A Brief History of Elysia

Elysia is a fortified city located along the shores of Lake Eridanus, along the western edge of T’Nanshi, south of the halfling nation of Ferrell. The city is actually the made up almost entirely of loyal followers of the Champions of O’ma. Vanoviel Niltaurwen, after helping to foil the plot of Valok to enter Avlis, was tasked by O’ma himself to create an order of holy warriors to help in defending the ideals of Goodness throughout the planes. Fifty years ago Vanoviel, a half-elf/half-nymph, created a small fort as the headquarters of the early Champions of O’ma where Elysia is presently. Over time the small fort became a keep, the keep became a castle, the castle was surrounded by farms and artisans, and eventually the city was formed. Vanoviel decided to call the city Elysia, in honor of O’ma’s home plane of Elysium.

Elysia still serves as the headquarters of the Champions of O’ma, however the Champions do not run the city. Instead, the city of Elysia is governed by a Mayor and a City Council. The mayor is elected bi-annually by a popular vote of all citizens of Elysia and its surrounding farm areas that submit to the city’s rule. The current mayor is Ainthradion Rinthon, a well respected elf who has lived in Elysia for many years and a relative of Aratelda Rinthon, a former adventuring companion of Vanoviel.

The City Council members are elected or selected, depending on their sending district, to a one year term. Each of the city’s districts has an equal vote in the council. In addition to the elected members there are four permanent members of the council. Vanoviel Niltaurwen, Head of the Champions of O’ma, or in her stead Saramon, her chief lieutenant, is one of the permanent council members. Vanoviel or Saramon do not have a vote on the council. The remaining three permanent council members are the Masterwizard of the Champions of O’ma, High Cleric of the Champions of O’ma, and Head of the Elysial Guards, the city’s militia. Each of those three members has full voting rights. The positions are currently held by Maria Torin, Masterwizardess of the Champions of O’ma, Laucin Ulyn, High Cleric of the Champions of O’ma, and Derrik Ogresbane, Captain of the Elysial Guards. The remaining eleven members of the council represent each of the city’s districts. The mayor is afforded a vote only to break a tie among the council.

Elysia is a quasi-independent city in the nation of T’Nanshi. The government of T’Nanshi doesn’t attempt to control the city, as the true elves of T’Nanshi feel the city is too organized and the goals of the Champions of O’ma currently coincide with the goals of T’Nanshi. The city tries to keep itself independent of the rulings of T’Nanshi and to maintain itself as a self-sufficient entity.

The Champions of O’ma are directly involved in the struggle between M’Chek and T’Nanshi for control of the disputed borderlands. The Champions do not necessarily feel that the elves are right in denying the humans the land, but they are distressed that the Equalizers have enlisted the aid of the Titanian fairies. The Champions feel that this is an undeniable act of evil and have themselves joined the struggle and enlisted the aid of the O’ma fairies.

The struggle between the nations of T’Nanshi and M’Chek put the Equalizers of Mikon and the Champions of O’ma on opposite sides of the battle where in other areas of Avlis, they fight side by side.

While most of the citizens think of Elysia as only their home, the Champions of O’ma consider it both their home and if need be a highly defensible bastion. This thought played a huge role in the design of the city. Vanoviel chose the location of Champions Castle carefully. It is situated on a hillock nearly a half mile from the shores of Lake Eridanus, the highest land mass for five miles in any direction. The city grew in concentric near circles around the completed castle. It is easiest to imagine Elysia as a bull’s eye with Champions Castle as the center. The only difference is that the bull’s eye is shifted right of center if facing north and looking down from above. There are eleven districts in Elysia and they form four concentric rings around Champions Castle.