Elf

An **elf** is a member of the elven species, a humanoid sophont with several known cultures around the world. Typified by their tall and nimble build, leaf-shaped ears, and magical abilities, elves are one of the most common non-human races.

## Biology

### Build

Adult elves are bipedal tetrapods, standing between 170 and 230 centimeters tall and weighing about 75 kilograms on average. They typically have lithe, slender builds, and are regarded as agile beings. Their ears are often long and pointed, and thus tend to have more sensitive hearing than other anthropoids. Elves often appear to be androgynous, with less sexually-dimorphic physical features.

### Integument

They have smooth skin with the occasional bumps and spots, and are mostly hairless. They often have long hair on their heads; however, this is mostly a cultural phenomenon. Elven skin is usually devoid of patterns, but can vary in color depending on which subgroup an elf belongs to. They may have pale, tan, brown, black, or even blue skin. Elves generally lack the facial hair seen on other anthropoids like humans.

### Lifespan

Elves are known for having longer lifespans than humans, possibly due to their more magical nature. Whereas an average human may live up to 70 years (excluding infant mortality), an average elf may live to around 200-300. It is rumored that some elves can be immortal, though this cannot be corroborated.

## Ethnic Groups

Elves are hardly ever typified by their species, and instead identify most strongly with their cultural traditions or nationality. Language and birth heritage are generally the main determinants of what culture an elf belongs to. However, many people believe that elves are divided among the type "elf" they are by putting a biome or the thing they are more commonly affiliated with (I.e Woof Elf) name in front of them, and roll with it. These groups include:

* **Salomanai:** A short-statured, desert-dwelling elven people group. Communal and artistic, with loose gender roles.
* **Mountain Elves:** Hardy people that live namely in higher elevations, mostly in the center of the (southwest) continent. They are most commonly (and preferably) called the Shûxieci by the people of the Tanûleng and the Dragon Highlands region
* **Southern Wood Elves:** An elven group only found in the southern regions of The Sacred Forest. They have no known nicknames given to them by foreigners, they call themselves "Eth" which is also the Yefterin word for "Elf". This group is short even for normal elf standards, ranging around 150-185cm. They live an average of 1500 years, though some may even live up to 2000 years old. The main goal of this group is to protect The Mother Tree and The Sacred Forest. .
* **Northern Wood Elves:** A group of elves that lives in Mulfloric bay area, they live i na town that is secluded from the rest of the world and live around the tree of life, a tree with magickal properties that even themselves cannot explain. They have smooth and snowwhite skin, brown, red or white hair and are the size of normal humans, they also have the typical pointy ears. It is stated that these elves can live up to 3000 years, but this is unconfirmed, most elves only reach the 1000 years. Some say that the tree of life is granting these elves the enormously long lifespan.
* **wild elves:** A reported species living in the Mulfloric bay area and the wider climate zone off Efthar, where the Mulfloric bay area is part off. It is unconfirmed if the species even exist. Describings of these sightings seems like describing the northern wood elves. Experts thinks that if this species existed, they are related to the northern wood elves or even the same species. It is also plausible that even if they are the same species, that there lifespans are much shorter, since they do not live near the tree of life.

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