When the Palace fell and the inhabitants scattered across the land. A small
group of High Ones fled into the forest surrounding the Palace. Re’Bok, a High
One gifted with the ability to shape shift, led the elves far, far away, until
they finally reached what we know as Shadow Vale Holt today.

Their first few years were hard. Many died from hunger as they did not know
how to hunt, many died from the cold, some died of loss. It was not until Re’Bok
started using his abilities to transform himself into the creatures that also
inhabited the forest did they learn to survive. He was a bear for a short time.
He learned that even the great bears had problems and since he was not one to
sleep, he decided the bear form was not right.

Re’Bok tried the panthers shape, but also did not like the great cat’s shape.
Finally after trial and error, he became the Wolf. Realizing this was the best
form, he learned how to hunt and survive as a wolf. After one long cold winter,
Re’Bok returned to his tribe and began to teach them.

Many years passed and the tribe watched as their brother became more and more
wolf-like. They renamed him Wolfborn. The tribe grew concerned with each passing
day as Wolfborn stayed away. They tried to reason with him only to have their
fingers snapped at. Finally one day, Wolfborn entered the holt carrying a wolf
cub. He dropped it at one of the maiden’s feet and raced away never to be seen
again.

The wolf cub was more than that. It was a Wolfling, half wolf, half elf. The
maiden picked it up and became it’s instant mother. She named the cubling,
Wolfbreed.

As Wolfbreed grew up, He taught the tribe how to hunt and survive as the
wolves did. The first wolf bond was made by Wolfbreed himself and soon after the
whole tribe was bonding to the wolves. When Wolfbreed was old enough in the eyes
of the remaining High Ones, they made him Chief of Shadow Vale. He proved
himself a worthy chief and led with a steady, firm but gentle hand. He
recognized several times before he died. His first cub was named Kayla and when
her father died at the hands of trolls, she took over as Chieftess.

Shadow Vale prospered under Kayla’s chieftainship. She did everything she
could to live up to her father’s and the tribe’s expectations of her. She set
the standards on what a chieftain should and should not do. She messed up time
to time, but she always learned from her mistakes. She recognized and gave birth
to two cubs, Goldmane and Bloodthirst. Both children developed the shapeshifting
abilities and decided to run with the wolves instead of the tribe. The tribe
started using the name Wolfpac and the bonds grow stronger with the wolves.

At this time, a new race emerges into the forest which had never been there
before, Humans. The elves are cautious and stay away from them. But the Humans
tend to explore and one day a hunter decides to attack a wolf and her cubs,
killing them all. The wolf they killed was actually Goldmane. The wolves mourn
and the news travels to Kayla and the rest of the elves. Enraged, Kayla leads a
group of elves and attacks the humans. This causes the first Elf-Human war which
ends in the death of Kayla.. The humans are driven back into the mountains and
stay there. Bloodthirst is forced to revert to elvin form and lead the
tribe.

Bloodthirst leads the tribe deeper into the Forest and finds a true Vale
where the elves are hidden for the eyes of humans. She recognizes and has two
cubs, Dawnridge and Forestsong. It is noted that Dawnridge was also born with
the shapeshifting abilities and would follow in her mother’s footsteps. The
tribe grew and grew. Wanderers started to come from all over and the tribe soon
numbered 75. Peace was brought to the Vale for a short time until the Trolls
discovered the whereabouts of the new holt. One day while hunting with another
elf, Bloodthirst and her companion fell into a pit trap that the trolls had dug
to trap their own food, and she snapped her neck. She died instantly. Dawnridge
assumed the chieftain’s lock and went to find the trolls. A truce was made and
the elves and trolls soon started to trade weapons for food and furs.

Dawnridge was one of the best chieftains the Holt had had since Wolfbreed.
She established trade with the trolls, helped the Holt grow and brought peace to
the tribe. For centuries they lived, howled and loved. The only thing Dawnridge
could not do was produce an heir. She recognized twice in her 800 years as
chieftain, both times she could never get pregnant, not even with a healers aid.
Her last mate was killed by a long-tooth and in her grief, she turned into a
wolf and fled the tribe. Forestsong becomes Chieftess.

Forestsong was a reckless chieftess, always living her herself and herself
only. She loved to drink and gamble with the trolls, not caring about the day to
day responsibilities of the Tribe and could care less if they lived or died. She
eventually recognized and gave birth to Shadowmyth. After Shadowmyth was born,
she handed the cub over to her lifemate and did as she pleased. The tribe went
into dispair as their numbers started to dwindle as elves started to leave. The
tribe soon numbered only a handful of elves. One day Forestsong went hunting too
close to the human territory. She was found by humans and killed. Her death was
not mourned, rather celebrated.

Shadowmyth was taught by the elders how to hunt, fight, teach and lead. When
he reached a suitable age, he took over as Chief. The tribe soon started to come
back, wanderers came in again, some with missing tribemates who only came back
because Forestsong was dead. He started to expand his horizons and began to
explore the mountains surrounding the Holt. One day he discovered a tall maiden
and brought her home. She was wounded, almost dead, but thanks to the healer,
she lived. Shadowmyth recognized her when she awoke. Her name was Aieleo and she
was from a tribe known as the Feather Folk. Because she had recognized an
outsider, she said she could never return to her home. They consummated the
recognition, then went to the Feather Folk to let them know what had happened.

The Feather Folk Lord, Stormcall was not pleased to lose one of his own, but
he let her leave. A small bond was made between the two tribes and would last
until Nightbringer severs the link. Shadowmyth and Aieleo lead Shadow Vale with
warm and caring hands. Peace had returned to the Vale once again. The two had 5
cubs in all. The mixing of their bloodlines brought new powers to the tribe that
had been lost. Out of all their cubs, only Crystalclaw lived the longest. One
day Shadowmyth, Aieleo and some others decided to go hunting. The snow had
started falling and they went to seek shelter in a cave. A Blizzard formed and
the hunting party was trapped in the cave. They all perished. Their bodies were
not found until a moon later. Crystalclaw assumed the chieftainship.

Crystalclaw tried to keep good relationships with the Feather Folk, but when
it was learned that Aieleo was dead, Stormcall banished the elves from
communication with eachother. This was mostly done because Nightbringer started
whispering in Stormcall’s ear. Crystalclaw lead the tribe as best as he could.
He tried to keep peace and prosperity in the Holt, but soon the trolls and
humans came back. During his reign as Chieftain, another Human-Elf war erupted,
only this time. The Trolls were also involved. The trolls and elves fought
against the humans. When the war finally stopped, all sides had dramatic losses.
The elves numbered only 25 after all was finished, the trolls only a handful and
the Humans were almost wiped out completely. It took many years for the tribes
to regain their losses. Crystalclaw finally recognized and gave birth to only
one cub whom he named Amethyst. Amethyst was born with the ability to
Shapeshift. Crystalclaw was thankful that within her the spark of their
ancestors was still there.

One day Crystalclaw was in the Troll Warrens, trading for a sword when two
trolls started to fight. Being the open-minded listener that he was, he tried to
help resolve the situation. The result was his death and another troll war.

Amethyst finally ended the Troll war after several weeks and started trading
again with them. She recognized and gave birth to Nightranger and Swiftshot.
Amethyst’s reign as chieftess was not long, she ended up shifting into her wolf
form and ran away with a wild wolf pack when her family was killed. Nightranger
assumed the topknot.

Nightranger led the tribe closer to eachother. During his time as Chieftain.
The healer was killed by a wild boar. A plague then started to hit the tribe and
no one was able to save themselves. The infection wiped out most of the tribe,
including Nightranger. Nightranger’s only heir was his newborn son, Wolfcat.

Wolfcat was the shortest lived chieftain in the entire Shadow Vale History.
After he was given the chief’s lock, he recognized and had a son, Featherknife.
Shortly after his son was born, he ventured into human territory and was
killed.

Featherknife did not take over as chieftain until he was almost 200 turns
old, letting the elders rule and he just assisted. It was not until after he had
recognized and had a grand-daughter that he took over as chieftain. When he did
the tribe numbered 60. Several new members introduced him to the sea and he
loved to venture out there and learned to sail. It was rumored that he got drunk
one day and swore he saw a mer-elf. The Humans came into the valley again and he
was killed on one of his hunts.

Wolfbane took over as Chieftess. Having already recognized and had a
daughter, Silvergrace, Wolfbane prepared for war. What she did not count on was
a joining of the Trolls and Humans. All trade and communications were cut off
from the Trolls. Any elf who traded with a troll was punished immediately.
Wolfbane trained her tribemates, her daughter and friends for battle. It was
later made known that Wolfbane intended to sacrifice herself for her tribe. She
took most of the hunters and fighters with her, including her daughter and they
went to battle. The war lasted years and years, each side withdrawing for a
time, then it started again. Finally the war ended with the deaths of Wolfbane,
The Human leader and The Troll King. All sides conceded that war was useless and
that no one won, and it ended just like it had started. Silvergrace took the
chief’s lock.

Silvergrace is the Current Chieftess. Before she recognized Manzanitabow and
produced the only twins born to the Chief’s bloodline, Tamerask and Wysteria,
she was a warrior. She is very strict and demands the loyalty and respect a
chieftess should have. She is an excellent leader and will protect her tribe at
all cost. She does not accept excuses and anyone who challenges her is met with
a rival they would not like to meet on a dark and stormy night. She does not
play or show favoritism. She had been chieftess for 150 turns before recognizing
Manzanitabow. The two are inseperatable warriors who will not tolerate
disrespect.

Shadow Vale Guidelines

All natives of Shadow Vale are of course Wolfblooded. They bond with the
wolves and sometimes even renew their ties with the wolves by mating with them.
Their blood ties are strongest with the shapeshifters and throwbacks.

Height: Height ranges from 4’0 - 4’8 depending upon age. There are a few
elves who are 5’0 - 5’5 but that is because of their age, blood and being a
throwback.

Hair Color: The Shadow Vale elves have a wide variety of hair colors. However
they also tend to range on the darker side. There are few natives with blond
hair.

Eyes: Eye color also tends to be on the dark side, with few blues or
violets.

Humans: The Shadow Vale elves do not like Humans at all now. They will
slaughter on sight if need be. They will often bring back solviners back from
their fights to prove they are better than the humans.

Trolls: Trolls are met with the same attitudes as the humans. The Trolls have
started to take slaves now, so they are also avoided at best. Some trade does go
on, but mostly in secret for fear of what Silvergrace will do to the elf who is
caught trading with them!

Animal Friends: Their primary bond is the Wolf. However, they have also
bonded with the horses in the grove that Spiritdancer discovered. Most of the
horses are caught and tamed by Spiritdancer before they are bonded with. The
only bonds that are not acceptable are animals that the tribe would eat….
Rabbits, mice, small birds, etc, etc….

Homes: The elves of Shadow Vale tend to sleep in hollowed out trees, Each
tree holds up to about 8 elves. The Great Oak in the center of the Holt is where
the Chief lives with their family. It can hold up to 12 elves and sometimes
houses new elves until a hometree can be found.

The Council Clearing: The council clearing is not only used for councils. It
is also used for the Gathering, where elves get together and tell stories, sing
songs and just visit. Councils are usually held when the moon is full, or when a
need arises. The Gatherings are almost every night.

Soul Names: All Wolfblooded elves have Soulnames. A Soulname can be as simple
as the name Leia. Most elves will have names that will not be used in normal
everyday use. Names like Hott or Skye will not be accepted as they are too close
to everyday words.

Talents: Talents are usually 1 in every 15 elves. The only talent that will
NEVER be allowed in Shadow Vale is Fire Starting. At this time there are way too

many elves with Talents. We have enough Treeshapers to replant the entire
rainforest! Only minor talents will be accepted at this time.

Shadow Vale's History

Shadow Vale Guidelines