The Nachandi Free Cities

If there's any group of Elves most vocal about their staid cousins in the North, it's the Nachandi. Other races are often a bit shocked at their passionate nature in whatever arena they operate in; be it political, military, or even crafting goods. The one thing that has allowed them to survive, it's their resolve and somewhat stubborn nature that often compares them with Dwarves. Unsurprisingly, the Nachandi get along better with the stout-folk and Gnomes in particular, but tend to be wary of humans; especially those from Nagarst. Still, they're not as biased as others, since they are the most travelled and social of all the Elves.

The steppes and plains have largely been transformed near Nachandi settlements into sprawling grasslands and forests which makes them attractive targets to both humanoid and monster alike. Indeed, the Nachandi are no strangers to combat, although their lower numbers has made large standing armies difficult for them and instead prefer to rely on archers and cavalry to defend their cities. Each city is its own independent state, but their peace treaties and alliances have unified them into a loose confederacy that uses a singular currency and attempts to maintain a standing army with the numbers they have. Most settlements are no larger than a few thousand souls which are primarily Elven, but have significant populations of half-elves, Dwarves, Halflings and Gnomes mixed in. Because of their relatively small sizes, cooperation and interdependence is crucial for these cities. The Council of Cities meets every few months (or nearly every week when the Nagarst occupied the northern reaches) and attempts to mediate out disputes between the cities and maintain a level of unity.

The most famous city known to the Nachandi is Nelina in the Luthini Isles. Nelina is a hedonist's paradise, and it's no surprise that the Academy of Enchanters has such a high population as it does. Slavery is illegal, but nearly every other appetite is catered to in the city. This has led to having a somewhat darker reputation at times (notably when passing ship crews were once pressed into gladiatorial arenas several centuries ago), but on the whole the atmosphere best sums up "controlled chaos." Despite the chaotic nature of the town, the Enchanter's Academy keeps a close eye on its day to day operations and ensures that things don't get too out of control to maintain. The Nachandi get along with most seafaring peoples well enough, but have a special enmity for the Nagarst and pirates of any stripe. The coolest relations tend to go towards Asterphalia however, and most of the fair-folk from these regions tend to avoid one another if possible. In the even they must work together, most everyone can see the distrust of one another, although they would never start a fight deliberately. The most favored nation towards the Nachandi are probably the Namaran tribes, since several notable clans fled the Nagarst and intermingled with the human nomads to the South.