History of Elves

This is a WIP

Elves as we know them today are much different than the Primarie Faerie (or First Fairies) Viethiel Vandrian created to fill the realm of change. We call that realm today the Feywild.

Magic was different before the Godswar and the Aether of Life was in all things. A tangible energy that could be seen, touched, tasted, it was in and around all things. The Weave did not yet exist and the unbound magic flowed. It is said the Feywild held, by far, the largest concentration of Aether. It shaped the realm, afforded rapid change and saturated the Feywild.

The Primarie Faeries were curious and explored their land. They found the Feywild was populated with all manner of creatures and plants. Time did not touch them and they learned, observed and explored all they could and became masters of the Feywild. Their tribe grew and was fruitful.

The First Faerie began to explore other realms and when they went to the forges of Jazzeak Anvilheart, they saw the Dhal'Kaduruth laboring.

These first dwarves refined and honed Aether and shaped it with words and runes of power into forged and crafted objects. Like themselves they made these objects rigid and strong. Crafting their Aether Runes into rod and staff, sword and shield.

The Primarie were curious and learned to craft from Jazzaek and his Chosen. Mastering this skill they returned to the Feywild and wove the Aether itself into useful clothes (another Dhal'kaduruth oddity). Clothing made of pure silken Aether, nearly invisible and indestructible, these 'Mantles' were endowed with magic for a specific purpose, each by its original user. Today being a Mantle Bearer offers prestige and Nobility within the Fey Realms.No one knows how many or what kind of mantles still exist today but the denizens of the Feywild seem to recognize them on sight and offer some form of acknowledgment or respect.

A time came when first tribe changed. They  began to become something different. Some preferred the day, the sun, its warmth and colors the life and the magic of the Summertime. Others began to prefer the peace and serenity of the night. The darkness and the stars, the Winter and the snows. The tribe split into two. Those that went to the warmth formed a Court of Dawn and named a King and Queen. They became one with their land, weaving Aether throughout it and many changed to be what they wished. Sprites, Pixies, Satyrs and many other Fey creatures were born at this time. The most traveled and industrious of their kind were changed by the magic of other realms and they are known today as Eladrin.

The Night Faeries moved to the lands of Cold and Twilight. More traveled and more industrious than their Dawn counterparts these Fey formed a Court within the Shadows. The most powerful were given providence and ruled for the benefit of all. The Court of Shadows was ruled by Ludomir Imbrium I and he formed the Noble Houses, he sent these Houses forth throughout his realm to conquer and tame it. The lands of Winter and Darkness were harsh and the creatures and plants grew deadly. These 'Shadow Fey' would make this realm into their image and sustain balance throughout. They built roads and castles, bastions and Courts and they grew in power. Overtime they resembled but became different from their Dawn cousins and many conflicts erupted. Their two societies changed and they rules of conduct were established for all the Feywild.

When the Gods War came both tribes were called to war. None were immune and the Eladrin and the Shadow Fey sent armies against each other and to the Prime Material Plane (the Crown Jewel of the Purpose), they clashed. When Peace was reached many of their tribes stayed. The Prime is a hub of all planes and all Aether. Those that stayed were changed forever.

Those Eladrin from the Court of Dawn formed their own Kingdom and gave the humans the gift of culture. These Eladrin became known as Elves and overtime began to change. High elves, wood elves, sun or grey, these people formed a great empire and lived on Clayth. Now separated and different than their Eladrin ancestors. At some point a tribe of Sun Elves broke away and travel East.

There they met Angels, a city of warriors who stayed behind in case the forces of darkness plotted. These Angels were militant and Spartan and the Elves took pity. They created them a city on the cliffs, high in the mountains so they could look down upon the world. They gave joy and music, laughter and kindness and the two tribes became one. The winged Elves were born and they took the name, Avariel.

Those that stayed gathered in song and sang to the land, bound to the pull of Aether they gathered around a vein and sprung forth the greatest trees to ever grace the land. Guards and wards to protect the lands longevity, these trees cleansed the land. They then named the land after themselves Sao Ennore, "The Land of the Eternals." At some point a great catastrophe befell the elves as the land withered away and transformed those that could not escape the calamity in time. Too this day it is known as the Ashe Waste, where a horrible visage twisted and changed, stands were the great elves once ruled. The last of the survivors barely managed to escape, their culture and titles broken a single ruling lord gathered his people and took the last great tree seeds with him south. They sought the comfort of the Feywild and fled towards the Weld. The lord planted the last of the great seeds and sprung forth Sili Thalore where the last of the great elves now live. Those not of the Lord's House, fled West and took ships to an unsettled land off the coast of Clayth. This group were lead by commoners, farmers, druids, hunters and those whose life took them away from the great forest city. They settled in the shadow of the Orc hordes, their long and ancient foes. Survival became paramount and they knew war. They called themselves the Ironleaf and have broken from their Sao Ennore traditions and formed a new elvish society.

The Shadow Fey who remained behind were driven underground, a place of darkness, and became known as the Drow. Vicious, cunning and evil they are rarely seen in the lands of the sun. Only raiding parties would come forth for supplies or slaves. They meet the men the Eldarin were teaching their ways and gave man the fear of darkness.

They delved deep into the caverns of the underdark form cities and made a life away from the Imbrium Courts. Some have returned to the surface and although rare, can be found wandering Vir'Exalon.

***Today:***

Elves today can be found throughout Vir'Exelon in all the major cities but they have two main civilizations. The larger and more traditional Sili Thalore and the smaller and more survivalist Ironleaf Elves. Kaiyara, the half elf city, also holds a large concentration of Elves rumored to be descendants of those refugees from the Sao Ennore fallout.