The Glades

The Glades is the elven city hidden deep within the Forest of the Fey. The collectivist elves rule over themselves in a direct democracy.

Size
Approximately 30,000 people call the Glades home, most of them elves. There are also small populations of half-elves, gnomes, and even some sprites, pixies, and other fey creatures.

Atmosphere
Walking into the Glades is like walking into a small piece of the Feywild. The elves and their allies have taken great pains to maintain the natural beauty of their homeland, and their efforts have paid off. Crystal clear streams wind their way through open, grassy clearings; ancient trees, seemingly miles tall, support entire neighborhoods within their branches; faerie lights, glowing bright green and blue, illuminate the city at night. The smells of grass, earth, and pine pervade the city at all times, and the pleasant sounds of the natural world fill the air. The elves foster a spirit of friendly cooperation within their city, and each citizen works toward the benefit of their society as a whole.

The Glades can be a veritable paradise for certain kinds of people; its citizens gladly welcome elves, gnomes, and halflings into their midst, as well as others who they fell have learned to live in harmony with nature. However, to humans and dwarves, the fey of the Glades can seem cold and xenophobic; to half-orcs and tieflings, they are downright hostile. The long-lived elves view the world differently from other races, and they hold each member of a race personally responsible for that race's past deeds.

History
The Glades is one of the oldest existing communities in all of Ioro. It has remained safely hidden within the deadly Forest of the Fey for thousands of years. Its origins are shrouded in mystery; although the elves claim that it was founded by Obad-Hai himself, there is little evidence to support this. Most historians agree that it was likely the point of first contact between the Feywild and the Material Plane, and the elves, they say, are descended from eladrin who crossed the border between the planes and chose to stay in Ioro. At some point, the people of the Glades decided to eschew typical systems of government and installed the current collectivist regime.

Recently, rumors have circulated that the city is closed to outsiders; traders have been turned away at the gates, and people talk in whispers of a shadowy and mysterious figure who has supposedly taken control of the Glades.

Government
The people of the Glades rule over themselves in a direct democracy, the only one of its kind in Ioro. They elect no representatives and have no leaders; instead, citizens gather in their local community centers to discuss the issues of the day and reach a consensus. This is a time-consuming process, but the elves feel that it is the only fair way to run a society. The unofficial motto of the Glades is "from each according to his ability, to each according to his need." As such, every citizen is assigned a role at adulthood that best suits his capabilities; some are chosen to be carpenters, others roam the forest gathering food, and still others are trained as guards and soldiers. Everything that is produced in the Glades belongs to the public, and the central bureaucracy distributes resources equally to each citizen.

Defenses
The elves and their allies tend to be quite skilled in archery, stealth, and magic. Their rangers patrol the forest, constantly scouting for threats and using guerrilla tactics to defend their home when necessary. Their warriors tend to wear light armor and rely on agility and speed in combat, and their wizards and druids use a combination of illusion magic and the natural power of the forest itself to confound and destroy their foes. Although the Glades' defenders are fewer in number than those of the other city-states, their unconventional tactics have made them a feared and respected force across Ioro. This fear and the natural defenses provided by the Forest of the Fey have ensured that the Glades has never been successfully attacked or occupied.

Goods and Services
Citizens of the Glades do not have money, as all their needs are provided for by society. However, the central bureaucracy maintains a treasury of gold which they use to trade with traveling merchants for things that are difficult or impossible to find in the forest. They also sell surplus goods to these merchants, who then travel back to Freeport, Reah, and other cities and resell them at a premium. Outsiders are expected to pay for what they use in the Glades, and their gold is sent to the treasury.

Religion
The Shrine of Obad-Hai is located in the Glades, and the city's people are devout worshippers of the God of the Forest. They have little interest in the other gods or the Temple's hierarchy; in fact, it is a poorly kept secret that the elves would worship Obad-Hai with or without the Temple's presence, and although Laurel the Wild is held in high esteem, the people of the Glades would prefer that the rest of the Temple of the Seven stayed out of their affairs.

Notable Citizens

 * Laurel the Wild