Elves
Elves are the dominant type of Fey, and the leaders of all those coming from the Fey Wild. Thus they embody the grace and beauty of the natural world: as well as its strength and, at times, its unremitting wrath and fury. Elves are either immortal or live exceedingly long lives, giving them a much different outlook than most other inhabitants of Arcanalia. While long life would seem to afford them the opportunity to acquire a vast knowledge of the world and its excel. This, combined with their natural dexterity and lithe movement, makes them appear almost ethereal to those who behold them for the first time.
Elves as natives of the Fey Wilde are one of three distinct groups: Elves of Light, ELVES OF THE TWILIGHT, AND DARK ELVES. A fourth grouping is the ELVES OF ARCANALIA. This group is made up of those elves that have surrendered their mortality to bond with and live in Arcanalia, or were born here and thus mortal by birth.
DESCRIPTION: Elves vary in size and coloration, depending on their nature. Generally, elves are light skinned and pale in color, although almost any skin hue is possible. At maturity they average 5 feet 6 inches in height, and weigh around 115 lbs. Their “ethereal” nature lends them an unnatural grace and beauty. Elves have thin, sharp facial features with large, searching eyes that can vary widely in color. Their ears are long, tapering to a point at the ends, and they often wear their hair long and unrestrained. In addition any elves born in the Fey Wilde will have, as do all fey, a MARK OF THE FEY. These typically manifest in some plant like quality to a part of the Elves body.
PERSONALITY: Elves, being long-lived, often lack any sense of urgency. Accustomed to a life of ease and with servants aplenty they tend to be flippant and lack basic life skills. An overriding sense of near-immortality affects an elf’s every thought and action. Other races misinterpret this lack of urgency as indolence, laziness and an uncaring attitude, since other races cannot afford to wait decades to act on a matter. Elves know that they have time to act, for the centuries stretch before them where other races have mere decades. When pressed, however, elves are capable of quick deliberation and speedy action, though usually not as quick as their shorter-lived allies might prefer.
Elves relish beauty, both natural and crafted. Their farsighted vision allows them to see the shapes of things to come, and more, they can see the shapes of things that could be. Where others might see a young sapling that one day must grow into a great oak, an elf sees a sapling that, molded with care and patience, can grow into a tree of great trunk and arching branch that will lord over the forest. This sight grants them the patience to make a craft of their natural environment. They shape the rocks where they dwell and cultivate trees and gardens over many years, thus molding their surroundings to create a garden of beauty in the natural world. They apply this same care to shaping and drawing out the natural beauty in all things, from simple stones and gems to gardens, forests and hills. Likewise, the same attention is given to the crafting of weapons and armor, to spells, and even to the care of beasts. All things flourish under an elf’s care if given time and safety from the world’s interruptions.
They also see beauty as a type of order, and desire order in all that they contact. This affects how they view and interact with the world around them. They shape their physical world using the natural worlds own forces and creations. An elf’s shaping of the world is accomplished with time. Time is the essential element in creating any item of beauty, and time is something many elves have. The same applies to an elf’s use of magic. When magic is crafted by an elf, it is treated with the same care and patience that the elves apply to all things. Time is the forge upon which arcane forces are shaped and bent to perfection. Flawless and powerful magical spells and items are greatly valued and coveted by the other peoples of the world and by elves as well. When complete, elven magics are of divine perfection and immense power; but more than this, their beauty is beyond comparison and oft times, beauty is the source of its magical power.
This love for beauty and order fuels their desire to shape the world, which brings elves their greatest joy and greatest sorrow. Their timeless vision allows them to see both the beauty and the tragedy in all things, so that elves are filled with overflowing joy and limitless sorrow. Looking into their future, they see their lives and creations becoming marred and spoiled by others, be they dwarf, human, orc or even the ravages of time.
These qualities imbue most elves with a fatalism of surpassing depth. Their immortality or near-immortality creates a peculiar unease with death for their attachment to the living world is more profound and deeply felt than that of most other races. Together, these conflicting notions of time create a burgeoning and even contradictory desire to control and even stop the advancement of time, the forge of their life’s creation and the crucible of their doom. In many ways, elves become mired in their history, and change little as the world changes around them. At times, this leads elves to avoid many situations that don’t directly threaten them, or that they feel would bring unnecessary harm to their creations.
RACIAL AFFINITIES: Most elves prefer the company of other elves. They associate well with halflings and gnomes, but generally do not live in close proximity to settlements of those races.
Humans present interesting dilemmas for elves to ponder, for humans combine the most noble and ignoble aspects of all creatures. As such, elves are very selective about their human associations and have a guarded approach to their interactions with humans. Dwarves are treated with an aloofness bordering on disdain, for elves find them nearly unfathomable.
ENVIRONMENT: Elves prefer living in serene environments, far from turbulent, troubled lands. Often associated with forests and wilderness areas, elves will also live in open savannah or dense urban environments of their own making. Elvish cities are different from human settlements, having more in kin with dwarven settlements – both races tend to incorporate natural surroundings into both their architecture and living spaces in their communities.
Elves as natives of the Fey Wilde are one of three distinct groups: Elves of Light, ELVES OF THE TWILIGHT, AND DARK ELVES. A fourth grouping is the ELVES OF ARCANALIA. This group is made up of those elves that have surrendered their mortality to bond with and live in Arcanalia, or were born here and thus mortal by birth.
DESCRIPTION: Elves vary in size and coloration, depending on their nature. Generally, elves are light skinned and pale in color, although almost any skin hue is possible. At maturity they average 5 feet 6 inches in height, and weigh around 115 lbs. Their “ethereal” nature lends them an unnatural grace and beauty. Elves have thin, sharp facial features with large, searching eyes that can vary widely in color. Their ears are long, tapering to a point at the ends, and they often wear their hair long and unrestrained. In addition any elves born in the Fey Wilde will have, as do all fey, a MARK OF THE FEY. These typically manifest in some plant like quality to a part of the Elves body.
PERSONALITY: Elves, being long-lived, often lack any sense of urgency. Accustomed to a life of ease and with servants aplenty they tend to be flippant and lack basic life skills. An overriding sense of near-immortality affects an elf’s every thought and action. Other races misinterpret this lack of urgency as indolence, laziness and an uncaring attitude, since other races cannot afford to wait decades to act on a matter. Elves know that they have time to act, for the centuries stretch before them where other races have mere decades. When pressed, however, elves are capable of quick deliberation and speedy action, though usually not as quick as their shorter-lived allies might prefer.
Elves relish beauty, both natural and crafted. Their farsighted vision allows them to see the shapes of things to come, and more, they can see the shapes of things that could be. Where others might see a young sapling that one day must grow into a great oak, an elf sees a sapling that, molded with care and patience, can grow into a tree of great trunk and arching branch that will lord over the forest. This sight grants them the patience to make a craft of their natural environment. They shape the rocks where they dwell and cultivate trees and gardens over many years, thus molding their surroundings to create a garden of beauty in the natural world. They apply this same care to shaping and drawing out the natural beauty in all things, from simple stones and gems to gardens, forests and hills. Likewise, the same attention is given to the crafting of weapons and armor, to spells, and even to the care of beasts. All things flourish under an elf’s care if given time and safety from the world’s interruptions.
They also see beauty as a type of order, and desire order in all that they contact. This affects how they view and interact with the world around them. They shape their physical world using the natural worlds own forces and creations. An elf’s shaping of the world is accomplished with time. Time is the essential element in creating any item of beauty, and time is something many elves have. The same applies to an elf’s use of magic. When magic is crafted by an elf, it is treated with the same care and patience that the elves apply to all things. Time is the forge upon which arcane forces are shaped and bent to perfection. Flawless and powerful magical spells and items are greatly valued and coveted by the other peoples of the world and by elves as well. When complete, elven magics are of divine perfection and immense power; but more than this, their beauty is beyond comparison and oft times, beauty is the source of its magical power.
This love for beauty and order fuels their desire to shape the world, which brings elves their greatest joy and greatest sorrow. Their timeless vision allows them to see both the beauty and the tragedy in all things, so that elves are filled with overflowing joy and limitless sorrow. Looking into their future, they see their lives and creations becoming marred and spoiled by others, be they dwarf, human, orc or even the ravages of time.
These qualities imbue most elves with a fatalism of surpassing depth. Their immortality or near-immortality creates a peculiar unease with death for their attachment to the living world is more profound and deeply felt than that of most other races. Together, these conflicting notions of time create a burgeoning and even contradictory desire to control and even stop the advancement of time, the forge of their life’s creation and the crucible of their doom. In many ways, elves become mired in their history, and change little as the world changes around them. At times, this leads elves to avoid many situations that don’t directly threaten them, or that they feel would bring unnecessary harm to their creations.
RACIAL AFFINITIES: Most elves prefer the company of other elves. They associate well with halflings and gnomes, but generally do not live in close proximity to settlements of those races.
Humans present interesting dilemmas for elves to ponder, for humans combine the most noble and ignoble aspects of all creatures. As such, elves are very selective about their human associations and have a guarded approach to their interactions with humans. Dwarves are treated with an aloofness bordering on disdain, for elves find them nearly unfathomable.
ENVIRONMENT: Elves prefer living in serene environments, far from turbulent, troubled lands. Often associated with forests and wilderness areas, elves will also live in open savannah or dense urban environments of their own making. Elvish cities are different from human settlements, having more in kin with dwarven settlements – both races tend to incorporate natural surroundings into both their architecture and living spaces in their communities.
Genetic Ancestor(s)
Genetic Descendants
Origin/Ancestry
Fey
Related Ethnicities
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