Elves

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Masters of the arcane, lovers of art and fierce individualists, elves have long since secluded themselves on their paradise island of Elyrion. A people of many contradictions, elves are both traditional and innovative, deliberate yet uninhibited, timeless - yet all too mortal. None know more than the elves about magic, however, their long isolation and reluctance for change has resulted in immense stagnation in soulcraft and science. Their zenith of might and knowledge has long since passed as they struggle to maintain their civilisation.

## Overview

The Elves are the most common and widespread peoples amongst the Emerald Isles, which is their ancestral home. Though there are several races of elves, they are unified by an ancestral origin in the Feywild, their keen senses and characteristic pointed ears. Besides the pointed ears, an elf’s appearance can vary greatly, though it is generally not too difficult for an informed individual to distinguish between the races. In the world, there are around 2.5 million elves of which just over half of them are concentrated on Elyrion, their home isles. Outside of Elyrion, elves are very widespread and as a result somewhat rare, mostly preferring to stay within their own communities. Continental elves are largely wood elves who have formed isolated societies within the forests of Perion. There are also some small remnant high elf settlements scattered throughout, though following the cataclysm, the majority of high elves returned to Elyrion. The remaining elves have integrated into continental societies, remaining as a small minority.

### Heralds of Magic

Bringers of the arcane and primal arts to the continent, the elves were the first of the civilised races on Perion to be gifted with the knowledge of magic. With their millennia-spanning tradition of mastering the magical arts, it is a common notion for the people of Perion to assume that an elf is a spellcaster.

#### New Magic

Though the elves have a disproportionate number of spellcasters within their race compared to other civilised races, the distribution of specialisations is not particularly equal. Evocation, transmutation and divination are by far the most popular and common specialisations and most elf mages can be expected to favour these schools of magic. Abjuration and conjuration were more specialised fields, however, these were by no means rare, with many civil service mages favouring them. Illusion magic on the other hand is largely used for entertainment and arts. In Aelinel, the cultural capital of the isles, most illusionists are not full-time mages who dedicate their lives to studying their school of magic but instead magicians, performers and artists who instead dedicate their lives, with their typically intermediate knowledge of illusion, to weave wonders.

On the other hand, necromancy and enchantment are quite rare among elven mages. Though they did not view necromancy as an intrinsically evil or dangerous school, - at least no more than evocation - their respect for the deceased meant that practitioners of necromancy were both frowned upon and lacked materials for study and casting. As for enchantment, all elves are inherently resistant to beguilement and charms which made the school significantly less effective than it would be on the continent. Not only was it far more unreliable on the isles, but unlike the people of the continent, the elves of the Emerald Isles seldom engaged in intrigue or trickery which made it even less useful.

Unlike the people of the mainland, elves do not view any school of magic to be inherently malicious or dangerous. A long tradition of holding magic in high esteem in addition to their culture means that it is rare to find an elf abusing their knowledge.

#### Old Magic

The study of the arcane arts in elven society only arose out of the codification of wild or primal magic which was the first and oldest magical tradition of their kind, one that is still practised to this very day. Those who practise this old magic are known as druids, and they derive their powers from the primal forces of the world through communing with nature or even a deity. In many ways, druids were a hybrid between the practised and codified arcane mages and divine mages who receive their powers directly from a deity. The means by which one became a druid are similar to hedge wizards in that they are largely self-taught though they often had an unofficial tutor or mentor prior to becoming self-sufficient mages.

Rather than schools, druids have circles which are essentially small communities of primal mages who are dedicated to a specific aspect of nature, some more worldly than others. It is deep within the Wyrwood, in the Reverie Stonehenge where many of them gather and where aspiring druids often go.

Druids have a crucial role in all settled elven societies on the island as they are responsible for the maintenance of agriculture. In fact, it is because of these druids that the city-dwelling elves are so self-sufficient as one druid can provide as much food as a hundred if not a thousand farmers. However, it is here that an extremely sharp divide lies between Ellari druids and Sylvari druids as the latter view this as an abuse of their powers and against the natural order. As Ellari druids are mostly civil service mages that contribute to the function of high elven society, they are much weaker than their wood elf counterparts who are far more dedicated to the preservation of the natural order and thereby can channel significantly more magic from it.

Though both the Sylvari and Ellari have many powerful mages amidst their ranks, it is between the primal and arcane lines that the differences become most clear. The Sylvari have just one archmage loyal to their clan while the Ellari have no archdruids in service of the king.

### Timeless Souls

More than any other of the civilised races, elves are most in tune with the soul cycle, the process by which souls reincarnate into new bodies and new lives. Unique among all the civilised races, elven souls pass through the Grey and back into the material very gently and retain pretty much all of their soul essence. In other words, an elf is far closer to the ideal of reincarnation than any other civilised race. It is hard to argue that a human is a reincarnation of a past life the vast majority of humans are best described as an entirely new soul mixed in the crucible. Closer to this ideal, dwarven souls do indeed retain the same underlying soul essence, however, as they are essentially remade and rebuilt, they are still not nearly as in tune with the cycle as elves are.

The elven god of death, the Wayfinder, similarly reflects this process through their depiction as an enigmatic, hooded figure wielding a lantern who merely guides elven souls through the Grey and back into the prime material rather than doing anything with the souls.

#### Between Lives

Each elf possesses an ancient, enduring and timeless soul that has persisted since the beginning of their people and the consequence of such manifests potently in their trances or dreams. Most elves do not sleep but instead trance, a meditative, semi-conscious state wherein they may review their memories. A trance is almost like a lucid dream for memories during which they can delve vividly back into their past experiences as if they were there again. This is naturally a very useful ability for a race so dedicated to experiences and knowledge as the elves are, however, the content of a trance differs depending on an elf’s age. When an elf is extremely young and when they are nearing their death, in other words, the times when an elf is most detached from their mortal coil, their trances are far more chaotic and uncontrolled, often containing memories and experiences from a past life. For young elves, their trances are vague and mostly relay strong emotions rather than any clear image as a trance typically would. However, as an elf gets old, these trances usually return, except much more vividly and in more detail and they continue to do so until death. This process during which an elf experiences the memories and emotions of their past lives is known as a ‘remembrance’.

Though most elves do not sleep nor dream, they are certainly capable of doing so though those who prefer sleep tend to be very eccentric individuals. This is because while a trance is a far more controlled, conscious process, sleeping exposes the individual to their subconscious, intrinsic thoughts. For an elven soul with not just one life and one mind but instead, the experience of many lives that span for collective millennia, dreams are chaotic, within which an elf could experience the thoughts of not just themselves but their countless past selves as well. A dream for an elf is not typically a pleasant experience, and as trancing is also an ingrained and spiritual part of their culture, elves are conditioned at a young age to be averse to sleep.

Similarly to trancing, an elf’s dream is also dependent on their age and how solid their grasp is on their mortal body. A young elf’s dream is unbridled and cacophonous, and with their immature mind and lack of experience, their ego is very easily overwhelmed. As a result, it is not just unpleasant but dangerous for a young elf to dream. Dreams for a post-adolescent elf are less chaotic and will eventually progress to a stage where an elf’s dream is not too dissimilar to a human’s dream. However, by this point, the process of trancing has become second nature for every elf which is why elves who prefer sleep are extremely rare. And just like trances, as an elf approaches their final years, their dreams start to ramp up in intensity once again.

The time-based qualities of an elven trance/dream are not the only means by which an elf may glimpse into their past lives as specific, traumatic incidences are also said to be capable of triggering a remembrance. There are also secret rituals known to a select few cults of elves that when performed, can increase the probability or intensity of a remembrance. Some individuals, dubbed ‘transcendents’, possess an extremely expressive soul, and are capable of reviewing and reliving these experiences from their past lives at their leisure as if they were a natural extension of their memory. These transcendents naturally become very wise, spiritual and introspective individuals that often turn to the life of hermitage or general seclusion uninterested in the drivels of mundane life.

#### Soul Dilemma

A major point of contention among academic circles in Elyrion is based on the topic of the soul with regard to the newest race of elves on the isles, the Mivari. It is mostly unknown what a soul of a half-elf looks like and whether or not it is linked to the blood as some half-elves have more human blood and some have more elf blood.

The most popular theory is that the soul of a half-elf is a conjoined soul reflecting their blood; this theory is especially favoured among anti-Mivari communities who see this as an affront to elven purity that is debasing their very souls. There cannot be two souls in one body, so this theory argues that when a half-elf is born, it breaks apart an elf soul in the Grey, forever condemning the two portions of that soul to the fate of a half-elf, never able to be born an elf again. Naturally, this theory is a very controversial one that has brought a major divide in elven society. More traditionally staunch elves view the half-elves as abominations that are quite literally killing elven souls. On the other hand, more open-minded elves view this in a different light - a testament to the true continuity of elven souls and that this new soul is simply another form in which an elf’s soul may take form.

A far more niche theory and largely disfavoured theory instead rests on the concept that a soul is a fundamental and discrete thing that cannot be split and mixed. Though this is an incomplete theory that is not perfectly correct, it is far closer to the truth than the other theory. Indeed, within the body of a half-elf does not lie an amalgamated soul of an elf and a human but instead either the soul of an elf or a human. The unknown reality is that the great majority of half-elves actually possess human souls within them, and this would be extremely easy to discover through soulsight, however, as it is such an incredibly rare and difficult-to-obtain ability, none have come across this revelation yet, at least not publicly. While the body of a half-elf is capable of containing both human and elf souls, as the former is far more numerous, most half-elf bodies are filled with human souls simply by basic probability.

## Subraces

### High Elves

The High Elves, known in their native tongue as the Ellari, comprise the better half of the civilised, settled people of the isles. They have a highly organised and codified society and culture to which they adhere diligently. Do not mistake this attribute for a societal preference for communalism, however, as the Ellari, like all elves, value individualism and freedom immensely. Over many millennia, they have come to organise themselves largely in city-states which, in the past, have banded together owing general allegiance to a High King who is elected by the Sovereign Council, a committee composed of the margraves and magistrates of all the city-states.

#### Society

##### A Rich Culture

The Ellari are an extremely prideful and arrogant group of people. Most High Elves strongly believe in the superiority of their highly organised society which has granted them the liberty to develop one of the most vibrant, though by some measures, rigid cultures.

Music is often dominated by elitist and extremely competitive musicians, conductors and composers wherein entry to any conservatorium is often barred by many decades if not a century of complete and utter dedication to the arts. Because of this, while most would be in awe at the complete and utter perfection of an Ellari orchestra, some critics would argue that it can often feel a bit soulless - music played without a single error in timing or pitch as it was intended from a composition that took many decades to perfect.

The same can be seen for fine arts, writing and pretty much any form of artistic expression, the world of Ellari culture is one of immense scrutiny at even the smallest flaws, dominated by a very conservative, strict and narcissistic paradigm where perfection is only the beginning. Indeed, competition is one of the cornerstones of Ellari culture which also extends to matters of business and organisation.

Ellari citizens generally prefer wearing robes, each of which is custom-tailored to the individual. While some elves may prefer short, loose sleeves, others may prefer tighter and longer sleeves. Fashion is a big deal in Ellari culture as it is seen as a symbolisation of an elf’s tastefulness. Ornate embellishments are commonplace in these robes and are even a symbol of status in and of itself, however, there is much more to it than just who has the most adornments on their clothing.

##### Separation of Power

In most Ellari cities, the control of the central authority is very weak as they are only expected to perform the bare necessities that are required to keep a large organised settlement running which primarily comes down to infrastructure management and defence. These two jobs are spearheaded by two people, the magistrate and the margrave, both being elected positions that are chosen from the Upper-Circle, a societal caste made up of the leaders of established businesses, guilds or colleges from the city. The magistrate is the judicial head of the city and is responsible for civil management while the margrave is the executive head of the city and is expected to maintain military standards in case of an invasion. The two are intended to be a counterweight for each other in the event that a particularly despotic elf managed to be elected into such a powerful position.

In the past, there was also a figurehead of a city state, a so-called king which is a title that entails very different powers and responsibilities that people from the continent are used to. The king is less the head of the city but moreso a diplomat that is sent to Aelinel to join the royal court representing the city’s interests. Their powers are dependent on being the link between the High King’s authority and the city-state’s interests so despite not having any executive power, it is still an immensely influential and respected occupation.

##### Twilight

Many qualities that Ellari society displays can only be pursued because of their culture and long lifespans. Such strict standards for essentially everything in society are only acceptable due to their long lifespans which they optimise far more efficiently than their Sylvari cousins. For an Ellari, hard work is a virtue; the only real gratification or respect an elf deserves comes from their ability to demonstrate results. Due to this, there is a lot of pressure for all individuals to perform, which has caused a societal regression towards a more free-form style of living. Many young elves need direction and more motivation to reach for the ever-increasing standards of tradition and leave their homes, often joining a wood-elf host. The older generation of elves has slowed down and in some cases even stopped being productive in general as they wallow in the long-past accomplishments of both themselves and their past.

The High Elves of the Emerald Isles have a strong foundation and the greatest amount of knowledge of any mortal race in all of Perion but have long since passed their prime and have been on a seemingly ineluctable decay to irrelevance over the last millennium.

#### Appearance

The Ellarin are most generally fair-skinned, light-haired people. Their hair ranges from white to golden blonde while their eyes are typically dark blue, grey or violet. They are typically paler than their wood-dwelling cousins but not so much as the Ilyvari. Despite their name, the high elves are on average the shortest of all the elves on the isles.

#### Demographics

The Ellari are found almost entirely within the safety of their cities, most of which are located within the Heartlands and Midlands region, the latter of which they share largely with the Mivari. There are a great deal of smaller villages and hamlets sprawling throughout heart of Elyrion wherein the majority of Ellari live though compared to the humans of Perion, even the high elves seem rural in comparison. In the continent, high elves are fairly uncommon, particularly out on the road.

### Wood Elves

Wood Elves, known as Sylvari in Elvish, are the most widespread subrace of elves and what most continental people think of when the word elf comes to mind. Unique among the elves in that they still inhabit Perion in significant numbers, the Sylvari are adept hunters, preservers of the natural order and masters of primal magic. Living in tribes and hosts, on Perion, they are far more nomadic than their cousins and rarely stay in one place for long, preferring to live a hunter-gatherer lifestyle and only establishing sparsely populated settlements as resting and resupply spots. On Elyrion, they are a mostly settled people inhabiting the dense forests of the isles with a vibrant culture and community.

#### Society

##### Ritualistic Festivities

Intricate celebrations, festivals and rituals are all commonplace in Sylvari society and are nexuses for bonding. Honouring, gods, ancestors and nature alike, wood elves share strong beliefs and faiths which unite them together despite their scattered demographics. Consequently, Sylvari are typically enthusiastic upon meeting another elf and are eager to exchange pleasantries which is atypical of what their cousins would do. While a high or snow elf may prefer to stick to the sides in a lively tavern, one can expect a wood elf to join in the revelry.

##### Scattered and Decentralised

Moreso than any other elves, Sylvari are extremely decentralised and do not possess dense settlements that their cousins do. Instead, they are found in smaller villages, tribes and communities just about anywhere forests are. Unlike their cousins, they are widespread on the mainland and have become the representative for their kind in the eyes of continental folk.

Their partial estrangement from Elyrion has resulted in a split between the two groups of Sylvari, that of islander elves and continental elves. While the former have far greater contact with others of their kind and exist in more densely packed, hierarchical communities, the complete isolation of continental elves has resulted in immense disorganisation. Continental Sylvari essentially exist in their own separate communities with differing customs and beliefs and while they are seldom different enough to cause conflict, it is cause enough for distrust.

##### Hunter Gatherers

Lacking customs involving advanced metallurgy and agriculture, Sylvari rely on time tested hunting, gathering and crafting to sustain their livelihoods. They do not create metal armour as their brethren do, instead using leather or scales to create lighter, more manoeuvrable equipment that lends itself to their nomadic lifestyles. The most advanced smiths they possess only serve to create blades and civilian products in limited quantities as they rely on trading to obtain metal, lacking mines of their own. Though their technology may lack in comparison to their cousins, their artisanship does not as they create some of the finest woodworks in all of Perion. A Sylvari bow is deceptively advanced, intricate and made with extreme attention to detail, as are their trinkets, baubles and clothing.

#### Appearance

Wood elves generally have darker, somewhat copper skin and are noticeably taller than high elves. Their hair tend to be of a darker hue, with light brown, red or dirty blonde. Likewise, so do their eyes have a darker pigmentation, commonly as brown and hazel though light blue and green is not rare either.

#### Demographics

Sylvari are the most populous of all the elves, having a large presence in both Elyrion and particularly Perion. They can be found just about anywhere in the continent with more cosmopolitan types traveling in small groups. They are expert trackers and deft marksmen which makes them popular among adventuring parties where they are also commonly found. In Elyrion, they largely inhabit the north-western section of the island.

### Snow Elves

Snow Elves, called Ilyvari in the Elvish tongue, are the extremely aloof, martial and unsympathetic peoples of northern Elyrion. Often dubbed Dark Elves due to their characteristic ebony building material and metal, they are fierce duelists, expert seafarers and feared raiders who operate under the law of the jungle.

#### Society

##### Nemesis

In a state of constant, self-fulfilling warfare to haul back labour to fuel their dark, slave-sustained economy, the Snow Elves are a long-term nemesis of the Ellari with whom they regularly have skirmishes. The only factor preventing full-blown war between the two peoples is their circumstances; the Ellari are disunified and incapable of sustaining a long-term war while for the Ilyvari, their hold over their people is tenuous at best and committing to a full-scale war would likely result in the collapse of their entire society. Thus, the two exist in a tenuous truce, neither able to make any attempts at bringing the other to heel.

Their status on the island as a distinct race of elves is still under contention by many as by some definitions, they are essentially Ellari with very radical ideals. Split off from their cousins several millennia ago during the Restoration War, the Dark Elves value competitiveness in all aspects of their society.

Seemingly cruel on the surface, the Ilyvari do not bear any inherent malice towards their enemies. For these elves, happiness and joy are not given but earnt, and only the worthy obtain what they want. Much like their cousins from the Heartlands, they tend to be arrogant; perhaps even more so as their whimsical desires shape their actions which will not be limited by mere consequences or threats of the law.

An Ilyvari takes what they want, when they want it and in whichever manner they pleased and to be denied that right is a slight against them. This often entailed a straightforward approach as most Ilyvari care little about subtlety or consequences, however, contrary to common beliefs, violence is not typically the first option for them. A fight for a dark elf is one to the death, and to sully such a sacred ritual for such a minor action as taking what is theirs is excessive and unnecessary.

##### A Warrior People

The Dark Elves glorify battle and adhere strictly to their own unique form of chivalry. More than any other elves in the isles, they value their martial prowess as for many Ilyvari, it is their way of life. A common saying among the Dark Elves is, “Once a blade is unsheathed, blood must be spilled” and they do not mean it lightly. Combat for an Ilyvari is a mortal commitment, a matter of life or death, which is why it is often a last resort in disputes. Since they glorify combat so much, the Dark Elves absolutely disdain any type of unannounced murder. Do not take this to mean that they are straightforward in combat, however - once a battle has been officially declared, most Ilyvari are willing to take any measures to win it, regardless of whether or not they are underhanded.

Perhaps another oddity to their culture that their definition of honour is very different to common definitions. Slavery, slaughter and plundering are not seen as dishonourable or wrong by the average Ilyvari, however, complete withdrawal from combat is viewed as an absolute sin. The closest a dark elf would come to such an act would be a retreat, but even then, they would still continue to hunt their opponent as long as they lived - the only acceptable outcomes are death or victory. Honour for a snow elf rests upon commitment: the will to commit to duels and to promises. Those known as liars or cowards in their society as ostracised, villified and often hunted down.

##### Order from Chaos

Viewed disfavourably by all of their cousins who have speculated that their utterly dysfunctional and disorganised society has rendered them unable to consolidate any meaningful offensive to take over the isles, the truth is rather quite different. Contrary to what their outward appearance implies, the Ilyvari are essentially unified politically at the top and have been for quite some time, by a group known as the Triumvirate. This coalition of the three most powerful elves in their society works together to maintain a tight leash over the people.

Similarly, the legions of the Ilyvari are also very hierarchical and adhere to a strict order in stark contrast to the lawless streets of Yvrex. It is perhaps in this distinction of order and chaos that the true upper and lower classes of Ilyvari are defined in that stability is only a luxury the strong can have and the weak must struggle in the chaotic, lawless streets to attain any semblance of security.

In a way, the Ilyvari are a twisted, reactionary force that places the worst, most instinctive nature of elves - their fey like fickleness, cruelty and indifference - as the defining feature of their culture. It is because of this that causes them to view the Ellari as anti-traditional traitors who have betrayed the ways of their ancestors and natural order which had led them to ruin. On the flipside, so too do the high elves view their southern cousins as backwards, barbaric and savage.

#### Appearance

A Ilyvari elf is usually easily distinguished from all of the other elves on the isles due to their characteristic dark hair which can range from dark brown to black in addition to their very fair skin. Their irises most commonly come in amber, dark blue or brown.

The dark elves tend to be taller and better built than their Sylvari and Ellari cousins, not to mention that their martial culture lends their people to be more athletic. They are only beaten by half-elves in terms of natural height and weight, however, the average Ilyvari civilian is better built and more athletic.

#### Demographics

Snow elves are extremely urbanised and concentrated down in the southern peninsula of Elyrion where the majority of them reside in Yvrex, the City of Ice.

### Half Elves

Quite possibly the most controversial race of elves - if they can even be called such, the Mivari, as they are known in Elvish, are the result of generations of intermingling with humans from the continent. Unlike their status on the mainland as uncommon outcasts rejected by both elves and humans alike, the Mivari constitute a homogenous and large group on the Emerald Isles. Coalescing in the southeastern plains of the Emerald Isles, they have taken onboard the dynamic and adaptable nature of humankind and boast the most lively and innovative society in all of the isles.

#### Society

##### Tools over Weapons

Unlike the other inhabitants of the isles, the Mivari have an organised, full-time defence force and as a result, the average elf is not nearly as well versed in either arcane or martial arts. Instead, the half-elves place a far greater emphasis on productiveness and efficiency and while the average Mivari may not be as skilled at combat, they are skilled and self-sufficient workers and artisans who are knowledgeable in a wide breadth of crafts.

While the Sylvari teach their children how to fight with blade and bow, the Ellari with basic arcane cantrips and the Ilyvari with blades, magic and crossbows, the Ilyvari’s weapons are instead hammers and nails. Relying on their full-time defence force backed by the full force of their mighty economy, the highly productive half-elves outproduce all of their cousins by a noticeable margin. It is this style of organisation that makes them widely disliked as it is very similar to how humans organise their settlements.

##### Bridge Between Worlds

Taking much inspiration from the structures of human societies on the continent, the Mivari have many established institutions for dealing with external issues. A fully formed diplomatic corps in addition to an interior ministry gives the elves of Syngras a great advantage in political maneuvers and information gathering. As a consequence, the Mivari are situated in a unique position to be an arbitrating force on Elyrion, having extensive contacts in all corners of the isles. This is largely possible due to their unique mercantile culture wherein negotiation is considered a crucial skill be to adept in.

#### Appearance

Half-Elves generally take on the appearance of their elven ancestry in terms of elf-like traits. This would entail hair, eye and ears resembling either a high, wood or dark elf depending on their ancestry, however, the majority of Myvari trace their ancestry to the high elves and so most of them tend to resemble the Ellari in terms of appearances. However, due to their human blood, they are among the tallest and most robust elves on the isles and are capable of growing facial features. However, as the Mivaritake more of their cultural aspects from the elves, it is common for them to keep their facial hair in check.

There is also a general split in terms of the two Myvari-dominated cities, Syngras and Alrinath, and their surrounding villages. Due to the political and geographical locations of these two cities, half-elves from Syngras typically have more elven blood in them and so the features associated with that part of their bloodline manifest more clearly. It is often difficult to tell apart a Syngras Mivari and an Ellari, especially since they share many similarities in presentation and mannerisms. On the other hand, Alrinath Mivari are far more worldly in culture in addition to having more and prolonged contact with the continent. Their mannerisms and appearances lean more towards their human ancestry, and many of them prefer to keep their facial hair as a symbol of adulthood or are simply not as concerned with appearances as their brethren in Syngras.