Ezria Dalvia

Beginnings
In 5802AA the first Var's, Ezria and Dalvia,were mapping the coast of Xaevon, and stumbled upon Quickwater Gorge, at the edge of Xaevon. They carefully descended down the steep clifface of the gorge, and set up camp for the night. They came to like the place in their time there, and decided to settle down, supposedly to earn some money to fund their mapping efforts.

They built an inn as a stop for the night for adventurers and named it "Ezria and Dalvia's Not-so-quick-stop Inn." In 5804AA, two years since Ezria and Dalvia had settled down, others bagan to move in, and the once Inn, was now a small town. It slowly grew, than more people began to come, faster. Business was great. The small town grew to a medium sized village. In 5806AA, it was now a large village in the middle of a gorge.

Ezria and Dalvia married there and settled for good, and were happy. So many people moved in, it was crowded! Eventually they expanded it. Elven nobles moved in, great Kings and nobles came to tour the city. Eventually Ezria and Dalvia made so much money they didn't know what to do with it! They gave some to relatively poor people and used some more on making the city better. They hired architects and miners and lumberjacks to get the resources and make the city great and colorful. It succeeded, becoming made of many different, colorful, sturdy, beautiful materials.

History since 5916AA
The city was at it's height in 5916AA, and the king and queen, Ezria and Dalvia, had a child, Ezria the second. When Ezria and Dalvia died, Ezria took the throne reluctantly and ruled the city with a loving heart.

After his parents, he named it Ezria Dalvia. Ezria II had a child with Luca, a Dark Elf maiden. They named the child Ray'lal. Ray'lal, in turn, ruled the city. Then came Ray'sul. However, he didn't wish to rule the city, so he left and gave Haldin, his friend and manservant the right to take his place if his parents were to die. Ray'lal eventualy died, and Luca was grieving. She came to know a kind human named Snakus. They married and named the son Ray'lal Snakus Var, in the honor of Ray'lal. Ezria Dalvia grew to be a prosperous, amazing, colorful city. Eventually, because of the half Elf, half-brother of Ray'sul, Ray'lal Snakus Var, it decayed into a small, lowlife, backwater Elven village. Thiefs, bandits and criminals were more than common. Ray'sul grew up here, however, at the time, it was still large and prosperous.

In 18968AA, Ezria Dalvia was besieged by a group of raiders, and many died. The raiders had taken the village as their own, and began to rule it. At this time,Ray'non Var's father, Ray'sul Var, was off in his own little tower, experimenting with magic and alchemy. Eventually, people coped with the horrible life. When the events of Raynon Var's birth occured, Ray'sul returned to find the village ruled by the evil raiders, however, he could do nothing, for time was quickly coming to a stand still. Fifty years passed, and Raynon Var returned to the village. Together, Ray'sul and Raynon returned the city to it's wonderful state, and began to rule it with good hearts and plans for the city.

It was once again prosperous and golden, made mostly of ebony, gold, stone and wood. Lifes were made better, boarded up shops renovated, new shops created, and the un-enployment rate went from 79% to almost 4%. During the War of Chaos, in 261135AA, Ezria Dalvia was sieged by an Imperial army made of orcs, dark elf traitors and Imperial soldiers. Darren, a general of the Alliance, was sent to assist the Elves. He came and made camp. Raynon returned to the cityin its time of need. He led the Elven army and Darren led the human army. Together, with losses, yes, but inevitable, they defeated the army. Darren was then called away to another place.

Current day
Currently, as of 261136AA, as Ray'sul is dead, and Raynon Var is off adventuring on his own or with friends, Ray'sul's old manservant, Haldin, now rules the city, however is simply known as 'temporary king', for the real king, Raynon Var, occasionally returns to check up on the land.

The city is almost untouched by selfish people and the villagers are quite happy and have plenty to eat. They have many bonds with the nearby wildlife, as well, and often entire packs of dear, wolves or birds come to simply see the people, well, and eat the scraps of food the Elves give them.

Location
Ezria Dalvia is located in Drionus in a widely known, adventurers-bane place called 'Quickwater Gorge,' two hundred feet across and three miles to the right and left. It is in Xaevon, a large landmass in the sea that is, even now, largely unexplored.

Resources
Much plants and berries grow in the forest outside of the gorge. Within, an infinite water supply that flows directly from the sea runs through the gorge. They purify it with alchemy or magic, and use it as drink. Wood is plentiful in the forest. Because of the berries, wine is also plentiful. Ebony, coal and other ore veins run in crosses below the gorge, giving a seemingly endless jackpot of minerals and ores. Mineshafts are built and they mine the materials needed. Gardens are also grown within and around the walls of Var Palace. A river runs straight through the city.

Shops, districts
Ezria Dalvia has many shops, including tailor shops, blacksmiths, markets, mineral stores, alchemist and spell shops, inns, and other things. There are a wide variety of items sold in each shop, with generally low prices, satisfying the needs of many people. There are three districts, each seperated by a gate: Mharkey District, Long-stop Plaza, and Var Palace. Within Mharkey (Elvish word for Market) District, all the shops and some of the inns are placed. Within Long-stop Plaza, homes and inns are built. It is known as 'Long-stop' plaza in honor to the original Inn that started it all, the Not-so-quick-stop Inn.

And finally, Var Palace, home to the kings and nobles and is open to everyone, however, only advisors and nobles can live within the golden walls. The throne room, Hall of Honor, and Banquet Hall are all located in Var Palace.

Description
Excerpt from the WIP novel, The Drionus Realm: War of Chaos. Some words, sequences and information have been withheld in order to protect the writer, Lucas Brist's work and not give away spoilers

It was a beautiful Elven city, a work of art. It was brilliantly crafted into a gorge, and was made mostly of gold, oak, stone and marble. The pleasant blue sky, dotted with crystal white clouds and a bright, joyful sun reflected the beautiful city. Unlike human design, the houses and buildings were very curvy and exotic, and unlike Dwarven design it lacked practically any and all basic geometric shapes. A pleasant freshwater spring ran through the center of the gorge and the smooth walls of it gradually but steeply sloped down from a forest that surrounded and hid the city. Deer, rabbits and much peaceful wildlife were frequently seen strolling about through the forests or even through the city, seemingly just to say hello to the elven people of Ezria Dalvia.

It had no gate, nor any guards. It was just a simple archway with glowing elven writing etched into the stone. The writing was well known. It said, Enjoy your not-so-long stay! in memory of the founding inn of the city, Ezria and Dalvia’s not-so-quick-stop Inn.

The palace was quite beautiful, made of white stone, alas, frequently lined with cracks, but that addition only made it seem more beautiful. The palace walls were lined with tall, leaf-like parapets plated with gold. But the inner walls were unprotected and thin, and the top was impassible by foot soldiers. The palace had many levels, each shrinking and receding further back into the gradually sloping walls of the gorge. Each level had many overlooking rooms and spires, with large, open windows in the sides. The roofs of each were tiled in seemingly impossible curves, and, like the parapets, were plated in gold.

The doors were crafted of ebony, with eloquent mosaics carved into the wood. They were tall and reinforced with the finest elven steel and bore a single bronze knocker in the shape of a tree, with the roots knotting together and forming the handle.

The cobblestone road leading up to the palace doors were lined by great golden statues of each of the forerunning kings, and they each held, not a replica, but the real weapon they had used in life. The statues lacked any plaque baring their names, for the elves had great memory and had no need for any reminders of the names and accomplishments of their great kings. The statues stood mighty and proud, but were draped with vines and covered in moss.

   But the elves would not cut down or remove the overgrowth, not out of fear for damaging the shining statues, but because they saw it as a symbol of divinity, or kingship to be one with the elves’ greatest ally: nature. So there they stood, silent and ever-seeing sentries, guarding, even in the afterlife, their great palace, covered, but not handicapped, by centuries’ worth of foliage upon their elegant bodies.

The doors swung open inwardly to reveal a flat, white, stone floor. To the left was a grand stairwell, and to the right another. The ceiling was far upward, and on it were murals depicting victorious and powerful elven armies in battle. Great pillars of stone dotted the large expanse like huge limestone formations. The air was cool and a pleasant breeze came from the stairways to either side. A soft aroma came from the room ahead of them.

The Great Hall was large (not in any way surprising) and sported a red carpet laying a path to it. In the center was a long, brownish-purple wooden table. It bore candles in gold casings, that, yes, cast a reddish yellow glow on everything like a normal candle, but the fire inside was almost purple. The long table was covered first and foremost in a silk tablecloth. Gathered neatly atop the cloth was a feast that consisted of delicious green salad, juicy oranges and sour apples, fine wine in sparkling gold goblets, fat grapes, and crisp bread and warm butter.

The sides of the hall were lined with wooden columns, and in the spaces between them stood a guard with a long, red, silk cape and golden armor. Behind each of the sentries was a stone fireplace, each with a warm, crackling fire lit inside, sending dancing black shadows across the floor.

<span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">Upon the curved ceiling hung three golden chandeliers like upturned trees, the candles like apples, emitting the same almost purple fire as the candles on the table below. Hanging from the chandeliers were glass icicles that reflected and magnified the candlelight.

<span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">At the end of the hall, in front of a long red banner, was a marble throne, with an ebony frame. It was decorated with gold and in the sides were brilliant mosaics. The backrest was draped in a red, silk blanket that continued all the way to the floor.

End of Excerpt

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