Illefarn

Illefarn was an ancient elven realm that existed during and survived the turbulent period known as the Crown Wars.

Despite resisting many orc assaults following the orc gate wars, Illefarn slid into decline with the ever increasing number of human settlers migrating within its borders. Dwarves of the realm of Dardath also began to migrate into elven lands. Finally, the influx became too great and Syglaeth Audark, the last elven Coronal, commanded his people to join the Retreat to Evermeet.

Over the next centuries, Illefarn's elven population dwindled into three smaller Kingdoms; Ardeep, Iliyanbruen and Rilithar.

History
Some time prior to -339 DR Illefarn was threatened by Netheril. A human wizard whose name is lost to time volunteered to sacrifice himself to a magical ritual to create an effective deterrent. The Guardian that resulted was a being of pure Weave magic.

When Karsus's avatar was cast, the Weave was interrupted momentarily, which would have destroyed the Guardian. It chose to change its power source to the Shadow Weave and became the King of Shadows. The Illefarn sent warriors to destroy it, but failed. They then bribed the great dragon Nolaloth. The King of Shadows struck him down, but was sorely wounded and retreated to the Plane of Shadows.

Orc horde
In -111 DR a massive orc horde streamed out of the Spine of the World and laid waste to the Kingdom of Illusk and the hidden city of Gauntlgrym, and ravaged the dwarven empire of Delzoun. Iliyanbruen, Rillithar and the neighbouring elven kingdom of Eaerlann united to finally destroy the horde. They paid a bloody price for their success.

Within a century, the human dominated realm of Illusk had rebuilt and began to encroach south into Illiyanbruen. War finally errupted in -11 DR and culminated in an Illuskan defeat at the hands of Lord Halueth Never, the following year. Peace eventually returned in -4 DR with the River Mirar set as the boundary between the two kingdoms.

Iliyanbruen
By 152 DR the orcs were once again a serious threat. Elven outposts in the Spine of the World were overwhelmed and Illusk was again overrun. Human refugees began to swamp Iliyanbruen. To halt the tide, the host of Iliyanbruen marched to war against the orcs. In a campaign which lasted over 20 years, the face and nature of Iliyanbruen was changed completely. By 175 DR Iliyanbruen was gone. Many elves had fallen against the orcs or departed for Evermeet.

With victory achieved, the few remaining elves under Lord Never settled in Eigersston, an Illusk refugee settlement, which was renamed Neverwinter in the Elf Lord's honor.

Ardeep
In 342 DR, the fall of human-ruled Athalantar to an orc horde precipitated a hasty alliance between the Stout Folk of Dardath and the Fair Folk of Ardeep that was made permanent after the last Council of Illefarn was called. The Alliance of Illefarn then began debating allying with the humans of the region against the burgeoning threat of orc hordes rising across the North. However, before that decades-long discussion could reach any form of consensus, King Harnorth II Snowsword and most of the lands of Elembar fell to the Tarnished Tusk horde, which was in turn destroyed while invading the House of Stone, in the Year of the Fortress Scoured (511 DR). Only the capitol city of Delimibiyran and the lands immediately bordering it survived the orc horde’s assault.

Only a dozen years later, in the Year of Trials Arcane (523 DR), the elves of Ardeep and the dwarves of Dardath invited the humans of the Delimbiyr river valley, the gnomes of Dolblunde, and displaced halflings from Mieritin (now absorbed into Amn) to the Council of Axe and Arrow at the Laughing Hollow, where Phalorm, Realm of Three Crowns was founded. Javilarhh “the Dark” Snowsword, son of Harnorth II and heir to the throne of Elembar, was crowned King of Delimbiyran, one of Phalorm’s ruling triumvirate.

Territory
Illefarn streched along the Sword Coast, from the Spine of the World to the River Delimbiyr.

Locations

 * Capital: Aelinthaldaar
 * Ardeep: Ardeep Forest
 * Iliyanbruen: Neverwinter Wood
 * Rilithar: Kryptgarden Forest
 * Illefarn Mountain
 * The Laughing Hollow
 * Arvahn