Elven Races

## Summary of the Elven Races

### High Elves

   High elves or highborn are usually the nobility, and royalty out of the elven lands of Cammel, the High Elves can usually be found in the major elven cities or capital city of Kaalhona. Most high elves are known for skills in magic, creating many different techniques for most of the elven mages. Though not all high elves actually possess magic, so they tend to have better tactical thinking than any other elves. High Elves have different ranges of professions from ranging to historians to being the royalty of the Elven Kingdom. Dating back to the origin of the elven kingdom in 4000 BCE. High elves are the most stubborn of the elves they’re are the most xenophobic out of all the elves in the Kingdom of Cammel. When it comes to the elves lifespan they’re all similar on average elves can live up to their eight hundreds, and they’ll look like as if they would be in their forties still; this is a common thing amongst all of the elven races except for the snow elves, half-breeds. High Elves are distinguished by their white skin tone, as well their tall physique. It’s also a common feat amongst all of the elves to have a better hearing and agility of the majority of the races in the world.

### Dark Elves

Dark elves or known as the edgy ones according to some elven historians are the most war-like out of all the elves, but also the most religious out of the elves. Dark Elves are known to possess a natural resistance to flames so it makes them perfect bakers. Dark elves are also known to be the more roguish out of the elven races. Although with any amount of training the other elves can match their skill in the arts of stealth. Dark Elves are distinguished by their red eyes though some dark elves have a rare occurrence to have violet eye color and darker skin tones. Dark elves like high elves have a wide variety of professions they can follow. Dark elves are the most neutral throughout the lands of Cammel because of how religious they are, so it makes them the perfect jurors in the elven court system.

### Wood Elves

Wood elves or low born are the most common type of elves in the elven lands of Cammel. The Wood-elves are known for their skill in creating the finest elven clothing. They’re also known for having the strongest natural bonds when it comes to taming animals, thus making them pretty much the farmers throughout the Elven lands of Cammel. Like all the other Elven races, they have a high resistance to most diseases and proficiency in archery and hunting. Wood elves are distinguished by their tan skin colors, as well their face paint. Wood elves’ face paint is usually in traditional elven styles, or in familial patterns. Wood elves also happen to be best at alchemy, this also makes them the best doctors throughout the lands of Cammel.

### Snow Elves

Snow elves or known as ghosts because the snow elves have gone extinct by the time of 2500 BCE. Not many records from snow elves survive today on their culture and customs, however, elven archaeologists are starting to find clues and pieces of what happened to their cousins. From what the elves know about the snow elves is how they went extinct is some kind of war that happened between the Snow Elves and another race based on archaeological findings in the areas they’ve searched. The Elven government has been keen on wanting to expand past the treacherous peaks known as the Wolfsomin mountains; however, attempts at this have been blocked due to likely hood of another war between the Elves and Humans.

### Half-Breeds

Half breeds are pretty much the undesirables out of all the elven races that exist, not much is known about them to elven scholars because of how strict the elven culture is. Pretty much all of the elves don’t want half breeds to live in the elven society and land, so all of the half breeds are sent into exile. What the elven scholars do know is that these elves are a half-elf and half-human.

## Elven Culture and Customs

Elven culture and customs were founded back when the first elven kingdom was founded in the year of 4000 BCE. The elven culture is very strict, and very open for the elves to follow so it may look confusing to other races whose race is based on an ancient and mighty culture. In the elven culture, it’s strictly forbidden to have a romantic interspecies relationship, those who were to have a romantic relationship with a non-elf would be exiled because it’s not only a sin in the elven religion, but it would mess up the elven family principals, and heirship. Another reason behind elves being strictly forbidden to have an interspecies relationship is they’re usually married young by the age of sixteen, the reasoning behind why most elves marry young is to boost the numbers in their population because they live longer. Elven culture and customs dictate that the eldest usually becomes the head of one's family or clans depending on the type of elf. The elves hold their customs and culture to their hearts so for them they’d never assimilate with any other culture because it wouldn’t define them as an elf at that point.

When it comes to children, and families the elves usually have their own rules that they follow, but the rules they follow descend from the main tenets of the elven culture. When it comes to how elven children are born the female Elves experience a fertile period once every three months. This fertility lasts for only one day. After becoming pregnant the mother will carry the child for 9 months before giving birth. The combination of these factors results in Elven children being far fewer in numbers than most other races. However, due to the naturally longer life span of Elves, their numbers as a race can remain steady or even increase over the centuries. Elves typically do not suffer from the same desire to reproduce like humans and many other races. Many are content to simply have one or two children in their entire lifetime, though four to six children may be more common among mated Elves. Few ever have ten or more in a lifetime. When it comes down to elven marriages they’re usually arranged early on between families, however, it’s not always the case when it comes to love for elves; because elves aren’t forced to have an arranged marriage they can marry whoever they please. Arranged marriages are usually a more common thing amongst the High Elves because of their statuses, and goals of tying two powerful families, or clans. Once a marriage has arranged the son who is engaged to the daughter of the family stays with them for years and works on their land until they’ve grown up to marry. Usually, high elves arrange their children's marriages when they’re five to six years of age.

Elven society is pretty warrior-like when it comes down to it, the one thing that no one should get in between is an elven duel of honor. Elven duels of honor are not to be entered into lightly. Before entering a duel one should be certain the offense was great enough to warrant it. When it comes to challenging one to a duel of honor the challenger must get a decree that states the merits and reasoning behind the challenge. The time and place are up to the challenger, but it’s up to the challenged party to name the weapons involved. Typically the duel is set for the next day, but usually, they’re set in a week in advance after the initial challenge. The reason for this is to allow both parties to make sure both parties have time to put all their affairs into order, to outsiders some may consider this a duel to the death but that’s not the case. At the given time both parties arrive at the assigned location and bring a trusted friend to act as a witness to ensure things are fair and to defend against any lies that may be spread by the winning party. In addition, if a neutral party can be found, there will be one extra person to serve as an official referee. The challenged party provides the decided upon weapons for both parties involved, but the challenger gets to select from the offered weapons. This is to ensure that all the weapons are of equal quality and none are sabotaged. The duel of honor will be discussed before the duel begins, however, the duel will end when one or the other party can no longer fight, or move, it’s a stereotype from non-elves that these duels are to the death, but in all reality, it’s to prove who’s the better warrior because if the duel were to be to the death then it wouldn’t be a test of honor it would pretty much be like gladiator fights.

The elven language and alphabet is the main language that a majority of elves, however, some elves were taught the other language as well. The elven language is one of the oldest in the world, the foundations of it existed before the formation of the elven kingdom, and when the elves were divided by race. It wasn’t until around 5000BCE did the elves revamp the entire language and alphabet, to make it more unanimous with other languages and make ways for non-elves to learn it for business reasons. If humans didn’t know any kind of elvish then they wouldn’t succeed in being able to sell goods or negotiate trade deals because the elves at that time didn’t speak any common whatsoever, only a few elves at that time learned common to be translators.

The ancient elves before the first elven kingdom formed were a tribal-based government type system where tribes would fight one another for control over the lands. Little to none of the historical records from that period survive to this day, what little the elves do treasure it carefully. Elves take great care of what little ancient records they have, this is a common trait amongst elves to take care of old items that are symbolic of their culture or history. Elves are very proud of their history and accomplishments, that is why most elven families have an artifact that they pass down to their children to add their history to it.

## Elven Origins

The elves believe that they’re the creations of Malan, and Aerith the King and Queen of the elven gods. Elves first started appearing around the year 12000 BCE, it’s also believed that the magic the elves possess is blessings from the gods for those who have magic, not all elves have it, but not having magic doesn’t mean the gods don’t favor you in some way. Elven magic is different from the magic any other race possesses due to their strong connection to nature and spiritual aspects of elven culture. Elves also believe that they received their skills when it comes down to combat from Daerieth himself, the elves have always had better skills when it comes to martial prowess compared to other races since they’re more athletic than most races do their habitat. Elves since the beginning of time them always have been a warrior-like society because of the belief that they received their skills in martial arts, and whatnot from the gods; this is also why elves for the most part in history have always won wars because of their dedication to their beliefs, faith in the gods.

## Elven Government

Elven government for the most part throughout the history of the elves was a unified elven kingdom under the elven Kings and Queens. Although two different points in elven history the elves had different types of government. In the early years before the formation of the elven kingdom, it was a collection of tribes fighting for control until the year 4000 BCE. Before one Kayla Stormrunner took the elven throne back, the elves lost the sixth human-elf war causing the elven government to collapse and turn into a kind of parliamentary system that became very corrupt to its core, it’s mismanagement and mistreatment of the elven populace cause a civil war to break out. Kayla is one of the only elven families with royal blood left had no option but to get involved to restore the Kingdom of Cammel to restore the peace and the unity it brought with it.

## Elven Hierarchy

The elven hierarchy is split into four classes: you have the Royalty at the top, which are the elven families that have descended from the many families that were once on the elven throne. The second class under the royals are the nobility/clan leaders, religious officials, and judges; these three groups have always had a place in the higher portion of the hierarchy. Then you have the middle class with every profession that elves can do with their location, and what they have available. Following the middle class, you have the peasant class that is a bunch of low-income elves that rent land for cultivation, although there are a bunch of middle-class farmers because of where they live in the elven forest.

## How Elves React Towards Other Races

* Humans - Disliked/Hated
* Dwarves - Neutral
* Orcs - Many elves have never ventured far enough to meet them or obtain records of their existence. What little they do know of the orcs comes from Human sources.
* Kobolds - Neutral/Positive
* Hobbits - Positive
* Undead - Hated