Epheria

Epheria is one of the nations that make up the continent of the Riverlands. It is located in the north of the continent, connected to Thoronor in the east, and separated from Laputria by the Bogwater Swamp. It is one of the first nations of the Riverlands, founded by “The Enchantress” Lady FluffySapphire to house and provide all of her knowledge to Drevhall.

The land of Epheria represents balance in many ways. It represents a medium in both light and dark magic, creating a spectacle of clashing designs that come together perfectly. These two sections are each cared for by their respective ministers: Lady Fluffy for the light and the “prince of darkness” and right-hand man of Epheria \_VOIDLORD for the dark. These two sides blend towards the middle, evidenced by the forest that wraps around the center.

## Environment and Landscape

The environment of Epheria is something its nation members and visitors alike find incredible. The plant life of the nation is unlike anything else in Drevhall, and those who explore it for the first time make a point to express their awe with the diverse and fanciful plants. From colorful mushrooms to a plethora of flowers, shrubs, and other flora, and even a multitude of trees of the species Quercus arcanus–the magical oak–located only in Epheria, the nation is rich in the ecosystem.

Quercus arcanus is different from most trees, as it requires a heavy presence of magic and extensive care to grow. Many novice mages attempt to grow small trees to hone their skills, but few grow them to their fullest. The size and strength of the Quercus Arcanus depend on the magical composition of the soil that they grow on, as well as the extended care and attunement of the caretaker. All these factors come into play when examining the specific attributes of each tree, as each tree grows different from the other - physical differences in both bark and leaves, emitting spores that can calm or rejuvenate those nearby and bearing resources that would otherwise be the work of the wildest fantasies. As they grow, Quercus Arcanus is said to bring a calming atmosphere to the land around them as plant life flourishes and wildlife thrives due to their emissive aura. Just like their unique properties, the lifespan of Quercus arcanus also depends on the environment, care, and soil that it grows on.
On top of the unique species of tree, Epheria is home to many lapis lazuli caves. Much like amethyst geodes, these pockets underground contain lapis lazuli surfaces and stones, enriching the soil of the majority of the nation which in turn gives the Quercus Arcanus suitable grounds to grow on and thrive in. Novice mages tend to seek out these lapis deposits to hone their inner mana, while more greedy and experienced mages farm them for the stone itself
Recently, Epheria has been on a nature project. Mages in Epheria have been growing more magical oak trees as a way to hone their magical abilities and bring more beauty to the nation. Mads and Quinn have also taken time to cultivate many different mushrooms, which make the large forest of Epheria pop with color.

## Wealth

Epheria is acclaimed as one of the richest nations of Drevhall. While the statement of being the richest is a debate to be had, the nation undeniably gathers a sizeable wealth from its stores within the Commercium of the Heartlands. The nation owns the elusive Shulker Shop, which sells the discarded shells of the last surviving shulker of The End in the form of Shulker Boxes. Not only that, but individual citizens operate their businesses: Fluffy owns both a wool shop and a book store selling enchantment tomes, Quinn operates a messenger parrot shop, and Retro owns The Glass Tree which sells glass and has acquired Thoronor’s Totem Shop in recent months. \_VOIDLORD sells ender pearls at Great Oak, an area owned by ex-Laputrian Picksellaxe, and citizen Ace\_of\_Julian operates the Drevhall Auction, is one of the few lawyers in Drevhall, and plans to open Ace Law Firm: a place for those seeking legal aid or that wish to become certified lawyers to go.

## The Tree of Wisdom

The Tree of Wisdom, as it is commonly known, is a giant tree located in the heart of the light side of Epheria. It is the rare species Quercus arcanus and is sometimes referred to as “Fluffy’s Tree” due to the ruler’s connection with it.

The Tree of Wisdom is special even when compared to others in the Quercus arcanus family. The tree itself has roots that are directly connected to some of Epheria's largest lapis deposits, making it develop characteristics that no one had ever seen before. The bark of the skin is darker than most Quercus arcanus, and it is unusually thick. Plant life such as vines and glow lichen can naturally grow both on and inside of the tree. The leaves of the tree, on top of naturally growing spore blossoms, are much lighter in color than they should be. This contrast in bark and leaves is the most visible example of Epheria’s impact on the trees. Thanks to the tree’s “deeply rooted” connection to the large lapis deposits below Epheria, the Tree of Wisdom oozes in magical energy, drawn directly from the earth. FluffySapphire, being the main caretaker of the tree, draws power from it to assist in her work. However, Fluffy’s wisdom has its limitations; in order to maintain the balance in the world, just as Epheria does between the dark and light magic, her words cannot be spoken.

Some mages have reported that the tree appears to be growing even more, which has not happened since it first grew years ago. With Lady Fluffy being away from the Riverlands in search of magical knowledge, some speculate that it may be growing alongside her.

## Epherian Holdings & Regions

### Orr**ólinda: The Light Side of Epheria**

Orrólinda (Combines orró, elvish for sunrise, and linda, elvish for beautiful, gentle, light) is the first area of Epheria that was created. It is the main region of the nation, as it is the largest and most diverse region. Overseen directly by Lady FluffySapphire, Orrólinda contains the most individual buildings and areas. Orrólinda contains The Tree of Wisdom as its centerpiece, with the Villager Hall and Storage House located beside it. Alongside these structures are the Epherian Port, all of the farms and the food house in Epheria, and the houses of FluffySapphire, Quinn127, and MintJay. Additionally, it contains the town of Elladyr and Lazuli Academy.

### Eclipse: The Dark Side of Epheria

Eclipse was established much later with the arrival of \_VOIDLORD to Drevhall. Eclipse holds a major city, as well as the Oblivion Sanctum and the Epherian lighthouse. The main nether portal of Epheria is located inside Void’s sanctum, and it appears to be leaking into Epheria’s area within the Nether.

### The Inbetween

The Inbetween has no official name, as it is less of an established area and more of where the two sides of Epheria blend. The large forest that separates these two zones makes up much of the borders for The Inbetween. Many buildings within this area either fit with a mixed aesthetic or are located closer to one side despite their appearance leaning toward another. Both Spells and Spirits, the main tavern of Epheria, and the Epherian Inn look similar to Orrólinda’s aesthetics but are closer to Eclipse’s borders. The same is true for the house of ReTroH3at and the Epherian forge but in reverse, while the house of both Ace\_of\_Julian and Mads657 does not conform to either style. While much of The Inbetween stretched north of Eclipse, the forest bleeds into the southeast of Epheria. Within that stretch of dark oak trees is Holme’Tel’Ondath (Elvish for Haven of Peace), which is the home of Mystic\_Maddness.

### Elladyr & Lazuli Academy

Elladyr (Elvish for Starstrike) is a town located within Orrólinda, constructed mostly by Quinn127 who acts as the mayor of the area. It was originally envisioned as a campus for Lazuli Academy, but Quinn ultimately decided to shift her construction to a broader scale. It offers many different houses and buildings for citizens of Epheria to live and interact with. Many of the villagers who work in the Epherian Villager Hall reside in the town.

Lazuli Academy is the major school of not only Epheria but all of the Riverlands. It was originally founded a few months after the first settlers of Drevhall had arrived. Jonathan Lazuli, a renowned mage and villager of Epheria, wished to spread his knowledge to the rest of the world. With the help and approval of FluffySapphire, he created Lazuli Academy, dubbing himself headmaster of the academy. It ran for several months, teaching different forms of magic as well as brewery and astrology, but Headmaster Lazuli mysteriously vanished without a trace. At the time, it was a major deal for not just the academy, but all of Epheria. Lazuli Academy quickly fell into obscurity, as it failed to attract many people even while the Headmaster was around. With a lack of leads, the search for Jonathan Lazuli ended. Some people believe that he is still somewhere in Drevhall, and a few even believe the Epherian exoplaymaster was the headmaster in disguise. Others believe that he left to pursue more magic, and some unforeseen circumstances caused evidence of this to disappear. In any case, the academy fell into a slumber until recently.

In the First Era’s sixth year, on the 42nd day, the magical golden shovels that were widespread for casting Warding Glyphs in Drevhall suddenly stopped working. News of this occurrence spread like wildfire, and Epherians quickly looked into this. In ancient times, mages used gold as a conductor of mana, allowing them to cast simple spells like the Warding Glyph. This was used historically in wars to prevent enemies from destroying areas. The strength of these spells was relatively weak, so only small areas such as religious areas or artillery were protected by these glyphs. As new forms of magic were discovered and developed, these golden wands were ditched. They were repurposed into golden tools, mostly shovels, before being nearly discarded altogether. Instead of being scrapped, they were stockpiled in the town of Ivy Hill for new people to take to protect anything they wished. However, unbeknownst to most, the magic imbued in these wands was fading, until suddenly they ran out.

Upon hearing this, Ace\_of\_Julian began to look into alternative methods to cast Warding Glyphs. He enlisted the help of FluffySapphire with this, as she was a much grander mage than he was, but he ultimately figured out a successful way for Warding Glyphs to be cast. He asked Fluffy to reopen Lazuli Academy, offering to teach classes to the rest of Drevhall. She accepted, commissioning a new sign from some villagers, and Julian officially announced the reopening of Lazuli Academy.

### Covadek

Covadek is an Epherian outpost owned by Mads657, who began construction much before joining Epheria. It was once a grand city for both elves and dwarves but was destroyed by its citizens. Mads, with the help of Ace\_of\_Julian and later MintJay, has gone to great lengths to restore the city.

Covadek was a jovial underground city that once existed far away from any other civilization. It was home to both elves and dwarves, both races co-existing and even supporting one enough. The dwarves would focus on gathering materials underground and construction, while the elves would maintain the plant life and provide resources for both themselves and the dwarves. Covadek was built around a tree, which the citizens saw as a holy figure. This tree would provide them with knowledge in exchange for their servitude, and both races agreed to support the tree. The city worked in harmony, with each and every person providing for the community. Eventually, however, the city could not provide for the growing population or the tree that was constantly growing from the support of the people of Covadek, so the citizens expanded higher. They constructed houses atop others, creating unique styles to support this necessary change. The community also expanded outwards, building compact farms that molded around the vast cave system while also providing stable food for the community.

This need for expansion never ceased, as the rapid growth of elves and dwarves made it tough for both races to live within the city. It is unclear when it began but around this time animosity between the two races of Covadek. While the majority of the community was united, a few of each began to rally against the opposing race. These conflicts began to bubble, and these tensions came to their surface when Covadek too hit the surface. For the first time, sunlight bathed the underground city. The tree was elated with this and, believing that a new age would come to Covadek to quash the animosity that had formed, began to feed the community a plethora of information on the newfound land. However, the tree had grown too excited, and the rate at which it had fed the people of Covadek its knowledge had only caused greed. These selfish desires mixed with the tensions that were already stewing to craft a fiery cocktail of warfare. The city went to war with itself, resulting in a bloodbath. Both elves and dwarves lost many lives, and the few who survived the battle had abandoned their homes with no interest in returning. The tree was forced to watch in horror as its providers had wiped themselves out, all but one. One child who had been hidden away from the war, one child who bore the blood of an elf and dwarf, one child who had been given the name Mads.
Mads has spent a couple of years restoring Covadek to its former glory, applying more modern building styles of both elven and dwarven cultures as well as caring for the rich flora of the area. MintJay, in their hiding from Nashar’s Legion, had stumbled upon Covadek and has since assisted Mads in its construction.

### Edenhall

Edenhall is an Epherian outpost owned by ReTroH3at. It is currently under construction, and not much is known about it, even to most Epherians. Retro worked on it frequently in his early time in Epheria, but progress has slowed. A tower was erected on a nearby island that fits the aesthetic and palette of Edenhall, which suggests the growth in the borders of the outpost.

## Citizens List

### Current Citizens

* FluffySapphire: Lady of Epheria and Minister of Orrólinda
* \_VOIDLORD: Prince of Darkness and Minister of Eclipse
* Quinn127: Mayor of Elladyr
* ReTroH3at\_: Ruler of Edenhall
* MintJay
* Mads657: Ruler of Covadek
* Ace\_of\_Julian
* Mystic\_Maddness

### Past Citizens

* Exoplaymaster: Joined Epheria in between Retro and Mint. Left to explore the world.
* Razielbell: Not technically a member, as she never had the Epherian tag. Lived in the guest house for a few days before being arrested. Upon her release, she left out of fear that fugitive and ex-Cortosian InsanityTabbs is hunting her.