Rusalva

The **Mountain Elves**; a unique race of elves among a rainbow of sub-species. The Mountain Elves make their home in the Grey Mountains west of the Asorlin Empire and east of the Blasted Wastes. Founded far before most modern nations, it is considered the oldest of all known kingdoms on the continent of Foraeta. The Kingdom of the Rusalva has been a nation when men were still mere tribes, under their Grand King Ralftorri Thunderbow, they intend to keep a strong nation and an ally in the Asorlin Empire.

## Origin

The Rusalva Elves were once part of the Dark Elves or Nocalva that broke off and moved further to the surface. Over generations the splinter group evolved to survive closer to the surface until they barley resembled their more subterranean cousins.
The Rusalva aka the Mountain Elves.

## Faction Leadership

The Rusalva are led by their grand king and his wives. Currently, and since they left the Nocalva, the Rusalva have been led by Ralftorri Thunderbow and his wives, Amaya, Bojana, Miloslava and Zelislava.

*NOTE: All information below is currently being rewritten to fit into the wiki. Do not edit or remove without the express permission of TheAsorlins*

Faction Leader: Ralftorri Thunderbow and his wives, Amaya, Bojana, Miloslava and Zelislava.

Capital Berislavin

Founded 400 B.E.

The Mountain Elves a unique race of elves among a rainbow of sub species. The Mountain Elves make their home in the Grey Mountains west of the Asorlin Empire and east of the Blasted Wastes. Founded far before most modern nations, it is considered the oldest of all known kingdoms. It also one the strongest even the Asorlin Empire takes council from its great king Ralftorri Thunderbow.

In the beginning the Mountain Elves were a tribe of Dark Elves, who were finally coming together and forming a horde in the depths of the world. The soon to be Mountain Elves broke from the horde and moved closer to the surface, as they generations passed they became more and more distinct from their origins. Their ears became wider, new eye colors appear and their skin paled. They even became bulkier in comparison. Still they were disorganized, only a horde that was held together by war chiefs which always fought amongst each other, only their wives kept them in check.

Then on day the son of a war chief had enough of the fighting his name was Ralftorri. He challenged the Chiefs along with his father for power seeing that if they could do nothing better than argue only one Chief was needed. He, needlessly to say, lost the fight, he was banished from the horde. He had a few followers though they stayed with him believing he was right. Still he cared deeply for his people and never strayed too far away from them. One day he stumbled upon what appeared to be a tomb of an ancient warrior it’s coffin was destroyed leaving on a skeleton and a bow. A beautifully crafted bow like he had never seen before. He prayed to his gods before the skeleton and took the bow for himself. He never saw a weapon like it before. At first he thought it was like a staff but the string confused him, he pulled it trying to understand it. It fired a bolt of lightning from where he stood. This weapon terrified him and yet it excited him. He prayed once more thanking the corpse for giving him such a mighty weapon.

In the following weeks he watched his people become close to savages all of the fighting for resources unwilling to aid one another. Then as they made it to the surface a terror fell upon them. A mighty black dragon with a crown of horns covered in fur attacked his people. The war chiefs tried to battle it with ax and javelin unable to pierce its hide. They only managed to enrage the beast as it took their lives. Ralftorri unable to bare witnessing his people dying let loose a bolt upon the great wyrm. The Dragon roared in pain and retreated to its lair.

The people seeing who their savior was cheered and made him the new war chief, still Ralftorri was not satisfied. As long as that dragon terrorized his people they would not be safe, with his greatest warriors he tracked the beast to its lair. There they fought trapping it within its own home. The battle was said to have raged for many days only a few of Ralftorri’s warriors remained with him. The Dragon laughed at them saying that no one could slay the Great Velesor. As it prepared for a final blast of flame Ralftorri fired his bow, the bolt met its mark striking the beast chest causing it’s heart to stop. The beast fell dead. In celebration Ralftorri ended the nomadic ways of his people made the Dragon’s lair their new home. In its vast horde were gems, knowledge and weapons. The Elves with these treasures formed a new way of life and a kingdom. They were no longer just another tribe of Dark Elves, they were now the Mountain Elves the Rusalva.

Ralftorri did not rule alone though, as the chiefs before him he took on wives. He took them slowly it was close to half a thousand years did he take his fourth wife. As tradition when they were horde the chiefs take council from four wives. Ralftorri changed this a bit they were not just his advisers they ruled alongside him. He was the King and they were his Queens.

Over the century the Rusalva as they called themselves tried to understand the technology that was kept in the Dragon's horde. Slowly they were making their way out of the stone age. Their stone spear tips were being replaced with bronze and their shields were getting leather covering to make them even more protective. This made it easier for the Elves to hunt their now main food source Yetis. One day a group of Elves were hunting a Yeti and encountered a group of short bronze armored warriors with axes claiming the now dead Yeti was theirs. It wasn't long till both hunting parties were trying to kill each other. The natural talents of the Elves won but they suffered losses making it hard for them to bring back the Yeti. Hearing what had happened the still young King was enraged and ordered his best hunters to find this short bronze men and bring back their finest female as punishment.

The hunters did as they ordered and tracked down the short bronze ones. They saw their camp was small but well defended, still they found a perch to spy on them. It took many hours but soon they found their prize. While the men were in gleaming bronze armor their women were in bejeweled furs. The one they spotted had the most jewels in her furs and long hair was tied around her face making it looking like she had a beard. These short people had many forges and with the strikes from in them cover any noises they made. The Elves used that to their advantage, as night came they began to sneak into the camp. The short ones kept forging armor and weapons when one forgeman got tired another one would replace him or her. Perfect for the kidnappers. Soon the Elves found their target in her hut, they covered her mouth and attempted to drag carry her away. She was stronger than she looked and caused a racket. This alerted the tribe and the elves were forced to knock her out to get her away. Still they fought a good deal of the way out. One of the raiders died escaping.

The Elves returned to their King with their prize, there Ralftorri inspected the girl. She unlike other females didn't bow before him or beg for mercy like he expected. Instead she starred him down like an equal. Ralftorri's guard were about to make her get on her knees. He told them to leave instead. He wanted to be alone with this strange one.