Mountain Elf

**Mountain Elves** (Or more commonly called the **Shûxieci**) are elves that originate from the Dragon Highlands located northwest of the Tanûleng. Though there are multiple groups of Mountain Elves, the most populous of these elves, the Thiphandoric group, rule over the nation of the Tanûleng.

## Etymology

Mountain Elves go by different names, such as *Thunder Elves*, or *Elves of the Peaks*. They are also called *Highland High Elves* due to their location and altitudes. Dhosa are referred to as the *Dragon Elves* due to their different appearances despite being apart of the same race.

The common name, *Shûxieci*, which is mostly shared among these people groups. A common name by non native speakers are the "Leaf-eared" people, which Mountain Elves seem to not take any offense to, and even make jokes about. They are also called "Goatmen" due to some groups having horns, hooves and tails.

The word "Elf" is considered a slur among the Mountain Elves, and they seem to take considerable offense whenever it is said due to the aggression it packs with the word.

## Description

Mountain Elves are known for their hardiness, as well as having larger lungs than other elves to breath better in higher altitudes. An average Mountain Elf stands at around 5'11 for females and 6'1 for males. Their bodies are known to be slightly wider than other elves, though not too much to be considered obese or "bloated". Their skin and their feet are rougher, and are said to withstand rocks, and are able to climb rocks much like a mountain goat with hooves. Their resistance to cold weather is also higher than other Elves. Due to the area that they live in, the Mountain Elves are immune to altitude sickness, and are able to breath among higher altitudes (they however, cannot breath past the stratosphere like any other being), and breath underwater a bit longer than normal. Mountain Elves tend to live in more temperate climates, and are hardly found in jungles unless they are settling within other regions. Due to their cold resistance, they adapt to warmer climates much slower than a human would.

Most Mountain Elves are no more different looking from ordinary humans, but along the Dragon Highlands and the Southern Dragon Highlands, Mountain Elves are also said to have multiple variations to their appearances. Some Mountain Elves have horns on their head, which are akin to goat species that are found around the Dragon Highlands as well as more goat-ish looking ears, while some others even have hooves and goat legs. Many perceive that these particular variations of the Mountain Elves are a different species, though they are able to reproduce with Mountain Elves. However, whichever genetically dominates, said offspring will have that variation or be born without it, though sometimes, they are born with both. Some Mountain Elves are rumored to have tails that look similar to dragon tails, earning them the name *Dragon Elves* since sometimes they are born with that, and a set of horns. Though, this appears to be very rare, with a small tribe known as the Dhosa, who is related to the Aro'as matching this description.

Mountain Elves tend to live shorter lives than most elves, and live to be 130 years of age at average, and experience mid years at 50. Mountain Elves tend to die as early as 120 as an average lifespan, making them around forty years in expectancy than a human. This shorter life-span is likely due to the harsher conditions they live in in higher altitudes.

The Mountain Elves are also said to have a large amount of energy known as Kanqi, a type of energy that surrounds the elements of the world, though, this type of particular art is perceived differently by different tribes and groups of the Mountain Elves.

## Ethnic Groups

Mountain Elves have multiple ethnic groups in which are apart of their people. Contrary to belief, the Mountain Elves have different cultures due to their distance from eachother in the mountains. Mountain Elven ethnicities include:

* Thiphandoric - Thiphandorics are often lopped together as one group on most maps due to them living together, and having extremely similar cultures to eachother. However, there are differences from eachother. These peoples are mostly found in the Tanûleng
	+ Melwanya - Founders of the Kingdom of Thimphandor, and ruled most of their existence until their downfall. Known for their xenophobic culture, but also known for their administrative, organization and mercantile skills. Today, Melwanya live throughout the Tanûleng and are a common ethnicity.
	+ Inyo - Known for their skills in labor, farming and fishing. They were once known for being enslaved to the Melwanya during the Kingdom of Thiphandor before liberating themselves from the shackles. Today, they presently live around the coastline.
	+ Mohang - Known for their skills in mining, smiting and lumbering. The Mohang mostly live around the southern areas of the country, though they had been noted to live around the northern areas of the country.
	+ Aro’a - Known for their skills in architecture, masonry and craftsmanship. Previously known for being enslaved to the Melwanya, they since became the ruling class of Mountain Elf that dominates the politics of the Tanûleng, as well as the establishers of the Court of the Dragons. Their ruler, the Tanûlreth, is said to be an Aro'ak, but others say she may be a Dhosa.
* North Dragon Highlands Groups - These groups live mostly within the Dragon Highlands to the northwest of the Tanûleng.
	+ Phoah - Said to have separated from the Sokian over 2,500 years ago.
	+ Sokian - Said to have seperated from the Phoah over 2,500 years ago, though they argue that this is not the case, and that the Phoah had fabricated lies to take them over.
	+ E - Speaks a unique language that pronounces their "es" as a "ck" sound.
	+ Kutan
	+ P'kada - Said to be the ancestral tribe that is related to the Melwanya.
	+ Iko'a
	+ Tu'ea - Likely ancestor of the Aro'aks.
	+ Sota - Together with the U'tak and Katar have more goat-like features than other Mountain Elves. The Sota have mostly goat hooves.
	+ Katar - Together with the U'tak and Sota, have more goat-like features than other Mountain Elves. The Katar have mostly goat horns.
	+ U'tak - Together with the Katar and Sota, have more goat-like features than other Mountain Elves. The U'tak have both goat horns and hooves.
	+ Dhosa - Known as the Dragon Elves, the Dhosa are said to have dragon tails and goat horns making them akin to dragons, though very few have been reported to have been seen together, and live isolated, implying they're an endangered group. The Tanûlreth is believed to be one.
* South Dragon Highlands Groups - These groups live mostly around the northern parts of the South Dragon Highlands, and some isolated groups within the Huangyan Hills.
	+ Kashan
	+ Pur - Known for their addictive tea plant, the Pur-som
	+ Thamdu
	+ Shikan
	+ Korran
	+ Haro
	+ Tasso
	+ Phoasa - Said to have adopted Luangese culture, and mostly follows Luangese customs.
	+ Ie