Highborne Empire

The Highborne Empire was a massive ancient kingdom that spanned nearly the entirety of the landmass of Kalimdor during its apex. For nearly three thousand years, it prospered as a multicultural empire of scholars, sorcerers, and warriors. The Empire was eponymously ruled by the Highborne Peerage, or elves that had attained nobility through a variety of means. The underclass consisted of common elves, or Kaldorei, who did not possess inherent magical abilities or noble blood. Some Kaldorei achieved powerful honorific titles that afforded them priveleges akin to those of their rulers, but they were exceptional individuals, and by no means did they represent a majority.

Due to increasing disparity between social and economic classes, rising tensions between Highborne and Kaldorei, civil wars between the Great Houses, the mania and narcissism of Queen Azshara, and the emergence of Druidism and Naturalism as prominent philosophies, the Empire fell into rapid decline, ending in the War of the Ancients which destroyed the Highborne Empire and shattered Kalimdor in an event known today as the Sundering.

The Highborne Empire was replaced by the Druidic government of Malfurion Stormrage, who ruled alongside his lifemate, Tyrande Whisperwind, who herself led the Sisters of Elune.

Government
The Empire was ruled by the House of Azshara for the entirety of its existence. At the present time, House Azshara is known for its most infamous regent, the Queen Azshara who brought the Highborne Empire to ruin with her madness and pursuit of perfection. Queen Azshara was the first female monarch in the history of the Highborne Empire. She inherited the throne of Zin-Azshari from her father, Emperor Valstien Azshara II.

A strict caste system existed in the time of the Empire, with the ruling Highborne caste in positions of power and privilege, and the underclass known as the Kaldorei living in oppression and squalor.

Kalimdor was ruled from Zin-Azshari, a massive city of sorcery with terraced districts. It was the ancient world's only known multi-level city, comprised of three distinctive levels. The highest terrace was reserved for the noble House Azshara and their servants. The middle terrace was where the families of the Great Houses of the Empire dwelled, if they chose to live in Zin-Azshari, but it was also open to minor houses, as well. The lowest district housed the various Kaldorei markets and dwellings, and it wallowed in filth, as the sewer system ran freely through the canals in the lowest district.

Because the Highborne Empire spanned the majority of Ancient Kalimdor, the House of Azshara elected Great Houses to rule the various realms across the continent. The heads of the Great Houses of the Empire enforced the Imperial Law of the Zin-Azshari, but there were noticeable differences between the culture, regional dialect, and quality of life across the regions of Ancient Kalimdor.

Membership in the Highborne Caste was achieved through proof of inherent magical ability, distinguished service to the House of Azshara in times of war, exceptional service to the Highborne Empire in academics or science, or by express designation from the ruler or his or her representatives. The noble lines of the Highborne Empire were guarded relentlessly, often resulting in intermarriage, which explains the prominence of fair features in the Highborne phenotype. Rarely, Kaldorei would be named as members of the noble caste, but this was rare, and they would almost never receive equal treatment to their pure-blooded brothers and sisters. The most notable exception to this rule of the case of the House of Ravencrest, which was a Kaldorei line that achieved the elevated status of a Great House of the Empire, and ruled over the lands surrounding the Black Rook Hold.

Minor noble lines ruled over areas within the regions controlled by the Great Houses of the Empire, or in rarer cases, ruled over specially-administrated microregions of their own. A myriad of noble Highborne families existed, and most of them are forgotten today, with the histories of larger houses remaining intact due to their prominence.

Regions
Kalimdor was divided into several regions, ruled by the Highborne Empire's represenatives. The local customs, cultures, vernacular, laws, and standard of living differed greatly depending upon the region discussed.

The Temple Region
The most populated region of the Empire, the Temple Region was at the very center of Kalimdor, comprising the twin cities of Zin-Azshari and Suramar. It was ruled by the House of Azshara, and acted as the seat of the Highborne Empire. It was a lowland region populated by immense bodies of water, humid marshes, and forest glades. The Well of Eternity was the most prominent natural feature of the region, and was the most powerful source of magic for the Highborne Empire. Little remains of the Temple Region today, with Zin-Azshari and Suramar cast into the sea.

Culture
The culture of the Temple Region was centered around magic and religion. With Suramar as the Empire's largest temple city, and Zin-Azshari as a terraced city of sorcery and political capital of the Empire, one found many tailors, enchanters, statesmen, and poets in the cities of the Temple Region. Citizens of the Empire abroad colloquially referred to the peoples of the Temple Region as "City Elves". The Highborne in this region lived in beautiful homes on the upper tiers of their settlements, while the Kaldorei lived in shacks and tents on the rancid shores of polluted canals and in the outskirt regions of the great cities.

The Western Vale
The House of Thel'barim reigned over the Western Vale, a region renowned for its lush and humid forests. The province of Feralas is the only remaining piece of the Western Vale in the Age of Mortals. The Vale experienced marked political instability over the years, with the House of Thel'barim fighting in many civil conflicts with various Highborne noble lines. It provided the Highborne Empire with the majority of its foodstuffs, due to its rich soil and bountiful natural plant and animal life.

Culture
Dense forests and rolling hills gave birth to a culture of hunters and survivalists. Since the Western Vale was the one of the most uninhabited regions of the Empire, the local citizens often scoured the lands surrounding their homes for their own meals, and built homes into the sides of hills and into the trunks of trees. Kaldorei and Highborne alike lived here in relatively similar conditions, hunting and surviving alongside eachother.

The Bay of Storms & Black Islands
Directly east of the Temple Region was the Bay of Storms, the largest body of water connected to the Great Sea in Kalimdor. It also generally referred to the archipelago known as the Black Islands, which was ruled by the House of Ravencrest of Black Rook Hold. It's claim to fame was massive port cities filled with colorful citizens. It was known to have the highest incidence of crime within the Empire. Many of the Black Islands remain today in the Bay of Storms, but they are devoid of any permanent residents aside from Sea Giants and Murlocs.

Culture
With strong winds and dangerous waters, the Kaldorei and Highborne of the Bay of Storms and the Black Islands were a seafaring people. Fishermen, officers of the Highborne Empire's navy, traders, merchants from abroad, smugglers, and thieves lived in the small ports speckled across the map of the archipelago. Some of the greatest folkloric tales emerged from the seaside cities of the Bay of Storms, where stories of great sea monsters and waves rising as high as the tallest spires of Suramar were passed on through oral tradition across the lands of the Empire.

The Deadland
The harsh region known as the Deadland was home to the House of Ethel Rethor. It was known for its sparse landscape, lack of vegetation, and cold climate. It is unknown why the Deadland could not support plant life, but modern research suggests that high soil salinity may have been the cause. The Deadland was grey and covered in the bones of dead animals. The eponymous seaside city of Ethel Rethor was the seat of the House of Ethel Rethor, and the only lasting settlement in the region. Ethel Rethor was originally a foritifcation of major strategic importance against the Trolls, where a towering fortress overlooked the Veiled Sea, preventing the enemy from invading the Western Vale through the Deadland; however, the Deadland itself is a natural defense against invasion, as it is nearly impossible to cross without adequate supplies. Today, the Deadland is known as Desolace, and a few structures from the ancient settlement of Ethel Rethor still stand.

Culture
The people of the Deadland were known for being appropriately grim, and their culture concentrated on their doomed situation. Many of their songs and stories concerned the end of the world, and other prophecies of ruin. As a people, the Kaldorei and Highborne of the Deadland wore drab colored clothing, both as a means of camouflage and as a cultural adornment. Nearly all of the citizens of the Deadland lived in Ethel Rethor, which was the only place in the region which could sustain any vegetation, due to its proximity to the shores of the Veiled Sea. The fearsome Wailing Knights originated from Ethel Rethor, and were one of Queen Azshara's most powerful assets during the War of the Ancients.

Winterspring
Like the Deadland, Winterspring remains intact to this day. In ancient times, the region of Winterspring referred to a long chain of mountains in Northern Kalimdor, whereas the Winterspring of the Age of Mortals is merely a fragment of the tremendous mountain region it once was. The House of Verdantfire ruled the region as the Guardians of Winterspring, from their lakeside city of Kel'Theril. The first elven sabers were bred in this cold region, before they were exported to the other corners of the empire, and distinct breeds of saber were developed. Like the other far-flung realms of the Highborne Empire, Winterspring was fiercely independent. The Guardians of Winterspring came to blows with the House of Azshara on more than one occasion, due to past grievances. Winterspring was often visited by rich nobles from the other corners of the Empire, attracted by its famous hotsprings.

Culture
Unlike most other regions in the Empire, the lands of Verdantfire saw unprecedented fair treatment of the Kaldorei. After all, the most skilled saber breeders had all happened to be Night Elves of common heritage. Highborne often married Kaldorei commoners, and Kaldorei married frequently into nobility. All inhabitants of the region were known for wearing massive fur cloaks, and bundled themselves up as much as possible due to the climate. Every few centuries, Winterspring would experience a long warm season, and took on a temperate alpine climate. As such, the Kaldorei and Highborne citizens of Winterspring often looked forward to warmer days, and weaved summer-inspired designs into their cloaks, tapestries, and rugs. Kel'Theril also came to be known as the Great Northern Hold, because it was known as the last northern Imperial settlement that had not been besieged by the Frostmane Tribe. The frigid climate of Winterspring bred a passionate and warm-hearted people, and the hospitality and kindness of the House of Verdantfire and their servants was renowned throughout Ancient Kalimdor.

The Stonetalon Mountain Range
With a reputation for treacherous mountain passes and hillside fortresses, the Stonetalon Mountain Range of the Highborne Empire was ruled by the House of Fallowmere, who were proud of their unique traditions to a fault. The Highborne guardsmen of the Stonetalon Mountains protected the only accessible path to the center of the Empire in Western Kalimdor. They were considered to be the last and most powerful line of defense against a Silithid or Troll invasion from the southwestern regions of the continent, and carefully guarded the narrow mountain passes through their ancestral lands. The House of Fallowmere are the last surviving Great House of the Highborne Empire, and remain in control of Stonetalon even in present times. The regime of Tyrande Whisperwind allowed the descendants of the Fallowmere line to keep much of their original hereditary holdings, in exchange for their loyalty and continued watch over the Stonetalon Mountain Range. Because most noble lines of the Highborne Peerage were dissolved following the War of the Ancients, the House of Fallowmere are the last Highborne line still acknowledged by the government of Darnassus in the Age of Mortals. Because the Kaldorei are not known for being skilled mountaineers, Fallowmere's forces hold dominion over the majority of uncontested lands in the region, as they are the most well-equipped army capable of defending the high mountains and narrow passes.

Culture
Because most Kaldorei and Highborne dwelled in settled urban areas or in forests, the people of the Stonetalon Mountain Range were unique. The region gave birth to a proud people who were some of Kalimdor's most skillful mountain climbers and path finders. The Windshear Valley in Stonetalon held the largest number of Imperial military and trade outposts, guarded by the House of Fallowmere's watchful eye. While some people in the Stonetalon region chose to live in the lowlands, hunting and fishing for their profession, the vast majority of Stonetalon Highborne and Kaldorei lived in mountain settlements, high above the sweeping valleys. Trade flourished in the region during the height of the Empire, bringing Pandaren and Tauren craftsmen and their works in great abundance. The lands of Fallowmere prospered under multiculturalism, and Kaldorei enjoyed extended privileges compared to elsewhere in the Highborne Empire's lands. Still, the noble families of Stonetalon made sure that Kaldorei only married Kaldorei, and that Highborne kept to their own pure blood. The falcon and hawk were known as regional cultural symbols, and many family crests were adorned with imagery that paid tribute to birds of prey. Likewise, many skilled falconers were trained in Stonetalon, bringing their talents to other peoples throughout the Imperial lands.

The Mistmarshes
Northwestern Kalimdor, ruled by the House of Duskglaive, was known as the Mistmarshes, or a land that comprised modern-day Felwood, Darkshore, far northern Ashenvale, and the western marshes of Moonglade. The region was known as a wild land, with sparse population and a number of coastal fishing villages, such as Auberdine. The region derived its name from the low fog that hung over the wetlands areas, making travel difficult for outsiders. The House of Duskglaive's soldiers, known as the Mistlords, were among Kalimdor's first special forces. The Mistmarshes carried an infamous reputation in the Empire for being a dangerous locale. Whether it was wildlife sabotaging trade caravans, or tales about the frightening Mistlords; rumors circulated about the supernatural qualities of the marshes, and those who dwelled within them. The Duskglaives ruled from Mathystra, a tremendous coastal Highborne settlement. Centuries before the reign of House Duskglaive, Mathystra and the surrounding region of the Mistmarshes was ruled by the House of Narassin. Athrikus Narassin constructed a domain of sorcery, known as the Tower of Athalaxx, where he supposedly practiced a variety of magical arts, including Mistweaving from the Pandaren people. Over time, rumors circulated that madness had befallen the lords of House Narassin, as the behavior of Athrikus and his sons became violently erratic. It was believed that Athrikus was making blood sacrifices en-masse to obscure gods in exchange for increased magical power, but such accusations were never entirely proven. The House of Narassin was eventually betrayed by the House of Duskglaive, who had been loyal followers of their rule for some centuries. House Duskglaive ascended to the rule of Mathystra, and were named a Great House of the Higborne Empire by the House of Azshara. At the time, many who lived in the Mistmarshes believed that Athrikus had placed a curse with his last breath upon the lands of the Mistmarshes, for a thick and unnatural fog always seemed to loom over the land. Indeed, to this day, an assortment of strange diseases permeates the northwestern marshes of Kalimdor, affecting both Kaldorei and animal poulations.

Culture
The people of the Mistmarshes have always been associated with the supernatural. Throughout history, there have been an unusual number of hauntings and sightings of malevolent spirits in many places across the region. Local religion differed greatly from the pantheon of the Imperial Cult, and deities which possessed similar qualities, abilities, and appearances to the Old Gods were often worshipped alongside the gods of the Imperial Cult. It is rumored that the Mistlords utilized dark magic as well as natural camouflage to hide from their enemies, holding their breath for an unnaturally long duration before emerging from the thick bogs to strike their prey down. The Mistlords developed some of Kalimdor's first advanced stealth tactics, creating suits composed of local flora to blend in with the reeds and marsh moss of their lowland homes. They were deployed across the Empire to dispatch the enemies of the Highborne, and trained a great number of other special operations regiments, teaching their techniques to the Imperial forces. It was the people of the Mistmarshes who first were blessed with the Shadowmeld ability, able to seamlessly fade into the shadows during the evening hours and hide from their opponents. It makes sense that the Mistmarshes Kaldorei and Highborne were a superstitious people who believed in omens, and had a myriad of purification rituals to deal with malicious wraiths and ghosts. To the citizens of the Highborne Empire, the Mistmarshes evoked images of dark groves, broken paths, foul marshes, and haunted ruins. The activities of the House of Narassin only served to strengthen the infamous reputation of the region.

Eldre'thalas
Called the "Hidden City" by the citizens of the Empire, the true location of Eldre'thalas remained a guarded secret for several ages. The House of Tortheldrin raised the mighty city, which flourished during the waning years of the Highborne Empire. The academies of Eldre'thalas trained some of the finest wizards and sorcerers in the history of Azeroth. Initially, the designs for Eldre'thalas were met with great opposition by the House of Azshra, who believed that the city would grow to rival the power of Zin-Azshari. In the years of paranoia preceding the Sundering, Queen Azshara's suspicions grew regarding the near-independence of Eldre'thalas, and she originally planned to besiege it and install a local dictator of her choice. Her plans were never realized, due to the explosive conflict in the Temple Regions, with the Kaldorei Resistance in open rebellion against the Empire. Many of the Highborne elite fled for Eldre'thalas as war engulfed Suramar and Zin-Azshari. For over ten thousand years, the halls of Eldre'thalas remained sealed, re-opened only after the Estulan-Tortheldrin Affair reached a boiling point. The city was known as Dire Maul by explorers, and was avoided almost entirely by looters and foolhardy adventurers, for ogres, wraiths, and satyr populated the surface-level ruins of the ancient city.

Culture
While Eldre'thalas had some of the most prestigious academies of the ancient world, it was also a city of entertainment. The Highborne elite would travel to Eldre'thalas from abroad and partake in various ceremonies of debauchery, including mass orgies and other indulgent ceremonies. Central to the culture of Eldre'thalas was the Eldre'thalas Arena, where Kaldorei slaves and dishonored Highborne nobles were forced to fight to the death against wild animals, skilled Imperial war heroes, and other challengers for entertainment. Eldre'thalas had a flourishing slave trade, and both house slaves and slaves of war were bought and sold in the city, especially during Eldre'thalas Arena events. The House of Tortheldrin bought many of their most famous fighting slaves from House Shalah'aman, who had a regular contract with various noble families in the Hidden City. Like the Temple Regions, Kaldorei had virtually no rights or a guarantee of safety in Eldre'thalas, and the majority of Kaldorei who lived in Eldre'thalas were enslaved to fight in the pits or work for affluent Highborne families and tourists in various establishments.

The Southern Reaches
The vast deserts and jungles of Southern Kalimdor were lorded over by the House of Shalah'aman. Vast armies of slaves were utilized by House Shalah'aman, who drove them to create ancient wonders of engineering, bringing trade to the remote lands of the Tanari Desert, Thousand Needles, and other southern areas. The Sandfury Empire, a remnant of the far greater Zandalari Empire that preceded the Highborne civilization, was in constant warfare with the Lords of House Shalah'aman, their cadet houses, and followers. Beset by war on all sides, the people of the Southern Reaches were battle-hardened, and were trained by experience to become some of the fiercest warriors in the whole of the Empire. The Reaches were once an independent zone that declared independence from the Highborne Empire. The bold, self-crowned King of Tanaris, Vanadar I, dared to question the power of the House of Azshara, and was killed as a result. The Southern Reaches were consolidated under the rule of the Highborne Empire, and the House of Shalah'aman worked eagerly to prove their loyalty to the Queen Azshara in Zin-Azshari. Originally, the city of Kalnaar was the seat of the House of Shalah'aman, but nothing remained of the desert citadel, which was swallowed beneath an ocean of sand conjured by a powerful Troll Witch-Doctor.

Culture
A proud warrior culture, the people of the Southern Reaches were renowned across the Empire for their ruthless tactics in war. Because of their proximity to the Sandfury Empire, they took on many Troll traditions and transformed them into their own. The armies of the House of Shalah'aman often played the U'Juka to quickly communicate with several thousand soldiers, and also to intimidate the enemy. The majority of the Shalah'aman armies consisted of Troll slaves, but also a number of Kaldorei servants who they'd purchased from Eldre'thalas, or captured on the trade roads. Slavery was legal in the time of the Empire, and the House of Shalah'aman utilized slaves to the fullest, even taking the slaver's flail as their family crest. Kaldorei and Highborne who lived in the Reaches dressed in flowing robes or white, or in light armor that allowed air to reach the flesh easily. Many slaves fought in the nude, but they were in such great abundance that a lack of equipment did not matter. Eventually, the Shalah'aman lords relocated their estates to Suramar, leaving their slavemasters to manage their holdings in their absence.

Early Years & Formation of the Empire
The seeds of the Highborne Empire were sewn in the waning centuries of the Age of a Hundred Kings, a long period of tyrannical rule of the Zandalari Empire and Mogu Empire, both of which maintained strong a strong alliance with each other. Since pre-historical years, the Trolls and the Mogu had been steadfast friends with mutual interests. Both kingdoms were built on a foundation of slave labor, with the Mogu using the entire Pandaren race to build their vast empire, and the Trolls utilizing the Kaldorei, who were themselves believed to once be Trolls.

Kalimdor was conquered by the Mogu and Trolls as soon as both of of their empires had accumulated enough resources and weapons to subjugate the collective peoples of the continent, and drive their ancient rivals, the Aqir, deep underground. The Kaldorei were mainly enslaved in the lands surrounding present-day Hyjal, forced to toil in the shadow of the Zandalari capital city.

The hegemony of the Mogu was threatened with the commencement of the Mogu-Pandaren war, a campaign which began as a successful slave uprising. The Pandaren slaves had secretly developed a powerful unarmed fighting style, which they combined with folk medicine and the worship of the August Celestials in order to found a monastic religion and culture which opposed the tyranny of their Mogu captors. As the war threatened to topple the established ruling caste, the Mogu lords called upon the assistance of their allies, the Zandalari, in a move which would spell the end both empires.

As the Trolls rapidly mobilized their armed forces and marched to assist the Mogu in the southern half of the continent, the Kaldorei set their own plans into motion. Prolonged exposure to the magic of the Well of Eternity had blessed many of the wisest Kaldorei with an ability to wield Arcane magic. A violent uprising occured, and Troll overseers were slaughtered wholesale. The capital city of the Zandalari Empire was soon awash with the blood of fallen slavemasters. The violence culminated in a catastrophic Arcane storm, summoned by the gathered Kaldorei Mages, which literally uprooted the city, leveling the imposing architecture which had subjugated the Kaldorei people for so long.

The Mogu-Pandaren war drew to a close an indeterminate amount of time after these events, ending in total defeat for the Mogu and unrecoupable losses for the Zandalari Empire. Immediately following the end of the continental conflict, the Kaldorei founded a new empire in place of the fallen Zandalari kingdom. The Kaldorei state, which initially comprised only a modest stretch of land in the mountains and forests surrounding Hyjal, grew quickly after successful battles against the returning Zandalari armies led to a tremendous boost in morale and national identity. It was appropriately ruled by the caste of seers and wizards who had freed the Kaldorei with their magic, who called themselves the Highborne. As such, the Kaldorei kingdom gradually came to be known as the Highborne Empire.

Age of Magic
The early success of the new Kaldorei and Pandaren states inspired similar movements across Kalimdor. The Tauren, embroiled in a bloody conflict with the Centaur, created many permanent settlements throughout the arid regions of eastern central Kalimdor. The Tauren and Kaldorei traded goods and ideas freely, establishing some of the first trade roads in the continent in order to cement their commercial alliance.

Highborne society was an early adopter of scientific and artistic patronage, and the fledgling country spent nearly all resources and income on the development of new, impressive technologies. Early Highborne optics were among the finest inventions in ancient Kalimdor. The inception of the telescope allowed the Highborne Empire to create advanced maps of the sky, assisting in sea and land navigation. Kalimdor's first widely-used calendar was invented by the Highborne, and brought regularity to agriculture, allowing for the easy cultivation of seasonal crops.

Noble-blooded families who had played a part in leading the rebellion against the Zandalari Empire continued to inherit the duties of governance of the Empire. The Highborne Peerage comprised hundreds of families which had either participated in the rebellion, or had won their titles and accolades through war against the various Troll nations which remained on the continent after the fall of the Zandalari capital.