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The History of the Sylvan Elves
Ithnishmyn and the Elven Nations
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 A
few hundred years after Ithnishmyn was established a group
of elves, sent out from Ta'Illistim to search for unknown
rivers and hamlets that could be annexed, became lost and
inadvertently stumbled upon Ithnishmyn. Huge banks of ferns
and rare forest flowers growing on every side adorned the
feet of the colossal trees, and within this idyllic setting
was the 'fleet' of graceful sylvan dwellings. Having been
cut off from sylvan art and architecture for a number of generations,
the intruders were awed by Ithnishmyn's beauty.
After showing these visitors the normal sylvan hospitality
for a few days, it was clear to the sylvans that the time
had come for them to leave. However, the question of how to
accomplish it was a conundrum for the sylvans. There was strong
dispute among members of the high council, whether to allow
these elves to return to their homes bearing tales of Ithnishmyn
or to prohibit their departure. It was decided that preventing
them from leaving could only effectually be accomplished by
killing them, and this was unacceptable. So, in hopes that
the elves would not be able to recall their convulted route
of arrival, the elves were blindfolded and, guided by sylvan
guards, marched in a zigzag route for a hundred leagues away
from Ithnishmyn. Despite the precautions, one of the Illistim
elves was a particularly gifted woodsman and managed to memorize
their path. Within a month of their return to Ta'Illistim,
a caravan was being readied to retrace the journey, equipped
with a detailed map to guide the way.
Tales of Ithnishmyn's beauty ran like wildfire through Ta'Illistim,
and soon jumped to other elven cities. The initial map was
copied again and again, and distributed at great profit to
the hordes of adventurers wishing to make the pilgrimage to
the fabled city of the sylvans. The elf who had originally
drawn the map, based on her careful mental schematic of the
long, arduous trip, registered the map under the strict Ta'Illistim
copyright laws. It wasn't long before she had formed a business
with tables of scribes all busily drawing copies of the original
document, an enterprise that made her very wealthy. Called
the Ransefel Map of Sylvia, named for its author, Sistryni
Ransefel, the map became a famous icon throughout the Elven
Nations, and copies of the original editions that survived
through the years became valuable artifacts. Those featuring
Ransefel's signature were eventually deemed priceless.
Visitors began to make the journey with goals other than
trade. They came to study the sylvans, to convert the sylvans
to various religious cults, and numerous other ambitions.
Some had less savory purposes; a small black-market specializing
in young sylvan slaves was born in covert areas of the elven
cities. Knowing the futility of keeping the tide of visitors
out, the sylvans decreed that all who managed to reach the
distant city must register their arrival, and none could stay
longer than the three days considered by the sylvans to be
the bare minimum of hospitality, unless invited to do so by
the governing council of hierophants. It was believed that
among the rare individuals to be given such permission was
an ascetic scholar named Raolawei Ly'Setta who exchanged his
knowledge of the written elven language for permission to
remain among the sylvans for the remainder of his lifetime.
Their coffers swelled by an unprecedented success in trade
and commerce, wealthy elves living within their gilded mansions
learned of Ithnishmyn's reclusive mystery and set about gaining
a look for themselves. A flood of expeditions began to cross
the forests between elven cities and Ithnishmyn, and as the
intrusions became more and more numerous, the sylvans grew
disquieted. The disturbing occasional disappearance of sylvan
children was a primary concern. Basic sylvan philosophy forbade
them to harm anything that posed no visible threat; nonetheless,
various individuals with the Ithnishmynian council proposed
that the intrusions of outside politics and beliefs constituted
a formidable threat to the sylvan way of life.
The high council was called to address the 'elven problem,'
and Eislemar Nathlai, the charismatic leader of a popular
political group, drove its discussions. He proposed that the
council allow no more emissaries from the elven cities to
enter Ithnishmyn. He suggested methods aimed at turning away
determined intruders that included incantations holding the
potential of injuring those who resisted them. The issue of
the missing sylvan children was a persuasive argument, not
to mention other youths who were known to have willingly left,
lured by the promise of wealth and success to be found in
the Nations. Lastly, the disruption of sylvan religious practices,
caused by curious visitors and determined evangelists, was
an aggravated problem. At the end of the day, the majority
of the council was repulsed at the thought of potentially
harmful spells directed at their unwanted visitors. Unable
to reach a decision, they agreed to reconvene and the council
adjourned.
A final council was held during the festivities celebrating
Imaerasta. On that holy night, the councilors ruled against
any aggressive magic directed at their distant elven cousins,
however unwelcome they were. Instead, they decided to abandon
their beautiful city and set out across the continent in search
of a location that was distant enough to dissuade visitors
and forested enough to provide a suitable home. Eislemar was
selected as the leader of this quest.
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