Rhoska-Tor

Rhoska-Tor is located in the far southern part of the continent of Elanthia, northeast of the Southron Wastes.

Rhoska-Tor is known for the abundance of mana foci in the area and for Maelshyve, Despana's capital until after Undead War in -15,185. The Dhe'nar first lived at Rhoska-Tor for 5,000 years after they left the Elven Empire, 50,000 years ago. It also was the location to which the Faendryl were exiled due to the demonic means they used to end the war. The Faendryl city, New Ta'Faendryl, is located near Maelshyve, just north of Rhoska-Tor.

Behind the Scenes

Southron Wastes and Maelshyve appear to use words derived from Scottish Gaelic. Similarly "Tor" means a "bulging hill" or mound in this context, such as Glastonbury Tor with its relationship to faerie folklore and the demons of the Celtic Otherworld, where the entrance to such places was underground through the mounds. Fortresses were typically built on top of mounds, and so Rhoska-Tor may have initially been intended to refer only to the immediate surroundings of Maelshyve. Much later there was a Dark Elven horror story that gave "rha'sha'tor" the Dhe'nar-si meaning of "the giver and taker of life."

Interestingly, a Finnish word, "roska", means "filth" or "garbage." Given that the dark elves were exiled to Rhoska-Tor by those appalled by their demonic solution to the Undead War, it seems likely that the GMs Doylistically bestowed a name meaning "mound of garbage" on the place of exile to show all the more clearly how the elves regarded the dark elves after Maelshyve.