Midnight/Dark Elves
"We are the roots that weave through the ground, finding life and stability with one another in the dark you do not see. Trample over us, dig us up, cut us from our homes all you wish, but we shall grow and we shall persist while your ground gives way beneath you."
Midnight Elves, more commonly known as Dark Elves, are one of the most radically different subspecies of Elf on Edda. This is primarily due to their evolutionary habitat, as while other Elves lived on the surface, the Mortal Forms that became Dark Elves grew and evolved in the various subterranean environments throughout Edda. This resulted in not only vast differences in biological traits and evolution, but also vast cultural differences as well, as Dark Elves had an ethnocentric culture all their own before they began to spread out along the surface at the dawn of The Shattered Era.
Primary Differences
Biological
Despite evolving in a starkly different and very separated environment, Dark Elves still retain the common biological traits of Elves and Mortal Form species overall. Their most notable difference comes down to coloration, as instead of the various shades of white and brown many Elves can be, Dark Elf skin tones range from blue, to violet, to even chromatic black. In the modern day, these skin tones can run the gamut of saturation, but Dark Elves who lived underground and still avoid the sun tend to have ashier, less saturated hues. They also tend to have white hair commonly, but just as many have brown or black. Other hair colors aren't unheard of, especially with genetic spread in the modern day, but are vastly less common.
The skin of a Dark Elf, however, is far more sensitive to sunlight and the heat that comes from it, leaving many to prefer being indoors, the nighttime, or being well equipped with large hats when going outside. That same sensitivity applies to their sense of vision, which is second to none in perceiving distance and details in low light and pure darkness, yet suffer in the opposite conditions. Speaking of Senses, Dark Elves tend to have more refined senses of smell and taste than average, being able to pick apart complex flavor profiles and track scents. It is believed such biological advantages were gained due to the consistent harvesting and eating of various potentially hazardous plants.
It is often said that Dark Elves are immune to poison, and while that it is an exaggeration they do have an innate resistance to potentially hazardous ingredients, especially of the non-lethal variety, because of the same aforementioned dietary choices.
Cultural
Due to evolving in a entirely separate environment to the surface nations, especially their fellow Elves, Dark Elf culture grew similarly disparately. In the ancient stories of their people, they lived in vast underground cities made of pristine stone and silver, with intense respect towards the art of song, story, and crafting. They had a large pantheon all their own based on visions of creatures from the surface who oversaw all of them and blessed their minds, and once their technology became great enough to find their way to the surface, they explored it as one might an alien planet.
It is unknown exactly what transpired, but sometime about 3500 years before the current year, Pre-Shattered Era, those ancient cities were lost in disasters and the surviving citizens began to funnel into the pockets of the subterranean Underworld closer to the surface, leading the Dark Elves to be discovered in greater numbers, and by the time the Shattered Era began, they had already begun to disperse throughout the various surface communities.
Dark Elves now have, by and large, mixed into the disparate communities of the surface, although the road has been bumpy for numerous sociopolitical reasons, but a majority of Dark Elf families do still keep some traditions from their old days, passed along in song, story, and silver.
Basic Information
Ecology and Habitats
The specifics of Dark Elves fine-tuned senses and bodily sensitivities all lend well to living in underground communities. While obviously these traits evolved in their storied underground cities, in the modern day Dark Elf populations in mountainous areas like Agartha City have spoken favorably of the environment. While the march of evolution and genetic mixing means these specific needs aren't as restrictive as they once were, it can still make a difference in comfort.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Due to their refined sense of taste, Dark Elf cuisine tends to be either intensely flavored or simple and bland with very little middle ground. The difference lies between those who wish to experience all the various flavors to their full extent, or those who get overstimulated and require a lack of extreme flavors.
They also have a great appreciation for mushrooms and unconventional ingredients in their traditional meals, which aided the biased rumor that Dark Elves willingly ate poison in their meals.
Additional Information
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Dark Elves can be found just about anywhere in Edda, especially with modern sensibilities making it easier for them to integrate socially. However, Atalanta and Agartha have the greatest population of Dark Elves, the latter because the various mountainous cities are particularly hospitable for those with greater sensitivity to sunlight, and the former due to archaic yet oft still enforced laws that prevent much chance for movement elsewhere.
Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms
While it has been many millennia since Dark Elves had their cities deep underground, since many other sentient species live/lived in the subterranean ecosystems of Edda, legends speak of communication and trade between them especially with the Mycoids.
Dark Elves largely lack the stripes and other patterns their cousin species do, even in more atavistic cases. What Dark Elves have more often than not are bioluminescent spots much like shimmering freckles along their arms or face.
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