Elves

- Archmage Duralin III

Silver

Pale Blue

Gold (Extremely rare)

**Elves (Eldoraí)**are one of the primary races of northern realms of Athelon and first made their presence known around Y3A-350 when they crossed The Abyss and settled in what is now known as Londar. It is widely believed that the elves are magical in nature, or at least have some understanding of magic that humans do not as they seem to have an uncanny ability to manipulate nature to their benefit as well as having healing abilities that far outweigh anything the humans know of. The elves are a reclusive and largely peaceful race of beings that spend much of their time nurturing the life around them, tending to their gardens and caring for their animals and are mostly uninterested in the goings-on of the outside world. Though that doesn't mean that they will easily forget any wrongdoings against them or their kin. Their grudges can often last for years and they can be a deadly force when the need arises.

## History

### **The Origin of the Elves.**

Over three thousand years ago, a large tribe of humans known as the Lumerians, suddenly and unexpectedly came into conflict with a warlike tribe of wandering gnolls that had been passing through. The gnolls, hungry for bloodlust and excitement saw the Lumerian people as a sport and descended upon them in a swarm of crude blades and teeth, hacking at anything that moved.

For weeks, the gnolls persisted in their attacks with wave after wave of tireless fighting, rotating out those that fought for fresh warriors and never letting the Lumerian people rest for more than a few hours at a time. The ravaging of the Lumerian people very nearly wiped them out completely, reducing them to a mere fraction of their former population. Somehow, the survivors escaped their besieged homes and fled north to the great ocean that we now call The Abyss. Where once there were over ten thousand Lumerian people, now only a few hundred remained. Backed up against the great black ocean and with no alternative, they built hundreds of boats and rafts with which to cross the vast expanse. With no idea what would be awaiting them or what dangers lay in their path, the Lumerians departed the mainland of Athelon and sailed into the unknown. This would be the last the Northern Realms knew of the Lumerian people.

Almost a month of aimless drifting passed before they finally encountered The Veil. By now, their foodstuffs were completely depleted and their numbers were so few that it wasn't certain what would happen even if they did make landfall, the fear of them dying out seemed to be a very real possibility. Just when all appeared to be lost and that there was no hope remaining to them, a great wall of mist rose from the depths, obscuring their vision to mere inches. A swirling vortex of wild magic assailed them in the gloom, ripping and shredding the wooden hulls of their boats. Somehow, most of them made it through The Veil and before them, rising out of the ocean, lay their salvation at last. The Isle of Elhaíg.

When the surviving Lumerians finally came to shore, they numbered less than two hundred.

Their numbers slowly began to increase on the island thanks to the sheer abundance of flora and fauna that covered the surface from end to end and though times were still difficult for a very long time, slowly but surely they built their new civilisation upon the fertile soil of their new home. Plants of sorts never before seen on the mainland flourished here in a tangle of wild blooms and blossoms, bursting with life. Fruits and berries of a thousand colours were ripe for the picking year-round and for the first time since their slaughter at the hands of the gnolls, the Lumerian people were truly hopeful of their future.

A short while after they began building their new homes, they noticed a strange force that enveloped the island. A static charge of energy that permeated the air and entwined itself within and around the wind. Wild magic was awash throughout the island and over time, the magic began to morph and change the physiology of the Lumerian people. It was barely perceptible at first but distinct all the same, at first simply reducing the frequency of ailments and sickness but later affecting their life spans, steadily increasing from the average age of fifty or sixty to sometimes reaching well into the two-hundreds. Their facial features also began to change, genetic deformities such as pointed ears and more angular eyebrows became more common among the colony and their jaws became narrowed, resulting in their distinctive pixie-like faces.

The more evident result of their physical changes was that their skin colour began to change its pigment and turn a pale turquoise-blue, almost as if cast in shadow. Their hair, once a bright golden, paled to an icy silver and their eyes sparkled with violet fire.

At some point, after they had firmly established their new home and first noticed the changes that were happening to them, the colony decided to abandon the name Lumeria as it only served to remind them of what had been lost and name themselves the Eldoraí, their word for 'new people'.

### **The Emergence of the Elves.**

After two thousand years of seclusion from the rest of the world, a group of elves finally decided to leave their home island in search of new places to explore. Having grown with and learned how to navigate The Veil, they could now pass through without incident and it wasn't long before they encountered the massive stretch of land that was spoken of in their ancient histories. A thousand times larger than their island, the land stretched on for an eternity. They named this new land Londaran Arin, in hope of what it would one day become; their distant home.

Just a few months after the elves first disembarked upon the mainland and had spread out to begin building their new homes, an elven tracker named Koren Waystrider happened upon an ancient stone fortress embedded within the higher reaches of the western side of the Highback Mountains. An impenetrable mountain stronghold that had survived thousands of years and would continue to survive thousands more. The perfect place to found a new order of elves. Over time, more elves came to the old fortress and before long, the foundations of a city were being built at the base of the mountain. Thus began the founding of the city of Hyvern and its ancient citadel that rose above it.

Two and a half hundred years later, a group of humans from Raelic, to the east, passed through the Albarond Mountains and encountered the elves for the first time.

### **Rejoining the Races.**

First-contact with the human race was a bloody affair. The elves had always suspected that there would be others like themselves as their histories had stated that they had originally come from the mainland and it made sense that there must surely be others still there, but what they hadn't accounted for was quite how much had changed between the two races.

In the twenty-two hundred years that had passed, their languages had completely diverged and now only barely resembled the language it had originated from, making communication near impossible. The humans, having never before encountered such creatures as these and battle-hardened from a lifetime of combat against the monsters and wild beasts that roamed the lands immediately saw the elves as hostile and launched into all-out combat. The Battle of the Rhun was the first time the elves had seen conflict in well over two thousand years and were not prepared for such hostilities. Though they fought valiantly, they had stood no real chance of winning and managed only to delay the intruding humans while they sent word back to Hyvern.

The invaders were eventually pushed back through the mountains, but the cost of so many expended lives had been steep and the elves realised that if they truly wished to live there, they were left with no choice but to change their peaceful ways. So named for the battle-cry of the humans, the Pass of Rhun became a strict no-entry zone for the elves and newly trained guards were posted at the entrance to the pass, barring entry and protecting their lands from the eastern people.

It was over a hundred years before the two races finally made peace with one another. The elves, seeing themselves as the technologically superior people and wanting to make peace with the humans, made an exerted effort to learn the human language in order to make communication easier and figuring that in all likelihood, there were more humans who spoke the human language than there were elves who spoke elvish and so would be altogether easier to have the few learn the more popular tongue than the other way around. Whether intentional or not, this began a trend of the Raelic language becoming known as the common tongue of the Northern Realms.

### **The Londaran War.**

*Main article: The Londaran War*

Almost five hundred years of relative peace between the elven and human kingdoms passed before the spark that led to what would later be known as The Londaran War occurred. Tensions regarding land disputes, usage of different currencies, the encroachment upon sacred grounds and the fear of the human population overtaking that of the elves had been steadily building for a long time and while issues were being resolved here and there, many of the people were often unsatisfied with how long it took and even more were displeased with the resulting verdicts. With an elven government, the humans were unsurprisingly discriminated against.

By the year Y3A-1125, small disputes were rapidly exploding into full-on feuds that often ended in severe and numerous casualties. Elves were subject to frequent, targeted assaults and the frequency of these feuds were near-daily occurrences.

When a young unnamed human boy accidentally shot and killed an elven girl in the streets of Hyvern, the spark finally caught and the city was engulfed in a bloody fight between the two races. Leading the humans, a man named Renoveld Borea marched through the streets and began the Hyvern Uprising.

By the time the battle had finally died down, the dead totalled 746. Over five hundred of whom were elves, including the High Priestess of Londar. Renoveld Borea climbed to the citadel and with the backing of his followers, claimed the seat of the High Priestess for himself and was declared King.

It took five years to build an elven army with which to retaliate, forging the Aurikh armour and weaponry that would be used and training the unskilled combatants in the way of war. After the five years had passed and the oaths of detachment were made, the Night Hunters began their attack.

The sudden arrival of a full-scale army bearing down on the humans without warning was too much and the elves swept through the countryside like a tidal force. Mercilessly, they razed every town and village they encountered. Coming out from the dead of night, the cries of fear and pain were amplified by the stillness of the outside world before they vanished back into the darkness, leaving behind nothing but ash and smouldering bone. Tales of the Night Hunters spread like the wildfire they left behind as fearful stories echoed across the land and in just a few weeks, half of the Lowlands had been burnt to cinders.

The humans scrambled to build some semblance of a defensive countermeasure and fought to hold Hyvern for as long as was possible. For six days the humans held the walls against the endless waves of attacks and for six days the elves kept the pressure on until finally, assassins managed to infiltrate the city and killed the royal family. When the bells tolled to signal their deaths, the defenders broke and the walls finally came down.

The humans abandoned the city to burn and fled north towards the mountains but the elven force was determined to kill them all and quickly followed after, cutting down any stragglers that were left behind. For ten days the humans ran until they reached an ancient fortress to make their final stand. It was dilapidated and crumbling in places but Mistward Keep was far more defendable than they had expected. Every able-bodied man and woman both stood atop the walls, prepared to fight to their last breath.

For half a day, the elves attacked, over and over they tried and failed to gain an advantage. But time was rapidly running short for the humans and the elves could feel that their victory was very nearly within grasp. Just as the sun was falling below the ridgeline of the mountains, an unidentified warhorn sounded in the distance and three hundred dwarves marched into the valley behind them. Equipped with their colossal machines of liquid fire, they swept the valley in a conflagration that clung to the walls and burned so hot that stone melted.

Within minutes, the elves were obliterated and the war was over.

### **Post-Londaran War.**

With news of the elven defeat and a new High Priestess in charge, the elves declared that they had no further wish for war and would unconditionally relinquish control of Londar to the humans. The cost of battle had ultimately been too high and the new High Priestess knew that even if the elves had reclaimed their fallen kingdom, it would only be a matter of time before history would repeat itself once more. In order to stop that from happening again, the elves retreated from any conversations with the humans and shut themselves away on the Isle of Elhaíg, becoming reclusive and highly secretive. Even now, over five hundred years later, very few elves ever journey out from their homeland.

Londar did however still have many small elven camps dotted throughout the landscape, for those that had survived the Hyvern Uprising and had not joined with the Night Hunters still held their grudges against the human race and persisted in their guerilla warfare for many years to follow, becoming bandits that preyed on weary travellers and merchants. Over time, their presence became just another part of life for the people of Londar to contend with. The Thar'dau.

## Culture

### **Song of the Eldoraí**

Though it's unknown where or when this song originated, many have speculated that it was first told over three thousand years ago when the Lumerian people abandoned their past and first chose to go by the name Eldoraí instead. Considering how old the text is, it's surprising that it's still a common song sung today, even with the eldoraí's exceptional lifespan. From what has been gathered, almost every eldoraí knows the words thanks to many of them being taught it from a very young age by their parents. This tradition has been a staple of education in the teaching of their origins.

#### **Eldoraín scripture**

*QŔdayd LŢmerĦ vŨl tilade*

*vŨlakir Ŵy fŨma hŢliin*

*Ōwin Ŵy kalavŌo trus mŔl*

*Axlin falo trus tiran glin*

*RŃĀ da ElhŴg vana eldorner*

*Ēekir vex Ŵy āŔQal vŌna*

*BoxmŔl tilade Ŵy fe da ĕŃ*

*MŔlagan lonmog feldŌna*

*Ilda rel Ŵy āŃd falo āŃSŃrn*

*Ēekven tiran fol tilade*

*SprynŹ balex trus axlex QŔa*

*Tirankir vel āŔn nalade*

*Ēo balŔlũ sefenil hyven*

*Wena fen da niĹ ilbarŴ*

*āŔ Ēex trus daāŔ maran Ŵy mŔl*

*Lonmog LŢmerĦ EldorŴ*

#### **Pronunciation**

*Charayd Lumeree veil tilade*

*Veilakir aíy feima hiulin*

*Erwin aíy kalavero trus marl*

*Akhlin falo trus tiran glin*

*Rawfh da Elhaíg vana eldorner*

*Zhekir vekh aíy tharchal verna*

*Bokhmarl tilade aíy fe da rhaw*

*Marlagan lonbog felderna*

*Ilda rel aíy thawd falo thawsawn*

*Zhekven tiran fol tilade*

*Sprynau balekh trus akhlekh chara*

*Tirankir vel tharn nalade*

*Zho balarlou sefenil hyven*

*Wena fen da nié ilbaraí*

*Thar zhekh trus dathar maran aíy marl*

*Lonmog Lumeree Eldoraí*

#### **Literal translation**

*Flee did people the veil deep*

*Storm of wild fury and size*

*Fight of life and death*

*Rise of green and beam of gold*

*Keep did Elhaíg of their soul*

*Rivers great, of crystal cold*

*Toll deep of we did give*

*Fallen returned was memory*

*Place rich of forest and wood*

*Hill, power, ancient, deep*

*Spryn of many do quick*

*Lightning sparks, runes sleep*

*One proudly stands as mountain*

*End finish did her path*

*Fire small and ash frail of death*

*Return the people as new people*

#### **Common translation**

*In deep the veil did peoples flee*

*A wild storm of fury and size*

*Where life and death did battle thee*

*A golden beam and green did rise*

*Elhaíg did now reserve their souls*

*With great rivers of crystal, cold*

*Though deeply they paid for their tolls*

*Returned fallen to those was gold*

*Woods and forests of fertile ground*

*Hills of power, ancient and deep*

*Spryn in thousands do race around*

*The lightning sparks, the runes asleep.*

*From once the one who stood up proud*

*Her way was gone but deep she delves*

*Ash of fire, small, frail and doud*

*Reborn they come, now named the elves.*

### **Faith**

The faith of the eldoraí, Eluvuhm, is based upon the idea that by tending and nurturing the life around them, their souls are allowed to transcend to become one of the Lower Eternals that reside within the Azure Meadows, a place of pure paradise.

The eldoraí believe that many thousands of years ago, long before humans or elves first appeared, a race of beings known as the Eternals roamed across the land, shaping and forming the world that exists today and bestowing their immense powers into their creations. Many of these Eternals were Lower Elementals with only power over certain aspects of the world like fire and earth, some were more powerful and could manipulate the wild magics of the other planes, weaving and entwining the essence into objects of immense power. But above all of these was Va'Leyar, the Eternal of life. It was said that she was the strongest and most caring of the Eternals, having the power to manipulate and bestow the very essence of vitality into creatures and breathe life into them, creating all of the other Eternals from her own essence. The elves believe that it was through her grace that they were saved in their time of crisis and given new life on Elhaíg.

Within the elven capital city of Tyranor, deep inside the Tiran Mountain that sits in the heart of Elhaíg, a large natural cavern houses a colossal, crystalline statue of their goddess, Va'Leyar. Hundreds of smaller statues and intricately carved murals of her and the other Eternals are scattered throughout their homeland with each piece of artwork depicting a great deed or story of the long-distant past.

Va'Leyar's most loyal subject and leader of the elven nation, the High Priestess, plays a crucial role in the elven faith and way of life. At the break of dawn and at dusk's twilight of every day, the High Priestess journeys alone into the mountain with offerings of sweet-smelling incense and fruits from the gardens of life as a gift for Va'Leyar to thank her for her boundless blessings. Communing with the goddess is considered to be a deeply spiritual event that only the High Priestess herself is permitted to do and entering the mountain without express permission is considered a great disgrace. The other elves, since prohibited from visiting the shrine, are content to each hold within their hearts a place of peace and life with which they are able to give back to the land each day in honour of Va'Leyar.

It is largely believed that when the High Priestess is first chosen and the Blessing of Passage occurs, she is granted a brief glimpse of her distant future and even of her own death. With this knowledge in hand, the High Priestess has a sacred duty to do all she can to further the prosperity of the elven nation and to prove herself worthy of ascending to the Azure Meadows. When she begins to recognise that the end of her life approaches, she must choose her successor from her priestesses and pass on the mantle. The chosen Priestess joins her before the crystalline statue on her final day of life so that the Blessing of Passage may be witnessed by their goddess and consecrated, continuing the chain of succession. It is unknown exactly what happens inside but the two women can be held within from as little as a few minutes to as much as a few days. Once the High Priestess has passed, her body is wrapped in silk and carried out into the city square where it is set aflame atop a sacred pyre where her spirit may transcend to the Azure Meadows to become a Lower Eternal like her sisters before her.

The elves also have a deeply spiritual bond with the great birds that make their roost at the summit of Tiran Mountain. A group of elven druids dedicate their lives to taking care of the birds, seeing to it that they stay healthy and cared for. It is widely believed that the birds were sent by Va'Leyar herself to watch over the elven race and ward off any danger, and as such, it is only right that the elves should repay that debt by taking care of them in return. The four great Thunderbirds; Raífhum, Soren, Rilendil and Eris are each as large as a three-masted galleon and can often be seen flying high above the city of Tyranor most days of the year.

### **Gender Roles**

While gender roles are not widely enforced among the elves, it is more commonly seen that the women tend to favour the roles relating to the nurturing of life and medicines as well as being physiologically more suited to the agile skills such as tracking and foresting.

Male elves, on the other hand, typically prefer more artisan skills such as weaving, crafting and building while being physiologically geared more towards the heavy work of farming and hunting.

One exception of gender enforcement is in regards to the Priestesses. Due to their religious beliefs, they believe that their goddess, Va'Leyar will only speak with the female members of the race and as such, no male elves have ever been accepted into the ranks of the Priestesses or thus, High Priestess.

### **Ageing**

When the Lumerian people first discovered Elhaíg, their lifespans were roughly that of an average human, being around forty to fifty years. But over time, when their bodies began to change into the elves we know today, their lifespans doubled, tripled or rarely, even quadrupled to be over two-hundred years. While some speculate that their average lifespan will continue to rise with time, others have noticed a distinct slowing and even a decline in more recent years.

There are three distinct phases an elf passes through as they age: Up until roughly twenty years of age, an elf is not considered to be truly a part of the society and is often delegated the more menial tasks of studying and general labour. The adolescent elf is generally free to do as they like with little to no responsibilities. The exception to this are the Priestesses who are chosen at birth.

After their twentieth year, they typically choose a field in which to further themselves and while not strictly a permanent choice, often they remain within their chosen role for the rest of their lives. It is in this adult stage of life that many elves choose to create families and sire offspring. Though newborn children are relatively rare, it is not uncommon for each family to have at least two children within their lifetime. Approximately sixty per cent of all elves are married by the age of one hundred and the odds of marriage occurring beyond that is relatively rare.

Unlike most humans, elves are wholly monogamous and will mate for life.

After the female elf passes an average of one hundred and fifty years of age, the ability to sire children ceases and they are officially delegated to Matriarch status. Matriarchs are considered to be the most knowledgable of the elves, having lived for the longest amount of time and are thus, the wisest. Often they become one of the All-Mothers, a group of highly skilled women who pass down their teachings to the young ones. Those that do not become an All-Mother, often take up artisan hobbies or write their teachings in great books for future generations.

Rather unfortunately, the male elves typically have a far shorter life span than that of the women and it is extremely rare for a male elf to exceed the age of one hundred and fifty.

### **Regional Elves**

Because the Isle of Elhaíg is so large and the elves so spread out, over time, many of the communities have developed a slightly different culture to one another. While most of the general aspects are very similar, a few regional differences are noticeable in their lifestyles and accents.

#### City Dwellers

Those that live within the walls of Tyranor City often enjoy the hustle and bustle of the other city folk going about their business more than they do the seclusion of living out in some of the smaller and more relaxed villages on the outskirts of the inner island. To them, the noise and presence of other people can be a great comfort.

There is a point of contention between those who live within the city and those without, for as the city is largely protected by the great stone walls that encircle it, many of the people who live there have never had to worry about wild animals or beasts. Without the fear of vulnerability, many have developed an innate love for all creatures, regardless of how dangerous they can be. Over time, the city dwellers have become comfortable in their ways and often preach to the villagers in an attempt to stop the need for killing wild animals and the wanton loss of life.

The village and townspeople who inhabit the rest of the island are frequently looked down upon by the city dwellers and are widely considered to be of a lesser class or intellect. Rather strangely, the Aringar are the ones most often targeted by the people they are sworn to protect as their glaives and distinctive armour tends to unsettle them. To those who live outside the walls, the city folk can often appear to be arrogant and imbecilic, living in a fantasy world and with no understanding of the outside environments.

#### Fisherfolk

The elves who live along the Ugleden, in the northern part of the island, spend much of their free time out in their boats, fishing for both entertainment and food. While the Ugleden is where most of the fish consumed by the island comes from, it's more commonly known among the populace for the beautifully crafted pieces of art that are the boats of its people. The Skims glide across the lake with barely a ripple in its wake, slipping through the water like a bird searching for fish.

When an Ugleden elf child is born, it is a common tradition that a seed of the sacred Ember Tree is planted. For five years, the sapling is then nurtured by the father before the task is finally passed to the child. The following fifteen years are when the tree begins to mature and as the two grow together, they form a bond that very few subsequent bonds ever surpass. The death of a bonded Ember Tree can be one of the most devastating things conceivable. Every day the child must first check for wilting or sickness and if any should be found, quickly tend to the tree to bring it back to health. As the tree grows, its boughs are carefully shaped together to first form the outline of what will eventually become a skim. The branches are woven throughout to give the skim some structural integrity and finally the twigs and leaves are used to fill any remaining holes. When the adolescent elf finally reaches the age of twenty and officially becomes an adult, they must cut their grown skim from the ember tree and make their first crossing of the Ugleden Lake.

### **Government**

For over two thousand years, the rulers of the elven nation have been the High Priestesses of Va'Leyar, working to communicate the wishes of their goddess down to the people. The Temple of Va'Leyar, located at the entrance to the Tiran Mountain is one of the most sacred places within the entire nation and is where the High Priestess lives and rules from. Her students, known as the Priestesses, are a selection of extremely talented elves who, from a very early age, dedicate their lives to learning the arts of healing and bringing peace to their followers. While many of the elves value healing and the nurturing of life, it is only those who live and work in the Temple of Va'Leyar who have the power to actually bestow any miracles.

At the end of a High Priestesses life, when she feels her essence slipping away, she chooses one of her student Priestesses as her successor and together, they pass into the deep chamber that houses the crystalline statue of Va'Leyar to witness the Blessing of Passage.

Prior to The Londaran War, there were two High Priestesses in rule, the High Priestess of Elhaíg and her sister, the High Priestess of Londar. After Londar was lost to them, the High Priestess of Elhaíg broke the age-old tradition of waiting until her death was close at hand before choosing her successor for she wished to travel to Londar in order to seek vengeance and she could not do so while still valuing the teachings of Va'Leyar. This has been the only time in history that a High Priestess has ever disavowed herself and spoken the Oath of Detachment.

### **Disputes**

While disputes among the elven populace usually begin as harmless and trivial, if left unresolved they can rapidly lead to devastating and unforeseen results. It is speculated that this is what happened in Londar shortly before The Londaran War.

Though the elves are generally known for their peaceful tendencies, the reality is often quite different. While it is true that their religion strictly enforces the preservation of life and incentivises a nurturing nature, there are very few elves who actually obey these rules whole-heartedly, especially those that live outside of the city walls. Living in relatively hostile conditions without being able to defend themselves has often ended rather poorly for all involved.

In addition, the stress caused by being prohibited from expressing arguments has resulted in a nation of people who can be greatly angered by what originally started as a small situation that quickly gets blown out of proportion.

In previous times when the number of elves was fewer, the process to quell any disputes would involve the two parties to come before one of the Priestesses or in more serious situations, the High Priestess herself in order to explain the situation. Each would explain their particular stance on the matter and it was generally acknowledged that whatever ruling was given, was forever binding and must then be respected. Whether the losing party felt cheated or upset by the resulting decision was irrelevant.

This process worked for a while but with the steady rise of people and problems that accompanied them, the priestesses have become overwhelmed and can no longer see to every minor dispute. The priestesses now only step in when a situation becomes serious enough.

### **Jobs and Roles**

Elves are extremely proud of their skills and take great pride in their artisan abilities. As far as they are concerned, no other race in existence has the skill and finesse required to match their levels of precision and crafting ability. It's due to this pride that the elves value art more so than any of the decorative pieces of metal that the other races use as a form of currency. Though they occasionally do use an adapted form of the Rylerian Ryl called the Salden, elves typically prefer to exchange services and goods for other artisan items such as intricately carved pieces of artwork.

#### Alchemist

Dealing with the alchemical reactions of substances and materials in order to strengthen or enhance the base object, alchemists love experimenting with different metals and discovering new ways to combine them and find uses for the resulting products.

The crystalline rooftops seen throughout the city are a perfect example of what was achieved by the combined might of the miners, alchemists and metalweavers of Tyranor. Crystal blue quartz called Cymarulum is an extremely abundant mineral found within the mines and was often discarded as junk, but the alchemists soon discovered that by properly cutting the quartz, the crystal could be fashioned into extremely beautiful pieces of shimmering, glass-like shards, ideal for decorations and potentially even used as decorative windows, though visibility through them would be poor.

One major issue they encountered was that by cutting down the thickness of the crystal, it became much weaker and often shattered under strain. In some of the larger pieces, it couldn't even support its own weight without breaking. In order to strengthen the structure, the alchemists discovered a way of bonding extremely fine titanium powder to the crystal, small and fine enough to be almost invisible on the surface but thick enough to create an additional layer of strength. This also had an unintended consequence of making the crystal rock even more beautiful and stunning to look at as it catches the reflection of the sun.

Together, with the metalweavers, they made great, domed flower patterns out of pure gold threads and filled the gaps with the strengthened blue quartz, resulting in the iconic elven rooftops that crown the city today.

#### Aringar

*Main article: Aringar*

The royal protectors of the island and of the High Priestess herself. Almost five hundred strong, these warrior knights stand guard along the perimeter of the island cliffs, watching for any indication of an attack. Gifted with aurikh armour, they act as the primary defensive force in protection of the High Priestess and her people.

The Aringar has controversially been subject to much abuse over the years by those that live in the city walls. While many of the village elves support and praise them for the security they provide for the island and its inhabitants, many of the sheltered elves that don't appreciate the dangers of the outside world do not agree that such a role is necessary or that there should be any armed people in such close proximity to their sacred ruler.

Wielding weapons and being trained to kill is deeply abhorrent to many of the city elves who believe whole-heartedly that they must be a peaceful race if they are to ever ascend to the Azure Meadows and become Eternals.

The Aringar are easily distinguished by their golden, bird-like aurikh armour and the signature dual-bladed glaives that they frequently wield.

#### Druid

Druids are caretakers whose role it is to tend to the four great Thunderbirds of the island: Raífhum, Soren, Rilendil and Eris. Small campsites located near the summit of the Tiran Mountain nest are inhabited by between one and four of the druids for the duration of the warmer months and will frequently rotate out so that no single druid is left on their own at the summit for too long. During the winter months, when the temperature drops to below freezing, the druids will retreat to a lower campsite, located within the mountain itself in order to stay warm. The ascent is more difficult from this lower perch but is far warmer, food stores are more plentiful and it's generally easier to survive when not exposed to extreme temperatures. Between fifteen and twenty druids live within the mountain at any given time.

It is also here in the caves that they keep the Varien Ravens used in distant communication. While ravens are not the most reliable form of sending messages (with one in every twenty not making its destination), they are easy to train, breed and keep alive within the caves and are by far the quickest way of relaying messages back and forth. When an urgent message needs to be sent, it is common practice to send multiple ravens with the same message, ensuring that at least one should make it back.

It can take between one and three days for a Varien Raven to cross the length of the island, a distance that would take over forty days to travel by foot.

#### Farmer

By far, the largest and most vital job role among the elves is that of farming for crops and tending to the animals that they keep. With over thirty thousand elves living on the island, the amount of food required to sustain them is a colossal amount which requires both a massive area of land and farmers to tend it.

With approximately 480 square miles of potential farmland to the north and east of Tyranor and with each square mile being able to sustain around 180 elves, the maximum capacity of the island is only around 86,400 inhabitants before they will be forced to clear some of the forests.

The primary diet of the elves is a combination of fruits, berries, roots and gourds though they also eat grasses, nuts and legumes.

Wild animals such as stags and prowlers are free to roam the farmland but are rarely seen due to the high elven presence. The more dangerous animals are more frequently encountered in smaller and more rural villages. Livestock animals such as goats and sheep are often kept in pens in the central parts of the farmland where they can be safely raised and cared for in order to gather their produce.

#### Herbalist

Scattered throughout the island, often on the outskirts of the many villages, are small huts typically covered in colourful plants where herbalists make their homes. While most elves have a much stronger immune system than the average human, they are not totally immune from sickness and still require treatment from time to time. It is speculated that due to the superior elven immune systems and thus more potent sicknesses and viruses, any human that contracts such will have a much more difficult time of it. Herbalists are familiar with the medicinal properties of herbs and plants found on the island and can, for most mild sicknesses, create concoctions and potions that aid in treatments and give small boons.

Herbalists are often the subject of much debate within the elven communities as some believe that only Va'Leyar should have the power to heal and that herbalism is a bastardisation of their faith which should not be trusted. These people will most often flock to the Temple of Va'Leyar for healing instead.

As most of the plants used can only be found in scattered and remote places on the island, herbalists will often have a small garden around their home where they can grow more of the herbs and plants that they require for their trade. As a result, their homes are often some of the most colourful buildings on the island and are instantly recognisable as belonging to a herbalist.

#### High Priestess

*Main article: High Priestess*

The ruler of the elven nation and matriarch of the Priestesses, the High Priestess is chosen by the prior leader of the kingdom at the end of her life. The role of the High Priestess is to act as the voice of the people in conversing with their goddess Va'Leyar and subsequently relay her messages down to the people. In times of great strife or conflict, the High Priestess may take it upon herself to command the elves as their military leader in order to keep the greater elven population from harm, as seen during The Londaran War.

It is worth noting that the one and only time this has occurred, the High Priestess first extricated herself from the religion by speaking the Oath of Detachment in order to be free to seek vengeance.

#### Metalweaver

Metalweaving is a very secretive method of metallurgy unique to the elves and while not much is known about the process or what is required, what is clear is that the end result is staggeringly beautiful to behold. Slithers of entwined metal strands are woven together in intricate patterns that reflect light in a dazzling array of hues. Colours shift and shimmer across the surface as light passes by, the strands almost appearing to dance in a delicate and purposeful motion. This artistic style is thought to be largely inspired by the way vines and plants wrap themselves around one another in nature, building up their strength through each other and forming a bond of unbreakable strength.

Armour crafted in this fashion often has additional pieces of metal plating which resemble feathers that then coat the underlying framework of the structure, resembling the appearance of a bird-like design that adds additional protection without giving up too much mobility. Much of the armour created for the Aringar is created from an alloy unique to the Isle of Elhaíg, called Aurikh. A combination of iron and aurichalcum ores, forged in the heat of a stream of lava and resulting in a golden-bronze metal, far stronger and more flexible than any steel the humans could ever create. Trimmed with Black Iron and bound with dark strips of woven fabric, the golden armour is easily distinguished as belonging to the royal protectors of the High Priestess.

#### Miner

As with all civilisations, mining for raw resources is absolutely vital for creating tools and materials for furthering technological advancements and building their iconic style of construction. Much of Tyranor City itself is made of a combination of living wood, entwined around great blocks of white marble, with colossal crystalline domed ceilings created from Cymarulum, a crystal formed from blue quartz, gold and titanium.

Iron and Aurikhalcum are also a commonly sought-after ore for the creation of Aurikh metal, a golden-coloured alloy that is far stronger and more flexible than the standard steel that humans most frequently use.

There are dozens of quarries and hundreds of small mining camps set up at the entrances of mines all over the island, each using a system of pulleys and carts to haul out the ores and rocks. Around ten to fifteen elves work at each mining camp and often have small forges on-site for making repairs to equipment.

#### Priestess

Students of the High Priestess, these women come to the Temple of Va'Leyar in order to learn how to become healers and spiritual guides for the rest of the elven people. Only women are able to become Priestesses and they must be willing to devote their entire lives to their studies and the ways of healing. Because becoming a Priestess is one of the greatest honours one could ever wish for, it is incredibly difficult to achieve. To even become a potential applicant, it can often take years of gruelling and selfless work and even if finally accepted, the rigorous training can often take tens of years to be considered anything more than an Adepta.

The Priestesses must be completely selfless in their actions, going out of their way to help others less fortunate and truly view themselves as only an instrument of Va'Leyar.

Oftentimes, the priestesses will venture out into the wider area of the island in order to bring healing to some of the outlying villages and to consecrate ritual marriages and funerals.

#### Tailor

Elven clothing is second only to food in the order of importance to the elven civilisation and as a result, is often extremely high in demand. Hundreds of fields lie dotted throughout the island, growing all manner of fabric crafting materials ranging from cotton and flax (Often spun into fabrics used for clothes) to hemp and jute (Used in the more sturdy and rugged items such as baskets, satchels and ropes).

Among the tailors who weave the fabrics are a select group of extremely dedicated dye-makers whose job it is to colour them. Volcanic rocksalt crystals are harvested from the rims of nearby spring pools and are dissolved in colossal vats of animal urine which is then left to ferment in the sun for a few days. The stench of this process is unparalleled in its horrendousness.

The primary ingredients of the dyes are then emptied into the ammonia vats where they break down in order to create the primary colours. Because all of the dye colours come from crushed or boiled plants, leaves and roots, there are hundreds of varying shades available. To truly get the richest and deepest colours, the fabric must be submerged in the 'first dip' for up to eight days before being withdrawn. This can sometimes be shortened but the longer the fabric is submerged for, the better the colour will turn out to be. Because these colours are so much more difficult to produce, they are generally only ever worn on very special occasions such as ritual gatherings and during the nights of song.

One thing to note is that secondary colours (orange, green and purple), are far more difficult to create due to having to mix the primary colours together first and requiring an exact measurement of all ingredients or risk it turning brown. These colours are very rarely ever of vibrant colour as the mixing of two different colours will almost always dilute the pigment to be dull and muted. There have been instances of creating a secondary dye from a single plant type but the number of individual plants required is astronomically high and often not regarded as being worthwhile.

Fabrics are generally never dyed white except for linen, which is naturally grey/brown. Generally speaking, by soaking the linen in an uncoloured ammonia vat and rubbing ash powder into the fabric before letting it bake in the sun for a few days, the linen will often become a much more brilliant shade of white. This can sometimes be used on previously dyed fabrics but will often come out a pale colour rather than white.

Black dyes from berries have been used to some degree on linen but it is often better to just use pure black wool instead.

#### Tracker

Highly skilled in the reading of terrain, trackers (Sometimes referred to as hunters) primarily work as the protectors of small villages and hunters of the more dangerous wildlife found on the island. Trackers are known for their vast knowledge of the land and are often utilised as guides or as escorts across vast distances that would otherwise be too dangerous to travel. While the village elves are highly supportive of their work, the same cannot be said for the elves who live within the walls of the city. To them, the taking of any life is abhorrent and disgraceful to their faith and as a result, trackers are often looked down upon by the city folk. Trackers are far more populus than the Aringar and serve to be a more generalised protector of the villages.

While trackers largely live in the wilderness of the island, sleeping in shallow caves, under trees or taking refuge at one of the many rest-houses, many do not actually consider themselves as being homeless. A small fort from ages long past, located to the east of the Estrel Forest and somewhere within the Farrel Barrier acts as their home base of operations and it is here that they train new recruits and occasionally come back for rest and recuperation. Skyhold, the name of the fortress, is one of the oldest structures on the Isle of Elhaíg and though it is not known exactly when it was first built or for what purpose it served, many ancient artefacts of unknown origin and purpose have been recovered and are stored within its walls.

Though trackers are largely trained in the use of swords, daggers, spears and bows, they typically favour the use of bows more so than the other weapons as they both hold symbolic meaning and are incredibly useful for taking down prey at long range. Before a new recruit becomes a fully realised tracker, their final assignment of training is to hunt down an August Bloodclaw and from its horns, craft their bow. This bow marks their graduation into the ranks of the trackers and is easily their most prized possession. Occasionally a tracker (usually -though not exclusively- a woman), will instead opt to craft a pair of knives or daggers from the horn instead of a bow as they typically find that using knives is much better suited to them.

Trackers typically prefer to wear thick, dark-green travelling cloaks and leather armour in preference to metal plating as the mobility it provides is far more important to them when hunting dangerous beasts than the protection metal could provide. Plate armour also has a tendency to scrape and cause noises which gives away their position, costing them the element of surprise. In more recent years, some trackers have found that they are able to add protective metal plating on select places of their more vulnerable areas such as wrist guards and spaulders without any of the hindrances that more bulky armour would cause, blending the two styles in order to give both protection and mobility.

### **Warfare**

Before The Londaran War, there had never been any real need for a military presence and their innate distaste for bloodshed reinforced their reluctance to build one. The elven way encouraged peace above all else and they firmly believed that so long as they didn't get themselves involved in any conflict, they would be left alone.

This may have worked if the elves had remained on Elhaíg, but their arrival at the mainland and their building in Londar inevitably resulted in their first contact with the other races. The Battle of the Rhun was the first time the elves had ever come into conflict with another race and they had been woefully unprepared for the resulting bloodbath. Though they managed to defend themselves and ward off any further attacks, they didn't formally build a force of combat until The Londaran War.

Two thousand soldiers, equipped with aurikh armour, journeyed east to seek vengeance upon the humans for what had happened five years earlier. Though the force was ultimately destroyed, it paved the way for the Aringar to be established to act as a fully defensive force.

Five hundred men and women, outfitted with the same aurikh armour now patrol the cliffs and beaches of their island, watching for any sign of sudden attack. It is common practice for the Aringar to have full training in the use of swords, daggers, bows and most notably the dual-bladed glaives that have become a staple of the Aringar arsenal.

While not strictly a part of the defensive force of Elhaíg, trackers and hunters are highly skilled in combat and can be called upon if the need should ever arise.

After the events of The Londaran War, many elves were left on the mainland and cut off from ever returning home, the Thar'dau as they named themselves are extremely skilled warriors who specialise in guerilla warfare and have been a persistent menace to the inhabitants of Londar for hundreds of years.

### **Language**

When the elves first landed on the Isle of Elhaíg, their language was not all that dissimilar to the languages spoken in the distant south, but their two thousand years of seclusion allowed the other languages of the land to evolve and change to become something almost entirely unrecognisable from what it once was.

Archaic Eldoraín, as it's known in their language, has a very harsh script as it was primarily carved into pieces of bark which resulted in sharp, angular lettering. Over time, when the language evolved further into the Eldoraín of today, the lettering retained its angularity but became more refined and precise in its design.

When the elves first made contact with the humans of the east and attempted to communicate, they found that the humans were somewhat reluctant to learn new languages - or more specifically, old languages - finding the sounds uncomfortable or even impossible to speak out loud. Seeing themselves as being technologically superior, the elves decided that learning the human language themselves would be of far more benefit regardless.

### **Naming**

Gendered names are common among the elves whereby either an archaic or present-day elvish word is affixed with an 'a' for a female name or 'o' for a male name. Though original names are also used.

**Sample male names:** Tirano,

**Sample original male names:** Koren,

**Sample female names:** Kyra,

**Sample original female names:**

Last names are typically formed of a combination of two traits that relate to either their job, role or rank in order to give an immediate impression of who they are. This last name can be changed at any point in their lifetime to better suit their personality.

Though not a common tradition, elves who frequently speak to humans will sometimes translate their last name into the common tongue.

**Sample last names:** Fhanathawd,

**Sample last names (Translated):** Skysong, Stormshadow, Waystrider

Most elves are simply referred to by just their first names as an informal greeting but use their full names during formal meetings and times of special occasion. It is typical that an elf will introduce themselves by their full name first and foremost before returning to the more casual talk once greetings are done.

### **Technology**

The technology employed by the elves is not primitive by any standard, but neither is it particularly advanced. Their intricately complicated artwork and mastery over nature is unparalleled with great cities of white towers wrapped in vibrant vines and flowers, topped with blue crystal and gold patterns. No other city in the world is quite as beautiful.

Mechanical engineering, however, is not their strong suit. Complicated machinery is far beyond the understanding of the elves and as a result, have had a difficult time when faced against any such contraptions.

### **Cuisine**

Thanks to the great amount of fertile farmland to the north and east of the elven capital city, the entire elven diet is based heavily on the vegetables and grains that grow there. Some of the elves who live further out from Tyranor also like to eat fish from the Ugleden with berries and roots but none of the elves particularly enjoy eating meat. Trackers will sometimes have to kill prowlers or other dangerous animals that roam the countryside, and if forced to do so, will cook and eat the remains, but this is only ever out of necessity or hunger.

For as long as they have lived on the island, the elven people of Tyranor have never had to worry about food shortages or famines as the island has always been lush and full of sustenance that has effectively altered their way of life and resulted in the elves taking great pride in their foods. Their dishes are often considered to be works of art more than just something to eat in order to stave off hunger and festivals are frequently held that have an abundance of food, free for the taking.

Outside of the city, however, such dishes are not frequently obtainable. Stews and broths are easy enough to cook up, but this requires a campsite and fire, something that, if on a long hunt, would not be advisable as the smell and smoke from a fire would alert anything nearby. Trackers will typically have a small selection of cold foods with them that they can easily consume along the road. Grasses and grains are can be milled into flours which are then used to make loaves of bread that are a favourite among travellers and trackers as it's easily stored, lasts a long time and is rather filling. Dairy products are also good travelling foods when turned into cheese as they are small enough to be easily stored but add a lot of flavour to the bread.

Other dishes elves like to eat are bowls of wild-berries and fruits with fresh goats milk, though this is primarily only in the villages of the island where they keep livestock and cattle.

### **Customs**

Elven deaths, while not as common as human deaths, do still occur fairly frequently with wild animals, fatal accidents and old age all being inevitable occurrences across a population of ~35,000. It is therefore not an uncommon sight to see one of the ritual pyres burning in the town and city squares. While these events are usually consecrated by a priestess, they can also be held by family members or friends.

Death is a sacred affair that must be treated with the greatest amount of respect. It was said that when an elf passes from this realm, the inner spark of life that made them who they are grows cold and still within them, a small piece of humanity deep inside, dark and furtive, remains within until it may be properly released from the cocoon that has encased it since birth. Holy fire from the halls of the Temple of Va'Leyar is said to be the only substance in the world that cleanses and purifies the cold star within and releases it back into the sky where it may forever watch over and guide those below in the Azure Meadows.

Ember Tree skims are wondrous creations of fine beauty that are a common tradition among the Ugleden people to the north. A typical elf child will care for, nurture and shape their Ember Tree for over twenty years until their skim is finally ready to be severed from its roots and take to the water for the first time. Every ten years after the first skim is cut, a new, larger skim grows and as the elf learns to be more skilful, their skims become ever more beautiful.

The August weapons of the trackers are deeply symbolic of their graduation from trainee to a full-fledged tracker and are often used as a symbol of their office. The horns of the August Bloodclaw are perfectly suited to be utilised as crafting materials in the creation of bows, though some prefer to create knives, daggers or even swords. Each August weapon was handcrafted by its wielder and is their most precious belonging.

### **Notes on Culture**

* The elves widely regard life above all else and will take great offence to any who attempt to damage such.
* Disrespecting the elven faith is paramount to blasphemy. Their entire lives revolve around the wishes of the High Priestess and their faith is the basis of their way of life.
* Elves are incredibly artistic and spend much of their time creating magnificent pieces of artwork.

## Appearance

Elves are extremely similar to humans in almost every physical way bar a few key differences, they're typically the same average height, weight and physique as a human and from a moderate distance, one could quite easily be mistaken, but unlike humans, elves have slim, pixie-like faces that narrow at the jaw, creating a sharp and lean appearance. Their ears and eyebrows are much more pointed and angular, and their hair colours range from a dark blue/black to almost a bluish silver. Their skin is typically pale blue and the women of the race have what appear to be slightly deeper, blue stripes that cover their bodies from the neck down. Interestingly, those who live closer to the centre of the island seem to have darker tones of skin.