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Many are the wonders of mortal labor and craftsmanship, though it is said many appear pale and crude in comparison with the City of Dearaldia. For centuries has she been a centre of enlightenment and prosperity; a metropolis of art, politics, architecture and knowledge - Ever since a great calamity befell the former capital of Asgard, Darthorian.
The city itself is surrounded by a ring of forests, almost as old as the world itself. Legends tell that the trees themselves made way to provide space for the gargantuan city to form. Six broad roads lead trough the forests, neatly paved with splendid, crackless flagstones that only the Tellurians could equal or surpass. Each of these roads lead to one of the six outer gates, which provide entry into the Elven city. The gates and walls are all created from the same gleaming-white material simply known as "Dearaldian Nacre". This granite-hard substance appears semi organic in nature, stretching for miles of shimmering wall without showing the slightest cracks or signs of masonry. The creation and nurturing of this substance is only known to a select group of artisans within the Elven society, and has become the stuff of legend. Many a hardened warrior admitted to have fallen in love with the city at the majestic sight of her defensive girdle.
All gates are adorned with a pair of gargantuan statues, depicting kneeling angels in extraordinary detail. Once these obsidian statues were said to be hosts of bound spirits, trapped inside a gleaming jewel. The nature of these half-sentient beings was to stand constant guard against enemies of the city, peering into the hearts of anyone who passed trough. This obscure custom has been banished for centuries, however, although it is uncertain for what reason. The security of each gate now lies in hand of the Faceless Guard, a hand-picked company of Elfish custodians, known for their martial pride and featureless helmets.
The city itself is divided into six individual spheres, each a defensive hub and home to the various castes within Dearaldia. As decreed by the Royal Family, Dearaldian society is divided into six social groups. Elves are usually born and raised within a social group and breeding between castes is a rare occurrence. By use of this system, not only are the Elves performing the most basic form of social engineering, but they also reinforce the individual's belief that they have a position to fill in the Kingdom and that their efforts are rewarded. The six social groups are as follows:
Royalty
These are the rulers of Dearaldia and Asgard, the Royal Family, headed by the King and Queen themselves. They are advised by members of highest families within the different castes, but have ultimate sovereignty over all the Elves. Known for their unbreakable will, love and loyalty towards their people, it is the role of the nobility to guide and unite the Elven race.
Warriors
These are the warriors of Dearaldia. It is the duty of these warriors to protect and conquer that which is rightfully theirs. Centuries of selective breeding has led to the being the biggest and strongest warrior-families of the Elf race. These men and women are strongly motivated by a strict code of honor in battle, but are not mindless pawns. They see ranged combat as preferable to the somewhat brutal affair of close combat that the Tellurian, Trolls and Orcs favor. A warrior starts his life as a young archer, and after surviving six years 'on duty' they must take their first Warrior Trial. If they survive this ordeal, then they are fit to don a sword or spear in addition to their bow. If they survive for another six years, they take a second Trial and successful participants advance yet further. A veteran who manages to survive yet another six years becomes eligible to take part in a third Trial if he wishes and, if he is still alive at the end, will become officer within the army. Officers who serve for a additional twenty years are allowed to retire from active service or join the council of advisors and play a greater part in the Dearaldian politics. Other than death or exile, this is the only way to leave the military caste.
Workers
These are the artisans and labourers of the Elves. It is they who build the dwellings and provide the food for the rest of society. Without them, the farms would not produce, the foundries would sit idle and the work would remain undone. None of the others would be able to live without their continued existence. Agrarians and craftsmen beyond compare, this group is also responsible for the maintenance on the city's defensive girdle.
Diplomats and Commerce
Elves and Fae of this trade are bureaucrats, politicians, negotiators and scholars. They are the merchants and diplomats, moving in and around the others to make sure that society functions smoothly. They are by far the biggest group, and also the most diverse.
Mages and Priests
These were traditionally arcane scholars, mages and priest, but now, after the reopening of the Portals, function as truth seekers as well. They are the silent watchers and illuminated servants, an unseen force that can lay waste to towns and armies, bombarding them from afar with magical flame or cursing them in the name of their Gods. They are illusive men and women, normally unseen but essential nonetheless.
Scribes and Administrators
Keepers of nature and administrators of all that grows within Asgard, they are tasked with preserving the delicate balance of Heimr. Druids, sages, ritualists and specialized caretakers are among these, constantly toiling to interpret the will of nature itself.
Life within the city of Dearaldia is quiet in comparison to the hectic, chaotic cacophony of most human cities. Roads are tidy, the enormous amount of parks and gardens carefully tended and poverty or outright violence are almost non-existent. Murder, rape and theft among Elves are taboo. Some would conclude that life within the city walls should be called ideal, though such small-minded assumption would be far from the truth. The city has know it's shares of misfortune, nearly split apart during a civil war that started when the King and Queen vanished and a maniacal Fae took claim of the throne.
It is these events that bittered the Elves of Dearaldia deeply- a mental scar that will take years, if not decades, to heal.
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