Bandorion

Bandorion (Elv. Safe Haven) is a small elven community perched at the tree-line of the northwest shoulder of Nimgarthiel, the central peak of Adlanna. The inhabitants of Bandorion are dedicated to raising their children within the natural cycles of life, and to the pursuit of those forms of artistic expression best explored through interaction with elements of their natural environs. Bandorion is one of the many elven villages following 'alternative' or aberrant lifestyles that are scattered over Adlanna.

Architecture

White marble ruins sit atop a ridge that juts out of the high-altitude foliage. They are partially overgrown with low-growing brush and luxurious creepers that snake their way through the grass from the forest edge a hundred feet below the site. There are no intact roofs, and few fragments of wall stand above waist-height. There are several sites where large stone blocks lie at odd angles around smaller oblong depressions, where smaller blocks have been 'quarried' and taken away. While several of the piles of white marble are almost unrecognisable as buildings (apart from the sharp right-angles of the stones), one building is kept almost clear of the undergrowth, and several broken columns standing over 15 feet high remain upright, surrounding a paved area, and a large engraved stone block. Not only the top, but also every side, of this massive marble slab is covered with engravings. The engravings are part sweeping curves and geomancy symbols, part densely labelled inscriptions and numerical tables.

People

All the inhabitants of Bandorion (apart from the ubiquitous and curious animals, who are irregular companions, continual nuisances, and a ready food source), are elves, but none are over 500 years old. They appear to age in a mortal fashion, showing signs of ageing from 300 onwards, and slowly growing more frail and losing their vigour over the next one to two hundred years.

They refer to trees and rocks as their deceased companions, brief investigations imply their spirits reside within the land until they are reborn.

While there are at least several dozen inhabitants, they include:

Morohtar

Tattooist who can read and alter people's nature through patterns on their skin; father of Beriogelir. Probably Celestial Lunar (Dark).

Beriogelir

Empathic poet who can capture memories in lyrics, and conjure emotions; father of Linwyn. Celestial Lunar (Dark).

Haeronwen

Trainer of songbirds through selective breeding of predators. Bard.

Lothroniel

Stone-sculptor who only uses running water to shape her works; lover of Lalaithion. Earth Mage.

Lalaithion

Singer of the sounds of nature, who charms rocks and moves rivers in their courses; lover of Lothroniel. Earth Mage.

Sidhion

Twin of Sidhiel, child of Haeronwen, in his twenties, and completely mischievous and puckish; very pixie-like. Probably a trainee Earth Mage.

Sidhiel

Twin of Sidhion, child of Haeronwen, in her twenties, and completely mischievous and puckish; very pixie-like. Probably a trainee Earth Mage.

Balanidhren

One of the oldest and most respected inhabitants of Bandorion. Performed the invocation of Orias.

Art

Bandorion can be regarded as a living gallery of art. Many of the local animals, birds, and plants are artworks in their own right, along with various pieces of landscape, weather patterns, and the more conventional artworks such as the sculpture series 'Descent into Madness'. Of course there are also virtuoso performances of drama, dance, music, oratory, etc. by the elves, although more conventionally trained aesthetes may not be able to detect where household chores end and fine art begins.

Religion

The Bandorion elves are worshippers of all the glories of Nature, but particularly the Sun, Moon, and Stars, with whom they commune regularly at their 'temple' of cleared stone. One of the spirits that they commune with is the Moon Goddess Orias. They cannot be pacted, as their souls are bound to the land; nor are they interested in worship, although they do treat the various powers as artistic muses, sources of common-sense, and as shoulders to cry on.

Initial Information

There is a putative elven civilisation, settlement, or coven somewhere on or near the southern continent. The likely area has been narrowed down to a 4,000 mile circle drawn in purple crayon by an insane amnesiac drug addict helped by multiple astrologers, based on the phase of the moon and a bracelet she pulled out of a pile of whitefire ashes.

This article is 100% rumour, 80% true, 60% relevant, 40% accurate, 20% dependable and 0% guaranteed.

Likely Inhabitants

• Beriogelir: an elf called The Corrupter by his 'in-laws' (the family of his child's mother).
• Unidentified (deceased): A highly skilled elven fighter and possible Lunar Celestial, killed in Ranke city.
• Unidentified: an elven Grandfather, father of Beriogelir.
• Unidentified: a dark, brooding master tattooist, possibly one of the above figures.
• Overly-identified: (missing) A stroppy young chit who mainly lives with her Alfheim mother.
• A harem?
• Someone who does the cooking, laundry and washing up?
• At least thirteen inhabitants in total.

Culture

They appear to follow the Elven Custodial Laws, and tattoo some of their children. They are not respected by at least some elements of the Alfheim courts.

Religion and Magic

They have been accused of being evil Lunar Celestials - that is, those who gain their power during the New Moon, possibly through the taint left on the Celestial college during the War of Tears (see Lost Celestial Branches). At least one of them has been seen carrying a Lunar Celestial invested.