Lore[]
Virquirelle was said to be a great hub of drow, orcs and other creatures, similar to the modern Harnania. It was run by an elven woman named Sylvir Virquirelle and Angelo Caduto. The story goes that Sylvir found an ancient artifact that told her to leave her home and write down ancient messages. Being found insane, the elves exiled her from Maeahrum, the elven land that would splinter into Mae and Ahrum. Nobody knows if Sylvir actually went insane, some debate the ball took over her, and others say she used it as the crux of her philosophies, pretending that it was a divine message. While walking, she came across a band of drow. Instead of killing her, the leader, Angelo Caduto, took pity and decided to help her. These drow had left the Underdark, abandoning the teachings of the Spider Queen Lolth. They built a small town and called it Virquirelle. After 200 years, the town had grown into a metropolis of beastly creatures, even half-elves were considered beastly in that time and constantly accepted into the city. In Harnania this is seen as historical evidence that orcs and other monstrous races have always had the capabilities of being good. In other places like Mae and Ahrum, this is seen as a lie, saying that Virquirelle likely was a military power of monsters that destroyed any who opposed them. There is evidence that Maeahrum and Virquirelle constantly came into clashes. Harnania argues that the country forced this, and look to what happened next in the story as proof.
What happened next was that Bordania Maeahrum, the elven queen of he lands, saw the country as inexcusable, requiring its destruction. To her, half-elves were mutts who were sad creations. Dunmer, the drow, were creatures of shadow in their hearts, who could not be saved. The orcs, Orsimer, were an atrocity to elves, monsters created from ancient elves who tried to become gods. She sent her legion of Aldmer, a race of elves who could live forever, and a few troops of Altmer, high elves, and Moramer, wood elves. The battle was quick, mostly in favor of the powerful elven legion. They slaughtered anything that moved, including the children and weak. Angelo Caduto killed one hundred of the greatest warriors, saving a few hundred of the city. When he looked upon the city, he saw it burning and dying. he ran to the castle to save Virquirelle, but saw her lying dead on the floor. With his own wounds, he collapsed on her. It is argued if Angelo became a vampire of his own anger and will like Nosferatu, or if Vlad Tepes von Dracula gave it to him.
As this war was fought, the gods sat watching. Clerics say that Tyr, who was enraged with what had occurred, came down to Maeahrum himself. Others say he sent an angel or just part of his strength. It is said that Tyr told the elves of their sin, cursing them for being so evil. He sent every elf that had fought in that battle, the majority being Aldmer, to Malagard, a city in the seventh layer of the Nine Hells. Some elves defend what happened, saying that Tyr was too hasty or too cruel in his punishment.Others say that Maeahrum did nothing wrong, other than perhaps the half-elves murdered. Maeahrum was punished by sent to Nessus, to serve an eternal sentence so that no elf would ever forget the sins of the "greatest" elves. Her children were frozen for 5000 years, before being released. This would be to have them forget what had happened, and give them a clean slate. Some theorists believe that these children are actually Lady Sorsallia and Lord Treescape of their respective countries, having claimed what is their birthright. One argument for this is how long the two elves have lived. Others say their magic is so powerful that they have extended it past the average elf life. Most elves now are careful when judging others, in particular wood elves have been taught to be kinder. High elves, being the closest in blood and magic power to the Altmer, tend to believe that they are superior elves, and that monsters should not roam around.
Anthropological and Geological research[]
The city has been lost to time, however expeditions have found what seems to be a stone kingdom dating to the third Era in the north of the Hunter's Realm. This is now thought to be where Virquirelle is. The issues that plague studying here is the excess of monsters, which require for Monster Hunters to act as guards for researchers. They have also found evidence that Maeahrum was in the north west of the Hunter's realm, making the idea of tensions due to proximity more legitimate.
Philosophical, Moral and Religious Implications[]
Philosophers have long argued the moral implications of the war that took place. Most elven scholars in Ahrum, Este and Usmaye believe that monsters cannot be changed. This is still a topical debate due to the example of Harnania, a powerful country that has many sorts of monstrous races in it. Another debate is between scholars, clerics and paladins, who have different views on what occurred. Many argue if what Tyr did is worth taking him off his throne in Mount Celestia. In fact it is known by clerics and paladins that Tyr was tried by Mount Celestia, having Primus and even Asmodeus attending. He was found not guilty, although laws were set in place to prevent similar occurrences.
Poem[]
Written in the 9th era, most of the tale has been turned into a famous poem by Dickolo Greenthorn, a famous high elf bard. He was one of the first high elves to break the tradition of cursing Tyr, instead realizing the tragedy of what happened.
There once was an elf named Sylvir Virquirelle,
Who’s actions created a worthy story to tell.
She found a sphere that looked quite old,
Taking it she felt quite bold!
Hearing the whispers from the ball,
Ancients teachings she began to scrawl.
“You’re crazy”, “you’re insane” some had said,
Seeing her friends judge her, she fled.
Losing everything she ever had,
She began to wonder if she truly was mad.
One day she came across a group of drow,
Rather than killing her, their leader raised a brow.
“Tell me, child of sun, why do you flee?”
She showed them the ball, “this thing keeps hurting me”.
Drow, known as elves of darkness, death and sin,
Yet their leader knelt next to her, and gave her a grin.
“Perhaps you don’t trusts us, most would not,
But my party has looked for peace, light we have sought”.
Shadow and light, living as one,
Sylvir realised she no longer had to run.
Slowly through a hundred years they collected those abandoned by their own,
Drow, half-elves, tiefling, worked as one to create a city of stone.
The old queen of the elves, Queen Máeahrum, lady of the light,
Saw only evil in the town, sent her elven legions to fight.
All in the town pleaded for mercy, they promised they were good,
After slaughtering hundreds, many elves thought if they could.
The entrance to the temple, destroyed and concealed by spell,
Survivors hunted, children and mothers who deserved heaven saw hell.
The gods wept, but sat on their high thrones,
Families and good people making rivers of bones.
One god, Tyr, howled and shook,
“Look at these lives she took!”.
He descended to the queen’s lands, and asked who there did wrong,
Some shook, some wept, others spit at him and stayed strong.
Tyr thought of turning them to drow, so they would know the pain,
Yet wouldn’t future elves hunt them too, his efforts going in vain?
That day, Tyr sent an entire legion to Malagard to pay for their sins,
And the queen he sent to Nessus, leaving behind her twins.
To have them forgotten he froze them for thousands of years,
Elves lost their great capital of Máeahrum, they shed many tears.
And now, where the great city Máeahrum once stood,
There is only beast, wild and wood.
The stone city of Virquirelle, lost as well to time itself,
But never forget the tale of Sylvir Virquirelle the elf.