Anti-Elven Racism

Anti-elven racism is the racial ostracisation and maltreatment of elves, more often than not by humans. Unlike many other forms of discrimination, it seems to be prevalent throughout all of Eithlith and even in some areas of the east, although to varying degrees of extremity.

## **History**

The origin of much of anti-elven racism can be traced back to the time period before, during and shortly after the collapse of elven civilisation. Before their collapse, elven civilisation had dominated Eithlith, with mighty empires and city-states spanning the southern half of the continent, and outposts reaching into the north. Alongside their proficiency in alchemy, metalworking and architecture, the elves were also known infamously for their extensive use of human slaves, which they captured in wars against human 'barbarian' tribes. Due to their treatment as lesser beings by the elves, and their oppression, humans had fostered a fear of them, which eventually turned to hatred.

When elven civilisation collapsed in the years between 800 and 1000, the elves, once seen as invincible and mighty invaders and enslavers by the humans, were now reduced to impoverished refugees scattered across Eithlith. Believing (perhaps correctly) that the elves had brought about their own destruction, and now seeing them as weak, the humans mocked their fall, and began to exact their revenge on the elves. In the northern regions, elven refugees were often driven out or killed. In the south too, conflicts frequently broke out between humans and their former masters. Having fallen so low after their infamous reputation, elves were despised and now ostracised throughout almost all of Eithlith.

## **Regional Differences and Practices**

Anti-elven racism differed in the extremity throughout different parts of Eithlith, from north to south:

### **In the Conoilithian Empire**

The Conoilithian Empire was known for its extensive discrimination against the elven race. Having had little contact with the more sophisticated aspects of elven civilisation, instead hearing only tales and occasionally having frontier wars, the peoples of northern Eithlith which eventually came under the yolk of the Conoilithian Empire viewed the elves as a strange, malicious race. Horrified by what they had heard and witnessed in wars, they believed the elves practiced black magic, and they would kidnap children and women as slaves; they were merciless tricksters and witches. As a result, elves had to be kept away from humans as much as possible, and would often be driven out whenever they came near human settlements. In extreme cases, sometimes the whole village population would go out on 'elf hunts', similar to witch hunts, if elves were reported to be seen in the region. In cities, entire sections of the city were often cordoned off, so that all the elves in the region could be confined under human watch. Elves who lived in these ghettos were almost always strictly forbidden from leaving, and they had the lowest priority when receiving goods and services, if they received them at all. The elves had to be kept down and weakened, as the Conoilithians believed they would begin their conquests against humanity again if they were allowed to become strong.

Confining elves to these ghettoes was considered to be mutually beneficial by the Conoilithians; all of the elves in an area would be kept under strict guard in one location instead of roaming around freely, and the elves would be protected from racial violence. This was partially true, as sometimes elven communities who lived among human settlements and were found would be the subject of race riots; on the other hand, ghettoes were often guarded by militias and troops, who forbid any contact between the Conoilithians and the elves. This didn't always work, however, as sometimes during hard times, when elves were the penultimate scapegoat, the guards would allow mobs to enter the ghettoes and perpetrate racial violence and elf hunts.

### **In the Middle-Lands**

Anti-elven racial prejudice wasn't as extreme and violent as in the north in the Middle-Lands. Elves would often be shunned and denied goods and services, but the population rarely actively went out to keep the elves away from humans or put them under control. Having witnessed the lost cities of the elven empires following their collapse, the view of elves in the Middle-Lands isn't as degrading and demonising as in the north. However, more extreme human groups are still bitter over the elves' extensive use of human slaves, and racial violence can still break out.

Unlike in the former Conoilithian Empire, elves were not strictly assigned to a confined area of a settlement; however, certain districts where exclusively elven communities lived do exist, and often due to poor treatment elves will be forced to move to these districts regardless.

### **In Virgandia**

By far, elves are treated the most mildly in the southern regions of Eithlith, particularly in Virgandia. Despite being the location of much of elven civilisation's slave labour and its destructive wars during the collapse, the humans who grew to become the dominant race of southern Eithlith eventually acknowledged the elves and their knowledge of architecture, alchemy and engineering, and recognised their use in society. It is perhaps solely due to the talents of the many elven alchemists, architects and artisans among the refugees following the collapse of elven civilisation that elves are not so violently ostracised as in the north. Though elves are still viewed as an absolutely separate group to humans, and are viewed as cunning and clever alchemists and the descendants of slavers, most of human society in Virgandia accepts their usefulness and contributions to society, although there is definitely a tone of human dominance which can be found in the south.