Fiáini (Wood Elves)

Primitive and tribal in nature, they are not too far from being a living, walking tree. They are  lean and slender, standing 3 or more heads taller than a human. Their skin is like bark, but smooth, their hair is pure white, with strange leaves growing from their heads. Some of the most ancient wood elves have “horns”, which look like branches sprouting from their head tops, forehead or from their parietal ridges. They have long, sharp ears, and their eyes are black as night itself. They abstain from technology and civilization, living in druidic circles. Their main form of sustenance is what they can forage, but they are known for cannibalism, amongst themselves, but they are known to settle near trade routes, where they hunt and kill humans for food - nothing can go to waste. They have very long lifespans, spanning possibly centuries, if not millenia.

Fiáini are the core of druidic magic, thanks to their innate connection to nature. The art of druidism has spread to far away lands millenia ago, and the art has been adapted by a few other races.

## Geography and Locations

Wood elves don’t really have a place they call “home”, as their “home” is anywhere that has a thick enough forest to protect them from outsiders.

They do have agreed upon having a sort of capital though - Dún Aleoth - the largest settlement, which is localized within the heart of Crainnarsa.

Crainnarsa itself is also the only land the wood elves deemed “native” to them.

When not using mounts for travel, wood elves are capable of using the Feywild to nearly instantaneously travel extremely far distances.

Other than living in major settlements, they also settle around heavily populated areas of human realms, for the purpose of hunting caravans.

## Government

Most wood elves that live outside main settlements are anarchic in structure, with tribal leaders changing quite often.

In major settlements, they have a feudal system based on their theological beliefs, with their main leaders being chosen by a scrying ritual, in which they communicate with their gods to choose the leader.

* Gladelords are usually masters of settlements and local realms, and act as god-chosen kings.
* Witch-Priestesses serve as the main form of priesthood, and this role is exclusively left to female elves.
* The third step of the feudal ladder is split between various forms of military command. Notable military commanders include Briarspears, Forest Wardens and Grove Guards.
* At the bottom of the ladder are the common elven folk, usually serving as manhunters and keepers of the forest.

## Customs and Culture

### Nothing Goes to Waste

What makes the wood elves extremely infamous in the human realms, is the fact they hate humans. What’s worse, they are keen on consuming human flesh, as in their ideology, they can’t hunt and kill beasts, as they can only be felled in self-defence, and even then, it is frowned upon.

Burial in wood elven culture is equally “frugal”. For the lowest caste of elves, if they have been healthy when they died and if time allows it, their bodies are ritually eaten, and it is seen as an honor. Elderly, sickly, or otherwise “unable to be eaten” elves are disposed of by “sky burial” - their corpses left in open fields to feed scavengers and carrion. The highest caste of elves are actually entombed within the roots of giant trees, which are then sealed up.

### Temáspéir Trees

Literally “sky touching” trees or more commonly known as the greatwoods. They serve an extremely important role in wood elven communities, being a symbol of Dúlru presence and protection. They are often the centre of most large settlements, and elves will fiercely defend them.

## Technology and Warfare

Wood elves abstain from technology, as it is the driving force of their own demise. They still smith metals, though very rarely. They often use scavenged weapons and armor, and a lot of their weapons are natural - blades hewn from bone and magical wood, armor made from enchanted bark of the Temáspéir trees, and arrows tipped in poison so strong, it kills in seconds.

### Livingwoods

Spirits of deceased elves are sometimes led astray by Marha to inhabit young trees and shrubs, creating various species of the Livingwoods. Druids, treants, blights and various other living plants are part of the Livingwood species - some are friendlier than others, but a great majority of them are spiteful due to their cursed existence.

### Druidic Origins

Wood elves are one with nature, to the point where they can manipulate it to their own will. They have mastered this art, and have created druidic circles to most aspects of nature. This art has spread to other races, but other races can still use this art of the wild.

#### Ghealach-Réalta, Circle of the Moon and Stars

Whilst not mentioning the sun, this circle focuses on the innate forces of nature - time, the sun, stars. This circle is further split into the Circles of Dreams, Moon, Stars and Twilight.

#### Coill, Circle of the Forest

The oldest circle, with the oldest of the elves being in charge. It focuses on the various layers of flora. This circle is further split into the Circles of Land, Spores and Wildfire.

#### Beithíoch, Circle of Beasts

The most “primal” of the circles, it focuses on the fauna of the world. The more tame version of this Circle is known as the Circle of Shepherds.

### Wild Steeds

Being extremely in touch with nature, wood elves are extremely keen on using giant animals as their beasts of burden and war. Their main preferences are giant eagles, hawks and deer.

## Beliefs, Religion and Festivities

The elven pantheon is probably more ancient than that of the humans, but due to the lower number of followers, the elven gods have weakened over time. Whilst wood elves treat anything in nature as some form of deity, some of the Fian Artus elves have prevailed with their knowledge, spreading their ancient religion to some of the wood elves. Most of the high elves adapt to the more common pantheon of Magnata, but there are a few exceptions.

### Bright Gods (Ghrianadi)

* Dúlru - A god without form, the stag and the wolf, the hunter and the prey, symbolizing the constant change in nature
* Gaoth - A god of magic, which according to Fian Artus was way purer than the Weave of today. He is said to have created the stars, which he has weaved to create magic.
* Sciath, the Sun - A goddess of protection, but also retribution - as those who dare tarnish the name of the Fian would know the wrath of Sciath.
* Aisli, the Moon - A goddess of dreams, nightmares, and most importantly, prophecies - as some elves are blessed by Aisli herself, turning them into Soothsayers.

### Dark Gods (Ghealadi)

* Marh Coimeádaí - Also called Marha, Marha is the guide and keeper of souls of elves that die. She leads them to the Temáspéir trees, where their souls may rest. She is of fickle nature, and sometimes, if she deems an elven soul unworthy, she will either feast on it, or lead it to a small shrub, creating one of the Livingwood entities.
* Scrios-éag - God of war and destruction, depicted as a titanic forest dragon, which supposedly helped the elves fight their earliest of wars.
* Nimh - Mother of Murder, Venom and Poison. Depicted as a beautiful woman with pale skin, with the body of a spider. Commonly known to common folk as Venena.
* Léiriú - Goddess of night and shadows, but also just darkness inhabiting great caves.

## Opinions on Other Races

Wood elves have an immense hatred for all other forms of life, especially to those that are technologically advanced and focused on expansion. Even with their distant cousins that are the High elves, they treat them as betrayers, but if given choice they’d rather talk to them instead of humans.