Sylvara - Summary
Sylvara
General Culture: A nature-worshipping, communal society centered on druidic traditions and harmony with the island’s lush jungles. Sylvarans value art, music, and storytelling, with festivals celebrating the cycles of the moon and tides.
Political System: Theocratic council. A circle of druids, led by the Verdant Oracle, governs based on omens and nature’s will. Decisions are slow but revered as divine.
Capital City: Eldergrove, a sprawling city built among ancient, sentient trees, with homes woven from vines and bioluminescent fungi lighting the streets.
Race Mix: Elves (high and wood) and gnomes dominate, with firbolgs and halflings common in rural areas. Humans are welcome but rare. Orcs and goblinoids are distrusted, seen as despoilers of nature.
Regions: Split into regions based on grove type and geography. Each is controlled by its own population but is represented by a regional druidic circle of elders.
Swampheart Mangrove - A treacherous maze of ancient cypress trees draped in phosphorescent moss, their roots submerged in dark, stagnant waters. This sacred grove serves as a hidden sanctuary for reclusive mist-walking shamans and their formidable crocodile protectors.
Whispering Thickets - Rolling oak-and-birch terraces where wind spirits carry messages between villages and ancient stone circles. The air hums with unseen energy, and the rustling leaves seem to whisper secrets.
Starfall Glens - These high-altitude glens are nestled amongst rugged mountain peaks, perpetually illuminated by the ethereal glow of celestial auroras. Ancient cedar trees form sacred enclaves where sky-watching druids commune with the cosmos.
Emerald Tidewoods - Salt-tolerant ironbark groves cling to cliffside coves, their roots anchoring them against the sea. This is the domain of druidic shipwrights who shape living vessels from sentient timber.
Plainsong Wildwood - A sprawling expanse of open-canopy groves featuring golden ash trees interspersed with vibrant wildflower meadows. This area serves as a traditional gathering place for the moon-cycle dances and harvest hymns.
Notable Feature: Sylvara’s jungles hide ancient elven ruins guarded by fey creatures, and its druids can summon primal storms to protect the island.
Population: Sylvara's population is widely dispersed as many choose solitary lifestyles or small community groups of likeminded individuals. Even larger towns and cities are spread out rather than densely packed.
Total estimated population: 1,300,00
Major Population Centers:
Eldergrove: 700,000
Moonsong Meadow: 80,000
Windweave Circle: 60,000
Saltroot Landing: 50,000
Auroracrown Enclave: 40,000
Croakshade Hollow: 30,000
Remaining Population: Fairly equally spread out across the regions.
Primary Religious Tendencies: Druidic faith in Silvanus (The Oak Father), with nature spirits and wild magic communion. Silvanus, god of wild nature and druidic balance. Sylvara's groves revere him through harmonious rituals that twist intruders into guardians, seeing this as restoring natural order. Peaceful yet defensive elven culture, with the Veilbreak as a wound to heal. Tendencies include animal totems, seasonal festivals invoking fey allies, and taboos against urban faiths, viewing slavers like Kragvost as desecrators to be "reclaimed" by the wilds.