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The History of the Sylvan Elves
The First Sylvan City (ca. -45,400)
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Sylvan artistry grew from primitive origins dictated by the necessity
of constant travel into a rich, inherently stylized art form. They
made bows and crossbows of exceeding beauty and balance, as well
as silver and mithril tipped arrows, bolts and knives. They fashioned
pottery that was as light as it was strong, and decorated with their
elegant, elongated figures and symbols. Their hide tent-homes were
decorated with all manner of designs, and their textile goods were
as durable as they were soft and light.
It is known that the early
sylvans were expert in some disciplines of metal work, primarily
the skills of making arrow tips, knives and jewelry. The origins
of the metal they used have been a mystery, since it is certain
that the sylvans did not mine the ore themselves.
In ca. 4955, a respected Ta'Illistim archeologist
named Relian Degaloth, working under a generous grant bequeathed
by the great Aies Library of Ta'Illistim, set out for a cave
rumored to lie within dense forests east of Old Ta'Faendryl.
Degaloth searched with no avail for a number of years. Finally,
he stumbled upon a small colony of sylvans living in the thickly
forested territory. He was intrigued to find that they still
built dwellings and followed practices believed to be common
in the days of the fabled city of Ithnishmyn. Following all
known protocol of sylvan courtesy that he could remember, Degaloth
managed to convince the reticent villagers to allow him and
his research group to dwell with them for a time.
During that time, the elf discovered that these
sylvans knew of an extensive cave at the bottom of a deep ravine
some leagues to the east. After months of gentle yet persistent
persuasion, he convinced them to take him there. After a harrowing
descent into a chasm, he was shown the cave's mouth. The caverns
proved to be a complex series of tunnels and chambers that honeycombed
the heart of the cliffs that covered it. Deep in that catacomb,
he made a discovery that would define his life's work.
In a cavern so large it could have easily held
the whole of the Ta'Illistim library, Degaloth found a stone
structure, its walls resembling a barricade of massive tree
trunks. At first, Degaloth thought them to be made of the petrified
boles of actual trees. However, closer examination revealed
them to be carved, with perfect detail down to the intricacies
of the bark on each tree. Beneath the sheltering roof of these
leviathans were hundreds of large amphorae, most in pristine
condition. They were decorated with an amazing panorama of imagery,
depicting daily life of the early sylvans. As significant as
this was, the contents of the containers proved to be the crowning
glory. At first Degaloth thought that the jars held only fine,
white sand. However, when he began to empty them, he found the
sand was merely protective filler that had preserved hundreds
of scrolls and illuminated hides through the ages. These relics,
covered with pictographs and early elven characters, gave a
definitive window into the belief systems and mindset of the
first sylvans.
Degaloth managed to transfer most of the amphorae
-- and their contents -- back to the Aies Library. He spent
the remainder of his life studying the treasure and deciphering
the secrets it offered. After translating a portion of the scrolls
and hides, Degaloth determined that the cache was put into the
caves in approximately -36,567. At that time, the sylvans were
preparing to abandon the city called Ithnishmyn and set out
on a precarious migration. The scrolls were an amazing accumulation
of sylvan history. According to an account Degaloth found therein,
prior to depositing the collection within their containers,
the sylvans had committed the whole of it to memory, a rich
oral history preserved for their descendants should they never
return to claim the treasure they left behind within the cavern.
One of the amphorae was decorated with imagery
depicting a small, heavily built people interacting with stylized
figures identifiable as sylvans by their elongated statures
and particular body postures. When he began to translate the
scrolls held within the jar, he was amazed to discover it related
a meeting between another race and the early sylvans. The 'short
hearty mountain people' (as the translation described them)
brought the 'gleaming metals' in trade for archery equipment,
hides and pottery. The text went on to describe frequent rendezvous
at the distant western edge of the forest, where the boundary
of the great wood met the tumbled rock plain.
Although, during the years of his life's work,
some of Delagoth's peers proclaimed the scrolls were obviously
a forgery, Delagoth maintained to his death that his magnificent
discovery at the Ma'Henrith Caverns was authentic.
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As the sylvans gradually accumulated possessions, the idea of a
permanent home began to be mentioned and then openly supported.
The high council was called to weigh the pros and cons of such a
concept and make a ruling on it. There was considerable concern
that settling in one place would pervert their intrinsic beliefs
and turn them into facsimiles of their cousins in the elven cities,
replete with all the dependencies and 'vices' (according to sylvan
ideas) the sylvans eschewed. After ten days of deliberations, the
council decided in favor of a permanent city. This had not been
an easy consensus. However, it was agreed that the sylvans could
give up the wearying seasonal migration and still maintain the beliefs
they held dear.
They chose a location that was remote and well protected by a dense,
old growth forest. And the tents they built there grew into elegant
multi-level constructions that both rested on the ground and hung
suspended among the tree boughs. The architecture of these dwellings
-- colonies of homes that resembled a fleet of ships with sails
billowing in the forest canopy -- became one of the sylvans' most
distinctive and timeless accomplishments.
The first colony was christened Ithnishmyn. A fabled city of beautiful
dwellings and tall trees, cradled in its embrace the population
grew rapidly, often increased by wandering bands of sylvans who
had not previously known of the prime colony. These small aggregations,
most numbering only a few related family groups, were enticed to
stay in Ithnishmyn by the art being created there and by the allure
of a burgeoning variety of collectives that studied all manner of
forest and plant lore. Although the colony was, within a few hundred
years, easily the size of a small city, its impact on the surrounding
forest remained negligible. This belief in the sanctity of the forest
was joined to their strong separatist stance regarding their relations
with the elven "open-air cities," and these two tenets
formed the cornerstones of both the sylvan political system and
religious theory.
In Ithnishmyn, the distinctive guild system the sylvans would embrace
for the remainder of their history was born. With settlement, the
people were freed to quickly surpass their former achievements in
all areas of endeavor. The arts and sciences leaped ahead, as the
sylvans made discoveries relating to pigments, sculptural techniques
and all forms of textile arts. Their archery acumen, already superior
during their nomadic years, reached new heights of excellence. And
among all areas of study, those who surpassed standard levels of
accomplishment were recognized. A formal system of ceremony was
born, aimed at honoring achievement and status, and those individuals
exemplifying qualities that defined the top of their professions
were given the title of master.
These masters began to form schools of study and to take apprentices.
They began to formulate ideals and ethics that governed their respective
fields of expertise. As these loose schools of study grew and were
defined and refined throughout the passing years, families acclaimed
for their mastery of various disciplines gained both power and renown.
They formed academies, headed up by one master, or a group of masters
led by a premier individual, called archmaster. These groups, imbued
over time with complex systems of philosophies, guidelines and ceremonies,
were not limited to the arts, but also included all manner of disciplines,
such as the specialty of civic service and leadership.
Eventually, a council was called, inviting all extant masters residing
in Ithnishmyn. They agreed to form a governing body, called the
D'ahranal, which would hear all matters of controversy or need among
the many Academies. This elected group would also serve as an advisory
cabinet to the high council, ruling on matters dealing with commerce
or conflicting ideology among the disciplines. And to facilitate
the election of 'cavalots', as the leaders of the assemblage were
called, the D'ahranal congress was divided into three groups, Kytawa,
Fresiawn and Tyesteron. Each of these was designated as a D'ahranal,
encompassing many disciplines within a generalized umbrella.
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