Prifddinas

Prifddinas is the greatest city of the elves, and the oldest surviving settlement in Gielinor. It is roughly 12,000 years old. It is in northern Tirannwn.

Even though currently it cannot be accessed by players, it is revealed in the Postbag from the Hedge 28 that the Wise Old Man has a plan to get into the elven city. This is his plan:



History
Prifddinas was built by the elves when they arrived in Gielinor through the World Gate in the First Age, when the world was still being shaped by Guthix. With them came Seren, a goddess of pure crystal.

The elves settled in Tirannwn, a large wooded area west of modern-day Kandarin. With the nearly impassible mountain range of Arandar to the east, the maze-like woods to the south, and the ocean to the west, the elves were safe from attackers, although they did perform a small amount of exploration in Kandarin. The elves built the city with crystal they had been given by Seren, which could be shaped by singing in a certain way. The elves themselves were divided into eight clans, which peacefully coexisted in Prifddinas. Each was given a small tower at the edge of the city. In the middle was built the Tower of Voices, where they could commune with Seren herself.

Following the God Wars of the Third Age, Seren was forced to leave Gielinor in accordance with the Edicts of Guthix. The elves could still speak with Seren in the Tower of Voices, however.

When the Fourth Age came, many of the elves travelled east, exploring the lands that are now Kandarin, Misthalin, and Asgarnia. Protected by the Cadarn Clan and led by the elven king Baxtorian, they created many settlements. They also formed ties with the humans and gnomes in the area, although they did have difficulties with Bandos followers such as the goblins and ogres to the south. Before long they had peacefully gained control of nearly all of Kandarin.

During the absence of the powerful Cadarn Clan, however, the Iorwerth Clan betrayed the elves and easily took control of Prifddinas. When conflict forced the elves beyond Arandar to return to Tirannwn, they found the city taken. All attempts to reclaim Prifddinas failed, leaving them stranded in Isafdar, where they still fight today.

Geography and Description
Prifddinas is currently inaccessible, and the Iorwerth Clan denies entrance to all, elf and human alike. As a result, the only viewable parts of the city are its walls and outer pathways. It is speculated that the city will be opened in a future part of the elven quest series.

Prifddinas is formed almost entirely from Elven Crystal, a substance that can be shaped by Crystal Singing. The crystal is powerful and durable, forming the city's walls and structures. There are two known entrances to the city; a large gate on the south and east sides, facing Isafdar and Arandar respectively, and a smaller one on the north side.

The northwest part of the city is believed to be a seaport, although who the elves would trade with is unknown.

Taken from Postbag from the hedge no 19:

''If you had ever seen the splendour of the Tower of Voices refracting in the sunlight, or the air itself in every corner of our city turn to rainbows in the Spring showers, or the last rays of the evening sun turn the world to deepest shades of bloody reds you would understand that no Elf could be a criminal. We live in beauty; not this impure, unclean world that the other races grovel in.''

Little is known of Prifddinas's undercity, where the Prifddinas Death Guard is said to reside. The undercity is known to house the Grand Library, where vast stores of lost knowlege are said to be found. However, the library is protected by nine seals; one of which was recently broken by an unknown party(believed to be Lord Iowerth).

Similarity to Light Creatures Cities
Those who have asked for stories from Juna outside of Tears of Guthix may have heard of the story of the light creatures.

''Myriad and beautiful were the creatures and civilisations of the early world. Gielinor was a work of art, shaped lovingly over the millennia by the creative mind of Guthix.

Only the sturdier races survived the God Wars, and even then only by abandoning high culture and gearing their societies towards war. Of the more delicate races there is now no trace, and almost no memory.

One race had such fragile bodies as snowflakes, yet built crystal cities that lasted thousands of years. The wind would whisper through the spires and fill them with sweet harmonies, and the rising sun would shine through the precious gems that studded the towers and create inner plays of light as if rainbows were dancing.

Indeed, so marvelous was this light-show that at its height that the patterns of light themselves became alive, and great flocks of luminous creatures rode along the gem-cast beams, each drawn to its own colour.

The creatures you see floating in this chasm are the last remnants of that age. I do not know how they made their way here and survived to this time, but I am grateful for their company.''

The description of their cities reflects that of the elves. It has been considered possible the Light Creatures were precursors to the elves. It is possible even Seren was once one of these fragile beings before ascending to godhood and taught the elves her races' legacy.

NPCs

 * Elven city guard

Trivia

 * Prifddinas is a word of Welsh language which means "Capital City".
 * It holds a record for time being inaccessible, yet displayed on a map.