Hi everyone,

Here's the next addition to the line of Erpheronian monarchs.  I've tried to keep up to last year's pace, but this entry was difficult to research, and I've been spending time working on Raevalem.  Hope you all enjoy!   

Trel.



Overview
Caralla (1050-980 b.S.) ascended to the throne of Erpheronia in 1035 b.S., which had started to lose the respect of the nobility during her father’s reign as a result of his neglect and failing health.  She patronised the building of several educational institutions in the major towns and cities during her reign, but more importantly brought some stability to northern Erpheronia by establishing the Northern Marks, which formed a protective wall between Thevelin (now called Nyermersis) and Ishmarin.  Though she was a calm and careful ruler, Caralla established the beginnings of a military presence in the remote north areas of Erpheronia.

Appearance
Though dubbed the “Farseeing”, Caralla is also remembered for being somewhat taller than most Erpheronian women.  She stood over 1.8 peds, and had a lean, athletic figure, but was much more hale than her sickly father, Caeth.  Caralla is depicted in most paintings as having long brown hair, usually tied back into braids, that reached the middle of her back.  Her facial features were sharp, with high cheekbones, a thin nose and piercing brown eyes.  She often wore dresses made of silk dyed in Caltharia that had been subtly embroidered with the coat-of-arms of whatever city or town she was visiting.  Her preference was for the gold dresses with red trimming to represent the Erpheronian phoenix, but while visiting Thevelin she made a point of wearing attending a two-colour or two-patterned style, with blue running down the front and white along the sides.  With modesty typical of Erpheronian nobility, the collars of her dresses were always square cut and very high is not nearly as low as in the lower classes, and shows a certain amount of modesty in the higher, square-shaped design.  In both of these styles, Caralla popularised dresses that were fashioned with a piece of embroidery that curved around the hips and circled low around the front of the dress.

Personality
Early in her life, Caralla developed a keen sense of compassion toward the weak and stood up for those of whom had been taken advantage.  Her compassion was a direct result of the poor treatment her father received from her mother, Wanya, who openly criticised Caeth for his love of books, learning, and the arcane, which she saw as weakness.  As Caralla entered her teen years, Wanya sought the company of men due to Caeth’s failing health, and it was left to the young princess to look after her father.  Caralla was called the “Farseeing” for her ability to take note of the deterioration of circumstances in northern Erpheronia during her father’s reign, and begin to bring stability to the north.  This occurred because the northern areas, particularly Narvoss, but also Ishmarin, had been largely ignored as Caeth had sought to satisfy his own interests in magical lore.  Caralla recognized that the northern duchies had little respect for the king’s word and that Erpheronia had become disunited, since Caeth had done nothing to stop the sporadic attacks in Narvoss and Ishamarin. Her commitment to Erpheronia and her creativity showed in approach to stabilising the north through the establishment of the Northern Marks in 1000 b.S.  Finally, Caralla possessed a calm temperament.  She knew the tempestuousness of her mother made life difficult for her father in court at Voldar.  Caralla was much more reserved and refrained from outbursts that created tension among the nobility.  In this way, she learned not to emulate her mother, who often spoke out-of-turn and angered nobility.  She had a great love of books and reading – something she gained from her father, who was a low-level magician.  Though she had no magical aptitude, Caralla saw learning as an important means to improve the quality of her people’s lives.  Early during her reign, she sponsored the building of the library in Voldar, and later during her reign she founded a small school in Thevelin once the Northern Marks were established.

Biography

Formative Years (1050-1037 b.S.). Caralla spent much of her youth in Voldar learning as much about history, geography, science and the arts from her father Caeth, who in addition to being a scholar, also studied the arcane.

Compassion for the Father (1037-1035 b.S.). The young princess’s happy childhood came to an end when her father fell ill to a wasting sickness and a disease that destroyed his lungs and ability to breath and could no longer care for himself.  Caralla witnessed the destructive effects of the degeneration of her father’s health and her parent’s marriage, and cared for her father until his death.  Her younger siblings, her brother Aeric, and her two sisters Jenala and Breýssa looked to Caralla for guidance and care, as their mother was often absent from the court, preferring to spend time in Accam, her birthplace.  During this time, Caralla interacted with the Ruling Council of Voldar to ensure that none attempt to alter the balance of power that existed among them, and learned as much as possible about Erpheronian political relations.

Caralla Ascends to the Throne (1035 b.S.). Caeth died in 1035 b.S.  Just prior to his death, he called a private meeting with the Ruling Council of Voldar to allay his desire that his eldest daughter take the throne.  Caralla became Queen, though her mother disputed her ascension, saying that the princess was too young.  However, all members of the Ruling Council of Voldar voted in favour of Caralla.  Immediately after her coronation, Caralla sent her mother to permanently reside in Accam.

Caralla’s Marriage and Heir (1035-1033 b.S.).  Soon after her ascension, Caralla fell in love with one of the Ruling Council’s sons, a man named Erthis from the city of Ishmarin.  Their first son and heir, Thaelmar, was born in 1033 b.S.  This was a pleasant time for the new queen, as the support she received from the Ruling Council allowed her to, as much as possible, divide her time between managing the kingdom and spending time with her family.

Educating a Kingdom and Raising Family (1033-1028 b.S.).  Caralla spent the next seven years making small, but important improvements in educating the youth of the nobility.  In the past, private tutors were available to the wealthiest, however, Caralla patronised small schools in the major centres (Quentron, Ishmarin, Accam, Jernais, Westhron and Cemphira).  This culminated with the building of a new library in Voldar in 1028 b.S.  Calmar and Kormar were born during this time.

Troubles in the North (1028-1004 b.S.).  Though sporadic, the attack by orcs in the north began to plague Narvoss as well as Ishmarin, and though Caralla was aware of these attacks and sent troops to garrison the forces in these locations, it was not enough to remove the orcs’ presence.  For many years, support for Caralla waned, and the nobility called for a more permanent solution.  Her first plan of action was to designate a central point from which Erpheronian forces could respond to orc attacks – the site that was chosen is the small town of Thevelin.  She had her eldest son, Thaelmar, posted there to oversee the fortification of the town and to begin co-ordinating efforts between Thevelin and the other northern towns.

Building Thevelin and Drawing the Northern Marks (1004-1000 b.S.).   Over the next four years, Caralla encouraged her son to use his influence among the wealthy of Jernais to build up the capacity of Thevelin.  At the same time, she assigned a row of lands to Lords in the far north.  With this gift of land, each Lord was responsible for the construction of a castle or fortress, as well as at least one outpost capable of garrisoning 50 men.  The line of castles and fortresses between Thevelin and Ishmarin, the Northern Marks, effectively sealed off the northern entrance of the fertile and resource-rich Vale of Kalir, a plain sheltered by mountain ranges and the Ishmarin Lake.

Development of the North (1000-987 b.S.). With Caralla’s guiding hand, new settlements were soon founded in the region and Thevelin became a well-fortified town, which guarded the western portion of northern Erpheronia and the Teiphra.  Thevelin started transporting goods (mainly grain from the Vale of Kalir and iron from the nearby hills) down the river to the sea. Agriculture expanded into the north, and with the availability of metals, armouries were even built in Thevelin, Ishmarin and Quentron.  For the most part, the north exported raw materials and food to Voldar and the southern Erpheronian towns.  The fortresses along the Northern Mark became important training grounds for soldiers, and produced some of the toughest and most battle-hardened forces in southern Sarvonia.

Caralla’s Troubles at Home (987-985 b.S.). Caralla heard domestic concerns about the inability of her eldest son’s wife to have a child, which Caralla quelled very quickly.  However, her daughter-in-law decided, with Queen Caralla’s blessings, to remove herself from the tense atmosphere of Voldar to the more calming mood in Ishmarin, where Thaelmar was now posted.  Other than minor squabbling of the courtiers, however, the kingdom settled into a period of relative security until the death of Caralla’s husband Erthis, in 985 b.S.

The Final Years of Caralla’s Reign (985-980 b.S.).  Caralla spent the last five years of her reign in relative peace, and though she missed her husband, her eldest son’s wife rejoined her.  During this time, the wives of Caralla’s other sons both had children, and the queen spent most of her time with them.  She charged the Ruling Council of Voldar with ensuring that northern Erpheronia continued to develop, but fell ill and passed away in 980 b.S.  Her eldest son, Thaelmar, ascended to the throne.


Importance
Caralla, like her father, Caeth, loved to read and though she had no skill with magic, she patronised the building of a new library in Voldar in 1028 b.S., as well as other smaller schools in major towns or cities in Erpheronia.  Arguably, her greatest contribution came in 1000 b.S. when Carralla assigned a row of lands to Lords in the far north to form the Northern Marks.  Each lord that received a piece of land was responsible for the construction of a castle or fortress, and one outpost capable of holding 50 men.  The Northern Marks brought significant stablity to the north by protecting the towns and cities in the north against the orc invasions, and allowed them to develop into important centres from which food and metals could be exported to the south.  Of great importance among these centres was Thevelin, which was later named Nyermersis, and overlooked the Teiphra, as well as the fertile plains to the north. Thevelin became not just an important facet of the defence of northern Erpheronia, but also an economic and cultural centre.
 

My apologies, Azhira, Art is right.   

I'm thinking of the wrong Saban.  Wren is the person who wrote up the Saban Blackcloak entry.

Trel.

Hi Azhira,

I really looking forward to seeing what you come up with.  May I suggest that you try to contact Capher about this?  This is likely going to be a very involved entry, and he has already done a lot of background work on Saban Blackcloak, Alvang and even the battle itself.

Have fun! 

Trel.

I'm flattered, Grun!  That was very thoughtful.

I've been spending time working away at Queen Caralla - Thaelmar's mother.  I found that while there is obviously nothing about her (since I sort of made her up), that there are many entries on the site (as well as posts here and there that aren't up, but contain relevant information and thoughts, which I have been putting together.

And yes, I'm also working at Raevalem.  I've just been absent from commenting as work has taken me out of the office again. 

Trel.

Hi all,

For my Masterwork, I would be very interested in the colonial city of Raevalem.  It would allow me to continue to keep the Erpheronian focus, and I think there is enough work to be done that this would require a substantial amount of work.  Please let me know what you think when you get a chance.

Cheers!

Trel.

Judy,

This is an interesting list, and a very cool idea!   

For everyone else:

I just want to add a little side-note for anyone thinking of writing up one of these people.  Even though there are not entries completed for these people, there is some information on some of them - it just takes a little searching.  So for anyone who intends to write a person entry - there is a place to start from in certain cases.  Commander Khizaar, for example, was started.  There is an Overview, Appearance and the beginnings of a History for the miserable sod.

Cheers!

Trel.

Hi Grun,

Very nicely written, Grun!     I see what you mean about my Thaelrin entry not being that long - this one took a few sittings to read through to allow me to make some comments.  Thing is - you write really well, so I can't even nitpick.      

:snerk: "Old Tit-Freezer"  This doesn't bother me, but there are some young'uns about.  I'll let the censors deal with that one.  Its a good thing the Serphelorians are a matriarchical society.  I can imagine what the Erpheronians might have called it.   

The one thing that struck me about the entry as possibly needing some commentary on was the geographical placement of the Order.  Obviously the Seyellan Order requires a base of operations, yet at the same time they are responsible for the entire area of Sanguia, which you do mention.  Does this mean that the Order has outposts or keeps around the province, or do they have to send troops out from Clymnios whenever necessary?

Cheers!

Trel.

Thank you for the vote of confidence everyone, and gratzies to everyone else who has been offered the chance to "show their quality".   

::Pushes back his sleeves, rubs his hands together, and sits down to think about what he will do for a Masterwork entry.::

Hmm......... 

Trel.

Thanks guys.  I'm still shaking my head over all the silly grammatical mistakes I've made.  Sheesh!!

I'm going to start working on another entry soon, but first I'd like to get back to the Erpheronian Timeline, and make good on my promise to get some more of that done.

Art - thank you for your kind words.  There are a lot of fantastic 'newcomers' (well, they're not newcomers anymore I guess) working on the site, who work on a lot of really original entries!!   

Grunok - thanks again for helping me out with the entry.  Sometimes I think I need to be hit over the head to get things finished!

Thanks for the comments Grunok and Art!

I have made the verb tense changes and spelling corrections.  I also shorted the Overview.  However, when I read it again, it still looks a little long   

Hmm... if you think the Overview is okay, I'll leave it alone.  Otherwise, I may still make some edits.

Trel.

Hi everyone,

Grunok - I loved what you had written, and so I stole it.             It seems I'm having trouble seeing forests for all those pretty trees that are quite integral parts of them, but nonetheless when put together are more than the sum of each individual .....  There, that ought to shut me up.

I've made some changes here - mostly reduced the size of the Overview as per Grunok and Art's comments, and also changed to the past tense.  Sorry for the mixup - I was trying to get back into the swing of things a little too quickly, perhaps.

Thank you for the comments guys!

Trel.



King Thaelmar “the Explorer King”, 1033 b.S. to 955 b.S.

Overview
Thaelmar ascended to the Erpheronian throne in 980 b.S., but his reign was cut short in 955 b.S. when he was killed in a rock slide while supervising one of his many improvement projects.  Despite his short reign, Thaelmar brought stability to northern Erpheronia through the many political and structural advancements introduced.  While popular with the upper classes, the levies he exacted upon the peasantry led to a certain amount of unpopularity, even causing a minor revolt in Voldar.  This, combined with his love for a Queen who had difficulty producing heirs, led to this undoubtedly important King being somewhat unpopular during his lifetime.

Appearance
Thaelmar stood nearly 1.6 peds in height and was stocky, a gift from his father, Erthis, who was a powerful warrior.  He possessed a rugged complexion and reddish-brown hair, which he kept short.  The Erpheronian King’s most noticeable feature was the mismatched colour of his eyes – one brown and the other green.  He spent much time leading forces against orc attacks north of Thevelin during his mother’s reign, when she was building the Northern Marks, and so became accustomed to wearing full plate mail armour underneath very functional, durable clothing with the bearing the Karovnean Eagle from Erpheronia’s coat-of-arms.  This preference for the practical carried through even after he was crowned king – he wore full plate armour in the field, or a blue and green tabard with the coat-of-arms overtop of a suit of chain mail when he held court in Voldar, and was never without his sword.


Personality
Thaelmar, though both an intellectual like his mother, Queen Caralla, and a strategist, was well-known for his ambition and love of seeking out the unknown.  Throughout his entire life, Thaelmar sought to see as much of his kingdom as possible, and in typical Erpheronian fashion, exploited as much of its resources for the benefit of his kingdom.  His ambition often drove him to take measures that were unpopular with the lower and middle classes, whom he also viewed as a resource that could help him fulfill his goal of building Erpheronia’s status while filling its coffers.  He spent several years leading military expeditions in the north, and so was known as being very hands-on and willing to get his hands dirty.  Ultimately, it was his curiosity and ambition that many felt led to his demise, as he was killed in a rockslide while he was visiting an excavation site at a new mine that had not yet been made safe.


Biography
1033-1019 b.S.  Formative years.  Thaelmar’s mother, Caralla had Thaelmar trained in history, mathematics, the arts and science during the first fourteen years of his life.  Thaelmar became interested in geology as a boy, and learned much about the importance of precious gems and metals used for every day life.

1018 – 1015 b.S.  Thaelmar courts Cathya.  Thaelmar was sent to Jernais to learn more about economics and military strategy.  The man he learned from was the brother of the Duke of Jernais, and the uncle of a beautiful young woman named Cathya.  Though Thaelmar spent only 4 months in Jernais, it was long enough for the two to fall in love.  The coupling was seen as a good omen, as both were well liked by most of the common people of Jernais, Voldar and even Cemphira, where they spent a summer visiting with local landowners.  The pair married three years later in 1015 b.S.

1015-1008 b.S.  Difficulties in marriage.  At the suggestion of Thaelmar’s mother, Queen Caralla, the couple returned to Jernais where they spent the first few years of their marriage.  Caralla was sensitive to the fact that Cathya was close to her family, but she also wanted her ambitious son to develop a sense of the political situation in Jernais.  As well, Caralla felt it would be a good place to begin raising a family.  The couple failed to have a child until 1008 b.S., when Caeth was born, which ended rumours that Cathya was barren and unfit as a Queen.

1004 b.S.  Death of the firstborn: Caeth dies from fever.  The effect on Thaelmar, Cathya and her family was profound and manifested itself in very different ways.  Thaelmar drove himself to work hard at perfecting his weapons' skills, while Cathya’s mother fell into a deep depression and passed away soon after.  Cathya, whose relationship with her father had always been close, was able to keep up her spirits as best she could until he died in 1002 b.S.  Caralla intervened at this point, and forced Thaelmar to focus on his marriage, which was successful.  The two rekindled their relationship once again.

1004 – 999 b.S. Thaelmar’s first posting: Thevelin.  Thaelmar was given a military posting in the town of Thevelin.  Though he had weapons training, it was here that he learned the art of soldiery.  It was a difficult time for the couple, as his wife Cathya remained behind in Voldar with Queen Caralla.  Though Thaelmar and Cathya were deeply in love, and were able to spend time together during Thaelmar’s occasional visits, rumblings in his mother’s court about Cathya’s inability to carry a child to term began again.  Despite the rumours among the courtiers, and the advice from Caralla’s counsellors that Thaelmar divorce Cathya, the two stayed together.  The town of Thevelin benefited from Thaelmar’s presence and connections with the wealthy of Jernais, some of whom took up residence there and started new bases of operating businesses.

998 – 985 b.S.  Thaelmar’s second posting: Ishmarin.  Thaelmar was stationed in Ishmarin for a time, but this time brought Cathya with him.  Rumours of her inability to conceive began again at the court in Voldar, so she decided, with Queen Caralla’s blessings, to remove herself from the tense atmosphere of Voldar to the more calming mood in Ishmarin.  During this period, Thaelmar spent time with one of the surveyors in the area.  He became fascinated with his childhood interest and sought permission from his mother to lead a survey group into the Warnaka Mountains.  The group discovered a small, but rich source of iron and copper.  The surveyor convinced Thaelmar that the Tandala Highlands might yield an even greater source of heavy metals.

985-980 b.S.  Thaelmar’s third posting: Astran.  The Erpheronian prince was stationed in Astran, but once again decided to leave Cathya behind.  Astran was still considered a frontier – little more than a guardpost with a small walled up community surrounding it, and more dangerous than Ishmarin.  Thaelmar brought the Ishmarin surveyor with him, and together they began surveys in the “safer” areas of the Tandala Highlands.  They found large veins of iron in the south-western portion of the Tandala Highlands, but due to their remoteness, it was difficult to extract anything and transport it. 

980 b.S.  Thaelmar becomes King of Erpheronia. Early in the year, word reached him that Queen Caralla fell ill – he returned to Voldar too late.  Thaelmar’s mother, Queen Caralla passed away, and Thaelmar ascended to the throne.  His coronation was rushed, as his intent was to leave Cathya accountable for affairs of state, but her poor treatment by the nobility, brought on by her inability to produce an heir, convinced Thaelmar to remain and allow others to continue his work in Astran.

979 – 977 b.S.  Building the Eastern Marks.  Thaelmar’s first contribution to bringing stability to eastern Erpheronia was the building of a road between Thevelin (present-day Nyermersys) and Astran.  Coincident with this, mining began in the Tandala Highlands.   Work initially was slow due to lack of access to supplies and labour, however by 977 b.S. as a result of financial incentives offered to merchants, traders and craftsmen to move to Thevelin and Astran, there was much more will by others, along with money, to complete the road and even begin building in Astran, which experienced a rapid rush of growth as people moved into the area.

976 b.S.  Thaelmar’s Heir.  Thaelrin was born late in 976 b.S., which again, amidst rumours of Cathya’s inability to serve as Queen, brought with it new hope to the country.  The birth was celebrated with some temerity by the members of Thaelmar’s court, however, as many recalled Caeth’s early death, and feared the same could happen with young Thaelrin.

975 – 966 b.S.  Troubles in the Tandalas.  Excavation began in the western range of the Tandala Highlands, after initial surveys of the region show that heavy metals (iron, copper) were present in the area.  War broke out with the tribes of orcs in the region.  Previously, the orcs had been the aggressors, moving into Erpheronian territory during the reign of Thaelmar’s mother (Queen Caralla) and grandfather (King Caeth).  This time however, it was Thaelmar who has moved into lands that were traditionally under the orcs’ control.  These wars, though not long-lasting, were brutal and many lives were lost on both sides.

965-962 b.S.  Building Astran.  Thaelmar pushed forward with his expansion in the east, not wanting to lose the momentum he has built by finally removing the presence of the orcs immediately north of Astran.  Thaelmar imposed many demands on the Lords of the northern lands to further fortify the region by improving keeps and guardposts.  These demands required some heavy taxation, particularly of the lower and middle classes in Erpheronia.  The original castle keep at Astran was constructed at this time, which incorporated many of the features seen in the current fortress – the “Guardian”

959 b.S.  Protests in Voldar.  Immediately after Thaelmar instituted new property levies on properties owned within the city of Voldar, there was a brief uprising in the city of Voldar.  Though the city guard quickly put down the riots that followed, some of the merchant class were targeted and their businesses destroyed by fire.  One merchant was even killed while trying to protect his property.  Thaelmar had some of the rioters prosecuted and two of the more influential leaders of the uprising were executed for treason.  Some of the tax burden on the less wealthy was eased, which helped to lessen the resentment among the lower class, but Thaelmar was less popular with his people from this time until his death.

959-956 b.S.  Testing the Eastern Marks.  The road between Voldar and Thevelin was completed, as are guard posts between Astran and Thevelin.  This line of stone towers, each of which could house a small contingent of soldiers, also had room to hold supplies for an extended siege, and were placed strategically above aquifers to provide a source of drinking water.  Later in 956 b.S., a small orc incursion occurred at the town of Astran, and was easily repelled.  The orcs attacked as the Erpheronians mining north of Astran began to encroach upon more lands previously held by the orcs.  The orcs attempted to destroy three more guardposts between Astran and Thevelin, but each time they were turned back.  This line of guardposts became known as the Iron Wall.

955 b.S.  Thaelmar’s death.  Thaelmar sent forces north to clear out a significant portion of the region immediately north of Astran.  Surveys were conducted and again the area was found to be rich in iron.  During one of his visits to one of the excavation sites, Thaelmar was killed in a rockslide.  The throne passed to his son, Thaelrin, in 955 b.S.

Importance
Thaelmar’s contributions to the settling of the northern and eastern regions of Erpheronia were numerous.  New settlements were founded and built up in these areas, including the village of Thevelin (later Nyermersys).  As the Erpheronian kingdom increased in size, the Eastern Marks were established with Astran as the central stronghold in the eastern region of the Tandalas. The line of guard posts joined by a road network between Thevelin and Astran formed what has become known in the  northern world as the "Iron Wall".  Thevelin provided protection to the west and along the Teiphra, while Astran guarded the eastern region to almost as far as the Adanian Sea.  This road network allowed for the movement of troops as well as goods between regions, encouraged trade in raw materials (mostly metals from the Warnackas or Tandalas, and grains from the Vale of Kalir) down the Teiphra River to the eastern coast of Erpheronia.  It also provided merchants and craftsmen with security and financial opportunities to entice them to take up residence in Thevelin or Astran as living costs decreased in the north.  With the influx of money into the area, a number of the southern landholders begin to purchase land in the north, so even the areas around Thevelin and Astran become settled.  These northern areas became integral to the supply of commodities and metals to the southern region of Erpheronia.  Furthermore given the intensification of military presence in the north, these northern cities later became a training ground for new soldiers, who could be readily moved and transported to the south if required.

Art,

I noticed Thaelmar's birthdate in the heading was 1000 b.S. - it should be 1033 b.S.  I've highlighted the change in red.  Also changed his epithet, from Thaelmar "the Young" to Thaelmar "the Explorer King".

Trel.

Thanks for the comments Art!

I will make the changes you've suggested, though there is one little "hitch" with the Guardian - the tower at Astran.  According to the entry, it was built during the first century a.S.  I could mention that the original tower that was built here was later destroyed and the Guardian erected in its place.

Trel.

Very nicely written, Rookie!!

I have only a few very nit-picky editorial comments in red, and a couple of comments on its usage that seem a little contradictory in yellow.  I really enjoyed reading this entry!!

Cheers!

Trel.


Territory

... the highest density of Ahrcillicia trees known is the Almatrar forest just northwest of the Rimmershins Ring.

Should be Rimmerins Ring.

Usages


The wood of the tree is not particularly strong or beautifully grained and is prone to splitting.  As well as this, the wood is dotted with knotholes and other imperfections. However, the straightness of the trunk means that the tree can be split into many even planks.  Its quick growth-rate also means it is ready for harvesting within five years.  As well as filling up a gap in the dense canopy quite quickly, this makes it a cheap and renewable wood for those who do not put a premium on quality.

Wood that doesn't split well due to knotholes and other imperfections, typically doesn't "rip" well, so it doesn't make good quality building planks.  I'd suggest that since the trunk is nice and straight, it would be better suited for posts - like you might use in fences.  If used for planks, as you've said the wood is going to be poor quality, and not useful in making sturdy homes.


The people who live in the Almatrar forest, where the largest number of these trees grow, have a few uses for them.  Ahrhim elves build homes in the lower canopy and string ladders and ropes from one dense tree to another.  The trees’ strong, straight branches make ideal supports for these structures, although as the tree grows and the lower branches die off the homes have to be moved.  As it dies the branch will loose its redish tinge as well as all its needles, so the elves have plenty of time in which to move their constructions higher.   Also, as mentioned in the Description section, the trees’ height and numbers make it ideal for the druids who live in Almatrar to light their camps and homes.

Now here you say the trees have strong branches, which somewhat contradicts the fact that the wood is not strong.  Trees that lose branches on their own - they're called self-thinning - tend not to have strong branch attachments (things like lodgepole pine have nice straight trunks, and do make nice poles, but the branch attachments are weak).  It would be a stretch to be able to build a house in a tree like this.


Reproduction

Nestled in the crevices of the mighty pine cones are large, fat-rich nuts.  Around the same size as the top part of ones thumb, neither they nor their pine cone casing can

Should be one's thumb.




Myth/Lore

Not riches or extremes of literacy brilliance but simply enjoyment and satisfaction.   

This is a sentence fragment.  


It is thought to promote a long steady marriage which always puts food on the table and help the couple’s love for each other to never diminish. 

Should be: ...and helps ...

In folklore, an elfmaiden with the name “Cillicia” will always be happy where she is, and raise many beautiful children.

Further to Judy's comment, how about Cillicia Tree?  Very pretty name!   

Hi everyone,

As I start to get back into things, and particularly working away at the Erpheronian timeline, I remembered there was a brief period where I hadn't finished work on a couple of monarchs - between Caeth "the Child King" and Thaelrin "the Relentless".  Well, here's that blank filled in.  Once we've got this inserted in the timeline, I'll get working at the end of the timeline (from 800 b.S. to as close as Thar's reign as I dare go).

Cheers!

Trel.



1050
To 980 b.S. Queen Caralla “the Farseeing”, Prince Consort Erthis
(Sons: Thaelmar, Calmar, Kormar)

Caralla (1050 b.S. – 980 b.S.) ascends to the throne in 1035 b.S..  As a princess, Caralla finds it difficult to watch her father waste away.  She is often the only person to spend time with Caeth, as her mother, Wanýa, often seeks the company of other men because of the king’s preoccupation with magic.  Caralla, like her father, loves to read and though she has no skill with magic, she patronises the building of a new library in Voldar in 1028 b.S.  Arguably, her greatest contribution came in 1000 b.S. when Carralla assigns a row of lands to Lords in the far north to form the Northern Marks.  With this gift of land, each Lord is responsible for the construction of a castle or fortress, as well as at least one outpost capable of garrisoning 50 men.  This forms a protective border against the orcish tribes that had been plaguing the northern lands to this point, particularly the Duchy of Narvoss and the city of Ishmarin.  The Northern Marks are rumoured to have been founded as a means to monitor the elves of Calmarios, whose strength had been rising during this period of time.  Thevelin, which is later named Nyermersys, becomes one of these fortresses, and oversees of the two bridges of the Teiphra, as well as the fertile plains to the north. This effectively seals off the northern entrance of the fertile and resource-rich Vale of Kalir, a plain sheltered by mountain ranges and the Ishmarin Lake.  Caralla passes away in 980 b.S. and leaves the throne to her eldest, her son, Thaelmar.


1033 b.S.
to 955 b.S. King Thaelmar “the Explorer King”, Queen Cathya
(Sons: Caeth II  and Thaelrin)

Overview
Thaelmar (1033 b.S. – 955 b.S.) is the eldest son of Queen Caralla and her Prince Consort, Erthis.  He ascends to the throne in 980 b.S., but his reign is cut short in 955 b.S. when he is killed in a rock slide north of Astran, while visiting with surveyors excavating a new mine in the Tandala Highlands.  Thaelmar and his Queen, Cathya have two sons: Caeth II and Thaerin.  Their eldest son dies of fever before his fourth birthday, and there is much speculation amongst the members of the court that though they attempt to have more children, Cathya is no longer able to conceive.  Despite his short reign, Thaelmar brings much stability to northern Erpheronia by establishing the Eastern Marks around Astran, in addition to the road network that now runs between Voldar and Nyermersys and between Nyermersys and Astran, a line known as the "Iron Wall".  It is notable that the castle keep built at Astran, which was destroyed, is the site where the "Guardian" is later built in the first century b.S.  Thaelmar offers financial incentives to merchants, traders and craftsmen willing to move to Thevelin and Astran.  Thevelin and Astran become heavily fortified towns where merchants and craftsmen feel enough security and financial opportunities are available to entice them to take up residence due to lost cost to live in the north.  With the influx of money into the area, a number of the southern landholders begin to purchase land in the north, so even the areas around Thevelin and Astran become settled.  Farms and mines are built.  With the increased security along the Teiphra, Thevelin starts transport goods (mainly grain from the Vale of Kalir and iron from the nearby hills) down the river to the sea. The northern regions become the corn chambers (and its armouries) for the Erpheronian kingdom, exporting mainly raw materials and foodstuffs to Voldar and the southern Erpheronian towns.  Due to the strong military presence in the north, the northern regions also become favoured training grounds for new recruits.  Thaelmar is reputed to have been well loved by the wealthy, for his reforms to the country’s infrastructure benefit those with enough resources to make use of them.  However, the challenges of the Erpheronian peasantry are made worse by his ignorance of the circumstances facing them during his reign.  After Thaelmar’s death in 955 b.S., his only remaining son, Thaelrin, takes the Erpheronian throne.