Celyndor

Celyndor
Spirit	Kaelthorin
Significance	A vast • unbroken realm of deep woods and endless growth • where life thrives in the balance of nature.

Celyndor is a vast, unbroken expanse of deep forests, where life exists in a delicate balance shaped by time and nature. Towering trees stretch beyond the horizon, their roots weaving through the land, while canopies form an endless green expanse that shelters the world below. Every leaf, vine, and creature is part of a vast, interconnected web, where survival depends on harmony rather than dominion.

The northern reaches of Celyndor are dominated by dense pine forests, where mist drifts between the trunks and the air is thick with the scent of resin. The canopy here is thick, allowing little direct sunlight to reach the forest floor. In these shadowed groves, the Thryssin move unseen among the branches, and the Dralvir guard the ancient pathways.

To the south, the forests shift into a realm of broadleaf trees, winding rivers, and seasonal transformations. Here, the Velkyn dwell in deep groves, their forms entwined with the very essence of the forest, while the Kaethari roam freely between the oaks and willows, existing between the boundaries of the mortal and the wild.

Celyndor is not a wilderness in the absence of civilization—it is a living realm where the land shapes its inhabitants as much as they shape it. Its people, bound to the rhythm of the woods, serve as its caretakers, protectors, and messengers.

History

The history of Celyndor is not recorded in stone or parchment but written in the growth rings of ancient trees and the quiet passage of time. It is a realm shaped by Kaelthorin, the Spirit of Growth and Forests, whose presence lingers in every branch, root, and leaf. Unlike other lands where history is marked by war and ruin, Celyndor’s past is one of slow transformation, cycles of renewal, and the enduring patience of the wild.

The First Canopy

According to legend, Celyndor was once an open expanse of earth and sky, until Kaelthorin took root within the land, calling forth the first trees. From this act of creation, the forest began to spread, growing outward in all directions. The First Canopy, said to be formed of immense, towering trees, sheltered the land beneath, allowing life to flourish in the shadow of its boughs.

The Verdant Accord

As the forest expanded, the first inhabitants emerged—beings woven from the land itself, bound to its rhythms and balance. The Dralvir took form from the oldest trees, standing as wardens of the sacred groves. The Velkyn grew from the heart of the deep woods, their bodies entwined with vines and bark. The Thryssin adapted to the heights, becoming swift and unseen among the towering pines. The Kaethari were the last to emerge, fluid in form, existing between the mortal and the wild.

Though these peoples differed in nature, they shared an unspoken understanding—Celyndor was not a land to be conquered, but one to be tended. This agreement became known as the Verdant Accord, an ancient pact recognizing that all who dwelled within the forest were both its guardians and its children.

The Silent Bloom

There was a time when Celyndor’s growth slowed, its trees no longer spreading beyond their borders. The reason remains unknown—some say Kaelthorin withdrew into slumber, while others believe the land itself chose to remain as it was. This period, known as the Silent Bloom, was marked by a stillness in the forest’s expansion. The Verdant Accord held firm, and Celyndor endured, untouched by the outside world.

The Shadowed Roots

Though Celyndor has remained unbroken, there are whispers of places where the balance has faltered—groves where the trees grow twisted, where the land seems to resist the natural order. The Shadowed Roots are feared by many, spoken of in hushed tones as places where something other than Kaelthorin's will lingers. Some believe these areas are remnants of an ancient wound, while others claim they are simply another aspect of the forest—one that has yet to be understood.

Celyndor’s history is not one of rise and fall, but of growth, change, and endurance. While other realms forge their legacies through war and ambition, Celyndor’s past is written in the silent, steady unfolding of leaves, the shifting of the seasons, and the wisdom carried in the heartwood of its oldest trees.

Geography

Celyndor is an unbroken forest realm, stretching across vast distances in a seamless expanse of towering trees, winding rivers, and shadowed groves. Though undivided by mountains or borders, Celyndor is broadly separated into two distinct regions—the mist-laden, coniferous forests of the north and the vibrant, ever-shifting woodlands of the south.

The northern forests are dense and shadowed, where towering pines reach skyward, and the canopy allows little sunlight to pierce through. These lands are shaped by the cool air that lingers in the trees, the weight of mist that drifts through the undergrowth, and the quiet presence of unseen watchers.

The southern forests, by contrast, are vibrant and changing. Here, broadleaf trees shift with the seasons, rivers carve through lush glades, and the cycle of life is more visible—leaves burn red and gold before falling, only to return in endless renewal.

Despite their differences, both halves of Celyndor are bound by the same rhythm of growth, balance, and patience.

Northern Celyndor

• The Thryssin Canopy – A vast stretch of towering pines where mist hangs between the branches, and the air is thick with the scent of resin. This is the domain of the Thryssin, whose hidden pathways and woven bridges connect the high branches into an unseen city above the world below.

• The Everglen Reach – The oldest and most sacred part of the northern forests, where the trees are ancient and immense. Light rarely touches the forest floor, and silence dominates beneath the canopy. Many believe this is where Kaelthorin first took root, making it the spiritual heart of the northern wilds.

• The Veilwood – A shadowed region where the forest is dense, tangled, and overgrown. Many avoid this place, believing it to be a land where Kaelthorin’s influence is weakest, though others claim it is simply a deeper, more mysterious part of the forest’s natural cycle.

Southern Celyndor

• The Greenwood Vale – A vast, temperate woodland where broadleaf oaks, maples, and willows shift with the seasons. Rivers and meadows break the dense woodland, creating open groves where the Kaethari roam freely, and the Velkyn remain rooted in the deep glades.

• The River of Seasons – A great, winding river that carves its way through the southern woodlands. It is said that its waters remember the passing of time, turning golden in the autumn, silver in the winter, and emerald in the spring. Many settlements rely on this river for navigation and sustenance.

• The Whispering Glades – A scattered collection of hidden groves, where the wind carries soft murmurs through the trees. Some claim these whispers are the voices of the forest itself, carrying the memories of those who walked these paths long ago.

Celyndor’s geography is not marked by borders, but by the natural balance of its land. The north remains a place of stillness and patience, while the south thrives in motion and change. Yet through both, the will of Kaelthorin endures, guiding the endless growth of the wilds.

Climate

Celyndor’s climate is shaped by its dense forests and natural isolation. The northern reaches are cool and humid, while the south experiences a milder, temperate climate.

• A Realm of Perpetual Green – The trees of Celyndor never shed their leaves completely, ensuring that the forest remains dense throughout the year.
• Twilight Beneath the Canopy – The forest floor is often shrouded in dim light, illuminated only by bioluminescent fungi and occasional breaks in the trees.
• The Ever-Present Whisper – The rustling of leaves and the groaning of old branches create the impression that the forest itself is breathing.

Native Sophants

Celyndor is home to four distinct peoples, each embodying a different aspect of the forest’s balance.

The Dralvir – Guardians of the Old Growth

The Dralvir are large, solitary beings with bark-like skin and antlered crowns, resembling the great trees they protect. They are the oldest sentinels of Celyndor, watching over sacred paths and shielding the deep woods from harm. Though slow to act, they are nearly impossible to stop once roused.

The Dralvir are most often found where the northern pines give way to the southern broadleaf forests, serving as wardens of the land’s transitions. Some claim that their very presence strengthens the trees around them, preventing decay and ensuring the endurance of the ancient groves.

The Thryssin – Keepers of the High Canopy

The Thryssin are a semi-arboreal people, adapted to life high among the towering pines of Northern Celyndor. With elongated, flexible limbs and keen senses, they move effortlessly through the branches, rarely touching the forest floor.

Their settlements are woven into the trees, connected by suspended bridges and branch tunnels, hidden from those who do not belong. Highly territorial, the Thryssin guard their domain with precision, striking unseen from the heights when threatened. Though reclusive, they are unparalleled in their knowledge of the canopy and its inhabitants.

The Velkyn – The Rooted and the Wandering

The Velkyn are a plant-like people who exist in deep symbiosis with the forest, their bodies interwoven with vines, moss, and bark. They do not walk as others do; instead, some remain rooted within their chosen glades, while others move deliberately, growing with each step.

They serve as keepers of the land’s memory, their sap preserving knowledge passed down through generations. The oldest among them are living archives, containing fragments of history woven into their being. Some Velkyn wander between the groves, while others have remained in place for centuries, becoming part of the landscape itself.

The Kaethari – Wildborn of the Shifting Woods

The Kaethari are nomadic shapeshifters, existing between the mortal and wild aspects of Celyndor. Some bear only subtle bestial traits, while others fully take on the forms of wolves, stags, or great hunting cats.

They are fluid in their connection to the forest, moving freely between its many regions, never bound to one place for long. The Kaethari are both feared and revered—omens of nature’s will, appearing where the forest's balance shifts. Some say their presence heralds change, while others believe they are the embodiment of the land’s untamed spirit.

Native Spirits

The spirits of Celyndor are woven into the fabric of the forest, their presence felt in the rustling of leaves, the shifting of roots, and the quiet stillness beneath ancient boughs. They do not govern the land, nor do they command its growth—they are the forest itself, bound to its endless cycle of renewal and decay.

Nascent Spirits – The Whispering Growth

Nascent spirits are young, fleeting entities tied to seasonal change, new life, and momentary events within the woods. Many exist only briefly, dissolving as their purpose fades.

• Bramblings – Tiny, flickering spirits that form when new shoots break through the soil. They vanish as soon as the plant takes root.
• Emberwights – Spirits of fallen leaves, their brief lives measured in the time it takes them to drift to the ground.
• Hollowkin – Soft voices that echo from inside dead trees, lingering until the wood crumbles into earth.

Mature Spirits – The Keepers of the Wilds

Mature spirits are more stable, manifesting within the deep groves, ancient trees, and unseen corners of the forest. They maintain the natural balance, neither guiding nor resisting change—only ensuring that the cycle continues.

• The Mossborn – Spirits that settle in places where decay and growth intertwine, ensuring the return of life from death.
• The Glenwardens – Silent sentinels of the deeper woods, their presence marked by sudden hushes in birdsong or the feeling of unseen eyes watching from the undergrowth.
• Rootmothers – Spirits that dwell within tangled roots and ancient trees, speaking only in slow creaks and groaning wood.

Ancestral Spirits – The Echoes of Deep Time

Ancestral spirits are rare, immense presences that predate memory, their influence stretching across the entire realm. Some say they are the oldest roots of Celyndor itself, others that they are fragments of Kaelthorin’s earliest thoughts.

• Varlith, the Slumbering Grove – Said to be a forest that dreams, shifting slowly over centuries. Trees that take root in its soil are believed to carry memories from before recorded time.
• Oranuun, the Hollow Stag – A vast, unseen spirit, felt only in the silence between great trees. Some claim it is the embodiment of every fallen monarch of the wild, forever walking unseen through the endless wood.
• Kaelthorin’s Breath – Not a singular spirit, but the collective force of the forest’s renewal, present in every seed that sprouts and every tree that crumbles. It is said that those who hear it gain insight into the deepest rhythms of the land.

The spirits of Celyndor are neither benevolent nor hostile—they are as indifferent as the turning of the seasons, patient as the growth of roots. To walk within the forest is to be among them, though few ever truly see them.

Factions

Celyndor is a vast and untamed realm, home to many factions, coalitions, and independent peoples. Though all recognize the presence of Kaelthorin, the Spirit of Growth and Forests, there is no single authority over the land—only competing interpretations of how best to live within its balance.

The Verdant Accord – The Silent Law of the Wild

The Verdant Accord is the oldest and most widely accepted principle in Celyndor. It dictates that the forest is not to be conquered, divided, or controlled—only tended, understood, and lived within. The Accord is not enforced by rulers, but by those who believe in its wisdom.

Despite its influence, there are many who argue over its meaning. Some factions see it as a sacred truth that must never be broken, while others believe it allows for careful stewardship and controlled growth. These differences often lead to conflict between those who seek harmony with the wild and those who wish to shape it.

Northern Celyndor: The Deep Wilds and the Unseen War

The north is the least touched by civilization, where the forests stand tall and ancient. Though it remains largely untamed, rivalries and alliances still shape the land.

• The Wardens of the Root – A loose coalition of Dralvir elders and Velkyn sages who act as protectors of Celyndor’s deepest groves. They do not claim authority, but they intervene when the forest is threatened, using their influence to prevent settlements from expanding too far. While many respect their wisdom, others see them as stubborn traditionalists unwilling to accept change.

• The Skybound Pact – An alliance of Thryssin clans who control the high canopy of the northern forests. Their treetop settlements are hidden, linked by woven bridges and pathways known only to them. The Pact ensures that no outsider enters their lands unnoticed. Some wish to remain isolated, but others believe they must act to defend the northern wilds before it is too late.

Southern Celyndor: Civilization at the Forest’s Edge

The south is more open and temperate, where settlements exist among the trees and factions compete for influence over the land.

• The Greenwood Assembly – A council of settlements, nomadic bands, and Velkyn groves that mediate disputes and oversee trade. They do not seek to rule Celyndor, only to ensure that no single power grows too dominant. Some factions see them as necessary mediators, while others believe they are an attempt to impose order on a land that should remain wild.

• The Moonwake Clans – A collection of nomadic Kaethari kinships, each with its own traditions and way of life. Some clans ally with the Greenwood Assembly, while others reject all forms of structured rule. Their unpredictable nature makes them both respected and feared, as their movements often signal change in the balance of the land.

• The Hollow Concord – A secretive gathering of wanderers, seekers, and outcasts who dwell in the shadowed depths of the Veilwood. Some believe they guard ancient knowledge lost to time, while others claim they have strayed too far from Kaelthorin’s will. Their motives remain unclear, but their presence is enough to unnerve those who fear what lies in the heart of the wild.

Conflicts and Power Struggles

Though Celyndor is a land of balance and patience, its factions do not always agree.

• The Wardens of the Root and the Greenwood Assembly remain uneasy allies, with the Wardens fearing that the Assembly’s mediation will lead to unwanted expansion.
• The Skybound Pact is divided—some wish to remain unseen, while others argue that action is needed to protect the northern wilds from outside influence.
• The Moonwake Clans are unpredictable, shifting between cooperation and defiance. Some join the Assembly, while others seek to tear down any attempt to govern the wilds.
• The Hollow Concord’s true purpose remains unknown, but whispers of their influence spread through the land.

Celyndor’s balance is ever-changing. Though no single force rules the land, each faction leaves its mark, shaping the future of the endless forest.

Notable settlements

Despite its vast wilderness, Celyndor is home to settlements that have adapted to the forest in different ways. Some are nearly invisible, blending into the canopy or the deep groves, while others serve as gathering places where trade and tradition meet.

Northern Celyndor: The Hidden and the Sacred

• Kareth-Dal – A secluded stronghold of the Dralvir, hidden deep within the Everglen Reach. It is said that the trees surrounding Kareth-Dal do not fall, even after death, their trunks forming an endless wall of petrified wood. Few outsiders have ever set foot within its boundaries, as the Dralvir only reveal its paths to those they deem worthy.

• Thalrithir – The largest known Thryssin settlement, woven high among the towering pines of the Skybound Pact’s domain. The city exists entirely above the forest floor, connected by woven bridges and hidden passageways. Few outsiders are ever allowed entry, and those who do are blindfolded before being led inside.

• Velith-Shae – An ancient Velkyn grove where the oldest of their kind remain rooted, serving as living archives of forgotten history. The trees here are immense, their trunks hollowed into chambers where generations of knowledge are whispered through the roots. It is said that those who drink from the spring at Velith-Shae may recall memories not their own.

Southern Celyndor: The Living Forest

• Elarion – The largest and most well-known settlement in Celyndor, serving as the heart of the Greenwood Assembly. Built along the banks of the River of Seasons, Elarion blends seamlessly into the forest, with homes woven into the trees and platforms suspended above the water. It is a place of trade, diplomacy, and gathering, where different peoples of the south meet without fear of conflict.

• Miraethal – A wandering settlement of the Moonwake Clans, never remaining in one place for long. Its presence is marked by carved stones left in its wake, each one carrying symbols of the land’s balance. Some believe the Kaethari who dwell here can sense changes in the forest’s will, moving as the wild dictates.

• Shaelvryn – A Velkyn sanctuary where the glades glow faintly at night, illuminated by the bioluminescent flora that thrives there. Though peaceful, the sanctuary is closely guarded by its inhabitants, who believe the land itself holds deep and unspoken knowledge.

Lost and Forbidden Places

• The Hollow Spire – A ruined tower deep within the Veilwood, half-consumed by vines and shadow. It is unclear whether the structure was built by the forest’s inhabitants or something older, but few who venture near return unchanged. The Hollow Concord is said to gather here, seeking answers in the silence beneath the trees.

• Ryltharn’s Rest – A massive, gnarled tree, unlike any other in Celyndor. Its roots form a network of tunnels beneath the earth, some leading into chambers lined with carvings of unknown origin. Some say it is the remains of a spirit long lost to time, while others believe it holds something waiting to be found.

• The Moonlit Expanse – A clearing that appears only on certain nights, its location shifting with the cycles of the moon. Some claim that standing within its light grants visions of things yet to come, while others say it is a place where the boundaries between worlds grow thin.

The settlements of Celyndor do not dominate the land—they exist within it, shaped by the will of the forest and the traditions of its people. Some remain hidden, untouched by time, while others serve as places where different paths converge.