Elves

**Elves** are a group of sentient species belonging to the category of fey. While not part of what’s considered “*true fey*”, elves are nevertheless the most common type of fey in the world, and certainly the most influential of them besides the Faerie Lords themselves. Elves are spread all throughout the world, with the bulk of them centered on the Lands behind the Hedge and Scimitarian. Throughout the years, the elven nations have taken many different forms, and nowadays most elves live in either in self-ruled city-states or collective communities in nature, with the Witchelven Empire being the last major elven nation in Giantstep. This has caused their political power to wane considerably in the world, but their sway over matters such as art, philosophy, trade and crafts are still considerable.

## General Elven Characteristics

Elves are a humanoid species, with similar body proportions to humans, albeit leaner and taller. Their bodies are more flexible than humans are, but tend not to have the same level of muscle mass. They have a pair of arms that ends in slender hands, and in some groups is also somewhat common finding elves with six digits instead of five. Opinions are varied about this extra finger, some elves believe this is a sign of fortune while others think the complete opposite. They also have little to no body hair. Their hair strands, present only in the head, are made out of a substance different from human hair, since its shade can change a couple of tones when in direct sunlight. Elves do not sweat as a means of thermoregulation. Instead, their sweat is released during periods of tension of high adrenaline discharge. It is believed this is a vestigial function, since it does little but indicate to nearby onlookers that the elf is ready for action. Elves tend to have problems with regulating their temperature, and even though there are elven groups that can live in very harsh climates (such as the snow elves of Zemyland), the way they have developed to deal with the weather vary.

The elven senses are, in general, sharper than those of humans. Their sense of hearing is particularly noteworthy, as not only they can hear sounds coming from very long distances, they have the ability to filter noise, allowing to understand each other even while under chaotic circumstances. Their pointy ears can also move to better orientate themselves towards whatever sound they want to pick up. This heightened hearing has one big downside, since it makes them very sensible to very strong high pitch noises, making them lose focus and even causing dizziness. However, this rarely becomes a fully debilitating thing, since the level of high pitch needed to truly hurt elves is very rare in nature, though some battle wizards have developed spells to do just that. Their sense of sight is also very good, capable of picking up light better in the dark, with the drow being the most prominent example of this phenomenon. However, elves are particularly prone to hypermetropia, especially with age.

Elves are naturally long lived. In general, elves live around 300 years, with the eldest being able to naturally reach 500 years of age. This does vary between the different elven species, with the wood elves naturally having longer lifespans while the drow and especially the witchelven tend to have shorter lives (though in the case of the witchelven, their naturally violent lifestyle does take a part in this). The elven lifecycle follows the same patters as any other sexually reproducing species, with the notable exception of the wood elves, whose reproduction is unique among elves due to its tree-like nature. Elven pregnancy is a very long affair, around a year and a half of gestation before birth. However, the baby will grow at an astonishing speed, quickly becoming the human equivalent of a ten year old in about three years. However, once reached this stage, it will stay a child for around 20 years, and it will have a puberty period of 20 years as well, reaching sexual maturity around 40-50 years of age. Elven old age is similar to that of a human, though the signs of age on an elf are much more subtle than those on a human.

Like many fey, elves are predisposed to magic, usually that related to nature and life. Elven magic varies wildly due to the different contacts between the species of elves and the rest of the world. The most common form of magic between elves is druidic, obtaining mystical abilities through meditation and communion with nature and other magically gifted elves. Elven wizards can use their long lifespans to become skilled at the arts of sorcery, with plenty of elves having formed part of the Order of Most Practical Wizards’ Council of 1.000. Most elves, however, distrust most magical institutions, seeing them as a way to control and regulate something that needs freedom to bloom.

## Main Elven Species

### Wood Elves

**Wood elves**, also known as primal elves or true elves, are the oldest elven species in the world, with many experts arguing they are not elves but indeed a kind of dryad. They have a similar complexion to that of most elves, with a greenish skin that contains chlorophyll. This allows them to obtain energy from sunlight, but this process alone cannot sustain them fully, and they need to eat and drink to get the bulk of their energy. Their skin also tends to peel somewhat if deprived of water for too long, which can put the individual’s life into jeopardy. Wood elves are very bad at thermoregulation, only being able to live comfortably in areas of moderate temperatures and humidity. However, if there is a forest patch nearby, they are to synchronize their body metabolism to that of the forest, being able to adapt to the same conditions as the forest, though this can only go so far. This goes as far as changing colors during the seasons, and in some cases completely altering their hue to match with the predominant color of the forest. Wood elves have very measured movements, being able to stay near perfectly still during long periods of time, only to show great feats of speed and agility when the time is right, which makes wood elves superlative ambushers.

The most striking characteristic of wood elves is its reproductive system. Unlike the rest of elvenkind, wood elves males and females are nearly identical with each other, having a very muted sexual dimorphism. Once the coitus has been done, the female wood elf will incubate the fetus in a seed-like organ located in the lower part of their chest, which will grow for half a year. This seed-like organ will begin to move outwards the body of the wood elf, and once the conditions are ripe, she will extract it from the body. The wood elves then have to find an appropriate place to plant the seed in, as its growing process will take around three to four years to complete. Once the time is right, from the earth will come out a fully developed elf. While in this stage the neonate is born with part of the memories of the parent elves, its cognitive abilities and thought process are still underdeveloped due to lack of use during gestation. Anatomy-wise, the newborn is also very close to adulthood (their bodies resemble a shrunken adult rather than an infant, and their growth is mostly them reaching the adequate body proportions), but its actual sexual development won’t be ready for many more years, reaching full sexual maturity at around 50 years old.

Wood elves are particularly adept at living in forests. Their biology is tailored to survive with little food, and thus foraging across the woods is usually enough for them, complementing it with their chlorophyll. Wood elves are excellent climbers, particularly able to quickly reach the top of trees and hills, but they struggle once the temperature reaches below certain point. Outside of forests, wood elves struggle, with one of their most notable issues being their distaste for walking for long periods of time through non-wooden terrain. Wood elves form very well knitted societies, usually at the service of faerie lords, or following the eldest of the tribe. They are by far the most isolationist of the elven species, though usually limit their aggression to those willingly encroaching upon their territory. People lost within the woods are usually helped and oriented back to civilization, though shepherds and farmers will be scared away in the process, since wood elves have a particular distaste for agriculture or husbandry. Most wood elf colonies are found in the forests of Elfwood now, though at the height of the Western Elven Empire, they could be found in every forested area of the empire. Other areas where one can find wood elves are the forests of northern Scimitarian, like in the Sea Elven Domains, and in some of the nations of the Lands Behind the Hedge.

### Sea Elves

**Sea elves** are one of the many of species of elf living in the world of Giantstep. Unlike many of their kin, they have developed a fully amphibian way of life, something supported by their anatomy. They have a humanoid shape, with arms and legs longer and stronger than most elves. Their hands and feet are webbed, allowing them to swim much more efficiently, and they can retract back the extra skin once they are in the surface. They also have a small dorsal fin on their backs, around a palm in size, capable of being retracted. Their ears are much smaller than those of other elves, and are reinforced to resist the pressures of diving. To complement their hearing, their skin is highly sensible to vibrations, using a basic sense of echolocation to move around in the dark of the depths. This sense of echolocation is not as advance or precise as that of cetaceans, but it is enough to keep them well informed about their surroundings while swimming. The downside of this is the sea elves do not have the same excellent hearing that other elves do when they are on the surface, being roughly equivalent of that of a human. Sea Elves have a great sense of vision in low light environments, arguably coming from their drow ancesters. And while their ability to detect light in the darkness is not as good as the drows’, they aren’t as sensible to full sunlight as their elven cousins. Their skin is clear blue, able to protect the elves from the cold of the sea, though they are somewhat more vulnerable to colder temperatures outside of water. To compensate, sea elves spend a long time sunbathing to keep their bodies warm. Sea elves’ skin dries quickly, and without constant refreshment and moisture in the air, it can cause severe problems.

Sea elves spend most of the time underwater, both hunting and gathering resources from the bottom of the sea. However, it is important to point out that sea elves do not have gills, and thus cannot breathe underwater. They can last for many hours beneath the waves without issue, since their lung capacity and metabolism allows them to preserve oxygen very efficiently, but at some point they need to breathe again. The submersion time will be shorten if the sea elf in question practices activities of high physical activity, such as fast swimming, persistence hunting or fighting. Repeated consecutive submersions can cause severe health problems to the sea elves, and they need to rest near the shores before another full dive. The sea elves are not adverse to farming, though it is limited to what they can produce in waters near the shore. Algae and sea snail farming is very frequent, as it is an activity that needs little effort, though their fields need to be fully replanted if there’s ever a hurricane or a typhoon. They also produce certain types of sea wine, by either harvesting certain species of sea plants and fermenting them into wine, or buying grapes from inland and aging its wine in special barrels. This produces a wine of very unique taste, and it’s a highly profitable business for sea elves (the wine cannot enter in direct contact with sea water, since salt makes it unpalatable). Agriculture in the marshes is also frequent, in particular the production and harvesting of salt rice, used as both food source or to fatten certain species of fish.

Sea elves are believed to descend from drow. Some argue that the sea elves came from certain groups of drow who saw their underground holdings sunken by the sea, forcing them to spend more and more time underwater, only for them to find a connection to the sea. Their adoration of the sea-slug god Caijin then granted them the changes needed to survive underwater, eventually forming the way of life they know today. Similarly to the drow, they form large matriarchic communities with complex systems of ruling. However, the bulk of the population centers around the coasts, usually in the form of big towns or small cities. Sea elven cities tend to be expansive, growing wide and with buildings with low heigh, as they use heavy building materials for construction, needing to keep them from degrading due to the humidity. The sea elven populations inland are much rarer and less populated, but they do exist. They are generally near bodies of water like lakes or rivers, but sea elves can survive inland just as well, so long as there’s enough moisture in the air. Sea elves are somewhat xenophobic, highly distrusting others outside of elvenkind. However, that doesn’t stop them from trading with the outside world, and in the inland settlements, the non-sea elves can be the majority of the population.

### Snow Elves

**Snow elves**, or the “*Aine Saevherne*” as they call themselves, are a species of elves that lives in the continent of Zemyland. Snow elves are adapted to the harsh weather of the north, though the methods used to do so are not well understood. Snow elves are tall, frequently measuring above 2 meters tall, and they are somewhat bulkier than their elven cousins, which grants them an above average strength and endurance for elves, with the tradeoff being the loss of the speed and flexibility typical of other elves. This serves well enough, as their added bulk helps them generating and keeping body heat. Unlike most elves, snow elves are adept at thermoregulation in the cold, capable of surviving in near frozen climates with little clothes. Their skin is able to preserve most of their body heat and isolate the inner organs from the cold to an incredible degree. This ability has marked their culture, with nakedness not having the same taboo as in human society, though nowadays wear more clothes due to the growing influence of zemylander humans in the continent. They do encounter problems when in contact with warmer climates, as their ability to preserve body heat can make them overheat quickly. Snow elves are near universally albinos, with peerless white skin, white hair and light blue or yellow eyes, which can it harder for outsiders to identify different individuals. This also makes them constantly squint their eyes, as bright light can be annoying to them.

Unlike many elves, snow elves are not naturally adept at magic. Only a few individuals out of hundreds of thousands are able to actually develop any magic of worth. These individuals are known as "the *Pureborn*" and are highly appreciated in Aine Saevherne society, usually being brought to the royal court for service to the king. To compensate for this lack of magic, the Snow Elves have become excellent craftsmen, allowing them to create goods of superlative quality. Trade with the outsiders used to be rare, but the growing contact with the human kingdoms has made them more open to the idea of trade with the rest of the world. Snow elves practice hunting, fishing and husbandry as their main way of life, since agriculture in the harsh north is a rather unproductive task. The diet of the snow elves is near universally carnivorous, with very sparse eating of vegetables or fruits.

Snow Elves have developed a very complex society. Despite the damages caused by the arrival of the zemylanders, the Elder Kingdom of Aine Saevherne still stands as a powerful nation, having been able to maneuver its way into recovering most of its holdings lost during the war. Snow Elves are naturally predisposed to peace, using their long lives to the pursuit of enlightenment, intellectual or artistic development. That doesn’t mean the snow elves are not willing to fight, as the wars with the human nations have proven time and time again. The capital city of Mathair ná Cathraca is still the biggest city in the continent of Zemyland, with its rich architecture proving the peerless craft of the snow elves. Other cities of the Aine Saevherne are much smaller, and indeed most snow elves prefer to live in small towns in the wilderness, something that fits their hunting and herding activities better.

### Drow

The **drow** are one of the many species of elves in Giantstep, and nowadays they are the most numerous one out of all elvenkind. They are adapted to underground living, having been carving complex city complexes in the dark for millennia. Their skin is of a blueish grey hue, able to withstand both the cold, the heat and the humidity of the depths. It is also highly resistant to cuts, something important when moving through thin, jagged, rocky corridors. Their eyes are bigger than average for elves, and are highly sensible to light, with pupils that are also able to retract faster and deeper to sudden brightness. This makes them highly adaptable at any underground environment, capable of even tunneling near volcanic currents. However, once on the surface, they can falter a bit. While their skin is as useful above ground as below it, sunlight is able to strain their eyes further than any other source of natural light, and thus they prefer the shade whenever possible. This has also made commonplace the crafting of sunhats, turbans or other kinds of clothes that protect the eyes in those areas where drow live above ground. Drow are also highly resistant to oxygen depravation, something needed when toiling around the deepest parts of the underground. Their physical strength is below that of humans, but they have great reflexes, which synergize well with their developed senses. They are vulnerable to exhaustion, as many elves are prone to, and they need to watch out for the intensity of their work, least they hurt themselves.

Drow have a very conflictive social structure. While in theory they have a very rigid and hierarchical matriarchy, where power and status is clearly defined, in reality the drow are infamous for their constant quarrel and infighting. Drow aren’t naturally social to the extent of humans or elves (even the witchelven are more open to social bonds that the drow, though due to the witchelven’s self-destructing nature makes this a point of contention), and need a lot of teaching about how to live in harmony with others. This has made them vulnerable to more organized groups, such as other elves, humans and dwarves, who took a lot of drow slave labor in the past. It would not be until the famous uprising of Celia II when the drow became a power on their own, and even then, the constant infighting in the Second Elven Empire and the Drow Confederation made those nations fail. The smaller structures of the city-states fit their nature much better, and the city-states have even managed to become a very powerful economic power. The constant need for protection against each other has made them create a complex network of alliances and treaties, which keeps them all alert while at the same time prevents any major conflict from breaking out. Nowadays, drow are by far the most numerous species in Scimitarian, making it the only continent where a non-human species is the dominant one. They are also common in most of western Giantstep, their presence there usually tied to trade and other business.

Drow economy is highly developed, profiting from both the produce of the surface and the mineral wealth of the underground. The rich mines of Central Scimitarian provide plenty of gold, silver, diamonds, iron and other valuables, which they can use to trade. The empty caverns are also excellent for the growing and harvesting of mushroom farms and domestic pig worms. On the surface, they also practice regular agriculture and husbandry in those areas free of volcanic influence. A good chunk of all these activities are done by either the lower classes or slave labor, which is obtained by a variety of methods, from legal punishment, selling one’s child into servitude or piracy and abduction. The ways a slave is treated will vary from city-state to city-state, but most authorities will turn a blind eye for the right price.

### Witchelves

**Witchelves** are one of the many elven species in Giantstep. Witchelven are well known in the world for being one of the most dangerous groups in the world, with little friends outside of some of the most violent and depraved people in the world. This is because witchelven are naturally predisposed to harm and self-destructive behaviors. While at first it was believed to be a result of social upbringing, caused by the cutthroat nature of their lands, now it is known that, even when raised in completely different cultures, witchelven naturally tend to violence. Even species like ogres, trolls or gnoll have a reasonable cause for this behavior. Ogres and trolls are creatures with low intelligence and incredible body strength and resilience, thus violence is just another way to socialize. Gnoll live in a near constant state of alert and paranoia towards the rest of the world, and in cases when it has been taken away (like through necromancy) they have proven to have a level of intelligence and reason on par to humans. Witchelves have no such reasons. They seem to suffer universally from a form of psychopathy that makes them incapable of feeling anything but pleasure in the pain and misery of others. They are absolutely capable of perfectly understanding what they are doing when they commit such acts, comprehending the ramifications of their actions and the effects on others and on themselves. They just do not care and do it regardless, which has made them receive the title of “cursed elves”. However, they are also intelligent enough to rein their impulses enough to avoid a complete implosion of their society, which has somehow managed to stay as the biggest elven power in the world, growing bold and powerful enough to nearly bring the Azanese Empire to the brink of collapse.

Witchelven have a marked sexual dimorphism, with the females being much taller than the males, though they are on par in terms of physical strength. Female witchleven are in fact the tallest of all elvenkind, whereas male witchelven are the shortest. Their skin is an ivory white, but when in combat or under stress, they produce a pinkish sweat, similar to some species of hippopotamus. Witchelven are also not particularly strong, relying on their elven flexibility and reflexes to fight, seeking to intimidate their opponents and to end the fight in a quick bout rather than a prolonged confrontation, where their stamina would fail them. Witchelven also have a much shorter gestation span, around eight months, half of the usual gestation time for other elves. This is believed to be a defense mechanism, as being pregnant for a year and a half in a society as violent and twisted as the witchelven’s is a guarantee of death. Witchelven also tend to have twins, though both siblings surviving until adulthood is beyond rare. Maternal witchelven instincts are poor, especially towards the males, and the kids are frequently abandoned to fend for themselves once they reach a certain age. In fact, the mortality rates are so incredibly high in witchelven society that results in the shortest lifespans of all elvenkind as a result, with most witchelves having lives of similar lengths to humans, and only the high nobles reaching the 300 years of age. Supposedly, the witchelven manage to keep their population from collapsing through many means, some of which are part of their dark secrets.

For all of their love of pain and bloodlust, witchelven have no wish to die, and they are smart enough to keep themselves from harm’s way if they think they may end up dead. This makes witchelven society one based on a mix of might makes right and subjugation, where the weaker members of society submit to the stronger ones in search of protection against the rest. Betrayal and backstabbing is the norm, and thus witchelven have to always be on alert to not end up with their throat cut during the night. Fights between witchelven are rarely direct, preferring to kill from afar or by stabbing their opponents in the back. This has developed into a war doctrine based on hit and run tactics, quick assaults to unprotected positions, raids and sabotage during the night, always on the move and avoiding any direct confrontation at all costs. This makes them excellent raiders, something they do frequently to obtain slaves to actually work their lands and do their chores. Slaves can expect to find themselves in hell if they ever are found wanting, and many recently captured slaves prefer committing suicide before staying as slaves, knowing the fate they might suffer under their new masters.

The witchelven have deep ties with dark magic, with demon cults and sacrificial rituals being commonplace in the empire. Their dark nature became even worse once the Prophet-Empress Morwenna took power and created the Witchelven Empire. The results of this are the different succubus breaches, all appearing around the empire, destined to seemingly drag the entire nation into hell due to their depravity and lust for evil.

### Moon Elves

The **Moon Elves**, also known as the Ta’lunasir, are one of the many elven species in Giantstep. The moon elves are used to a nomadic lifestyle, having been moving all around all eastern and southern Giatstep for millennia, though the birth of the Gnoll Empire forced them to limit their movements to the south. Ta’lunasir have pale skin, with frequent freckles all around. Their hair is coal black, and they usually have it braided in complex patterns, said to represent stars. The Ta’lunasir are used to long voyages, either in caravans or just walking having the best stamina and resilience out of all elvenkind. This allows them to practice activities like agriculture with little issue. They do prefer warmer climates, though they aren’t unused to colder periods, manufacturing complex clothing to protect themselves from the lower temperatures. Unusually, their eyes are of a deep crimson red, which can be somewhat intimidating for those who haven’t seen moon elves before, though their cordial attitude tend to make this initial fear quickly disappear.

Ta’lunasir’s magical affinity is much lower than that of most elves. Instead, the moon elves naturally tend towards astromancy, frequently following astromantic cults and customs. Moon elves also tend to move around the step following the movements of the astral bodies, studying and interpreting the meaning of the constellations. They tend to cultivate great relations with all astromantic organizations they find, though their approach is less scientific and much more religious, practicing a great deal of rituals of appraisal of the celestial bodies and the constellations. Indeed, some moon elves believe that the freckles on their face are just constellations either long gone or that have not yet appeared. The temples of the moon elves are usually small, due to the wandering nature of their makers, and also double as astromantic observatories and places of philosophical debate. Ta’lunisar are also highly superstitious, with many customs related to good or bad look, like keeping the shrines of benevolent gods in good condition despite not actively worshiping them.

Ta’lunasir have lived a nomadic life for millennia, travelling in familiar groups following certain stellar patterns or a pre-established route. They tended to establish themselves on a place and partake in the local community in any way they could. After a while, they would pack up and move again, in a seemingly never-ending cycle. Local populations usually welcome the moon elves, since they usually arrive during periods of high workload, either in the fields or during fairs. Their modest nature and hard work ethics make them perfect for seasonal jobs, and once their astromantic business is done, they will pack up and leave without causing a fuzz, returning after a year or two to repeat the process again. Ta’lunisar also tend to keep to themselves, avoiding getting into local politics unless it is about something that affects them directly. This way of life has been altered by the appearance of the Forest of Getting Lost and the Gnoll Empire, which have cut them fro accessing most of their old travelling routes, limiting them to a much smaller area. The creation of the Moonlight Shores has also caused quite a change in the lifestyle of the moon elves, beginning more and more to settle permanently in the area, though many are still wandering nomads.

### Horned elves

**Horned elves**, also known as pale elves, are one of the many elven species in Giantstep, and by far the rarest and most elusive of them all. Instead of being predominant on a singular area of the world, the horned elves are scattered all over the step, usually near the center of power of the Faerie Lords. They are by far the least numerous of them all, to the point that many believe horned elves have been on the brink of extinction for centuries now. They rarely appear anywhere where the commoners gather, instead keeping to themselves. Their services to the faerie lords garner them a lot of power and influence wherever they are, and this allows them to create an aura of mystery and intimidation around them. They barely talk when in public, always showing very controlled and dignified movements, to the point that they tend to unnerve eyewitnesses. Their eyes are black, with yellow irises and no distinguishable pupil (though they do have it, it is the same color as the iris, and thus most people think they do not have pupils). This, combined with their apparent lack of need to blink, makes them have a very unsettling stare. Adding to this, their sclera also shines in the dark. While their skin is not as pale as, for example, the witchelven, they completely lack any tarnishing element. They do not sweat, nor do they develop moles, freckles or any other kind of spot. Their skin heals to such an extent that they are unable to have scars, with only magical wounds having the chance of leaving one. However, while their skin heals to such an extent, this does not apply to the body underneath, and a horned elf looking perfectly healthy might actually be grievously wounded, with the skin having hidden the wound while not having actually healed from it.

The most famous characteristic of the horned elves are their horns. All horned elves have a pair of horns to the side of their heads, with the shape and size of it varying depending on the location. Both males and females begin growing their horns once they reach puberty, and they stop growing once they reach full adulthood. Male horned elves’ horns tend to be bigger than the females’. To avoid getting their hair stuck on their horns, they will have hairstyles much shorter, though they will still decorate their hair with braids or ornamentations. Due to their high societal status, they often decorate their horns, covering the tips of their horns with gold or silver to prove their worth. Losing a horn on an accident or during a battle is a great disgrace for them, and many have been known to commit ritualistic suicide to cover up their shame. Once a horned elf reaches old age, they will begin to grow a small goatee, something unheard of in elvenkind, as they do not have facial hair. These elders are usually male, with bearded females being extraordinarily rare. They are considered the leaders of the horned elves, and are usually the personal assistants and confidents of the faerie lords, granting them immense power within society.

Horned elves rarely display emotions. While many can attest they do have them, they are incapable of feeling them in the same way as other sentient creatures. Thus, they tend to have a more logical and calculating behavior. This is combined with their sense of superiority caused by their proximity to the faerie lords to see all others as beneath them. They do not feel pity or remorse towards anyone who’s not another horned elf or a faerie lord, not even towards other elves. Their expressions of contempt are loud and clear, even if they keep their blank and unreadable expression. This has many believe they are closely related to the witchelves, due to their altered behavior in relation to feelings and empathy.