Averliss Woods

The Tragedy of the Averliss Woods

Six hundred years ago the Empire of Arran had reached the height of its expansion and had all but driven away the other races of Albion. One of these included the despotic goblin hordes of the Hinterlands, who were forced across the sea and onto Arbor Elf territory, the island of Ascia, home to the forest of Irytholin.
The local, warring arbor elves were unprepared for this mass migration and seceded much of their northern territory to the goblin host. Their internal strife was only helped by dwarven diplomats who offered their underground citadel as a neutral place of discussion and themselves as mediators. Together they ceased hostilities among the wood elf tribes and formed the nation of Averliss, the first among the chaotic wood elves. Organised, they began holding off the goblinoid invaders to the north.
The war stagnated, and most of the northern woods were eventually lost to goblin industry and decadence. Seeing their once bright and lush terrain transformed, the arbor elves of Averliss kept to the South and rarely ventured North ever again. The goblins, chaotic and deviant in nature, soon lost all semblance of unity and began to war on each other instead.
As thanks to the Dwarves and their diplomacy, the island is known today as the Buried Hatchet, and is one of the rare examples of dwarven and elven cooperation. Even to this day the Dwarves keep a seat on the Arbor Elf council in the heart of Averliss, Elenthalas, and each of the arbor elf tribes in turn one of their diplomats in Caer Kinloss.
As of late a new threat has emerged, and the goblins have been stirring again. Old alliances will need to be called upon if the famed hobgoblin warlord Six-Fingers manages to unite the muddled tribes to the north. And perhaps, new allies are needed altogether. The goblins have surely not forgotten their old home across the sea.

Geography

The Averliss Woods lie at the heart of Ascia, or the Buried Hatchet isle. The Forest surrounds and weaves through the mountains of Caer Kinloss, but gives way to desolate steppes to the north of the isle. Politically as well as geographically, the woods are divided into five copses:

• Aspen, ruled by the Giltleaf family and who are the most prominent, focusing on trading and the management of the realm.
• Maple, ruled by the Azimuth family, once warmongers but now the stoic and faithful guards of the realm.
• Mangrove, ruled by the Esper family, who have become a seclusive people amidst their studies of magic and druidry.
• Yew, ruled by the Somber family and home to the best bowyers in the northern hemisphere.
• Orchard, ruled by the Heartoaks, the treant shepherds who cultivate and grow many foods for the various Arbor Elf tribes.

Together, these five families make up the Council of Six Leaves, including the Dwarven observer sent from Caer Kinloss.

Alternative Name(s)

Irytholin (Wood Elven)

Type

Forest, Temperate (Seasonal)

Owning Organization

The Council of Six Leaves