Netherian Elven Empire

The Netherian Elven Empire was a loosely-organized empire spanning most of Northwest Faerun and part of North Faerun. Its population consisted mostly of Elves, but also housed Human tribes, Hafling villages, and Dwarven cities. Its Capital was the city of Silvermoon.

History
The Netherian Elven Empire has its roots in the ancient days of the current Era of Divinic Retreat, where Northwest Faerun was almost completely covered in forest and inhabited by various nomadic tribes and small settled tribes. The longliving elves were some of the few who could quickly navigate and survive reliably in the endless forest expanse, making them the most effective traders and communicators between these tribes.

Over the centuries, the idea of centralisation began to float among the elves. This allowed them to pool their knowledge for the greater good. With the settlement of Silvermoon, this idea was realised. The immense forests had begun to dissappear somewhat as more tribes of humans and halflings began to settle and switch from a nomadic lifestyle to an agricultural one. The Elves of Silvermoon began to conquer and colonize these outlaying territories, and they established a system of tributaries where the various towns would provide food and raw resources to Silvermoon in exchange for protection, trade, and knowledge.

This system expanded over the centuries, expandings Silvermoon's dominion as far as the Sword Coast in the west and the Anauroch Desert in the East. The Netherin co-existed with the Bardulur Dwarven State in relative harmony, although there were tensions as the Bardulur claimed cultural sovereignty over all dwarves living in the Empire.

The 13th century was considered to be the high-point of the Empire's influence, having been relatively unopposed for centuries. Historians claim this peace left the Empire decadent and unprepared for the following centuries.

In 1360 DR, Northwest Faerun was invaded by Orc and Goblinoid hordes from the south and southeast. While the Elven militias of the Empire were highly skilled and trained, there were simply vastly more invaders than defenders, and the outer edges of the Empire were overrun and plundered and razed to the ground. Immideatly following the death of the Orc Warprophet, the invaders resolve fractured and splintered in a thousand different clans and tribes. While the Imperial troops tried reconquering their lost lands, they failed to effectively resettle the lands.

A century later, in 1480 DR, Imperator Valator IV of Baldur's Gate launched a campaign of conquest of West and Northwest Faerun. Openly challenging the Orcs to war, he lured them into his effectively organised armies who crushed the unorganised Orc hordes. Valator marched northwards along the coast, and settled a string of walled cities that could defend against the horde in a way that the towns of old could not. Again, the outlaying western territories of the Empire were overrun and integrated in the newly emerging feudal Lord's Alliance.