Lost Atcandeun

Summary

The popular stories of Lost Atcandeun postulate that the great Elf cities, or at least one of them, survived the sinking of Atcandeun. According to the legends, the original inhabitants survived through either some great work of magic, the intervention of a deity, or dumb luck. The continent has become the Lost City of Atcandeun, and the Elves there have continued to progress in the ways of magic in isolation of anyone else, creating marvels and great arcane works the likes of which can hardly be imagined.

Historical Basis

It is a recorded fact that Elves first arrived in Illiria thousands of years ago, and came from the continent they called Atcandeun, which roughly translates The Place The First People Lived. The land bridge they came across is lost, as is the continent itself, though it was somewhere in the south east seas. Ancient Elf records indicate that there were many "great bridges" that led to many different lands, and that their people fled the sinking of their home following a battle between Eldreon and Dracorex in which the dragon god raised the sea itself to fight Eldreon. Anything other than that is subject to great speculation, as the Great Divide and the Sylvan War were both responsible for the destruction of most records from this time. The continent certainly existed, and the original Elves were certainly different than the ones that populate Illiria today.

Spread

The stories of Lost Atcandeun can be heard anywhere Elves settle in great numbers, and the tale's open-endedness has made it popular among bards and other storytellers who like to put a personal spin on the supposed great magical workings of the lost Elves. As such, most people would be vaguely familiar with it at least, even far away from Elf societies and settlements.

In Literature

The search for Lost Atcandeun is more popular a subject than the lost city itself, and several plays and novels have been written detailing this, often portraying the protagonists as daring adventurers searching for the city despite heavy setbacks. Often, these stories will end with the characters realizing they will never find it, but appreciating some gain they made during the journey, such as personal growth or more commonly a valuable treasure that was initially perceived to be a clue to the city's location.

In Art

Paintings of the lost city are so common as to be considered it's own style of art. The lack of detail regarding the supposed magical works of these lost Elves means that artists are free to interpret the city however they would like, typically creating colorful nonsensical cityscapes amidst an ocean background.