Dzeeck
Country: Sylvar Erxalim
Capitol: None because they are nomads.
Adjective: Sylvars
Race: Elves
Location:
They are a nomadic people that live in small camps in the Midland. Usually their camps are around the lake at the base of the mountain on the western edge of the midlands (above the “M” on the original map). However, they can often be found in or around Silias as well.
Animals:
While all sorts of animals live in the midlands, Sylvars are known for their taming and riding of deer/elk. They do not eat animals and are completely vegetarian; however, they do hunt bears, beavers, boars, and other game for trading purposes with the Weyland Theocracy.
Agriculture:
Sylvars do not have dedicated farms but know the land well. They gather fruit, berries, mushrooms, and vegetables that grow wild in the Midlands. Humans often spread rumors that they make wild plants produce more crops with magic, but this is a myth. Their lifestyle simply allows them unparalleled knowledge of the plants in the Midlands, so they find more food than other races think is possible.
Culture:
Sylvars are excellent dancers and play wooden instruments such as the flute and pipes. Every sunset they play music to honor the light goddess, Diantas, going to sleep and have “goddess awakening” dances to ensure she wakes up the next morning.
In the morning the welcome Diantas back to the world with more music and dancing. Roughly four hours of every day are dedicated to playing music, singing, or dancing for the light goddess (usually two at sunset and two and sunrise). These times increase as the days grow shorter in the winter months in an attempt to wake their goddess who they believe the be sleeping longer due to their lack of faith (every year).
While they do have written language, they have little use for it since everything in their culture is included in their songs and dance.
Politics:
Sylvar Erxalim Is a Theocracy in alliance with the Weyland Theocracy. They are led by a group of elders known as “light-bringers” or “priests of the light.” Among the light-bringers, one head priest is chosen by locking all of the elders in a room with the holy lantern, the Sylvars only holy relic that survived the Great War and most sacred possession, until all of them pass out except for “Diantas chosen.”
The priests of the light often stay in Silias in the temple to Diantas. While there, the priests work closely with the grand priest of the Weyland Theocracy and his council. They also trade furs and meat from their hunters so it can be sold to travelers passing through Silias. No one knows the exact nature of the relationship the between the two governments, but there are rumors that the Sylvars take orders directly from the head priest due to his believed proximity to the light goddess.
History:
Sylvar Erxalim was founded after the Great War between the races. During the war, the elaborate high-elf cities in the northern Midlands took the brunt of the famous Northern Orc Invasion. Having their cities completely destroyed, the elf’s joined forces with Sir Garoth Weyland. They helped his priests navigate the Midlands through a secret mountain pass that allowed the paladin hero to confront the king of the orcs directly, ending the war.
Many Sylvars claim that Sir Garoth was half elf, which is why he was able to receive so many blessings from the light goddess. They also blame the human priests for losing Mythril Ray after the war. Due to this and several other slight disagreements about the details surrounding the Great War and Holy Relics from that era, the Sylvars have fought several small wars with the Weyland Theocracy since then. None of these small conflicts had notable bloodshed or damaged the strong relationship between the two nations, and were often fought between small radical extremists from each nation.
Technology:
Their remaining holy relic is a lantern with a never ending supply of lights said to be from the light goddess herself. It lights the way for the Sylvars as they travel through the midlands and can be used as a weapon by emitting a ray of light so string it melts steel like a laser. However, only Diantas chosen can wield the holy lantern without burning; therefore, the artifact can not be stolen.
Other than that, the Sylvars are great archers that make yes longbows out of living saplings that grow as the elf who wields it grows. This ensures that the bows are always a perfect size for its owner, and the trees are said to use their own strength to help the elven archers shoot farther and straighter than any other race. They also wield short wooden swords that are also made from living trees and can compete with any weapons softer than steel. Steel weapons tend to kill the trees and make the swords ineffective, so the Sylvars try to fight from a distance using their knowledge of the terrain to keep enemies at bay.
The most recent addition to their arsenal is modern holy relics. While the elf’s publicly denounce these lesser relics as heresy, they accept modern relics that contain light magic as payment for their goods. Because of this, many humans think that the Sylvars are all proficient with light magic, when they really just conceal their use of relics. Some Sylvars can use nature and/or light magic, but the number is very small.
Flag and colors:
The Sylvar flag is a green silhouette of a deer whose horns are growing into trees overlaid on a white background. It looks strangely similar to the flag of the Weyland Theocracy, as if an artist took their flag and added horns to the Griffin. Their colors are white, green, brown, and black.
Religion:
Same as the Weyland Theocracy, only they have additional dances devoted to the light goddess (see culture). They also believe that Diantas loves elf’s more than humans, but rarely mention that to humans. There is no proof or reason for this other than the humans lack of dancing in the morning and at night.
