A Concise History of Nebulonde
by Sir Nobunaga Ealbodan, January 604 ER
(OOG note: compiled by David Epstein, from works by Avendale Staff and NERO® members since 1997)
Many years after the Clan Hoyosha left Draelonde they finally found a home when they came to the Frostpeak Mountains, they called it Sanctuary. The mountains were considered impassable by the surface people, but Clan Hoyosha found a vast ancient system of underground tunnels as well as a monstrous underground lake which was later named Mizumi Jawai (Glass Lake). It took years to make these lands home, but home it did become. The tunnels produced food to be hunted, and the lake produced fish. This is also where something truly monumental happened, because of the marriage of Char and Attelina, a mixture of barbarian and vornae culture soon came to be in Sanctuary and many barbarians who could bear life underground soon lived in Nebulonde, though many felt the call of the wild and ventured to the surface. Through the years this land the dark elves named sanctuary grew, Attelina grew old and passed away, and the barbarians that left for the surface returned often and traded with the people of Sanctuary, also bringing stories of the wonders of the lands around them. The friendship between these barbarians grew such that Char made them an honorary Vornae clan, the Frost Tiger Clan.
Years passed and Sanctuary grew and the people prospered. New clans were born as was a clan council. Soon a mighty threat came in the form of deep troll invaders. A hard and long war was fought for Sanctuary with the dark elves losing due to the sheer numbers and ferocity of the deep trolls and they had to leave their new home of Sanctuary and venture to the surface in the hopes of discovering new caves to inhabit.
Founding Nebulonde
Warlord Char led his people in humiliation and defeat to the surface and through the hills and forests above ground. His people had been through a lot, leaving Draelonde, settling in a new place after years of traveling on the surface (and being attacked while this search was going), and then the subsequent loss of a war to retain their new lands and having to once again leave their homes in defeat. Warlord Char was a great man and did not easily accept defeat however and they pushed on hard, battling with the hostile wild and wood elves on the surface. Some histories read that Char conquered several Wild and Wood elven towns to base operations of finding new caves from and that lead to the attacks by the elves. Other histories read that the dark elves traveled through the elven lands and were attacked out of fear. Given the recent defeat and small military forces left to his people, this author highly doubts that Char would attack without provocation and would instead try to save his forces. Also, given the large hatred to wood and wild elves that developed from these events, I’d venture the attacks came from the wild and wood elves as aggressors. Finally Char and his people found a series of secret caves and complex tunnels and caverns beneath a small range of the Frostpeaks. The Clans settled in this area and slowly rebuilt their strength. This area was named Nebulonde, which means Lost Haven.
Wars and the return of the Frost Tiger Clan
After settling in Nebulonde, the dark elves fought many skirmishes with the wood elves, but soon a new formidable foe arrived. The Ice Nation of barbarians savagely attacked Nebulonde, claiming it in their expansion territory. The Ice Nation was not so powerful as to threaten the great vornae of Nebulonde, but they were powerful enough to keep them from venturing above ground. Soon salvation came in the way of Char’s descendants; the Frost Tiger clan of barbarians had been seeking their allies and finally found them. They had traveled for some time in search of Char’s people to reunite with them and when they finally came they decimated the Ice Nation forces in a fury and settled above-ground from Nebulonde. This was the last thing Warlord Char saw, for he soon died and has forever been remembered as the greatest hero of Nebulonde. Warlord Char’s daughter Miyuki was the new Daimyo (leader) of Clan Hoyosha.
Soon after the return of the Frost Tiger Clan dwarves were discovered mining in deepest tunnels of Nebulonde, these dwarves were the Nation of Banek’Tor. Both nations claimed the land and this lead to a series of wars that lasted for many years and sparked a fierce hatred of dwarves that lasts to this day in some lesser form. One thing that escalated this war was the practice of slave taking when a battle was won. Nebulonde took some 1,500 Dwarven slaves from the dwarves. The dwarves were fearsome foes, but more or less an equal match for Nebulonde in most skirmishes below ground. Things changed when the surface elves of the Icewood forest that had been skirmishing with Nebulonde for years offered aid to the dwarves and now Nebulonde had a two-front war. Miyuki was a great warrior and leader and lead the Vornae against the dwarves and surface elves. It is said that Miyuki was a fierce warrior like her father and led her people on many cunning and deadly strikes against these foes, but they were clearly outnumbered.
This is where our accounts are not too clear. It is indicated that Miyuki’s daughter, Princess Tamarantha Hoyosha was leading scouting parties at this time and was known to be very skilled herself. Tamarantha returned from one such mission to find her mother dead in her chambers, having been impaled on an elven spear. Upon seeing her dead mother, Princess Tamarantha seized the bloody crown and declared herself the Imperial Majestrix, a title not used for a long time. Tamarantha rallied the people and went on a bloody offensive, slaughtering the elves of the Icewood forest and defeating their leader in his own camp in a stunning strike. Even with this momentum, victory was not yet assured to the people of Nebulonde. Fortune favored the Vornae however, as the wild elves and wood elves alliance split because of their losses against Nebulonde. Years later it was learned that to help persuade Nebulonde to wipe away the pesky elves, as Karveki had seen them, the Vampire Lord killed Miyuki with an elven spear. As Tamarantha was reeling with the death of her mother, Karveki seized the opportunity to feast upon her noble dark elven blood. It was then as well that Karveki had cursed Tamarantha with the Malison of Karveki, known as vampirism...
Around this time Niomi Avendale, Queen of Avendale ordered the release of the Dwarven slaves Nebulonde had taken from Banek’Tor. Princess Tamarantha complied with this request by setting out the 1,500 Dwarven slaves in the dead cold of winter with not clothes, food, or weapons and had them traverse the Frostpeak Mountains to return to their homeland. Around 500 of the dwarves returned alive, of the 1,000 that resurrected we are unsure of how many permanently died. In a rage Banek’Tor unleashed it’s full forces in a surprise attack against the Kingdom of Avendale at a weekend Gathering (after sacking a city in Nebulonde on the way). These Dwarves lead a mighty battle by all accounts. Some dwarves were only affected by females, others swung massive damage and others were emotional wrecks over the loss of so many comrades. The Dwarven Nation was fierce in it’s attack, leading to at least half a dozen resurrections of adventurers in these mighty battles intensified into the weekend gathering. Avendale with Nebulonde’s help stood firm and finally repelled the dwarven forces, though not without great loss and danger.
After these attacks passed, the dwarves needed time to recover from this massive force sent to Avendale. Given the Dwarven losses at the Avendale battle, as well as the splitting of the elves alliance and thusly that threat gone, Tamarantha was able to focus her attention on the Dwarven nation of Banek’Tor solely. Led by Clan Moikai and their Elite Warriors, Nebulonde defeated the nation of Dwarven Nation of Banek’Tor in a tremendous battle that lasted months. The remaining Dwarves were incarcerated as slaves and remained as such during Tamarantha ’s rule. Through all of these wars, the population of Nebulonde dwindled to frighteningly low levels.
The Drae infusion
In 591 ER a caravan of Drae appeared from the southeast and told a tale of being transformed from Quentari elves into Drae through a powerful Formal Magic Spell in an effort to correct the population problem in Draelonde. These new Drae were discriminated against and disliked by the Drae of Draelonde. The Draelonde clans decided that those of the pureblood, from Draelonde, would from then on be called Vornae, and all other dark elves would be called Drae. The Drae were welcomed into Nebulonde, whose people were more tolerant of other races then their cousins in Draelonde. Tamarantha sent back a few of these Drae to inform all Drae who sought refuge from persecution to come to Nebulonde, the Lost Haven.
The Current Clans and the Power Structure of Nebulonde
With this infusion of new blood even more new clans sprung up. The original structure of the Clan Council was revised slightly and is detailed below. The four original four ruling clans of Nebulonde retained power. All in all there were eventually 30 clans, the first four were the royal clans (with Hoyosha remaining the most powerful and Imperial clan), then 5-10 were added to the council as ruling clans (but do not hold anywhere near the power of the top 4 royal clans). All of the clans after the 10th are known as Common Clans and hold no power. There also exists Ita, or unofficial Clans who try to gain status as official clans though that is extremely rare. The Ruling Council of Clans is called the Mandarinate. At this time the power structure worked thusly:
Her Imperial Majestrix (Empress)
The Mandarinate (heads of each royal and ruling clan)
The Shogun (Warlord of all Imperial Troops)
Sessho (equivalent of seneschal, personal advisor to Majestrix)
Daimyo (Provincial Ruler, head of a royal or ruling clan)
Clan Shoguns (Warlord of a Clan)
Samurai (knight of a clan or lord)
Jito (land steward in the service of a Daimyo)
Hatamono (lord or lady)
Bushi (common troop)
Other Titles of note:
Ronin (Clanless samurai, sometimes banded together to form Ita Clans)
Jinyan (honorless thugs, normally organized)
Wako (Renegade or assassin)
The Clans of Nebulonde
Hoyosha (ruling clan), Ishidu, Maladorn, Moikai – Royal Clans
Shangtou, Nightbane, Teranko, Tien Lung, Zandros, Wu-Qing -Ruling Clans
Avendale and Civil War
Vampire Empress Revealed
In 597 ER Nebulonde made a treaty with then Lady Niomi Avendale which stated that Nebulonde would administer lands in Avendale above ground with favorable trade agreements in return for the defense of the eastern border of Avendale. The agreement had Nebulonde maintaining sovereignty below ground as an independent nation and becoming a Duchy of Avendale above ground. All peoples above ground would obey the laws of Avendale and all undead soldiers would be destroyed.
The Shogun of the empress, the Daimyo of Clan Ishidu became Duke of the aboveground settlement of Nebulonde. Things went for the worse when Empress Tamarantha Hyoshin began acting erratically, and began raising an army not just of Drae but of undead and arresting and executing any and all who spoke against her. Entire families and households were put to death or imprisoned for what would seem trivial matters. She banished the head of the College Arcane, Toshihiro Hyoshin for refusing to aid her Necromancers in “converting” the traitors to undead. Duke Ishidu at this point was also exiled out of the lands of Nebulonde for confronting the Empress on her actions. Toshihiro and Ishidu eventually returned and with wide popular support entered into a civil war against the Empress. Nebulonde broke its treaty with Avendale and declared it self independent. Toshihiro entered negotiations with Avendale to return Nebulonde to the Kingdom for certain concessions which were granted. Almost immediately Avendale troops poured into Nebulonde but at the insistence of Toshihiro only engaged in combat with groups of undead not wishing any blood spilled between Avendale and Nebulonde citizens. Eventually the Empress was cornered and it was reveled she was in fact a Vampire under the control of the Vampire Karvecki who was using her to cause strife in Avendale.
Duke Ishidu died his permanent death in a one on one successful battle against the Empress’ Shogun and Sir Kinieda Ishidu killed the Vampire Empress with a Stake of Woe. After these events Sakura Hoyosha was crowned Empress of Nebulonde and Nebulonde has rejoined Avendale. The agreement provides wide trade concessions to Nebulonde and allows the leader of Nebulonde to create lands within its own borders where only dark elves can go, similar to some of the estates in the Silvermyst that shall remain inhabited only by elves. The Imperial line is preserved by the Hyoshin Clan who arrange marriages to continue the line of succession the event that an Empress is needed once again.
Nebulonde, Current (January 604 ER)
The Barony of Nebulonde is currently administered by Baron Kinieda Takezu Ishidu. Baron Kinieda has become engaged to the Empress Sakura Hyoshin in 602ER. The Shogun is currently Toshihiro Hyoshin, the uncle to Empress Sakura. After merging with the Kingdom of Avendale, Nebulonde adopted its laws and as such there are no longer fearsome undead armies in Nebulonde, and the Necromancer’s Guild was disbanded. Due to the war with the vampire empress and her fearsome undead, the citizens of Nebulonde are more wary of necromancy than before and certainly do not wish to see undead unleashed to walk upon their streets again. In addition the people of Nebulonde seem to retain a distrust of dwarves, wood elves, and wild elves due to their centuries of conflict with the above ground inhabitants.
Nebulonde shines the brightest of all the lands of Avendale. It has existed for over 700 years, and its art, architecture, and education are a beauty surpassing that of even Quentari’s forest. Nebulonde has many of the finest tradesmen, scholars, and soldiers in the realm, recently expanding its influence upon the whole of Avendale through trade and, education. In 601 and 602 many people included some elements of Nebulonde fashion or its culture into their lives. Nebulonde silk garments are prized by the ladies of Avendale. Nebulonde forged swords are very common amongst military officers. Nebulonde art and architecture has a dominating role in Avendale, second only to the dwarves of Stormbearer keep.
Nebulonde’s cultural origins are obviously similar to Draelonde where the original settlers came from. Honor is of course prized above all else, however Nebulonde has a long tradition of etiquette and courtesy called Miyabi. Those of middle or upper classes strive to act in a very diplomatic and polite manner even to those they dislike, in fact the more difficult the situation the more honor is earned in maintaining one’s poise. In addition, due to their heavy trade and commerce, the people of Nebulonde have learned to develop a strict code of ethics and honor. Ones word is their honor, and they demonstrate this by keeping agreements and following their word when given, even to outsiders. Breaking one’s word is considered dishonorable and to quote a prominent merchant: “Do not give your word if you do not intend to keep it, it is easier to not give you word than restore your tarnished honor.” Some view those from Nebulonde as being aloof; however it is simply acting with honor, reserve and dignity.
Through their great history the people of Nebulonde have established a land of rich culture, art, and architecture. They have also established a flourishing trading and mercantile commerce. All of this has been achieved while still being a land of tradition, honor, and moderate acceptance.
People from Nebulonde rarely, if ever, use the derogatory slang word “jochu” towards surface dwellers, nor do they believe that being called a Drae is an insult. They do not use the word Drae in a derogatory manner. Nebulonde’s military forces are fierce elite warriors and their Special Forces and monstrous units are legendary among the Shaidu Garrison soldiers for their strength and perseverance. A point of interest and note is that many have recently adopted calling the race Dark Elves, instead of Drae or Vornae, as there is much confusion to those outside of the race as to the distinction. To many in Draelonde, Vornae is the name for the pureblood Drae, and Drae is the name for all non pureblood Drae such as those that intermingled with surface dwellers and non Drae Elves including all those who have transformed to Drae as well. To most Drae, the term Dark Elf is a universally neutral statement. Of note is that in other lands the race is called simply drae, as they do not have race changed among them. This author believes everything should eventually fade into the background and simply become ubiquitous.
Some points of interest
Nebulonde is made up of thirteen estates; Hachidou, Hayabashiri, Hourin, Iceweb, Jokaimon, Kazaya, Kosheitaka, Moonguard, Nando, Nebulonde, Oniyado, Takami, Yotsude.
The Topaz Throne is the seat of the Empress’ power. Secure within the audience chamber of the Imperial Compound, the throne itself is decorated in gemstones and is breathtakingly beautiful. Powerful enchantments are laid upon it and it is surrounded by a circle of power. The Imperial Compound itself has a powerful Greater Proscribe on it that delimits entrance to only certain races and is guarded by the most elite troops of Nebulonde.
University of Knowledge and Redgate Citadel are the two major institutes of learning in Nebulonde. The first teaches scholarly subjects as well as magic (for magic one must be accepted by a master and is taught as individual lessons). The former teaches the art of war. Enlistment at the University lasts 4-12 years, while Redgate Citadel is 2 years followed by a four year term in the Imperial Legions. Officers study for an additional 2 years before being given a command. Special Forces undergo addition, specialized training.
The Domain of the Defiled: A shallow canyon in the shadows of Nebulonde’s second largest cavern, this was where the undead armies of Nebulonde were once kept. Each Clan kept a few dozen to a hundred or more undead in a “stable” there. Since the destruction of the Vampire Huntress and her undead armies, undead are no longer welcome in Nebulonde and this place no longer houses any undead; all were destroyed.
Two major rivers flow through Nebulonde Kitaketzu and Minamiketzu, or Northblood and Southblood. They are named such as they are a vital form of underground transportation.
Dark Elven Names
A Dark Elven formal name generally consists of four parts, the personal name, secondary House name, primary House name, personal House name, and Clan name. Sometimes a person has a personal clan, and in such an instance that is inserted after the primary house name and before clan name.
1. Personal name - This is the first name of a character, it is the name given to them by their parents at birth.
2. Secondary House name - this is the House name of the secondary parent
3. Primary House name - this is the primary parents House name.
4. Clan name - this is the name of the Clan that the dark elf belongs to. It is seldom that a Dark Elf is not affiliated with a Clan.
Dark Elven Aging vs. Human Aging
A Dark Elves life span averages about 600 years. Although there are cases of longer life spans there are rare cases and anything past 800 is extremely rare.
AGE STAGE HUMAN EQUIVALENT
0-3 infant 0-2
4-7 toddler 3-5
8-20 child 6-8
21-70 youth 9-11
71-90 adolescent 12-14
91-100 puberty 15-20
101-200 young adult 21-30
201-300 mature 31-40
301-400 middle age 41-60
401-500 elderly 61-90
500+ venerable 90+