Elves

Myrkali

The longest-lived of all the "great races", Elves are a people known for their beauty and wisdom. They are sometimes seen as perfect beings or even demi-gods from those around them, but are just as vulnerable to mortal faults as any other.

## Appearance

Elves are tall and slender humanoids, averaging roughly 5'8" tall and 138 lbs. Elves have fair complexions and usually immaculate skin regardless of their living conditions. They have very lithe physiques and do not show much muscle mass, nor does much fat ever show on their bodies.

Elves have slender and angular features with long, pointed ears averaging around 5 to 6 inches long. Male and female elves are often difficult for outsiders to tell apart, as they do not grow facial hair and there are no major differences between build or height between the sexes. Hair color is usually light shades of red or blonde, but darker colors are not uncommon. Elven eyes are almost always brilliant shades of green or blue.

Elves can live up to 1000 years, reaching maturity at around 200 years but it varies between individuals. Elves do not show many signs of their age, save for their hair taking a silvery color at around age 750. Elves are also notable that they require significantly less food than other similarly-sized creatures and rarely, if ever, actually sleep.

## Culture

### Overview

Elves are proud, polite, and disciplined. Elves are usually incredibly diplomatic in any social situation they in with a strong focus on manners and etiquette. Elves find it uncouth to display negative emotions, especially anger, and so Elves rarely display any sign of temper. Despite their general gregariousness, elves also tend to be rather private people, avoiding discussing their own lives or opinions unless specifically prompted. Around close friends, however, Elves are known to open up quite a lot and take care to vent all the frustrations that plague them.

Elves value wisdom, discipline, and freedom as virtues above all others. Infinitely patient and curious, Elves are natural scholars and philosophers, always seeking to discover new things and rethink what the most virtuous and beneficial way they can shape the world is. While they do not necessarily consider themselves absolutely superior, they see other, shorter-lived races as less wise, even comparing them to children in some cases. This superiority complex often causes much conflict with other races despite their interest in serving the greater good for its own sake.

Elf culture is very open and progressive. Their long lifespans grant many a keen interest in philosophy and their dramatically reduced physical needs allow them to take advantage of policies that would otherwise be ineffective. Unfortunately, the Elves often hold other races up to their own ideals, whether political or spiritual, and look down on them for failing to meet their own standards. Elves are, however, a rather tolerant society and one of the few where sexual freedom and homosexuality is openly accepted.

### Religion

Over the years, Elven spirituality has taken two distinct forms that most Elves partake in one or both of: their creator god Scyllonivah and the tradition of druidic nature worship. Scyllonivah worshipers represent a more traditional organized religion, having temples and customs based on honoring the Mother of Nature. Her worship is very formal and very personal with prayer taking the form of deep meditation. Communal prayer is encouraged. Aelvari elves in particular favor this route and consider their praise of Scyllonivah as a praise of nature in itself, since she created it in the first place.

The Elven Druids worship nature itself in a more general sense. Instead of focusing on Scyllonivah herself, they consider her more of the main spirit of the natural world which has taken on a life of its own, far beyond its designs upon its initial creation. They feel that the Mortal Realm lives and breathes its own life and their faith focuses on that, often revering (or fearing) various Fey creatures as nature spirits, although their outlook is far different from how traditional religions view Angels and Devils. They view Fey as extensions of nature itself, although they are not seen as infallible.

Many of the more "civilized" elves often look at the druids with some amount of derision, often comparing them to cultists and considering their own faith a more "refined" version of the old druidic practices. The druids themselves feel that appealing to the spirits of their home realm rather than the whims of heaven is not only what Scyllonivah wants, but what is a better direction for Elvenkind and that Elves are in danger of losing their roots and their connection to nature.

### Government

Smaller Elf communities usually govern themselves as a commune, with natural leaders falling in and out of favor as the times wear on. In cities Elves are usually governed as a republic, with a council of elected officials ruling over the community. Most often these governors represent different districts of the city in question, or even entire towns near the larger capital. Elves will spend much time constantly discussing and debating issues, giving the Elves a reputation for having very a very fair but very sluggish system of government as the council struggles to come to a final consensus.

Elected officials are almost universally nobles from wealthy families, who are much more well-versed in philosophy and politics than a typical Elf. Elves value virtue and wisdom in their leaders above all else, and it has been seen that particularly incompetent or morally corrupt leaders are removed from office after enough vocal outcry. Elven citizens are encouraged to be active in politics and keep themselves well-informed on the happenings in their communities.

### Craft

Elven craft is often heralded as the most refined in the world. Almost everything Elves make are elegant and elaborate, incorporating all manner of sweeping and curving designs that often simulate plant life like vines, leaves, and branches. Elven architecture favors building tall, usually using towers to grant visual similarities to trees in a forest. Elves almost universally work with wood, usually magically hardened, and sometimes even incorporate living trees into the buildings themselves. Elves prefer using magic lights over natural fire.

Elves are well known for their high-quality goods and materials, especially their luxurious fabrics. Elves enjoy challenging themselves to create things that are both beautiful to behold and still completely functional. Artistic flourish always seeps into even the most simple tool. Weapons and tools tend to be on the lighter side, built for the slender and somewhat delicate elves, and everything they make focuses on precision over striking power. Elven clothes are particularly well made, being tough, comfortable, and elegant all at once.

Many Elves dedicate themselves to fine art, becoming painters, sculptors, and more. They even enjoy incorporating magic into their art, resulting in breathtaking public works and private galleries.Predictably, most of their work tends to be naturalistic although many of the more magically inclined artists enjoy dabbling in abstract. Elven art is often used as a symbol of status in other kingdoms.

### Military

Elves do not often relish the idea of war or even combat, finding violence to be the result of the failure of diplomacy. Still, Elven warriors keep their skills sharpened at all times in case the worst comes to pass, most usually in the name of protecting their forested lands from invaders. Elven kingdoms field small but very well trained armies, while smaller communities rely on handfuls of volunteer warriors to keep their lands safe. Scouting is the cornerstone of their warfare, preferring to outmaneuver and outwit rather than head-on confrontations.

Despite seeming so frail and proper, Elves make excellent warriors with precision, grace, and discipline being their main pillars. They are most renowned for their amazingly accurate archers, who can utilize masterful long-range combat despite their heavily-forested homes. In melee combat they prefer thrusting or slashing weapons, particularly long blades and rapiers. Because Elves are so few in number and take so long to raise, Elves tend to be rather conservative with their war efforts, taking as few risks as possible.

Elves heavily employ war mages, much more per capita than any other major military. They constantly use magic to provide control over the battlefield, whether it be changing the layout of the field, enchanting allies with arcane boons, or simply slinging destruction into enemy ranks. Elves also employ a special cavalry squad called the Iron Maidens, who are virgin female Elf warriors mounted upon Unicorns. Considered among the most deadly cavalry units of all time, the Iron Maidens were renowned for being able to whole-sale slaughter forces that greatly outnumber them.

### Magic

Elves are usually considered the main pioneers of Arcane magic even from its earliest conception. While Dragons are rightly credited with being the first mortal being to develop the Arcane, Elves were not far behind and were the ones who spread it to the other mortal races. The Elves understanding was often boosted by teachings from rogue dragons, but their long lifespans made them excellent at researching the nature of magic and, consequently, it became a major part of their culture. Elven scholars are renowned for their raw knowledge on the subjects and their mastery over it.

However, some Elves cite the sudden focus on Arcane magic as the moment that Elves began to drift from their place among nature. Such elves often employ Druids rather than mages, whose magic stems from their connection with nature, much like how a Priest's power stems from their god.

### Fashion

Elves tend to favor elaborate and well-woven clothes and jewelry, often incorporating natural materials like flowers or feathers into their wardrobes. Colorful and flowing skirts, cloaks, sashes and sleeves are particularly enjoyed, and elves of both genders tend to show off a lot of skin in their casual wear. Formal attire is even more well-decorated, often incorporating collared capes and high-heeled boots (again, both genders). More rural Elves tend to dress more in earthy tones with simpler outfits, disliking clothing that could get snagged on trees.

## Sub-Groups

### Aelvari

The Aelvari are, by in large, the most "typical" elf one could come across. Aelvari are Elves that have moved on from their druidic lifestyle and settled into a more urban lifestyle. One of the key factors that lead to this decision was their quest to further the studies of magic, opting to spend more time at home doing research and accumulating knowledge. This lead to the construction of major cities and, in turn, a change in their basic lifestyle.

Aelvari are almost always fair-skinned and light-haired with pristine complexions that result from their often sheltered way of life but also make them blindingly beautiful, even by elf standards. Aelvari elves tend to be rigidly polite and proper, as well as notably gregarious even among outsiders. They favor their more "civilized" way of life over living off the land like the old days, although they all still hold a deep reverence for nature and incorporate it into their daily lives as much as possible.

### Sylvani

The Sylvani or Forest Elves are those who held onto old traditions. Rather than moving into the large, clustered cities of the Aelvari the Sylvani prefer to live more down-to-earth lives, living in small villages out in the woods, living off the land itself. Sylvani practice druidism much more frequently than their urban brethren and prefer to keep themselves grounded in the laws of nature. Due to their more rugged lifestyle, Sylvani tend to have more tanned complexions and wild features.

Forest Elves tend to be less haughty and more straightforward than their more diplomatic counterparts, but they are also less trusting and open to others, often being surprisingly territorial with the forests around their homes. Still, they maintain good relationships with the Aelvari and their communities tend to interweave throughout the forests. Sylvani tend to attract varying forms of Fey who feel a kinship with the nature-worshiping elves, and allow the nature spirits to live among them.

## History

### Pre-History

Elves were among the second generation of sentient races that were created on the world. Elves claim that they were created before the Dwarves, who claim otherwise. This is a hotly debated issue among both Dwarves and Elves, and no clear answer has ever been found. Scyllonivah, their creator god, is told as having grown them from the forest. Druids in particular claim that Elves were simply a natural byproduct of the creation of nature, making them akin to Fey.

### The Great War

Much like their god, the Elves were very hesitant to join The Great War until the sheer scale of the conflict forced their hands. The Elves placed much of their focus on minimizing damage to the Mortal Realm itself, healing scars in nature and defending particularly vulnerable areas. They also played a significant role in the larger battles despite their few numbers.

It was during the great war that the god Thelonessa tempted a large group of Elves to switch sides and betray their former allies, paving the road to them becoming the Myrkali.

### The Dark Times

The Elves rejoiced when the Great War was finally put on hold, and pushed all their efforts into healing the ravaged landscape. The Elves, still largely druidic, did not see much of an affect on their piety or their lifestyles once the gods had left, but the difficulty in accessing magic began to wear on them. In addition, the traitorous elves were then banished to the Underworld where they would spend the rest of their lives.

It was during the Dark Times that the Elves began their long-held research tradition, refining the arcane secrets granted to them by the Dragons as well as their own knowledge, though it would still be some time before the Arcane arts were widely spread. The Elves attempted to step up and fill in the leadership gap left behind by the gods, but their attempts were rebuked and thus they returned to their somewhat isolationist nature.

### The Return of the Gods

Despite welcoming the reprieve, Scyllonivah was still welcomed home with open arms. When confronted with the idea of The Divine Pact, the Elves resoundingly supported it along with their god. It was after the pact was signed and that divine magic returned to the world that the Elves really hit their stride in weaving the arcane, and in creating their grand cities fell out of favor with their nature worship and causing a second divide in the Elf community.

## Notable Settlements

* Qarowynn: The official capital of the Aelvari. Houses one of the largest non-draconian arcane libraries on the planet. The Elves defend this city in particular viciously and is surrounded by the largest forest on the continent. Said to be founded on the exact spot that Scyllonivah first stepped foot upon the Mortal Realm.

## Notable Elves

* Charlotte Goldmane: A fearsome and renowned Iron Maiden. Aided the forces of Nova Dawn before officially joining their ranks.

* Valenthier Briarward: Wealthy Aelvari merchant and a member of the Elven Council. Known for his eccentric and flamboyant personality and master archery skills.
* Ty'nal Aothal: Sylvani captain of the guard of Qarowynn. Humorless and gruff, Aothal lead the Elves to war against the Forsaken.
* Ma'ryn Dawncarver: The high priestess of the Sickle Moon Cult. The main culprit behind the birth of the Godling and the attack of The Forsaken.