Silvanost

Also called the City of a Thousand White Towers, or the Place of Spires by the Kagonesti, Silvanost is the heart of the Silvanesti realm and people and is regarded as one of the most beautiful places in all of Ansalon. Sitting on Fallon Island, the largest piece of land that rises out of the Thon-Thalas River , the entire city is carefully constructed and curated, down to every plant’s growth and the placement of every stone.

The river must be crossed to enter the city, but once there visitors find white walls and gates of silver that either glide open gracefully, or holder firmer than any great block of iron ever could. Inside, a thousand gleaming towers are laid out ahead every building in the city raised with magic to create structures of solid white marble and quartz. Paths wind around and through these towers, flanked by beautiful gardens and row after row of vibrant flowers that bloom all year around.

The buildings of Silvanost reflect and absorb moonlight, glowing at night and being brightest when Solinari is most prominent in the sky. According to Silvanesti legend, non-Silvanesti who see the light of these towers become so enraptured by the sight that they never wish to leave.

Ferry and Wall
Reaching Silvanost requires crossing the Thon-Thalas to Fallon Island. Where once there was a bridge, this fell generations ago, and now the crossing is only possible by use of ferries on the far western and eastern shores of the river. Originally these were usually manned by Silvanost’s guards, the graceful boats tethered to magically protected ropes that are pulled to bring the boat across. After some time however, priests of the Blue Phoenix (Habbakuk) used magic to enlarge a family of turtles breeding them to act as a permanent source of pullers for the ferry.

Since the descending of the nightmare, the river has become polluted and the turtles raised and trained to operate the ferries have died either because of the taint or because of new monsters in the water. Some of the boats have also been smashed, but a few remain still tethered to their ropes.

The city is surrounded by a 15ft high wall of white marble and quartz, the primary entrance being blocked by gates of thin silver that are magically enchanted to know if someone In the time of the nightmare, the enchantment upon the gates has become tainted as well, and now the gates open for everyone. As they do, their hinges grind making a sound like a thousand voices screaming in pain.

Residences
Every residence in Silvanost is a spell raised tower of white marble and quartz, sometimes with stone and crystal adornments set directly into their walls, and often surrounded by private gardens higher cast Elves having larger and larger gardens of their own.

The towers of low caste Silvanesti will be only four or five stories tall, whilst the higher caste residents will have towers ten to twelve stories tall, often as part of a complex of smaller, connecting towers that serve both as offices and servants quarters.

Typically the smaller buildings (and therefore lower caste homes) are towards the outer edge of the city, the towers becoming higher and higher as one comes closer towards the centre of Silvanost where the Tower of the Stars and Palace of Quinari stand.

The design of an individual tower and layout of it’s garden will often reflect both the personality and House of it’s occupant access to resources, wealth and specialist tools often allowing a Silvanesti to tell what sort of person lives within at a mere glance.

Temples
Temples still stand in Silvanost for all of the gods of Good, still tended by members of House Cleric despite their number and their power in society having greatly diminished since the Cataclysm. Though services are less common that they were centuries ago, these temples remain places where the Silvanesti can pray, seek aid of sit in meditation.

There are also a few temples to some of the gods of Neutrality, however as the worship of these gods is usually prohibited to the Silvanesti people, these structures are much smaller and tended to usually by those already outcast such as Half Elves.

Many visits to the temples in Silvanost since the Cataclysm are not for worship, but to visit the libraries still maintained by House Cleric. These libraries include vast resources of knowledge since the founding of the Silvanesti nation, as well as records on births, deaths, treaties and laws, most of these records divided by the god of Good most likely to oversee those fields the temple of E’li (Paladine) containing state records for example, the temple of Astarin (Habbakuk) containing bardic records, and the temple of Quenesti Pah containing birth and death records.

Garden of Astarin
This garden lies between the Palace of Quinari and the Tower of the Stars, and was first planted at the same time as the palace was built intending that the Speaker would have a beautiful path in which to walk between their residence and throne. Arranged in the image of a star with it’s points facing the cardinal compass points, the garden is tended by House Gardener and House Woodshaper.

The Garden of Astarin is a popular meeting place for Elves from across Silvanost, as well as a source of food as many of the plants across the garden bear fruit and berries. Silvanesti Elves can be found here at all times of day and night, relaxing under the shade of trees or sitting on one of the many wooden benches around it’s well tended paths. Public gatherings, friendly meeting and secret or illicit rendezvous are common here.

Palace of Quinari
The primary residence of the Speaker of the Stars, the Palace of Quinari is a 300ft tower of white quartz with three three story side towers of red quartz with green streaked marble colonnades and a carved unicorn face on each outer tower. It is the second tallest tower in Silvanost after the Tower of the Stars and contains the formal quarters of the Speaker and all of House Royal.

The central tower is defended first and foremost by great bronze doors 188ft tall etched with runes that form an Arcane Lock that prevents all but blood members of House Royal (those of the line of Silvanos) from entering.

The main tower contains many statue lined halls for meetings and councils, but none more interesting that the Hall of Balif, the main audience chamber used by the Speaker of the Stars for official business. Generally well guarded, the construction of the hall is special in that a whisper muttered at one end of this vast hall can be heard clearly at the far end. No secret conversation can be had here, but the Speaker can speak softly and their voice will carry clearly to the furthest ear.

Tower of the Stars
The heart of the city is the Tower of the Stars, a 600ft tall tower whose design mirrors and inspired the Tower of the Sun in Qualinesti , and contains both the main audience chamber for the Speaker, the council chamber for the heads of the Houses, and the Speaker’s throne room.

Most of the Tower of the Stars is hollow with side chambers held in towers that stick out of it’s upper levels. At night, moonlight will usually shine through an opening in the high peak and illuminate the central space in an eerie yet beautiful silver glow.

Under the Nightmare
As the focal point of the nightmare, the city of Silvanost has been experiencing the worst and most powerful of it’s effects. As the gates swing open they grind as though screaming in agony, and a sickly green fog rolls out like waves, pouring from the Tower of the Stars.

Within the walls of the city the lines between illusion and reality have begun to blend, making it harder and harder to tell them apart. Streets and buildings contort, trees wither but do not die, and numerous elves who could not escape in time remain trapped within, crying out though they believe that no one will ever come to save them.