Cormanthyr: Empire of the Elves

Noble Families and the
Nobles’ Council
Below the Coronal, there are the local rulers of Semberholme,
the Council of Trees, and various clan leaders of individual
sites across Cormanthyr. None of the local rulers can
claim the title of Coronal (reserved only for leaders of an independent
colony or empire such as Cormanthyr, Cormyr [as
its original elven colony], Jhyrennstar [before assimilating
into Cormanthyr], or Eaerlann), but they have a variety of
titles; the most common among the smaller colonies is the
use of the settlement name or clan name as the ruler’s title
(i.e., “the Alusiil of Alusiil Grove,” or “the Vispasial of Clan
Vispasial, ruler of Bhaasoraen”). Each rules the particular
settlement as the Coronal rules over all. However, their
powers are strictly limited to their particular settlement and
its established territories. While within the borders of another
settlement or among the neutral territories between the
colonies, that leader or leaders cannot overrule any edicts of
a ruling noble of that settlement or the Coronal.
All of these individual leaders are among the heads of the
noble families of the elves, the senior families that originally
settled Arcorar. The noble heads all sit on the Nobles’ Council
at Myth Drannor, where they discuss and debate individual
settlements’ policies or those of the Coronal of
Cormanthyr. Once a year, the Coronal is obliged to meet with
the Nobles’ Council and address their concerns. He is in no
way obligated to follow the wishes of the Nobles’ Council
other than by his own desire to keep peace and unity among
his elven subjects.
Until the time of Myth Drannor, the major concerns among
the Nobles’ Council were of hunting rights, recognizing clan
heirs, or discussing the doings of the High Mages or other
nobles with the Coronal. Cormanthyr also never saw a
schism between the wishes of the Nobles’ Council and the
46 • Cormanthyr: Empire of Elves
Coronal until the fifth century of the Sixth Rysar. Once the
Coronal Eltargrim’s proposal of alliance among the races was
aired in the Year of Leaping Flames (200 DR), the views of the
Coronal and a number of nobles on the council began straying
far apart. By the time the mythal was raised at Myth Drannor
six decades later, a number of clans seceded from the
council and Cormanthyr entirely, rather than live among the
other races in peace.
High Mages of Cormanthyr
While little interested in the politics and power plays of ruling
Cormanthyr, the High Mages by their very nature hold much
influence among the People. Their power and wisdom carries
much weight with the Coronal, and merely the suggestion
that a decision might be harmful to the Weave and the elves’
lifeblood is enough to sway nobles and Coronals alike. One of
the first decisions made by the First Coronal of Cormanthyr
was to make the Coronal answerable to the High Mages, if he
should abuse his power and authority. While the nobles
would have preferred the Coronal be answerable to a more
political body such as themselves, they understood (as all
elves do) this move was done to prevent the very things that
sparked the Crown Wars.
In all, the High Mages have always been staunch supporters
of the Coronal, and he of them. The Coronal’s automatic
assumption of High Magic potential upon drawing the Rulers’
Blade (and receiving the knowledge and power of the three
selu’taar of Coronal Oacenth of Jhyrennstar and Coronals
Kahvoerm and Sakrattars) automatically made him one of
their number, whether he chose to learn to wield such power
or not. Miirphys Irithyl was a singular Coronal, as the only
nongold elf Coronal of Cormanthyr. Sharing his moon elf
mother’s trademark blue hair and silver eyes, this senior
priest of Sehanine neither wielded the Rulers’ Blade nor the
High Magic of the Coronal’s position beyond the blade-ritual.
Still, he made himself an ally of the High Mages and the
nobles alike by supporting their launching of a number of
ships into Realmspace to prevent the expansion of abusive
Netherese spelljammers during his rysar.
The Elven Court
There is also a variable fourth ruling body of elves among the
leadership of Cormanthyr: the Elven Court. Long past being a
physical site, the Elven Court is now effectively a communion
of various nobles, the Coronal, the High Mages, and the
various elven priesthoods of Cormanthyr with ancestral spirits
among the trees. It is now only convened either ceremonially
once every five centuries or as needed in times of great
dissension among the elves. Elven Courts were convened
twice during the Sixth Rysar, but had less to do with the
direct ruling of Cormanthyr and more with how the elves
could survive the expansion of the other races and how to
live in alliance with them.
For more on the Elven Courts both past and present, see
the Mysteries of Elven Court chapter.