At one end of a small hallway, silk curtains form the only barrier to the quiet street humbly leading the way to Silvermoon City.  The entrance to the hall gives a breathtaking view of the proud, ivory gates.  Even with half the city destroyed, the tiny surviving remnant of the high elf civilization does not come close to filling this sprawling city, especially when nearly all the survivors are outside the walls, obsessed with the concept of defeating the Lich King. 

The other end of the hallway opens up into a large dining room, once the anteroom of a small inn and tavern called the Well of Eternity.  In the middle of the room is a round table surrounded by six tall cherry-wood chairs.  The chairs are delicately carved, with flourishes representative of orbs and flames, and have purple velvet cushions sewn onto the seats and backs.  On the table is a bowl of various fruits delivered fresh from Orgrimmar.  Strawberries, bananas and citrus are set out on the table in hand carved wooden bowls.  One of the perks of our new confederation.  In the evening Lorienne, the caretaker of the guild hall, lays out china and silver for those who are home and hungry.  She is always willing to whip up a warm meal if it’s likely she’ll be privey to one of the many battle stories from recent encounters.  Usually around 2 and 8 in the evening the smell of melting cheeses, roasting pork or chicken, herbs and spices like anise and jasmine and mint, and baking bread conveniently waft down the stairs from the kitchen above.  And, of course, there is an endless supply of brownies, cookies, and sweets that tempt even the most disciplined of Swordmaidens.

A long, silk curtain divides this room from the tavern area of the building.  The cool granite tile with it’s gold trim forming circles and diamonds on the floor, is partially covered by an extravegent royal purple rug.  On the rug sit two ornate reclining sofas, their plush red and gold cushions adorned with images of the sun.  Within arm's reach is a small round end table with a dark blue glass hooka sitting on top, filling the room with a thin haze and its accompanying sweet, herbal aroma.  Off to the side of the room there are a pair of high backed chairs, a glowing blue crystal just above their backs magically suspended in the air, and another small table for drinks.  Directly over the rug hangs a chandelier, curved like antlers, with glowing blue crystals, instead of candles, illuminating the room in a soft bluish light.  Up above, the mounted head of a giant red razorback gazes out into the room, seemingly smiling at the bartender. 

Across the room one finds a bar of cherry wood, sanded and varnished as smooth and cool as the floor tiling, with gold trim and a quartet of fiery red cushioned stools perched at it’s counter.  Behind the bar the old casks still sit waiting to be tapped, with even a couple of new ones having appeared since the last Brewfest.  Between the stacks stand several wooden cabinets lined with goblets and mugs, several chipped and broken.  To one side, a tall candalabra cuts the blue light from the chandelier with its own pale yellow glow.  It illuminates a small, cork bulletin board where guild news and events are posted.  There are usually a couple of notes tacked to the board etched in Adry's large, elegant scrawl or written carefully in the soft, angular strokes of Qualanthar's highly schooled hand announcing the next meeting time or the next social event.  At the right side of the bar, opposite the candalabra and bulletin board, a steep walkway curves upward and to the left toward the upstairs rooms, and behind it, a similar walkway hugs the wall down to a lower level meeting room.

At the top of the walkway is a corridor, opening up on the right through a pair of open portals into a large sleeping chamber.  Along the right and left walls there are small nooks carved into the stone covered by long, azure curtains, again of silk.  High elves have never felt much need for privacy, and these living quarters exemplify their openness.  A great violet rug covers the floor in the middle of the room, with another blue shimmering chandelier suspended above it.  Behind them, against the back wall, sits a large high elven bed, velvety,purple and puffy with a dark curtain of silk draped over its almond-shaped frame.  On either side, backed up against the corners of the room, are two smaller beds with deep raspberry cushioning and bright orange pillows.  Behind each sits a tall window the shape of a pointed arch.  Its blazing red stained glass reminiscent of a phoenix.  With candalabras between each window, it is framed on each end by a wooden bookcases.  All along the walls, the corridors, and ceilings, gold inlay streaks this way and that, forming elegant curvilinear figures all around.

At the end of the corridor lies the kitchen, its walls lined with shelves filled with spices and ingredients.  Several pot-bellied stoves sit waiting for Lorienne to fire them up for the night’s feast, or for the occasional Swordmaiden who dabbles in creating delicasies of their own.   

From the first floor tavern, the staircase leading down to the meeting area opens into a large, round room.  It is cooler than the others, bathed in crimson silk curtains and and promises comfort with it’s ample velvet cushions and pillows.  Another chandelier hangs here, weightless, suspended far down from the second-floor ceiling without any visible chains holding it.  Its crystals pour their blue light down on a large, round table in the middle of the room, surrounded by six more tall, cherry chairs of the type found in the dining room.  Guild meetings are held here.  Generally, the officers sit in the chairs, with great maps, and brittle, ancient tomes spread out across the tabletop, while younger members stand behind or recline on the velvety sofas lining the walls.  Beside each sofa is a small coffee table and shoulder-height candalabra, whose golden light dances along with the shadows of the women on the walls behind it.  Dark, towering bookcases stand against the wall, between the sofas.  They hold books on a number of topics, including the guild's history and current roster, though that book often finds itself on the table.

Many are welcome here, a few are not.  We hold ourselves to the highest degree of loyalty, respect and understanding.  We value our Sisters, our friends and family, our history, and will defend our city until the last brick falls.  We are The Silvermoon Swordmaidens.  This is our home.


(Beautifully written by Solunne Starsmore)