The Feywilds: An Overview

INTRODUCTION:
Once the most prosperous of the eight continents, The Feywilds stands now a shadow of its former self. In 2500 KH, each and every corner of the planet was struck with a plague that all but wiped magic from existence (See: The Spellplague). With this, much of what was once common knowledge has vanished, perhaps forever. What remains are only feeble imitations of a past now unknown.

All-out Civil War has broken out, as different forces, each believing themselves to be more benevolent than the last, seek to direct the land in the directions they see fit. Communication with the other continents is practically nonexistent, and the storm that rages day and night at the edge of the oceans has claimed the lives of many who would change that. The elves, who at one point in time accounted for close to ninety percent of the population now constitute only five percent.

For an overview of the various cities, towns, and sections of the continent, see Various Places In The Feywilds.

The Mulan:
(See Main Article: The Mulan)

The Mulan are, arguably, the most powerful faction currently occupying the land. Their capital territory, Winyaeltal, is home to, among many others, the City Square and Dravost-Uzuloth. The City Square is for all intents and purposes, a large expansive market-city. Dravost-Uzuloth was, and perhaps still is, the largest known archive of knowledge, a library the size of a medium sized city. Although almost identical in appearance to elves, the Mulan are a pale yellow, as though they were elves with jaundice. They only rose to prominence in recent years, as a highly militarized force. They make no secret of their desire to conquer the rest of the continent, claiming to have its best interests at heart, promising to restore it to its former glory. In the interest of political/militaristic gains, they formed alliances with the Noble Eladrin, and, more controversially, the Fomorians.

Interestingly, the Mulan control Thysis, an island territory that sits right in between the Seelies and Unseelies. Although normally highly disadvantageous, the Mulan learned to use the storm surrounding the Feywilds to their benefit, as a means to quickly get from one end of the land to the other (sort of like in Pac Man). This meant that an attack on Thysys was, in all likelihood, an attack on the combined might of the Mulan-Eladrin alliance.

The Noble Eladrin:
(See Main Article: The Noble Eladrin)

An older, prouder race of elves with enormous magical prowess, comprised primarily of Giants. Enshrined in their capital territory of Celetia, the Noble Eladrin seldom leave, and for good reason. The Sindarin Foothills, infamous for frequent avalanches and cave ins, keep would-be invaders out. Hekaton, the storm giant king, commands terrifying power over the oceans to the south from his underwater stronghold of Maelstrom, guaranteeing safety against naval attacks. The secluded nature of Celetia make it a testament to the natural beauty of the Feywilds. Miles upon miles of lush forests, pristine rivers, and valleys dot the landscape, with the lowest population density of any large territory.

As a result, beasts known only to be tamed by natives, and the magically gifted, roam free, unperturbed by civilization. Some of the monstrous creatures that inhabit Celetia are rumoured to have existed since the dawn of time, including Alal, revered by the Eladrin as a goddess of the moon.

The Fomorians:
(See Main Article: The Fomorians)

Brutish, hulking beasts that dominate the central region of the continent, these monsters would, given the chance, break out onto the Feywilds at a moment’s notice and tear through all that moved to take the continent for themselves. The only thing keeping them at bay are the natural barriers that keep them hemmed in.

Confined to the Underdark for much of history, the Fomorians have historically been seen as a minor, if dangerous threat. With the sudden explosive organisation being shown as of late, invasion seems almost imminent, once even one of the barriers is breached. The Mulan, wary of the Fomorians, struck up a somewhat uneasy alliance, hoping to use them for their own gain, to the displeasure of much of the Feywilds, including fellow Mulan.

The Seelies and The Unseelies:
(See Main Articles: Seelies, Unseelies)

Forever locked in a futile battle against one another with no victors, the Seelies and the Unseelies detest each other on ideological grounds. The Seelies desire only those of pure fey blood, spurning those of only partial fey origin such as half-elves, running a veritable utopia for those that are allowed inside. The Unseelies see all with even the slightest drop of fey blood in them as equally ‘fey’, running a strict surveillance state. Given their greater numbers, it would seem obvious that the Unseelies would come out the victors. However, the Seelies control a greater number of ships, territories and a few hundred wyverns, giving them both the arial and naval advantage.

The Unseelies control Castle Pithica and Shathor, while the Seelies control Calen, Jhyr, and Kaeth. Recent stirrings, however, may foretell a conclusion to this endless war. The Jhyr Court, sick of the incessant fighting, defected from the Seelie High Court at Calen, and have allied themselves with the Mulan, in the hopes that they will help end this pointless conflict.

Other Races:
(See Main Article: Other Races)

Races other than the ones mentioned above exist in plenty across the Feywilds, with most either residing in Winyaeltal, Thysys, Castle Pithica, Shathor, Celetia, or the Orothmuk Woods. The Orothmuk Woods are notable for being the only politically neutral zone in the entire continent. Home to both the Craftsmanship Guild and the Orothmuk Peace Conglomerate, talks are often mediated in the Woods between opposing factions. Gnomes and other forest dwellers make up the majority of the populace, with other races often seen around the capital, Ryst, owing to the relative safety it offers.

With the fall of the Fomorian outpost of Gil-Galad, the Woods remained in peace for a month or so, until a Lich by the name of Erwin Ciiaran Phoenix III arrived and took over. With the civil war raging, the Mulan have largely ignored him, meaning that current goings-on inside the Woods remain unknown.