Welcome back! Over the next couple of days I'll be covering the Province's main towns, geography, and native (maybe not "native") people! But today I'll be doing my personal favorite, Valenwood! [b]Bosmer[/b] Valenwoods inhabitants are the Wood Elves, or Bosmer. The Bosmer, like all main-land Elves, hail from the Summerset Isles, home to the High Elves. As much as I searched the website imperial-library.info I couldn't found why they left. Maybe with the exile of the other Elves who studied and praised the Daedric Lords? If you know let me know, and I'll ask to use it here. The Bosmer, unlike man, has left Valenwood untouched. They don't use the forest province's wood for their bows, as they use the bones of animals for their tools and use the fur for cloths. They don't use wood because something called the Green Pact made a deal with an ancient forest God, possibly Y'ffre the Forest God of the Elves. They said that they wouldn't use the wood and fruit of the forest in exchange for the gods protection. At least according to Bosmer Religion. The Bosmer use every part of the thing they killed. Notice I said thing and not animal. But due to contract called the Meat Mandate, the Bosmer have developed... Weird eating habits. The Bosmeri People are cannibalistic. Whatever they kill they must eat before a three day limit, for religious reasons. It's why that before the Bosmer go to battle they'll fast for the few days prior. It's also why they're one of the friendliest elves on Tamriel. They don't like eating men or elves. The Bosmer actually let human slaves from The Alyeid Empire into their land! But, if you read my last post, you can see that Auriel didn't like that his elves were meeting with Lorkhan's Man. [b]Towns, Cities, and Landmarks[/b] [i]Arenthia[/i] The northernmost city as of the map above, this town has wooden homes for the Wood Elves and the Colovians who settled there. You may be think: "But the Bosmer didn't use the forests wood!" You'd be right. The Colovians hail from Cyrodiil, more specifically the Southwestern half (or quarter) of Cyrodiil called Colovia. Since they don't live in the forests of Valenwood they use the trees in Colovia for the homes in Arenthia. The population is made up of mostly Bosmer and Khajit. The Bosmer here are into.. Let's just say they like to drink. Few Khajit have permanent residence, as they just sell to the market and caravan through a trade route. Be wary, if your approached by one asking to sell watch your backside, the Khajit are notorious thieves. [i]Southpoint[/i] Southpoint, as the name suggests, is the southernmost colony on Valenwood. Southpoint was founded by an Colovian Imperial General named Zantonius. He was sent to Valenwood as an assigned post in the Northern parts of Valenwood. One night, Zantonius defended his camp against a Bosmer Attack. After this he was gifted some soldiers and went off to build a Fort in the name of the Empire. So he and his soldiers marched down to the Kingdom of Grahtwood. The land was nice for his project. But instead of making a fort for the Imperial Legion he built a town and dubbed it Southpoint, as Grahtwood was in Southern Valenwood. His town quickly became a great port town based off its location. [i]Haven[/i] Haven is east of Southpoint. It is also a port town, but not as successful as Southpoint. Haven (and Woodhearth) was destroyed by a group of Elves, called the Maormer, from the island Pyondea, south of Valenwood. The Maormer claim to be the real direct descendants of the Gods. [i]Woodhearth[/i] Woodhearth is a western town from where the people of Valenwood leave for the Summerset Isles. The Bosmer here are usually friendly. It was also destroyed by the Maormer though. [i]Elden Root[/i] Elden Root is a town near the center of Valenwood. It has a university with many libraries. It is built around the Elden Tree, which (in Bosmer religion) is said to be the tree that seeded everything else in Valenwood. It's in the center of the Elden Grove. [i]Silvenar[/i] Silvenar looks like it's the center city of Valenwood. Funny enough, Silvenar is the name of the person who rules Silvenar. It's like another word Mayor. It's on the edge of the Elden Grove. From what I've read, Silvenar is the Capitol of Valenwood. [i]Greenheart[/i] Greenheart rests on the southern border of Valenwood. It has so many trees in it people have thought it wasn't a city! If you have any more info on Greenheart tell me. [i]Falinesti[/i] Falinesti is a town on the northwestern border of Valenwood. Also called the Walking City, it was made on top moving trees and mysteriously disappeared. A group from the mages guild dug around where the city vanished and found Daedric Ruins. Tons of theories have spawned thanks to this. The city recently returned, and has rooted itself for the first time in recorded history. [b]History[/b] Many scholars say the First Era started in Valenwood with the Camoran Dynasty, founded by King Eplear of Valenwood, who united the wild tribes of Bosmer in the earliest days of recorded time. He lets the Nordic Slaves from Cyrodiil into Valenwood with open arms. The Dynasty would do the same with the Alessian Empire the the elves there, then signing a trade treaty with the Empire in 1E 340. Eventually, though, as a man calling himself Maruhk spread his word, one of his supporters was killed in the Wild Hunt of Valenwood. Cyrodiil and Valenwood would fight for a long time. The Empress of the Dynasty, Empress Herda, had strengthened ties with Colovia, the heat of battle only raised. The Bosmer kept resisting Cyrodilic rule until 1E 2714, when the Bosmer were weakened by a plague. The Empire took hold of Valenwood, but let the Dynasty survive (but weaker), and united and gave independence to Valenwood to each branch of the Dynasty so they'd never unite against the Empire. The Bosmer, for years and years, were loyal to the Empire. When, in 2E 430, the Empire fell, the Camoran Dynasty tried reinstating their power over the now different people of Valenwood. It was too late, as they were too culturally different for unity. Without a main power source they warred against Colovia, Elsweyr, and even themselves. This opened up attack opportunity from the Maormer. Eventually, the first Aldmeri Dominion reunited Valenwood under their banner. It was the most secure rule until Tiber Septim! A new government sprang up in Valenwood, called the Thalmor, a group of Altmeri and Bosmeri figures of power. It lasted until the Age of Tiber Septim, when he let them keep some of their independence. Valenwood was at peace for 250 years until 3E 249, when a pretender to the Camorian Dynasty swept through Valenwood with Daedric minions. Valenwood would take a while to destroy this fake King. While his power grew so did the strong and brave, willing to die for the liberation of Valenwood. The Usurper looked to the north. Almost 20 years of tyrannical rule it took for the Bosmer to get rid of the fake king. Once he lost power his men in Hammerfell and Colovia destroyed his army at Iliac Bay inbetween Hammerfell and Cyrodiil at 3E 267. Bosmer began leaving cities, fearing they couldn't get help anywhere. They returned to their roots: tribes a wild Bosmer. During this time the surround provinces attacked Valenwood. The Empire was unwilling to send help, so Valenwood was attacked by all sides, and was left more broken then the Usurper left it. The Khajit and High Elves took chunks of Valenwoods land for their own. A new prophet has risen, stating that Y'ffre has gifts for the strong. These gift haven't been seen yet. Man, that was long! That's it for Valenwood and for today! Thanks for reading! Sources:[spoiler][url=https://m.youtube.com/results?q=shoddycast&sm=1]ShoddyCast[/url] [url=http://www.imperial-library.info]The Imperial Library[/url][/spoiler]