Oakvein
The Sacred Heart of Clan Enlanefel
The Living Soul of the Southern Gnarley
Hidden where the Gnarley Forest begins to bleed into the Welkwood, the great tree Oakvein stands as both a sanctuary and a sanctum—towering nearly 240 feet into the sky, its branches home to mystics, magi, seers, and spirits. More than a city or village, Oakvein is a living monument of elvenkind, as revered as the Timeless Tree of the Vesve.
It is a place few mortals have seen, and fewer still have understood. Among the elves of the Gnarley, it is legend. Among the fey, it is sacred. And among the enemies of nature, it is a whispered warning—of a place that remembers, and a people who do not forget.
Location and Geography
Oakvein lies on a crest in the wooded hills near the Gnarley-Welk border, no more than twenty-two miles west of the Wild Coast verge. Though technically part of the Welkwood, its spiritual and political ties bind it to the Gnarley clans, particularly Clan Enlanefel, for whom it serves as capital, heart, and hearth.
The surrounding forest is home to towering oaks, deklos, ipts, and roanwoods, many exceeding 100 feet in height. The canopy is dense, layered with ancient leaves, and vibrant with magical life. Veins of leyline energy pulse subtly beneath the moss-covered earth.
History and Lore
Grown from the same magical acorns said to come from Grandfather Oak in Arvandor, Oakvein is thought to have existed since before written history, predating elven calendars and even the migration of the Seldarine’s chosen to Oerth. Some sages whisper that it was one of the first trees to awaken with true sentience—a gift of Corellon Larethian Sehanine, given shape by the dreams of druids long vanished.
It has long served as a place of refuge, memory, and dreaming. In the times of the Suel Wars and the Flan Desolations, the loremasters of Oakvein recorded the turning of ages through living memory-gems, echo paintings, and arcane dream-vaults stored within its core.
Today, Oakvein continues to absorb history—not through scrolls, but through song, vision, and spiritual resonance.
Government and Leadership
Oakvein is governed not by nobles or houses, but by a Council of Six Loremasters, each elected by the clan’s elders and revered for their arcane mastery, divine connection, and spiritual vision. These loremasters guide the political, mystical, and cultural trajectory of the clan.
Council of Loremasters
| Name | Class & Age | Sphere of Influence |
|---|---|---|
| Faeluneth Larethil | Sorcerer 10 / Cleric 13 | Prophecy, divination, bloodline mysteries |
| Naerion | Cleric 9 / Wizard 12 | Magical crafting, artefact lore, spell history |
| Synriel | Druid 18 | Elementalism, ley lines, naturalism |
| Nemoi | Wizard 15 | Feywild, Outer Planes, dream-magic |
| Lian | Cleric 11 / Wizard 5 | Elven memory, Arvandorian philosophy, pacts |
| Avinor | Cleric 8 / Wizard 8 | Cults, ancient wars, human religions |
✦ All loremasters carry unique magical staves, which serve as memory-stores, communing foci, and summoning tools for eladrin and elemental spirits.
Function and Term
- Loremasters serve indefinitely but often step down after decades to return to study
- Many have served multiple terms across centuries
- Council decisions are made by consensus; however, Faeluneth and Naerion hold the strongest sway
Key Locations in Oakvein
“Each branch bears a hall, and each hall bears a purpose.”
—Common saying among the Gnarley elves
1. The Aetherium Hall
Associated Loremaster: Naerion
Purpose: Arcane crafting, enchantment lab, artefact reconstruction
Description: Grown into the interior of three joined upper boughs, this open-air workshop glows with soft arcane light. Here, enchanted tools and relics drift midair under the influence of stasis fields, and bound elementals hum in crystal casings.
- Rope lifts move items between ground and canopy
- Apprentice stations shaped like fey forges
- Warded chambers test unstable magical artefacts
- PCs may commission or retrieve magical items or relic identifications
2. The Moonspire Sanctum
Associated Loremaster: Faeluneth Larethil
Purpose: Divination, trance rituals, prophetic communion
Description: A translucent crystal spire, fused with vinewood and crowned with an open crescent canopy where starlight pools. Used for moonfasting, dreamscrying, and communing with Sehanine.
- Platform sleepscapes for trance ceremonies
- Echo-glass bowls used to view memories and futures
- An owl-familiar archive watches from dream perches
3. Verdantroot Hollow
Associated Loremaster: Synriel
Purpose: Elemental monitoring, ley line convergence, naturalist rites
Description: Carved into the base of the great tree, this moss-covered sanctuary includes a pool fed by ley-aligned springs, bark altars, and standing stones bound with copper root sigils.
- Underground spiral leads to ley-monitoring chamber
- Animal companions and awakened plants linger nearby
- Great druids and Gnarley Rangers seek her counsel here
4. The Aetherlight Spire
Associated Loremaster: Nemoi
Purpose: Planar study, dream-gate navigation, Feywild research
Description: Suspended between three massive branches and wrapped in dreamlight illusions, this chamber hums with planar maps and rotating spheres of astral projection. The air is always slightly cool and scented with night-blooming orchids.
- A projection pool charts dream activity in the region
- Fey creatures sometimes arrive unannounced during alignments
- PCs may experience lucid dream quests or access dream-touched knowledge
5. The Hall of Timeless Echoes
Associated Loremaster: Lian
Purpose: Historical record, memory rites, soul-binding sanctum
Description: A vast library carved in layered spirals around the trunk, with floating glyph-tablets, singing scrolls, and memory-crystals. Elders come here to ritually record their lives before returning to Arvandor.
- “Echo Rooms” allow replaying memories
- Rites of Naming and Mourning performed here
- PCs may uncover forgotten elven lore or ancient soul-pacts
6. The Stone of Echoes
Associated Loremaster: Avinor
Purpose: Cultic research, war record preservation, tactical foresight
Description: Hidden in a chamber deep in the earth-roots of Oakvein, this solemn hall houses burnt banners, rusted weapons, and sacred ash-etched walls from battles long past.
- Protective runes guard against necrotic energy
- Cult sigil archives, old war relics, and ancient bindings
- PCs may uncover clues about the Temple’s resurgence or Vecnan stirrings
Additional Communal or Spiritual Spaces
The Palebranch
High above, this lifeless white branch never grows leaves. Used for Sehanine’s rites and the viewing of stars during prophecy or funerals.
The Dreamwalk Glade
A small sacred grove within Oakvein's inner canopy, where dreams are shared during solstice fasts. It also serves as a ritual space for young elves seeking visions.
Cultural and Political Influence
Though small in number, Clan Enlanefel is highly respected across Celene, the Gnarley, and even within Verbobonc’s elven quarter. Oakvein exerts spiritual and philosophical leadership rather than military or economic power.
- Other Clans (Fealefel, Sherendyl, Meldarin): Defer to Oakvein on spiritual matters
- Celene: Regards Oakvein as sacrosanct, protected in spirit if not in law
- Verbobonc: Diplomats from the The Council of Lords of Verbobonc have sought private audiences with the Loremasters during past crises
Religion and Sacred Practice
Oakvein is as much a temple to the Seldarine as it is a seat of governance or learning. Here, religion is not confined to halls or shrines—it infuses the very air, the root-paths, and the dreams of its people. The Seldarine, the elven pantheon, are revered in a uniquely contemplative and immersive manner, with rituals tied to seasons, moon phases, dreams, and the growth cycles of the forest itself.
Among the deities, three stand foremost:
Labelas Enoreth – The Lifegiver, Guardian of Time
The most honored deity among the elder Loremasters, Labelas is invoked in daily meditations, funerary chants, and rites of remembrance. His teachings form the moral backbone of elven identity in Oakvein—reminding the Enlanefel to remember, to record, and to transcend through reflection.
- Worship: Evening prayers, memory songs, lunar vigils
- Sacred Site: The Timeless Hollow, a moonlit amphitheater grown into the side of Oakvein’s lower trunk
- Clergy: Lian is the foremost priest of Labelas, guiding memory rituals and time-blessings
Corellon Larethian – The Creator of the Elves
Corellon is revered as the divine artisan and father of elvenkind. His worship is interwoven with the arts, magic, and martial discipline—though in Oakvein, he is seen less as a warrior and more as a visionary protector and font of divine creativity.
- Worship: Celebrated during seasonal equinoxes and major crafting completions
- Shrine: The Vault of Returning Light, a circular chamber of starlit crystals located beneath the great tree’s heart
- Clergy: Both Naerion and Avinor serve Corellon, especially in matters of arcane rites and historical vows
Sehanine Moonbow – The Veiled Goddess of Dreams and Death
No deity is more quietly worshipped in Oakvein than Sehanine. Her presence pervades the moonlight rituals, the dreaming halls, and the death-transcendence rites that the Loremasters perform. She is invoked during soul transitions, visions, and when elves feel the pull of Arvandor.
- Worship: Moonfasts, trance-guided communions, veiling ceremonies for the dying
- Sacred Site: The Palebranch, a single branch that never buds, used for stargazing and passage rites
- Clergy: Faeluneth, Synriel, and Nemoi all serve Sehanine in different facets—dreams, ley-flow, and vision-magic
Religious Philosophy and Daily Practice
Oakvein does not separate divine from natural life. Ritual is woven into the seasons, the passage of light, and the shape of dreams. Clerics, druids, and seers often work in tandem, performing shared rites that blend the divine and arcane in sacred unity.
- Funerary Rites: Souls are not buried but transcended—either as memory-bound spirits in living trees or released to Arvandor
- Holy Days:
- Rite of Blooming Silence (Spring)
- Echo of the Dimming Star (Fall)
- The Moonarch Vigil (Midsummer)
- Pilgrimage Site: The Veiled Archway, a natural fey gateway half-submerged in brambles, used in rare sacred crossings to Arborea
Current Concerns (576 CY)
Worsening Raids from the Wild Verge
Oakvein’s watchers have reported increased activity from bandits, humanoids, and cultists traveling northward through the Welkwood toward the Gnarley. Though the elves suspect these invaders target trade along the Wild Road, they remain unaware of the resurgence of the Temple of Elemental Evil.
- Effect: Damage to elven settlements, defilement of sacred sites
- Response: Faeluneth has begun moonfasting; Synriel has intensified ley-pulse monitoring
- Disposition: Growing mistrust toward humans; hawks have been dispatched to watch over Hommlet, Ostverk, and Sheernobb
Adventuring Hooks
- A stolen kiira surfaces in Verbobonc, its memories corrupted
- A dream-sickness from the Feywild affects druids near the Jewel River— Loremaster Nemoi seeks a solution
- A sealed artefact Loremaster Naerion once helped restore may have been reactivated by cultists
- Loremaster Synriel requests escort to a dying leyline in the Wild Verge—its death echoes are spreading
- Loremaster Faeluneth Larethil sends a vision to a PC during a rest: "The branch breaks; the root weeps fire"
Enlanefel Patrol Activity in the Wild Verge of the Gnarley Forest
“To guard is not to rule. We are the silence between arrows, the moss between stones.”
—Synriel, speaking to an emissary from Ostverk
Overview: Elven Detachment from Human Affairs
Clan Enlanefel, reclusive and contemplative by nature, rarely interferes with human movement through their lands. The Wild Road, the ancient east-west forest track that winds between The Wild Coast and the Verbobonc, Viscounty, cuts through the southeastern edges of Enlanefel lands, but the elves do not claim ownership of the road itself.
Traditionally, they see themselves as stewards of the forest, not keepers of trade routes. While they allow merchants, pilgrims, and travelers to pass unchallenged, their presence remains unseen—their eyes vigilant from bough and brush, always watching for signs of corruption, defilement, or spiritual threat.
Response to Merchant Activity & Bandit Raids
While Clan Enlanefel permits merchant traffic, they keep meticulous records of it—using birds, magical mirrors, and whispering stones to track patterns and subtle inconsistencies. Over the past year, their seers and loremasters have observed disturbing shifts:
Observations
- Merchant caravans moving with unusual haste or heavily armed escorts
- Bandit ambushes that avoid looting coin, instead targeting herbs, weapons, tools, and people
- Residual elemental taint at two recent attack sites (detected by Synriel)
Typical Elven Response
- Non-interventionist: They track raiders, rarely engage unless a sacred site is threatened
- Silent shadowing: They may follow a caravan under threat, intervening only in dire moments
- Dream-flagging: Victims of raids may receive visions in their sleep (via Faeluneth or Nemoi), warning them of deeper dangers
- Clerical reports: Lian has begun documenting recurring sigils and altar-stone patterns found near these ambush sites
Growing Suspicions of Nulb and Cultic Revival
The village of Nulb, long regarded by the elves as a mire of blood and rootless men, has fallen under heightened scrutiny. Though the elves do not patrol west beyond the old ruins where the Temple of Elemental Evil was sealed, strange signs have begun to reappear:
- Ghost owls no longer fly near Nulb
- Leyline pulses show a growing void west of the river near the temple ruins
- Captured bandits (interrogated by elven seers, then released) mutter about "a black mouth beneath the stone"
Still, the Council of Loremasters remains divided. Many believe this is merely the echo of the last war—a broken cult flickering out. Others, like Avinor and Synriel, fear something more: that the binding spells placed over the temple have weakened, and that Elemental Evil has found new servants in the shadows.
Current Policy of the Loremasters (576 CY)
| Loremaster | Position on Intervention |
|---|---|
| Faeluneth | Advocates subtle monitoring, favors dream-messages to affected mortals |
| Naerion | Interested in the artefacts recovered from ambush sites; cautious but curious |
| Synriel | Alarmed by elemental taint; demands containment of magical corruption |
| Nemoi | Dream-threads suggest old evil is unsealing; urges ritualized watching |
| Lian | Advocates patience; fears reaction may cause spiritual disturbance |
| Avinor | Certain cultic resurgence is real; supports sending a proactive strike team |
Adventure Hooks for PCs
- An elf scout disappears after tracking bandits to the edge of Nulb—his last message was a vision of fire in the shape of a crown
- A caravan bearing sealed relics from Verbobonc vanishes near an old Flan ritual site—Synriel suspects planar bleed
- The players witness a raid and are saved by elven shadow-patrols; Faeluneth offers them dreams of “the mouth beneath the oak”
The Tree
- Height: ~240 feet tall
- Width at base: ~200 feet
- Composition: Magically enchanted, impervious to mundane fire, acid, and nearly all weapons
- Magic: Steeped in illusion, abjuration, and faerie glamour; pulses with leyline and planar energy
Residences and Facilities
- 25 expansive wood-shaped tree houses built into upper boughs
- Homes to clerics, druids, sorcerers, seers, and fey-folk
- Magical workshops, shrines, crystal observatories, and dream-libraries
- Sanctum of the Loremasters—a private, warded council chamber veined into the heartwood
Mystical Artefacts & Features
- Kiira: Lore-storing gems passed from elder to elder
- Crystal vases: Dream-echoing containers that replay visions of the past
- Living art: Paintings and sculptures that whisper secrets or depict moving histories
- Symbology birds: Wooden automata that reveal arcane patterns in flight
Inhabitants and Defenders
- Resident Population: ~158 (60% wood elf, 38% faerie, 2% other)
- Visitors: Up to 20–30 elves from other Gnarley clans or Celene at any given time
- Fey Folk: Sprites, brownies, pixies (many act as spies and messengers)
- Treants: Three ancient and immense treants dwell at the tree’s roots
- Avian Sentinels: Owls, hawks, and enchanted talking birds protect the tree, many serving as familiars
Territorial Zones and Patrol Frequency
Primary Patrol Zone:
- Eastern Wild Verge: From the borders of the Welkwood to just east of Ostverk, encompassing glades, ley lines, and standing stones
- Activity Level: Medium to High
Secondary Observation Zones:
- The Wild Road (East of Hommlet to the Welkwood frontier)
- Unclaimed Glades near old ruins and waypoints (suspected pre-Flan or Suel origin)
- Marsh-edge trails near Nulb (under passive scrying from Oakvein seers)
Patrol Frequency:
- Weekly roving bands of 3–7 scouts, usually including a priest, mage, or dream-seer
- Each patrol operates on three-tiered routes:
- Leyline tracing (for magical flux)
- Dreamwalk glades (to monitor fey instability)
- Trailwatch (to observe mortal movement on the Wild Road)
Rules of Engagement with Human Activity
Elves of Clan Enlanefel follow strict observational protocols. They do not interfere unless:
- The forest is directly damaged (illegal logging, sacred ground defilement)
- Fey beings are harmed or manipulated
- Magical corruption is detected (necromancy, cult glyphs, voidal auras)
- Civilians are slaughtered or enslaved in numbers that suggest ritualistic purpose
✦ “Thieves steal, mortals kill. But only cults take with silence and purpose.” – Naerion
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