Tel'Ruid, The Glade in the common tongue, is a sylvan village buried deep in the old forest east of Yew. It isn't easy for the inexperienced to find. There are no roads, no trails, and no paths that lead there. Many who have tried to find it have wandered for days in the woods and are forced to return to Yew without ever catching a glimpse of flickering lights or hearing melodious elven laughter.

The forest nearby can also be a dangerous barrier. Orcs and trolls patrol the woods in large numbers, and think nothing of waylaying a lost traveler. Often, tel'Ruid is found because the Ostar tel'Taur, elven Defenders of the Wood, enter such a fray and save travelers from the orcs.

Once in tel'Ruid, visitors are confronted with inhabitants that many consider myths and legends. Tel'Ruid is populated by elves, faeries, wisps, dryads, and other sylvan beings. The beliefs and culture of these fae folk are quite different from those of the average community, and this can cause misunderstandings.

The most important thing for a visitor to know is that all life is respected within tel'Ruid. Unless a visitor is openly hostile, they will be safe. The part of this that confuses many is that in tel'Ruid the wolves, bear, deer, eagles, and other creatures of the woods are considered equals by the inhabitants. Harming a deer within tel'Ruid is the equal of attacking an elf or dryad. The folk of tel'Ruid realize that hunting is a part of nature, but tel'Ruid is a safe haven for all, so no hunting is allowed there. Of course, once a visitor has attacked someone, that protection is instantly removed, as many a hostile orc patrol or hungry troll has found out.

Also, the people of tel'Ruid consider excessive verbal abuse the equal of a physical attack. While a good natured debate is welcome, and disagreements accepted, wild insults for no reason are considered hostile acts. The faerie folk know the power of words and will not tolerate such attacks.

That being said, most visitors will find the area refreshingly accepting of differing opinions and ideals. Those who live there do not blindly follow the virtues of British, or the theories of Blackthorne, or the anti-virtues of the opponents of British. Instead, they admit that all such beliefs are partially true, and partially an illusion. The most important belief of these folk is that no action should harm another. Aside from that, they have no moral objections to behavior that some cultures frown upon.

So if you ever find yourself in the deep woods between Yew and Minoc, keep your eyes and ears alert, you never know what you might find.