Siluvanede

Siluvanede was a realm of Ar-tel-quessir—sun elves or gold elves—lying in the northwestern High Forest, from circa −8400 DR to its fall in 882 DR.

The Founding Time
Following the end of the Fifth Crown War and the fall of the elf realm of Aryvandaar circa −9000 DR, the elves abandoned the High Forest for some six centuries. However, in time, a few sun elves returned to the northwestern reaches of the High Forest and the ruins of Aryvandaar. At the time, most migrating elves were looking for a new homeland that pure elven, away from the expanding humans, dwarves, and other races, while others looked to distance themselves from the aftermath of the Crown Wars. These elves, however, were of the former sort. The new exclusively sun elven realm of Siluvanede was founded circa −8400 DR and began its rise to power. The Siluvanedenn soon desired to reclaim the exalted heights achieved by Aryvandaar.

However, some disaffected sun elves came to reject the elitism and unbearable arrogance of the Siluvanedenn nobles, and left the realm. They joined with a greater number of moon elves, who were migrating away from overcrowding in Evereska, and founded the neighboring realm of Sharrven in the southern reaches of the High Forest circa −7600 DR. Unlike Siluvanede, Sharrven was a mixed-race and more tolerant realm.

Circa −5300 DR, the Siluvanedenn elves established a mythal within the city of Adofhaeranede. They rechristened the city Myth Adofhaer.

The rot set in when, circa −4800 DR, the noble sun elf House Dlardrageth of Arcorar corrupted several powerful Siluvanedenn noble houses. They even incited crossbreeding with demons, spawning the demon–elf hybrids known as fey'ri. These now fey'ri houses, while hiding their heritage, soon began to dominate Siluvanede. One of these was House Floshin, who produced one branch of fey'ri.

Siluvanede's rise to power and descent towards evil did not go unnoticed or unopposed, however. The leaders of Evereska and Sharrven elected to act while they still could to try to stop Siluvanede from repeating the mistakes of Aryvandaar and curb its ambition and mounting might. To bar the Siluvanedenn from reclaiming the heartland of old Aryvandaar, young nobles of Sharrven went out and did it instead. Among Aryvandaar's ruins in the center of its rule in the northern reaches of the High Forest, they founded the kingdom of Eaerlann circa −4700 DR. More open, they sought an alliance with the dwarves of the North.

A Vassal Realm
With Siluvanede forcibly subdued, Eaerlann introduced a period of peace and prosperity that lasted some five millennia. It remained a racially exclusive realm, however.

However, Siluvanedenn fey'ri had survived the fall of the realm, and in time they would have their revenge. Working in secrecy, circa −2770 DR, they opened a number of portals simultaneously across the lands of Sharrven, unleashing hordes of marauding monsters upon the unsuspecting elves, in an event known as the Slaughter of Sharrven. The elf realm fragmented and collapsed before any help could come. Survivors of Sharrven escaped to Eaerlann and Evereska, leaving the old realm empty bar a few outposts and settlements. In the aftermath, the dwarf King Connar IV of Ammarindar slew many of the monsters, the red wyrm Rithaerosurffel, the Bane of Sharrven. Afterward, the paranoid Siluvanedenn elves swiftly laid the blame on the wizards of Netheril, and swore to kill any Netherese wizard that trespassed in their land. History would only attribute the slaughter to an inexplicable explosion in the populations of monsters in the southern High Forest.

In the Year of Terrible Anger, −111 DR, immense hordes of orcs poured out of Spine of the World and Ice Mountains and into the North, in a great war called the Orc Marches. They devastated everything in their path, and were not stopped until the elves of Siluvanede, Eaerlann, Iliyanbruen, and Rilithar allied against them. They halted their advance south, before they could enter the High Forest and Dessarin Valley, and broke their strength.

Siluvanede was recorded as a contemporary of the human kingdom of Athalantar, the Realm of the Stag (183–342 DR). It neighbored the Mlembryn lands, which extended from the western fringes of Siluvanede.

Finally, in the Year of the Curse, 882 DR, demons and devils fought within the Eaerlanni citadel of Ascalhorn. The victorious demons surged out of the city, later called Hellgate Keep, overrunning Eaerlann and causing its collapse. The demon hordes ravaged the High Forest, though they never reached the Siluvanedenn city of Lothen. Siluvanede fell nonetheless.

Legacy
Myth Adofhaer was remembered in a number of old Elven language songs.

Lord Elorfindar Floshin was ashamed for the crimes of his ancestors and in penance elected to defend the portals in the House of Long Silences in the Ardeep Forest. He had done this for eight centuries by the mid–14 century DR, even though House Floshin's part in spawning the fey'ri was largely forgotten.

In the Year of Lightning Storms, 1374 DR, a tower in the ruins of Siluvanede had recently been discovered. Meraera, a sun elf wizard and Olin Gisir studying in and around Silverymoon, heard of this and quickly tried to assemble adventurers to support her in an expedition to the ruins. At around that time, a tome discussing the causes of Myth Adofhaer's exile and conditions for its restoration was rumored to have been found in a lost Eaerlanni library. The Eldreth Veluuthra, an elf supremacist organization who shared the Siluvanedenn's attitudes, hunted for this tome.

Geography
Siluvanede stood proud amidst the northwestern reaches of the High Forest,     north of the Star Mounts. These lands comprised the former frontier and agricultural lands of the realm of Aryvandaar, but did not include its ruling heartland, which had been in the northern reaches. Its lands also included the Silverwood.

Government
In the 3 century DR, Siluvanede was ruled by a "Highlord". Its sigil was a silver griffon.

Culture & Society
The Siluvanedenn elves were known to be haughty, more so than any other elven realm. Its population, from its founding to its fall, was exclusively Ar-tel-quessir, that is, sun elf or gold elf. No visitors of any other race were welcome in the realm, not even "lesser" races of elves, even as late as the 3 century DR. The Highlord made this point crystal clear to all. The only place where other races were accepted was at the city of Lothen, on the southwestern edge. People of all races came here to consult the Aeltagarr, a kindly seer and sorceress.

Siluvanedenn architecture favored bright colors and long, graceful structures made of stone. Thus their cities bristled with lofty towers and narrow spires built of brick and stone, all in bright hues. Every street seemed to be lined with splendid manors and every boulevard to arrive at a park or garden. In these, artisans worked with wood, stone, and magic to fashion objects of art.

However, this beauty concealed corruption and darkness. When Siluvanede was founded, the Elven Court's punishment of House Vyshaan of Aryvandaar and the Descent of the drow were still remembered by many sun elves. Fearful of the elven gods, the early Siluvanedenn incorporated their sentiments into their new realm, banning temples and outlawing priests of the Seldarine. Siluvanedenn grew not god-fearing, but godless. This left them open to corruption, such as to House Dlardrageth and the demonic taint of the fey'ri. As a growing number of Siluvanedenn came under the sway of House Dlardrageth, more and more repeated the misdeeds of their Vyshaanti predecessors.

Magic
At the height of their power, the sun elves of Siluvanede created the golden orbs of Siluvanede, enchanted spheres of pure gold that protected against magical attack. So costly were they that each of the greater noble houses owned only one, which was traditional borne by the eldest member.

Notable Locations
The greatest cities of Siluvanede were:
 * Myth Adofhaer, where a mythal was erected.
 * Lothen, City of the Silver Spires, a center of study;
 * Telardon, the City of Emerald Spires, known for its unusual magical artifacts.