"Priests will try to show you the way to Paradise in
their books and temples and ceremonies... but those who know better will tell you, as I
do, that Paradise is a real place and it lies to the west."
- Sir Conrad Helgar, Lord Mayor of Korrington, Arkalia
| Ruler | His Sublime Majesty, Lord of the Emerald Coast, King Jos Sebalin VII, the Benevolent |
| Population | 24,300 |
| Demographics | Elves 90%, Avarian 3%, Human 3%, Dwarven 2%, Grum 1%, Phellysian 1% |
| Languages | Elven |
| Nationality | Ethara |
| National Colors | Blue, yellow, green and white. |
| Year Founded | 287 |
| Currency | Trade and barter. |
| Natural Resources and Manufactured Goods | Lumber, fish and seafood, goats, oxen, wool, gemstones |
| Wealth | Average |
| Government Type | Monarchy |
| Government Stability | Very Stable |
| Allies | Avar |
| Enemies | None |
| Walled | No |
| Crime Level | Very Low |
| Technology Level | Dark Ages |
| Primary Religion | Elven Mysticism |
| Other Religions | None |
| Climate | Temperate |
| Terrain | Forested Hills |
Throughout Ithria, there are tales of a great elven city held entirely aloft in the trees. Such tales usually refer to Bazile. This city of some 25,000 citizens is made up for several hundred tree houses, rope bridges and carefully crafted homes built into the very trunks and branches of giant Tharqel trees. Almost the entire city is held aloft in various ingenious ways. Platforms, balconies, bridges, rope ladders and rope swings are used to get around this strange three dimensional architecture.
Elvish "roads" are wooden walkways high in the forest. Roughly level with the forest canopy. When on the road, you are looking out over a vast ocean of green.
The ground level of this city is filled with winding paths, gardens and ponds that lie scattered in no particular order around the massive trunks of the giant trees. Many elves choose to live beneath the trees, close to the soil. Above the ground level is a bewildering maze of tree houses and large circular balconies which often wrap completely around the trunk of a tree. There are no clearly defined "levels". Rather, balconies and such are fairly staggered and arranged in no particular pattern. Most homes and establishments are above the ground.
Bazile is a beautiful, but remote city. For much of the world, it is merely legend. Tales of this wondrous place name it the "Emerald City".
The Council of Trees
This is the common name of the main governmental council of elves in Ethara. It
also refers to the building in which the council meets.
The Hall of Thorns
This is the military headquarters of Bazile.
The Hanging Market
The main market of Bazile is a complicated affair of suspended wooden platforms,
rope and plank footbridges, treehouses and decks. It is a tiered and scattered across
dozens of branches of a single Tharqel tree.
Like most of elven society, Bazile is a very peaceful city. There is virtually no crime here. There is no city guard here in the traditional sense. Rather, there are wardens, individual warrior/peace makers who patrol the city. The wardens are elven men and women who serve the crown. In the name of the King, they have the authority to arrest trouble makers. Bazilan wardens fight with long sword and long bow. They are easily identified by their bright green cloaks and green headbands.
The Garden
The elves worship no individual gods, but infinite elements
present in life and nature. Likewise, they have no central churches or temples. However,
within Ethara, there is one place that elves consider holy... the Garden. Sprawling over
many dozen acres, the Garden incorporates terraces, bubbling brooks, smooth rocks, copses
of small trees, manicured bushes, flower beds and pathways. Few outsiders have seen it,
but those who have speak often of its great beauty. The Garden is tended to by a
groundskeeper named Quen.
The Tree of Ages
Just west of the city, on the coast, three great trees
grow. These are Forest Lord trees of immense girth that have grown up in close proximity
to each other in the shape of an equilateral triangle, each 50 yards from the others.
Several great halls are carved into the cavities within the trees. Large tree houses perch
on branches and rope and wood bridges stretch between in a complicated maze of halls and
other structures. Collectively, these three trees and all they hold are known as the Tree
of Ages and this place serves as the University of Ethara. Students study history,
philosophy, art, science, comparative religion, warfare and magic. The Master of this
place is a very old elf named Erendil.
The Queen's Reign Theatre
This large amphitheatre is an outdoor construct consisting of a suspended
platform surrounded by several dozen smaller spectator platforms. All manner of singing,
dancing and plays are held here.
The Dryad's Dream
This beautiful creation is part monument and part work of art. The Dryad's Dream
is actually a trio of Tharquel trees that have been subtly manipulated with magic over
several centuries. This trees have been enchanted such that they have grown together,
weaving their trunks and branches together in mesmerizing symmetrical patterns. The bark
of these trees has been colored and the leaves shimmer and glow. Dozens of elven magicians
have worked on this construct over the long years. The Dryad's Dream has been the subject
of poems, the site of ceremonies, the symbol of a nations unity with nature.
His Majesty, King Jos Sebalin VII, the Benevolent, King of
the Emerald Coast
A serious elf who is deeply concerned with his people.
Queen Neveesa
A beautiful elven lady of silvery hair and brilliant emerald eyes. In her
younger days, she held the hearts of many elven men. Neveesa is utterly devoted
to king and country.
Prince Eiden, Heir Apparent and Lord Protector
Prince Eiden is the heir apparent of the kingdom and the leader of the
Protectors. As such he is responsible for all security in the city. Eiden is
something of a prodigal son. As next in line for the throne, he is arrogant and
spoiled. However, he is also well bred, skilled at swordplay and a phenomenal
archer. He is a young elven man, slim (even for an elf) and sports long silver
hair which he wears loose. Eiden typically wears serpentine fashioned scale
armor and carries a great bow. The bow is his most prized possession and is
fashioned from the finest woods. He normally uses expensive double headed
hunting arrows. Eiden is young for his position, younger than most of his
officers. He is inexperienced and carries prejudice against non-elves. In any
dispute, he will distrust outlanders and side with those of elvish lineage.
Kaelleb, High Counselor
Kaelleb is a very old elf who serves King Sebalin as advisor and counselor,
just as he served King Sebalin's father and grandfather. Kaelleb is blind and
mostly lame. He is tended by several servants who prepare his meals and carry
him about the city on a litter. Kaelleb knows little of magic, but is a master
of herbalism, plant lore, animal lore and the ways of the forest. He is a
remarkable memory and seems to know the entire elven history which he often
relates in elvish aurells about the campfire.
Delbrien, Retired Wizard
Delbrien is a respected community leader in the town of Talith and the
leader of the small wizard's school located there. He is often summoned to court
at the Council of Trees to advise the King and Kaelleb on matters of enchantment
and wizardry. When not teaching or attending court, Delbrien can be found hiking
the rolling hills of the Elder Weald or concocting some eldritch elixir in his
lab.
| No | Name | Owner/Operator | Description |
| 1 | Verdant Tree | Serill | Inn - Only a handful of inns do business in the Elven capital, as Bazile entertains few visitors for a city its size. Mostly elven traders from the outlying villages. This popular inn takes the form of several interconnected tree houses built into the trunk and onto the branches of a living forest lord tree. Each building in the structure has a different function - tavern, kitchen, private rooms, common rooms, owners quarters. The establishment is run by a small elven family and staff. The family's matriarch is Serill, a wise and respected member of the community. Almost three hundred years old, Serill has led a long and interesting life. Though an old woman of kindness and compassion, she is said to harbor a dark and disturbing secret from her past, which she may very well take to her grave. If her family knows what it is, they're not telling. |
| 2 | Owl and Thistle | Leris | Tea House/Inn - The Owl and Thistle is a small teahouse and inn built into the stump of a Forest Lord tree (75 foot diameter and 75 feet tall). The inn is three stories tall and has twenty small rooms. The remains of the Owl and Thistles' original tree lay nearby forming a long straight hill of soft, rotting wood. This establishment has been around for a very long time and is popular with the older elves of the community. |
| 3 | The Outer Grove | varied | Residence - The Forest Lords are especially grand in this large coastal woodland surrounding the city, and are often hollowed out into elven dwellings. About half the town population is fortunate enough to live in or around the Outer Grove. The trees are cool in summer and warm in winter, and keep growing even as large portions of the trunk are cut away for living space. This has special significance for elven families. As the tree grows along with the children it shelters, they pass the blessings of nature from the living earth to the beings that inhabit it. When an elven girl reaches her thirtieth year, she is considered an adult, ready to accept the responsibility of one day bringing life of her own into the world. In a small ceremony between Mother and Daughter ( the mother/daughter relationship is considered sacred in Ethara), she will remove a small strip of bark from her tree, the home that saw her safe and happy throughout her childhood. The strip of bark is usually kept as a token and worn proudly, perhaps woven into a necklace, as a charm of protection against evil and a constant reminder to treat all living things with respect. |
| 4 | The Orange Blossom | Luthwar | Tavern/Teahouse - A small tavern/teahouse the specializes in a variety of teas and other herbal brewed beverages. Luthwar is an old woman who runs the shop alone. She is well liked in the community and has run this teahouse longer than anyone can remember. The house tea is "orange blossom tea", of course. |
| 5 | The Falling Leaf | Esavin | Apothecary - A small, but very good apothecary run by an ancient elf named Esavin. He is an extremely good herbalist and his nature lore knows no bounds. |
| 6 | Twin Feathers Inn | DeMar and Brel | Inn - A large, clean multi-story inn aloft in the branches of one of the giant forest trees. Interconnected with the rest of the city. Run by a pair of elven brothers and their families. |
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This page last updated Wednesday, December 24, 2008. Copyright 1990-2009 David M. Roomes.