"You shall not alter the destinies of sentient species untainted by Chaos."
- —The Everqueen's Decree[1a]
The Everqueen's Decree is a law of Ulthuan decreed by the Everqueen of the island-continent in the wake of the end of the War of the Beard. The decree held that no High Elf should alter by science or magic the nature or form of an already sentient species anywhere in the Known World who had not been corrupted by the warping energies of Chaos. In other words, the Asur were forbidden from reshaping life as their own creators the Old Ones had once done.
History[]
When Ulthuan was abandoning its colonies in the Old World to the victorious Dwarf empire following the end of the War of the Beard, the Everqueen -- in solidarity with then-Phoenix King Caradryel -- issued a decree heralding a new era of isolationism. The Everqueen had been troubled by reports of High Elven colonists "playing god" in their pursuit and acquisition of the Old Ones' secrets.[1a]
Most High Elves now consider the decree obsolete, a relic of its time intended to salvage dignity from defeat. However, the current Everqueen, Alarielle, insists that the decree remains law on the continent of Lustria. High Elven colonists are inconsistent in their interpretation and adherence to the decree. Some ignore it altogether, whereas devotees of Isha, the goddess of nature, leave no sign of their passing but for footprints in the soil.[1a]