Eluriand, Capital of Raiaera

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Eluriand, Capital of Tel'Eldalië

City Layout and Location

Located near the center of Raiaera, Eluriand is a large city, as elvish cities go. On its southern side, about fifteen miles to the south, lies the Red Forest, and to the east lies farmland for one hundred miles, then the Black Desert. The Mountains of Dusk flank the western side of the city, about one hundred and fifty miles away, and at the foot of the Pass of Raiaera sits the defensive outpost of Valinatal. Eluriand has five main walls, with a gate in the center of each, and the gates are flanked by two large defensive guard towers built outwards from the stone. Each of the five walls is exactly ten hundred yards long, and the entire city is about 20 acres. Defensive battlements are posted every one hundred and feet along the wall tops.

Although to most this would sound like a very imposing city, the fact is that the outer stonework is beautiful. Gazing upon the walls, one might almost think that the city is alive. Frescos of trees and flowers and birds adorn each wall, and the traveler merely passing by would be dazzled by the way the light glints from the towers when caught by the morning sun. Eluriand looks outwardly like a peaceful forest of stone. The walls are of solid dwarven masonry, and have withstood countless battles, while the architecture and design were of elf-make. Thus Eluriand is both a defensive stronghold and an artistic masterpiece.

These five walls are arranged in a regular pentagon. While the city is not considered large by some standards, it is the biggest city in Raiaera and comes close to besting Ettermire, the Alerarian capital. The city does not sprawl outwards from its boundaries, for it was impeccably planned. There are no villages outside the city for three miles, due to a decree by the High Bard Council. The city is completely self-contained, and every building is within the protection of the walls.

In the center of the city, also flanked by five, smaller walls, is the grand palace of Velicë Arta, seat of the High Bard Council. This palace, even more breathtaking in its architecture, occupies about one-fourth of the city's total land area. At each corner of this inner wall is one of the four schools of Istien University, with the remaining corner devoted to the administrative offices of Tel Aglarim, which is headquarted in Eluriand, and the Bladesingers. Together, these five complexes make up another fourth of the city's land area. The rest of Eluriand is devoted to those who live and work within the city.

History of Eluriand

Tel'Eldalië is the term the High Elves use for their own race -- it literally means "The Elvish People." Eluriand is the principal jewel in the diadem of Elvish achievements since they first arrived in Raiaera. They were the first Elves to enter Raiaera, and the Dark Elves are descendants of the first Raiaerans. Raiaerans call themselves "Tel'Cala'Quessir," or "The High Elves," and to this day High Elves still refer to themselves as "Cala'Quessir." However, Tel'Eldalië refers to all the Elves in all the world -- and the Raiaerans firmly believe that Eluriand is a capital for all elves, not merely Raiaerans.

All this colonization and civilization of the Elves in Raiaera happened rapidly. Social institutions were merely implanted from the lands from which they came. The oldest city in Raiaera is Anebrilith, and it was the original seat of government in Raiaera.

However, as time wore on, Elves from farther away clamored for a new, centrally located capital. For many years, the five schools had been flourishing in Anebrilith, not as a combined university, but as separate entities. The new city was to be the seat of a the High Bard Council, and new buildings for each school were to be constructed.

It was to be named Ost'in'Edhil, but that would not last. As it was being constructed -- a mammoth project which took over five hundred years -- war broke out in Raiaera. The sixth school, Enarlin, had long been suspected of kidnapping and using Raiaerans for dark purposes. The sixth school specialized in creating hate and inspiring terror in the hearts of those who heard its harsh, degrading music. During this year, the High Bards began a movement to ban Enarlin, considering its music too dangerous to allow just anyone to learn.

In a rage, Ereber Ondolindë, the Enar'Lindstra, fled to the School of Enarlin. Before the construction of Ost'in'Edhil was complete, the schools were scattered about the country, and Ereber's was located in the foothills of the Mountains of Dusk. It was a massive complex larger than the city of Valinatal, and from there he fielded an army of Enarlin mages and sympathetic Megilindiri and Tel Aglarim soldiers.

When the High Bard Council voted to oust Enarlin, Ereber attacked. For several years, it appeared he would extort an agreement from the Bards, for his Enarlin music succeeds in terrorizing the populace. However, a hero emerges from the School of Turlin. Atanamir Eluriand, while mastering the arts of purification, also learned the secret of nullifying Enarlin magic. By blending the sounds of Turlin and Enarlin together in order to enhance one and negate the other, Atanamir attained such a degree of magical proficiency that he was taken to battle with the Loyalists of Tel Aglarim and the True Megilindari. At multiple battles, he proved crucial in negating the Enarlin influences of Ereber's music, and became the preeminent mage in Raiaera's history.

After many years of fighting, both sides were at an impasse. To break it, the High Bards organized a push through the Pass of Trestlin, coming at the school of Enarlin and taking its defenders by surprise. In the battle, Atanamir and Ereber confronted one another, and for nearly twenty-four hours the two engaged in a fierce battle of songs and swords. In the end, both Atanamir and Ereber fell at almost the same time. Before Tel Aglarim or the Megilindiri could fight their way through to Atanamir, their hero was dead.

Even though he fell, Atanamir's slaying of Ereber broke the strength of the Rebellion, and soon all Enarlin bards and sympathizers were captured and executed for treason. The school of Enarlin was viciously destroyed, its music banned to all except the most exceptionally trained in the Turlin arts. A new dating system was proclaimed: the Coronari a Lindalë, or "Years of Music." In addition, Ost'in'Edhil, still under construction, was renamed Eluriand in honor of the fallen Atanamir.

The destruction was great, and for over two thousand more years the construction of Eluriand dragged on. There were times when construction stopped completely, as money became scarce or was needed for other functions. However, in 2008 of the Coronari a Lindalë, Eluriand was complete. It was built to be both beautiful and pragmatic, the ultimate blend of aesthetic power and defensive strength combined in one city.

Eluriand has withstood ever since, the population growing only slightly due to the tendency of elves to keep their birth and death rates fairly constant once they have achieved the maximum capacity of an area. From time to time Elves venture out to found new townships and villages, but by and large they live in the city.

The Siege of Xem'zûnd

Several sieges have wracked Eluriand since its completion, most notable being the Siege of Xem'zûnd. During this attack, an evil warlock attempted to overthrow the Elves for the glory of his lord, Aesphestos. This siege was part of a broader global conflict called the War of the Tap.

During this siege, a group of Raiaerans who advocated technology over magic attempted to break the siege with a machine they had invented. However, the machine backfired, taking out a portion of the wall. Xem'Zûnd's army took advantage of the situation, and were beaten back with great difficulty. After the siege was lifted, thanks to the work and sacrifice of Cora'Lindstra Lionwë Kyris, the elves involved in the breach were exiled to what is now Alerar. Many have said this was a great mistake, and may be correct. In so doing, the Raiaerans created their greatest enemy -- the Alerians. Furthermore, most of the Raiaeran shipbuilders were banished in the process, robbing the realm of the naval force it would so greatly need in later years.

Recent History

Another important siege only recently ended. When the bonds on Lord Aesphestos broke, Xem'zûnd was also freed. He used his power to raise the army he had lost from the very ground, attacking the city with an army of undead. The attack was successful, as the bulk of Raiaera's army was defending Valinatal from an Alerian attack. Despite a brilliantly led defensive campaign by Findelfin ap Fingolfin, who returned from Valinatal just in time, all save the inner ring of the city was overrun.

Thanks to Devon dan Sabriel, who ascended the Obsidian Spire and slew Aesphestos, Xem'zûnd was rebound. However, Skeletons, Zombies, Undead Elves, and a few Wraiths and Vampires still haunted the city. Though Velicë Arta and the schools remained safe due to the powerful enchantments in their stones, the city was crippled by these fierce invaders for nearly three years. Only recently was the city freed, when a team from the Adventurer's Crown and the Raiaeran General, Damon Kaosi, figured out how to destroy the beasts with one fell blow.

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