Elves

Elves, much like their living ancestors, the eladrin, are a long-lived race of the Tel-quessir found most commonly in forests, shrublands, and other wildernesses. From time to time the elves have organized strong nations, though with far less frequency than eladrin; in some cases, adopting even a nomadic lifestyle. Almost all elves worship the Seldarine, otherwise known as the elven pantheon, and the elves are generally, though not always, good in nature.

Origin
The origins of elves are unknown, but the Tel-quessir are deeply spiritual and believe they were created by Corellon Larethian. They were known as the Fair Folk, spun from light and brought to life by their deity’s laughter. Creation myths do vary wildly, but scholars are certain that elves are one of the first people to appear on Terrix.

Biology
Elves stand at average from 5'4" – 6'0" and weighing in from 130 – 170 pounds. Usually, elves are a naturally slender and athletic race. Elves have a similar range of complexions to humans, with wood elves typically coppery or pale-skinned, and wild elves having darker pigmentations. Often, elven hair is dark, either brown or black, with copper red or blond hair also found amongst wood elves, although orange or even green hues are not completely unheard of. Elven eyes are commonly brown, hazel, or an emerald green, sometimes with unnatural colors appearing in their irises at some angles in sunlight. Elves, like their cousins, the eladrin, are fair and beautiful by human standards, and have pointed ears.

Elves mature at roughly the same rate as humans, though they are not usually considered past adolescence until they reach 110 years of age. Unlike humans, elves do not age dramatically as their lifespan comes to a close, with the most obvious changes being a change in hair color, alternatively graying or darkening. Most elves remain healthy and full of life up until their death, which, if age-related, is usually between 700-800 years.

Elves have a number of abilities that set them apart from other humanoid races. Like their kin, the eladrin, elves are agile, dexterous creatures. However, elves can move slightly faster than their eladrin kin, and can move swiftly through even the roughest terrain. Elves are also more preternaturally aware of their surroundings than eladrin, as well as possessing better common sense. This aids elves in many ways, allowing elves a high degree of perceptiveness that they can lend partially to allies. Additionally, elves are extremely accurate in their attacks, having a degree of precision that would be unusual for other humanoids.

Many elves do not sleep, instead finding their rest in a meditative state called “reverie”, which is as restful as true sleep but leaves them aware of their surroundings. This is similar to an eladrin’s ability to enter a trance.

Behavior
Elves commonly possess strong but swiftly passing passions, moved easily to laughter, anger, or misery and as quickly calmed. Elves are known for their impulsive behavior and, as a result, many races see them as flighty or impetuous. However, elves are not as flaky as others may interpret them to be, and are typically responsible in spite of their almost whimsical nature. Partially due to their long lifespan, elves have difficulty taking some matters as seriously as other races, but when threats they recognize do arise, elves are strong friends and allies to those they are loyal to.

Elves make strong and uplifting friends. Most elves love simple joys such as dancing, singing, footraces, or contests of skill. Elves find a natural aversion to that which they see as uninteresting tasks and are fun-loving by nature. However, despite how unpleasant some things such as war can be, elves can become grimly serious if a threat to their friends, family, or livelihood makes such actions necessary.

History
The elves branched away from the eladrin in a long forgotten age, and no one is exactly sure which race came first; most scholars believe the eladrin did. Of the Tel-quessir, those who would become the elves were the first to arrive on the world of Terrix, on the back then conjoined continents of Orcran and Usratia, back then known as Altigan. At that time, there were only the green elves, known as the Sy-tel-quessir in their own language.

Millennia passed and the fey ancestors of the elves and eladrin together ruled over much of Altigan in relative peace until the eladrin nation of Aryvandaar invaded the dark elf and green elf nation of Miyeritar, starting the first of five Crown Wars which, in total, lasted for 3000 years.

The green elves suffered many defeats in the Crown Wars, and by the end of the conflict, they had lost all of their former territory. Driven into the wilderness, the green elves gradually changed over generations, with the gap between them and eladrin widening until they became a distinct race. This change caused the elves to gradually lose their talent for the arcane and grow even closer in their connections to the wilderness, becoming as much a part of the landscape as the wild beasts with whom they shared it.

The green elves who remained in isolation became the wild elves and lost their taste for civilization and nation-building, becoming nomadic wanderers. It was also around this time that the first of the wood elves (or Or-tel-quessir) emerged, when some of the wild elves migrated into the lands of the eladrin and bred with their kin race, creating a new hybrid culture.

The wood elves, unlike the wild elves, continued to build civilizations, though on a smaller scale than the eladrin. In the eastern High Forest of Orcran, the wood elves founded the kingdom of Earlann. However, when Earlann fell, the wood elves too abandoned the concept of nation-building, leaving it to the other races.

Family
Elves tend to be flighty, and this extends to how they choose a partner. Having long lifespans, it is not unheard of for an elf to flit from one partner to another once their children have grown or once they grow apart from one partner for too long.

Elf courtship is elaborate and grandiose, often a display that entertains the public as much as it tries to woo a possible romantic partner. Each attempt at courtship is unique to every elf, who tries to find their “signature” and perfect it over the years. Some use song and write lengthy, beautiful melodies, others grow their own garden of magically-enhanced flowers and weave them into bouquets or crowns, still others create fine ceremonial daggers of rare metals and inlaid with glittering gemstones.

If elves have a child, they stay together to raise it to adulthood, teaching the long histories of elvenkind and encouraging the child to make their own decisions about choosing a deity to follow. Elves are unique in that they choose when they feel as if they’ve reached adulthood, usually around 100-120 years old. When they do, they make a decision: they may leave their city and find their place out in the world, stay and make their mark on their elven society, or go out and find another elven city and create stronger bonds between each establishment.

Given the nature of short (for elves, at least) and blindingly beautiful romances between elves, they often have many half-siblings and cousins, though the feeling of “family” is considerably less strong than most other humanoid races. Blood relationships do not necessarily mean friendly ones.

Religion
Elves have their own pantheon often known as the Seldarine; this pantheon usually consists of the leader Corellon Larethian, as well as a number of other elven deities. Elves are a deeply spiritual people. They put emphasis on respecting their deities and finding enlightenment for each individual through their deity’s laws. Each elf’s religious beliefs is considered deeply personal and meaningful to every individual. Parents encourage their children to find a deity that “feels” right for them (though there is usually a lot of pressure to follow a god only from the Seldarine).

Corellon Larethian
Believed to be the creator of elvenkind, Corellon is the most widely revered of the Seldarine among elves. His domains include chaos, good, war, and protection. He is also a lover of the arts and music, making him quite popular among bards.

Ehlonna
Ehlonna is a popular deity among elves who live in the wilds, especially wood elves. She represents good, sunlight, life, animals, and plants. Worshipers of Ehlonna get along very well with those who worship Pelor; particularly Pelorian druids.

Lolth
The patron deity of the drow, or dark elves. She was the one to turn against Corellon and turn some of the elves against him, taking them to the Underdark as a whole new people. Over the years, these elves changed, becoming a new race. Lolth encourages paranoia and shrewdness, and her worshipers are often suspicious and cold.

Art
Elves create some of the most sought-after art in all of Terrix. Though elves tend to be very solitary, living away from most societies, they have had a hand in creating some of the world’s most beautiful relics, for many deities aside from those of the Seldarine.

Elves’ love for fair things and the arts have made them very prolific. They have some of the strongest armor that looks deceptively delicate, murals spanning huge walls with tiny details, tapestries woven with fine thread and magic and enchanted to actually move, elaborate and intricate jewelry inlaid with fine-cut gemstones, books written in fine, curling elven script with onion-skin pages, gilded edges, and covers so beautiful that people often collect elven books without ever even reading them.

Elven music is something to behold altogether; the broad influence of Corellon as a deity who loves song inspired many elves to write beautiful music that can be sung with or without instruments and be just as enthralling. Many bards tend to sing songs of elven origin because they are so pleasing. Elven music tends to fall into two categories: light, lively and happy songs, often with silly or nonsensical lyrics meant to get people dancing, or haunting songs of elven history, usually with a tragic ending.

Leisure
The Fair Folk are very familiar with leisurely activities, often seeming lackadaisical to other races. Elves simply know the value of enjoying life to the fullest, even as one of the longest-living humanoid races. In fact, it may be because of their long lifespans than they are often chasing happiness with dancing, singing, and grand parties. Not many of other races have experienced elf parties, but once they have, nothing else can quite compare.

Elves love using magic in everything they do—it’s natural to them, like breathing. So when they throw a party, the wine is often enchanted to glow, fairy lights glow in the trees, unseen servants are used in silly games and contests, and illusions can be used to help in storytelling and other activities. Elves are very free-spirited and very willing to take anyone they deem worthy or interesting to bed after a grand party, as well, which is where a lot of half-elves (or half-humans, to elves) tend to be conceived.

Other than parties, elves are very good at putting others at ease during tense times. They tend to be a voice of levity, playing songs or regaling others with epic elven tales they grew up with.

Enemies/Allies
Though the drow are considered “dark elves” among other races, drow and other elves are bitter enemies. There are always disagreements between the two races, and though they are currently in a truce, the tension can result in outbreaks of fighting when the elves ever venture too far near the Underdark. Orcs, also, are an enemy to the elves; it is said that Sehanine Moonbow, a member of the Seldarine, fought Gruumsh and took one of his eyes. The orcs and Gruumsh himself insist that this never happened and that Gruumsh was born this way, resulting in heated battles and hostility between the races.

With most of the rest of society, elves are rather cool and aloof. Elves prefer their own company and are wary of visitors, though outwardly they are very cordial and seemingly fun-loving while holding the means to incapacitate their visitors if necessary. There are often whispers and stories among humans that you should never trust an elf, because they will always wear a fair face when their dangerous intentions lie just beneath. This also has resulted in some apprehension and enmity with half-elves (or half-humans, to elves). However, when living in a society other than an elven one, elves are as friendly as any other race. They get along well with halflings in particular for their love of leisurely activities.

Gaining the loyalty of an elf takes a lot of patience, but it can be done; once an elf feels loyalty towards someone, they are very slow to forget it. The same goes for enemies, however; elves are famous for holding very, very long grudges.