Thalas

Banner of the Thalas Guard

Shyli'Thalas, the largest village in Thalas

Thalas is the collective name given to the elven communes of the Thalas Forest. Though far more decentralized than most human kingdoms, cooperation and close ties between these communities have led to a representative democratic system of regional governance with heavy clerical influence and social tendency towards community service (especially regarding defense).

## Copper Elves

Thalasi Elves (most commonly referred to as **copper elves**, or less commonly **wild elves** and **wood elves**) are an elvish subrace exclusive to Thalas Forest. When compared to their more widely known cousins, copper elves tend to have tanned or *coppery*-colored skin (hence their name). Along with their darker skin, most copper elves have brown or hazel eyes and dark brown or reddish-brown hair. Most copper elves are stand between 5'10" and 6'3" (or 178 to 191 cm). They also tend towards a heavier, more athletic build than their cousins resulting from their naturalistic lifestyle. Despite being noticeably bulkier than other elves, copper elves retain their race's natural agility and most hunters can keep pace with a wild cat at full speed.

## Geography

As the name suggests, the vast majority of the Thalasi region is covered in dense forests with a variety of trees from birch, oak, and spruce, among others. Most notable among the trees that grow in this region are the giant black oaks, the largest of which currently stands just over 122 meters in height and 8 meters in circumference at its base. This high density of trees in the region have resulted in fairly little small foliage along the forest floor, leading most to consider Thalas Forest more of a "grove" than a true forest. However, some smaller plants do persist along the floor with many clinging via vines above the ground or via roots below to the nearest black oaks, sharing nutrients in what appears to be mutually beneficial arrangement. Smaller plants along the floor regularly attract the forest's local fauna which help to fertilize the soil surrounding the trees. At the same time, because the black oaks hold exclusive access to the sun, they are able to share their excess energy with the plants below.

Wildlife is plentiful throughout the forest with the most common being a variety of deer breeds, wild boars, goats, wolves, bears, and mountain lions. In additional, several non-native animals were brought by the elves when settling in the area which have acclimated well to the new environment including cattle and sheep. A myriad of birds can also be found throughout the forest.

Most terrain throughout the forest is hilly and rocky, and the soil generally consists of coarse, gravelly dirt or podzol. While this initially posed a challenge to the immigrating elvish population, selective breeding and considerable assistance from druidic magic has allowed the development of heartier crops which require less loose soil to take root. Most elvish crop fields are kept minimal and tightly packed within the few clearing across the forest.

## Society

Elvish society revolves around cooperative living. Where most human settlement are centered around a desire for private space which can be "closed off" from other humans, most elves live in large communal yurt-like structures referred to as a "co'a" (pl. "co'i"). These structures will generally house between 4 and 10 individuals, depending on its size, with the inhabitants usually sharing the same role within the immediate community (i.e. the house of the town's shepherds, fletchers, winemakers, etc.). It is extremely uncommon for a house to only have a single inhabitant. Within elvish society, single person houses are only reserved for those who require solitude for a community-endorsed reason, such as enchanters who's area of expertise is dangerous and would put others in harm's way if cohabitation was allowed.

### Daily Life

For most elves, daily life is fairly unrestricted and expectations of activity revolve heavily around your "selya", or your role within the community. For instance, those responsible for tending to the crops will generally rise with the sun and perform their daily tending before the hottest part of the day (usually prior to noon). In contrast, the town fletchers may prefer to begin their daily tasks as noon approaches, completing their tasks during a time of day they would prefer to be inside for, anyway. This tendency results in a near constant level of activity in most elvish communities. It has also led to the myth that elves either do not need to sleep or only require a fraction of the sleep humans do.

### Economy

There has always been some difficulty in translating the term "profession" into Elvish. Although someone having a designated role within their community is a concept elves are familiar with, the term profession tends to imply a sense of reliance upon this role for survival. Additionally, professions within human society are generally tied to the profession of their parents or family, at-large. These two concepts are alien to elves.
Every elf is encouraged to chose the role, referred to as their "selya", that best suits them, and it's not uncommon for elves to switch roles as their interests change, they see a need within the community, or when age does not allow them to remain in that role. These roles also do not serve as the elf's source of income or means to obtain necessities through trade. All resources, tools, and food are shared among community members. When someone cannot work due to illness or injury, they will still receive what they need while other members temporarily pick up the slack.

As a result, currency is not something elves are intimately familiar with. It serves no purpose within their society and when trading with other groups, elves will always require physical goods in exchange. While appearing to most outsiders as "markets", the central points of elvish settlements where individuals present their goods function more as a distribution center than a place of commerce and trade. Goods are made available to everyone and anyone is free to take what they need. Furthermore, these areas are almost always used by those who provide goods that come from beyond the immediate vicinity of the settlement, such as the shepherds, farmers, or weapons crafters. Usually, these stalls are watched over by a single member of that *selya*, who's job is simply to make sure the stall doesn't run out.

#### Black Oak

Unique to the Thalas Forest, Black Oak is one of the most valuable woods in the world. Its bark, wood, leaves, sap, and fruit can all be used for various purposes. As strong as refined iron, black oak wood is commonly fashioned into weapons for military use. Its bark, which can be peeled off in long and rigid strips, is commonly used as the basis for bows. Its leaves and sap have a host of medicinal uses from pain management, anti-nausea, and even poisons if used in high enough concentrations.

Referred to as "ezel'yavi" (literally "green fruit"), the fruit of black oaks is most commonly used as the base ingredient for elvish liquors and wines. When freshly picked, *ya'vie* are rather bitter and acidic melons with barbs along the surface of its skin. Preparation of the fruit for fermentation begins with using blunt instruments to beat the melons to loosen the outer layer of skin. Then the outer skin is peeled away and the fruit is usually sliced into smaller pieces. If the particular batch is intended for wine, it will be placed in large open vats where they are "stomped" repeatedly to separate the juices from the fruit. If they are intended for distillation, they are generally mashed into a thick paste and directly mixed with water.

The following is a list of various products made by elves from components of the black oak:

### Governance

A formalized hierarchy within Thalasi society does not exist. Leadership of each community is reached by a general consensus and a cultural tendency to defer to wisdom and experience. Most of the activities, especially those done for the community, are known to all members of that settlement. An individual's resume and credentials to lead are based on a member's contributions to the greater society. Their qualifications to speak authoritatively on any subject are based on what they've accomplished and what they've spent most of their lives doing for the community.

As a result, there are three distinct "governing" bodies which can make decisions with community- or society-wide impact. The most common decision making body is the **ilquen'combe** or "gathering of all the people". These gatherings are generally hosted at the central place of worship within the village, in the "market", or at a natural shrine. All members of the community can attend and meeting times are held when the most members are available. Topics of discussion will vary and may not involve any formal, binding decisions, but instead be used to disseminate new information for the community.

**Maite'combe** is the second form of decision making body. While directly translating to "gathering of the elders", these meetings do not always involve the most elderly of the community and a more accurate translation would be "gathering of the most experienced". These meetings generally consist of the most experienced members of the community, both in maturity and expertise, and are summoned to deal with a specific issue where the community agrees that not everyone's opinions should hold the same weight. All of the community is still able to attend but votes on the decision are only made by the assembly members. Although these bodies can make some decisions, especially in emergencies, they generally meet to assess a specific issue and determine if it warrants an ilquen'combe for the entire community to discuss and vote on.

The final type of decision making body is the **airimosse'combe**, or "gathering of the druids". While gatherings among the druids occur regularly, an airimosse'combe is a special meeting open to the public and usually involves discussion of community activity or plans which could interfere or otherwise disrupt the ecology around them. Careful deliberation of the community's actions and how it may impact nature always precedes any vote on said actions. While an airimosse'combe doesn't necessarily have authority to reject or overrule the decision by the greater community, almost any plan without the endorsement of the druids will fail a vote by the community.

## Culture

Above all else, the elves of Thalas pride themselves on two aspects of their society: their coexistence with nature and their devotion to community. The concepts of community, family, and "home" are quite different among elvish society when compared to humans. When defined as a group of people who share a close, personal bond based around their blood relation to one another and inspires a greater sense of loyalty and willingness for self-sacrifice than to the greater community, elves have no equivalent to this. Elvish society sees familial ties as little more than trivia and a means to avoid those with close blood relation bearing children. From the moment an elvish child is born, they are shown to the entire community in a dedication ceremony called the "Veyrie" where every elf present vows to care for, raise, teach, and protect the newest gift from the Spirits. Responsibility for the child is shared among all members of the society and it is not uncommon for child elves to spent just as much time with other community members as they do their biological parents.

The closest Elvish translation of the three aforementioned terms is "uom'e". This term, however, has multiple meanings depending on context. It can refer to their "home", as opposed to simply the structure where one resides or their dwellings. It can also refer to the settlement where one lives, similarly to the terms "town" or "village". It can also refer to the individuals who live in the same settlement they originate from, such as "hometown" or "homeland". This is because most elves associate little meaning with their own personal dwellings, or even a physical place or area they live in. Instead, the closest translation of *uom'e* is the primary place of residence for the people that particular elf considers his closest companions and confidants.