House Symbaern

[Amalia]

Hello! I've become aware (OOCly) that there is another character about who is part of the Elven house of Symbaern. I have such a character also (from long ago; I'm just returning now), and given the apparent absence of "official" details about House Symbaern I thought it might be worthwhile for us to get our story straight on this account before we run into each other IC and awkwardness ensues because we have different things to say about what's supposed to be the same family. If you see this, please PM me!

I would also love any resources people might have about Elven houses, Symbaern in particular - even general things like how big the extended family tends to be that holds on to the House name, how close-knit the family is, etc. if any of this information is established in official sources.

I hope this is an acceptable query to post! Imms, please feel free to take it down if you feel this ought to be handled in a different manner.

[Alinor]

The information I have is from Elves of Evermeet (TSR 9430):

House Symbaern. Symbaern is a very old Gold elf family. It is another house that managed to survive the destruction of Myth Drannor. The home is a low, silvery-white dome surrounded by various small towers and villas.
Symbaern'’s sigil is a white Espruar s-rune on a green field. The house patriarch is the millennia-old wizard Yalathanil, a thin-framed elf who spends much of his time in seclusion. The house has been quiet and relatively inactive for the past 200 years, although its warriors are widely considered some of the finest in the queen’s service.
Yalathanil once wielded a powerful enchanted staff said to be capable of changing the outcome of dire events, and even of sending the wielder back in time a few minutes to refight battles, cast spells, or avert disasters. No one knows the staff’s true powers, or whether it still exists.

[Larethiel]

Usually it can be assumed that the more prominent houses of Evermeet, if not described as especially small, command a
certain military power since the noble houses are required to perform various duties at court, for example the provision of
guards for the the royal palace/court. It is given that most of the noble houses, if they are not special cases like f.e. the sun
elves of House Raerdrimme, have not only soldiers serving in the ranks of Evermeet's armies and defenses but also mages
and clerics and ranking leaders. In that regard, some houses are especially known for the strength of a certain class the
favor, such as Aerolothi being known for their clerics and priests, Alenuath for their hunters and rangers, war wizards of
Evanara, etc.

That being said and the nature of Noble Houses considered, it is usually safe to assume that PCs of the same noble
house are more or less distant cousins because it is given that there is a stock and membership to support the many
different activities that the most noble (or less noble, depending on the viewpoint) houses engage in.

There is no information on Symbaern in Cormanthyr - Empire of Elves. except for the location of their noble villa in
Myth Drannor.

[Alinor]

My knowledge of Forgotten Realms mostly ends after 2nd edition, other than novels, so I'm not sure what sourcebooks may have been printed since then, but here's a list of ones I know that may be a good place to look for info on the elves if you can get your hands on them.

Elves of Evermeet (TSR 9340)
Ruins Of Myth Drannor (TSR 1084)
Cormanthyr Empire of Elves (TSR 1165)
The Fall of Myth Drannor (TSR 9558)

Also, the novel Evermeet: Island of the Elves is pretty much a grand history of elves in Forgotten Realms.

Hope some of this may help!