From Embers Of Empire: A History of Tolmira's Rise and Fall, Volume 2 by noted historical raconteur Alanid Luttain

The Tolmiran Empire is often called "The Empire Of Man" by historians. While this is arguably racist and almost certainly a misnomer, particularly in the Empire's final centuries, it is fair to say that it would be impossible to truly understand this "empire of man" without understanding humanity. Yet it is equally impossible to understand how humanity built the foundation of the Tolmiran Empire without understanding their counterparts, the Ilvari.

Elves were the first civilized race on Rhyth. With their many gifts they forged an empire that spanned the known world, an empire that many claim has yet to be equaled. They remained without rival for many hundreds of years, until through their own doing they created their own worst enemies-- the Vogir. The half-sentient, half-mad Vogir waged war upon the Ilvari Empire for many years before they were finally overcome and nearly eradicated from the face of Rhyth forever.

The Ilvari were little better off for the conflict. Their numbers diminished, their cities in ruin and their empire on the verge of collapse, the Ilvari took drastic measures to maintain that which they had created-they enslaved the race of humanity, whom they regarded as little more than beasts, and forced them into labor. Humans learned quickly, however, and many escaped to teach their wilder brethren of the ways of civilization. The free kingdoms of humanity arose, and in its weakened state the Ilvari Empire was in no position to put them down decisively.

But the Empire remained stronger than any of the constantly bickering fledgling nations of man, and the humans remained fearful of Ilvari steel and magic. To avoid a war they did not believe they could win, they submitted to heavy taxes of slaves and treasure, and it was in this fashion that the 'free kingdoms' remained in chains. Ilvari myth holds that the god Thieron demanded that the elves relinquish their hold over humans, and that they refused. In return, Thieron withdrew his protection, opening the door for an uprising. Whatever the spiritual background, human communities did indeed turn on the Ilvari in force-the slaves revolting from within while the free kingdoms attacked from without. Thus began a great war.

The losses were terrible on both sides, and for many years there was no clear winner. The Ilvari had their great cities, their mastery of magic and their experience at war, but the humans had numbers and ingenuity, and their incomparable adaptability. Slowly but surely, the humans began to win the war. The Ilvari became desperate, and in their desperation they did the unthinkable: They attempted to bind a god to their will.

Gathering together every mage they could spare and every holy relic Thieron had left powerless with his departure, they forged a great set of chains at the heart of their empire.  The Ilvari began to weave a spell the likes of which the world had never seen before-and would never see again. They succeeded in calling down their creator, and they even succeeded in binding him... for a moment.

But the sight of Thieron in his full glory proved too much for them. They were left speechless, and the spell was broken, leaving Thieron to stare down at his traitorous creations. As he passed judgment upon them, there were no screams of pain and horror. There was no roar of arcane thunder. There was only silence, then and forever. The glorious capital city of the Ilvari and every living thing within it was turned to glass.

With their leadership destroyed and their greatest wizards dead or left powerless, it took less than a year for what remained of the Ilvari Empire to fall. The years following the fall were not kind to them, and they did what was necessary in order to survive. Some turned upon their brothers, selling themselves to humanity as mercenaries, while others ran and never stopped running, becoming the nomad clans of Tolmiran times. But despite their many differences, to this day all Ilvari hold one thing in common: They all long for past glories, and they all mourn for what once was.