The elves of Caerthilion

Weaponry and fighting

The elves of Caerthilion treat nature with near-fanatical reverence. They do not use metal, yet through magic their weapons rival steel in strength and sharpness. Their combat favors skirmishes, relying on speed, precision, and intimate knowledge of the forest. Intruders are met with arrows and magical attacks, while in close combat, they wield spears or perform a fluid, deadly dance with twin sabres. No one moves as swiftly or silently through the woods.

Leadership and Armies

Though outsiders sometimes call Caerthilion a kingdom, it is not a unified realm in the traditional sense. Each settlement is essentially autonomous, governed by its own archdruidess and circle. The Coven of Archdruids does not rule as monarchs but serves as a council of balance, ensuring that no city strays too far from the principles of reverence, balance, and continuance. Their authority lies more in spiritual weight and mutual obligation than in laws or armies. In times of crisis, however, the Coven can unite the villages through the Legion of Thorns.

Each smaller settlement is guided by a High Druidess and her circle, yet above them stand the seven Archdruidesses, the living voices of balance. Together they form the Coven of Archdruids, a council that speaks for the forest itself.

The title of Archdruidess is held for life, unless freely surrendered. Should one step down or pass beyond the Veil, the remaining six choose a successor from among the High Druids of the villages.

There is no standing army. Each village maintains its own militia of hunters and wardens, while in times of peril the Coven gathers the Legion of Thorns, an honor-bound host of chosen warriors from across Caerthilion. A vow of devotion to the balance of nature and to the Archdruidesses who embody it, not to any throne or single city..

Religion and Culture

Unlike in the old world, direct worship of the founding gods is rare. Instead, the elves of Caerthilion honor nature itself, seeing in every tree, flower, and beast a spark of the divine. To harm the forest is not merely a crime against the world but against the remnants of the gods themselves.

Worship is expressed through action: tending the forest, weaving living plants into forms, and honoring the cycles of birth, growth, and decay. Three core tenets guide their lives:

Among their worship, three core tenets are upheld:

• Reverence: No life may be wasted. To take from nature requires a gift in return.
• Balance: Excess is sin; harmony is virtue.
• Continuance: The cycle must not be broken — neither through wanton destruction nor through unnatural preservation.

Daily life is intertwined with the forest. Every action — from crafting to walking beneath the trees — is a ritual of respect. Tattoos and skin-painting are nearly universal, telling stories of kinship, triumph, and loss. Pigments drawn from roots and berries fade with time and are renewed during seasonal rites, turning each elf into a living chronicle of their life.

Each archdruidess oversees one sacred aspect of existence, together maintaining the balance of elven life:

Each archdruid presides not only over her city but also over one sacred aspect of existence. Together, their domains form the balance of elven life:

1. The Grove of Growth – Custodian of plants, harvest, and healing. This archdruid ensures the fertility of crops and the tending of sacred groves.
2. The Veil of Seasons – Protectress of time and cycles. They oversee festivals, rituals of renewal, and the harmony between birth and decay.
3. The Hunt of Shadows – Protector of beasts and wild creatures. They teach respect for animals, guiding both hunters and those who defend the forest’s denizens.
4. The Bough of Harmony – Guide of song, craft, and the Weave. They preserve the melodies used to shape plants into homes, clothes, and weapons.
5. The Thorned Path – Protectress of war and defense. Their duty is to safeguard the people, guiding the militias and the Legion of Thorns.
6. The Root of Memory – Guideof lore and ancestry. They ensure the stories of the elves are remembered, tattoos renewed, and traditions preserved.
7. The Breath of Spirits – Guide of souls and the unseen. They lead ceremonies for the dead and communes with the divine sparks in creation.

At the start of each month, the first archdruid announces which of the seven paths the month will honor. A festival at the end of the month celebrates that path. For example, the Festival of Memories features stories and legends that are retold and reenacted, while the Festival of Thorns highlights duels, parades, and ceremonial defensive displays.

Architecture and Clothing