Empire of Aelnar

Lithiel Oathkeeper (? - present)

**Aelnar** is a country in northern Aelantir.

## Early history

During the rediscovery of Aelantir, the elves of Venáil participated heavily in its colonization. Indeed, they did not see themselves as colonists at all, but rather the rightful reclaimers of Aelantir, clinging to their lineage from the Precursor Elves. Despite the kingdom of Lorent being the one who gave patronage to Endral the Explorer, it was too preoccupied by continental affairs at the time to act on its designs on Aelantir. The Venáili seized that opportunity to "reclaim their homeland" and started migrating en masse, eventually moving their entire population overseas.

However, due to their small population, the elves could not settle most of their claimed territory. Rather, they set up tiny outposts throughout the islands of Endralliande and concentrated most of their population on the Bloodgroves east coast. They began an extermination campaign against the degenerated Bloodfeeders and drove off both the native peoples and Cannorian settlers from the area, starting a decades-long guerilla war against both of them.

By the 1550s, the Venáili had established a power base around their capital of Sella. The country's ruler, Aldarian Seawatcher, proclaimed the creation of the empire of Aelnar, claiming continuity with the Precursor Empire. This was well-received by most Cannorians at the time, who sympathized with the elves' desire to return to their homeland.

## Rianvisa

However, serious political disagreements were on the rise in newly-formed Aelnar. With the entire country focused on colonization efforts above all else, little thought was given to establishing political institutions. These tensions boiled over when Emperor Aldarian was mysteriously assassinated, as several elves claimed the throne at once, each with irreconcilable visions for the country. Aelnar erupted into a multi-sided civil war known as the Rianvisa ("Enlightenment'' in Elvish).

During the Rianvisa, a massive orcish slave rebellion under Bramash the Liberator arose in Endralliande. This prompted Lorentish intervention in 1567 to restore order, *de facto* annexing the entire island, including Aelnari possessions. With the ongoing civil war, and the low amount of elves actually present on Endralliande, Lorent easily conquered the island, although many orcish slaves managed to flee.

The civil war dragged on for decades, but eventually the upper hand was gained by Lithiel Oathkeeper, a former adventurer and powerful mage. Lithiel enjoyed widespread popular support because of her fame as the first Venáili to ever set foot in Aelantir. However, the trauma of the civil war led her to insanity (although some now-disproved theories claimed ghostly possession). She began calling herself Elissa and believed that since Aelnari elves were the "rightful" rulers of Aelantir, all other inhabitants must be conquered and eradicated. Though this sounds inconceivable to outsiders, it was not so far a leap from the existing racism and expansionism that took root in Aelnar during their reclamation efforts, as evidenced by the earlier rise of organizations such as the Children of the Blade.

## Downfall

Lithiel's, now Elissa's, secret plans for an invasion and "purification" of all Noruin (and eventually Aelantir) were leaked by Ynnic adventurer Erandil Poison-Arrow in 1615. This led the recently created Trollsbay Concord, which had already been skrimishing with overzealous Aelnari splinter factions for a few years, to mount a coalition with the ruinborns and go to war with Aelnar. They aimed to contain the threat and liberate the peoples oppressed by the elves.

The slow but steady advance of Trollsbayer forces was noted by Lorent, which had long held designs on the Bloodgroves. Lorent declared war upon Aelnar, invading from the sea. Besieged from all sides, fighting against itself and the guerillas of the forest, by 1630 Aelnar was not only defeated, but entirely destroyed as their fanatical forces kept fighting even when defeat was obvious.

Lorentish forces took control of the Bloodgroves, as the Trollsbayer coalition was unable to challenge them and liberate Sornicande like they intended to. The Sornicandi, Kwineh and Alenari all became subjects of the new Lorentish colony of New Redglades.

Lithiel/Elissa herself, unwilling to accept defeat, fled in the flying capital of Estadaran to the remote lands near Dalaire.

## Remnant

For the following centuries and up to the modern era, the "empire" of Aelnar consisted only of the city of Estadaran, floating in the northern Bloodgroves next to the glacial Delairy Wastes. The city's powerful magic defenses allowed it to survive all this time, just as they made it almost entirely cut off from the rest of the world. By 1836, Aelnar was almost relegated to a footnote of history.

An extremely xenophobic and repressive country, Aelnar still claims itself the rightful owner of all Aelantir under the supreme rule of Empress Lithiel/Elissa. Its citizens no longer call themselves moon elves, but rather "star elves", which they claim to be superior to all other sapient races, even their elven brethren.