Elf

## **Biology**

**Purity:** 75-90%

Elves are mostly human creatures with very minor Kodinic traits. The main one being their long, maneuverable, pointed ears that are able to swivel to pick up sounds in ways human ears can’t. Many of them also have somewhat pointed teeth similar to Kodin teeth, although this is a far less prominent trait. They’re able to have hair and eyes of any colour, sometimes having hair with more than one colour. Skin may also be an unnatural colour, but extreme variants may be considered a different species and not an Elf. Jet black or stark white can usually pass, but those with skin that’s blue, red, or another more vibrant colour most commonly fall under the Drexel category regardless of family lineage. Many of them also have more unnatural markings; heavy freckles or splotches being the most common.

Elves came about as a cross between Humans and Kodin after the species first came into contact with each other. All Elves have Kodin ancestry, hence the ears. It’s easy to determine the origin of an Elf family line just by looking at their impure traits. Those originating from places like Vertgate may have sharper more cat-like claws, where those from Dibrook may have a more open or friendly demeanour. Ear shape can also give insight to this.

## **Personality**

Like Humans, Elves are intelligent and curious people. The vast majority of lower species lump Humans and Elves together, and for good reason. While an Elf may have minor traits of their ancestors, for the most part they’re identical in behaviour. More often than not the only non-Human behaviours Elves have are directly related to their non-Human physical traits. They may be more alert to sounds and move their ears to convey emotion similar to Kodin, but other than that they generally lack instinctual traits.

Usually Humans and Elves are treated the exact same by other species, although they may get the occasional insult based on their lesser purity. Some Elves separate themselves from areas with a high Human population in favour of living amongst their own kind or species lesser than them. That way they have no higher beings to put them down. The torment they receive from Humans can be too much for them, and sometimes It’s easier for them to keep their distance.

## **Civilization/Culture**

Elves are one of the oldest races. They originally came to be after the discovery of Mirrors in the year 7000BDI. Given this was the first time any race had a means of travel on a larger scale, it was the first time Humans were able to interact with other species. That being said, it took several generations of Coguine offspring before the deformities were phased out and a stable population of Elves could begin to form. From the beginning they’ve been working side by side with both Humans and Kodin, doing their best to keep a positive relationship with them both.

Like most species, Elves strive to be as Human as possible. Oftentimes when an Elf is born  their parents will often opt to have impure traits removed. Ear docking is a very common practice. Body modification is standard in Elf society. Tattoos to cover up unnatural skin markings is one of the most common means of body modification. Out of all the species on Mirror Domain, Elves are the most likely to have a tattoo. Body modification in Elves is just as normalized as any other hygiene related thing. It’s just common sense to them.

While Human and Elf society is more or less identical, one leg up they do have over Humans is their access to magic. Elves on average have a larger mana pool than the average Human, which usually results in more of them going into magic related academia. Elves in the past have been a catalyst in uncovering the secrets of Magic. Without them, Mirror Domain would be a few hundred years behind in the field. Even if they don’t decide to pursue magic, it’s not uncommon for an Elf to know a mundane spell or two where a normal Human would have to put a bit more effort in learning them. Some would argue that Elves are more dependent on magic rather than technology, but this is only slightly true. Most would consider them to simply be taking advantage of the cards they were dealt in life.

## **Relations**

As previously stated, Elves have a very positive relationship with Humans and Kodin. Areas with a very high Human population may have a less positive outlook on their kind, but in most cases the two races get along without issue. Most of the time they’re considered to be the exact same race anyway. Lower species tend to treat Elves the same way as Humans, meaning any relationship between Humans and these lesser races are pretty much identical.

Like Humans, Most Elves look down on lower species. Oftentimes they hold more resentment towards them, especially if they have similar traits to species below them. This can make them come across as stuck up or racist at times, but that comes with the territory of high purity.

## **History**

Elves are one of the oldest recognized Pure races in Mirror Domain. They came to be around the year 7000BDI after the discovery of Mirrors and Mirror travel, as previously stated. Since the beginning they’ve been considered a pure race, even before the restructure of the purity scale that put Humans on top. The earliest known record of Elves written as a separate species rather than just a variant Human dates back to the year 6862BDI.

Back before the downfall of Lord Lykan many Elves strived to be more Kodin-like. Generations and generations of Elves would cross breed with Kodin, introducing more Kodin genes into their gene pool. Satyr were created as a direct result of this. Most Humanoid species have Elf ancestors.

Elf achievements and milestones have largely been swept aside over the years. This is partially due to the fact that most Elves that achieve greatness will do their best to pass as Human as a means of having their legacy live on as one of the great Humans, or as a means of not having their achievements devalued simply on the basis of their purity. That being said, they do have a few notable innovations that have helped Mirror Domain greatly; all of which are in the realms of magic.

Around the year 5701BDI mages in Bane began to realize that not all magic was equal. At this point in time magic was nowhere near as plentiful as it is in the modern day, given it was before the existence of most of the Gods, but that didn’t mean it didn’t exist. Mages were a relatively new thing at this time as well, so up until this point it was unknown why spells and potions were inconsistent in their effects. For the longest time people thought it was related to the spell components themselves, rather than what kind of magic was used. Elves, being more tied to magic than their counterparts, could sense the differences between the variants of magic however. Eventually, after years of study, trial, and error, Bane’s mages came to the conclusion that magic indeed had different variants, and Red, Blue, and Green magic were labeled accordingly.

## **Religion**

In terms of religion, most Elves follow the god Ariston. Elves are a hopeful bunch, and many of them are drawn to Ariston’s gifts of good fortune and tales of the future. Many of them believe that by showing their devotion, future generations will be blessed with more pure traits (among other things). They’re also drawn to Tilvet because of his bases in knowledge and academia. Being knowledgeable is a desired trait, so less fortunate Elves will take to becoming clerics or priests of the church as a means of learning more about magic if they’re unable to afford university.

That being said, it’s not uncommon for Elves to follow whatever god is most prominent in whatever area they live in. Occasionally they’ll follow gods like Dirus, Life Bringer, or Koba, but Kodin religions are far more exclusive and oftentimes they’ll be cast out or pushed aside.

## **Languages**

The vast majority of Elves speak Standard, although it’s more common for an Elfto be bilingual than it is for a Human to be. Depending on their anatomy they may also be able to understand Whispers, although more often than not they’re unable to speak it. Those who do speak a second language will usually speak one of the three common Kodinic languages: Chitt, Lupin, or Yip.

## **Names**

Elf names are generally tied to their lineage. Last names more prominently. If an Elf had more cat-like ears, they may have a last name like “Felis” or “Leon” to show their connection to the feline part of their ancestry. Same with Canine or Vulpines.

First names are more generalized, although this doesn’t stop the occasional mean-spirited first name from becoming popular. Like Humans, many Elf first names are somehow related to water or aquatic life. It’s also common for Elves to be named after a prominent mage, regardless of what species the mage was. Any time a massive innovation in the realm of magic comes to light, the name of whatever mage made the discovery will shoot up in popularity.

## **Adventures**

Elves are an extremely adventurous kind. The pursuit of knowledge drives their need for adventure, and it’s not uncommon for them to travel long distances in their quest for information. Not all Elves leave their homes, but it’s far more common than other species for them to up and leave or go on a long distance journey. As a result of this, Elves have settlements all over Mirror Domain. They can be found just about anywhere, and even if they aren’t considered to be “normal” in an area no one bats an eye if they just show up one day.

While they are adventurous, they almost always travel with intent. They don’t wander, and they’re not by any means nomadic. If an individual doesn't have a reason to leave home, they’re smart enough to save their time and money. That, and for the most part Elves aren’t driven away from wherever they decide to settle, so they rarely leave their homes due to safety concerns.

## **Abilities**

In terms of Magic, Elves have some of the largest mana pools and widest range of magical abilities of all pure races. Their magical abilities are only topped by Dragons. Almost every Elf can use magic, and most of them can cast simple or mundane spells with ease even if they don’t practice magic. Because they’re naturally predisposed to magic it’s extremely common for them to hone in on these skills even if they don’t intend on becoming a full blown mage.

When it comes to physical abilities, Elves have a very wide range of them. Their gene pool is enormous, and as a result Elves have all matter of physical traits. Being able to run faster than the average Human is a common one. Many of them have higher tolerances to diseases or toxins as well. They’re skill monkeys, to put it bluntly. Jack of all trades.