High Elves

The High Elves answered the call of their gods back in the mists of history, and traveled the planes to help their distant deities. The lore they acquired propelled them to the heights of mortal knowledge, but they bear a singular burden as a result. Their ancestral home was the isle of Atlantis for millennia, but five centuries ago a catastrophe struck, filling the island with foul magics and horrific monsters. The few high elves who survived fled to the rare cities outside of Atlantis, though their numbers have been greatly diminished. Azure, the fabled City of Towers, has become the center of elven culture, and a port for those who would try to reclaim some of Atlantis’ history and treasures. Over a million elves died in the cataclysm half a millennium ago, and though shorter lived races have largely forgotten about it, plenty of elven elders still remember the tragedy clearly.
Appearance High elves have a build similar to their wood elf cousins, but lack the range of skin tones. Tending to be fair to olive skinned, high elf hair is either jet black or platinum blond, though their eyes can be any color. Most have intricate tattoos painted in bright blues or greens detailing their heraldry.
Clothing Wizardry is second nature to high elves, and low level enchantments are woven into their clothing so commonly that it’s expected. Vanyar fashion is considered revealing by the standards of some races, though this is done to accentuate tattoos and leave casters free to use their somatic components. Clothing often cleans itself or changes color and cut at a whim, making them tools of personal expression.
Art High elves celebrate all art forms, and particularly enjoy weaving subtle enchantments into their work. Sculpting, painting, elaborate musical pieces, plays: all of these feature prominently in elven culture, and many of the most prized recoveries from the ruins of Atlantis are manuscripts or rare artwork.
Religion The secret which high elves bear is that they know the cyclical nature of gods, that the fragments of primordial power are too much for any non-primordial to consume without slowly being driven mad. High elves have taken it upon themselves to groom champions to replace the gods as they approach insanity, and in fact there’s suspicion that five hundred years ago this battle went horribly awry, causing the cataclysm. High elves venerate deities as they would venerate their most potent ancestors, for they are often one and the same; while the champions are not always high elves, enough have ascended to godhood to fill any ancestral altar. Holidays tend to concentrate around the dates of ascension for various figures.
Cuisine Claiming to be the progenitors of civilization itself, high elves have embraced the staples of the city and produce numerous breads and pastas along with the finest wine in the world. Favoring the subtle flavors and herbs of their wood elf siblings, high elven dishes are a bit bland to some palettes but awaken spices and produce textures unique to the most patient race. Most high elves prefer seafood or beans for their protein, and cultivate a wide variety of vegetables and fruits to supplement their diet.
Houses High elves trace their lineages back thousands of years, and many gather into great Houses to cement political alliances. Several Houses were nearly destroyed in the Cataclysm, leaving few in any position of real power. House Leo is known for being adventurous, and claims nearly as many fighters as bladesingers (who favor the Cat styles). House Meles is full of doughty defenders, training an order of paladins alongside their bladesingers (who utilize the Bird style). House Serpens is known for its political acumen and is rumored to divulge in parker research than their fellows, having less of a taboo about necromancy. They allow a few warlocks to train in their ranks, and their bladesingers often use the Serpent style. House Corvus is a house of dedicated wizards who eschew bladesinging arts for the most part to focus on arcana, though their Sunfire monks and trained bards make up for that.