T'aquar (Closed)

[Maeve]

This is the legendary adhiel kingdom on the Terra West continent in the deep magickal forest, trying to survive between Orcs and Oneists with incursions of the Nether on their doorstep. Amidst all the darkness the adhiel try to live their life of balance and harmony.

[Maeve]

The Weald of T’aquar

“I have never seen such a place unimaginable… I have seen the desert dunes of Amun Rah with its giants and veiled women dancing under the golden rays of the desert sun. I have seen the Palacial Court of the Citadel, its women tittering with colorful silks, the architectures grand and majestic. But never have I seen such chaste place, such virginal place, so serene, alive and quiet all at the same time. I am at peace here.

I do not know the time of day, for the leaves and foliages of the trees hide the blue sky, sending small ray of sun beams around me, crisscrossing that I feel like I am caged in a golden web-like dream. The forest is quiet… Too quiet. Afar, I could hear the trickling of a brook, the leaves around me rustling with the soft forest breeze and although I am lost, I do not care, for it would be better to be lost within the grandiose beauty surrounding me.

This forest is like a maze, a labyrinth, I have been lost for three days now since I set my foot from the River Runya. My Adhiel guide left me on the first day, so silent was his footfall that I did not know I was treading alone along the dry-covered leaf soil of the forest. It must have been half a mark when I suddenly realized that I was lost, alone with my horse and the crying of an eagle above me. It is a dark rainforest, so vast and lush that I have seen so many creatures that I have never seen before. I have passed small, remote villages of Adhiels, and although there were amicable, they were somewhat aloof so I had to plod along with my horse, and plod along I did.”

--Excerpted from, The Accounts of the Travels of Faustinus to T’aquar
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Southern Weald of T’aquar [Entrance from King’s Court]

The forest realm of Tel Aranae Quessir was alive: bounded by dense, tangled woods where the trees grew high and thick and nearly impassable, closing around trespassers so quickly, as if confusing them and twisting their paths that a traveler might find one’s self miles away where they entered. The Weald of T’aquar stood proudly since the dawn of time, its trees old, the very forest dark and unwelcoming for those who were not used to the woods. It could be silent sometimes, dead silent, and the leaves on the trees completely covering the sky that one could be lost within a flicker of a moment or sometimes, it could be alive with forested creatures, trickling brooks and rivers and rustling leaves. Small villages and isolated dwellings can be seen dotting along this forest. The Weald was so vast that it could expanse anything inside it: teeming with life of all manner from magickal to mundane, some might be a creature from the legends of time and dreams, and some, might be a creature that would be your death.

From the lake of Mere de la Lune, a river crept northward, passing between Brie and King’s Court. This was the main river of T’aquar, the River Awyl. Most travel and commerce took place on this river and various waterways that have been Shaped by the Adhiels. From the mouth of the Awyl, the ‘gateway’ to the forest begins, snaking along inside the Southern Weald and joining the River Runya at the Center Part of the Weald surrounding the once Capital of T’aquar, Taloh Tel Amrun. Small Adhiel villages and communities could be found doting around this Southern Weald, they were more amicable than the Northern communities for they had more nodding acquaintances with the human settlers of the south.
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Western Weald of T’aquar [Entrance from Le Bois De Noir]

The forest realm of Tel Aranae Quessir was alive: bounded by dense, tangled woods where the trees grew high and thick and nearly impassable, closing around trespassers so quickly, as if confusing them and twisting their paths that a traveler might find one’s self miles away where they entered. The Weald of T’aquar stood proudly since the dawn of time, its trees old, the very forest dark and unwelcoming for those who were not used to the woods. It could be silent sometimes, dead silent, and the leaves on the trees completely covering the sky that one could be lost within a flicker of a moment or sometimes, it could be alive with forested creatures, trickling brooks and rivers and rustling leaves. Small villages and isolated dwellings can be seen dotting along this forest. The Weald was so vast that it could expanse anything inside it: teeming with life of all manner from magickal to mundane, some might be a creature from the legends of time and dreams, and some, might be a creature that would be your death.

This part of the Weald had always been a perilous one. Border Patrol Guards along the western perimeters of Le Boise Noir were closely guarded more than ever against the resurgent raids of the Orcs, with its perilous, murky swamplands that seemed to grow, slowly eating away the woodland and forest nearby with more and more orcs.
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Eastern Weald of T’aquar [Entrance from Sabata & Terra Incognita]

The forest realm of Tel Aranae Quessir was alive: bounded by dense, tangled woods where the trees grew high and thick and nearly impassable, closing around trespassers so quickly, as if confusing them and twisting their paths that a traveler might find one’s self miles away where they entered. The Weald of T’aquar stood proudly since the dawn of time, its trees old, the very forest dark and unwelcoming for those who were not used to the woods. It could be silent sometimes, dead silent, and the leaves on the trees completely covering the sky that one could be lost within a flicker of a moment or sometimes, it could be alive with forested creatures, trickling brooks and rivers and rustling leaves. Small villages and isolated dwellings can be seen dotting along this forest. The Weald was so vast that it could expanse anything inside it: teeming with life of all manner from magickal to mundane, some might be a creature from the legends of time and dreams, and some, might be a creature that would be your death.

The Eastern Weald near the Howling Ice Mountains was another matter. Home to the ruined fort of M'oibh Eort and the most isolated part of T’aquar. Sightings of dragons in the mountains were not unusual and other strange and twisted beasts and creatures were often rumored to originate from. Patrol Guards were ever alert and attentive when patrolling these parts.
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Northern Weald of T’aquar [Entrance from the Northern Sea]

The forest realm of Tel Aranae Quessir was alive: bounded by dense, tangled woods where the trees grew high and thick and nearly impassable, closing around trespassers so quickly, as if confusing them and twisting their paths that a traveler might find one’s self miles away where they entered. The Weald of T’aquar stood proudly since the dawn of time, its trees old, the very forest dark and unwelcoming for those who were not used to the woods. It could be silent sometimes, dead silent, and the leaves on the trees completely covering the sky that one could be lost within a flicker of a moment or sometimes, it could be alive with forested creatures, trickling brooks and rivers and rustling leaves. Small villages and isolated dwellings can be seen dotting along this forest. The Weald was so vast that it could expanse anything inside it: teeming with life of all manner from magickal to mundane, some might be a creature from the legends of time and dreams, and some, might be a creature that would be your death.

Home to the Ancient City, Kes’Levy, this part of the Weald is the most isolated and remote with almost no communications from the outside realm. Here, the forest was thicker and denser, taller and older. The River Levy snaked along the Northern Part right through the City of Kes’Levy and spilling into the Northern Sea. Small farms, villages and ancient ruined castles and forts could be found here, along with mythical beasts and rare floras and faunas. One could even found a tribe of peaceful Orcs who worships She Who Gave Birth To Everything, or a fort of Adhiel Monks living harmoniously with nature.
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Central Weald of T’aquar

The forest realm of Tel Aranae Quessir was alive: bounded by dense, tangled woods where the trees grew high and thick and nearly impassable, closing around trespassers so quickly, as if confusing them and twisting their paths that a traveler might find one’s self miles away where they entered. The Weald of T’aquar stood proudly since the dawn of time, its trees old, the very forest dark and unwelcoming for those who were not used to the woods. It could be silent sometimes, dead silent, and the leaves on the trees completely covering the sky that one could be lost within a flicker of a moment or sometimes, it could be alive with forested creatures, trickling brooks and rivers and rustling leaves. Small villages and isolated dwellings can be seen dotting along this forest. The Weald was so vast that it could expanse anything inside it: teeming with life of all manner from magickal to mundane, some might be a creature from the legends of time and dreams, and some, might be a creature that would be your death.

Home to the Capital City, Taloh Tel Amrun, The River Awyl branched from the Lake of Mere de la Lune to the River of Runya circling along the abandoned capital. Here, the forest was silent, dark and brooding and the claw marks could be seen from the trunks of the old trees. Dead and burned trees could be seen around as well and the faint rotting waft could be smelled wafting around the air, as if an eternal miasma loomed upon the air. At night, the forest was covered with thick mist, groans and howls could be heard and the ever presence of being watched could be felt.

[Maeve]

The Haunted City

Legend has it that when Atara Arda, The Mother, gave birth to Tazlure, She took a single seed from her womb and planted it at the center of the world, Taloh Tel’ Amrun, the first thing ever planted. Ages passed like water gushing under the bridge of time and the People of the First Nation, the chosen people of The Mother, the Adhiels, tended that single seed until it grew so immense that Her people called it blessed and so did the Nation of the First People. They were blessed as long as the Hallowed Tree of the Mother remained standing. And since the dawn of time, Taloh Tel’ Amrun has been the capital city of the Nation of the First People, it stood majestically. Taloh flourished like a rose in the midst of weeds, a place of truth and beauty, the center of Tazlure under the guidance of the Avatar of the Mother, The government of Tari and its Druid Shapers.

But such majesty and blessedness would never remain hallowed as long as there were follies in the hearts of men and adhiels alike.

Taloh Tel’ Amrun, the center of Tazlure, is now a city in ruin, a proverbial ghost town, inhabited predominantly by undead, they have risen from their mass graves or wherever they fell. Not just adhiels, but creatures of the area as well: birds, forest creatures, livestock, orcs, all walking dead. The city, a hostile ruin of what it once was. Any who would stumble upon the city found it damaged almost beyond repair. The iron-wood tree dwellings charred black, everything had been burned to the ground, and clawmarks from the demon dogs that terrorized the city that Night of the Great Conflagration could be found almost everywhere, the burnt smell still lingered in the air and could be suffocating. The Hallowed Temple Tree corrupted and twistedly shaped that the poison has spread into the forest as well, hence the increasing number of hideous and bizarre creatures now found in the area.

This was now the city of the Nether and Blayvanna, the Deamoness of Chaos was the Mistress from what once the Palace Throne of the Tari.

-- Holy Un’Vhien ‘uth Xecra, Priest of Illuminatus

[Maeve]

The Flea Market of Kes'Levy

“Come here, come all, you’ll get everything here!”

The flea market, located near the Rootlet Quay and just between the Temple Tree of the Mother and the Elegant Tree Palace of the Tari, was a place where vendors come to sell their goods. They were usually inexpensive and range in quality depending on several factors which might include from kitchenware, food, to clothes, clothing apparel and jewelry that came from urban or rural location ranging from the Seven Isles to the backwaters of Roque d’Ancourt. Men, women and children moved freely about the market. Stalls, booths and tents could be seen everywhere and they were filled with goods and trades and various tree shops had all their doors opened with many people going in and out of them.

“What you lack, you will find it here!”

Hawkers were everywhere, seducing the customers with their fine goods and wares, sometimes tugging and leading persons unaware to their stalls and declaiming with their loudest voice that their goods was the bestest in Tazlure. Carts were being moved as well between the traffic of the people and the Border Patrol Guards could be seen moving along comfortably and mingling amiably with the community of Kes’Levy and the general air of trade and industry could be felt flittering in the air.

“Come here, come all, you’ll get everything here, and if you can’t, it hasn’t been invented yet!”

[Maeve]

The Rootlet Quay

From the cold, calm, blue waters of the northern sea, sea-farers and fishermen could see the looming two figures that formed the Port of Kes'Levy: The Temple Tree of the Mother and the Palacial Iron-Wood Tree of the Tari.

What framed the wharf and docks of Kes'Levy were the enormous twisting roots from the thundering Iron-Trees that formed the Palace of the Tari and the Temple of the Mother. Those two colossal Iron-Wood trees located at the north of the city rose above the normal trees and their roots dipped from the city and crawled their emanse roots to the northern sea.

There were several minor roots forming small piers and wharves suitable for the citizens of Kes'Levy to suit their fishing livelihood. Everyday, those fishermans hauled their day to day catch from their small fishing vessels and brought them to the small wet market ground between the Iron-Wood Tree of Temple of the Mother and the palacial Tree of the Tari. Additionally, those main colossal roots from the Temple Tree and the Palace Tree formed the major quays of the Port of Kes'Levy. The Major Quay Roots served as the main business and tardes of the city.

Unlike the ports of Human cities, the sea waters of Kes'Levy were clean. Druid-Shapers and citizens alike tended the marine and corral life of the sea that even sea creatures such as dolphins and sea otters were familiar sight of the Quay. Indeed, the citizens of Kes'Levy had harmonized with the balance of nature.

[Maeve]

Silentipechtus' Contraptions & Whatnot Shop

Silentipechtus was a gnome like no any other gnome. He had been to many places, seen more than a gazillion faces and he carried his olden years with such precise, gentle manner that no one could think him shrewish or senile. Most people who had met him found him quite a droll and polite with such amiable manner that people would, after having met him, would say to themselves, "What an amusing and polite manner he has." And truth be told, small old, Silentipechtus found himself sought not only by his educated peers, of which he thinks highly of, but by the normal citizens of Kes'Levy.

Now, few knew anything about the past of this amiable, old gnome. It was a few yahrens ago, perhaps three or so, that this small gnome stumbled upon the coast of Kes'Levy with his small boat, which to the wonders of the small community of the city, was moving without any sails. Surefooted, Old Silentipechtus, with his strange robe, spectacles and tousled silvery hair, stepped out of his small, steam boat and beamed proudly at the small community gathered around him at the Rootlet Quay of the city and declared with his gnomish tongue, "One small step for gnomes, one giant step for gnomishkind!"

The small citizen of Kes'Levy, never having seen such wondrous mechanism nor having heard of such tongue spoken, looked at each other in utter perplexion until they all shrugged and gave the small, old gnome a round of applause, which, the Old Silentipechtus took with such relish that he almost patted himself at the back, much pleased with himself.

Seasons passed, as was its normal course, and Old Silentipechtus found himself staying, contented with the tedious and provincial life of Kes'Levy, for you see, he was old, and he found himself wishing for a normal life: inventing things, catching up with his books, and mixing alchemical and formulaec potions, and Kes'Levy was the perfect spot for him, and thus, he set up shop, using his steamboat, pulling it himself from the shore of the city with such intricasies of pulleys, levers and trajectories that he was able to move the steamboat from the shore into the forest city of Kes'Levy with no sweat and set up shop near the River of Levy, just east of the city, inventing a huge river mill as his power source and the steam boat as his house and shop.

Satisfied, Old Silentipechtus opened his workshop, naming it "Silentipechtus' Contraptions and Whatnot Shop" and almost everyone attended the opening in which, the old gnomish inventor, all prepped up, showed his inventions to the small community of Kes'Levy and all agreed that the Old Gnome was a genius and quite the polite and well-mannered person that he was. Afterwards, the usual din of faint bangs, explotions and steams could be heard from his steam boat workshop and his door was always open to his customers with his customary greetings of:

"Come in, come in, what can Silentipechtus invent for you, this fine day?"

[Maeve]

[Kes’Levy] The Tree of Shaping and Runya Athenaeum

"Nature is a great power to behold and one must tread lightly or be bitten."

Those were the words that could be seen etched upon the entrance arch-way of the Tree of Shaping of Kes'Levy which held the Library of Runya. It rose majestically with the three other Great Iron trees: The Shrine Tree of the Mother, The Tree of the Tari and the Fortress Tree of the Emerald Guard. Its branches covered the great expanse of the south-western part of Kes'Levy, its leaves slowly falling like rain upon the citizens of the small city on the ground.

The School of Shaping was the Iron-Tree itself, inside the immense, hollowed, three-tiered tree held the rooms and corridors of learning Nature, it house Master Shapers, all clad in green robes, moving along silently along the winding or straight corridors of the Scholastic Tree while the apprentice druid shapers, clad in their brown robes moved along, sometimes talking with the Master Shapers of what they have learned on the secrets and lore of shaping Nature. The first floor of the Shaping Tree were for the rooms of teaching and learning, the mess-hall could be found here as well while the second floor of the Tree house the rooms for the Masters and Apprentices while the third floor was for the Library of Runya where the history and lore of Tazlure were found and was meticulously guarded by the Ancient, Adhiel Priest of Aurelius, Holy Un'Vhien 'uth Xecra.

From the arched-entrance of the Shaping Tree was a short corridor, its bark wall were tapestries, paintings and engraved pictures of nature on its full glory and green glowing moss could be seen hanging from the wall. At the end of the corridor was a winding stairways that went up to the second floor and beside it was majestic double door towards the inner sanctum of the Shaping School.

[Maeve]

[Kes'levy] Emerald Guard Quarters
Located towards the center of Kes'Levy lies the great ironwood that houses the Emerald Guard Barracks. It is the largest of a cluster of trees that form a crescent around an area that the shapers of Kes'levy have transformed into their training grounds.

The barracks is divided into smaller sections each serving a specific function. There are the sleeping quarters for the trainees and lower ranking officers. There is also the quartermaster's office and cooresponding reception area. Classrooms for studies are also located here. Students study everything including from astronomy to theology, as well as some magicks.

At the entrance to the barracks are two Emerald Guard on patrol. The guards work in shifts and everyday, three times a day there is a small changing of the guard ceremony in which the guards coming on duty relieve the standing guards. It is a tradition that dates back many many yahren.

[Maeve]

[Kes'Levy] Temple of the Mother
Just as in Taloh, the largest known temple is the Temple to the Mother, this vast and round place shaped from a single tree is the northernmost part of the city and dedicated primarily to the Goddess various aspects. It houses priests and priestesses as well as acolytes who come to study religion, healing and many types of magic.

It is divided in levels according to the three phases of the Mother. The first level, or main level to which the entrance is located is dedicated to the aspect of the maiden. Here many bright colors are found in the mosaics on the floor as well as colors of the room.

Above the main level is the section of the temple dedicated to the aspect of the mother. More themed with birth and sexuality than the main level. This is level also functions as a sort of hospital for expactant mothers. When a mother is in labor she can be brought here to deliver her children. It is the largest of the three levels.

The third level of the temple is actually located under the first level of the temple below the ground. This level is dedicated to the aspect of the crone, or matron. Here those who worship the darker aspects of the mother can be found. Many of the older scrolls and parchments can be found as wisdom and knowledge are the focus here.

[Maeve]

The Floating Willow Inn

It floated alone along the tidal shore of Kes’Levy, a proud, towering figure that stood defiantly against the backdrop of the encroaching surge of the sea, a lone figure under the canopies of the domed sky. This lofty mangrove tree dipped its stiltlike roots along the bosom of the sea, its branches lifted upward, as if opening its arms towards the heavenly father. This was a place where mischance happenings might occur, a place where food, drink and fun go hand in hand. It was a place where one could relax and enjoy, hear a musical ballad of an elven minstrel and simply take pleasure with the uncomplicated life of the province. Elven wines and foods were sampled, from the delicate Moonshine wine to the hardest drink of the dwarves, it was a magical, elven place of its own, a willow floating solitudely, a place known as… The Floating Willow Tree.

It would only need a patron of the edifice a single banner to ferry him from the busy port of Kes’Levy to the single mangrove tree of the Willow and back. He would be carried slowly in an elven canoe from the port by Khar’Ione the ferryman, whistling jauntily as he poled his customers across the seawater towards the Willow Tree port from the stern of his boat

The edifice was a two-story tree and Inside the Floating Willow Tree was a world unto its own, filled with melodic adhiel music, drinks and exotic food. Spheroid paper lanterns filled with glowing moss adorned the main chamber, basking the spacious room with warm lights for entertainment and relaxation. A small stage stood at the middle of the room wherein an elven bard busily strumming his lute, his baritone voice wafting around the air under the tune of his melodic music. Surrounding the stage were low circular wooden tables and cushions and pillows for chairs. At the far corner was a double-door that led to the kitchen and beside it was a bar carved from the tree itself and Nephe’line, the adhiel barmistress, was busily polishing the bar and giving drinks to her customers. There was a mezzanine as well for private discussions and simple personal relaxation with the full view of the main hall while second story was for lodging where the mistresses of the Inn kept the rooms clean and tidy.