Malino're

Malino're is a city in the Southern Elfgroves, close to their border with the Falassian Empire. It is largely populated by wood elves.

Description
Malino're's population consists mostly of wood elves, although, as it is on the outer borders of the Elfgroves its demographics are not as heavily skewed as some settlements farther in. The city is fairly isolationist, barring outsiders from entering outside of the Bloomshower Fest. It is also known to welcome outsiders who have performed some service for the city. However, Malino're lacks formal borders, having abolished them as part of a pact between the city's elves and the dryads of the Elfgroves. As a result, the city and forest meld into each other in many places, and elves and forest spirits can move between the two as they wish. The city guard consists of rangers known as the Woodseekers. The guards seem to attend an academy, although one attendee, Wyrran, has described it as "nothing impressive." Training classes for archers and rangers are frequently available in the city. The city is run by its Council of Elders, a group of elderly elves who are highly respected. However, the Council does not include all elderly, respected elves who live within the city. In early 598, the Council of Elders had 15 members. The Council conducts its business in its own dedicated chamber and is currently led by Ninleyn.

Druid School
The Druid School is the only magical academy located in Malino're. It is responsible for the training and education of most of the druids found in Lyvernus. The building itself is nature-woven into an extremely large tree, and the entrance leads to a large atrium where many druidic students study and pass time. The school seems to have been established several centuries ago, with the original headmaster being the druid responsible for negotiating the treaty between the elves and dryads. The day-to-day functioning of the school is typically seen to by its vice headmaster, as the headmaster makes frequent sojourns into the wilderness to commune with nature, sometimes for months at a time. As of the most recent vice headmaster's death in Bloomshower 598, it is unknown who currently runs the school.

Bloomshower Fest
The Bloomshower Fest is held every Bloomshower in honor of Cysebelle, known as Cyviria to the wood elves. As the name implies, it occurs during the month of Bloomshower. The city opens its gates to outsiders during the festival, making it the one time of the year when everyone is welcomed in Malino're. During the festival, outsiders are welcomed to enjoy games (such as bobbing for apples, contests of strength, ring toss, and magically powered crane machines), food (cooked in a traditional elven style called mali'ok dana, which doubles as a performance), and the festival's market, as well as other activities such as tarokka readings. All activities at the Bloomshower Fest (except presumably the market stalls) are free, having been paid for by the Council of Elders so that the festivities are not restricted to those with wealth.

History
At some point, an Abyssal Crest resided in Malino're, suggesting that the elves of the city may have been involved in the sealing of the demon lord Alzrius in ancient times. During the time of dragons, the rangers of Malino're fought many green dragons as part of the liberation of Lyvernus. Their leader was an elf named Jorah, who had some kind of rivalry with a sword-wielding battle master. Malino're was once plagued by territorial fighting between the city's elves and the fey creatures of the Southern Elfgroves. However, 500 years ago, a treaty was formed between the druids of Malino're (led by the founding headmaster of the current druid school) and the dryads of the surrounding forest, abolishing official borders between elves and dryads in the forest.

In 598, Malino're was targeted by a pair of hags looking to transform one of its residents into their coven's third member. In the process, they infiltrated the city's druid school and Council of Elders, disappearing countless elves who failed to survive the transformation process. Their victims included two members of the Council of Elders and Merellien, the vice headmaster of the Druid School at the time. During that year's Bloomshower Fest, they grew bolder, hoping to take advantage of the influx of outsiders to the city to conceal their actions, but they were ultimately exposed by the Pog Champions and another band of adventurers and defeated. These hags were possibly in league with the Burning Knight and may have been responsible for the disappearance of the city's Abyssal Crest.

Known Residents

 * Bethelia
 * Hyalin
 * Lianthorn
 * Merellien (deceased)
 * Ninleyn
 * Quilius (formerly)
 * Relius Chales (formerly)
 * Sionia
 * Torbin
 * Woodseeker Jorah (deceased)
 * Wyrran