yet that's up to individual interpretation and your average priest is the model of pacifism.
The elvish pantheon and creation myth, perhaps one of the eldest religions in the world. It states the word (Arda) is the creation of the supreme god Ao and its chorus of Aiurons. The latter are divine spirits akin to angels in certain myths but basically elves use them as an excuse to continue their ancient naturalist/polytheist roots under a strictly monotheist system. Aiurons are more recently used to explain gods of other religions and promote tolerance to them. Under such excuse the practice of Lindosianism and any other faith are allowed for people. Although worths knowing that according to Yllendthyr's laws those serving a lord must assist him in the religious practices. Thus it isn't rare for humans to have two religions and live in a strange life of respecting them both. It goes without saying that practically all elves in Yllendthyr are rigid believers of Arvandor.
Personnel of Importance:
Ymhastareth (Hierophantissa-Empress) of Yllendthyr she's the ruler of land and religion within the Empire. Her beautiful appearance radiates purity and charisma not marred with even the passage of centuries. Thanks to this she's revered as a saint in Yllendthyr and even the highest nobles serve her with blind loyalty. She's a powerful sorceress if not the most powerful magic user within the Empire. She can project her voice over vast distances and can support her nation from the safety of her high tower. As the archpriestess her duty is also that of prophecy and interpreting the Arvandor's will. Thanks to all these she can assert full control in spite of the fact Iallril owns no land or any other form of worldly power. She has the entire nobility obeying her just for asking it nicely. In spite of her saintly aura Iallril isn't a weak political player, almost the opposite. Under her rule Yllendthyr had become surprisingly proactive by elvish standards, turning from an isolated archipelago into one of the major powers in the continent. Of course not even Iallril is safe from critique and with her growing fame so sprung up rumors of her cruelty and two faced behavior, not to mention tales of even worse. Of course no loyal Yllendlen would believe any of these lies and keep the image of Iallril on a high pedestal.
Demographics
The entire Empire of Yllendthyr has the population around 4,750,000. This involves elves, humans and potentially other races. Elven population is around 30% yet they have borderline exclusive political might. They're considered the truly free citizens and even if not noble you are extremely discouraged to insult an elf. Since the conquest of Galhonore the humans make up the main bulk of the population. Serfdom is deplorable and doesn't exist within Yllendthyr, no matter the race. In effect humans are similarly free people, albeit with limited political influence. Ironically enough slavery does exist. One can give up his or her freedom in order to gain money or pay up his/her debt. At times criminal punishments can also involve slavery. The effectively free labor of slavery has a strangely positive effect on economy and while not rare only a few percentage of people work as slaves in Yllendthyr. The status of Tylwyth (fairies) is far worse. They originate from the seventh island Sephylan which technically has its own government the Sephylan Kingdom ruled by the queen of fairies. In effect though they're under the joint control of the six other islands who almost view fairies as slaves from birth. Rough estimates put Sephylan's fairy population around 10 million yet they are so tiny that most census view them as insignificant. Fairies are tiny creatures with low intelligence and a generally underdeveloped culture. They are popular as tiny attendants of elves or working for the light industry. In spite of their obviously subservient position the quality of life was improved to them thanks to Yllendthyr supplying sufficient food as prior to this famines were common. Aside from these three races Yllendthyr has two groups that didn't quite assimilate into their society but rather formed enclaves. First there's a group of Ur-dwarf conservatives that settled down in the Ered'Lyn mountains. They trade with the empire and maintain strong ties but they aren't under Yllendthyr's proper control. Another are the centaur tribes to the north who maintained their nomadic lifestyles yet strongly aligned with Yllendthyr now. Aside from these there are bound to be tiny minorities of other races and cultures but they aren't relevant for the nation's policies as a whole.
Total Population: ~ 4,750,000
Elves: ~ 1,5000,0000 (> 30%), 10% of them are high elves (~ 3.2% of total population)
Humans: ~ 62% (~ 3 million)
Dwarves: ~ 1% (around 50,000)
Centaurs: ~ 5% (around 250,000)
Other: ~ 0.5% (~25,000)
Faeries: ~ 10,000,000 (they don't count to the population)
Elves are tall, slender and generally beautiful humanoids distinct for their pointed sharp ears. They are lightly built with hollow bones and evolutionarily they might be descendants of birds. At average an elf weighs half as much as a human of comparable height and this also shows in their physical capabilities. Simply put elves are weak and fragile compared to humans. On the other hand they are quite nimble and dexterous. They have heightened senses combined with superior reflexes, balance and coordination. They even have what can be described as organic gyroscopes, aiding not just their posture but even help in navigation or to feel velocity. It's said that an elf can tell the speed of his arrow by the moment he released it. Elves are beautiful and aesthetically pleasing to most humanoid races but they're the most famous for their longevity. The average elf is expected to live for around 300 years and more magically gifted members might dramatically extend this. in addition they are resistant to a number of natural poisons and diseases. In general elves have a somewhat different perception of time and view decades almost as others see years. Elves are more attuned with the nature and forests are considered their natural habitats. It's little known fact that elves are omnivores, of a particularly strange kind. While they don't graze elves can consume and process plants and especially enjoy eating flowers for desert. Of course when active their body demands meat but generally an elf can handily live off the nature. That being said their weird eating behavior has some weird holes in it and a few food products humans commonly eat are not possible for elves to consume, or worse it might be even poisonous to them. Speaking of which there are toxins that can kill elves and completely harmless to humans. As said elves are long-lived but they also take longer to grow up. An elf of 20 years is still barely a teenager if that and respectable adulthood doesn't start until an elf hits 100 years. As such they view most other races like impatient children, they just can't help it. Also pregnancy for elves is a much more serious issue as during this period the woman is weak and vulnerable, demand tending and protection. Add the fact elves have usually low fertility and communities often watch over pregnant elves together. This did contribute to female elves living a more sheltered life but otherwise there's no stoppage of women going into war or doing almost any job men would. Elven societies are in general promote freedom and encourage their members to explore all that life has to offer for them. There are three stereotypical elves: the hermit, the master and the adventurer. Hermits devote their entire life to a single profession and perfect it, they are extremely dedicated to their job. Masters specialize in learning multiple professions through their life and once they got to a level they move on to the next. Adventurers are taking elvish free spirit to the limit and at times even beyond, they wander and never stuck in one job for long. These are of course stereotypes but they describe the diversity of styles an elf could map out their life. Since they live so long and their culture is about living into old age, elves in general are far less keen on dying for a purpose than humans. They just wanna live and enjoy the life. Thus there's a general perception of elves as "cowardly" by other races. While elves like every culture has some of the weak and treacherous among them they hold their word and honor. They just aren't charmed with the whole "death with honor" aesthetic. Elven way of thinking is a bit more pragmatic and values objective results more than perceived moral superiority. To them accomplishing your duty and living to tell the tale is much more respectable than dying because you were bound by word.
A term mostly used in reference to Yllendthyr's elvish population. This word actually has two meanings and consequently two entirely different uses. First, it's used for any elf originating from Yllendthyr. The elvish name of this is Syndwen (pl.: Syndwlin) which translates as "wood folk", specially in reference to elf-folk of the woods. A more correct reference to this by Yllendthyr's humans is "common elf" or even "wood elf", albeit it's also used to refer to all elves. When talking about Yllendthyr from outside view "high elf" does have a merit. Because Yllendlan elves are indeed a bit different from their peers, particularly in their magic. The unique environment of their birthplace imbued them with magical talents. Every high elf is capable of using magic to at least a small extend and their higher level practitioners are reputed worldwide, only overshadowed the mighty Deified from Oros. Their school studies also include learning the basics of magic and high elves found various minor ways they can enhance their work through spells. Their heightened magic also awakened something in elves related to their distant ancestors the fey. This results in the so-called "curse of iron" where Ylendlan elves are vulnerable to unrefined iron. This weakness is curiously non-existent for other elvish races, even though most if not all of them once originated from Yllendthyr. The most likely answer is that one needs to be exposed to Yllendthyr's unique swirls of magic from childhood and these communities lived millennia without it. Another unique feature is the "barking". Elves usually age only at the last fifth of their life. But in case of high elves instead of wrinkles their skin gradually transforms into plant-like or even wooden. Nobody is sure exactly why. Perhaps it's part of their fey awakening. Perhaps it's part of their pact with nature. What is known that an elf that dies of old age rather sets root in the ground an turns into a tree. The "barking" is actually not unique to high elves, certain descendants in other lands have also inherited this. As such elves have a different view of trees and the nature.
Another use of high elves is to refer to their noble caste the Edhelywen (pl.: Edhelywlin) meaning "ancient breed", referring to the ancestry and quality of blood. Almost exclusively the Edelwywlin are part of Yllendthyr's nobility and gifted in magic powers. Their great strength was once the foundation of Yllendthyr's protection and the reason why the current system of nobles were formed. Defining the lower bound what counts as Edelywen is difficult and the current census (supplied at the "Nation Overview" section) is grouping them based on a strict arbitrary system. As such a gifted commoner might surpass a lowly noble but barring secret bastard children or freak genetics no common elf can approach the magical power of the true aristocracy. Magic power is one of the main virtues the nobles compete at and take pride in.
Another use of high elves is to refer to their noble caste the Edhelywen (pl.: Edhelywlin) meaning "ancient breed", referring to the ancestry and quality of blood. Almost exclusively the Edelwywlin are part of Yllendthyr's nobility and gifted in magic powers. Their great strength was once the foundation of Yllendthyr's protection and the reason why the current system of nobles were formed. Defining the lower bound what counts as Edelywen is difficult and the current census (supplied at the "Nation Overview" section) is grouping them based on a strict arbitrary system. As such a gifted commoner might surpass a lowly noble but barring secret bastard children or freak genetics no common elf can approach the magical power of the true aristocracy. Magic power is one of the main virtues the nobles compete at and take pride in.
Little known fact is that elves and humans can interbreed, siring a half-elf. Success at conceiving or pregnancy are not guaranteed yet aren't impossible, either. They say that the process can be made easier with the aid of magic but given the elves' tight-lipped nature on the subject we can't be sure. Because the mere existence of half-elves is a taboo. Yllendthyr respects life and does not kill anyone just because they're a mixed race. On the other hand the whole concept hurts the prideful heart of the elvish nobility and for thousands of years it's an official law to never talk about half-elves. As their name states they're half elvish an half other race (almost always human) in features. In what way it's actually not that fixed and half-elves can have a wide variety of mixed failures. They can be slender like an elf and tough boned like a human, or in reverse. They can have elvish ears or small rounded ones like humans do. Even their lifespan is uncertain as while their average is somewhere between human and elvish longevity they are also subject to genetic defects and unique diseases that can end their lives early.
As said the official stance on half-elves is that they don't exist. Which in turn means they are either classified as humans or elves. Which category they belong to depends on status and achievements. If born into a noble family then half-elves are raised as noble elves. If they're born commoners then depending on circumstances they can be either. Most of the half-elves are considered on the same level as humans, second class countrymen. But this could change if the half-elf performs heroics or has other great achievements. Marrying into an elvish family might count, too. In these cases he or she can be granted to become "honorary elf". This and their unpredictable lifespan makes half-elves ambitious and pretty frequent to join the military. If we must live with an anachronism, elves are "strong careerists" with all the goods and bads that title can mean. Half-elves without a status are generally in a tough spot as they are looked down by elves yet also estranged from humans. They can easily become social outcasts.
As said the official stance on half-elves is that they don't exist. Which in turn means they are either classified as humans or elves. Which category they belong to depends on status and achievements. If born into a noble family then half-elves are raised as noble elves. If they're born commoners then depending on circumstances they can be either. Most of the half-elves are considered on the same level as humans, second class countrymen. But this could change if the half-elf performs heroics or has other great achievements. Marrying into an elvish family might count, too. In these cases he or she can be granted to become "honorary elf". This and their unpredictable lifespan makes half-elves ambitious and pretty frequent to join the military. If we must live with an anachronism, elves are "strong careerists" with all the goods and bads that title can mean. Half-elves without a status are generally in a tough spot as they are looked down by elves yet also estranged from humans. They can easily become social outcasts.
Native only to the island of Sephylan the faeries (or Tylwyth) are tiny roughly 10-15cm tall creatures with simplistic intellect and generally underdeveloped civilization. They are fully Fey creatures which makes them magical (naturally assist in their flight) albeit their power is not comparable to a grown high elf. Their tiny size makes them an almost negligible threat in combat and Sephylan is under elvish control for millennia. That being said Sephylan is still maintaining a level of autonomy and aside from the fact they have less famines they live mostly the same as they did in the neolithic ages. Their government is technically a monarchy lead by their Queen but in effect she's more of a figurehead and the real power is in the hands of countless chieftains and their tribal communities. It isn't an exaggeration to say that Sephylan is an alliance of tribes. Due to their underdeveloped culture survival is still the primary concern for most fairies and the main currency they use is honey, their primary source of food. Faeries are short lived an rarely survive for longer than 20-30 years. Over the time they learned to be subservient to their elven masters and out of this and the sense of adventure they often become servant to elves. Tiny faerie attendants are commonplace and any elf of some status has one. Faeries are also used in clockmaker guilds and other places where their tiny frame can help them in the creation of small objects. Faeries of Sephylan and the elves of Yllendthyr live in a sorts of symbiotic relationship. Yllendthyr provides food and what they require for survival while faeries are essentially slaves to them.
Economy
Yllendthyr's lands are a strange mix of rural and developed. A huge portion of people live in the agriculture. They can range from the nobles who are the sole owners of the land. Yet they almost always just "rent" it to commoners, to the so-called "second owners". These people are running agriculture as a business and employ less wealthy people to work on the fields. Sometimes slave labor is used when available but since the only source is debt slavery these types are generally rare. Mining in Yllendthyr is sophisticated and organized a similar way. These fields and mines are usually connected to one or a few villages and small towns. While large cities are rare both the islands of Yllend'tollome and Galhonore has a dense network of smaller settlements connected by trade, mail and even a growing transport business. Craftsmen are relatively abundant in almost every village where usually a wandering elf craftsman settled down to open shop and employ his/her century of experience. Yllendthyr has a decentralized yet developed land and the basis of this are the taxes all members pay. Albeit it worths noting that the decentralization goes all the way to the top. At times it's better to describe Yllendthyr less like a single country and more like the collection of counties held by arristocrats. Aside from the tax paid to the Church the Hierophantess-Empress has no other source of income. As such when we say Yllendthyr is wealthy it means their arristocrats are wealthy. Due to the decentralized nature of craftsmen loosely collected under guilds Yllendthyr has no shortage of workers on whatever project they want. But they lack the united and organized structure more centralized nations have. Simply put another nation might have cities that can craft huge cannons and undertake large projects alone. In Yllenthyr this is unusual and at times borderline impossible. As such there are no great armories or cannon foundries but when you're just searching for average quality goods you can acquire it cheap within Yllendthyr. On the other hand if you want high quality or large scale products it'd be expensive, more than it should be elsewhere.
Primary Trade Goods: Radish and turnip products, Rare metals (elerand, mithil, nickel, etc...) Yllend hemp (clothes, ropes, sails, narcotics, etc), dyes of various kinds, alum (mineral required for tanning, medicine, dyes and many other purposes).
Primary Trade Imports: Luxury goods (cofee, tobaco, etc), gold and silver, nitre, crops
Elerand, more commonly known as starmetal or the elvish steel is an element unique to the mountains of Yllend'tollome. Some legends say it's the iron transmuted by the magic winds and the same winds cause the curse of iron on elves. This is untrue as elves are just awakened to their fay origins who are naturally weak to cold iron, that and there are still plenty of iron ore to be found in the mountains, even if to elves they're like worthless rocks. Elerand itself is actually titanium transmuted by the winds of magic, changed its properties to be closer to iron. Elerand is light, almost half as dense as iron. It's springy and flexible in alloys and can be more rigid when highly carbonized. Elerand is weaker than steel on volume basis but its lightness more than compensates for this for most applications. Elerand is ideal for springs and mechanics which with the recent "clock age" made the metal sought after by famous clockmakers (Yllendthyr is famous for their clocks as well). Armors made from Elerand are also lighter albeit their reduced rigidity makes them less fit against blunt weapons. When making armaments though the lightness of the metal can be actually obstructive and special thicker designs are neeed to achieve similar performance to most steel weapons. Elerand is hard to work without the mysterious volcanic furnances of Yllenthyr which prevents their wider scale usage by most other countries. Elerand is grey like most metal but can be identified by its unique bluish reflection glimmer in the sun. Due to its origins the metal is also has a minor capacity to be a magic conductor and a few elven fighting methods are built on using this to their advantage.
The legendary metal sought by many. Mithil (truesilver, moonmetal, etc) is in a way like Elerand but superior in almost every aspect. It's a beautiful whiter than silver metal which is free of all impurities. Mithil has just third of the weight of iron but three times of its strength. Mithil is also known for its flexibility yet sturdyness and the ability to maintain an exceedingly sharp edge. Due to its legendary capabilities and rarity Mithil is usually worth way more than gold. Only the richest in Albion can usually afford them. Due to the magic sworls in Yllend'tollome the Empire has an unusually high quantity of Mithil, albeit still rather limited.
The so-called rare "sun metal" unique to Yllendthyr. It's extremely hard, dense and durable. It's shinier and weighs slightly even more than gold. Due to its rarity and massive weight the Anorand was unpopular until perhaps a millennia when new metallurgical techniques made way for its use. Anorand then became the metal of the Emperor with its exuberant price. Since the coup of the Church and discovery of new veins and even better smelting techniques Anorand is applied more widely than ever. A new family of alloys called the Orihalchyum allows a more affordable alternative which is also lighter than pure Anorand (due to the Elerand or Ithil content among others). Even coins and cannonballs can contain Anorand.
The most common measurement of weight is eridh which is derived from the mystical eredth seeds. These are known to have the exact same weight regardless of circumstances which makes them ideal as their standards. For anything heavier they use the merederidh "thouand seeds" which is exactly 0.2kg. Merederidhs are often measured by metal blocks made of elerand that are measured by putting hundred thousands eredth seeds on a scale along with 100 pieces of merederidh measuring weights. Then the process is repeated individually with thousand seeds and one weight. If neither method shows error then the weights are passed and get an approval seal. At rare times like shipbuilding or architecture the term arnoderidh is thrown around. It equals a million eredth seeds or a thousand merederidh measures, as such it's often referred as the "elvish ton". Time is measured based on observation of the day-night cycle and divided into many sub-units. The basic distance unit is the yrlhinn (also called the elvish meter). It's determined by using a bow and arrow of set characteristics traveling a distance under 1 elvish second (and that divided to its 1/100th). There are are pieces of enhanced metal that can be used for counting distance but generally elves are good at accurately measuring distance by just the eye.
Yllendthyr uses four types of currency. Tinnuin (starry dusk coin) which are small coins weighing 2 eridh made of lapis lazuri. These are used for small local exchanges and rarely seen as a trade currency. This is followed by the Slimeanir (moonlight coin) made of silver and weighing exactly 20 eridh, they are the most popular for anything but the smallest goods. The most valuable coin is made of gold called Auruin (sunlight coin), it weighs 40 eridh. Due to their reliable purity, quality and extremely precise weight the coins from Yllendthyr are extremely popular and nobody refuses them. This made the Empire's trade efforts all the more successful. Lastly the fourth is Elein, the star coin used for wartime events. During a situation that threatens Yllenthyr's interest the emperor (now the archpriestess) can assume the creation of Elein, made from the "elvish steel" Elerand. The coins are roughly the same diameter as silver Slimeanir and they worth the same, albeit Elein is lighter and weighs only 8 eridh. After the crisis passes those who were paid with Elein can exchange it back for other goods as the economy returns to normal.
Military Overview
[THIS SECTION IS STILL HEAVILY UNDER CONSTRUCTION]
- Limilel: Chainmail woven of elerand that offers good protection at minimal weight. Due to the different material properties elvish chainmails (or also called star maille) aren't as tough as regular steel ones but their lightness and ease to wear makes them a popular export item, one of the few armor types from Yllendthyr that can be also found elsewhere. Certain types of Limilel also attempt to mitigate the faults by weaving together multiple thin layers into one, making the chain shirt behave almost like its thickness in metal plates. Due to its precise weaving such shirts are still very flexible but also offer a bit of rigidity to strikes. This makes the advanced type of Limilel a much better armor than before but also accordingly expensive (and a bit heavier). While some say it's just a legend there is actually another elvish chainmail made of the rare Mithil. These are called the Limithil or Moon Maille. They offer great protection while even more comfortable to wear. These chainmail shirts or suits do cost a fortune, though.
- Hyvarna: While maille armor isn't as rare for non-military or auxilliary use the elves more classically use a scalemail of unique pattern, vaguely resembling the letter hy or hyam. Hyam is also a common elvish expession meaning "to pray" hence it's the praying armor. Unlike maille or even scalemail in general Hyvarna uses non-flat shapes that aid in the deflection. Their design also hide the rivets thus increasing the threshold of the armor. This neatly compromised for the elerand's deficits compaed to steel albeit obviously the overlaps and non-flat shapes add extra weight compared to the elf chain.
- Cynnrand: Translated as "guarding metal" it's a thousands of years old armor type which recently underwent massive improvement. The previous two were suits from interlocking parts but in this case the armor is effectively sheets of large pieces of metal, usually eleang (rawer starmetal) and later elerand. They were pushed to the sidelines in favor of mail armor but recently they've reborn in a new form. Current Cynnrand armors are the elvish equivalents of a half plate, or one might even call them the third plate. The solid breastlate protects where it's most likely to receive blows or arrows but offers no protection where it may interfere with the mobility of its wearer. The production of a regular type of this armor is cheap and it's overall lightweight. The exposed parts are sometimes covered with elven chainmail but most wielders only wear a padded cloth underneath. These armors are the basis of the more expensive suits worn by the elvish aristocracy.
IMAGE REPRESENTATION
- Hyvarna: While maille armor isn't as rare for non-military or auxilliary use the elves more classically use a scalemail of unique pattern, vaguely resembling the letter hy or hyam. Hyam is also a common elvish expession meaning "to pray" hence it's the praying armor. Unlike maille or even scalemail in general Hyvarna uses non-flat shapes that aid in the deflection. Their design also hide the rivets thus increasing the threshold of the armor. This neatly compromised for the elerand's deficits compaed to steel albeit obviously the overlaps and non-flat shapes add extra weight compared to the elf chain.
- Cynnrand: Translated as "guarding metal" it's a thousands of years old armor type which recently underwent massive improvement. The previous two were suits from interlocking parts but in this case the armor is effectively sheets of large pieces of metal, usually eleang (rawer starmetal) and later elerand. They were pushed to the sidelines in favor of mail armor but recently they've reborn in a new form. Current Cynnrand armors are the elvish equivalents of a half plate, or one might even call them the third plate. The solid breastlate protects where it's most likely to receive blows or arrows but offers no protection where it may interfere with the mobility of its wearer. The production of a regular type of this armor is cheap and it's overall lightweight. The exposed parts are sometimes covered with elven chainmail but most wielders only wear a padded cloth underneath. These armors are the basis of the more expensive suits worn by the elvish aristocracy.
IMAGE REPRESENTATION
- Feredyr (Hunter): Archer&Skirmisher
- Alaithyr (Warder): Swordstaff using melee combatant. Pike&Polearm&Sword equivalent.
- Wybrenyr (Sky Rider): Light Cavalry&Mounted Skirmisher
- Ellrqwyen (Sky Knight): Knight&Lance unit
- Ceidwad (Ranger): Elite Skirmisher/Assassin
- Narangwe (Serpentine): Demi-cannon
- Narlocwe (Drakon): Light Cannon
- Narlquace (Toad): Short/Light Bombard
- Torqynn (Blaze): Rockets
Unique Traits
+Winds of Magic: The Yllend'tollome archipelago is gifted in strange swirls of magic that grants boon to its people. People born there are granted heightened magical talents and this is especially true when they are at home. They say even the nature is on Yllendthyr's side over there. Almost any elf is at least a minor magic user and in general Yllendthyr is famed for their magic capability. In addition the strange swirls of magic further boost natives when at home and overall assist them in defense.
+Yllendlan Precision Engineering: As people attuned with nature it's a little strange to discover that elves are actually mechanical savants with physiology and advantages that make them excellent engineers. They have precise sight, dexterous fingers, sensitivity to the smallest vibration and a more deeper understanding of motion than humans can hope to. Yllendthyr's culture in particular encourages elves to practice their gifts and the Empire is long famous for their clockworks. Aside from time keeping devices elves are keen in many other engineering challenges with ships earning special mention. Albeit their traditions to build light and swift ships now somewhat backfired on them as these can't take a beating from naval artillery.
-Cold Iron Scare: The unique magic rich environment unfortunately also gave elves from Yllendthyr an unique weakness, cold iron. The exposure to magic awakened their latent fey nature and thus made them vulnerable to cold forged iron products. Skin contact with cold iron burns them and makes wounds difficult to heal even with magic. Bells made of cold iron might hurt their ears or disorient them. The more smelting and heat treatment the iron gets during its production, the less dangerous they are to elves. Regular iron and especially steel products are harmless to Ylendlen elves albeit their presence is still a bit uncomfortable.
Rolls 20
Basic Demographics & Geography
Territory Size:
3. Your nation is smaller than average but there's still plenty of territory to work with. While the lack of endless farmland might prove an issue, you do at least enjoy the benefits of relatively small and easily defended borders.
Population:
4,750,000 (above average)
Urbanization:
2. Aside from your capital and perhaps one or two urban centers, you have a very highly rural population. There is likely some system such as serfdom, in which knights or other minor nobles inhabit estates that oversee a region and its people.
Government Type:
1. Your nation is ruled by a theocracy. Perhaps you have a secular king is nothing more than the puppet of a powerful church, or perhaps your king is the head of the religion and acts as more of a high-priest than an administrator. Or perhaps the clergy rule as an oligarchic caste. In any case, deus vult!
Political Stability:
4. Your country has the occasional highwaymen, but they mostly hide in the hills and forests far out in the countryside. By and large, your realm is stable.
Economy
Overall Wealth:
6. Opulence and obscene wealth define your nation. Your streets might not be paved with gold, but great monuments, beautiful works of art, and a large variety of public works stand testament to your economic power. Your government of course has the funds to do almost whatever it wants.
Government's Primary Means of Generating Income:
2. A levy system exists throughout your nation. Every family is expected to contribute in some form to society, be it in the form of working for part of the year on construction projects, to giving a certain amount of food to supply the military, to even sending off a son or two to join the local army.
Technology:
4. Technological Parity; you're keeping up with the rest of Albion pretty well.
Agriculture:
3. Turnips and radishes are almost all that you grow, and so most peasants eat those revolting foods almost exclusively. While there's enough food to go around, malnutrition and lack of diversity are large issues.
Natural Resources:
Dyes, hemp, small deposits of rare metals, alum (a type of mineral useful for dyes, medicines, and a lot of other stuff)
Military
Military Size
5. Large, strictly volunteer corp of professional soldiers that takes considerable upkeep. A sizable and reasonably effective standing army, but little else supports it during wartime.
Military Focus
3. Poor navy; emphasis on light infantry and guerilla warfare in the army; a fair amount of magic users for battle.
Military Leadership
6. Competence of generals varies greatly; they are usually powerful sorcerers; decadent
Military Reputation
7. Popular domestically, considered unremarkable by most foreigners
