The Silvanost


	Silvanost. From the Past to the Future The ancient land of Silvanesti took its name from the elven patriarch Silvanos who drove out the dragons and settled there. Unlike the dwarves, whose homelands were hewed out of lifeless stone, the elves knew their city must be built of living things - trees and living granite. And unlike men who felled forests to build their cities, the Silvanesti elves (as they came to be called), shaped the trees and rock of the woods into exquisite and useful forms. Elven civilization, he announced, would be built on the needs of the individual and family. He proposed a communal democracy, in which all worked according to their ability and received according to their need. And every family would have a voice in the government of the land.The many elf families unified for the first time, swearing an oath of allegiance to Silvanos. Balif, son of the second largest family, was made Silvanos's lieutenant. The city of Silvanost, capital of the proud nation, Silvanesti, was the creation of elves and nature together. Perhaps this harmonious life with nature allowed Silvanost to become the oldest surviving city in Ansalon.


	Retrospect The history of Silvanost keeps a lot of stories about amazing events and battles full of blood and pain. The First Dragon War involved only the elves, who battled to pry the dragons from Silvanesti. Elves allied to drive dragons from their chosen lands, but the opposition was fierce. Lord Silvanos and his lieutenant Balif rallied the elves, uniting them against their common foe. The three gods of magic gifted the elves with five magical stones, which captured the dragons' spirits. The elves buried these stones deep in the tallest mountains of the land. Silvanesti could take a short rest, but not very long. The dwarves found the five magical dragon stones covered with runes and glowing with magical might that the elves had buried deep in the Khalkist Mountains after the First Dragon War. Distrustful of all magic, the dwarves mined the five stones and brought them to the surface to remove all taint of the wild force from their home. Soon, minions of Takhisis had found the stones and reunited them with the stony bodies of the dragons whose spirits they held. The dragons awoke and struck south at Silvanesti. Accompanied by great armies of lizard people, the dragons ravaged the land. When the days grew dark and short for Silvanost, three elven wild mages banded together to drive off the dragons. Standing at the Tower of the Sun, these novice wild talents awakened the magic of land and sky - so much so that the very elements rebelled against the dragons. They called upon the gods for help. The brother-gods of magic heard the cry. With their power, they seized the tower and removed it from the face of Krynn, setting it in a higher plane. Thus, the tower became the Lost Citadel and the three mages became the founders of the Orders of High Sorcery. The brother-gods seized the five runestones they had given to the elves centuries earlier. They hurled the stones into the sky so that the dark dragons could never again awaken. There, the stones became the five eyes of the Dark Queen's five-headed constellation. Time past and the world lost Silvanos, the founder of civilization. Silvanos was laid to rest in a crystal tomb and his son Sithel assumed leadership of the elven nations. But Sithel would never have the patience and tolerance of his father. He heralded the beginning of elven disdain for the other races of the world. Border relations became strained among humans, half-elves, elves. Sithel's greatest gift to the world was the birth of his twin sons, Sithas and Kith-Kanan. The next event was the Kinslayer War. A terrible war between elves and humans erupted. Halfelves were caught between. Kith-Kanan, the younger of the twin sons of Sithel, was asked to lead the Wildrunner border elves to protect the borders from incursions. Kith-Kanan maintained the peace for nearly a century. His patience and tolerance for humans, dwarves, and other races became renowned. Yet, when his father, Sithel, Speaker of the Stars, visited the frontier to sign a new peace pact, he was slain by humans who mistakenly shot at his stag mount. Sithas, the older of the twins, assumed command of the elven nation and declared war on Ergoth. Kith-Kanan was named general. Elves fell into battle against humans, with their half-elf brothers caught in the middle. This angry war scared the world for forty years. It was a period of long battles, vast interludes of retrenchment, starvation, disease, and death. But this war was ended with the Swordsheath scroll and lead to the founding of Qualinesti. The strong alliance between Kith-Kanan and the Dwarves of Thorbardin took place. Together they built Pax Tharkas as a monument to teamwork and alliances and whatnot.


	Silvanesti Betrayed Much much later was Lorac’s reign. This time the dragonarmies attacked Silvanesti's northern border. Losses were heavy on both sides. Elves lured their foe into ambush. Takhisis committed the rest of her troops to the battle and the forest border was ravaged. Supplies low, the elves retreated to Silvanost, where they stood a good chance of outlasting the siege. However, King Lorac of the Silvanesti had become enchanted by the Dragon Orb of Istar, an artifact he had rescued from the lost city before the Cataclysm. Lorac ordered the evacuation of Silvanesti. The elves fled in ships, heading for Solamnia and Qualinesti. On the last day of the year, the dragonarmies reached the edge of Silvanost. Then, Lorac commanded the Orb to destroy the dragons. When Lorac tried to use it, the spirit of the Dragonorb sensed his weakness and called Cyan Bloodbane to it. Cyan was the one who enslaved Lorac’s mind, showing him his daughter’s death thousands of time, and the demise of the land he loved. Cyan used Lorac’s empathy for his land to turn these nightmares to reality. The spirit only summoned Cyan, whereas it was Cyan and his hatred of the elves that corrupted Lorac and Silvanesti. The dragonarmy abandoned conquest of Silvanost, which had grown worthless and corrupt.


	Silvanost Nowadays Now came time of Silvanost resurrection. True Silvanesti elves have met and united with desire for reborn the Capital. The primary goal of the re-founded nation, at the moment, is to take back the land of Silvanesti. This involves defeating the evil haunting it, purging the remnants of it, restoring the destroyed forests... Another overall goal is to reform themselves as a true nation for all of elven blood, Silvanesti, Qualinesti, Kagonesti or half-elven. The magnificent ceremony initiated new age in Silvanost life. This is the appeal from Silvanesti to all races of Krynn: We, the Children of Light, Guardians of the Stars, do set forth this charter to lawfully govern our actions and beliefs in the realm of Krynn. With the grace of Paladine, we will achieve our goals; with the majesty of Habbakuk we will conduct ourselves in our relations; and with the justice of Kiri-Jolith we will administer Light to the nightmarish Darkness that threatens to consume all of Krynn. Silvanost has been reborn, a phoenix from the ashes, to pursue noble purposes. We wish to reclaim the lost city of Silvanost, including the surrounding forests, by purging it of evil and slaying Cyan Bloodbane, so that Lorac might be free once more to rejoin his kindred of Light. Only by learning from our past errors may we achieve this goal, and so Silvanost no longer follows an isolationist strategy: we will not discriminate against those of different birth or bloodline. Instead, we welcome with open arms all who have sylvan blood - our cousins, the Qualinesti and Kagonesti, as well as those of half-elven lineage, for they too have much to offer the Light. Additionally, Cyan Bloodbane will live in our memory and history as an example of pure, evil treachery - may we learn from this painful, bitter betrayal, so that such darkness does not blossom again in Silvanost.


	Silvanost politics Regarding the Cabals of the Land We of Silvanost recognize the need for diplomacy and shrewd calculation in these trying times, and so the following alliances and declarations of enmity have been established. Knights of Solamnia: We are at peace with the Solamnics, for they will help us to regain the forest and cleanse it of evil, with Paladine's grace and Kiri-Jolith's might. Warders of the Forest: While the Warders are primarily a neutral organization, we have allied with them for the purpose of cleansing the forest of evil, for they recognize the power of Habbakuk and Chislev in the battle against darkness. Knights of Takhisis and Entropy: These are our natural enemies, for they would happily destroy our city and all elvenkind. Entropy is not so much evil as simply lawless, and while we smile upon our good-aligned brethren in Entropy, Silvanost is a lawful, at worst neutral city. We cannot afford petty lawlessness when darkness threatens to swallow us all.. The Guardians and the Tower: These organizations are to be viewed on a case to case basis. We do not ally ourselves with Necromancers or Draconians, for example, but Light-following citizens we shall surely befriend. Regarding the Peoples of the Land A guide for those of Silvanost regarding the Peoples of Krynn, and how to deal with them on a general basis. Do note, however, that souls may shift, and so individual actions must be taken into account. Elves: All elves are to be welcomed into Silvanost, for their sylvan or qualinost blood is the fire and spark that drives us forward to liberate our people. Wild elves: Kagonesti brethren are to be approached cautiously, for they may follow the path of Chislev, neither light nor dark. Do not treat them as enemies, but rather careful companions, for even if they do not follow the Path of Starlight they may render their services to aid against the shadow. Half-elves: Despite their sylvan lineage, half-elves may be tainted by Darkness. To that end, one must be careful in their dealings with half-elves. If their goodness is established, they are the most loyal of allies, and should be treated with utmost respect. Humans: Unpredictable at best, humans are to be treated with careful diplomacy. Always be suspicious of their intentions, unless they are trained clerics or warriors of Light or members of Solamnia. Minotaurs and dwarves: Fiercely proud, these strong warriors are tempermental and ought to be viewed with caution. However, once their loyalty is won, minotaurs are passionate allies, to be counted among our friends. Dwarves too are noble warriors, though they may follow any path. While previously we have fought, the time comes to lay down our weapons and embrace dwarves as fellow combatants against darkness, provided their intentions are true. Again, proceed with caution. Gnomes and kenders: While both gnomes and kenders exude powerful curiousity, and this may make them count as enemies [ for they cannot quench their thirst for knowledge or items ], their childlike love of life renders them beloved of "Fizban." For that reason, love the kender and the gnome in your heart, but always keep one hand in your pocket and one eye on their actions. Dark elves and draconians: Outcasts of our society, dark-elves are the sworn enemies of Silvanost. Avoid them, if you cannot destroy them or redeem them, for they are a blight upon the Light and must be purged before our forests can be free. The same may be said of draconians, for they are mutations, warped visions of nature that must be wiped from Krynn. The Speaker of the Stars The Speaker of the Stars is to be elected democratically by all citizens currently aligned with the nation of Silvanost. If we are successful in liberating Lorac from the grip of Cyan Bloodbane, then another vote will be held between the Speaker of the Stars and Lorac, who is rightful Speaker by blood. The Speaker has the power to exile those who come under the sway of darkness; the right to ally with other cabals or to declare war; and to bestow honor upon those who protect and serve Silvanost with their blood and spirit. If the Speaker must depart the realms, or feels his/her death is imminent, he/she must alert the people, so that a proper burial and another election ceremony may be planned. The High Guard of Silvanost With divine aid, the High Guard is to be selected. There shall be only two High Guards, especially chosen to protect the Speaker. One shall be of physical prowess, while the other should master enchantment and healing. While the main purpose of the High Guard is to protect the Speaker, they shall surely aid other Silvanesti should the need arise. The Gods shall decide if other positions are necessary to facilitate the success of Silvanost.


	Silvanost Government Entrance the Sivanost's society is welcome. They always have souls wide opened to all, who feel the deep love to nation of Silvanost and desire to help in defending main goals of Silvanesti, in purging it of evil and darkness. National Alignment: Neutral Good (elves). Government: Monarchic and senatorial. The slogan of Silvanost is: "May divine inspiration smile upon us, as we venture out into the Land of Shadows to rescue those in Silvanost and indeed, anywhere! who have need of Light and Glory!"