Dark Elves
Followers of Malrond
Thousands of years ago, the Elves were divided, with those of benevolent disposition battling those that were selfish and cruel. The war among Elvenkind ended when the good elves banished their malevolent kin to the subterranean depths of the Labyrinthian. Here, in the lightless caverns and endless warrens of twisting passages, the dark elves, the Moriche, found refuge and built an underworld empire.
Basic Information
Dietary Needs and Habits
As with other elves the Moriche have an omnivorous diet. However, the Moriche diet consists of more meat than their surface breathren as a result of their subterranean location.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
The Moriche have lived underground for so long that they have evolved to their surroundings and can see in the dark. However, they can no longer stand sunlight. Moriche exposed to sunlight will develop skin burns much more quickly than other species, and will experience visual disturbances and headaches. As a result, when Slaves are in short supply in the Underdark, the Moriche send raiding parties to the surface to capture humanoids under cover of darkness, bringing them back to their cities to be tortured into submission. If a Moriche must venture above ground in daylight they will try to ensure that their skin is covered with clothing and will avoid looking directly into sunlight. Beyond those occasional excursions, the Moriche are content to remain in their subterranean realm, where they feel secure and in control.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Elves are considered children until they declare themselves adults, some time after the hundredth birthday, and before this period they are called by child names.
On declaring adulthood, an elf selects an adult name, although those who knew him or her as a youngster might continue to use the child name. Each elf’s adult name is a unique creation, though it might reflect the names of respected individuals or other family members. Little distinction exists between male names and female names; the groupings here reflect only general tendencies. In addition, every elf bears a family name, typically a combination of other Elvish words. Some elves traveling among humans translate their family names into Common, but others retain the Elvish version.
Child Names: Ara, Bryn, Del, Eryn, Faen, Innil, Lael, Mella, Naill, Naeris, Phann, Rael, Rinn, Sai, Syllin, Thia, Vall
Male Adult Names: Adran, Aelar, Aramil, Arannis, Aust, Beiro, Berrian, Carric, Enialis, Erdan, Erevan, Galinndan, Hadarai, Heian, Himo, Immeral, Ivellios, Laucian, Mindartis, Paelias, Peren, Quarion, Riardon, Rolen, Soveliss, Thamior, Tharivol, Theren, Varis
Female Adult Names: Adrie, Althaea, Anastrianna, Andraste, Antinua, Bethrynna, Birel, Caelynn, Drusilia, Enna, Felosial, Ielenia, Jelenneth, Keyleth, Leshanna, Lia, Meriele, Mialee, Naivara, Quelenna, Quillathe, Sariel, Shanairra, Shava, Silaqui, Theirastra, Thia, Vadania, Valanthe, Xanaphia
Family Names (Common Translations): Amakiir (Gemflower), Amastacia (Starflower), Galanodel (Moonwhisper), Holimion (Diamonddew), Ilphelkiir (Gemblossom), Liadon (Silverfrond), Meliamne (Oakenheel), Naïlo (Nightbreeze), Siannodel (Moonbrook), Xiloscient (Goldpetal)
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Culture and Cultural Heritage
Many of the Moriche worship their progenitor Malrond, whose essence they believe now resides in the Abyss after his death at the hands of his brother. Known as the Spider King or the Demon King of Spiders, he is the figure around which the Moriche have built their subterranean civilization. Whatever he demands, the Moriche do.
The wickedest of Elves, Moriche are seldom seen by the surface world. Though they plot to destroy the elves that banished them, they no longer see themselves as exiles. They are the destined rulers of the Darkness, and believe in a second coming of Malrond. When Malrond returns and commands them to rise up and destroy their surface-dwelling kin, they will.
Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals
Moriche politics are cutthroat and rife with intrigue. When Moriche work together, it is typically to destroy a common foe and ensure their own survival, and such alliances are short lived and fraught with peril.
Moriche society is divided into noble houses, each ruled by a matron who seeks to raise the prestige and power of her house above all others. Other high-ranking members of the house are blood relatives, while the middling ranks are flush with Moriche from weaker families that have sworn fealty to the greater house. Clinging precariously to the bottom rung of a house’s social ladder are the house slaves, made up of Moriche of low birth and the occasional non-Moriche captive.
History
At the end of the Age of Music and Peace, Malrond the Betrayer grew jealous of his brother’s creation and the favour and magic he had been granted by the Amari. Gathering as many allies as he could, his thoughts and deeds were so reckless, so reprehensible, their combined harmony of terror is said to have birthed the Abyss. This Void was a universe onto its own, and contained unimaginable horrors that awaited Malrond’s call to the Material Plane.
Dark whispers began to form in the night, and even darker promises were brought to Malrond’s ears. But no power besides the Amari could create life, though Malrond’s mind was already poisoned with lies and deception. In dark nights did he experiment on his elf kin with the blood of spiders. His experiments failed, but his cult had grown and a malignant schism was forming among the Elves for the first time since their awakening. The roots of evil had taken hold in the hearts of these Dark Elves.
Learning all they could about magic, the Elves knew how to fashion great gates of instantaneous travel. Many of these gates were used to travel among the continents of Calcaria, but Malrond knew that their power could go further. Thus it was after his attempt to create life had failed that he opened the first great Gate to the Void, now known as the Abyss. The Nine Hells hath no fury as he unleashed that day as he and his Dark Elves rejoiced in the coming of the tide of daemons and darkness that shrouded all of Calcaria that day forth. The Age of War and Strife had come.
The Four Great Houses of the Elves, the Swan, the Sun, the Moon, and the Tree came together under one banner and marched on Malrond’s fortress. Aided by the Florens and the Amari that had remained, they wrought a costly victory, killing Malrond and forcing his followers underground, where they have dug their tunnels ever since.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
A Moriche city is a sprawling metropolis enclosed by high walls. Non-Moriche visitors usually conduct their business outside the walls under watchful eyes. The Moriche raise and keep giant spiders to help protect their cities against intruders, even as they drape those cities in beautiful webbing, creating a gossamer snare to catch flying enemies that would otherwise soar over the walls.
Genetic Ancestor(s)
Scientific Name
Moriche
Lifespan
~700 years
Average Height
5' to 6'
Average Weight
100-180 pounds
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Dark, Black, Deep Purple
Geographic Distribution
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