Ríoghail Mor'Caith

When our people fled Céad Talan, they came first her to Mor'caith. We are what remains of the first - the oldest of the people remaining in this world.

— - Amhrán na Craobh Talanriel

The elves of Mor'caith are a wild and enigmatic people. Historically hostile to all outsiders, they would seem to be the last choice of any human or dwarf seeking an ally.

First-Order Naturalists

While all the elf clans of Karos are deeply in tune with nature, the Ríoghail have made this connection their primary mandate. Any one or thing that threatens the ecology of their home is treated as an existential threat and dispatched with efficiency and brutality. Amongst themselves, however, or when dealing with the flora or fauna of their home, they are a surprisingly tender people. Their culture relies on a closely interwoven community of caretakers who work tirelessly to see to the needs of the people and their natural charges. While most of the clans folk lead simple lives providing for their community, there are two groups who contribute most to the protection and future of the forest. These groups enjoy a position of great renown among the Ríoghail.

The Amhrán Aerin (The Sky Song)

This first group is responsible for the protection of the great forest. Lithe and silent, they flit through the Skyroot Trees of Mor'caith - ever alert for any danger from outside forces. The Amhrán descend on any perceived threat like a seed from the boughs, swift and silent until they strike. Most enemies never see the blade that kills them. Of course, many "enemies" never realize they carry such a label until it is far too late. Even those who have recently become reluctant partners to the Ríoghail are not exempt from a pruning if they should happen to violate one of the myriad laws of the Amhrán na Craobh.

The more traditional of Mor'caith's defenders, members of the Amhrán Aerin tend to follow the paths of natural magic. Most common among their numbers are the druids, rangers, and scouts most would expect from an elvish society. All who seek to enter into this order should first prove themselves silent, lethal, and self-sufficient. The way of the Amhrán tends to be a solitary one, and its members must - above all else - be able to survive on their own.

The Cois-Talan (The Root Walkers)

It is in the second group of defenders that those outsiders who enter Mor'caith find surprise. The Cois-Talan fight an endless battle with the unknowable creatures that inhabit the caverns and ruins over which the forest grows. Amidst the roots of the great trees and the tunnels beneath, the Cois hunt more dangerous game than that which exists aboveground. They are trained to face any foe, and unlike the Amhrán, they operate almost exclusively in groups.

Unconventional by the standards of the Ríoghail, the Cois nevertheless enjoy near celebrity status among their people. After all, most elves agree that the clan would have been wiped out decades ago without these stalwart defenders. Though they still prefer a stealthy approach, aspirants to this order tend to favor stronger armaments and more elemental magics when dealing with their enemies. They are famously idiosyncratic among their clan, which makes them ideal candidates for the Venture initiative. The elves who accompany human and dwarf delvers are almost exclusively members of the Cois-Talan.

An Inexplicable Turn

My people have never needed to explain ourselves to outsiders. Consider this our latest flight of whimsy, and be grateful that this flight favors your interests!

— - Amhrán na Craobh Talanriel

Until recently, no one who valued their life would set foot in Mor'caith. Even other elf clans were unwelcome here, and nearly every soul that has entered the wood in the last 800 years has disappeared under the Skyroot canopy. All parties thought it was folly born of hubris that drove the Dwarves of Vrathún to seek out Mor'caith for their operation. They would have been right. However, when the humans came on board and sought out the Ríoghail with gifts and assurances, the elves inexplicably agreed to work with the other races to delve the ruins beneath Mor'caith for treasure and ancient technology.

Most chalk the sudden alliance up to the elves' need to defend themselves from the aggressive and vicious creatures that continue to claw their way to the surface from those ruins. Other, darker voices whisper of ulterior motives - of dark deals with darker entities and of world-ending possibilities. For now, none can be certain of the elves' motives, and as long as the delves bring home the treasures that both humans and dwarves seek, none are too willing to pry.