Elves

## History

The first modern elves branched of humans about 54,000 years ago on the continent of Tarus. They quickly spread over the continent into many different biomes and habitats. Elves aren't as resistant to extreme climates as humans but they evolved in a way to still be able to sustain in harsh conditions. This is where the first split came into 3 branches: *Talaris Elves, Galadis Elves and Mandoae Elves*.

The *Talaris Elves* were those that lived in colder and harsher climates developing a better resistance to weather and disease than the others. The *Mandoae* lived in denser regions such as forests developing a closer bond with their surroundings and the nature in general. while the *Galadis Elves* lived in the warmer regions of Tarus they could develop their culture better. Then in 12,600 BC the Portal started to leak a mysterious energy from another realm called Magic. This magic changed many species physically and mentally. This also happened with the elves.

The *Talaris Elves, Galadis Elves and Mandoae Elves* would be effected by the magic and would be known, respectively, as: *Silver Elves, Golden Elves and Emerald Elves*. As the elves races continued to spread and evolve they started to dominate the Tarusian landscape with cities, use many animals for their needs and subdue other races. Elven dominance over the continent was clear.

The *Silver Elves* would split in the *Moon Elves* and the *Northern Elves*. The Northern Elves lived in Northern parts of Tarus such as modern day Nutania, Ociliand, Escana, Sylvinthia, Malinthand, Arontica and Zenorene. While the Moon Elves lived in Golithia, Dindar and Kechi with the most notable difference being the skin. A northern elf had dark blue or dark purple skin while the moon elves had a normal light skin. The *Golden Elves* split into *Sun Elves* and *High Elves*. The Sun Elves continued to live in their homeland advancing their magical skills and culture while the high elves traveled to Preacan, the old continent that got destroyed after the failing of the Portal. They started to conquer other lands and entire continents making them the biggest empire the world has ever seen. And while the high elves were conquering the world the *Emerald Elves* continued to spread over the rest of Tarus and the conecting continents of Estavar and Ozuin. They would split up into 2 groups: The *Free Elves*, which roamed over all lands establishing a more nomadic civilization, and the *Dryads* who were known for their strong nature bound magical abilities. They would become very powerful healers and druids.

The portal started to get overloaded with the amount of magical energy constantly surging through it that it ultimately failed and lost the connection to the realm that provided this world with the high amount of magic. Luckily the surge of magical energy lasted for almost 5,000 years, long enough to enrich the atmosphere with the energy. But still the energy levels dropped severely which was followed by a series of events that started to demise of the elven race. Due to the lack of magic, on which the High Elves relied on, their empire started to crumble. Many other races took over their many lost lands only leaving behind the *New World Elves* a new subspecies. The High elves that lived on their home continent of Tarus were now known as *Sea Elves* the elves on the continent of Preacan would remain *High Elves.* But as the much in the world had started to rely on the magical energy, the portal too had become used to the high amounts of magical energy. The magical energy helped greatly in blocking the dark energies from other realms but with this defense gone the dark energy was free to decimate the continent of Praecan completely changing its topography and killing all of the live forms effectively putting an end to the High Elves race.

The other races also started to become sick due to the lack of magic splitting the races up once again. The lack of magic and the increase of dark energy corrupted many elven subspecies. Such as the Northern Elves who were split up in *Ice Elves,* who lived isolated way up north, and *Dark elves* who live in former Northern elf territory. The Dark elves were corrupted and would soon become one of the major Dark Races that would fight in the Second Age. The Sun Elves were always very skilled with their magic but once the dark energy affected them many received the 'gift' of Blood Magic. These blood mages wreaked havoc on the population to a point where the Heartland Kingdoms decided to forbid magic outside of the official institutions such as schools and medical centers where it could be controlled. The free elves also split up according to their habitat. The elves that lived in the Ozuini deserts would be named *Sand Elves*, those that lived on the plains of modern day Addestan and Ardenia the *Steppe Elves*, the elves living in the dense and magical woods of Greater Calen-Taur the *Wood Elves* and lastly the elves living in the Southern Badlands the *Badland Elves.* The latter would ultimately become the *Orks* which in their turn would become corrupted and be named, *Orqus.* The Free elves also got corrupted and became the *Wild Elves,* which were frenzied and were not able to think anymore and only had their primal instincts in them.

## Known Subspecies

† Extinct - c Corrupted

* H. A. Primum (First Elves) †
	+ H.A. Talaris †
		- H.A. Argent (Silver Elves) †
			* H.A. Lunae (Moon Elves)†
			* H.A. Septentrio (Northern Elves)†
				+ H.A. Glacies (Ice Elves)†
				+ H.A. Obscura (Dark Elves)†c
					- H.A. Succo (Vampires)†c
	+ H.A. Galadis†
		- H.A. Aurum (Golden Elves)†
			* H.A. Solis (Sun Elves)†
				+ H.A. Intima (Heartland Elves)†
			* H.A. Altae (High Elves)†
				+ H.A. Mare (Sea Elves)
				+ H.A. Novae Terrae (New World Elves)
	+ H.A. Mandoae†
		- H.A. Smaragdus (Emerald Elves)†
			* H.A. Liber (Free Elves)†
				+ H.A. Silva (Wood Elves)
				+ H.A. Ferus (Wild Elves)†c
				+ H.A. Erratio (Roaming Elves)†
					- H.A. Emensae (Badland Elves)†
						* H.A. Magnus (Orks)†
							+ H.A. Orqae (Orqu's)†c
					- H.A. Subulo (Sand Elves)†
					- H.A. Campus (Steppe Elves)†
			* H.A. Dryadus (Dryads)†
				+ H.A. Faeus (Fae's)†
				+ H.A. Alatus (Fairies)†

## Physical Characteristics

Elves are humanoid, sentient, bipodal creatures. Looking at them from the outside one wouldn't notice a lot of differences except for their pointed ears and generally being fairer than any other race. They are generally taller than humans with an average height of 1.90 m. Elves are also more lean than humans and as a result don't have as much muscle mass, this makes them lighter and not as strong as other races but they compensate by being very agile and fast with an average weight of 60 kg. They also easily outlive humans with an average lifespan of 475 years and even up to 1,000 years. Elves also have much sharper senses making them hear and see farther than other races. They are also extremely light footed and are also ambidextrous. Elves are completely resistant to diseases but they are not as resistant to different climates as humans.

Elves do also have many subraces all with slightly other characteristics. Some notable examples are sun elves, moon elves, dark elves, wood elves, sea elves and sand elves. They have variations in primary habitat and their type of magic. Because of the advanced sensitivity of elven magic they are able to control it better. Elves usually have a great connection to their environment allowing them to control it and many creatures within.

Elves also have something called ‘communion’ allowing them to share their experiences, their feelings, and their lives with those elves they love or trust implicitly. This sharing can only be undertaken by fully willing elves. It does not work with half-elves, nor does it function when one of those participating has even the slightest reservation. Communion requires all elves involved to be in a state of total relaxation

## Habitat

Elves like to live in a temperate climate and depending on the subrace an elf can also find comfort in other biomes. Although most elves are dead, small populations still exist. There are about 100,000 wood elves still living in Calen-Taur, 150,000 Sea Elves living in Drigean and 23,000 New World Elves in Yilanyth.

## Diet

Elves are omnivorous, capable of consuming a wide variety of plant and animal material varying with available food sources in regions of habitation.