Moon Elves
Under the cold light of the moon and the shadows of thick canopies, the Moon Elves became one with the trunks and roots of the forests, and gazed past the secrets of the waking world.As Elves came from the various trees and bound plant material when Mortal Forms became flesh, there are many variations of Elves just as there are many types of trees in the world. Unlike their nominal counterparts the Sun Elves, Moon Elves were formed and evolved in the thicker and darker forests. Where their counterparts found ample land for agriculture, the Moon Elves hunted and foraged throughout the fertile forests of the nation.
Primary Differences
Biological
Moon Elves, compared to the baseline average among Elves, have little to no sexual dimorphism between genetic Males and Females. While there is a genetic difference on the basis of reproductive organs and cells, that's their only difference, and Moon Elves experience the greatest rate of intersex births among Elves. In other physical traits, Moon Elves tend to be on the larger end of average for ear length, but where most elf ears go out the side of the skull or back along the sides, Moon Elf ears tend to be close to the skull and point upwards. The keen senses of common Elves are also refined into specific uses by Moon Elves. While they can't see as far as their Sun Elf cousins, they can see in clearer detail, especially in the dark. They also have a greater skill at pattern recognition and greater memory recall compared to other Elven sub-species. As Moon Elves traditionally were omnivorous hunters and gatherers, they have some flatter teeth, but mostly have sharp pointed teeth prime for eating meat or separating fruits from branches and vines. Their traditional habitat also affected their skin tones, as while they have the same hue variety of their elven cousins, they tend to have less saturated skin tones, looking paler or grayer in undertone depending on melanin. In the modern day this isn't as noticeable due to Moon Elves no longer being primarily in the dark forests, but it's still a possible trait through the genetic lineages. They also tend to have a higher rate of camouflage-esque patterns along their bodies, although modern Moon Elves tend to have fainter or smaller ones, especially outside of the thicker forests.Cultural/Social
While regional culture has long since taken the forefront of social differences, before the different Elves of Hippolyta united, a choice that many Moon Elves were slow to agree to, the subspecies were the primary inhabitants of the thicker forests of Hippolyta, hunting and learning about the various pieces of nature that lived alongside them. When the burgeoning nation and it's united cultures began to form, they lent their knowledge to their kin, as well as helped develop their defensive tactics and art of war. Moon Elf knowledge gave a strong boost to understanding the different types of lumber and it's uses, the flora and fauna of the forests, what can and can't be foraged, and how best to remain silent and persistent as a hunter.Additional Information
Geographic Origin and Distribution
While Hippolyta, the nation of Elves, has the greatest population of Moon Elves, there's also a prominent population within Atalanta, as a divergently evolving demographic of Moon Elves were present in the cultural group of The Willow People also known as Swamp Atalantans. While their skills as hunters and foragers were still well used in that environment, they were less of a developmental pillar in that group, as the Willow People were already a culture all their own by the time Hippolyta's elven groups united.
Genetic Ancestor(s)
Genetic Descendants
Scientific Name
Mortali Forma Augeoāvius
Lifespan
Varies, on average 500 years
Average Height
5'8" - 7'10" In adults
Average Weight
120lbs - 260lbs in adults
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Moon Elves are more likely to gain the stripes or dots of pigmentation that act as camouflage among the forests compared to their cousin species.
These markings tend to be more prominent on the face and arms, but have largely been, for lack of a better term, bred out of the gene pool in the many generations since the various elf species unified. However, they still appear in smaller ways on modern descendants, and those who live and have lived more in the forests have a greater chance of atavism with this trait.
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