House Nightshadow

## Description

House Nightshadow might be the oldest unbroken house, once the outcasts and renegades the catalclysm reforged their connection with the elf king Iorthondir. Safe in their forests they took the rest of the elven kingdoms in and preserved their life and their knowledge. Now they proudly stand as the protectors of the elves the first line of defense, the scouts and the druids fighting at home in the forests. Steeped in tradition and ancient elven lore many a young elf joins House Nightshadow to not only protect and repel but to be close to the ancient history of the elves.

## History

Prior to the cataclysm the great elven kingdoms were terrorized by a noble thief who stole from the rich and powerful and gave to the poor and weak. Many rich and powerful people experienced the disappearances of vast fortunes and powerful artifacts with only whispers of the Nightshadow to go on. The power of the ancient clans were not to be underestimated though as through magic and military they followed lead after lead and were led deep into the old forests, where the fey still frolicked and came face to face with the Nightshadow. None who faced the Nightshadow with violence in mind ever saw civilization again, but the weak and down trodden spoke of a sanctuary built of trees hidden deep in the heart of all forests that led to paradise free from war and greed. These tales reached the ears of King Iorthondir as the fires and fury of the cataclysm raged around him the promise of sanctuary however remote was to be gambled upon. King Iorthondir fought through disaster after disaster to bring his bowed but unbroken elves to the glimmer of sanctuary. Deep in the forests they met not a divine gift of sanctuary or a mystical respite from the collapse of the world around them, but elves hundreds of elves and a nigh unbreakable fortress built into the fabric of the forest. The Nighthold, home of an ancient group elves who separated themselves from the laws of civilization and instead believed in doing good above the letter of the law. This gang of noble thieves called themselves the Nightshadow and they accepted the elves into the walls of their fortress and together they barely held and kept the catclysm at bay. After the Cataclysm Iorthondir granted the rank of nobility to all the residents of the Nighthold and extended an invitation to join him in Thelthalas, they took the family name Nightshadow but refused the invitation to join the noble courts instead choosing to protect the forests and their fabled Nighthold.

## The Nighthold

The Nighthold is a marvel of interlaced spells, nature and the rarest of minerals it has withstood many an army and the forces of the cataclysm itself. It's location is one of the many secrets the Nightshadow guard with their lives, but legends say it is the at heart of the great forest, not the middle but the true heart. Legends speak of its walls, the thickest and most ancient tree's, its defenses, deadly confusing spells and viscous cunning plant creatures, and its beauty, blessed by Shelyn herself. Currently only those who hold the Nightshadow and Iorthondir family names and those who Head the other Houses are allowed entry, the talks that go on inside deal with the history and future of the elven people as a whole. Once a decade all who have sworn themselves to the Nightshadow banner congregate at the walls of the Nighthold, and under the supervision of the Nightshadow elders, experience the events of the Cataclysm. In incredibly rare circumstances the Nightshadow family name is conferred to an outsider in a holy ceremony that takes place in the heart of the Nighthold itself.

## Military

Although they are technically under the sovereign of Farondis Iorthondir the forces of Nightshadow are not known to any outsiders, perhaps only the Patriarch knows the full strength of his household. Found all throughout Dúremel Forest their rangers prowl for any signs of foreign threats and ensuring the pathways for the common elf are maintained and the fey of the forests are kept content.

#### Leaders

Patriarch Aesirion Nightshadow

Glade Wardens

#### Elite Ranks

Glade Weavers

Fey-Dancers

#### Rank Soldiers

Nightshadow Rangers

Nightshadow Wild Riders

Other

Treelords

Assorted fey allies

## Notable Individuals

Aesirion Nightshadow

Yulianna Nightshadow

Noelle Rallion (to be conferred Nightshadow family name)

Drelanim Lunaweave

Iysenra Moonshadow