Val'a

Home Sphere of the Elves who jealously guard their land from outsiders, both those from other Spheres, but from other Elves.

Geography

The Golden Plain

The heart of settled Val'a, the Golden Plain is highly cultivated with complex husbandry practices perfected over the centuries. Perfectly balanced to maintain productivity over the centuries the plains provide food for all the Elven Houses.

The Elusive Woods

Surrounding the Darkwood Golden Path is a carefully maintained forest that stands in stark contrast to the chaotic wilds of Darkwood.

The Lonely Peaks

Three mountains dot the Golden Plain, each are strongholds of the House of Star where they study the universe and the Old Wizardry from before the Godswar. They are prideful of their secrets and keep any new developments from each other as opposed to other societies that share their knowledge.

The Southern Reach

A mostly ignored range of mountains that border the south of the Golden Plain. They would be purely abandoned but for the Golden Path to Broken Plains. While the Nexus Golden Path is heavily guarded and monitored, the Broken Plains is less so. Through it humans entered Val'a as traders and some stayed to serve the elves. All non elves are second class citizens valued for their labor, but they have been able to carve out a quality existence rarely seen elsewhere on the spheres.

History

The Age of Gods and Dragons

Unlike other cultures, Elven living memory stretched back to the Primordial Age of Gods and Dragons. During this time the Elven nigh-immortality was developed. Little interested in the machinations of the rest of the Sphere the Ancient Elves were focused on attaining immortality. Across the Spheres they had research stronghold developing technology, magic, and biological manipulation.

The Godswar

During the Godswar the Elves retreated to Va'la, removing themselves from the conflict. Refusing to engage on any of the myriad sides, they maintained their exclusion. Their only Off-Sphere holding were on Darkwood where they were attempting to channel the new Curse of Life into creating the Well.

As the war escalated the Elves started feeling the effects of the war. To isolate them further they warded the entire sphere from Divine influence. In response a conspiracy of Gods and Dragons created the first Orcs on Darkwood.

The Isolation

Cut off from every sphere but Darkwood, Elven culture turned in on itself using their high immortality to refine their culture, their skills, and their knowledge. The Golden Path to Nexus was discovered, but without a desire to expand they ignored it. With time came the opportunity for alliances and slights

The Blood War

It was centuries before Elven control of Darkwood expanded to the Val'Dorath Golden Path, reigniting the conflict with the Orcs. All of Val'a shifted to a war footing to support the war of extermination. In the early years the war brought the elves together, but as the war went on the differences between the Elven Houses — the centuries of divisions and slights — came to the forefront as disagreements of what the objectives for the war were.

The Shattering

As the conflicts between the Elven Houses came to a head, a general of the House of Crystal overthrew the House of Star led council. Eventually, the crimes of the general came to light leading to a civil war. In the end of the war, the House of Crystal was betrayed by members of their own House. Those who raised arms against the council were banished from the Well to die on Menzorastar, and the remaining Crystal Elves reformed into the House of Shard.

Due to the civil war the Elven power on Val'Dorath was broken and the Orcs were able to push the Elves back. Since then the war has stalled on Darkwood

But the damage to Elven society was done. The precedent for banishing Elves from the Well was set and it became a tool for political revenge.

Nexus Contact

As Humans came through the Golden Path from Nexus and the Broken Plains the Elves were disinterested in trade with these outsiders. In their chauvinism they saw no purpose in interacting with the mortal cultures. Beyond fortifying the Golden Paths to prevent banished elves from returning to the Well, they had as little contact with the outside spheres as possible.

Their disinterest in mortal affairs was shattered when they discovered Orcs existed on Nexus. In response they began to mass their defenses to open a second front against them. Before they could engage the orcs, the Dwarven March began. Being one of the closest to the Truehold Golden Path, they were swept up in the war and had to ally with the Duranti Empire to survive. By the time the war ended, the Orcs were too integrated into Nexus society to attack without drawing the rest of Nexus into the conflict. Since then they have existed in an unofficial detente on Nexus while still warring on Darkwood.

The Accords Era

Since the Third Nexus War, Elves have involved themselves in the affairs of Nexus purely to prevent the Orcs from opening a second front in the Blood War. To maintain their connections they have engaged in limited trade but officially no immigration. But unofficially they find Halfun settlers useful, plus elven children with Humans have an uncertain place in their society.

Government

The Houses

Each house of elves manages some aspect of Elven society. They are independent nations within their realms.

The Council

Elven society is directed by the Council, a collection of high status Emerged Elven representatives from every House.

Religion

The Elves of the Well — with their cycle of reincarnation through the Well — have no use for gods, old or new. To the point that they warded their sphere against their influence during the Godswar.

However, the Banished Elves, seeking protection from the Maelstrom will attach themselves to mortal faiths. If they don't fall into Suicidal Nihilism or other godless philosophy, they often latch onto gods of other cultures. Their children — the Newsoul elves — may share their worship, or reject it for other divinities or philosophies.