My ideas about the villages of Rifllian & Kota-Hutan

 What is officially said in Gaz1: The Grand Duchy of Karameikos on p.39

Rifllian

Ruler: Prestelle (Chief Trader). She is a third level elf and a shrewd trader

Population: 1700, chiefly Callarii elves

Laws: When dealing with human visitors, the Callarii follow the Duke's Law, but in their own affairs follow elvish custom. 

Notes: This is the post where humans come to trade with Callarii elves, trading raw materials and good horses for supplies, equipment and items of elvish craftsmanship. Humans will feel most comfortable in the Silver Swan Inn, which is run (chiefly for human visitors) by Stubbs Platterman, a halfling (first level). 

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Kota-Hutan

Kota-Hutan does not have an official description, though it is mentioned by name in B7: Rahasia as the elven village from which the elf maidens have been kidnapped. 

My ideas: 

B7: Rahasia - Kota-Hutan is the elven village. The Temple of Gray Mountain is where the Rahib lives. No location is given within the module, so I am placing it in the Radlebb Woods, west of Rifllian. 

Elwyn's Sanctuary is a short adventure included in B9: Castle Caldwell and Beyond. As far as this campaign is concerned, Elwyn's Sanctuary is in the hills northwest of Rifllian and southwest of Verge. 

Both the Rahib and Elwyn are part of the Cult of Chaos. The Rahib has actually travelled from Hule on orders from his superiors in the Cult of Chaos to destabilise the elves of Karameikos. 

Humans of Karameikos consider Rifllian as the capital of the Callarii elves. This amuses the elves, as they do not feel the need to have a centre of government - each village and each family is mostly autonomous, and in matters that affect many villages and families there is a gathering of elders at an agreed location (sometimes Rifllian, usually somewhere else). Prestelle does not consider herself to be a ruler, but more of a spokesperson and diplomat. 

However, the elves will agree that Rifllian is an important trade hub, and it is no coincidence that it is close to both Highforge and Kelvin, and close to the main river system of Karameikos which makes trade with Threshold and Specularum easier. Although humans are the main trading visitors, dwarves, gnomes and halflings all occasionally do business here. 

Rifllian has an informal artisans' quarter, where much of the crafting goes on - carpenters, jewellers, leatherworkers, bowyers and weaponsmiths can all be found along Crafts Avenue. There is also the marketplace where most traders visit and deals are made, but sometimes a trader will have a particular craftsman in mind and will go straight to Crafts Avenue. 

Rifllian has no standing army but has a militia system - nearly all elves capable of combat also have a day job, but when the alarm call goes out (either external raiders or internal crime) about a third of the elven population (about 500 elves) can don armour and pick up weapons, ready for action. Of these about half are elven spellswords (fighter/mages), while the other half are elven rangers. 

Pardelli the Falconer (5th level Elf Ranger, Lawful, male) breeds hawks that act as messengers and spotters for the elves of Rifllian. He is believed to possess a Ring of Animal Control that works only on birds. Although it does not live in the village of Rifllian, there is a giant hawk nearby that Pardelli seems to have a good friendship with. 

The Callarii elves generally get on well with other elves, including their eastern neighbours the Vyalia elves and the elves of Alfheim. The Callarii elves are not quite as academic and cultured as those of Alfheim, who consider them a bit simple and rustic, stuck in their corner of Karameikos, rubbing shoulders with uncouth humans. The Alfheim elves sometimes nickname the Callarii "wood elves" - in turn the Callarii consider the Alfheim elves to be a bit haughty and high and mighty, and sometimes refer to them as "high elves". 

The Nehelli tribe of centaurs has been acting strangely recently. Previously they have been willing to trade with elves and even directly with humans (using Rifllian as neutral ground) but now they have been acting aggressively, chasing other races, including elves, out of their tribal territory (the woods south of Rifllian) and shunning contact with the outside world. The elders of Rifllian would like adventurers to investigate, preferably without casualties on either side. Do the centaurs have a legitimate grievance, or are more sinister forces at work? 

The Elvish Truebloods are elf supremacists who resent human intrusion into what they see as their territory. They are similar in methods to chaos cultists and mostly blend in with the rest of the elven population, with members in Rifllian and Kota-Hutan (such as Parnassa Highbrow). Other members who cannot stomach the presence of inferior races (humans, dwarves, halflings) have retreated to a hideout deep in the woods called the Tower of Aelarda Starria. The Elvish Truebloods do not consider themselves chaos worshippers (and despise actual chaos cultists) but many of them act and think in a chaotic way, fuelled by racial pride, hatred of inferior races and fear of the future of elves (not so much extinction so much as dilution and pollution of their bloodlines and culture, and elves gradually being reduced to the level of mere humans).  They claim to be inspired by another group of elves from another world who call themselves "Eldreth Veluuthra". They have not yet acted openly against humans or their elf friends but the time will come. 

Kota-Hutan has a population of about 300 elves and a number of elven NPCs:

• Galthriel Moonbeam (3rd level Elf Ranger, Neutral, female) is the village's main scout and will lead patrols in the nearby woods, deterring or defeating intruding goblins, orcs and gnolls. 
• Alhandria (3rd level Elf Spellsword, Lawful, female) is the village's main spokesperson. She often travels to meet other elven elders and is friends with Prestelle in Rifllian
• Vellorion Blackbow (2nd level Elf Ranger, Lawful, male) is the resident bowyer and fletcher, and is always on the lookout for good quality but responsibly sourced timber for his famous longbows.
• Callithor Dragoneye (2nd level Elf Spellsword, Chaotic, male) is a trader and traveller, visiting Kelvin, Highforge and Threshold. However, he is also a Chaos cultist and even works with the Rahib on occasions (kidnapping the elf maidens required tip-offs from this treacherous elf). 
• Parnassa Highbrow (2nd level Elf Spellsword, Chaotic, female) is a member of the Elvish Truebloods. Although not openly hostile to non-elf visitors (at least not when it would be foolish to be so) she is quite condescending and arrogant. She quietly reports any non-elven visitors to her superiors deep in the Radlebb woods at the Tower of Aelarda Starria.

 As well as the Rahib in the Temple of Gray Mountain, Kota-Hutan is also threatened by the Black Viper tribe of orcs who have recently hired a band of gnoll mercenaries. This is the reason why the elves of Kota-Hutan want adventurers to enter the Temple of Gray Mountain - they cannot spare the defenders who may be needed in the event of an orc and gnoll attack.  

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