Oral History of Savhroll

Svahroll is a world of grate variety; both in the land and the people, though the commonly accepted history is that the people evolved with the land as they spread out. It is also the largest and the only world in the realm that is ringed.  When the world was created, it didn’t remain unoccupied for more than a few centuries before the primordial Elves formed. Tens of thousands of years ago the Elves formed in the open planes of Aube between what is now known as Lake Incontrôlée and Chemins est. these wild elves traveled in groups as they spread out though the vast world, having to settle down in areas as the world was too large to travel in a group on foot. These settled elves began exploring and settling the lands that they now found themselves in, eventually making tools and magic that would help them eventually form communities.

As the ages passed the elves began to change to adapt to their environments. The group that had begun climbing the mountain range focused on magic that would help them move and breathe at such high altitudes; they kept these magics up so long as the generations passed, they were born with wings and where naturally acclimated to their high altitude. The group that invented ships made their home on the island that would become chute d'étoile focused their magic on surviving the sea, and with each passing generation the magic they kept up became integrated with their nature so they were able to live and breathe on both land and sea, able to handle the crushing pressure of the waters. The elves that didn’t travel far were caught by the strange ways nature changed under the shadows of the rings. These elves eventually were changed, not out of adaptation but by the influence of the natural magics, though they did adapt in small ways to the lack of light and gained a keen sense of danger caused by the occasional debris that fell from the rings. The elves that traveled far to the forested regains of Svahroll changed in different ways despite settling so close to one another. The elves that settled in what would come to be known as Fasciner adapted to blend into the forest and better hunt and coexist. The elves that settled in what would be known as Emportement were shaped by a magic that didn’t wholly seem to be of their world. They changed to not only blend in with their forest but changed with the seasons and formed magic based more on the elements then on their needs. Lastly the elves that wandered rather then set out to explore the more varied lands of the world; these elves settled in the open fields and expanded their control. They didn’t adapt to survive hash environments or were changed by magics; rather they evolved in simpler ways and eventually began to see themselves as the true form of all Elves.

These Elves would come to be known as the High elves; though the least specialized they sought the most power and influence in the settling world. They formed the center of their empire, éclat where the first emperor Lelrian Pabanise declared that they were the Elves formed by the hand of Fīrlīt and should rule over all lands that their light touched. Éclat was connected to chute d'étoile via a river so the empire first set its sights on taking over the island of the sea elves. Weeks of fighting ravaged the island topping the biggest buildings of the small city and those sea elves that weren’t killed or captured fled to the water, abandoning their island as though the high elves could use magic to breath underwater, they couldn’t handle the pressure of the deeper waters that the sea elves could. The high elves explored the mountain range at the base of Gloire, hearing rumours of winged elves but just as they couldn’t follow the sea elves down to the depths, they could not scale the mountains high enough to even see Gloire so they made an outpost at the base. When the High Elf Empire made its way to the shadowed regions there was some debate in the capital of Éclat; the emperor said all the lands that the light touched should be their domain so the shadowed lands shouldn’t be considered, but there was still the desire to control the whole world. While that debate was raging on the Drow and Shadar-kai aligned themselves to meet with the Emperor of Éclat; they had heard of the armies marching and knew of the High Elves’ history and played to it. The Drow and Shadar-kai leaders spoke of the god Fīrlīt and their bonded, Stritzaa who lived in the rings of Svahroll and granted the Shadar-kai and Drow their powers so there should be no waring in the ringed region. The High Elves eventually agreed to leave the Shadar-kai and Drow be but that if they made themselves enemies of the Empire then there would be war. With that the Shadar-kai and Drow agreed and became a neutral party. With no resistance from the Drow and Shadar-Kia the High elf Empire marched on to the forests of the Wood Elves and Eladrin. Though they put on a strong resistance their lands were eventually taken over by the Empire and Emperor Lelrian Pabanise declared themselves the ruler of Svahroll at 656.

Over the next three thousand years the High Elf Empire grew its capital city, taking what resources it could from the rest of the world, though the truce still held for the shadowed regions and during this time there were so few sightings of the Avariel that they began fading from rumours to myth. The sea Elves who fled kept moving in small underwater communities, never staying put for more than a few decades as the Empire saw them as prized slaves, useful for fishing and gathering materials from the depth. During this time Emperor Lelrian Pabanise could no longer sustain their life though magical means and at the age of 1872 their child Isilynor Pabanise took over the throne at the age of 500, starting the second era. Isilynor continued what their parents had worked for, reshaping the armies into guard forces to maintain the High Elf control over their conquered territories. During this time much of the history of the Sea Elves, Wood Elves and Eladrin were lost, what items of cultural importance that weren’t destroyed in the age of Lelrian were taken by the High Elves and displayed in the palace. Very few risked keeping written records and histories, during this second era of the empire the oppressed elves were carefully watched and guards would carry out raids on the slightest hint of resistance. Resistances were extremely slow to start during second era of the Empire, travel in and out of cities were monitored carefully but a small group of Wood Elves; known as Maquis were able to make it to the base of the mountains and were able to find some Avariel. After a few weeks they were able to work out some basic communications and enlisted a few Avariel to aid in their resistance. Close to the end of the second era, a connection point had opened in the Eladrin forest leading to Hyrhafell, at this time Hyrhafell was largely at war so Emperor Isilynor saw this as an opportunity to expand the Empire’s reach.  With a large part of the Empire’s forces fighting a war in a different world uprisings on Svahroll were getting bolder and one group was even plotting out an assassination plan on Isilynor.

Isilynor was assassinated at the age of 1042. The blame was placed on an Eladrin resistance group known as Bir-Hakeim a more brazen group that had made a few public attacks on guards but still, as Isilynor was found dead in the throne room there was some disbelief that it was the Bir-Hakeim who carried out the assassination as it was not only a quiet assault but such a highly guarded area. Xandeyr Pabanise, Isilynor’s youngest sibling was said to be the one who saw the attack and rose to be the next emperor starting the third era at the age of 549. Xandeyr wanted to focus on maintaining control of Svahroll more so then expanding to the new world, as they were losing forces fighting a world that was already divided and at war and spent the next 333 years trying to tighten their control before also being assassinated at the age of 882. During what would come to be known as the countless era, the next Pabanise tried to shift focus back to the new world and soon the High elf empire fell into chaos as the Pabanise line fought for control till eventually. 500 years after the end of Emperor Xandeyr; the Wood Elves with the help of the Avariel expelled all High elf forces from their forest and declared themselves free.

Though they were still keeping the occupational forces of the empire that were in the Eladrin forest at bay, the Wood elves didn’t focus on freeing their neighbours but fighting back against High Elves, now ruled by the last remaining Pabanise; Zaros Pabanise. As the Wood Elf forced marched to Éclat the Drow and Shadar-kai leaders meet in secret with the noble house Impures to discuss a regime change. As the Wood Elves made it to the gates of Éclat the Shadar-kai and Drow declared their trues with the Pabanise line over and that if another line wasn’t to take over the Empire they would side with the Wood Elves and Eladrin and Aymon Impures challenged Zaros for the throne. Aymon defeated Zaros in ritual combat but did not kill him, giving Zaros to the leader of the Wood elves and declaring the end of the Pabanise eras.

Aymon wanted to pull all High Elf forces back to Éclat but agreed to hand over all those who served under the Pabanises to the Wood Elves and Eladrin, where most were executed. The next twenty one hundred years were spent rebuilding their world and trying to cultivate peace; the Eladrin were giving full control over the gateway, the Shadar-kai and Drow tried to establish trade with the Wood Elves and Eladrin, though the former wanted nothing to do with the them for only stepping in at the last minute. The Eladrin were just as bitter towards the Drow and Shadar-kai but also resentful towards the wood elves for not helping to liberate them. The new line of Impures tried to promote harmony between the Elven races but there are those from the subjugated races that still say not enough was done for reconciliation; all known Sea Elf history was lost during the time of Pabanises, to this day there are cultural artifacts still on display in displays in galleries and universities in High Elf cities that belonged to the Wood Elves and Eladrin. All High Elf cities and towns are integrated but there some small groups that would like to see areas kept to the High Elves only.