Gannelore was a city primarily comprised of free-folk prior to The Race Wars. Once the crown jewel of elvish civilization in Falderia, it now sits in ruins beneath the waters of The Gannelore Sea.
Early Settlement and Growth
Gannelore’s history is much like that of the Elves of Falderia. During the early days of its settlement, the village made great use of its fertile lands. With only a small population, fields of crops stretched out as far as the eye could see. This changed rapidly over the coming centuries as the population of Gannelore skyrocketed. The birth rate for elvish people had been historically quite low, but the settling of a new land which yielded such abundance changed this dramatically.
The city’s location along the The Gannelore River provided not only fertile soil but also strategic access to trade routes. Gannelore became a major trading hub, connecting the elvish settlements of The Eroan Wilds with the broader Falderian Empire. The city’s architecture reflected this prosperity, with towering spires of white stone quarried from Molvania and Barrowhills, creating a skyline that shimmered in the sunlight.
The Rise of the Sylvana Dynasty
As the city grew, a need for real governance arose. Although within the bounds of the Falderian empire of the time, and technically under the rule of its emperors, the protection and subsequent enforcement of laws never strayed too far from Thonham. Through this power vacuum arose the Royal Family of Gannelore, a family of Elves whose personal wealth saw to the enforcement of Falderian laws and Gannelore bylaws.
The Sylvana family, for which the state is later named, made much of its money in the quarrying of stone in Molvania and the further afar Barrowhills. The Sylvana family stone was used to build much of Gannelore’s foundations, building the family’s wealth. Following the family’s rise to royalty, the family rapidly diversified their portfolio, allowing them to subsidize the stone to enable the rapid growth of Gannelore’s construction industry.
The Golden Age
Through the ages, the Royal Family of Gannelore made many good decisions. The city spent much of the past two millennia in an effective golden age. The Sylvana rulers invested heavily in education, arts, and magical research. Gannelore became known for its libraries, which housed some of the most comprehensive collections of elvish lore and magical theory in Falderia. The city’s universities attracted scholars from across the continent.
The city’s culture flourished during this period. Gannelore became renowned for its music, poetry, and craftsmanship. The elvish artisans of the city produced some of the finest works of art in the known world, from intricate jewelry to masterfully crafted weapons and armor. The city’s gardens were legendary, featuring exotic plants and magical flora that could only thrive in the unique climate of the region.
Growing Discontent
Despite this prosperity, discontent continued to grow against the Falderian empire. The elvish population of Gannelore increasingly chafed under human rule, particularly as the empire’s policies became more restrictive and discriminatory. The Royal Family of Gannelore found themselves in an impossible position - torn between their loyalty to their people and their obligations to the empire.
The tension reached a breaking point when Ilkaen Sylvana came to power. Although she initially tried to maintain the status quo, the pressure from her people became overwhelming. Over the course of her 15-year reign, riots in the streets of Gannelore called for secession from Falderia. Protests at the royal palace called for the family to seek reparations for unjust rule.
The Final Decision
On the anniversary of 15 years as the head of the Royal Family of Gannelore, Ilkaen Sylvana made a decision that would end the Sylvana bloodline. Gannelore joined Eschenfeld in their militarized protest against the Falderian Empire.
This decision would prove catastrophic. During the massacre of Gannelore, Ilkaen watched her children and grandchildren slaughtered before her. Every prominent member of her family was brought to the stairs of the royal palace, and slowly tortured to death by commanders of the Falderian Empire armies. Ilkaen Sylvana was spared, a message to Gannelore that they were yet allowed to get in line and remain within the Falderian Empire.
The Flooding
In the years following, Ilkaen Sylvana and Eschenfeld plotted and organized the Scorched Earth event. Shortly following the Scorched Earth attack, Gannelore flooded. Many died in this flooding, including Ilkaen Sylvana who was found drowned just meters from a safe platform in the royal palace.
The flooding was not natural - it was the result of the Scorched Earth spell, which removed water from the Thonham Gulf area, causing massive flooding in Gannelore as the waters sought new equilibrium. The once-great city now lies beneath the waves, its white stone towers visible only to those brave enough to dive into the depths of The Gannelore Sea.
Legacy
Today, Gannelore serves as a haunting reminder of the cost of war and the price of freedom. The city’s ruins are occasionally visited by scholars and treasure hunters, though the depths are treacherous and the waters are said to be cursed. The Sylvana family’s legacy lives on in the state that bears their name, though their bloodline ended with the flooding of their ancestral home.