Aclia
The society of Aclia is a culture of art and stewardship over the land and sea. Settled in Harpwood, a chain of islands far south of Wispwood, the elves are equally at home in their treetop villages high in the redwoods as they are wisping along the waves aboard their masterwork vessels. The capital is just as much grown as it is built, with druidic rituals used to shape trees into livable towers and the artificial buildings constructed in such a way as to preserve the function and beauty of the surrounding nature.
Aclians are a free people, with a greater obligation to the natural land than to any government. Culturally, the elves are dedicated to the preservation of their territory, and hold the flora and fauna there in just as much if not greater regard than their patron deity. As water is, though, the source of life, the Angel of the Seas receives Aclia’s tribute. The realm is lightly governed by the land’s various druid circles, each electing a council to reign for 300 hundred years before the next era passes rule to the next circle. Typically, the ruling circle maintains the state’s military and judicial system, with little other rule. Harsh punishment is common for elves who shirk their sacred responsibilities to preserve the forests and seas of Aclia.
The elves are naturally long-lived and slow to reproduce, and with careful stewardship over the lands typically enjoy a surplus of life’s necessities. As such, the druids typically govern harvests and distribute them in such a way that all their citizens are provided for as needed. The result is a group of free folk who spend centuries perfecting their skills and passions, watching kings rise and fall across the seas in other, more turbulent realms. Masterwork items of elvish quality are highly sought after in foreign lands, and those who form a truly remarkable bond may receive “artifacts,” magical items an elf may devote his or her life to producing.
Demographics
Relations with Half-Elves
Aclia is one of the most isolationist city-states in the Acronian Sea and is very territorial, reserving citizenship for their native Elf population and very few others. Half-elves born to an elven Aclian citizen are granted citizenship, but cannot serve on governmental councils. They can become a member of a druid circle if the circle allows it, but if the position serves in any governmental capacity, the current ruling circle must also approve it. One government position commonly fitted for half-elves is that of a diplomat, and half-elves are exploited for their adaptability to the cultures of other species. In daily life, half-elf citizens are not particularly frowned upon, but most elves find it difficult to form long term relationships with them due to the rate at which they age and mature. While they have never been discriminated against by the good-natured elves, they end up to some degree living in isolation due to the differences in their physiology. Many half-elves form their own organizations, and they overall tend to get along better with humans or other shorter lived species. Foreign half-elves are treated like most other foreigners, with skepticism until trust is formed over a long period of time.Government
The Druidarchy consists of 5 druid circles that each rule for 200 years, each 1000 year cycle being referred to as an era. Since the states founding in 99 GE, 465 years ago, the country is still in its first era, and is currently being ruled by its third circle, the Circle of the Whispering Lynx. Each circle represents the largest religious followings at the time the state was granted freedom from the royal family in an agreement with the druids. The royal family was promised land and housing in the capital to maintain their way of life, and several family members were granted prominent positions in a number of governmental councils and even granted druidhood in some of the circles, and in exchange the new state was granted sovereignty under the rule of the druids, at the desires of their followers who made up the majority of the old kingdom's population.
The elders of each circle have their homes in the capital, but the religious followers and hierarchies of each may be found all throughout the land.
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