Elf

Elves are rare in Aranna, often staying in the Vai'lutra forest as well as their town of Aman'lu. Those that do venture out are usually adventurers, whose tales become children's stories or legends. They don't appear at all in Dungeon Siege or Dungeon Siege: Legends of Aranna, but are a playable race in and . 
Elves bear a resemblance to Humans, though they have pointed ears and sometimes different skin colors (a subtle yellow and a dark grey more often). Elves are both male and female, and reproduce the same way as Humans do. Different from the Humans, however, the Elves live for many centuries, the oldest known Elf being Arinth, who was approximately two thousand years old at his death.
==Description==
Despite being one of Aranna's oldest races, Elves are few in numbers. The only region known to host them is their homeland—Vai'lutra Forest (with the city of Aman'lu they've built there). But it's possible that there are other places, for example, a description of one of the skills mentions a city of Helea and its master archers. Elves lead a rather solitary lifestyle and rarely venture outside their territories. However, there are always some exceptions: for example, the ancient peoples known as the Sea Elves once roamed the seas and conducted active trade with the Empire of Stars.
All Elves possess a distinctive premonition ability that allows them to see various, often prophetic dreams and visions. For example, Drevin wrote a letter to main character shortly before he died at the hands of Valdisーhe wrote about his concerns and fears about impending death."Letter from Drevin".
==Skills==
Elves are renowned for their scholarly pursuits, especially in the development and practice of magic (most commonly Combat Magic). Scholars, historians, and powerful mages play great roles in their society. As well as magic, Elves are known to be pioneers in many other forms of combat as well, inventing different techniques and practices.
Elven blademasters developed many skills such as Critical Strike, on top of the mastery of dual-wielding blades. Elven archers are renowned for their accuracy and range, able to shoot from great distances still with a chance that the arrow should pass completely through the victim.
Race Traits
+1 to Critical Strike
+1 to Brilliance
+1 Dexterity
+3 Intelligence
+5% Mana Regeneration
As shown in the table, Elves are overall well-rounded, though a path in Combat Magic or Melee is recommended by the given skill-points.
==Culture==
 thumb|225x225px | Aman'Lu Elven Banner|link=Special:FilePath/Aman'Lu_Elven_Banner.png
Elven culture evolves around learning—anything and everything. Powerful scholars and aged historians are often ranked second only to a town or group's leader, and it is not uncommon for an entire Elven community to be well practiced in Combat or Nature Magic. The Elves are compassionate and helpful to all other races, one example being the fact that many left the Vai'lutra forest to aid the Dryads in building their home amongst the trees.
Due to their long lives and value for knowledge, the Elves are regarded by most as a somewhat divine form of beings, though they are not immortal, and certainly not all of them are well-intended. Because of their skills and attitude, some Elves know more in general than many Humans, Dryads, Dwarves, or Half-Giants combined. Elves are relyable allies, as they will (almost) always shelter and show an unwavering support for their allies and friends.
Elves spend most of their lives studying the world, its history and laws. In many ways, education is their religion, and elven sages, scholars, and historians are highly revered in society and often rank alongside community leaders in importance.
Perhaps the most important place in Elven culture is occupied by two legendary personalities: the sorcerer Isteru and his sisterーIstaura the warrior. It was they who led their people through the Dark Age to the lives of civilization, learning about the world around them. Their statues can be found in many Elven shrines and temples.
Elves have their own language in which they communicate. Famous words:
* Edhelー"Elf".
* Suiladー"Hello".
* Mellonaminー"Friend".
* Namarieー"Goodbye".
* Vai'keshー"Evil Spirit".
* Aman'luー"Sacred Source".
* Turmanarー"End of Times".
**Note: The Elven language in the game wasalmost entirely borrowed from Sindarin, the fictional Elven language created by J.R.R. Tolkien.
Elves are also renowned for their excellent smithing skills, be it weapons or jewelry they're making. Even though the ore business is not developed among them, their blacksmiths are unmatched: a warrior can safely rely on his weapon if it was made by the Elves.
==History==
===Early History===
Elves have inhabited the Vai'lutra forest ever since the legendary heroesーEasteru and Istauraー“brought them out of Dark Age”: they planted the first seeds of the would-be forest and raised mountains from the ground to protect their new home.
 thumb|285x285px | Aman'Lu Hut|link=Special:FilePath/Elven_Hut.jpg
At first, Elves lived in the forests, and their life did not differ from the life of wild animals. They even befriended the Taclak, but everything changed as soon as the Elves abandoned the woodlands and built their new "houses of stone." The Taclak began to desecrate and destroy forest sanctuaries, as well as attack those who tried to repair them."Taclak Perversity".
Over time, the Edhel people founded the city of Aman'lu near a magical source, from which they began to draw energy for the knowledge of magic. Talented children were brought to the source in order for them to comprehend the art of magic. Among them was Arinth, who showed great promise. However, it soon turned into horror for all the ElvesーArinth went mad, unable to withstand his own omnipotence. He destroyed many forests and evaporated rivers before he was stopped and imprisoned by the Edhel elders."The Legend of Arinth the Mad".
=== The Familiars"The Enemies of the Edhel". ===
Five centuries after Arinth's "death", when the Edhel lived in Aman'lu in peace for a whole generation, Istaura suddenly died. As if honoring their greatest warrior and hero, all Edhel remained silent for six days. But on the seventh day, the Familiars came. Their leaders, called "the Surgeons", conducted horrible experiments on any living being they've captured, twisting and turning them into monstrous abominations. Many Edhel died or had been turned into Familiars' slaves.
 thumb|285x285px | Elven Wall Decorations|link=Special:FilePath/Elven_Wall_Decorations.jpg
Fearing that they would be completely wiped out and destroyed without Istaura's leadership, Elven elders prepared to flee and found a new home elsewhere. But an Elf called Lorethal, who killed the familiar and somehow survived, opposed this plan. He vowed to defeat the invaders and asked others to join him. Those he fought against familiars with became known as the Crimson Hunters."The Crimson Hunters". For a hundred years, they protected Aman'lu, only barely managing to hold them back. At the end Lorethal led his last campaign into the heart of enemy territory. He never returned, but the Familiars have not been seen again in the Edhel lands.
=== The aftermath of the First Cataclysm and the Aegis of Death ===
Shortly before his death, Isteru foresaw the growing dangers in Aranna. In order to protect his people, Isteru created a magical device at the very heart of the Elen'lu Islesーa Prism that created and sustained a magical shield over the land of the Elves. Just before the Thurmanar, the Edhel Seers activated a magical shield over Vai'lutra Forest,"Turmanar and Its Aftermath". but when a wave of destructive energy swept through Aranna, some parts of the forest were still devastated, which in turn caused the Elves to leave it for good and finally settle in Aman'lu. left|thumb | 285x285px | Elven Prism|link=Special:FilePath/Elen'Lu_Islands_(elf_prism)_.jpg
Elves, among other races, joined Azunai in his crusade against Zaramoth."Dungeon Siege: The Battle for Aranna". Most likely, the Edhel warriors who participated in the battle for Aranna, became victims of the destructive power of the Cataclysm as well.
Shortly after this disaster, the Aegis of Life was found by the Sea Elves and placed in the Coastal Temple on Greilyn Isle. A little later, after their disappearance, the Dryads arrived on the island. Elves from the mainland offered them help in exchange for a favorーto protect the temple at any cost."Fables of Ancient Artifacts".
Around the same time, a wandering sage brought an Aegis of Death to Aman'lu and gave it to the elders for safekeeping. Its power immediately ensnared several great Elven wizards, who created many dark spells using its power. These scholars and magicians formed a guild that become known as "Manu Ostar". This union, however, didn't last long. The dark magic awakened from the Aegis proved very difficult to control, and soon, one of Manu Ostar's rituals ended with a catastrophe. The guild attempted to perform an ultimate spell known as "Nuuruhuine", that would allow them to control Death itself. The spell itself required a collectve effort of an entire guild, and it backfired at the ritual participants. Half died instantly, and the other was permanently stuck "in-between life and death": while technically being alive, their bodies slowly decayed. But their magical powers grew stronger because of it, and soon the elders, in fear, were forced to banish Manu Ostar from the city."Downfall of the Manu Ostar". Those expelled swore an oath of vengeance against their former brethren and took themselves a new name: the Vai'kesh, "evil spirits". The Vai'kesh travelled to the southern parts of Vai'lutra, and the forest itself had been corrupted by their very presence.
=== Dungeon Siege II ===
With Valdis quickly gaining power as well as renown, many young Elves enlisted into his army as mercenaries."Valdis and His Armies". But after he began a military campaign in search of ancient artifacts, the Elves joined the rebellion. They aided the Dryads during the siege of Greilin's Western Shore, and go so far as to grant Evangeline, Human princess of the Northern Reaches and the de-facto leader of the rebellion, the item she requestedーthat item being the Aegis of Death, which she attempted to unite with the Aegis of Blindness secured in her domain, Snowbrook Haven.
The Elves paid dearly for this: enraged, Valdis ordered his Archmage to destroy Aman'lu. The Cinbri summoned a giant meteorite that caused great damage to the city and its inhabitants. The magic flame from the meteorite could not be extinguished, and the magic prism that previously protected the forests did not work, since many years earlier it had been damaged by the feral Taclak. However, with the timely assistance of the Hero of the Second Age, who returned to their home city in their quest to stop Valdis, managed not only to fix the prism, causing a magical rain potent enough to extinguish Cinbri's flames, but also resque Evangeline, whose caravan'd been ambushed on the way to Snowbrook at the same time as the meteor blast destroyed Aman'lu, and re-claim the Aegis of Death from the Vai'kesh.
 thumb|285x285px | Creatures That Were Once Elves|link=Special:FilePath/Patchwork_Horror_(Shackled_Elf)_.jpg
=== Broken World ===
During the Second Cataclysm, a wave of magical energy swept over the lands of Vai'luthra and Aman'lu. The Elven Prism sank along with the Elen'lu Isles. Many Elves died, their most respected Elders and scholars among the deceased, and those who survived had lost their ability to see the future. Because of their anguish and sorrow, they did not offer help to the other races, such as the Humans and Dryads, who had to fight for their survival. Celeb'hel the Elder was put to blame for it, for helping the Hero of the Second Age, and banished from the lands of the Edhel.
A year after the Cataclysm, the Overmage travelled to the Vai'lutra lands and used his magic to free Familiars, ancient enemies of the Edhel, from their imprisonment. The Familiars took residence in the Vai'kesh forest, and soon what is left of Aman'lu was overrun by the Boundーhorrible abominations created by the Familiar Surgeons from the corpses of the dead. With the city almost completely destroyed and their magic source nearly depleted, only a handful of Elves dared to fight for their survival, while the rest slowly, but surely succumbing to dark thoughts and overall depression. The situation threatened to become even more dire when the remnants of the Vai'kesh tried to make a move on the survivors, under a disguise of helping them fight the Familiars. 
When the Hero of the Second Age came to a ruined Aman'lu with their companions, they wouched to help the Elves, who in return promised to open the portal to Dryad's new city. They thwarted the Vai'kesh's schemes, eliminating the last of them in the process, and then travelled to the Familiar stronghold, destroying it and all the Familiars within. The Elves were done with the Familiars, sending the last of their great mages to purify the buildings and lands of the southern forest.
When Zaramoth Reborn was destroyed, a member of the resistance force, Finala, returned to rule over Aman'lu, which was eventually retaken from the tac'lak and beasts and in time, rebuilt. Eventually a powerful spell was cast, restoring the foresight to all Elves across Aranna, and although it is not said, it can be assumed that the Elven civilization returned to their once great power in time.
Note: In , Serin restored Elven foresight with a spell she found in Agalla.
==Famous Elves==
*Finala
*Amren
*Ressa
*Istaura
*Isteru
*Arinth the Mad
*Lorethal
*Celeb'hel
* Drevin
* Serin
== Gallery ==
File:In-game elf.webp|Elf, as seen in-game.
File:Male & female armed elves concept art.webp|Male & female armed elves (Concept Art)
File:Elven Female Swordsman DS2 Concept art.webp|Elven Female Swordsman
File:Elf-warrior.webp|Elf-warrior (Concept Art)
File:Elf mage art.webp|Elf-mage (Concept Art)
File:Elven archer concept art.webp|Elf-archer (Art)
File:Elf ds2 art.webp|Two Elves. (Art)
File:Dungeon Siege III Temple Ruins, Elf.webp|Ruins of A Temple, Dungeon Siege III art. Maybe be seen during Credits. 
== References ==
ru:Эльфы
Category:Races
Category:Playable Races