Ilighon

I'd rather face a fleet of pirates from the Sea of Fallen Stars then sail my cargo through the eyes of Silvanus. At least I understand the motives of the pirates.

— Captain Anton "Quicksails" Morsen, lumber merchant

The eyes of Silvanus are two major islands that guard the entry into the heart of the Vilhon Reach, called Ilighon and Wavecrest. Collec¬tively they are known as the "eyes" because of the havoc raised with compasses when trying to navigate through them. A reef guards both islands, making navigation a difficult task. The Emerald Enclave fur¬ther complicates matters by guarding the passage through the reef on Ilighon with crea¬tures from the Elemental Plane of Water. Wavecrest does not have a safe passage at all, and only row boats and similar small craft can freely navigate the area.
Entrance into the Reach by boat must be accomplished in one of two ways. First, a captain can navigate the Farshore Straits. This narrow expanse of waterway is a favorite choice for smaller craft, especially those seeking to outrun military vessels intent on their capture. The second and more popular choice is to sail "between the eyes of Sil¬vanus." This course takes a ship directly between the islands of Ilighon and Wavecrest and then directly into the heart of the Reach. Larger ships, unless piloted by particularly brave or foolish captains, take this course. Once past the twin islands, all a captain needs to worry about is the island of Ixinos, home to a group of amazons. If he can keep from running into it, he is home free.
The narrow strait between the island of Wavecrest and the mainland is known as the Paddle Straits and is unsuitable for any large craft. Hunks of jagged rock break through the surface of the water at various points, making navigation extremely difficult. It is also frequently covered in a heavy fog, making this area even more dangerous to traverse.
The isle of Ilighon is best known for its most famous inhabitants, the Emerald En¬clave. This band of druids, dedicated to the ecological stability of the Vilhon, es¬tablished itself on the island in 374 DR and has remained since, despite military excur¬sions to root them out. A structure dedicated to Silvanus was completed a few years later and was christened the House of Silvanus.
One of the most qualities of the island is that it negates wizard magic. In all locations on the island, and up to a radius of one mile around it, wizard magic does not function. This includes charged items such as rods, staves, and wands as well as enchanted items such as scrolls, and permanent magical effects such as stoneskin or even contingency. Cast spells likewise fizzle and are expended.
Clerical magic—or "faith magic" as the druids like to call it —is unaffected by this phenomenon. In fact, charged magical items wielded by a cleric or druid have their initiative penalty reduced by 1 when functioning on the island. (A non-cleric wielding such an item has a normal initiative modifier.) Spells cast by a cleric or druid are likewise reduced by 1 on their casting time, subject to a maximum reduction to 1.
This special area of magic, called a faith-magic zone, is said to be a special gift to Silvanus from the goddess Mys- tra. While the reasons behind such a gift are shrouded in legend—ranging from a favor for Silvanus aiding Mystra in a long-ago battle against Bane to a reward to Silvanus for teaching Mystra how magic can be used to help the land—the fact that it remains to this day is not in ques¬tion. All attempts to dispel or negate the effects, even temporarily, have proven utterly ineffective.
Entrance to the island itself is gained through a quar¬ter-mile breach in the reef. This opening is always guarded by the Seven Sentinels of Silvanus, who heed the bidding of the Emerald Enclave.
A favorite tactic of the Sentinels is to have water ele¬mentals hold vessels in place while air elementals form whirlwinds and blow the ships into one another. The whirlwinds are normally deadly enough to kill even the most skilled crew. They never chase ships away from the island, nor are they visible upon approach to Ilighon. The Sentinels can also save ships in distress by bring¬ing them in through the reefs to the city of Sapra or by steering them clear of the reefs and into the calmer wa¬ters of the Vilhon, if the enclave so directs.
Sapra
The city that lives under the watchful eyes of the druids is neither an invited guest nor an intruder upon the isle of Ilighon. For more than 200 years, the city has existed, never railing against the actions or policies of the Emer¬ald Enclave.
Over time, Sapra has become a haven for those men and women who seek to be free of the tyranny of wizards who abuse their magic. There are even a few "retired" Red Wizards here, successfully shielded against the magic of those who would find them with divinations.
Sapra produces little to export except some food and herbs, so trade is very light. The city is normally a quiet port that sees a trading vessel only a few times a month.
One of the problems facing Sapra is its population. By order of the Enclave, Sapra cannot expand its borders. The city of 2,000 has grown as large as possible under the druids' edict, but now property values and lodging costs are rising.
Sapra is ruled by a six-person council of elders. The elder positions are not full-time jobs. The council is cur¬rently led by Mayor Thomas Flagcairn, the town black¬smith. The council meets as needed, normally once every month or so.
House of Silvanus
Located at a plateau high atop the Elder Spires, the stronghold of the druids sits in harmony with nature. The House of Silvanus is an open structure composed of wood and granite surrounded by water.
The water here rolls off the edges of the plateau in three areas, creating the three rivers of the Calling, Elder, and Springbrook in spectacular waterfalls that boil mist around the House.
Access to the House of Silvanus is gained by a series of stepping stones. Many followers of Silvanus, especially the old, pray at the banks of the House. A water elemental, similar to that which guards the entrance through Eldath's Ring, also guards the stepping stones from intrusion.
There has never been an incident where the water el¬emental guarding the stones has attacked a pilgrim. Whatever divination guides the creature is beyond mankind's understanding.
Other Areas of Interest
While the island of Ilighon is mostly uninhabited, there are numerous areas of interest, particularly to the faithful of any of the nature gods (Eldath, Mielikki, and Sil¬vanus). Travel through the heartlands of Ilighon is fairly safe and free of monsters.
Archentree
Archentree is not a city as much as it is a gathering place for treants. Many of the treants of Archentree are ex¬tremely old — and prone to ignore the calls and pleas of humans seeking aid or wisdom. Waving a burning torch around is a sure way to get their attention, but not in a manner conducive to continued breathing.
Calling River
In ages past, the druids of the Reach made a pilgrimage to the island of Ilighon to heed a calling from Silvanus. When they arrived, they followed the Calling to its source and built the House of Silvanus.
Druidhome
More a collection of groves than an actual village, the Druidhome serves as a community of old druids, priests, and rangers who are serving out their final years of ser¬vice to one of the three nature powers.
While most of the residents simply wish to be left alone, they are still devout in their faith to their gods. Should an attack occur against the House of Silvanus, or even against the island itself, these followers would most certainly be on the front lines.
Eldath’s Ring
Eldath, Goddess of the Singing Waters, serves as the protector of Ilighon, shielding it from direct naval at¬tack. In addition, the faith-magic zone extends two miles from the ring on all sides.
Elder River
Religious stories claim that the eldest druid on the island walked to its northernmost point to stare across the vast¬ness of the Inner Sea during the founding of the Emerald Enclave. He fasted and prayed for a fortnight before re¬turning to the future home of the House of Silvanus with a plan to protect the Vilhon Reach and the nature within it. The river has been known as the Elder ever since.
Farshore Straits
This narrow strip of water serves as an alternative en¬trance and exit from the Reach. While most ships choose to go through the eyes of Silvanus, a few ships try navigate the Farshore.
The Aphrunn Mountains can be seen from the shores of Ilighon near the Farshore Straits. This area is fre¬quently used in tracking shipping traffic.
Grandlore Forest
This forest is the largest on the island, dedicated to the first recorded Grand Druid of the area, Antonius "lore¬master" Mistwind. It covers more than half the island and is divided by the Elder River to the north and the Calling River to the south.
Great Forest
This forest is the smallest of Ilighon, stopping at the Calling River to the west and the Hierophant Trail to the east.
Hierophant Trail
Virtually all of the overland activity of Ilighon is con¬fined to this small trail. The druids have taken a dim view on the establishment of any other trails into the area. It is used primarily by those who wish to pray at the House of Silvanus.
Lake Bluesprings
Few of the residents of Sapra ever make it farther west than the shores of the Bluesprings. Lake Bluesprings it¬self is a popular getaway for the residents, but the areas beyond the lake are wild and untamed.
Mielikki’s Garden
Many of the oaks that grow on the island are contained within Mielikki's Garden. Whether this has to do with the presence of the treants in Archentree is subject to much speculation, but sages are quick to point out that the treants could have made their home in the garden because of the oaks.
Springbrook River
This river is one of three that are fed from the pool sur¬rounding the House of Silvanus. Roaring down the Elder Spires, it empties into the Springbrook Shallows.
Springbrook Shallows
This pool is the second-most holy spot on the island, and many druids come here to contemplate important decisions. This freshwater pool is roughly four feet deep at its deepest point, and it is always fresh and clear.
Legends claim that Silvanus uses the shallows as a bathing pool during his visits to the Prime Material.

The Emerald Enclave

The Emerald Enclave is the most well-known orga¬nization within the Reach. Stories of its deeds are told to small children to both comfort and frighten them, or they are spoken of at political gatherings and retold at the bars and taverns. Like all tales, they be¬come more grandiose and bloated with each telling.
The Enclave is composed primarily of druids, but there are bards and others of neutral bent who also serve. The only requirement that the Enclave enforces upon its members is that they not be inclined toward good or evil. Theirs is a narrow road best traveled only by those who can walk between light and darkness.
Of course, player characters may desire to join the Emerald Enclave, promoting this organization's brand of justice in the Reach. In order to be considered, a player character must meet the following requirements.

Lawful, chaotic, or true neutral in alignment.

Not currently in the service of any other organiza¬tion (except the churches of Eldath, Mielikki, or Silvanus).

Not guilty of crimes against nature.

Has performed an act that benefits nature in the Vil- hon. This act can be as simple as serving in a druid's grove for a time to thwarting the actions of those who would harm nature, at the DM's option.

Once the character has met these qualifications, he must travel to the House of Silvanus on the island of Ilighon to be initiated into the Enclave. The rites of ini¬tiation are performed each month during the full moon.
The Enclave is also known as the "Caretakers," "Na¬ture's Chosen," and the "Circle." The term is chosen based on the current situation, such as using "Nature's Chosen" when discussing the actions taken to prevent lumberjacks from clearing a forest or the "Caretakers" when aiding a farmer whose crops are suffering from blight.
Each member of the Enclave is typically adorned with a green symbol of some sort. It might be something as simple as emerald earrings or a green pendant; the choice is up to the member. High-level druids of the Cir¬cle are known to have green eyes that shimmer with Sil- vanus's holy symbol.
The druids of the Enclave have a special language re¬sembling that of thieves' cant, where ecological refer¬ences are tossed into normal conversations as an indica¬tor of the organization they serve. Such "druidspeak" is difficult to pick up, counting as a language that must be learned over the course of a year or more. It is never taught to those outside the organization.

The Goals of the Enclave

The Chosen of Silvanus are sworn to protect nature in all of its forms. Each member understands that his life is forfeit at any time in order to preserve the balance. They follow the following values:

"Preserve nature in all of its forms." While this value may imply that the Enclave is against logging inter¬ests in the Reach, that conclusion is not necessarily true. The Enclave demands that anyone who cuts down trees to make a living does so in a responsible manner. Planting new trees is not the only step nec¬essary to avoid their wrath. The "business" of log¬ging must also take into consideration the best place to cut down trees.

This philosophy has caused some problems in Chondath and Turmish. The Enclave demands that tree cutters harvest from where it would do the for¬est the most good, not necessarily where harvesting is most convenient. This demand makes the jobs of lumberjacks more expensive and cumbersome, which is bad for business albeit good for the envi¬ronment.

"Human expansion must be controlled." Nature is not a never-ending supply of raw materials for the ever-increasing number of creatures that reside within it. Roads don't need to connect every city, and not every farm needs to plant more food so a nearby city's population can expand.

"Everything in nature has its place." The ecological balance of the mountains and plains is just as impor- 

tant as that of the forest. The expansionist attitudes of people inhabiting these areas must be resisted with every bit as much effort as those who would tear down forests for personal gain.

"Magic must not be used for mass destruction." This value was primarily adopted as a result of the Rot¬ting Wars, where entire armies fell victim to a debil¬itating and deadly plague. This value has further de¬veloped into a justification for keeping close tabs on wizards, especially those of the Zhentarim and the Red Wizards of Thay.

The Enclave firmly believes that any attempt to per¬form magic on a "grand scale" is just an accident waiting to happen. They point out that the Reach got lucky with the disease created at the conclusion of the Rotting Wars — it could have lasted for gener¬ations instead of just a few years.
"The Chosen of Silvanus must always work from a united front." Even if a particular member of the Enclave disagrees with a decision made by the lead¬ers of the organization, such disagreement is never to be aired outside of the House of Silvanus. To do so is to both weaken the order and show disrespect to the Elders.
Organization
The Enclave is organized in seven circles. As a member rises in prominence within the Enclave, he can move from one circle to another, perhaps rising as far as the Elder Circle of Three, the top-most level of the organiza¬tion. The seven circles include the following:

Circle of Initiates: The newest members of the En¬clave belong to this circle.

Circle of Earth: Once a member has proven his loy¬alty, he is promoted to the ranks of this circle.

Circle of Air: Druids of the Enclave typically become members of this circle after achieving their shape change ability at 7th level. Other members can be promoted to this circle after performing an out¬standing service for the Enclave. From the Circle of Air, a member can join one of three circles:

Planar Circle: This circle contains those whose call¬ing takes them away from the Prime Material and into the lost realms of the planes. These members are some of the most respected in the order. Many never return to the Prime Material. Instead, they send their information back through other contacts while continuing to watch.

Circle of Earth: Members who walk through the lands of Faerun belong to this circle. Most limit their travels to the lands of the Vilhon Reach. Those that walk elsewhere typically serve as look¬outs on the activities of other, expansionist organi¬zations or governments.

The Elder Circle: This circle is the upper-most of the Emerald Enclave, containing its three most power¬ful members. These three leaders, led by the Grand Cabal of the Enclave, guide the other members through their wisdom and actions.

The Elder Circle

The three people who lead the Chosen of Silvanus are some of the most powerful religious leaders in the area, especially in druidic circles. They are also some of the most sought-after personages in the area, hunted by both those who seek their knowledge and advice and those who seek to remove the Enclave from the Reach. Similar to the Chosen of Mystra and the Harpers, the Elder Circle is imbued with certain gifts that can aid them in times of crisis. These include:

Continual emanation of the nondetection spell, pre¬venting their location from being discerned through any sort of scrying device.

Immunity from mind-controlling magic such as charm person, domination, etc. This immunity in¬cludes psionic powers that duplicate such effects.

The aging process drastically slows but does not stop. An Elder ages one year for every ten years of actual time. In addition, the Chosen of Silvanus only need to sleep one day out of ten (or eight hours of sleep over a ten-day period). However, they must still meditate for spells

Immunity to normal or magical forms of disease and cursed afflictions such as lycanthropy, the contagion or cause disease spell, or even the plague. 

In addition to these abilities, the Chosen of Silvanus have granted powers from their patron gods.
Eldath grants the ability to breathe while underwater and to enter the Elemental Plane of Water at will.
Mielikki grants the Chosen the ability to transform himself into a treant, healing 10-60% of all sustained damage when the Chosen returns to his original form.
Silvanus grants the Chosen the ability to meld into stone and transport to the Elemental Plane of Earth once each day.
All Elders also have a special power, unique to that individual. This power is detailed under their description.

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