First Age Ralios 
First Age Ralios This is excerpted from a document written in 355 S.T. by Elias Terenikson, Historian of the World Council of Friends. It was intended to familiarize the members of the Council (especially the Dara Happans, who had only recently joined) with the lands represented in the Council.The Western Land of Ralios
The lands of Ralios are vast, and include a number of different peoples. I speak of them here, for after the World Council of Friends had unified all of the people in the Southern, Eastern and Central lands, they turned to Ralios.Primary among the people of Ralios are the Enerali. Hsunchen and Dragonewts also live among the Ralios highlands. There are two great elf forests in Ralios, Ballid in the North and Tarin in the South. Trolls live to the East of Ralios, in Halikiv, while dwarfs live in the Nidan Mountains.
The Tribes of the Enerali
The humans who name themselves Enerali are descended from the ancient hero Eneral, son of the horse-god Galanin. They are divided into two large factions. The lowland people, especially those surrounding Lake Felster, are a civilized folk. They are full members of the Council, and even now their representative, Maklaman Ironblade, works to help create the Perfect God. In contrast, the people of the highlands are barbarians. They ally with the bestial hsunchen and battled with the Council for over a century.Before the Age of Darkness, the Enerali were a unified folk. Eneral's four sons, Korion, Uton, Vustr and Fornao guided the people well, and they were great leaders and great warriors. But then, the Darkness came, and the four sons died, and their people were scattered and nearly destroyed. When the Council first came to Ralios in 130, all of the people except those near to Felster Lake, lived as scattered bands. We brought civilization back to them, and also spread the word of Orlanth. Since that time, many of the Enerali have turned away from the worship of their many gods, and instead pray to the twin storm gods, Orlanth and Humath.
The Lowland Folk: The people of the lowlands are the descendents of three of Eneral's sons. They name themselves: the Korioni, the Utoni, and the Fornao. The Fornao live along the Nidan River and have often associated with Tanisor rather than Ralios. The Utoni live in the most sacred area of Ralios, for they control Hrelar Amali, the holy center of the fallen Dangan Confederacy, and Galin, the birthplace of Galinin. The Korioni live to the North of Felster Lake, and they are greatly respected, for Korion was the first of Eneral's sons. A clan of women named the Yelornans also lives in the lowlands. They are warrior women who name themselves Enerali, but claim descent from none of Eneral's four sons.
Although the lowland Ralians are all descendents of Eneral, they more often identify themselves with Eneral's father, Galanin, for they ride horses, and take the oath that Eneral swore long ago to protect Galinin's first children. Thus, they often call themselves Galanini rather than Enerali. Scores of tribes dot the lowlands, but currently they are all unified, as the Second Dari Alliance.
When the Council first came to Ralios in 130, there was only one glimmer of civilization, and that was about the Felster Lake. A religious organization known as the Dangan Confederacy had risen there, about the ancient holy spot of Hrelar Amali, and it had helped the nearby people to again see light after centuries of darkness. For a time, the people of the Dangan Confederacy resisted the teachings of the Council, but they finally learned that we only brought peace.
From the Dangan Confederacy rose Dari, one of Ralios's greatest heroes. In 265, he unified all of the lowland Enerali in the Dari Alliance. He later conquered Tanisor and attacked Seshnela, before the Seshnelan prince assasinated him in 307. During Dari's life, Hrelar Amali was destroyed by jealous Seshnegi atheists, and the Dangan Confederacy finally crumbled. After Dari's death, the Dari Alliance fell apart as well, though it was resurrected forty-three years later by the reunified lowland tribes.
Though it is now ruined, the greatest site in the Ralios lowlands is still Hrelar Amali. It glows at night with an arcane energy, and shamans of Ralios still travel there to enact ancient rites. Before the Age of Darkness, legends proclaim that Hrelar Amali was a place of miracles. The elves tell us that in the Green Age, Flamal was rooted at Hrelar Amali, while the Enerali say that Hrelar Amali is where Galinin first met Raven, and where he created his first children, the horses.
The Highland Folk: The humans who live in the Ralios highlands are the descendents of Vustr, second son of Eneral. They are a barbaric race who abandoned their horses during the darkness, refused the civilization of the Dangan Confederacy, and resisted the Dari Alliance. They are allied with the Hsunchen, who are ancient foes of the Enerali.
When the Council first came to Ralios, the highland folk eagerly adopted our ways, and began to worship Orlanth. However, after we broke through Elephant Pass, ensuring easier communication with our Ralios allies, they turned against us, and began to war with the settlers we had sent from Dorastor. From 204 to 320, the Council battled with the highland people of Ralios. Trolls and dragonewts both offered the Council their aid, but still the conflict continued. Finally, in 320, we surrounded the highlander's greatest leaders in Zebra Wood, and forced them to surrender. Since then, there has been peace, although the highland people have refused to ever send a representative to Dorastor.
Other Highland Dwellers
Two other people live in the highlands of Ralios. Scattered all throughout are the Hsunchen, a bestial folk which is closely allied with the highland humans. In Ormsland, just North of Kartolin Pass, is a settlement of dragonewts.Hsunchen Tribes: There are countless Hsunchen scattered across the Ralios highlands. The most powerful are recounted here. The reptile hsunchen dwell in the North of Ormsland. Reptile tribes include the lizard people, the snake people, the wyvern people, the crocodile people, the turtle people and the chameleon people. They have been united under a strong king named Gita Flatsnout, who now speaks at the Council for most of the Hsunchen of Ralios. The Kivitti, or elephant people, still hide in the hills near Kartolin Pass. Since we defeated them in 204 and gained access to Ralios from Dorastor, they have not resisted us. The Zebra Hsunchen dwell in the Zebra Wood. They are the tribe most closely allied with the human highlanders, and their Zebra Heir has on occasion directed human armies. The Telmori are wolf-people who live south of High Llama Pass. They are much more numerous in Fronela than Ralios. In the southern parts of the highlands, the greatest tribes are the Damali deer people, the Pralori elk people, the Bemuri cattle people, the Mraloti boar people and the Basmoli lion people. They have all allied with the human highlanders in the past.
Ormsland: Just north of Kartolin Pass is an area known as Ormsland. In ancient times, it was home to stoorwyrm, wyverns and other draconic creatures of all descriptions. Now, reptile hsunchen dwell in the north and Dragonewts have made a grand nest in the south.
At the Dawn, there were no Dragonewts in Ralios. When the Council was forced to fight the Kivitti to win entrance to Ralios, dragonewt mercenaries accompanied us. They founded their first nest in Ralios in 210, a few years after the Battle of Elephant Pass. They helped us to battle the highland humans for as long as it was necessary, and since have kept peace in Ralios.
Other Elder Races of Ralios
Besides the Dragonewts, a number of other Elder Races also make their homes in Ralios. All of Ralios is forested. However, there are two areas of special note, for they are elf strongholds. In the North, there is the Ballid Forest, and in the South, there is the Tarinwood. Far to the East is the Troll stronghold of Halikiv, and in the Northern Nidan Mountains lies the ancient dwarf land of Nida.Ballid Forest: The Ballid Forest lies in the northwest of Ralios, shielded by the Nidan Mountains. In recent years, it has been runified with the Erontree, and thus it stretches all the way to the ocean in the west. Hidden in the depths of the Ballid Forest is a Great Tree, and thus it is appropriate that Lestus Creeping Ivy, speaker for the Great Tree, speaks for Ballid at the Council.
Tarinwood: Tarinwood rests just barely within the south of Ralios. It stretches all the way to the ocean in the south. The majority of the people in Tarinwood are brown elves who slept through the Darkness, though their speaker, Roostin Trueheart, is green.
The Council first contacted Tarinwood in 130, and it was only through their help that we were able to bring the word of the Council to the rest of the people of Ralios.
The Troll Stronghold of Halikiv: The trolls of Halikiv live in the far east. They worship Argan Argar and Xiola Umbar, who they name the saviors of their land, and in all ways they are a good and friendly people.
Halikiv was first settled shortly after the great troll exodus, but during the Age of Darkness, it was lost and thought destroyed. At the request of the Only Old One, the ancient troll Charmilla set out during the Darkness to find the lost trolls. After years of searching, she finally chanced upon Halikiv. The land was devastated, and the people nearly gone, but with the help of the Only Old One, she healed them and protected them through the Darkness.
In 265, the humans of the Dari Alliance attacked Halikiv, but with the help of the Council, Charmilla was able to make peace. Since that time, the trolls of Halikiv have been among the greatest supporters of the High Council.
The Nidan Mountains: In the mountains which mark the northern edge of Ralios live the Nidan dwarfs. The mountains are near unpassable, and uninhabited except by the dwarfs, thus they enjoy considerable privacy. Nida is one of the most powerful dwarf strongholds in existence. Its Council of Nine claims to rule all True Dwarfs.
It should be noted quite clearly here that Nida is not a member of the High Council. In fact, Nida has been very cautious of the Council in recent years. It cut off relations with us in 182, and in 212 named the Greatway dwarfs heretical for continuing to work with us. However, it now appears that Nida sees the true light of our Glorious Project. For that reason, they have sent Golden Overseer Seventh Diamond to observe our project, and perhaps offer aid.
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