Elves
The cataclysm that wrecked Desaroque is not the first one that happened in this world. It has said to happen a few times in Ceistrath, the continent of the dragons; it has said to happen once in Agra, before humans started appearing; and it has said to happen several times over in a short period of time in Okrai, the old land of the elf, a continent of strange magic where almost none of the other races dare venture to.
The destruction of the continent almost led to the extinction of all elves, if not for an intervention devised by two of the most powerful elf: Navarre and Lyora. These powerful leaders of the elves set aside their differences for a while and made a deal with the feys of the Feywild to create a demi-plane next to their plane, their own Paradise. There, all things elves can thrive and recuperate, magic is gentle and save, and the elves live an almost immortal lives until Okrai once again can be inhabited. As all the elves vanished from the material plane, most inhabitants of the world thought they were a goner.
Centuries later, the first elves came back to the material plane as Navarre send scouts to survey how things are going. The disagreements between Navarre and Lyora led them to huge disagreements. Navarre wanted to come back to the material plane, but Lyora wanted their Paradise to get closer and closer to Feywild, creating proper Feyan Elves.
To prove that his idea was superior, Navarre sent thousands of elves to land on the isles of Arvandor. There, they saw the full-view Okrai to be as devastated as they were when they left. But the hope and belief coming from their hero led the elves to give the material plane a second chance. These elves migrated to Desaroque, finding it empty of giants that once populated it, as they wait for developments or instructions from Navarre. Suddenly after 500, the portal connecting Paradise and Arvandor were closed, without any warning from their much beloved hero, Navarre
What actually happened beyond the portal is a subject of debate amongst the elves. Perhaps something is happening in Paradise. Perhaps Lyora betrayed him and forcefully closed the portal by the help of evil feys. Some other gates can sporadically be opened from the Feywild to Desaroque, though this seems arbitrary and only serves to make some fey creatures lost in a continent unfamiliar to them. That, or they have been lying collectively to the elves.
That event happened centuries ago, and the elves are still waiting. Some of them grew bored, and started to travel to the east, establishing trades and contacts with other races. Others are traditionalists and isolationists, still patiently waiting for the call of Navarre and missing what had been their home plane for millennia’s.
This divide is mostly represented by the two Elven nations, Salryon and Nymelora, with traditionalist elves ruling Salryon and exploratory elves settling in Nymelora. The Salryans considers themselves "True Elves", as a subset of elves still trying to reopen the portal. The Nymean considers themselves "Free Elves", and they consider the event that is called "The Fall", as a chance to begin a new era and explore a new horizon... some which was considered tabboo in the teachings of Navarre, such as rigorous experimental magic on the material plane.
Additional Information
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Around Faelstorm Bay, western Desaroque
Civilization and Culture
Major Organizations
Kingdom of Salryon, Kingdom of Nymelora
Culture and Cultural Heritage
The elves are an ancient race stuck in a demiplane where time goes slowly. Ancient elves from the material planes were different than modern day elves, whose body and psyche has been suffused with so much magic and primal energy coming in from the Feywild. Culturally, they absorbed a lot from their fae neighbours, regarding their magic as the ideal of magical developments.
This creates a dilemma for elves in the material plane. They miss Paradise, with all its glory and all the crystal spires, trees and foliage that curl and bend with their touch creating beautiful gardens and beautiful homes. They are a society used to high magic--which they know to be dangerous to be used to often in the prime material plane. Western Desaroque is a wild place, but wild in the wrong way. Wild in a way that the elves aren't used to, in a way that the elves can't really control. At least not at the beginning. They would need to get used to it once more.
Some elves thought of it as a new challenge, others recoil at the thought sticking to their age old teachings that magic isn't friendly to the material plane. These are the most obvious difference between the "true elves" of Salryon and the "free elves" of Nymelora; Nymeans seek to continue their old lives on Desaroque, Salryons seek to patiently curb themselves.
This difference in philosophies can be seen in how they built their countries. Nymelora is a wild place--perhaps even wilder than paradise--because how the aether scars are stretched and their magic used for experimentation. Beasts and plants that are nowhere to be seen on Desaroque are common in Nymelora, and uncontrollable as they are. Despite their unfriendly home country, Nymeans are more willing to interact with other, younger races, seeing them as having more experience in the prime material plane.
Meanwhile Salryon is a serene place. Forests with aether scars are protected from interference by dutiful rangers, their cities are built on hills and lakes far enough from any aether scar, but close enough that they are able to use the aether energy when the needs come up. During all this time they are stranded, they've rewritten books upon books about elven history, even before they live in Paradise. Remembering the history of their race is an important part of Salryon elves, as it informs them what they can do on the material plane, and what went wrong. Generally Salryon elves are more subdued and traditional, seeing other races less of an equal because of how ancient the elven race is.
Meta note: Sun elves are Salryon elves, while Moon elves are Nymean elves. Wood elves and drows are divided between the two countries and adopt their philosophy, even though they have more racial similarity to their own subrace.
Common Myths and Legends
Navarre and Lyora are not exactly a deity in Desaroque, in the sense that they don't gain power from followers. They are, instead, two very powerful elves with great magic that had created Paradise with the help of the fey.
Scientific Name
Elves (sun elves, moon elves, wood elves), drow, half-elves
Origin/Ancestry
the destroyed continent of Okria, Paradise
Lifespan
700-1000 years
Average Height
155-185 cm
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