Wood Elves

Wood elves declined to join their siblings in their great planar quest at the dawn of history, remaining behind on the Prime Material plane to guard and tend their home. As the elves least attuned to greater planar mysteries, wood elves are the least inclined to practice arcane magic and also the least interested in the gods. They also have few permanent settlements, preferring instead to maintain semi-nomadic lives around herds of select creatures. As the most numerous elves in the world, wood elves are also the most prolific, maintaining tribes in three parts of Terra Ishtar, the southernmost of the Three Sisters, and one of the islands.
Appearance Wood elves closely match the trees they favor as a habitat. Their skin tones match the barks of numerous trees, from deep brown to a rich red to stark white. Their eyes are the color of leaves and tend to change with the season (turning silver in the winter) and hair colors match human ranges. Wood elves are tall and lithe, with men and women often exceeding six feet in height but rarely matching human builds. Facial hair is extremely rare among wood elves but does occur in some.
Clothing All wood elf tribes maintain raptors (‘chocobo’ in the elven tongue), large and magical flightless birds who are as strong as horses while running on two legs. Chocobo feathers are common adornment, and leather is the material of choice for clothing. Some wood elves have traditions making wool clothing while others trade for other types of cloth. Historically, wood elves have worn boots, fur-lined chaps and a loincloth, and either a vest or jacket depending on the climate; adorning these vests or their wide-brimmed hats with beads, paint, and chocobo feathers is quite common. Most elves carry a woolen cape as well to provide extra protection from the elements.
Art Wood elves favor artistic expression that is both portable and possible to do on the road. Pipes and drums are common and offer a surprising degree of range in elven hands; the avari are master carvers, after all. Woodcarving is a nearly sacred tradition, with stories being told in highly detailed statues. Legend has it that wood carved by an elf will resist weathering or decay as long as that elf draws breath; whether or not this is completely accurate, their craftsmanship certainly endures longer than it should. Leatherwork is also a prized art, with craftspeople in high demand to adorn the outfits of elven riders.
Religion As mentioned above, the wood elves on the whole care little for deities. They claim a small handful of clerics, though these are more likely to venerate their ancestors and totems than even the traditional elven gods. Wood elves celebrate the turning of the wheel with holidays at the solstices and equinoxes, as well as four points in between. Druids are leaders and arbiters in wood elven society, while bards are revered for keeping elven history alive.
Cuisine Some wood elves herd sheep or goats in the plains, but most follow herds of elk, antelope, reindeer, or other animals. Given their lifestyle and reliance on chocobos (who lay eggs with some regularity), wood elven food centers on meat or eggs, and includes foraged greens and roots, berries, and mushrooms. Oftentimes wild oats, rice, and other wild grains will be collected and ground into a flour to be used with egg to make a flat bread. Elven senses are rather sharp, and wood elves use subtle flavors in their cooking, reserving strong flavors for organ meats and other dishes with a strong main ingredient. They also make excellent mead, collecting wild honey and adding wild fruits or herbs. Though nearly all elves are at least somewhat lactose intolerant, wood elves are especially so, and the few who herd animals that produce great quantities of milk make cheeses strictly for trade, though kumiss can be found among those tribes.
Tribes Wood elves are broadly broken up into five large tribes, within which are numerous smaller clans. Tribes are a form of identity and history, with ancestors and totems alike part of the guardians given offerings by clerics. Any barbarians on the path of the totem will usually adhere to their own totem, but this isn’t a requirement. The Wolf Tribe dwells in the eastern part of Terra Ishtar, and tends to favor fighters and rogues. The Eagle Tribe wanders lands in the southern forests of Terra Ishtar and boasts the most paladins among the wood elves. The Bear Tribe dwells in western Terra Ishtar and prefers barbarians for its warriors; the Elk Tribe dwells on one of the Middle Islands, and is the only tribe with any sizeable wizard tradition. The Tiger Tribe lives on the Three Sisters and maintains the mysterious Moonshadow Monastery, as well as a clandestine warlock tradition.