Elves

Imagine a group of very cunning dealmaking humans, who carefully requested favors from any and every entity they possibly could; a fraction of demonic strength, a taste of nature's grace, a morsel of cosmic wisdom, and so on and so forth. These people would be a legendary few with almost unmatched ability, skill, and even luck, but at the cost of being just a little bit beholden to every major power in the universe...

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Elves are one of the most well-known demihumans to roam Aelladore; they are generally tall, slender, and beautiful, with long, pointed ears. The nature of their dealings with different powers has resulted in different subtypes of elf: colorful elves with starry eyes and a penchant for magic, dark-skinned elves beholden to the darkness or things that reside beneath the earth, aquatic elves empowered by oaths from the ocean deep, and even more.

The elves of old - now known as the Fae - were consummate wheeler-dealers, and were clever enough to have crafted loopholes into their contracts; they use the contracts from others of their kind to mitigate the duties and responsibilities of their promises. In a sense, it's like using debt to pay off other debts; someday, they will have to pay up, but not today.

Usually, elves tend to move in caravans . Each caravan is a small enough group so as not to alarm large settlements when they appear, and they travel from place to place as their contracts and deals dictate to work off this debt or honor that promise. Some caravans, however, are instead constantly on the run from whatever power they extracted resources from, and either cannot or will not finish their side of the deal.

Elven caravans include, but are not limited to:

• Hespa - Those who are one with animals and nature
• Gol - Those who travel by sea
• Ba - Those who use the winds around the plains and deserts to power their land skiffs
• Sev - The infamous "dark elves", who travel by night and camp in magical seclusion during the day
• Sidhe ("shee") - Those with starry eyes, blessed by the Veil

Trivia

• They use the stars and divination to link up with other caravans to trade members and the power of their oaths, as well as to share news.
• They are successful as a subspecies because of their dealings, and many towns would be happy to trade with them due to the exotic goods they bring. Nobody wants them to stay for too long, however.
• Subtypes of elf tend to congregate in certain caravans due to their lifestyle, but it's not required.
• Virtually any subtype of elf from any setting could be taken and worked into this concept: they wanted/needed power, they got it, now they owe, but they've found a way to stave off their collectors for a time.
• Half-elves are a thing, and they are partly bound to the same rules and promises of their full-elven Kin, but with a bit more freedom. Half-elves might even be the sort of "chosen children" rather than the outcasts of other settings because they are only partly bound, and they still get many of the benefits.