This biome is in the "4 o'clock" or south east position on FirstLand. It was the last biome to be colonized, even though the one before it was less habitable (WhiteWoods). There was some delay in assigning the Barron of the Area. After some deliberation, the new Lord WhiteCliff was selected.
This biome has three plains or plateus (Highland, Midlands, LowLands) all bordered by tall white stone cliffs (or the ocean). The LowLands, which cover about 50% of the biome, have HomeTrees and accompanying forests. The Midland, which cover 35% of the biome, is a mix of pines/ oaks/ and HomeTrees. The soil in the Midlands is quite variable in composition, thus explaining the variety of tree types. The Highlands, the remaining 15% only Green Pines (just like BlueTwines) and Scrubs. This biomes is like three different worlds combined into one.
Travel between the three plains is difficult. The cliffs have trecherous trails that have been hewn into the rock over time and use. There are current plans to create tunnels and lifts to make the travel easier. Work has begun on the first set.
The temperatures here are "perfect" without magical help. They are moderate at lower levels; only slightly unpleasant on the HighLands. The various cities and towns of WhiteCliff still have HomeCairns and their mystical domes of weather protection, but they really do not need them.
In WhiteCliffs, almost all the buildings are made of sculpted trees and intricately carved woods. Though this is a new "colony" of Elventi, the art of tree shaping has been perfected here. Even the Humanti art of WoodSmithing, has been expanded into an Elventi acceptable artform, with a level of carving, joining, and manufacturing unequalled in all the Known World. The buildings of WhiteCliffs are unique in their appearance mostly because of the Humanti influence.
Lord WhiteCliff is different from most of his Elventi companions. To the Court, and most Elventi, he is a reactionary, manic, worry wart. He no longer lives in the timeless state of cyclic life known as "elventi time". He, and all his people Humanti and Elventi, are living in "Humanti time".
In the begining, he was indifferent to the Humans that found their way to his biome. He treated them like guests and children, better than ClearBlueSkyAcrosstheHorizon-astheRedSunWanes, but much less than Lady Lord NewHome. Their woodsmith skills were interesting, but nothing outstanding. He did make them "equals" in the eyes of the rules and allowed them to live as the Elventi lived. This innovative idea was initially born of laziness, two sets of rules required more work than one. Though the Humanti were equal in terms of the rules, the Elventi still saw them as temporary lesser guests. He was just like all the other Elventi; that was, until the sea floods started.
Most of the population in WhiteCliffs lives on the vast LowLand Plain. The Lord was most stressed by the change of sea level. Lord WhiteCliff quickly learned that this was no mere rising and lowering of sea levels. The Lower Plain was flooding. The Great Trees and other Treehomes were sickening and dying, as the land became a salty swamp. It was the Humanti of WhiteCliffs who saved the trees. They Humanti saw that the Elventi were apparently "worrying and fretting", but not doing anything. They were trying to stay within the "game" of Elventi time, but they had a crisis brewing.
They owed their Elventi mentors so much, they began just to save what they could, creating emergency canals and dykes, and filter ponds to create fresh water and salt. They worked at such a fever pitch, doing what needed to be done, when it needed to be done, that they saves all the endangered trees AND even extended the amount of arriable land beyond the previous shoreline. Most of the Elventi recoilled in horror at such randomness and non traditional actions, yet they were amazed that their beloved trees were saved. If it had not been for their Humanti and their "Humanti time" pace and way of thinking, there would be only a scant number of Elventi left in WhiteCliffs living in the less pleasant HighLands.
After surveying the work, and making a few suggestions, Lord WhiteCliff joined this quiet revolution. He gave up the timeless ways, and worked to save his biome and make it prosper even under these adverse conditions. Others "cast off" the traditional ways and joined him in Humanti time.
Thus the Elventi of WhiteCliffs now have adopted the Humanti Time way of life. Their biome is a bustle of activity as new things are being done, new projects are being started, and the Elventi and Humanti work side by side. This is the only place on Firstland that seems like ThirdLand in general, and more and more like Antioch every day.
The newly reclaimed coastlines has several new harbors that other peoples are taking advantage of. While there is not much trade at this time, there soon will be more. Lord WhiteCliff has appointed Humanti Knights to be his customs agents. This bold move is said to have raised an eyebrow of the Emperor. The repercussions of Humanti in charge on FirstLand has yet to be felt.
Plots
The players could be hired anywhere and brought here for their expertise in building. The Dwaventi do not wish to mine on Elventi soil (unless they can keep the tunnels), so Humanti labor is required. Any labor is required, so many Kern and other species are being imported.
There is talk of giving "furry folk" the same rights here as Humanti have. The Elventi are warily for the idea, the Humanti are against it. Given the number of furry folk and the strong feelings for this issue, the situation can explode.