Elven Island (Refriume):

Index:

Introduction

History

Description

Population

Mages & Psionics

Economics & Demographics

Introduction:

The Island is commonly known as "The Elven Island" by humans and races other than Elves. It is called Refriume by the Elves who reside of the island. The Island is located about eight hundred miles to the east of the southern tip of the Eastern Territory and the physical appearance is that it is most likely of volcanic origin. Some scholars have speculated that the island was created not by a volcano but by the magic battles during the time of a thousand magic. The island nation has only been settled in the last two decades, a mere blink of the eye for most elves. Still, the island nation has been highly successful and is growing quickly. The leader of the island initially carved out a small nation in the borders of the Old Kingdom but the battle to keep the nation free from Monster races was ultimately a losing battle. He began looking for a land to call his own and while adventuring, was caught in a storm and the ship he was on discovered an island which he initially thought was just past the last island in the Floenry Island chain. He decided to move the population of his nation to the newly discovered island after a particularly bad year as far as attacks on his nation. Unfortunately, he did not survived to see his island grow into its potential.

History:

There are still a large number of Elves living within the borders of the Old Kingdom. Many of them live in ancient cities which are slowly decaying. Some Elven communities are still vibrant but in many cases, the cities have lost what it is to be an elf and have lost many of the ancient Elven secrets of magic as well. One of these cities is Cintabra and it is located near the northern coast of what had been the Great Elven Kingdom. The city is not as bad off as some of the decaying cities but is still a far cry from what it had once been. While most Elven societies are for the most part egalitarian, the city was not and the throne of the city could only be inherited through the male line. Eldrik Traceane was the younger son of the ruler of the city of Cintabra. Eldrik's father called himself king although their was little which would make a true Kingdom. The young elf was ambition but as a younger son, he would never inherit his father's city and the only way to make a life for himself would be to become an adventurer. Eldrik was also impetuous and did not back down from challenges. He had not interest in religion and no talent in magic but had strong desires for greatness. What he truly had was an incredible and a talent with a long bow. He was likely already one of the most skilled bowman in existence with a long bow. When he was just thirty-five, he ran off with his long bow to find fortune and glory.

He found it. For a while, he adventured by himself or with a variety of different groups. The young elf traveled through the ancient Elven homeland. He adventured through the lost tracks of the northern part of the Eastern Territory and through the Wolven Empire. He even went south to the Land of the South Winds and took passage on several vessels along the southeastern coast and the islands along the continent. He had a special talent for sailing vessels and had a great love for the ocean. He loved voyages of exploration and was considered a valuable member of a ship’s crew due to his long bow skills. Eventually he settled back down and went back to adventuring on land. He found the remnants of what had been a powerful Elven city on the edge of the mountains of the old Kingdom. One of the incredible finds were living herds of Thunder Horses and Fire Steeds. Most considered the creatures to either be myths or have died off during the Great Dwarf and Elf War. While the land had a lack of natural defenses and the ability to construct solid defenses would be limited, he was able to attract a group of younger elves to join his new kingdom which he named "Mur" and was able to make a relatively successful go of forming a new Elven kingdom. Still, times were hard and the kingdom often had trouble with the non human races invading the small kingdom. If the small nation had a larger number of practitioners of magic or they were better organized, the defenses might have been stronger. As well, Eldrik often left the kingdom on adventures of his own and left the problems in the hands of others.

Now enters a human Wizardess named Nermanel Ridenow. She had been the only daughter of a simple mercenary fighter but had fallen in love with magic at an early age. The mercenary had been hired to protect a village on the border between the Eastern Territory and what is now called "The Old Kingdom" and he settled and started a family. She never had any great interest in becoming a mercenary fighter and girls in the village which she was raised at in simply did not become warriors. She definitely had no desire to be a farmer's wife. She had incredibly beautiful green eyes and her father always called her "Emerald". She had her father wrapped around her finger since she was a toddler and was able to persuade him to send her to the city of Wisdom to learn the ways of being a Wizard. In her apprenticeship, she learned that she could wrap not just her father around her finger but most men including several of her teachers and many of the other students. She had spectacular looks and a body that was just as spectacular. She loved to dress to show off her flowering figure. After finishing her apprenticeship, she did what a great many apprentice wizards do. She went off to adventure and make a name for herself. A Wizardess who is well known can often collect much higher fees for their services and she wishes to amass great wealth and luxury.

In the course of their adventures, the two met. It was like they were both hit by a pole axe. He had always disliked what he considered the stale character of most Elven women and had found them lacking in vibrancy. The human Wizardess was incredibly vivacious with her brilliant red hair and incredible figure, almost the opposite of most Elven maidens which several had been vying for his attention. She was as taken with him. He was incredibly tall, handsome beyond the point of any man she had ever met, and he had a commanding presence. His descent from nobility and kingship were likely factors as well. They virtually ripped each others cloths off and were soon making love like they never had before and both collapsed in compete exhaustion. She had always found herself leaping between the beds of various men but something was different. Along with becoming lovers, they became adventuring companions. In one of the adventures, she found a rune dagger on a deserted island on the Floenry chain. Soon after, the vessel which they were on was blown off course and the vessel they were on discovered the island which they were to later settle with colonists.

After the ship found its way back to the Land of the South Winds, they both decided it was time to stay on land and they traveled back to his small kingdom. She kept to the sidelines as much as possible but it was known by most that she was his mistress. She helped to organize the other practitioners of magic to form a much more effective defense of the kingdom although it was still far from safe from non-human barbarians. In thanks for her assistance, one of the more wealthy members of the kingdom gave her an unusual gift, a magical potion which turns a human into an elf for a full day. She had stopped using magic or herbs to prevent pregnancy because he was an elf and she was a human. She was curious what being an elf was like but tried the potion on a day which she was fertile. One item she was curious about was if sex was different as an elf and Eldrik and Nermanel made love while she was under the effects of the potion.

A few weeks later, she started getting sick and she could see no reason for it. She sent for a psi-healer and she was told that she was pregnant. It was plainly impossible but it was true. At first she thought that some one must have drugged her and had raped her but soon she found out the truth. Somehow the potion had enabled her to get pregnant from an elf. Her whole life changed in that moment. Magically created half-elf child, maybe, but still hers and she did not want her child to be a Bastard. At the same time, the people of the kingdom became hers with their potential future ruler riding in her belly. He had previously hinted that he would marry her and make her his queen if she was an Elf not a human. She completely stunned him with the revelation that she was pregnant and that he was the father. She told him openly that her child would not be known as the Bastard child of a mistress. He decided that the best response would be to marry her and she took on the name of Queen Emerald with her wedding. The pregnancy was very hard on the human Wizardess due to the different physiology between an elf and a human but in due course, a daughter was born. The infant half elf was named "Elmaraine" after the king's great grand mother. To the disagreement of both his new wife and many of the elves who came from more egalitarian societies and were recent arrivals, Eldrik declared that the husband of his daughter would rule the kingdom after his death.

Then came the year of famine and death. Several of the groups of non-humans organized and attacked the kingdom in mass. They destroyed crops, murdered both elves and livestock, and razed villages. In addition, massive storms both of normal and magical nature pummeled the tiny Elven nation. The destruction was incredible and the whole kingdom was devastated. Just prior to the attacks and the massive storms, the queen got a vision of the attacks which would start occurring and due to the warnings, the nation held on but just barely. It was at that time that several powerful heroes emerged including a pair of Elven warriors named Sundoro and Thorn. While a man and woman team, they seem to have never been lovers. There are rumors that Sundoro was a lover of other women and Thorn gathered quite a reputation as a ladies man and had a great many conquests. At the same time, a large number of humans settled in the kingdom, bolstering the number of defenders. The fact that the Elven king had a Human queen made the new settlers far more comfortable than they would have likely been otherwise. Still, the king decided that it was time that the people moved to safer lands and his thoughts ran to the uninhabited island which he had discovered years prior.

The Elven King lead an expedition back to the island to see if it could be settled and found that it was quite a bit larger than he first thought. It also had several ley lines running through the island. After carefully studying the island for a suitable location to teleport back, his human wife teleported the group back to the castle in the Elven kingdom using a ley line nexus to boost her abilities and the teleport beacon which she had installed in the castle to prevent error in teleporting. She then began using her magic to teleport personnel and supplies to the island. The mystic steeds were also of great priority because large numbers were killed in the non-human raids on the kingdom although she could only teleport a small number at a time. The human wizardess then had a second teleport beacon created and shipped to the island, which was now named "Refriume," to allow for error free teleporting to the new settlement. Unfortunately, teleport beacons cannot be teleported themselves and it had to be carried onboard ship. Emerald also recruited warlocks to help with the crops on the island and to help with construction of the new island nation. While his human wife was making magical endeavors, Eldrik began organizing a more conventional exodus to the island. Along with planning and organizing a massive ocean expedition, he was able to purchase a navy to protect the island through his contacts which had formed while sailing the oceans.

The first few years on the island was difficult with the land being barren and only magic was able to keep there from being wide spread famine. Eventually, magic enabled the soil to become fertile and the island grew to be quite prosperous. The population grew quickly until it became one of the largest single populations of elves remaining on the Palladium World. It became far larger than the kingdom had been when it had been nestled in the Old Kingdom mountains. In addition to the large population of elves, a sizeable number of humans became citizens of the new island nation. At the same time, substantial fortifications were created to make the island far more defendable than the kingdom of "Mur" ever was. A new castle which the central tower was created from what appears to be quartz crystals and is rumored that the Alchemist Eldron created the tower but no one knows for sure. There is also a large number of his crystalline items found on the island but official stance is that they were found by the king and queen while they were adventuring. A small shipyard was constructed on the island although the materials for the boat have to be imported or created by earth warlocks. While the bulk of the vessels come from the Eastern Territory and the Timero Kingdom, the island has purchased a number of older vessels from the Kingdom of Byzantium which they have carefully restored.

While virtually the entire population has abandoned the original kingdom within the Old Kingdom, the main castle was fortified as an access back to the main land. Guards are rotated back to the well protected castle through the mystic teleport circles and there are plans to eventually take control back of the Kingdom of Mur. Duty at the besieged castle only lasts for a couple of months before they return to the island though teleportation. It will likely be another ten years before any attempt is made to regain the territory and planning is still very cautious at this stage.

Through shrewd dealings with merchant sailors, the island has been able to do well with trading but they also appear to have been the downfall of the king. A group of sailors brought back a story of a new land far to the east. The King decided to lead yet another expedition, this one to find this new land. The queen thought about going but decided that it would be best if she stayed on the island to give it a guiding hand. She also had a variety of different magical research projects which she was working on at the time and did not want to abandon them. The king's expedition disappeared soon after and there has not been any clues to what happened to him. Queen Emerald had left both magic scrolls of "ley line transmission" and "magic pigeon" so that he could communicate with her but she has never heard anything back from him. The queen has also tried a variety of magic spells and other means to attempt to discover what his fate but she has had no luck with them either. A second expedition sent to discover what happened to the king never returned and the queens decided to not send any more people to their death. The two expeditions also cost the island some its finest vessels it had in its navy. She does wonder if her magic would have allowed the expedition to survive although deep inside, she knows that it is really unknowable.

Since the disappearance of the King and presumed death, Emerald has been made the regent for her daughter. She has reworded the decree of the king so that her daughter will inherit the throne instead of her daughter's husband inheriting her father's throne. The queen mother has done the best job she could to rule the island. She has not done a perfect job, far from it, but she has done a fair job. While at first she liked the idea of being royalty, she has gotten extremely tired of the politics involved and what she considers small minded and big mouthed nobles and their constant gossip. There has been various rumors and whispers about her. The most extreme is that she is really the cause of the king's disappearance and probable death. There are also whispers about her being of peasant blood and there are rumors that her and the guard Sundoro have a romantic relationship. The female Elven guard and the queen mother seem to spend a huge amount of time together. Emerald wonders if she still loved the king, they seem to have drifted apart over the years, but she knows that she loves her daughter. She has been Regent for sixteen years and while over forty now, she still appears to be in hear early twenties. There is speculation that she had developed a magic ritual which reduces the effects of aging. She has continued growing the island nation and has enlisted Earth Warlocks in the construction of the main city as well as enlisting Water and Air Warlocks to help protect the city against storms.

Description:

Refriume is a large island, approximately 2,200 square miles (5,700 square kilometers - about half the size of the largest of the Hawaiian Islands) with a maximum width of around 80 miles (129 kilometers.) The island is positioned about 800 miles (1,290 kilometers) to the east of the southernmost part of the eastern Territory. It is surrounded by a number of much smaller islands (None larger than a few thousand square feet in surface area) which are mostly rocky and have only the most sparse of vegetation although some of the sparse vegetation is rare flowers. While covered in deep soils, the rock of the main island appears to be volcanic in origin and is extremely dark. The island is extremely beautiful and the elves have fallen in love with their new homeland.

The climate of the island is quite temperate and comfortable, it might be described as a virtual paradise with semi-tropical conditions. Before being colonized by the Elves, there were no real large animals on the island. Animals on the island include a huge variety of birds, a large population of rodents, a small number of lizards, and a variety of different insects. Around the island are waters with excellent fishing. Grasses and semi-tropical trees grew around the island including several fruit bearing plants. A huge variety of flowers unknown to the rest of the world also grow on the island. About three quarters of the island is covered in forest land. It is likely that most of the plants and animals floated on vegetation rafts or blown onto the island. The currents around the island seem to have prevented anyone from discovering the island before Eldrik and Emerald discovered the island. These same currents cause enough rain to fall on the island to support the vegetation.

In addition to creatures and plants which floated in on vegetation or though the air, a number of supernatural creatures also managed to find their way to the island, likely through magical rifts. The island has a number of ley lines running through in and a couple of ley line nexus on the peaks of the island. The island has a number of Faerie and a pair of Nymphs. There were also a number of Mermaids around the island who are believed to have lured to the death the crews of several ships which had found the island. The wreck of at least one vessel was found on the rocks and the elves made a special effort to drive off the ocean Faerie Folk.

Since colonizing the island, a small number of foxes were brought onto the island to help control the population of rodents on the island although they do kill a number of birds as well. There are herds of horses which were brought across tho the island along with other food animals with deer replacing cattle. As well, virtually all of the Fire Steeds and Thunder Horse have been brought to the island before the Kingdom on the mainland was overrun. There are several prosperous herds of both natural and supernatural animals wandering the grasslands of the island. In addition, the island has bought a small number of Pegasus from Mirror Valley which are raised on the sides of some of the taller hills around the valley. The island also has some farming to help to support the population.

For features, the island is surrounded on about half of its coast with high cliffs with several large beaches on the coasts which do not have large cliffs. The island also has a series of low hills which the peak of the tallest of the hills is mostly bare. There are several large streams which flow down from the hills of the island. Some of these fall down spectacular waterfalls into the ocean. The island's cooling from molten rock created a number of volcanic type caves in the hills of the island.

So far only a relatively small percentage of the island has been settled by the Elves mostly on the western part of the island. A stone city is being constructed by the Earth Warlocks which the walls are designed to protect against both attacks and against extreme weather conditions. Next to the main city is a large port and the city's shipyard. These are also carved into the island by Earth Warlocks. Above the city, on a low hill, is the queen's castle with a large crystal tower as the centerpiece of the castle. While the majority of the population is in and around the capital city, there is a scattering of other communities around the island. There are several communities based around the herds on the grasslands and there are several other communities scatted through the forests. Most of the woodland and grassland communities are constructed from wood and many blend with their environment. There is a scattering of guard towers around the island with several having been build on the tiny islands which surround the main island. On the largest of the hills, the queen had build what appears to an open air temple which she uses for rituals and is built in the middle of the island's most powerful ley line nexus.

Population:

The Elven Island has a population of around 48,000 beings with the majority of the population being elves although there is a sizeable minority of humans in the population as well. A few gnomes are scattered around the island but in comparatively small numbers. In addition to the permanent residents of the island, there is a transient population of sailors and merchants. In addition to the humanoid population, the island has a number of faerie folk who are on relatively good terms with the humanoid population. Included in this is a pair of Nymphs

The population of the only city on the island is around 22,000 and is many times larger than the next largest community with a population of less than a thousand. The remainder of the population is scattered in the grasslands and forests of the island. The main city has a higher percentage of humans than the rest of the island with approximately 70% of the humans living on the island being residents of the city. The largest transient population is also within the city. The population of the queen's castle is around 400.

About 8% or a little under 4,000 individuals total are various magic using types or are powerful psychics. This number does not include the fact that about twenty percent of the population are minor or major psychics. Common type of practitioners of magic include Wizards and Warlocks with comparatively few Summoners or Diabolists. The most common powerful psychics types are Mind Mages, Psi-Sensitives, Psi-Mystics, and Psi-Healers.

The queen has made a secret invitation that changelings can live on the island without being prosecuted but keeps the situation very quiet. Due to this, the island has a comparatively large population of Changelings. Even so, the queen expects the Changelings to take a Human or Elven form to keep from their being riots. She has some estimates on how many changelings are on the island but even she is not real sure.

	32,000	Elves
	6,300	Humans
	550	Gnomes
	600	Changelings
	850	Others Races

Mages & Psionics:

As stated previously, about 8% of the population are practitioners of magic or are powerful psychics. This does not include that about 20% of the population are minor or major psychics. This is the list on how the percentages of powerful psychics and practitioners of magic are broken down. Practicing Necromancy or Witchcraft tied to supernatural are not allowed on the island. As well, Summoners and Diabolists are carefully watched for evil activities. While there is a sizeable number of priests on the island as well, there are not normally counted as practitioners of magic.

In the city is a small but growing school for the study of magic which has strong connections to the queen who often visits the Mage School. All races are welcome in the Mage school. The school has a large library which the queen has spent years collecting. While not as large as many of the "Great" libraries, it still has a vast array of rare tomes. The queen is believed to have her own secret library in the crystal tower and there is rumor of powerful magical books being protected in her library.

	15%	Wizards
	10%	Warlocks - Earth
	6%	Warlocks - Air
	5%	Warlocks - Fire
	8%	Warlocks - Water
	2%	Diabolists
	2%	Summoners
	14%	Mind Mages
	12%	Psi-Mystics
	12%	Psi-Healers
	14%	Psi-Sensitives

Economics & Demographics:

Agriculture:

Due to the islands distance from the mainland, the island has to be virtually self supporting. Around the city are a large amount of farms which produce a variety of crops including grains and various vegetables. The crops are grown for both humanoid and livestock consumption. As well, the island has a large amount of various tropical fruit trees which are harvested. Some tropical fruit is exported to other lands especially the Eastern Territory and Timero Kingdom. Earth warlocks help with the fertility of plants to increase production. There are a large amount of Earth, Water, and Air Warlocks on the island and can help to keep crops growing even in drought conditions although they have not been needed.

In addition to their being a market for tropical fruit, the island also exports tropical flowers to distant lands. They generally preserve better than the fruit so they can be shipped all over the Palladium continent. The island also grows a variety of different herbs including healing herbs and herbs used for magic. Some of the herbs are extremely rare but while most are used on the island itself, there is a market for herbs outside the island.

Livestock:

Livestock on the island includes horses, deer, and a variety of exotic mounts. Exotic creatures on the Island include Thunder Horses, Fire Steeds, and a small number of Pegasus. There are no cattle on the island but milk and cheese from deer and horses take the place of that from cattle. Horses are rarely used for meat but deer are an important source of meat. In most cases, the population of the island prefer deer over cattle because they consider them to be more hearty.

There is a slowly growing population of horses on the island with special interest in increasing the size of the herds of the specially bred Elven Horses. So far only about five percent of the horses are specially bred forces imported from Mirror Valley. The valley has a total population of around 220 Elven bred horse with about eighty being Elven Warsteeds and about sixty being Elven scout horses. The remainder is a mixture of other breeds. Still, the vast majority of the horses are more normal breeds of horses. The island does not have enough Elven specially breed horses to sell them although the normal breed horses are sold in limited numbers. Many of the Elves who work with the horses have the psychic ability of animal empathy.

The Elven island is one of the few places where Thunder Horses and Fire Steeds can be found. Between the two breeds, there is approximately a thousand of these mystic mounts. These mounts are not sold and are considered to be virtually the children of the Elves who care for the exotic creatures. A large number of people, both Elves and other races, come to the island ever year to attempt to get one of these exquisite creatures. A small number are adopted every year by Elves, especially knights and paladins, and occasionally an Elven ally is allowed to adopt one of these mounts. In addition to the Thunder Horses and Fire Steeds, a small number of Pegasus have been purchased from Mirror Valley. A total of only around two dozen on the island with about a dozen trained for use by the defense forces.

In addition to the livestock on the island, there is a large amount of fishing around the island with a large fishing port in the major city. The fishing provides a large percentage of the meat which is consumed on the island as well as some fish being preserved and shipped to the Eastern Territory and the Timero Kingdom.

Elven Products:

Magic items are a separate category and are not included in the list of products which are created by the elves. Many of the elves are incredible craftsmen and a wide variety of luxury goods are crafted by the elves. These include clothing, wood working, silver craft, and high quality leather goods. The products are in high demands with the nobles in both the Eastern Territory and Timero Kingdom. Some products are even sold as far away as the Western Empire. Specially commissioned items are also available. Specially crafted long bows, short bows, and arrows are also created on the island and are highly prized. Several Elven weapons craftsman specialize in the crafting of Elven Warsabre as well.

Human Products:

The largest human industry is the shipyard outside the island's only city. In addition to the work in the building slips, there is a large amount of other services to support vessels. This includes the production of sails, rope, and other equipment for vessels. The vast timber forests are carefully harvested for the shipbuilding industries. The city also has a number of other services for visiting sailors including many bars and brothels near the port portion of the city. There is some organized crime in the human quarters although the government has attempted to keep it under control. The port deals in trade from the island to the mainland and in many cases trade in other areas as well. Products from other regions including Dwarven crafted weapons can also be found in the trading markets on the island.

Magic Items & Services:

The island is believed to have about a dozen alchemists with most of them residing within the city. There is rumor that the famous Elven alchemist Eldron resides in the castle above the city although there is little concrete evidence except a large number of crystal artifacts being sold on the Elven Island. Most commonly available magic items are available from the alchemists on the island. Magic items can be commissioned in many cases although the vast majority of magic items are from other lands. Both "Gems of Light", "Fire Wicks", and "Quills of Endless Ink" are very common and available at half normal cost. As well, a larger variety of magic weapons and magic armor is available. Magic items commonly available only in the Western Empire are sometimes available on the island but are rare. A special item which is sold in the city is a ring which a message can be sent through a "Magic Pigeon" and can be used up to three times per day. These rings are extensively used by the military but are also available for sale. The normal cost is around 40,000 gold for one of these rings.

There is a large number of practitioners of magic and psychic individuals who specialize in magic and psychic services. These include healing and the majority of these specialists are found within the city but there is a scattering of them around the island. For example, some healers specialize in the healing of the animals around the island.

Warlocks, especially Earth Warlocks, are in great demands in the shipbuilding industry. Air and Water Warlocks are in high demand in both the merchant fleets and naval forces. Warlocks are also in high demand in the construction of the city and in various other functions around the island.

Society:

Social Structure:

While the vast majority of the population is Elven, there is a sizeable percentage of the population who is human. The majority of the human population lives in the city in their own community, mostly near the dock section, and the Elves live in their own communities. While mostly separate, the two societies do interact. The Queen has worked hard at creating a true partnership between the Elves and the Human but has not been wholly successful. Still, she has been able to defuse much of the potential tension and has been able to prevent bloodshed. Still, it is likely than a human would be treated harshly for a crime than an elf who committed the same crime. One item of importance is that she had made sure that the castle guards are a mixture of both elves and humans. Between the two communities, the island has been highly successful although the elves are generally considered more wealthy than the humans and there is a small population of homeless around the city even with all attempts to prevent the situation. There is some extremely wealthy humans in the city including several merchant houses. The changelings blend in with the population of the island, posing as either elves or humans.

In most Elven societies, males and females are considered equal although the situation on the island is more complex than most. The city of Cintabra, where Eldrik Traceane was originally from, the society is less egalitarian than most societies and a sizable percentage of the population comes from the king's home city. Still, an equal a percentage or even larger percentage comes from Elven communities who come from societies where males and females are considered equals. As a result, there is a tension between the elves which come from different societies although it is mostly confined to Elves who came from Cintabra moaning about the changes in their society. The attitude of the humans towards equality between men and women depends on where they come from.

Buildings:

Building within the city are constructed by Earth Warlock and are extremely rugged. When the city was laid down, there was a specific effort by the leaders to make sure that the roads would be straight and that the city would be well organized. In addition, the use of stone in the construction of the city greatly reduces the danger of fire. The houses of the wealthy are generally much larger than those of the poor and can be considered to be mansions in some cases. Many are also highly decorated. Many of the households of the poor can contain multiple families and landlords try to take advantage of the poor in some cases. Around the city is a strong defensive wall which is designed to protect the city both against attackers and against dangerous weather conditions. There are well defended granaries and store houses scattered around the city. The artificial harbor is also in a fortified enclosure which helps protect it as well.

The main castle is above the city and is a large dwelling with several hundred rooms. The castle is basically a large palace surrounded by two walls. The main palace is build around a tall crystalline tower and is highly decorated. The castle has four more large towers on the corners of the inner wall. There are a number of smaller towers around the inner wall and eight more towers around the outer walls. There is no moat around the castle and it relies on its position on high ground for its first line of defense.

Outside of the main city, most buildings are constructed from timber although some are constructed from stone as well especially larger households. There are also a number of large stables to protect the animals in bad weather. In the forested areas, the households are often build within the trees themselves and blend extremely well with the environment. Some households are also built into the caves which are scattered through the hills around the island.

Religious Groups:

While there is a wide variety of different religions practiced by the citizens of the island although by far the most common is the Church of Light. The influences of Queen Emerald have caused the worship of the god Thoth and the goddess Isis to be the largest cults of the island although the other deities of the church are also worshiped. A large following of the goddess Rurga also exists on the island. Between all of the different pantheons worshiped on the island, there is an estimated two hundred temples scattered around the island although eighty percent are in the city. It is estimated that there is a total of around eight hundred priests and acolytes.

Although most peaceful religions are allowed on the island, religions based on evil are not treated with such restraint. If anyone on the island is found to be worshiping a Deity of Evil or Demons or Devils, they are immediately killed or expelled from the island depending on the exact circumstances. The action depends on the feeling of the rulers involved and on a variety of political conditions. It is likely that an elf from a wealthy or powerful family is more likely to get expelled instead of killed compared to less wealthy or connected individuals. A human is likely to be treated more harshly than an elf in the same situation. Witches of Demons and Devils will be executed no matter what their status and wealth is. While not directly religious based, necromancers are treated the same way.

Views on other races:

While the majority of the population of the island is Elven and Human, a scattering of other races can be found on the island as well. Other races include Gnomes, an occasional dwarf, and other races. Wolfen merchants sometimes find their way to the island and while not mistreated, they are very carefully watched for trouble. Races such as Goblins, Orcs, Trolls, Ogres, and other similar races are treated with even more caution and are not welcome on the island. If a vessel docks on the island with these races as crew, they are told to stay onboard the vessel and guards are normally posted to prevent these races from going ashore. Kobolds are not especially welcome but due to their expect skill in weapon and armor craftsmanship, they are allowed on the island and one or two may be found in the merchant districts.

Government:

The Government stated out as what amounted to an absolute monarchy with Eldrik Traceane as the king of the Elven Island. While the king was considered absolute ruler, many traditions from his home city were carried to the new kingdom. These included the king choosing a council to help him rule the nation and to delegate some of his authority to them. Other traditions included that women could not hold titles on their own with the first born son inheriting any titles. Only if there were no sons could a daughter inherit their fathers title and it was not actually passed to her but instead passed to her husband. This ran contrary to most Elven cultures where the oldest child, male or female, will inherit any titles from their parents. This created some tension between the Elves coming from other lands which are used to a more egalitarian society but most humans were fairly comfortable with the system as it was much like they were used to in their native lands. While in theory, the Elven women in his father's city-state held no power, the reality was that many of them ruled while their husband was basically a puppet and others refused to marry and became nobles in effect themselves.

Below the king was a variety of lesser lords, some with holdings, others who were basically landless. Ranks start as that of knight and go up to the rank of duke although there is only a single duke. Still, there are several barons within the island kingdom. The city was divided between multiple nobles with a duke as the highest ranking noble in the city proper with all lesser nobles in the city owning him fealty. The rest of the island had a much smaller number of nobles with larger estates that had on average a much smaller population per noble. There are no human nobles above the rank of baron and all human nobles live within the city proper. The king has the ability to give out noble titles for various reasons including services to the crown.

The King's council was selected by the king himself although the other nobles could recommend individuals for the council including themselves. As might be expected, the bulk of the council usually came from other noble families. There were normally several considerations including the skills of the individuals in question, how high their status was, and if the king liked them. Often, the last reason was the most important. Common councillors included a minister for the church, for justice, for magic, for the military, for trade, for the treasury, and of state. New positions for ministers coudl be created as needed. As might be expected, the minister for the church was a priest and they were selected from the Church of Light which has the strongest following on the island. The councillor for justice job was to draft law with the kings permission and select royal judges. The lesser noble also selected judges but they could be overruled by royal judges. Royal judges could only be overruled by the minister for justice and by the king himself. The minister for the State job includes the running of embassies in other lands and dealt with items of diplomacy which the king did not become involved in. The minister of state also was usually the senior minister and acted as chief minister. The queen herself acted as minister for magic until she took up the position of Queen Regent.

When the king would leave the kingdom, usually the chief minister would serve in the king's stead while he was gone. He was limited in several ways including the fact that any decision was theoretically subject to the kings approval when he returned. Other items included that he could not give out any new noble titles and could not change the ministers or created new positions for ministers. Before the king leaving on his latest adventure, the queen was able to convince him that it would be better if he left her in position of leadership instead of passing control to the chief minister. She took special care to listen to all of the ministers and had kept a smoothly running government for the island.

The queen kept a strong hand in the government. Otherwise, it is likely that when news of the king's disappearance became common knowledge that the island kingdom would have gone into turmoil. After she had attempted every means she could to contact the king and the second mission disappeared as well, she called a council to attempt to get a working government until a more permanent solution could be created. The queen was determined that no one else would rule for her daughter and fought long and hard. The result was that the queen would take the position of "Queen Regent" and rule for her daughter. At the same time, the law of the land was changed to that which most Elven kingdoms have. The inheriting of the throne was changed to the eldest child, male or female, and that it would no longer be the king's daughters husband who would inherit the throne but instead would inherit in her own right. A second result was that while the queen would take the position of queen regent, she would not have the ability to create new noble titles. Also, the nobles would have to approve any changes which she made to her council of ministers. She has wanted to create a minister for the navy for the last dozen years and has butted heads constantly with that issue. As a result of problems with the main council, she has selected a second private council which she relies on for helping her with ideas. So far, she has held the title of "Queen Regent" for sixteen years with her daughter expected to take the title of queen when she is thirty-five or in about twelve more years.

Important Figures of the Elven Island:

Alphol Baytron: Single most powerful human merchant on the island and controls about twenty percent of the trade from the island. There are various rumors about the merchant including that he has ties to organized crime and even ties to pirates. The queen has her people keep a careful eye on the merchant and she has had the Minister of Justice step in several times due to his mistreatment of workers. He is originally from onbe of the Floenry Islands.

Catriona Delasse: Priestess of Isis and Minister of the Church. Was selected by the Queen Regent when the old Minster of the Church retired and is the only human on the council. The queen selected a minister who was fairly supporting of other religious views. She was fairly easy to get through the nobles because the position was considered a fairly minor position. Catriona had been the Queen Regent's private priestess before being elevated to her present position in the council. She has often been at odds with the other ministers.

Elmaraine Traceane: Heir to the throne of the Elven Island. She is a half elf and has a mixture of features between her mother and her father with honey colored hair. She is being carefully trained to take the throne when she gets a bit older and is also being trained by her mother in magic. She is also being trained by the royal arms woman "Wild Rose" in fighting with the sword. While the heir is basically the equivalent of a human teenager, it is likely that she will make a good queen when she settles a bit.

Emerald Traceane: Queen Regent of the Elven Island. Very voluptuous human and greatly respected even though human and a woman. She has acted as ruler of the island since her husband disappeared sixteen years previously. Even though she is over forty years old, she still appears to be in her late twenties. In addition to being the acting ruler of the island, she is also a very powerful land wizard.

Galen Ironhand: Most powerful human noble one the island and rules much of the human controlled portion of the city. His noble rank is that of Baron and he has a large estate within the city and has ties to the shipbuilding industry as well. Even though human, he often sides with the more conservative members of the Elven nobility. He does not particulary like the queen who he considers to be an upstart peasant. He also does not particularly like wizards and other mages in general. He is originally from the Eastern Territory and was the younger son of one of the more important noble families.

Grey Dragonstar: He is the present Minister of Magic for the Elven island and is a fairly elderly appearing Elven Wizard. Unlike most of the members of the council, he is not a noble although his history is mostly unknown. There is rumor that he is a changeling but no-one knows for sure. He is a fairly recent resident of the island but when the Queen Regent asked the other mages on the island, he was their choice. He took the position reluctantly. And the nobles accepted him in the hopes that since he was an outsider, the Queen Regent would have strong ties with him. This seems to have backfired and the Queen Mother and the minster get along incredibly well.

Lytrianster Owenne: Minister of War and was chosen by the King before he departed. He is not well liked by the queen but has ties with many nobles so she cannot remove him from his position. He was a knight under the king's father who moved to the land of "Mur" with Eldrik and holds the title of Baron. The queen considers him to be too conservative and has forced some changes in the military against his will. This includes he wanting to strengthen the navy for better defense of the island.

Maldrew Arathel: He is the Minister of Justice and is reputed to be one of the most honest individuals in the Council. While the Elven Paladin is only a little older than a century, there have been many legends centered around this Paladin of Rurga and it is believed than most of them are true. He does not like particularly talking about his exploits but is still an expert swordsman. It is surprising that he gets along very well with the Minister of the Church with their religious differences but they both hold honor as a high ideal. There has been some sparing between the Minister and the other Nobles and the Minister for the Military wants the Minister of Justice's city guards under his control.

Myranda Whitestorm: Her official title is "Grand Admiral of the Queen's Own Navy" but is in effect the queen's minister of the navy. The queen has attempted to give her the position of Minister of the Navy but has been unsuccessful at getting the human woman through the other nobles. The human woman was originally from the Kingdom of Byzantium where her skills were not being properly utilized. The queen has been working against the minister of the military to keep a powerful navy which the minster of the military has opposed. The queen also wishes to separate it from the ground forces.

Phyton Markstelle: Reputed to be the most skilled Alchemist on the island although with rumors of the alchemist Eldron being on the island, some question this. Still, he is extremely skilled and runs a large alchemist shop in the city. It is believed that Phyton is over eight hundred years old although the alchemist appears to only be around two hundred and in the prime of his life. He can make specially commissioned magic items although he charges about twenty percent more than regular would be. It is suspected that the Queen and the military gets a discount on purchases of magic items.

Quendele Galforne: Single most powerful noble beside the queen and her daughter and he likely her biggest supporter. The Elven lord's noble rank is that of duke and he rules much of the city. He sees it as simple common sense to support most of the queen's policies and has butted against several of the other nobles. His father was the duke until about twelve years previously and was far more conservative. The present duke has only daughters and wanted them to be able to inherit his position instead of their husbands. While it is known to few, he is a powerful psychic.

Rosabella "Wild Rose" Malera: Extremely skilled female human gladiator. She has worked for the King and Queen for many years as a body guard along with Sunduro [Insert Last name] and has made a number of special missions for them. She was only about Seventeen when she joined the guard but now is almost forty. Her present job is to train the future queen in hand to hand. While she was a gladiator, she is still quite practical with her training. There are stories that she had a brief affair with the King's guard Thorn Bloodmoon.

Sondoro: Female Elven warrior who made a name for herself during the wars between the Kingdom of Mur and the barbarians creatures outside the Kingdom. Her position was that of the queen's bodyguard but now is leader of the "Queen's Own" Troops, a small and elite combat force. There are rumors that the Lady Elven Warrior had an affair with the queen but nothing has even been proven. The Queen wishes she could put Sondoro or Thorn Bloodmoon on the council as the Minister of the Military but has had no luck with the nobles on this issue. The Queen Regent would also like to knight her for her services to the crown but does not have that ability.

Thorn Bloodmoon: Elven warrior who made a name for himself along with Sondoro in the wars between the Kingdom of Mur and the barbarians during the year of famine and death. He was the body guard of the king but was on a special mission when the king went off on his final adventure. The queen needed his help when the second mission went out to hunt for the king do did not go on that one either. While there are rumors of the Elven Warrior having an affair with the gladiator "Wild Rose", he has since married an Elven lady and has begun a family. The Queen Regent wishes she could replace the present minister of the Military with him or Sondoro but has had no luck and Thorn has few noble connections beyond the Queen Regent. She uses him as one of her unofficial members of her personal council

Victelor Mytre: He is the chief minister of the Elven Island and has held the position since its founding and held the position in the kingdom of "Mur"before then and has often acted as the king's substitute. While the queen does not particularly like him, she has no great hatred and he seems to always act in the best interest of the kingdom. The feelings for him appear to be mutual. The Queen Regent has a feeling that he has kept some intelligence from her and is nervous about what might be the results. She has made no attempt to remove him from his position.

Treaties & Policies:

The Elven Island has far more complete ties to nations outside of their borders than Mirror Valley and has embassies in most of the nearby nations. Transit to the embassies is through the use of teleport rings and teleport beacons. Nations such as the Western Empire are simply too far for the use of teleport beacons and teleport rings and contact is much less firm with them. In those cases, contact is kept by rings of "Magic Pigeon" and while messages are slower, they still get their destination faster than traditional means.

Kingdom of Byzantium: As a powerful nation involved in seaboard trade, the Elven Island kingdom considers it very important to keep good relationship with the Kingdom of Byzantium. Due to distances, there can be no direct contact although the Elven Island does keep an Embassy in the capital of Byzantium. The only real trade has been the magic items and high quality Elven craftsmanship coming from Refriume. The Elven Island has purchased a number of older vessels from Byzantium and has hired the services of several shipbuilder to improve their own shipyards.

Eastern Territory: The Eastern Territory is the closest nation from the Elven Island. The Elven Island trades extensively with the Eastern Territory including Elven crafted items, magic items, and products from fishing. The Island also carries a small amount of trade from the Eastern Territory all around the continent. The Elven Island buys grain from the Eastern Territory. As well, a large percentage of the population of the island, both Elven and Human, come from the Eastern Territory.

Elven Communities within the Old Kingdom: The Elven Island keeps contact with the city of Cintabra and a few other of the communities but there is very little trade. Due to the distances involved and the hostile terrain, the Kingdom cannot provide any meaningful military support. A few settlers on the Elven Island come from these Elven communities as well including a large percentage from the city of Cintabra. The Elven Island keeps a small outpost built around the castle in the old Kingdom of Mur but is the only direct contact within the Lands of the Old Kingdom.

Mirror Valley: Several Elven breed horses from Mirror Valley have been sent to island to give assistance with their breeding program. As well, Refriume has adopted a number of Pegasus from the valley. The leaders of the valley see that a way to prevent the potential extinction of the very rare creature. Most contact goes through the Eastern Territory. As many specialty magic items have been purchased from the valley as posisble for military applications.

Land of the South Winds: Further from the Elven Island that the Eastern Territory and the Timiro Kingdom although still relatively close. There is a small amount of trade in Elven products with the Land of the South Wind but little else. There are suspicions of pirates from the Land of the South Winds and the southern nation is carefully watched. The Elven Island's contact with the Floenry Islands is similar.

Timiro Kingdom: The Timiro Kingdom is one of the closer nations from the Elven Island although is a bit further than the Eastern Territory. The Elven Island trades fairly extensively with the Timiro Kingdom including Elven crafted items, magic items, and products from fishing. The Island also carries a small amount of trade from the Timiro Kingdom all around the continent. The Elven Island buys grain from the Timiro Kingdom although less than from the Eastern Territory. As well, a reasonable percentage of the population of the island, both Elven and Human, come from the Timiro Kingdom. Due to the powerful navy of the Timiro Kingdom, the Elven Island is working on getting an effective mutual defense treaty with the Timiro Kingdom.

Western Empire: Refriume has only indirect contact with the Western Empire. Sometimes trading ships from the Western Empire will dock at the Elven Island but there is very little trade back to the Eastern Territory. Distances are considered simply to be too far. The Queen Regent would like to import several of the Alchemists from the Western Empire as well. There is some concern on the island about the Western Empire's expansionist attitudes.

Wolfen Empire: While fairly close in physical distances, the Elven Island has kept their distance from Wolfen Empire although they have also been careful to keep the Wolfen from becoming enemies. One of the Elven Island's closest allies is the Eastern Territory and they do not want to anger the power human territories. Still, there is a small amount of trade with the Wolfen, mostly in fishing products although Elven bows are highly prized by the Wolfen as well.

Military:

Not including the city's guard force and special units, the Island's military numbers around 2500 although a larger percentage of the Elves living the island have at least some combat skills including the ability to use of the bow. These Elves can be called on to protect the island in case of emergency. The naval crews are not included in these numbers but the troops carried on combat vessels are normally pulled from the island's military. In some cases, mercenaries are hired to fill shortcoming in troops available for the navy. Some of the troops on the island come from the Elven population although a large percentage are ex-mercenaries who were recruited for the military forces of the island. As might be expected, the military is far more diverse in population than the rest of the island and has a larger percentage of humans.

About seventy five percent of the military are Elves which makes around 1875 Elves in the military forces with most of the remainder being human with their numbers around 675 humans. The vast majority of the humans are mercenaries who have been hired to serve in the island's military forces. While most are common mercenaries, there are other professions including longbow man and even a few landless knights. The military pays fairly reasonably but some decide that they wish to go adventuring or look for work somewhere else.

While the Island does not have a large number of Dwarven Weapon Smiths, the Island has important a large amount of high quality weapons and armor from the main land especially from the Eastern Territory and the Timiro Kingdom. Some of these armors and weapons are crafted by Dwarves although others are outfitted with Kobold manufactured equipment. Most troops are outfitted with high quality scale male (10% more S.D.C. than normal but same weight) and high quality swords and other weapons (+1 to parry and strike and +3 to damage.) All Elven archers are outfitted with high quality Elven bows. Light troops are usually issued studded leather instead of scale male.

While some magic items are issued by commanders and are used by specialty units, there are quite a few troops which have their own magic items. Unless these magic items are considered harmful, they are allowed to retain their own magic items. Some of these items are family heirlooms while others are from the owner's adventures. Of course, magic items which are issued are retained by the military when the individual leaves military service. About one in five of the low ranking troops have a magic weapon or magic armor (or another useful magic item). In the higher ranks, about one in two have either magic armor or a magic weapon. Some have more with one in five having both magic armor and weapons and one in ten having multiple magic items. Most senior officers are outfitted with a ring of "Magic Pigeon" to enable them to send messages to others. This does not include magic items such as fire wicks, gems of light, and quills of endless ink which are very common.

Other than a few bandits or pirates attacking the island, there have been no real engagements for the military while on the island. There have been a few engagements when assigned to naval vessels and most of the actual combat experience comes from this area. Because of this, there is some concerns about the true combat abilities of the troops especially as time makes the battles fought in the Kingdom of "Mur" fade. Still, the troops train extensively and are designed to fight together. A large amount of combat tactics involves the use of the bow to whittle away the enemy.

Guard Towers:

Around the Island, there are about two dozen guard towers. Some are built on tiny islands off the coast while others are built on the high cliff faces. The role of the towers is to watch the ocean to prevent attacks from out to sea. There are also suppose to report the weather periodically. The towers are built to withstand a siege but not for real combat. Still, the guards are armed with a variety of weapons including bows in most cases. Most were created through the magic of Earth warlocks and are incredibly strong. In the tower, several months worth of supplies are kept. To enable the tower to report any problems, each is outfitted with a ring of "Magic Pigeon." Each tower is also equipped with a gem of reality and eye of the eagle. Generally duty at the towers is fairly boring although the ones built on the tiny islands have been the subject of pirate raids in the past.

Personnel is sixteen per tower with often a mixture of Elves and Humans although the majority is usually Elven. Normally at least one gifted individual is assigned to each tower. This is usually either a Wizard, Mind Mage, or Psi-Mystic. Guards are rotated from the towers every two weeks in most cases. On island towers, which are sometimes inaccessible by boat, these troops are either flown from the tower or teleport is used.

Cavalry:

While very small in number, they are likely the most powerful cavalry in the World. There is a total of only about 160 Cavalry on the island but each rides either a Fire Stead or a Thunder Horse. With the exception of a handful of troops, the entire cavalry consists of Knights and Paladins, most of whom belong to noble families. Virtually all of the cavalry are outfitted with magic weapons, usually a sword, and magic armor with magical chain mail, scale male, and plate mail being the most common. In addition, they are outfitted with Elven short bows to enable them to Skirmish with attackers. There are also a ring of "Magic Pigeon" issued to the individual commanders of the cavalry units. There is approximately one ring assigned to every thirty-two troops.

While all Cavalry presently rides on the special mounts, there are plans to add a more conventional cavalry who rides on Elven bread mounts. Plans are for there to be several hundred of these normal cavalry troops and them to be outfitted with normal weapons and armors although of the finest quality. These troops will also be likely pulled from the nobility in most cases.

Pegasus Riders:

There are far too few Pegasus Riders on the island to be useful as a defense force with only a total of around a dozen Pegasus trained for military use. Instead, the Pegasus are used in scouting. They scout out from the island to a distance of around ten miles and around the island itself to check for any danger. The scout teams usually scout in pairs to give a better chance of fighting their way out from any emergency. Still, they are expected to try and escape instead of fighting. Due to their small numbers, patrols are less frequent than what is desired although the riders are constantly training. One of the trainers from Mirror Valley was brought to the island to assist in the training.

Equipment is similar to that carried on the Pegasus Riders in Mirror Valley. Each Pegasus rider is equipped with Leather of Iron with the Pegasus wearing magical leather barding which is enchanted in the same manner. Each rider is an expert archer and outfitted with an Elven crafted bow. While on patrol, one of each team of two riders is outfitted with rings of "Magic Pigeon" to send messages back if there is anything immediate to report.

Whenever weather permits, three groups of two are sent out once per day to check in all directions for any activity in the plains surrounding the island and check the island itself. The magic pigeon ring enables the group to send rapid messages back to the island itself.

Ground Troops:

The ground troops are generally divided into two different groups. The first are the Elven troops who are generally trained in the use of the bow and work as ground archers. There is a mixture of long bows and short bows carried by the archers. They are trained in the use of short range weapons as well but they expected to engage in long range combat whenever possible. Most common weapons with the ground troops are short swords. They make up the vast majority of the military forces and there is approximately 1700 Elven soldiers serving as ground forces. They serve in the guard towers around the island and are also assigned to naval vessels although human troops are more commonly assigned to this role. The second group is the Human troops and there is approximately 650 human troops assigned to the ground forces. They are generally trained in shorter ranged combat than the Elven troops but are trained in a mixture of different styles and different weapons. Their general role is to provide close range defense for the Elven archers. As well, they are more commonly assigned to naval vessels than the Elven troops. When assigned to naval vessels, the troops are usually issued studded leather instead of heavier armors.

Navy:

Since the king disappeared and the queen took the position of Queen Regent, the navy has been held in contention between the Queen Regent and the Minister of the Military. One of the results has been the navy has been neglected. As a result of the neglect, a large percentage of the navy has been discarded and only about one quarter of the existing navy is crewed at any one given time. The Timiro Kingdom Barks were the most common ships in the navy and were retained, all other classes have been discarded. The Navy fleet presently consists of a total of forty Timiro style Barks with only ten of them fully crewed at any one given time. Ten others are kept partially manned as an immediate reserve force with the other ships laid up. Even though laid up, the ships are well maintained and can be deployed rapidly.

Crew for the ships are recruited from merchant crews for the most part and quality is normally average to excellent. A large percentage of ship’s crews are races other than elves with humans predominating. Officer quality is not as good with many of the positions given to friends by the senior leaders in the navy. As a result, the vessels often really heavily on the recruited merchant sailors. The ten fully crewed ships commonly deploy and the ship often patrol the water for pirates and escort convoys. Troops are normally pulled from the ground forces to be deployed on the naval vessels although plans are to recruit additional mercenaries if the entire fleet is deployed. Ships will sometimes sail with a skeleton force of troops onboard. In most cases, a ship will be deployed with at least one practitioner of magic or powerful psychics. As well, a psychic with the ability of "healing touch" will be deployed with each vessel.

For equipment, each crew member is outfitted with soft leather armor although many prefer studded leather over the lighter armor. There are also outfitted with a weapon of choice although usually of normal quality, not of high quality. Officers are usually given finer quality equipment than the crew of the vessel with the captain usually having a magic sword or other magic item. As well, the captain is issued a ring of "Magic Pigeon" along with the first officer of the vessel. The captain is expected to send a message if he sees any kind of danger. That is one reason why the disappearance both of the King's vessel and the second vessel sent without any message being sent back to the island so unusual. No other ships have been lost without a message being sent back to the island reporting the situation.

Due to problems with the Navy controlled by the Minister of the Military, the queen has created a new naval force which has been named the "Queens Own" Navy. While the "Queens Own" Navy has a smaller number of ships than the true navy, it has much higher quality vessels and are far better lead and are far more ready to be deployed.

City Guard:

While considered a military force, the City Guard is not under the control of the Minister of the Military but instead is under the Minister of Justice. The Minister of the Military would like to have control of the city guard but both the Minister of Justice and the Queen Regent have both resisted this. The City Guard has a reputation for honesty and the minister of Justice and the commander of the guard both work hard to maintain this. Corruption and criminal activities are not condoned. Still, they are greatly feared for their tenacity and skill at capturing criminals. The guard is well trained in combat skills and also trained in how to deal with both supernatural and magic using opponents. The guard usually operates in pairs for additional protections but are sometimes deployed into special groups for special missions.

The City Guard has approximately six hundred personnel with which to patrol the city. While the majority of the guard are Elves, approximately one third or around 200 are humans. Most of the humans were originally mercenaries and there is a small number of other races in the city guard as well. Most of the human guards are literate. This is to make it easier to communicate with the leasers of the constabulary. The guard has made a special effort to recruit minor and major psychics for the guard. In addition, there are a large number of both Wizards, Psi-Mystics, and Mind Mages are also commonly recruited. These special personnel do assist on the streets but also use their special abilities to investigate crimes. There are also a number of Psi-Healers and Priests who work with the City Guard to assist with injured personnel.

While generally lacking in equipment, especially magic items, compared to the regular military. They are equipped commonly with studded leather armor instead of heavier armor types. They are also are outfitted with a high quality weapon of choice with a long sword, short sword, or sabre being the most common choices. In addition they are usually given a silver dagger to deal with supernatural creatures. There are several guard stations throughout the city and the senior sergeant each guard station is equipped with a ring of Magic Pigeon" to assist in communications and a number of additional rings are available to be assigned to special groups. The commander of the guard would like to outfit every pair of guards with one of these rings but the cost of the rings is prohibitive. The guard has a number of different magic items available for special groups with about half of the equipment having been captured while the other half has been purchased.

"Queen's Own" Troops:

The "Queen's Own" troops is a special unit which has been recruited for small missions including espionage, special spying mission, and special retrieval missions. A number of rare and dangerous magic items have been found by these specially trained troops. The "Queen's Own" troops are not under the control of the Minister of Defense but instead report to the Queen Regent directly.

As might be expected, these troops are among the most skilled personnel in the military forces of the island. There are only about two hundred troops within the special unit. Many of them are mercenaries and adventures who have been recruited to this special unit. The pay in the special unit is excellent although risks are higher than with the normal troops. Virtually all professions have a presence in this force including a small number of thieves. There are a number of practitioners of magic and powerful psychics serving in the special unit. As well, fully forty percent of the personnel are minor or major psychics. There is a huge number of different races which belong to the "Queens Own" troops including a number of Wolfen. It is also believed that the unit has a number of changelings which the queen knows that they are changelings and uses their special abilities.

As might also be expected, the troops are outfitted with extremely high quality equipment. High quality armor and weapons are issued to all personnel. As well, there is a large percentage of the personnel who are issued magic items and additional magic items can be issued when needed. Each team sent out is normally issued a ring of "Magic Pigeon" to communicate with their commander and the queen. In addition, a large percentage of these personnel have managed to acquire magic items previously or while adventuring. They are allowed to keep any treasure or magic items, as long as it is not the item which they were suppose to retrieve or are considered dangerous.

"Queen's Own" Navy:

Since the disappearance of the King, the Minister of the Military have not put the effort into the navy which the Queen Regent wished. She tried various means to get him to put more funds and time into the navy but she has not gotten any cooperation from the Minister. As a solution to the problem, the Queen Regent decided that the only solution would be to create her own navy and use her own discretionary funds. The "Queen's Own" navy will come to the aid

While the "Queens Own" Navy has less vessels than the normal island navy, the navy uses far better vessels. All vessels are of Byzantium design. Two of the vessels are discards from the navy which likely would have found their way into the hands of pirates if they were not added to the "Queen's Own" navy. As well, two additional Corsairs have been seized from pirates. The "Queen's Own" Navy consists of 10 Byzantium Corsairs, 4 Byzantium Brigantines (Brigs), and 2 Byzantium Frigates. Only about one quarter of the "Queens Own" usually is deployed at only one given time but the remainder of the vessels are fully manned except those which are being refitted. All vessels are kept in excellent condition. There is presently an experiment with the "Queens Own" Navy using various Earth Warlock abilities to transform some of the wood used on the vessel into metal. This should strengthen the vessels and increase the ability to take damage by about 10%.

Like the normal navy, the crews of the "Queens Own" Navy are recruited from merchant sailors for the most part and are usually of excellent quality. Instead of using nobles as the officers, The commander of the "Queens Own" Navy recruits the officers from merchant officers and good officers from other navies and are also of excellent quality and are far better than the officers of the normal island navy. Instead of deploying with normal troops embarked, mercenaries are recruited to fill out the troop compliment of the vessels. Ships are not always deployed with a full compliment of troops but usually are deployed with at least a three quarter compliment of troops. Some ideas have been taken from the normal navy including that each ship will be deployed with at least one practitioner of magic or powerful psychics. As well, a psychic with the ability of "healing touch" will be deployed with each vessel.

For equipment, crew is issued either soft leather or studded leather with at least one high quality weapon as well. Any personnel with the skill of archery is issued a high quality Elven bow. Officers are normally outfitted with the same basic equipment as the regular crew members although a higher percentage have magic items of their own. The captain of each vessel is usually outfitted with a magic weapon. As well, the captain and second in command of the ship are issued rings of "Magic Pigeon"for communication purposes.

Practitioners of Magic and Powerful Psychics:

A large percentage of the magic using individuals and powerful psychics are part of the military. Psychic healers are recruited in large numbers to keep the troops healed and most of the other occupations are recruited to give direct support for the troops. These listing include the special troops assigned to specific units. As well, a number of priests serve with the military.

	48	Wizards (10 in the City Guard)
	28	Warlocks - Earth
	16	Warlocks - Air
	12	Warlocks - Fire
	22	Warlocks - Water
	6	Diabolists
	6	Summoners
	45	Mind Mages (10 in the City Guard)
	38	Psi-Mystics (8 in the City Guard)
	28	Psi-Healers (6 in the City Guard)
	32	Psi-Sensitives
	20	Priests of Light (6 in the City Guard)

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Writeup by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

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