Crescent Grove

Marble terraces braid through titan oaks and star-gardens; hedgerow mazes echo constellations and reflecting pools hold the sky like a kept promise. At the center stands the Overlook, a many-tiered belvedere where moonbar crystals hum and the palace’s white arches rise like frozen spray. Galleries of living stone bloom and recede with the mood of their makers; theatres open as cliff-bowls above the Sparkling Sea; river-balconies and light-wells stitch the canopies into airy streets. Megalithic circles double as observatories, and “moon-doors” set in tranquil courts open, when rightly entreated, to hidden elven enclaves across distant worlds.  

Notable Locations

The Overlook

A star-ringed tower whose terraces host vows, farewells, and first meetings; its crystals hum when truth is spoken.  

Halls of the First Stroke

Studios where the initial line, on canvas, in choreography, or in a spar—sets the ethical compass of a work or campaign.  

Moonpool Cloisters

Silent courts of water and white stone where mourners keep vigil and travelers request safe roads.  

The Arrow-Green

A meadow-range where archers and poets contest with equal applause, watched by patient oaks.  

The Veiled Way

A meandering colonnade whose arches open to hidden sanctuaries when approached with gentleness and need.  

The Gallery of Forgotten Roads

A domed archive of journeys, maps of starlight, knotted cords, and reliefs, consulted before great departures.  

Travel and Portals

Moonpool Thresholds are mirror-still basins that open on named nights to other elven sanctuaries in Arborea or safe hidden enclaves on the Material, speak the destination under oath, and step through. The Vanishing Stairs are silver steps that appear along the Grove’s colonnades during eclipses, carrying travelers sky-to-sky across Arborea’s canopy. Star-Ways activate at midnight when a petitioner (or bearer of a moonbar token) recites a personal constellation; each speaking is a day’s sail along starlight to a known shrine. Festival Arches align to the Outlands gate-town of Sylvania after three decree-less nights, and pearl caverns occasionally tide-open toward Aquallor’s shallow seas.   The Crescent Grove is known to have a permanent portal in the Feywild, making sure that the Fey Eladrin may find home at Arvandor.  

Inhabitants

Moonshadow petitioners, Elves and Half Elves reborn with calm eyes and starlit hair, tend archives of dreams, guide mourners, and keep the silent watches. Court Artists and Bladesingers-in-spirit teach the arts of form, brush, bow, and blade—as facets of one discipline. Azatas (especially lillends and ghaeles) curate pageants of art and memory; Agathions and rare Psychopomps assist with gentle passages and ward against undead profanation. Elven architects, diviners, illusionists, and stargazers study under Sehanine’s clergy; fey with a love of night gardens wander as courteous guests. Angels visit as impartial witnesses when oaths, revelations, or reconciliations must be sealed under the moon.

The Crescent Grove resonates with subtleties. Whispers spoken in honesty travel clearly through the air, while lies falter and taste of ash. During moments of reconciliation, flowers bloom from cracks in marble, their petals absorbing grief. When oaths are broken, the very moonlight grows cold, dimming around the vow-breaker until contrition restores it. Dreams are particularly vivid here: travelers who sleep in the Grove are often pulled into shared visions, where Sehanine’s voice may be felt as a whisper among the stars. At times of great imbalance, the realm itself weaves illusions so complete they conceal entire sanctuaries, protecting them until danger passes.

Night-air runs cool and fragrant, myrtle, moon-mint, and damp marble, while pale auroras ghost between branches. Sound behaves kindly: whispered vows travel true, but cruel boasts fall flat. Winter brings the Quiet Snow, lace-lightfalls that brighten near oath-sites; summer trades in perfumed mists that hold constellations as if caught in glass.

The palace was originally a tower built by giants, which The Seldarine wrested from the giant powers together with the rest of the Arvandor. It had long since been transformed into a truly elven affair.