Elf

The elves of Laurentia inhabit the continents forests. They are magical and otherworldly, living in a world that they're not quite entirely a part of. They love nature, music, the arts, and anything that's good in the world. They tend to live well over 700 years and this gives them quite a perspective on many things. Being otherworldly, this makes the elves aloof and they do not wish to concern themselves with matters outside of their realms. Their elven cities are cloaked in magic, making them almost impossible to find. Each wood and forest is lorded over by an elven king. Those kings answer to the High Elven King in the Greenwood at the wonderous elven city of Tir na Nog. The elves are a slender, graceful and beautiful people, Even though they're aloof and somewhat detached from this world, they have had many an interaction with humans who live near their woodland realms; making half-elves not as un-common as some might believe. Half-Elves are held as second class citizens in elven society since they aren't wholly considered "Elven." Even though this is so, half-elves are hardly ever shown animosity by their fully elven kin. Those elves that do harbor a grudge against half-elves is usually due to some racial zealotry.

Basic Information

Biological Traits

Elves tend to live well over 700 years. They are a tall, graceful, and slender people that on average stand anywhere between 5'8"-6'2". For both males and females. Due to them living for such a long time, elves don't have the tendency to breed or reproduce as much as humans. As a result they don't have as many children because they simply don't see the need.

Genetics and Reproduction

Like humans, female elves have a certain time period where they're more fertile than normal. Instead of once a month this happens about every five years. This is due to the extremely long elven life span and they don't have the need to breed as much or as often as humans do.

Growth Rate & Stages

Elves grow at the same rate as humans and mature around the age of 25. They tend to not reach an elderly age until around 550-600 years old.

Ecology and Habitats

Elves can survive and adapt anywhere, but tend to keep to the forests and their wooded homelands.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Like humans, elves are omnivores. They have a diet that consists of both plants and animals. Even though they eat both, elves seem to have a diet that consists more of vegetables and fruits.

Additional Information

Social Structure

In elven society they have an established nobility. Each woodland realm is lorded over by a king, who in turn answers to the High Elven King in the Greenwood. Each king rules over their realm semi-independently, but the high king sets the tone for all else to follow. There are other "lords" and "ladies" within these realms with their own noble houses, but they don't rule over their own lands or fiefs. Those of a noble rank seem to just be dignified members of society with special/important privileges. There's no real caste system, but the high elves do see and hold themselves in a higher regard due to one of their own always being the high elf king.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Elves are predominantly found in the woodlands of the world and mainly on the continent of Laurentia. There is also a small group of them living in Altaia.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Elves have higher perception and sensory capabilities than humans. They're able to see in the dark along with hearing and seeing up to 15 miles away. Elves are more in tune with magic and nature, and seem to be more resistant to dark magic.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Male Names: Adran, Aelar, Aerdeth, Beiro, Berrian, Caeldrim, Carric, Dayereth, Dreali, Efferil, Erdan, Erevan, Fivin, Galinndan, Hadarai, Halimath, Immeral, Ivellios, Korfel, Lamlis, Laucian, Mindartis, Nutae, Paelias, Peren, Riardon, Rolen, Soveliss, Suhnai, Thamior, Tharivol, Uthemar, Vanuath, Varis
Female Names: Althaea, Anastrianna, Antinua, Baelitae, Bethrynna, Caelynn, Chaedi, Dara, Drusilia, Elama, Enna, Faral, Felosial, Hatae, Ielenia, Ilanis, Jarsali, Jelenneth, Keyleth, Leshanna, Lia, Maiathah, Meriele, Mialee, Naivara, Quelenna, Quillathe, Ridaro, Sariel, Theirastra, Traulam, Vadania

Major Organizations

• Blue Woods
• Eastern Wood
• Galadhos
• Greenwood
• Heaseon
• Lindon
• Silethluma
• Timberlands
• White Forest

Courtship Ideals

Elven spouses will choose each other long before they ever get married. If the two parties are underage then they need the consent of their respective families. At a meeting between the two families the parties will announce their betrothal in which rings are exchanged between the couple. This signifies their engagement in which they wait a year until providing a date for the wedding. The engagement can be called off at any time with either party returning the ring, but this rarely ever happens.
The actual marriage is celebrated with a feast between the two families in which the spouses swap out their betrothal rings with wedding rings. For the marriage to be considered legitimate the vows must be spoken, and then later the couple must consummate the marriage. Once consummation happens the marriage process is considered complete.

History

The elves were the second race to awaken in the world of Edda. After the gaians. The elves came to call the world Sirandon and created the great elven city of Taurgaladhos. The elves are divided into four sub-races: the High Elves, Sea Elves, Dark Elves, and Wood Elves. The high elves came to control Taurgaladhos and for whatever reason this brought them into conflict with the dark elves. There was a great light that was emitted from the city and came to surround the outlying areas. Whenever the high elves are in control the light is blue, but when the dark elves are in control the light is red. This first conflict between the dark elves and light elves was known as the First Great War or in their tongue "The First Kin-Slaying."
A truce was reached between the two sub-races and it isn't known for sure why their feud began. After the First Great War, the dwarves awoke from the mountains and humans came across the land bridge of Lagash from Gondwana and into Laurentia. When the humans came they saw the gaians as primordial gods and began worshiping them. When the high elves began enslaving the gaians, the humans began to fight the high elves. The dark elves supported the humans in this new conflict and the Second Great War began. During the war, the high elves used their magic to destroy the land bridge which would further prevent human passage onto the continent.
At the end of the war, humans and elves divided themselves into their respective kingdoms. As time and history have gone on, the human kingdoms further encroached on elven land to the point where the elves are solely confined to the woodlands of the continent. The high elves and wood elves have done the best at fighting off the human incursions. The sea elves are all but gone, having to intermingle with the high elves to stay alive, and the dark elves are practically extinct -- due to the marauding Picts coming into their lands after the Great Catastrophe. Nowadays the elves survive and thrive in their wooded kingdoms, being ever cautious and weary of outsiders.

Common Myths and Legends

The elves believe that their gods are the ones who created the great cataclysm. Deep Sashelas used the plane of water to create the oceans, lakes, and rivers. Rillifane Rallathil raised the land from the sea, and the water soaked into the earth bringing forth the trees, fields, and all other plants, Sehaine Moonbow harnessed light from the realm of fire and created the moon and sun. Like Laurentians, the elves believe that sentient life came from the bark of trees, and that Corellon Larethian taught them the use of magic.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

• Humans: Unfriendly
• Dwarves: Indifferent
• Half-Elves: Friendly
• Half-Orcs: Unfriendly
• Goliaths: Indifferent
• Aasimar: Friendly
• Orcs: Hostile
• Goblinoids: Hostile
• Giants: Unfriendly
• Firbolgs: Friendly
• Gnomes: Indifferent
• Tieflings: Unfriendly

Melitta Lavellan by Lowenael

Genetic Descendants

• Dhampir
• Half-Elf

Lifespan

Well over 700 years

Average Height

5'0"-6'0"

Average Weight

160-180 lbs.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Among the elven race, high-elves tend to be the lightest in skin tone with the dark elves being the darkest with their skin being dark shades of gray to practically black. The sea-elves have a lighter skin tone as well while the wood-elves tend to be tanner.

Related Ethnicities

• Dark Elf
• High Elf
• Sea Elf
• Wood Elf