Demonic Elves

**Investigation: Demonic Elves**

*by Erling Feuergeist*

> After I had encountered the Cursed Elves, in all honesty, I had expected to be met with a similar cynicism and disliking to outsiders when arriving at a Demonic Elven city. However, I was in for plenty of surprises. My every step when trying to track down the history of Demonic Elves was watched not with spite but curiosity. Tall standing individuals would observe me with calm attitudes, sometimes a strong helping arm would assist me with my luggage; though they avoided talking to me.
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> Their main city, as they refer to it, rather than calling it a capital, is a place that was once built by an ancient Cursed Elven community and was later abandoned due to lack of hands and maintenance. Most of the buildings are still rather worn down, never having been restored, such as libraries and offices, whereas a certain focus of care seems to lie on meditation spots, wells, bath houses, and gardens.
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> All the more difficult it turned out to find any books or scrolls on how Demonic Elves originally came to be. Only thanks to my bold approaches and surprisingly pleasant conversations have I learned many different theories, some of rather scientific nature, others almost occult:
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> Among the Demonic Elves are very few Cursed Elves and Blood Elves who have dedicated their lives to research. Some are specialized alchemists, others doctors, some are traveling historians. The Demonic Elves do not seem to mind their presence, but at the same time, they do not seem to care too much about possible results, either. As someone would tell me: “Yesterday cannot be changed, but tomorrow can be formed, and today can be enjoyed.”
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> The few notes I was allowed to peek into allowed me to get a grasp on modern theories of Demonic Elven evolution, one of them being that experiments to battle the ancient curse had altered the genetics of Cursed Elves, turning them into a new species, reminding me of Blood Elven or Fire Elven history, but with the influence of demonic blood and alchemy.
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> A Cursed Elven doctor is highly confident in his theory that the ancient curse had driven some individuals into madness, leaving Demonic Elves with no connection to actual demons, and explaining their lack of enthusiasm for science and history.
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> Lastly, some historians have brought together old scripts and tablets, fragments of old tales, really, that tell of the story of Skies and Flames, in which the Hel’Leifs and Wal’Leifs dreamt of a chance to experience Hesou. Leaning onto the theory of madness, the historians think that every now and then a Cursed Elf loses themself to despair and their soul flees their body, leaving behind an empty husk. Such a husk would be overtaken by a curious Wal’Leif or Hel’Leif for them to explore love and passion. When two of those overtaken Elves had bred, their offspring would be a heavily genetically altered variant of a Cursed Elf, namely a Demonic Elf, with a strong desire to make the best of every day and enjoy the wonders of life and nature.
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> Perhaps if it didn’t sound so far-fetched to use old mythologies as an explanation for genetic change and evolution, I would have gone with the last of these theories. The way Demonic Elves approach the world, speaks of an ancient maturity, and yet also of a childlike curiosity. However, I have very much also observed their different sides and today I know better than to ever upset a Demonic Elf, or belittle their interests.
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> On that note, admittedly I wonder if their talent for Demonic Magic is the reason for their name, or if the term is moreso based on their appearance, often (not always) adorned with glowing eyes, claw like fingertips, patched and patterned skin, and even horns. Science cannot rule out that all Cursed Elves have the genetic potential to grow such physical features, but these traits may have only actively developed in the Demonic Elven branch.
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