Editing Setting:Unified Setting/Londerfell (section)

=Vanawil=
Homeland of the [[Setting:Unified Setting/Sidhe|Sidhe]], a race that takes second-place only to doobies in reminding others how awesome they are. They are the longest-lived people (since the extinction of the draconians) and can live up to 300 years. That gives them a lot of time to practice and even their detractors admit they can be very, very good at what they do.

Encouraging this is their government, which while opaque to outsiders can be described as Roman Empire-esque. Every citizen is expected to improve themselves and perfect their skills in order to create a stronger state. Naturally prone to obsession the elves undertake self-improvement with a vengeance. Elves who devote themselves to a field can create works of awesome beauty. Even dwarves will grudgingly admit that the product of an elf craftsman is adequate. Other races will pay any price to obtain such a work, though whether it is worth it is a matter of much debate.

Visitors to Vanawil speak with hushed tones of the elven homeland. Modifying both nature and their own race to live in harmony they have few cities, but those are filled with works of breathtaking beauty and dedication. The ethos that if something is worth doing it is worth doing to perfection infuses all of eleven culture, including the art of killing. Stories of invincible elven swordsmen are common and even pros treat a trained elven soldier with caution. However their reputation has been dimmed of late.

Vanawil was one of the main nations threatened by the [[sergal]] expansion under General Rain. Sidhe forces were one of the first to take to the field to contain what had once been scattered tribes, little better than gnolls. While winning several victories against terrible odds, the Vanawil forces found themselves outmaneuvered. General Rain forced several decisive engagements that left Vanawl reeling and exposed, forcing them to sue for peace. Focused on her southern front, Rain let the elves off easy, asking only for a non-aggression pact. Vanawil signed, despite the humiliation of being forced to use the name "Bay of Rain" in all copies of the treaty and the consumption of their ambassador.

The non-aggression pact with the Sergals remains intact and is renewed regularly, though both sides of the border have been increasingly militarized. Vanawil also faces pressure from Zirnitraog to their east, who regularly set up illegal mining or logging operations on islands belonging to Vanawil. The drow are unrepentant, claiming navigational error or the actions of a rogue house. The elves are even facing pressure from the normally isolationist dwarf fortresses of Everoc. Many of the older fortresses have tapped out existing resources and are loathe to dig deeper, citing vague dangers. They are looking for places to expand and neighboring Vanawil is tops on their list. So far this pressure consists of dwarven visitors loudly commenting "Got a lot of magma here do you? A dwarf could do a lot with that." but the elves feel the insult of a veiled threat.

But then again, elves are seemingly insulted by everybody. As the longest-lived race, with the oldest continuous civilization they hold grudges far beyond what anyone else would consider reasonable. Their antagonism with dwarves can be traced to a short shipment of barrel hoops and nails from six centuries ago. Most races ignore their general butt-hurt at the world and chalk it up to elvish temperament. The only race that returns the hostility are the goblins who insist the elves can confirm their ridiculous, self-aggrandizing legends but refuse to do so because of some moral failing in the distant past.

Vanawill citizens seldom have to deal with outsiders though. Instead they spend their time perfecting their garden homeland. Undisputed masters of life magic (since the passing of the draconians) they frequently modify wildlife to be more intelligent, docile and useful to better suit their needs. Making such experiments easier is the nearby presence of the Water Forest, which provides a convenient dumping ground for failed efforts.

Their reputation also brings hundreds of pilgrims every year, seeking treatment for disease or injury that can't be cured anywhere else.

If elves aren't currently using magic to improve their own offspring, they certainly did in the past. Suggesting this is a good way of getting an elf angry, as is using the name Bay of Rain, mentioning how the sergals kicked their ass or how they still aren't equal to the draconians.