Where Stillness Speaks and the Forest Breathes
Name and Placement
Elber is a tranquil and contemplative kingdom located in the southern reaches of Cathall, bordered by Lingin to the northeast, Volgar to the north, Surgog to the west, and the tropical waters of Garuff to the south. The territory spans from whispering highland meadows and lush river basins to ancient forests where the canopy is so thick it can turn day into twilight. While modest in territorial size, Elber’s spiritual and philosophical influence stretches across much of Mernac.
It is widely believed by the Scribes and Sages who know of such things that Terees, the Mother of Wisdom and Harmony, placed the first Murmil here, a race created not for conquest, but for contemplation and guidance. To this day, Elber remains the cultural heart of the Murmil, and the region most closely aligned with the teachings of Terees.
Geography and Environment
Elber is a land of sacred groves, meandering rivers, and fertile valleys. Its natural features are not merely geography; they are worshipped, studied, and understood as sentient extensions of the Mothers and Fathers. Most of Elber’s settlements are carefully woven into nature, often built among or within the trees, nestled into cliffs, or concealed within flowering meadows.
The Ulishan River snakes through Elber from Surgog to the southern coast, believed to carry the thoughts of Terees herself to those who sit quietly on its shores. Its crystalline waters are said to cleanse the soul of regret and the body of ailment. The Nambar Trees of the Elberian highlands, with roots as thick as buildings and blossoms that change color with the phases of Mernac’s moons, are protected under ancient law, as each one is believed to contain a spirit waiting to be reborn.
Elber’s climate is gentle, marked by cool, misty mornings, warm midday sun, and long temperate twilights. Rain is frequent, but often light and melodic, giving rise to the local phrase, “A tear from the sky brings clarity to the mind.”
Dominant Race and Culture
The Murmil are the primary inhabitants of Elber, a race of fur-covered humanoids known for their wisdom, calm demeanor, and mystical bond with nature. Each Murmil, upon coming of age, forms a sacred bond with an animal, often a beast of the forest or sky, which becomes their lifelong companion, defender, and spiritual mirror. This connection is not seen as ownership, but as soulful unity, one spirit split into two forms.
Murmil society does not follow kings, queens, or warlords. Instead, The Circle of Silence, a council of meditative elders, governs through parables, gestures, and peaceful example rather than law or force. Decisions are rarely made in haste. A typical Elberian vote may take multiple seasons of deliberation, often held in open glades where all may listen but only the elders may speak.
The Murmil value mindfulness, presence, and the transience of existence. Time is considered a spiral, not a line, and most Murmil believe in reincarnation, not only of their kind, but of ideas, moments, and even landscapes. Many claim to recall flashes of their previous lives, particularly during moments of extreme clarity or crisis.
While the Murmil are known for their peaceful ways, they are not defenseless. Druids, natural mages, and beast-bound warriors protect the borders of Elber and its sacred sites. Their combat philosophy mirrors their culture: flow, adapt, respond, using nature not as a weapon, but as an ally.
Religion and Divine Patronage
Elber is the only known kingdom in Mernac where everyone of the Mothers and Fathers is honored, not out of fear or politics, but from a deep and abiding belief in balance. Even those deities traditionally seen as destructive or chaotic are acknowledged, their roles accepted as part of the great turning wheel of Ga. The Murmil teach that nothing is wholly good nor evil, only necessary, and only misunderstood.
That said, their patron divine is clearly Terees, the Mother of Wisdom and Harmony. Every household, from forest hovel to mountain hermitage, maintains a Stone of Stillness, a smooth white pebble set in a bowl of water, representing Terees’ gaze and presence. Offerings of silent prayer, fragrant herbs, and hand-carved wooden tokens are made at dawn and dusk.
Religious ceremonies in Elber are silent affairs, guided by gestures, meditations, and symbolic acts. Music is considered a divine gift, but only certain wind and string instruments are played, always softly, always in reverence. The Festival of Returning Light, held during the final month of winter, is the only time loud celebration is allowed. During this time, spirits are believed to return to Elber for a single night to reflect on their next incarnation.
Architecture, Art, and Symbols
Elberian architecture is defined by harmony with the land. Buildings are grown rather than built, shaped with natural magics or carefully formed using vines, living wood, and stone softened by ritual. A Murmil city might be mistaken for a forest at first glance, its structures concealed in flowered trellises, suspended walkways, and hill-carved sanctuaries.
Art in Elber is not made for commerce or fame but for self-reflection. Every Murmil learns a craft—carving, calligraphy, song, or dance, not to impress others but to understand themselves. Circular patterns dominate Murmil symbolism: mandalas drawn in river sand, spirals carved into tree bark, or concentric fire circles lit during seasonal rites. These shapes are said to reflect the eternal cycle of life, death, and rebirth.
Elberian children are taught to draw the “Waking Spiral”, a simple design representing the rise of self-awareness, before they learn their letters. Each community has a central Circle Hall, a place where villagers gather in silence to listen to the wind, the animals, or one another’s presence.
Economy, Trade, and Diplomacy
Elber’s economy operates on a model that many outsiders find baffling, as its inhabitants value service, honor, and balance more than coin or wealth. Barter, favors, and gifts of skill form the cornerstone of internal trade. A loaf of bread may be paid for with a poem, a basket of mushrooms with a healing salve, or a day’s labor with a carved idol for the hearth.
The only currency commonly accepted in Elber is the spiral-shell token, a naturally occurring fossil found in the nearby highlands and often infused with low-grade Ga by local druids. These are used more in exchanges with travelers and foreigners than among the Murmil themselves.
Despite their introspective ways, Elber is not isolated. The region is well-known for its herbal infusions, natural dyes, and spiritual totems, which fetch high prices in Gilmore, Solaris, and even Permia. Traders and pilgrims alike seek Elberian dreamroots, whisperpetal salves, and blessed beast-bond rings, which are said to grant protection to those who wear them with a clear heart.
Diplomatically, Elber maintains open but quiet relations with most neighboring kingdoms. They serve as neutral advisors in conflicts, often called upon for mediation or blessings before major treaties. They seldom take sides but will not tolerate harm done to their forests, rivers, or sacred sites. In this way, they maintain a quiet but unshakable presence in the political landscape of Cathall.
Magic and Mysticism
Magic in Elber is an extension of life, not a disruption of it. Known as Ga-Breath, their arcane practice is drawn from stillness, natural rhythms, and intention. Elberian magic does not seek to command, but to align or protect. Druids, herbalists, and beastbinders comprise most of Elber’s magical practitioners, and their magic is tied to seasons, animal cycles, and natural omens.
Beast magic is one of the most revered forms, channeled through the sacred bond between Murmil and their companion. When in harmony, the Murmil and their bonded creature can share senses, thoughts, and even GA. These unions are seen as sacred marriages of soul and nature.
Stone-carvers of Insight inscribe enchanted symbols into the living rock or trees, which slowly shape and guide the emotions or dreams of those who rest nearby. These silent spells are often used to heal trauma, clarify purpose, or mark sacred ground. In times of defense or war, they are used to misdirect their enemies.
Another unique tradition is the Singing of the Breath, a form of chanted exhalation taught to every Murmil youth. Practiced in groups or solitude, this chant stabilizes one’s Ga, calms the emotions, and—some say, allows the practitioner to glimpse into past lives.
While Elberian magic lacks the violent displays of other realms, its quiet potency has earned the respect of mages across Mernac. Some claim the most powerful Elberian rites do not alter the world at all, but change the way you see it … or the way their defense needs you to see it.
Myths and Moments
The Whisper Pact
One of Elber’s most enduring legends tells of the Whisper Pact, forged in the age before nations. It is said that a beast of all things, half flame, half shadow, descended upon Elber’s forests, scorching the trees and devouring the wildlife. The Murmil did not rise to war, but gathered in silence for three days. On the fourth, they approached the beast in meditation, their eyes closed, and opened their hearts to it.
Touched by the absence of fear or aggression, the creature wept tears of magma and vanished into the roots of the Nambar Trees. From that day on, fire is considered sacred in Elber—not for destruction, but for rebirth.
The Seven Lives of Sage Haro
Haro, a Murmil seer, is said to have been reborn seven times in the same village, each time completing a different discipline: hunter, healer, artist, druid, philosopher, protector, and, finally, silence-keeper. His life is a parable taught to Elberian children, who are encouraged to live not just one purpose, but many, across lifetimes.
The Turning River
A more recent tale recounts how the Ulishan River changed its course in the year 2379 AM, veering away from a logging camp that had begun to exploit the sacred woods. Though no rainfall or flood had occurred, the river’s flow altered overnight, saving the forest and submerging the logging camp completely. It is now a meditation site, known as Regret’s Bend, and a warning to any who act out of greed in Elber’s lands.
Remote Communities and Pilgrims of Purpose
Though Elber is considered the ancestral homeland of the Murmil, it is far from homogeneous. In many forest clearings, cliffside enclaves, and misted glades, one may find small communities of Humans, Faeries, and Elves, drawn to Elber’s quiet magic and profound serenity. These settlements are almost always modest, constructed from living wood, earthen domes, or woven silkleaf tents, and blend seamlessly into the natural world.
These non-Murmil inhabitants are typically those disillusioned with the materialism, warfare, or dogma of their homelands. In Elber, they seek not power, but perspective. Faeries tend to form artistic communes, weaving dreamlights into the canopy and crafting meditative dances said to calm the soul. Elves often take up lives as recorders or lore-singers, helping transcribe the oral teachings of Murmil masters. Humans, in particular, are known to come for pilgrimages, staying a season or two to reflect, fast, or study the stillness ways.
Elber offers no formal initiation, but many undergo a personal transformation through interaction with its people, land, and rituals. The Path of Petal and Stone, a 77-day walking journey through Elber’s heartlands, is a favorite among those seeking to confront the turmoil within and emerge with purpose renewed.
Pilgrims are welcomed but never recruited. Elber makes no demands, nor does it chase those who choose to leave. As the Murmil say: “The door is always open, though it always leads inward.”
Relevance
In an age where conflict, conquest, and politics dominate much of Mernac, Elber’s gentle influence may seem understated. Yet its cultural significance and spiritual leadership cannot be denied. Elberian philosophies have quietly shaped educational reform in Gilmore, healing rites in Permia, and even certain meditative martial forms in Solaris. Many monarchs and warlords send envoys or heirs to Elber, hoping they return wiser than they left.
Elber remains a neutral territory, often sought as a site for secret treaties, magical accords, or soul-bond ceremonies between rival factions. Despite having no standing army, its lands are rarely violated. Those who have attempted to harm Elber’s forests or people often find their weapons rusting overnight, their courage failing, or their own soldiers turning back. Whether by subtle enchantment or the whisper of divine favor, Elber endures.
It is said that in times of great imbalance, when greed and cruelty threaten to drown the world, it will be Elber and the Murmil that teaches Mernac to breathe again.
9. Quotable Lore
“We do not worship nature. We are nature remembering itself.”
– Elder Syma of the South Grove
“To see the world clearly, one must first still the wind inside the chest.”
– Waking Spiral proverb
“A blade is not a weapon. It is a reflection. If you raise it, be certain you are proud of what you see.”
– Saying of the Beastbound Guard
“Some kingdoms are measured in gold, others in stone. Elber is measured in peace.”
– Thadsic Andover, merchant of Gilmore