The Sylvan Elves, also known as the Trewi, the Faire and as the Woodland Fae[1], are a playable faction in the game The 9th Age: Fantasy Battles. They are an elven ethnic group native to the Kingdom of Wyscan, in the great forest of Wyscan. They are also found in other forests around the world.
Part of the Sylvan Elves faction are also the Tree Spirits, living trees that both fight and live alongside the Trewi.
The Kingdom of Wyscan is ruled by Cadaron and Amryl, the Forest King and Queen, both supernal beings.
History[]
Main article: Elves
The Trewi are supposedly the oldest and truest elven civilization[1][2]. Like all elves, they trace their origins to the First Age, where they were slaves to the Saurians [3]. The slaves rebelled, supposedly lead by the elves. [4]
The elves made their home in the great forest (presumably Wyscan), we know this because later, many elves migrated out of the forest. Those that did became known as the Arandai. They built towns and towers in Vetia, and eventually built boats to conquer the rivers and the seas. They colonised Celeda Ablan and made it their home. [5]
The elves that remained in Vetia, in the forests, became the Trewi. [2]
The Arandai are said to have returned to Vetia at some point. When they did, they gave the dwarves logging rights of the forests. This upset the Trewi living there who retaliated against the dwarves. The dwarves saw this as a breach of agreement, and so animosity between all three factions was sparked. [5]
Geography[]
A map of Wyscan.
The Trewi people are centred in the Kingdom of Wyscan, but they do exist all around the world. Some are of different tribes and different cultures. The extent to which they are all connected is unknown. There are theories of the Trewi being able to travel great distances by magically linking their different realms. [6]
Wyscan[]
Main article: Wyscan
The forest of Wyscan lies north of the White Mountains, on the border between the Empire of Sonnstahl and the Kingdom of Equitaine. The river Gewache flows trough the forest. [7]
Landmarks[]
Wyscan in known for the following landmarks:
Religion[]
A Sylvan runestone.
Main article: Elven deities
The Trewi worship a pantheon of gods, presumably the same gods called the Holy Trinities worshipped by the other elven cultures. Their pantheon is lead by Amhair the Allfather[9] and Moritaur the Phantom Queen [10].
Economy[]
The Trewi are said to have rudimentary sort of economy. Supposedly they have no currency, and they do not barter. Instead, they trade in gifts. [6]
Government[]
The Kingdom of Wyscan is a monarchy, ruled by a pair of supernal beings, a king and queen. Most likely these are Cadaron, the Forest King and Amryl, the Forest Queen [11]. Supposedly there is some sort of artefact in the heart of Wyscan that allows them to remain indefinitely in the Mortal Realm, but supplying them with power of the Immortal. Though sometimes they leave the forest, the King to go on hunts to collect trophies and the queen to tend her gardens around the world. When they do, they loose connection to this power source and are soon lost upon the Veil. Eventually they return, supposedly when summoned. [12]
There is no single source that specifically names Cadaron and Amryl as monarchs of Wyscan. However, one source names them as gods walking the earth as king and queen of the forests[11]. Another states that the king and queen of Wyscan are supernal beings, which descriptions that match that of Cadaron and Amryl, though never mentioning their names [12].
It also seems that the Kingdom of Wyscan has a sort of feudal system of governance. Many of the Lords and Ladies of the forest are said to answer directly to the king and queen of the forest. [13]
Culture[]
The Trewi are believed to make no distinction of gender within their society. They do have class system though, consisting of nobles, scholars and commoners. Some groups are said to live outside of the system though, such as the Blade Dancers and the Wild Huntsmen.[6]
Concept art of Sylvan architecture.
The Trewi are said to live very closely with nature. Their homes, called groves, are built with function, beauty and defence in mind. Supposedly are woven from live trees and clinging plants. Their Druids and scholars encourage the branches of the trees to develop into the desired shapes. Still alive, the buildings themselves are said to grow, the largest halls also being the oldest. [6]
The Blade Dancers of the Trewi have been compared to the bards of Equitaine. They are said to dance to convey information, stories, with skill that make it seem more real than any song can.[14] The Trewi have also been said to carry the oldest songs of the elven kin[12], yet are also said to have no written language [15]. It would seem that they have a strong tradition of oral storytelling, perhaps with the Blade Dancers acting as the storytellers, carrying on their history from generation to generation.
Tree spirits are part of the Sylvan Elf society. It is said that they usually are reclusive and keeps to themselves, but during festivities, such as the great Moot at the time of Waryba, they mingle with the elves.[16]
Military[]
The Trewi are said to not be warlike in their nature. [17]
A Sylvan Archer and Dryad.
The sources about the Sylvan Elves military seldom use the names of the units as they are called in the game of The 9th Age: Fantasy Battle (which are also used on this wiki). Instead they are mostly talked about in groups of their military service. Unless otherwise specified, green texts in this section specify the names of the units part of these groups. The source for this information is v1.0.0 of T9A:FB Sylvan Elves, which contained the rules of the units in each section of background.
Sylvan Militia[]
The Sylvans are said to have a standing militia [18].
The militia consists of Sylvan Archers and Heath Riders.
Protectors of the Woods[]
Some of the Trewi choose to devote themselves to the protection of their kin, these take up the spear to become members of the Forest Guard. These act as respected guards in the halls of the lords, peacekeepers in the groves and as spear walls on the battlefield. In their role as peacekeepers they uphold the unwritten laws of the forest, which keep them somewhat excluded from society. [17]
Some of the Forest Guard choose to forsake the spear and instead take up the glaive, becoming instead a Forest Ranger. These Trewi leave their groves to stand guard over the most dangerous parts of their forest. They are the first line of defence against invasions, and must hold the enemy back while the rest of the sylvan military gathers. They act as the anchor for the battle line when the Trewi fight outside of their forests. [17]
Eyes in the Wind[]
From the archers of the militia, the best ones are chosen to become Sentinels. These are trained as monster hunters and guerrilla fighters. They use poison to coat the tips of their arrows. The sentinels are also known as ultimate survivalists and masters of the forest world, who use their skills as hunters to benefit their kin.[18]
The most adapt and skilled of the sentinels can in turn be asked to join a band of Pathfinders. These live nomadic lives, far from the Trewi society, yet are highly respected when they do make an appearance. Theya re said to be epitome of silent death from afar. [18]
Kestrel Knights[]
The Kestreal Knights are a class of knights among the Trewi who favour airborne steeds. [19]
Tree Spirits[]
Main article: Tree Spirits
Tree Spirits are tree-like beings, sometimes described in appearance as a as fusion of elf and forest [20]. Sometimes, the tree spirits are used in war, fighting alongside the Trewi [1] [21].
Magic Use[]
The Trewi, like other elves, have a natural affinity for magic, they use magic to speak to the land around them [22]. They also use it to shape nature, slowly turning trees into homes and buildings [6]. Another common usage is to travel large distances in moments, through the means of a mysterious mist. [23]
The forests of the Trewi are said to have spells older than time cast upon them. Spells that stop the passage of seasons to create glades and groves of eternal spring. [23]
In battle, a magic users of the Trewi are to use spells to confound their foes. Causing hallucination or even driving them to suicide. They also cause their foes to perceive the passage of time at a slower rate. They can also summon the fury of a mother bear defending her cubs, [23]
The Druids of the Sylvan Elves have access to the following paths:
The magic using Tree Spirits have access to the following paths:
- Divination
- Druidism
Sources[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Faction info from T9A Webpage
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Jorge Zamoran; An account of the peoples, nations and monsters which inhabit the world: Sylvan Elves (T9A:FB Rulebook, v1.3.5, p138)
- ↑ The World Hymn: The 1st Age (T9A:FB Rulebook, v1.3.5, p126)
- ↑ Jorge Zamoran; An account of the peoples, nations and monsters which inhabit the world: Elves (T9A:FB Rulebook, v1.3.5, p138)
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Account by Rodomonte (The 9th Scroll, issue 9, p21)
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Informative text about the Sylvan Elves (The 9th Scroll, issue 8, p20)
- ↑ Meradus Gercator (962 A.S.) Map of the Lands and People of the 9th Age (T9A:FB Rulebook, v1.3.5, p125)
- ↑ Mathys Dufour (957 A.S.) Tales of the Fey - Tome 1: Beneath the Boughs, an account by Thomas the Bard: Sylvan Enchanters (T9A:FB Sylvan Elves, v0.202.2, p14)
- ↑ Emerentius (907 A.S.) A Study of the Gods: The Allfather (T9A:FB Sylvan Elves, v0.202.2, p9)
- ↑ Emerentius (907 A.S.) A Study of the Gods: The Phantom Queen (T9A:FB Sylvan Elves, v0.202.2, p14)
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Emerentius (907 A.S.) A Study of the Gods: Earthly Descendants (T9A:FB Sylvan Elves, v0.202.2, p19)
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Account from a Highborn journal (The 9th Scroll, issue 8, p20)
- ↑ Mathys Dufour (956 A.S.) Tales of the Fey - Tome 1: Beneath the Boughs, an account by Thomas the Bard: Lords of the Forest (T9A:FB Sylvan Elves, v0.202.2, p12)
- ↑ Mathys Dufour (957 A.S.) Tales of the Fey - Tome 1: Beneath the Boughs, an account by Thomas the Bard: Blade Dancers (T9A:FB Sylvan Elves, v0.202.2, p23)
- ↑ Interview with Sigmund Selig, the Great Sage, seventh session (The 9th Scroll, issue 17, p10)
- ↑ Mathys Dufour (956 A.S.) Tales of the Fey - Tome 1: Beneath the Boughs, an account by Thomas the Bard: Elven Steeds (T9A:FB Sylvan Elves, v0.202.2, p32)
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 Mathys Dufour (957 A.S.) Tales of the Fey - Tome 1: Beneath the Boughs, an account by Thomas the Bard: Protectors of the Woods (T9A:FB Sylvan Elves, v0.202.2, p17)
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 Mathys Dufour (957 A.S.) Tales of the Fey - Tome 1: Beneath the Boughs, an account by Thomas the Bard: Eyes in the Wind (T9A:FB Sylvan Elves, v0.202.2, p18)
- ↑ Mathys Dufour (957 A.S.) Tales of the Fey - Tome 1: Beneath the Boughs, an account by Thomas the Bard: Kestrel Knights (T9A:FB Sylvan Elves, v0.202.2, p20)
- ↑ Thomas the Bard (919 A.S.) A tale of the summer of 894 A.S. (T9A:FB Sylvan Elves, v0.202.2, p26)
- ↑ Mathys Dufour (957 A.S.) Tales of the Fey - Tome 1: Beneath the Boughs, an account by Thomas the Bard: Epilogue (T9A:FB Sylvan Elves, v0.202.2, p58)
- ↑ On races and their magic (The 9th Scroll, issue 5, p8)
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 Mathys Dufour (957 A.S.) Tales of the Fey - Tome 1: Beneath the Boughs, an account by Thomas the Bard: Sylvan Enchanters (T9A:FB Sylvan Elves, v0.202.2, p14)