High elf

Originating from the Mireny Imperium are the high elves. These fair skinned and light haired elves often refer to themselves as the truest of elves. In the modern day, most differentiate between the high elves of the Mireny Imperium and those that resided in the Bidden Domain before its fall into the Byden Dominion, referring to the former as high elves and the latter as lost elves.
== Ecology ==
=== Appearance ===
They typically possess the appearance most similar to depictions of Miren of Light, most being born with fair hair, skin and eyes. Their skin is pale, but not nearly as gray in color as that of a shale elf. Their eyes can be a myriad of tones, but blue and green are the most common. High elves have a limited range of hair colors, with silver, blonde and gold reigning dominant and only few being born with brown or raven hair.
=== Culture ===
After the Old War, Mireny Tellearion gathered those elves she could find and took them north to her great-grandmother's homeland in the Cradle. Those elves became what are now known as high elves. They live primarily within the boundaries of the Mireny Imperium and the Byden Dominion, though in this modern era both countries have a vastly different livelihood for their elven inhabitants. High elves, traditionally, consider themselves the closest to the elves of the Old Era and those that followed Miren's design. Some haughty few purport that they are the wisest race, being as it were that most historic texts claim they are the first of the First Races.
Regardless of this claim, high elves are a just and wise people and even those of the lowest classes tend to lead well off lives in the sense that they reside in one of the oldest and most solidified of nations, celebrating well developed networks for things like trade, justice, learning and health. In high elven society, it is fairly easy to change one's lot in life, so long as enough effort is applied, and there is no general hard-set class structure beyond the noble or ruling class and the common class.
Nobles are a just, if politically charged lot, who will see to the best interests of their common inhabitants. Noble blood lines are defined as those that can trace their lineages back to the Old Era and the twelve knights that swore their fealty to Mireny Tellearion in the days of the Old War and gathered to them loyal armies. The country itself is divided across these houses into twelve provinces, the thirteenth of which is ruled from Alerios, the royal capital and holy seat of high elven culture.
=== Religion ===
High elves are a particularly religious lot and will invoke equally the names and virtues of all gods and goddesses of the Divinities and their parents, Ailerion and Raneiss. To them, they are beings of great reverence and importance, and weight and thought are given to how an individual's actions might be perceived when their soul is weighed upon the clouds of Nebuliese. Most high elves commonly believe that, even should their souls not ascend to the heavenly courts, their essence will become yet another glint of starlight for Ailerion to do combat with upon the eternal battlefield against his sister.
Beyond that, however, high elves vastly revere and favor Ailerion and his son Noir, the gods of light and life respectively, especially given the fact that Miren of Light was believed blessed by Noir himself. Having taken Ailerion's name as the base for their capital city and with their paladins serving as his mortal scions from the Order of Ailerion, it is safe to assume that the high elves value their connection to the brighter, fairer side to the pantheon deeply. However, that does not stop high elven priests of many other Divinities from existing.
== Lost Elves ==
Mireny high elves are a fine contrast to the high elves of the Byden Dominion, who presently lead a life of enslavement and turmoil from their human captors. Known to the world as the lost elves, they are high elves only in name. Those that remain in the country are often forced to produce breeding stock and owning an elven slave in the Dominion is often considered a mark of status. It is not a pleasant existence and the only saving grace is that elven slaves are far less replaceable and expensive than most others, only ensuring years of suffering in contrast to life-ending punishments. The lost elves of the Dominion share all the appearance traits of a high elf, save for the enforced tattoos and notched ears enforced upon them by their captors.
== Statistical Information ==
Ithian high elves may select, if desired, the following alternate racial traits provided they are backed up by character background. These are not a hard rule and other alternate racial traits are also viable, but these are fair suggestions given high elven society in Ithia.
* Arcane Focus: Some elven families have such long traditions of producing wizards (and other arcane spellcasters) that they raise their children with the assumption each is destined to be a powerful magic-user, with little need for mundane concerns such as skill with weapons. Elves with this racial trait gain a +2 racial bonus on concentration checks made to cast arcane spells defensively. This racial trait replaces weapon familiarity.
* Envoy: Elves often have trouble relating to neighbors of other races, especially those with much shorter lifespans. As a result, some are trained in minor magics that are particularly useful when dealing with non-elves. Elves with this racial trait and an Intelligence score of 11 or higher gain the following spell-like abilities once per day: comprehend languages, detect magic, detect poison, and read magic. The caster level for these effects is equal to the elf's level. This racial trait replaces elven magic.
* Lightbringer : Many elves revere the sun, moon, and stars, but some are literally infused with the radiant power of the heavens. Elves with this racial trait are immune to light-based blindness and dazzle effects, and are treated as one level higher when determining the effects of any light-based spell or effect they cast (including spell-like and supernatural abilities). Elves with Intelligence scores of 10 or higher may use light at will as a spell-like ability. This racial trait replaces the elven immunities and elven magic racial traits.
* Urbanite: Elves who live in cities for more than a century can grow to know the ebb and flow of social situations just as their forest-dwelling cousins know the rules of the wild. Elves with this racial trait gain a +2 racial bonus on Diplomacy checks made to gather information and Sense Motive checks made to get a hunch about a social situation. This racial trait replaces keen senses.
Category:RacesCategory:First Races
Category:Elven ethnicities