Quel'thalas

Quel'thalas (formerly known as Quel'anore) is the kingdom and nation of the high elves in the Aeon of the Champion story series, ruled by the royal house Dawndancer. It is the second elven civilisation after Nythsandr, which was established in New Vigrith by the night elves in 12,989 AGY.

Founding and early history
After the War of the Ancients, arcane magic was banned from Nythsandr, and Lylandris Skyweaver banished those who did not conform to the new regulation. Some followed Mage Gladis Nighhtwalker in fleeing to Alfheim, but most of them simply sailed eastwards for new land.

Once the elves landed in Laudrin, they set up temporary encampments in the northern tip of the continent, with Dawndancer intending on the construction of more permanent civilisation in the coming years. However, they knew not that this was forest troll territory. At day, the elves set up their camps, and by night, the trolls ambushed and destroyed the camps, spreading fires and scaring away the hapless tenants. Dawndancer resolved to move his people northwest (and later further north), but each time the trolls simply followed them with the intention of driving them out of the continent. This practice of withdraw, raid, withdraw again continued until when the elves finally decided to do something about their situation and fought back. They eventually managed to secure a permanent civilisation for themselves. Naming the new area Quel'thalas (which means 'high home') with Quel'anore as the largest settlement, the wars seemed to be over, but in reality, the troll king Azzarin simply ordered his forces to resume the attacks, but this time, with no northernly advance, which gave the elves no time to retreat.

When Mytnas Dawndancer died, and his son Beuzen took over as ruler of Quel'thalas. Devastated by his father's perceived indecisiveness, he took the fight to the trolls themselves, conducting revenge raids that took him deep into Sulebi heartland. This endeared them to the humans of Anthromor, who also believed that the trolls were too powerful as of late.They had stayed out of the war initially due to concerns over the commitment of the elves themselves, but Lord Beuzen's grit and determination made him stand out. As a result, despite bitter difficulties facing the high elves, King Dacquan himself proposed an coalition with the elves as part of a two-way deal. Arathor would supply soldiers and arms to bolster Quel'anore's ranks, and the high elves would teach humans magic - the most envious of their gifts - in return. Thus, the deal was made in Arathor city: the humans and high elves formed a common alliance with each other to defeat the trolls, culminating in the defeat and suicide of Azzarin in -4,400. House Dawndancer became the reiging royals for millenia afterward, reigning over a powerful and prosperous kingdom. An influential class of sorcerors known as magisters also emerged, and in time, would have many consequences on their society. The Sun Disk was also built in the heart of Quel'anore to channel the pure power of the Sun into solar magic to power their cities.

In the First Earth War, the high elves remained out of the conflict, partly thanks to the influence of the black dragonflight. That said, Merridan Dawndancer did ally Quel'anore with the League of Highlaw in preparation for a second war.

Trivia

 * The name of the kingdom means "high home", the same as in Warcraft.
 * The name 'Quel'thalas' is directly borrowed from Warcraft itself.
 * The Dawndancer family is analogous to the Sunstrider family, who both rule the high elven kingdom.