Tanyell Warrior-Mage Buurma'nal the Woodland Lady was a wood elven hero, military commander, and noble during the Elvish Empire and Elvish Wars.

History

Tanyell was born to a Buurma'nal noble soldier father, and a mage mother. She grew up as a minor noble in a side-family of the powerful wood elven House Buurma'nal, on the Shattered Continent. She displayed some affinity for nature magic in her young years, and soon after displayed excellent strategic and charisma skills - she took strongly after both her parents, and their tutoring helped her learn and excel in the two fields, though Tanyell would become known mostly for her ability as a military commander.

Leader in the Tyanaenayn Reaches

Tanyell had already amassed some skills in military command, and decided to take over a Buurma'nal ranger squad - 80 light infantry - in the Tyanaenayn Reaches. She patrolled the forested expanses of Buurma'nal's southeastern border, doubling as a wandering hospital and source of news for the small isolated villages in the region. She made a name for herself as "Angel of the Reaches" for her devoted and often service of the people; for example, she once carried a wounded companion for three days until she reached medicinal aid.

In 4'295, Tanyell heard of a force of Maer'Duth workers - Buurma'nal's neighbor - having penetrated beyond the border and begun cutting down trees and driving off locals. The rangers charged into battle, and managed to free two dozen captured villagers while killing most of the trespassing workers. However, eight soldiers had been made prisoner, and were killed by the drow noble Sizza Maer'Duth. The matrons of both houses managed to reach an agreement before things devolved into all-out war, but this move was highly unpopular among most of the wood elves and Tanyell was hailed as a hero.

Woodlands Legion Officer

When the Elvish Wars broke out, Tanyell was a Bow Master of the Buurma'nal house forces, and she joined the Woodlands Legion alongside her troops when House Tammanay called. Tanyell demonstrated extraordinary command capabilities at the head of a sizeable mobile infantry and warmage unit, especially while fighting numerically superior and better-prepared Maer'Duth forces in the Tyanaenayn Reaches. After four years of warfare against drow and other enemies of the wood elven houses, Tanyell was a widely hailed hero and one of the most successful Bow Masters in the Legion.

Woodland Lady

House Tammanay approached Tanyell in 4'154, offering to make her into the Woodland Lady, an analogy to a hero of old. They were willing to risk making her so powerful because she wasn't an all-too-important noble or officer, was extremely popular, and was estimated as a military rather than political mind - and thus easy to control. Tanyell was rich on success, but she wanted to achieve bigger things: she was frustrated by the military weakness caused by competition among the noble houses, and wanted to help forge a powerful bastion out of the wood elven people. Thus, she agreed, and Tammanay made her into the Woodland Lady - equipping her with Lady-style red armor and a magic blade, giving her command of the Woodlands Legion, and even recognizing her as the leader of House Tammanay. Soon after, all the wood elven houses had followed their Vow and federated under her leadership, and the New Miamey Federation was born.

Whereas Tammanay had hoped to create a stronger military alliance and nothing more, Tanyell instead had greater goals: she decided to form a wood elven nation out of her dominion. After considerably strengthening the Legion and making sure the borders were secure, she turned to domestic affairs and began reforming the state to give her federal government authority and remove autonomous noble agency. She did not hesitate to make use of the military to enforce her decisions and guide the Federation in the correct decision.

Though she faced some early resistance, in the end her policies were very successful. The Miamey Federation was a true wood elven nation capable of defending itself from any threats. Tanyell was popular and seen as a great hero, and her militaristic approach to things was accepted by the wood elven population. After all, the wood elves were the most rigid and militaristic-minded of the elven subraces, and they easily adapted from their rigid village and house society into a national stratocracy. No longer was the green of nature the color of the federation, but the red of war.

Tanyell's popularity declined after she suffered a resounding defeat and lost much land on the Shattered Continent to Mystraleth, and her means of staying in power grew increasingly violent. The federation finally collapsed in 3'937 b. OW due as much to economic collapse and civil strife as due to outside attack; Tanyell herself fled after she failed to defend an important Legion fortress. She went to the feywild.