Elf

###  Overview

Elves have existed in Aeglion since the earliest days of its creation. They have always been described to be pure in their origin, having been supposedly sculpted by the Elder Beings before Deities were chosen for Aeglion. The first of the Deities were thought to have also originated from the souls of elves sent to Menione. Little is known or proven of the fact, apart from lore passed down from ages past. They had the initial goals of the Deities in mind but over the years, these intentions have been warped for the better or worse and a host of different types of elvish races now exist.

### Appearance

Generally taller than humans, elves possess a graceful, slender physique that is accentuated by their long, pointed ears. It is a mistake, however, to consider them weak or feeble, as the thin limbs of an elf can contain surprising power. Their eyes are wide and almond-shaped, and filled with large, vibrantly colored pupils. The coloration of elves as a whole varies wildly, and is much more diverse than that of human populations. However, as their coloration often matches their surroundings, the elves of a single community may appear quite similar. Forest-dwelling elves often have variations of green, brown, and tan in their hair, eye, and even skin tones.

While elven clothing often plays off the beauty of the natural world, those elves who live in cities tend to bedeck themselves in the latest fashions. Where city-dwelling elves encounter other urbanites, the elves are often fashion trendsetters.

### Personality

Elves love laughing and pulling pranks. They are quite impetuous, always seeking new experiences, sometimes to the detriment of their own well-being. Elves are prone to dismissing other races, writing them off as rash and impulsive, yet on an individual level, they are excellent judges of character. Some believe them to be thoughtless and callous, but this is not always the case; they value friendship highly, and make friends easily.

Most other races believe that elves are content to live out their lives in quiet contemplation in the same place they were born. Even though this is true for some, there are many others who naturally develop wanderlust and a wish to see the world and all of its differences

### Tribes/Clans/Subtypes

* **Prime Elves**: The Prime Elves were believed to be the first elves and mortals to inhabit Aeglion and supposedly even the first in the plane of existence known as Rhygon. They were believed to have been sculpted by the Elder Beings themselves, as per the writings of Chancellor Barzovel, who was a Prime Elf of much repute. Prime Elves were blessed with a myriad of gifts and abilities such that they might prove themselves, earning a place as a Deity upon death. The gifts possessed by the Prime Elves lay in their blood, being passed on for generations until the line of elves perish. One such ability was the Sight, known to the elves as the ‘Mher’. An elf using the Sight was able to focus on a path in front of them, allowing their vision to transcend distance and obstacles within reason. To some degree, they could even see through hardy walls, making them very sought after as spies and stalkers. There is little else known of the Prime Elves for they have all thought to have perished whether be by natural or unnatural causes.
* The elves that came after the Prime Elves were divided by belief, intent and location. Many believed this played a role in the "sub-races" of elves that exist currently in Aeglion. As per the teachings of Sho'risdal however, a part of the Prime Elves continue to exist in their progenies; in the generations that came afterwards, even if they were dubbed the "impure" versions of the Prime Elves.

### Society

Many elves feel a bond with nature and strive to live in harmony with the natural world. Although, like most, elves prefer bountiful lands where resources are plentiful, when driven to live in harsher climates, they work hard to protect and shepherd the region's bounty, and learn how to maximize the benefit they receive from what little can be harvested. When they can carve out a sustainable, reliable life in deserts and wastelands, they take pride as a society in the accomplishment. While this can make them excellent guides to outsiders they befriend who must travel through such lands, their disdain of those who have not learned to live off the scant land as they have makes such friends rare.

Elves are renowned for their beautiful artwork and crafts, and excel as tailors, herbalists, spice-traders, perfumers, artists, cartographers, and beauticians. Most elves who live in non-elven communities earn their living as artisans. They have an innate gift for craftsmanship and artistry, especially when working in wood, bone, ivory, or leather. Most, however, find manipulating earth and stone to be distasteful, and prefer to avoid forging, stonework, and pottery. When such work must be done within a community, a few elves may find themselves drawn to it, but regardless of their craftsmanship, such "dirt-wrights" are generally seen by other elves as being a bit off. In the most insular of elven societies, they may even be treated as lower class.

Elves also have an appreciation for the written word, magic, and painstaking research. Their naturally keen minds and senses, combined with their inborn patience, make them particularly suited to wizardry. Arcane research and accomplishment are seen as both practical goals, in line with being a soldier or architect, and artistic endeavors as great as poetry or sculpture. Within elven society, wizards are held in extremely high regard as masters of an art both powerful and aesthetically valued. Other spellcasters are not disdained, but do not gain the praise lavished upon elven wizards.

### Relations

In many cases an elf will come to value a specific member of another race, seeing that individual as deserving and respectable, while still dismissing the race as a whole. If called on this behavior, the elf often doesn't understand why his "special friend" is upset the elf has noticed the friend is "so much better than the rest of his kind." Even elves who see such prejudice for what it is must constantly watch themselves to prevent such views from coloring their thinking.

Elves are not foolish enough, however, to dismiss all aspects of other races and cultures. An elf might not want a dwarf neighbor, but would be the first to acknowledge dwarves' skill at smithing and their tenacity in facing ork threats. Elves are fascinated with humans, who seem to live in a few short years as full a life as an elf manages in centuries. In fact, many elves become infatuated with humans, as evidenced by the number of half-elves in the world. Elves have difficulty accepting crossbreeds of any sort, however, and usually disown such offspring.

They regard orks with distrust and suspicion, assuming them to be the elves' mortal enemies.

### Alignment

Elves are emotional and capricious, yet value kindness and beauty. Most elves wish all creatures to be safe and happy, but are unwilling to sacrifice personal freedom or choice to accomplish such goals, serving as an example of personal artistry and freedom of expressions, rather than seeking some base physical gratification.

### Notable Figures

* Chancellor Barzovel; Prime Elf scholar, mysticist

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