Story: Sidhe History
There was an ancient time when Elves, Faeries, Tree Ents, and Sprites lived together in harmony. Collectively these races were known as the Fae Folk, and stretched from shore to shore across the continent of Lensmoor, known at that time only as ‘the world’.
The Elves of that time were not the Elves we know today, these Elves were (while not truly immortal) ageless; however, even ageless things are subject to time. In the fullness of time these High Elves experienced the entirety of what mortal life had to offer and discovered that in time, all things have a twilight. And so, one by one each High-Elf had a life of roughly one thousand years, more or less, before they were compelled to move on; and move on they did, all of them.
"The pleasures you take in life are allowed you only because you are mortal. The ability to see beyond the vale of time is as much a curse as it is a blessing. Mortality is a gift to cherish, and death is a release. This is the lesson our half-blood children must learn, never allow them to envy us."
-- From the scrolls of High-Elf Archmagus Cron'novan
The only Elves that remained were those of mixed blood with other races or Half-Elves; and as the bloodlines merged, High-Elves cased to exist and there were various sub-races; Wood-Elves, Sun-Elves, Dark-Elves. Each Elfin form had it’s own unique characteristics but in time the Wood Elves would become the dominant race on Lensmoor.
The Wood Elves soon came to an impasse, many Fae Folk decide it was time to move on, and as the other ancient races did before them, leave the known world. For the Ents it was time to hibernate and help heal the forests that had been scorched by wildfires. For the Sprites, it was simply the whimsical flows of magic within the world itself that guided them to an island off the coast. With so many of the others going away, the Faeries felt it was time to turn inward and protect their kingdom within the mists. Many of the Wood Elves had intermarried with the faeries, so there was a great division in the race when the faeries turned inward.
The Wood Elves that were left behind settled the Island of Tikol where druids among the ancient elves had planted a great tree; however, it was those Wood Elves that remained within the Realm of Mists in the Faerie Kingdom, that gave birth to the generations of special faeries, set apart from others.
"Let the children of Cairthennor and all of his line forever be set apart, and be Faerie no more."
-- Final scene of the Bard’s Play, the Curse of the Faerie King
These Faeries that were not true Faeries only became known as the Sidhe after their expulsion from the Faerie realm. The exact cause of that expulsion is for the most part unknown; however, there are countless stories that speak of it, many of a grand betrayal. Regardless of how it happened, it is not common knowledge, even among the Sidhe generations that followed. What is known is that generations that followed were of unrivaled beauty on Lensmoor, and with that beauty came influence. Their natural ability to lead, set them apart from the humans that now began to truly populate the lands.
In under three generations after their appearance on Lensmoor, the Sidhe established the grand kingdom of Tandanu in order to separate themselves from what they perceived to be the lesser races. Populated with nobles of high stature, The Kingdom of Tandanu spread across eastern Lensmoor for years uncounted until the Antrippan invasions began. Many of Tandanu‘s outer settlements vanished entirely under the boots of Antrippan invaders and several invasions later only the capital city of Tandanu remains, the last true stronghold for the original Sidhe culture.
Unable to pry the Antrippan invaders who have entrenched themselves so deeply, many Sidhe have left Tandanu for other parts of Lensmoor. An extremely charismatic race, they are often seen in the employ of high nobility, or as the pinnacle of bards.
Sidhe adventurers have become a common sight in modern day Lensmoor, and although they bear elfin traits, they stand apart as a unique race with the pride of having descended from Tandanu nobility.
