Elventree

### Religions

Chauntea, Corellon Larethian, Eilistraee, Eldath, Mielikki, Mystra, Rilifane Rallithil, Selûne, Silvanus

### Alignments

Neutral Good
Chaotic Good

## Commerce

### Exports

Fine Bows and Arrows, Wood Carvings, Tapestries, Medicinal Herbs, Exotic Fruits

## Politics

### Ruler(s)

Lord Dessaer Greenheart
Elanil Elassidil (de facto)

## History

### Population

900 in 1367 DR
850 in 1486 DR
1,020 in 1488 DR
(*& ~500 Refugees*)

### Established

702 DR

**Elventree**, sometimes called the **Community of the Moon**, is small town located east of Hillsfar and on the edge of Cormanthor forest. Starting as a moon elf community of refugees escaped the destruction of Myth Drannor, it has since evolved into a thriving sylvan community of humans, half-elves, and elves living in harmony. It grew in importance following the second fall of Myth Drannor in 1487 DR, as well Hillsfar readoption of the Great Law of Humanity that year. By 1488 DR, Elventree sheltered refugees from Hillsfar and other communities in the Moonsea, as well as various members of the Coalition of Five.

## Geography & Description

Elventree lies at the end of Elua's Ride from Hillsfar in the west. It has a trail that goes to the east towards the small community Elmwood, as well as one to Elua's Lighthouse. Not being directly on the sea, Elventree has always relied on Elua's Lighthouse and the two piers (called Moonport) next to it as the settlement's access to the Moonsea. Following the refugee crisis of 1488 DR, Elua's Lighthouse would evolve into a community of its own. There are also ruins of cobblestone buildings around what is now Elventree, though the residents have allowed nature to reclaim all of these buildings, barring the one now known as the House of the Harp.

Elventree is surrounded on three sides by low hills dotted with caves. The village was initially built in typical Elven style with no common grounds or any large structures but instead with natural caverns and hollowed out trees used as homes for its population. As Elventree grew to accommodate a larger population, buildings began to be built on the canopies of trees, under the supervision of druids and priests to ensure that the forest would not be harmed. Before refugees and members of the Coalition of Five began to crowd the outskirts of the settlement with campsites in 1488 DR, the community blended in perfectly with the forest around it.

During night time the village is illuminated by beautiful dancing lights to make passage between trees and caverns a less dangerous experience, making it appear as though the entire community is illuminated by moonlight that has bypassed the forest canopy. Campfires are also a frequent sight on the forest floor at night, allowing the people of Elventree to tell stories and partake in social events as they roast the day's game.

## Government

Elventree began as an autonomous sylvan community following only the laws of the Seldarine, and the ethics of the moon elves who founded the village. Once Elventree had grown to accommodate humans and the population of half-elves had grown to be the largest, Elventree decided to create the title of 'Lord of Elventree' to dissuade foreign powers such as Hillsfar from attempting to claim power over the village. This titular Lord in truth would only be a mediator of the village, solving disputes and making decisions only in times of need. To ensure a balance between the interests of the humans and elves, said Lord would always be elected from the population of half-elves- serving until their death or removal by the community.

In 1363 DR the half-elf warrior Dessaer was made the Lord of Elventree, becoming the youngest Lord in the village's history at age 21. Seen as wise beyond his years, he proved to be the right choice despite his young age. During his time as Lord of Elventree, Dessaer allied himself with the Church of Eilistraee, giving the good-aligned drow protection within his community should it ever be needed. Dessaer also invited a Herald of Faerûn, Elanil Elassidil, to live among the community and to serve as its local herald, establishing the office of "Moonsilver" in the process. By 1488 DR, Dessaer still nominally rules as 'Lord of Elventree', though his advanced age of 142 keeps him bedridden and most of the community's leadership has passed on to Elanil Elassidil.

## Trade

Elventree is home to a number of fine bowyers and fletchers, as well as wood carvers. Its residents produce herbs, medicinal plants, exotic fruit, and tapestries for the outside world. It imports swords, armor, parchment, wine, and seafood via the Moonport near Elua's Lighthouse. As Elventree is not on a caravan route and there are no trading houses, there are only a few stores within the town despite its population.

Supplies are primarily brought to the town and carried away by trading parties using the Moonport by Elua's Lighthouse instead of the docks at Hillsfar. While previously this was a semi-rare occurrence, it was a necessity for nonhuman merchants starting in 1384 DR when the First Lord Malthiir of Hillsfar established the Great Law of Humanity- refusing entry or residence in his city to nonhumans. Trade at the Moonport died down when Malthiir started to relax his policies in 1396 DR, disappearing almost entirely when he died in 1460 DR and the Great Law of Humanity was reversed. When First Lord Torin Nomerthal reinstated the Great Law of Humanity in 1487 DR, nonhuman trade by the Moonport began once more- this time strengthened by Elventree's attempts to settle nonhuman refugees from Hillsfar at Elua's Lighthouse.

## Defenses

Since its founding, Elventree's main defense has been its position in the forest and the willingness of its citizens to defend their homes. Relying on local druids and rangers for leadership in times of need, Elventree has called upon its citizens in the past to create a formal militia under the Lord of Elventree's control. This has been done numerous times, though the militiamen always been allowed to return to their normal lives afterward. Until the Great Law of Humanity forced most refugees to settle at Elua's Lighthouse, even the Moonport had no real guards, though both Elventree and the Lighthouse would find themselves under the protection of Coalition of Five in the 1480s DR.

## History

Elventree was founded in the Year of the Rose, 702 DR, as the home of two moon elven clans leaving the city of Myth Drannor to escape the disastrous rule of the city by the Council of Twelve. After Myth Drannor fell to the Army of Darkness in 714 DR, these two clans took in many refugees from the Weeping War, transforming their small homestead into a proper sylvan community. With most of the sun elves who survived the fall of Cormanthyr leaving for Evermeet, the moon elves who remained in Elventree eventually came to take more humans and other non-elves into the community- slowly transforming Elventree into a village dominated by half-elves. Additionally, Elventree received the official recognition of the Elven Court in 720 DR, leading the remaining authorities of Cormanthyr to construct the Elua's Ride, Elua's Lighthouse and the Moonport, hoping to receive trade goods and supplies from the autonomous sylvan community in return. When the community began to be harassed by the churches of Bhaal and Loviatar in the following years, its religious leaders formed a bond with newly reformed Harpers. The Harpers agreed to protect Elventree for as long as its people welcomed that aid, and the newly established Hall of the Unicorn became a place where the visiting Harpers could rest and train.

In 900 DR, the first and only 'unnatural' building was built within the outskirts of Elventree for the purpose of housing future agents of the Harpers, known as the House of the Harp. Located in a ravine and leading to an underground cave network, this fieldstone hut would be inhabited by the Harpers until the organization went underground in 1021 DR. The Lords of Elventree continued to maintain the base, however, allowing new Harpers to return and restore the base when they returned some decades later.

When the last remaining elves of Cormanthyr's Elven Court underwent the difficult decision of initiating the Retreat in the year 1344 DR, a majority of the elves of Elventree chose to remain with their families, especially since their half-elven children and grandchildren would not be able to join them in the great migration to Evermeet. The Retreat caused the community to lose its ties to the remnants of Cormanthyr, and it ultimately made life on the edge of the Cormanthor forest a more dangerous prospect. The Retreat allowed raiding parties and whole clans of drow to come to the surface, and these drow were for the most part hostile to the residents of Elventree. When he was raised to the office of lord in 1363 DR, Lord Dessaer had gained the favor and respect from his people by defending Elventree from fiendish and drow raids. One of his first acts was to invite the Harper and Herald Elanil Elassidil to the community, allowing her to take up the office of "Moonsilver". The two were quick friends, and together they brought both legitimacy and protection to Elventree.

In 1370 DR, raids from the drow increased significantly, causing many to flee the community overall and others to fall under the sway of the Eldreth Veluuthra, an ancient extremist organization that sought to wipe humanity from Faerûn in the name of elvenkind. Made aware of the faction attempting to sway his people by the Harpers, Dessaer sought to put an end to the drow raids before Elventree could be torn apart by a racial divide. Together with Elanil and later some unlikely allies among the drow worshipers of Eilistraee, Dessaer discovered that Eldreth Veluuthra had been behind most of the attacks, using magic to disguise themselves as drow. Together with a high priestess of Eilistraee named Seyll Auzkovyn, Dessaer and Elanil dealt a blow to the Eldreth Veluuthra and returned to Elventree as close allies. The worship of Eilistraee was welcomed in Elventree, and the drow of her Church were allowed to set up both the Dancing Stone and other sites of worship near the village. For the years that followed, the drow sword dancers would be considered elusive protectors of Elventree, keeping the community safe from their dark-hearted brethren.

After the Daemonfey of House Dlardrageth took over the ruins of Myth Drannor with the help of the drow of the Cormanthor in 1374 DR, many warriors and rangers of Elventree joined the Elven Crusade against the fiends, allowing Myth Drannor to be retaken and rebuilt in the same year. Elventree, though it lost some of its population in the process, continued to thrive in the following years- starting in the year 1376 DR, when the death of the drow god Vhaeraun led to a significant decrease in raids from Vhaeraunite drow and a reclamation of the Elven Court from its drow inhabitants. When Ilsevele Miritar became the seventh Coronal of a reestablished Cormanthyr, Lord Dessaer swore his community's allegiance to the good of Cormanthyr, though he refused to properly give fealty to its ruler. Thus, Elventree continued to remain independent and protected, even after their Eilistraeean protectors were forced into hiding after Eilistraee's death in 1379 DR.

Elventree's relationship with Myth Drannor ended when in the year 1487 DR, war between Cormanthyr and the Shade Enclave of Thultanthar over the elven city's mythal led to the destruction of both. The flying city of Thultanthar was brought down above Myth Drannor in an event known as the Shadefall, destroying both capitals in one disastrous act. Though Coronal Ilsevele Miritar lived through the disaster and led many of her people away to Semberholme, a great many others flocked to Elventree and even the outlying lands of Hillsfar in response to the disaster. This initial wave of refugees was followed by a much larger one when Hillsfar's First Lord reinstated the Great Law of Humanity shortly after, exiling all nonhumans from the walls of Hillsfar and leaving many without homes. Unbeknownst to the people of Elventree, both of these events occurred at the same time as a more hidden development- the Rage of Demons.

As the year 1488 DR began, the people of the Moonsea, both in Elventree and in Hillsfar would be driven to excess, madness, and more- all while Hillsfar in particular became more and more tyrannical. To properly investigate and deal with raids from the Underdark and increasing incidents of demonic madness, Elventree invited representatives of the Harpers, the Lord's Alliance, the Order of the Gauntlet, the Emerald Enclave, and even the Zhentarim to meet and discuss how to proceed with the crisis. Together known as the Coalition of Five, the factions worked together for the sole purpose or restoring the status quo before the Rage of Demons to the Moonsea, although certain factions also used the opportunity to grow their own influence in the process.

## Notable Locations

### Temples and Shrines

* **Hall of the Unicorn**, the only true temple in Elventree, dedicated to Mielikki, Goddess of the Forest. The entire temple is set within the hollowed-out trunks of massive fallen trees.
* **Cairn of Mysteries**, a hollow cairn that holds great mysterious power, dedicated to Mystra, Goddess of Magic. The interior of the cairn is pitch black and shimmers with energy that represents every form of arcane magic known on Faerûn. Because of this energy, spells cast within the cairn are cast at their maximum effect.
* **Silver Shadow Cave**, which holds a shrine to Selûne, Goddess of the Moon. This is a recent addition to Elventree, for the clerics of the goddess came to area to help refugees fleeing to Elventree following the destruction of Myth Drannor and the Great Law of Humanity.
* **The Dancing Stone**, a shrine to Eilistraee located on the outskirts of Elventree and known as the meeting place of elusive drow sword dancers. After being constructed in 1370 DR, it has come to be accepted by the locals who see friendly drow as a blessing.
* Other shrines to Chauntea, Silvanus, Eldath, Corellon Larethian, and Rillifane Rallathil.

### Establishments

* **The Gold Cave**, one of the few shops in Elventree. It had all the basics for travel but little else. It was run by the half-elf Amaril Sweetwater in 1367 DR, though it was run by her son Osril in the 1480s DR.
* **The Swaying Bough**, an inn located in the branches of a grand oak tree, taking in adventurers and travelers from outside the Sylvan community. Its proprietor is a Moon Elf named Emric, who built the inn in the year 1345 DR.
* **The Tree Spirits**, the only tavern in Elventree, built in a hollowed out grand oak in the 14th Century DR. It is owned and managed by a named human Brynn Goldenbrew, whose family has lived in Elventree for generations. His husband, a moon elf named Paelior Copperleaf, runs the bar while Brynn takes care of the tavern's management.

### Environs

* **The House of the Harp**, a fieldstone hut in a ravine just outside of town, serving as base of operations for the Harpers. The hut leads into an underground headquarters with cave rooms and tunnels that links to other caves in Elventree. The hut has been watched and protected by Shalaer, an elven ghost, for generations.
* **The Hillsfar Refugee Camp**, a collection of tents and campfires set up after the Great Law of Humanity forced nonhumans to seek refuge in Elventree in the year 1487 DR. By 1488 DR, many of these refugees were starting to be relocated to nearby Elua's Lighthouse.

## Inhabitants

Though Elventree began as a community of moon elves, it was welcoming towards human settlers and soon began to shift into a community dominated by half-elves descending from human and elven couplings. This half-elven majority has been a constant over the last few centuries, aided primarily by events such as The Retreat, the Fall of Myth Drannor, and both times the Great Law of Humanity has been enforced in the neighboring city of Hillsfar. When the Great Law of Humanity of 1488 DR saw Elventree flooded with refugees of nonhuman descent, the community made efforts to settle these refugees by the Moonport- transforming their usually-empty trading center into a community of its own known as Elua's Lighthouse.

## Notable Inhabitants

### Town Officials

* **Dessaer Greenheart**, the elderly half-elven Lord of Elventree. Dessaer has led his community through many of its crises, though by the late 1480's, he is largely bedridden and rarely leaves his own home- though critical decisions in the settlement are still left up to him.
* **Elanil Elassidil**, the Moonsilver Herald of Elventree and a renowned Bard with ties to the Harpers. Over the last century she has worked alongside Dessaer to keep Elventree safe, and she now serves Elventree as a community leader during Dessaer's physical decline.

### High Priests & Priestesses

* **Nymarrath**, a venerable green elf druid and keeper of the Silver Shadow Cave. An enigmatic druid, Nymarrath is treated with some reverence due to his age and wisdom, as he has lived through several millennia due to his connection to nature.
* **Saradreza Oussmtor**, the drow priestess leading the worshipers of Eilistraee that occasionally visit the Dancing Stone to pay their respects to their goddess Eilistraee. Saradreza is primarily a bard like her fellow sword dancers, though she still retains some of her goddess-given magic, despite Eilistraee's passing.
* **Serinia**, a female forest gnome and the high priestess of the Hall of the Unicorn. She, like with her identical sisters Seranolla and Yavendel, is a member of the Emerald Enclave. She was once the student of the last High Priest of the Hall, the half-elf Chandlar Hummerspoon.
* **The Sentinel**, the mysterious wizard-priest of the Cairn of Mysteries. The Sentinel is a masked sage of great power, offering his spellcasting to those willing to donate to the Church of Mystra, and keeping the powerful cairn safe from abuse by powers that wish to exploit the holy site.

### Other

* **Calrak Nasadra**, a drow priest of Malyk and former prince of the city of Ched Nasad. Calrak came to Elventree with his fellow adventurers Luaffyn and Kyralie in 1488 DR, using the community as a base of operations as he performed missions for the Zhentarim.
* **Luaffyn Vandree**, a drow priestess of Eilistraee and an agent of the Harpers. She came to Elventree alongside Calrak and Kyralie in 1488 DR, pushing them both to do acts of good that would earn the party the moniker of 'Heroes of Hillsfar'.
* **Shalaer**, a half-elven bard who became a spectral harpist upon her death. Shalaer resides in the House of the Harp, serving as the hideout's protector, information broker, and caretaker. She is a friendly spirit, chatty, and always willing to raise the spirits of her living comrades with a song or tune.