Illamel Ríocht
The land of high elves, a sunkissed world of sapphire seas, cities of white marble and golden sandy beaches, verdent green jungles and towering mountain ranges. A paradise untouched by the horrors of the Harrowing and devastation of war, watching and waiting to see what becomes of Tír Suaimhnis. Who knows what the elves of the Illamel Ríocht are planning.
Structure
Ruled by an official leader called a Rialóir. Any member of the upper standings of society can put themselves forward to stand for Rialóir however they will have to win the votes of the Seanad a council of the most influential, wealthy and powerful people within the capital of Lylen Ortheiad which consists of around 350 Seanadóirí. Once elected the Rialóir is in charge of the Ríocht for the next 10 years, due to elves long lives this allows the Rialóir a chance to make changes in a longer term scale. However any decisions must be approved by the Seanad, only through a majority agreement can allow any changes to happen.
Each of the cities is governed directly by a méara who is elected by a council of the cities aristocratic families, the méara is tasked with overseeing the running of the city, directing where the treasury is spent and which projects are approved. It is an important duty and any citizen can stand for election as méara, every 5 years an election will take place in each city and a new méara will be appointed by the councils. Many say that the duty of méara and that of the aristocratic councils is greatly disparaged, with méara's often ending up overworked and stressed while the council members host lavish parties and banquets.
Culture
The high elves have been around since the dawn of the world itself which has led to a heightened sense of superiority in them, most citizens of the Illamel rarely travel beyond their borders unless for trade. Viewing the outer world of humans, halflings, dwarves and jotnar as drab, dirty and uninspiring, the only nation and race that they hold some affinity for are the longzhu and their Zhìzūn Lóng Dynasty partly due to being the two oldest races in the Tír Suaimhnis they have a rivalry between them but also a level of respect.
The citizens of the Illamel like the finer things in life, clothing made from gold thread silks are the most desired and worn by only those who could afford it as a statement of their wealth. Coupled with gold and silver necklaces, rings, bracelets and earrings often studded with precious gems like sapphires, emeralds, rubies and diamonds. The lower classes and less wealthy still aspire to wear such beautiful clothing and accessories, saving up their coin to swap out their linen or cotton garbs just for a silk robe, dress or tunic.
Assets
A massive maritime trading network between the Fawiyyah Emirate, Orthodox Communion and the Zhìzūn Lóng Dynasty keep the Ríochts treasury full and it's cities well stocked with exotic goods, alongside trade with Dern Hiroldur they are kept wealthy with silks, oils, spices, ore, stone, gemstones and food.
The cities are made from a unique concrete made from rock, ceramic tile, lime clasts and brick rubble melded with a mortar of quicklime and volanic ash which when exposed to seawater creates one of the sturdiest materials in the world, second only to dwarven granulite, slate and marble. The finish of the cement makes the buildings look as though they were made of pure marble, shining bright and white under the hot southern sun.
Access to the Thavelis Jungle offers a rich source of high quality lumber which is used for primarily for ship building, long elegant galleys transporting goods, people and catching fish can be see acrpss th Emerald Sea. What lumber isn't used for ships will be made into furniture, wagons, carts, bows or sold across the world.
History
Formed at the end of the War of Man and Elves when much of the former elvish Ulluvian Empire lost the vast majority of their lands, forced back to the eastern regions of Tír Suaimhnis broken and bitter the people felt the Emperor was to blame. Rising up against their ruler in a great revolution the elves deposed the monarch and established what we know today as the Illamel Ríocht, the first republic of it's kind in Tír Suaimhnis. Forming a kind of senate called a Seanad of the most worthy elves to propose, vote and elect a leader who decide the fates of the people. It was a completely unheard of way of governing a country, one which troubled the human Kingdom of Polliers and the Fawiyyah Emirate deeply, their monarchs began watching the elves closely to see what might become of this new regime.
Fortunately for the human realms the elves decided to look inwards rather than try to reclaim what was lost to them, focusing on re-establishing old trade links with the High Kingdom of Mor Garum, The Zhìzūn Lóng Dynasty and the jotnar tribes, rebuilding their broken cities, merchant fleets and reconnecting with the denizens of the forests and jungles. In the years to come this would come to yield great fortune onto the Illamel Ríocht, their treasury was replenished, trade routes flourished, their population grew and the land began to heal from the many years of warfare. Relations with the Kingdom of Polliers likewise improved and they began to work together to increase trade flow, rebuild the old elven highroads that connected the towns and cities, and allowing migration between their lands to proceed. Within a short time the elves had regained their power in the world and ready to face whatever was thrown at them, or so they thought.
When the Harrowing plague sweapt across the world all were affected by it in someway, the elves were one of the worst to suffer. The northern lands of the Illamel Ríocht faced the worst of it, from the human realms came the unending tide of plagued undead, spreading forth their rotting corruption to everything they touched. Not only the humans, halflings, elves and gnomes but the animals and plants were afflicted, transforming them into grotesque abominations set to kill, consume and spread the plague everywhere they roam. The poor unfortunate wood elves that took up residence in the Ellsing Grove forest were heavily afflicted, as they bitterly tried to fight back the Harrowed monstrosities. While to the north their dark elf kin were fighting off the same incursions which broke through the Lichten Pass and poured through the Lathelen Grove, efforts were met to face off the Harrowed but alas it was too little, the walls and towers they built to defend themselves from the humans fell. Both races retreated back to the safety of their towns and cities, desperately fending off the beasts as they awaited relief from their southern brethen the high elves.
But help never came.
Having seen the devastation wrought by the Harrowing and with the dwarves of Dern Hiroldur sealing up the only passage through the Golden Bluffs the high elves did not respond to their kins pleas for aid. The risk was deemed to high to mobilize the fleets and attempt to rescue whatever might be left of their northern bretheren, for all the high elves knew at that point was that the wood and dark elves could have all perished to the plague. Sending aid at this point would just be condeming more lives, better to preserve what remained. The populations of wood and dark elves that lived in the southern cities were appauled, how could the high elves abandon them in their time of need? The last wood and dark elves in the Illamel Ríocht took ship and sailed north, thousands gone within a matter of days.
The Seanad and Rialóir all believed them to be doomed, but this was not the case. For some reason the Harrowed creatures did not destroy the last bastions of wood and dark elves, like with the human realms they began to retreat into the forests, swamps, mountains and wilderness. Leaving only the tattered remnants of their victims cowering behind their wall settlements, fearful of emerging. The expedition of wood and dark elves from south reunited with survivors, informing them of the high elves betrayal. At which point the northern territories severed their ties with the Illamel Ríocht, creating their own nation the Felfalon Ríocht.
The Illamel still exists as a flourishing and powerful maritime nation, but the schism with the northern has left them significantly weaker that before. What are the future plans for the high elves of the Illamel Ríocht, reunification with the Felfalon Ríocht, reclaim their old territories held by the weakened human successor states or continue residing in isolation. Only time will tell and the high elves have a lot of time.
Demography and Population
High elves make up the vast majority of all the population, though many other races also reside and travel to the Illamel whether for business, pleasure or emmigration. Predominantly nisab humans from the Fawiyyah Emirate can be found here, crag dwarves, rock and forest gnomes and halflings too, while orcs, goliath and firbolgs also reside here in small numbers though they are almost exclusively only found as members of the Varangian Guard protecting the Rialóir and Seanad.
Territories
All the lands south of the Golden Bluff and east of the Emerald sea are Illamel lands. Though all the lands north of those mountains once was there's too, no attempts have been made yet to re-unite the lost lands.
Military
The Illamel's standing army is a mighty one. Tens of thousands of trained spearmen, archers and swordsmen make up the bulk of the army, supported by divisions of light cavalry and horse archers.
Kontaratoi
The core of the Illamel army, these lightly armoured elvish spearmen make up the vast majority of frontline troops. Armed with spears, tall shields with helmets, padded robes with scale breast plates. They are quick, easily deployable and efficient in the frontlines. They are certainly not elites but without them the elites of the army would not survive.
Skoutatoi
The heavier counterpart of the Kontaratoi, deployed in the center and rear guard these veteran soldiers are versed in both spear ans sword. Tasked with plug breaches in the spearwall and holding the enemy at bay. With heavier armour of chainmail, breastplates, greaves and vambraces along with their massive shields, eight foot long spears and long swords. These elite regiments of soldiers combine both discipline and skill to deadly effect.
Vardariotai
Horse archers
Latinkon
When the Kingdom of Polliers collapsed many of the baronies, counties and viscounties were invaded and conquered by the more powerful successor states. As such many knights and their retainers fearing for their lives fled the splintered kingdom in search of a new home. A large number of them found themselves on the far shores of the Emerald Sea in the Illamel Ríocht. Offering sanctuary in exchange for their service the high elves accepted the exiled knights, who became the Latinkon. An elite division of the Illamel army, heavily armoured mounted warriors armed with swords and lances. They
Cataphracts
The pride and joy of the Illamel high elves. Some of the heaviest, most elite cavalry in all of Tír Suiamnis, few could ever hope to match them in skill on horseback or in melee prowess. Both the horses and their riders are coated in solid steel lamellar armour, blessed and imbued by high elf mágos with magical protection wards. While armed with enormous lances, longswords and maces. They capable of delivering devastating charges, punch a hole in the enemy lines before slashing and smashinf their way through.
Mágos
The mágos are the elite division of wizards, warlocks, bards, druids and sorcerers that provide the Illamel army overwhelming magical firepower. High elves are well known for being the greatest mages in the world and the magaidh live up to that reputation.
Varagngian Guard
The Varangian Guard are the most feared and well known of the Illamel army. A small army of only a few thousand soldiers, made up entirely of goliath and firbolg huscarls and orcish reavers. They are the best of the best, trained to the highest standard, drilled daily and equipped with best weapons and armour forged by the greatest dwarven and elvish smiths. No expense is spare for the Varangian guard, they given the large manors, servants and fed the same as nobility.
Technological Level
A highly advanced society in terms of their magical creations and potential, through the advanced education system and universities the Ilamel have developed groundbreaking methods of incorporating magic into an applied form that can enhance not only everyday life but also into the military and industrial parts of the nation. Improving both the efficiancy and time elements to work within the Illamel.
Religion
The primary religion within the Ríocht is the Tuatha De Danann the religion and gods of the elves. Many temples and shrines are present in their cities where people make offerings to the gods. Druids and clerics tend to these temples and shrines but unlike the human religion they do not hold services. It is far more freely operates allowing people to make offerings when is best suited for them.
There are also a few shrines dedicated to the Aesir that the jotnar worship. To accomodate for the goliaths and firbolgs that travelled all this way to serve in the Varangian Guard. The orcish members of the guard seem to prefer worshipping the elvish Tuatha De Danann however.
Foreign Relations
The Ríocht have good relations with the Fawiyyah Emirate and Dern Hiroldur. Due to their proximity as neighbouring nations either by land or sea and the extensive trade agreements between them. The Emirate thrive off of the buying luxury elvish goods like furniture, clothing, ships, horses and exotic fruits and meats. While also selling them spices, incense, fabrics, glassware, tobacco, ornate houseware and elaborate jewellery. Dern Hiroldur supply the Ríocht with steady supply of metal ores, stone building materials, deep fungus and the rare arcane underground crystals used in construction of magical items. The old grudges, feuds and war between elves and dwarves has all but passed, now you can find both races living in either cities.
The Orthodoxy Communion and the Zhìzūn Lóng Dynasty are active in trade with the Ríocht. Though there is still an air of unease between the nations. The high elves and lóngzhu have been rivals in power since the dawn of time itself. While the zealot humans have no love for the gods of other races, leading to a degree of xenophobia towards the elves. They will share trade routes with both nations but that is the limit.
The other human successor states and dwarven Derns have little or no contact with Illamel elves. Trade is limited and primarily through independent traders and merchants.
The Hylliford Clan and Ukh Meddal Tribe have an unusual relationship with the Illamel. For centuries orcs, goliaths and firbolgs have travelled from their snowy homelands to the sunny shores of the high elves. Not for leisure or trade though, they made the long trip to serve in the Varangian Guard. Originally created by the old Ulluvian Emperors to serve as an elite personal army, they continue to serve just for the Seanad and Rialóir instead.
The only nation that truly hates the Illamel are their kin of the Felfalon. The wood and dark elves have not forgiven them for abandoning them to suffer the Harrowing. Should a high elf show themselves in Felfalon territory they are to expect a hostile welcome.
Trade & Transport
Maritime trade and travel is the main way goods and people are moved from around the Illamel and to other nations. One major highroad connects Dern Hiroldur with the capital but otherwise there is no direct land route to other nations.
Lumber, weapons, armour, flax, wine, olives, oil, exotic fruits, pearls, furniture, clothing, plants, spell scrolls, potions, poultices and exotic animals.
Spices, silks, tobacco, metal ores, stone, fabrics, jewellery, incense, liquor, food stuffs such as meat, rice and root vegetables, glassware, porcelain, arcane items, furs, leather and herbs.
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