Elves

Far and away the most numerous of the Childer Races created by the Gods, Elves are also the weakest. On the SENTINEL Power Scale Elves rank in the low E Class, barely above normal humans. It is whispered that they were created as love slaves by the Gods, but this is a rumor they vehemently deny. Today the Elves rival humans as the most prolific race in the Galaxy, and many consider themselves to be examples of high culture. Thanks to their presence in the All Union and SENTINEL, most Elven societies have resisted the bullying tactics of the Ogres.
==Physiology ==
The origins of the Elves are largely unknown, but it is said that they were made in the image of the Gods themselves. Theories that they were distilled from the Drow like the Watchers and Ogres had largely been discredited by the vast differences in the biologies of elves and other Drow spawn. As with other Childer races though, the elves have pointed ears and sharp features. At a glance they could pass for humans, typically having fair skin that resembles that of humans, compared to the green of their Watcher and Ogre cousins or the blue of the Fairies. While they typically resemble humans outwardly, and have been shown to be sexually compatible with them, elf biology is very different, containing a number of unique organs that operate far more efficiently than their analogs in the human body.
Elves are remarkably long lived, and have exceedingly sharp senses and remarkable agility. Despite these advantages, a human of similar size and health will be a good deal physically stronger than an elf, a deficiency that has plagued them throughout their history. Elves possess both a male and female sex and give birth to live young. Their pregnancies typically last an extended period of 11 months, and unlike humans, for who childbirth is painful, for elves it is a pleasant experience.
=== Subraces ===
Besides the "standard" form of Elf, the Gods experimented with many variations to suit different tasks.
Sea Elves
A form of Elf conditioned for life underwater. These Elves were notable for their blue-ish green skin, webbed hands and feet and gills on their neck and shoulders which allowed them to breathe underwater. Shy by nature, they were generally averse to contact with other races to the point that most consider their existence legendary. Other than a population kept by the Dragon God Dorn on his world of Ultima Tidas which exists to this day, there was a kingdom found on the planet of Karde. However, this was wiped out by the Laugher in the Night in his conquest of that world.
Dust Elves
These Elves were created to live underground. They had grey skin and white hair. Their eyes could see clearly in perfect darkness but they were horribly sensitive to light. They were primarily dedicated to the God Graves and were known to gather riches as tribute to him.
Fairies
By far the most different of the demi-elf races, Fairies were the children of the Gods Felix and Castra. As such, they possessed perhaps the greatest talent for magic of any of the elven offshoots as well as shapeshifting abilities. Their mirthful nature caused them to be pranksters, and there were many stories of them causing trouble across the courts of the various kingdoms of Heroic Age Shiva. Whereas Elves and their other cousins were sexually dimorphic, Fairies had a unique reproduction cycle more akin to insects.
==Powers ==
Compared to the other Childer races, Elves naturally possess negligible Aura. Many possess low level psychic and empathic powers, though nowhere near the level of the Watchers. Not being Aura sensitive does not affect the day to day lives of many elves, but others have turned to Magic to make up the difference and the elves possess a great innate talent for sorcery. Owing to their long lives (it is not unheard of for elves to live for upwards of 3000 years), those that dedicate themselves to the craft of magic tend to become very proficient at it, and certain elven warlocks have become true forces to be reckoned with even for forces as mighty as SENTINEL or the Knights of the Holy Order.
==Personality ==
While elves are an exceedingly diverse race with personalities encompassing all ends of the spectrum, in general elves tend to be very calm and collected, with a fine appreciation of beauty. Elves possess an ability to focus their energy that marvels humans, and will devote themselves entirely to a calling. Most are intensely pleasure seeking, with loose defined morals and a free loving spirit. Though marriage is common across elven societies, few practice anything resembling monogamy.
==Culture and Society ==
Rivaling humans as the most prolific race in the galaxy, elves exist in every corner in every imaginable form of political state. In the west there are many powerful kingdoms of elves, ruled by just royal families who are member states of the powerful All Union. Some of these kingdoms trace their history all the way back to the Eden War, and their royal families count heroes from those battles as their founders. In the North, elf society is more splintered, and they tend to live in tight knit communities on far flung planets where there is no central authority. In the east they tend to live under more despotic rule, with the most miserable of elves serving as the slave population upon whose backs the Ogre Republic is built.
==Religion ==
In the West Galaxy, elven society is largely secular, but the cult of the Holy Dragons is still a powerful force across nearly all forms of elven civilization. While few take the religion seriously (indeed most of the rulers are terrified of Rao), many are still members of the various mystery cults devoted to the Gods. Shine is highly honored for his sacrifice in saving the Galaxy. Shiva is anathema and reviled as “the Destroyer of Worlds.” Aurora’s cult is very popular for its orgiastic practices. Even Rao’s name is still invoked in oaths, though practically no elves believe he truly exists.
==Notable Elves==
SENTINEL Yuri Rin: Daughter of SENTINEL SergeantYuri Tan, Rin grew up on an elf world in the North Galaxy that bordered with the East. After her father died, she was raised by her Uncle. During an Ogre raid in which her best friend was kidnapped, Rin managed to beat the odds and rescue her. In recognition of her bravery, her father’s successor brought her to Rya where she was inducted into SENTINEL. Since then, the Watchers discovered a prophecy about her saying that the fate of the SENTINEL Order would one day rest upon her shoulders, and have watched her career very closely.
Category:Races
Category:Midplane Races
Category:Mortal Races