Teredahar Locales: Syldar & Tannock

Location

A large region of Teredahar's interior is controlled by the Dominion of Syldar. At one point Syldar controlled all of the territory from the river border of Ashdar to the Torran Spine mountain ranges: thousands of square miles of grasslands, desert, and coastal forest. A schism between the elves living in the north and the Dwarves living in the south of the dominion caused it to be partitioned into two. The northern half remains Syldar, and the southern half was renamed to Koldar. Modern Syldar's borders are the North Torran Spine in the west, The Freezing Ocean in the north, The Sea of Rime and its river system to the east, and the border of Ashdar which runs east-west in a line just south of Syldar's former capitol at Ilama.

Landscape

Syldar is a large and diverse place with several distinct biomes within it. The eastern edge borders on the Sea of Rime and is home to large forests frequent rainstorms blowing in from the sea. This region has hundreds of streams and valleys all flowing down into the sea. The central area is vast grassland criss-crossed with numerous farming communities and miles upon miles of wheat. The farther from the sea you get, the more arid the land becomes. The Shifting Desert in the shadow of the mountains is a broad swath of sand running north-south along Syldar's western edge. The sands ebb and flow and slowly creep eastward into the grasslands.

Tannock is north of Syldar. Originally Tannock was a state of its own where the Elvish rulers of all of Teredahar made their seat. Then a glacier was summoned on top of it. During a bloody succession conflict, one side's powerful mages sought to destroy the other by causing another Shard to collide with Prime and overlay itself on their stronghold, burying it. A critical miscalculation caused all of Tannock to be buried instead.

The effects of the shard collision changed the weather in northern Teredahar, causing harsh winters in northern Syldar and flooding the region with glacial melt in the summer. Snowfall in winter is only common along the coast and usually light. Spring-summer flooding near the glacier and along the Sea of Rime is so severe that most large settlements have extensive storm-sewers to keep the streets dry.

People & Commerce

The inhabitants of Syldar are predominantly Elves (Syldarri) and some Humans. The countryside is dotted with numerous communities where these two races mix peacefully. The shifting desert is lawless and largely controlled by nomadic tribes of Humans.

Syldar's capitol, Sylridian, is the most populous city on the continent and also has the highest concentration of mages. The Ashram Academy, a large and powerful mage school and paramilitary organization has one of its two campuses in Sylridian itself and the other in the nearby mountains. The large number of mages make the city a place of marvels. Sylridian is a huge magnet for settlers from all over the world, and you can find members of just about any race or creed living within or around its walls. There are steep class divides between the ruling Elvish houses, the powerful mages, and the seemingly endless immigrants who call Sylridian their home.

Syldar is a major trading nation, doing most of its trade along a series of canals, locks, and rivers that make a navigable route from the Sea of Rime south to Koldar, Ashdar, Din, and the ocean beyond. Its exports are primarily grain, magical goods (potions, scrolls, powerstones, etc), and Academy-trained Warmages for other nations' armies. Syldar imports tremendous amounts of raw materials including metal and lumber from its Dwarven neighbours as well as exotic goods demanded by Sylridian's wealthy elite.

Government

Syldar is the last living remnant of the Empire of Tan'Rar. The power of its large centralized government can be traced directly back to ancient times. In modern times it is ruled by a house of representatives similar to a parliament called The Hall of Voices. Executive power is held by the Lords Magisters, an inner council of five who represent the bloodlines of ancient kings, or powerful organizations. Some positions are hereditary and some are chosen by the group they represent.

The Lords Magisters

• The King of Syldar; hereditary position of House Therassan. Syldar was a monarchy before the current system of government was created. Currently held by Alar Thereassan, an elderly male Grey Elf.
• The Regent-in-Exile of Tan'Rar; hereditary position of House Amastatica. Tan'Rar was the empire of the Elves that settled most of Teredahar and ruled it for centuries. Now Tan'Rar is gone but Syldar still recognizes this title. Currently held by Valasir Amastatica, a young and reserved male Grey Elf.
• The Prime Minister of Guilds; elected by guild leaders to represent their interests. Held for no longer than 10 years. Currently held by Hasan Al-Fadir, a middle-aged and outspoken male Syldarri Elf.
• The Headmaster of the Ashram Academy; elected by the Ashram faculty and paramilitary commanders. Held for life or until retirement. Currently held by Ashelia Valar, an iron-fisted elderly Grey Elf female. 
• The Supreme Commander of the Army; appointed by Syldar's military command for life or until retirement. Currently held by Soveliss Oaken, a middle-aged Half-Elf.

The rest of parliament is comprised of 233 seats for Knight Petitioners, elected representatives from towns and districts of large cities. Terms and methods of choosing vary based on local tradition as this role evolved from petitioners that used to be sent to the royal court. Their job now is to discuss issues and advise the Lords Magisters on matters of concern to their constituents.

Next Time

That was quite a long one, wasn't it? Because Syldar has so much international power it comes up a lot in adventures and thus by the principle of conservation of detail it's more detailed than less prominent places.
Next article will break the races/places cadence and provide more information about the Hebdomad who have shaped so much of this multiverse's history.