Sea Elves
It has long since been told that Elves shall plant themselves anywhere and reach for the heavens, yet we could not fathom that we would also reach for the depths.
As has been stated, when Mortal Forms were transformed into flesh and blood, those made of collected wood and plant matter became the longevious Elf species. But, just as many did not expect for the existence of the Midnight Elves formed from subterranean plant life, so too did none expect the existence of the Sea Elves, borne from collected plant matter that thrived in the depths of the ocean.
Originally, any aquatic Mortal Forms species was seen as part of the Merfolk, sometimes referred to as Ydrópos, that lived near the shores, it was eventually discovered that the Sea Elves were biologically distinct and separate from the other Merfolk despite sharing culture and environment for millennia. The biggest traceable source for this before the modern era of genetic research was that Sea Elves lacked the sheer extreme of aquatic traits, and their mana signatures lined up more to Mortal Form descended species than Bestial Forms.
While they have been folded into the world culture since the Oceanic Era, Sea Elves still have a culture all their own, especially in their home environments.
Primary Differences
Physical
It should be no surprise that a species that evolved in a literally different atmosphere is quite different from their cousin species. Sea Elves key protections to their eyes and ears to function in oceanic conditions, as well as mutated limbs that aid in swimming and navigation throughout the water, the specific of which will be expanded in the Anatomy section.
Unsurprisingly, their senses were formed, and further evolved, to work best in ocean conditions, being able to see clearly with little to no light and perceive depth accurately, yet without much skill for telling apart color at a glance. Their sense of hearing, as well, has a hard time picking up high frequencies or hearing far on the surface, but underwater they can clearly pinpoint sounds moving through the water, no matter how minute.
Sea Elves physically have a greater degree of sexual dimorphism than average, although not in the ways one might expect. Female Sea Elves tend to be a solid foot larger than males on average, and have a much greater rate of fat retention, especially around their stomachs and chests, key areas since Sea Elves give birth like standard Elves do, rather than laying soft eggs like other Merfolk.
Despite being an aquatic species, they are actually capable of breathing in and out of water, with a typical respiratory system connected through the nose and mouth as well as a path connected to gills on the side of their necks. However, when switching biomes, they must purge one passageway to switch to the other, either emptying their gills of water or their throat of excess air. They also produce a thin layer of oil onto their skin to prevent extreme dehydration while on the surface.
To accommodate a diet mostly made of fish and mollusks, Sea Elves possess sharp thin teeth, perfect for tearing into thin meat, as well as a frontal "buck" tooth they use to aid in shearing scales or opening shells. They also have a pointed, thin, and very agile tongue for scooping out their meals when necessary.
Cultural/Social
While most Sea Elves have adopted the cultural habits of the areas where they've landed in, typically coastal or island cultures, there is a large swath of Sea Elves with a culture all their own. They are referred to mainly as Water-Dwelling Sea Elves, but they do still live and roam on or near the coasts of Hippolyta. While the linked article will go into further detail, their culture is largely based around fishing of various kinds as well as geology, and exploration.
Even after millennia of contact with other Hippolytan cultures, these Sea Elves still keep their own cultural habits and values, while still engaging in exchange and education with the outside world. In fact, these Sea Elves who live out most of their long lives in the water are imperative to Hippolytan fishing seasons, mapping of ocean currents, and sailing expeditions.
Basic Information
Anatomy
While still having the same anatomical formation of other Mortal Form species, Sea Elves limbs have evolved to be sleek and tightly bound muscle-wise. In between their long fingers and toes there are thin webs that are shaped to allow for swifter movement underwater. To aid this movement, they also have short fins down the outward-facing side of their limbs, and many have a sleek tail coming from their lower spine for the same reason.
While their internal anatomy follows roughly the same structure as any other Mortal Form species, the subject of reproductive organs shows the greatest diversion from that base state. All Sea Elves possess both a phallus and a vulva which are stored in an internal pocket of sorts. If a Sea Elf is a genetic male (IE sperm carrier) then the vulva does not develop past that pocket and the phallus is fully functional, vice versa if they are a genetic female (IE egg carrier) then their vulva develops into a fully functional reproductive system while the phallus is largely flaccid and underdeveloped.
Because of this makeup, intersex children are very common for Sea Elves, with 1 in 5 adults landing in-between the two ends of development along with developing other dimorphic traits such as breast tissue growth or larger fat retention around certain key areas. While even in intersex cases one of the two will remain largely undeveloped and non-functional, there have been many cases of Sea Elves with both systems developed and functioning.
Growth Rate & Stages
While Sea Elves largely follow the same growth stages as general Elves, their newborns are a bit different, as they only leave the womb after enough time for their body to solidify, leaving them able to begin movement at birth. Despite this, many Sea Elf family units remain on shore or in shallow waters for the first year of the child's life, until they get a better grasp on their motor skills.
Ecology and Habitats
Sea Elves by and large prefer warm waters near unpopulated coastlines, with a large number of them sticking around the coasts of southern Hippolyta, the 'Oki Islands, Boncly, and some places in Kaguya. While they can live in cold waters, and with the coming of winter they gain more body fat to accommodate that, it is less preferable to them.
Additional Information
Facial characteristics
Sea Elves tend to have wide eyes that are a single color, protected by a gel membrane to block water. They also have, on average, short noses that still go out from the face, but only by a fraction of an inch.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
The largest population of Sea Elves live around the southern shores of Hippolyta, with a close second living in the waters between the 'Oki Islands and Boncly. While many travel all around Edda and pop up in other nations, those populations are far fewer.
Sea Elves tend to have very lean and taut bodies, as their frequent swimming builds such a physique. During the winter months their body stores greater amounts of fat for warming, so they get a bit plumper, and egg-carrying Sea Elves tend to have greater fat around their stomachs and chests.
The skin of a Sea Elf is slightly bumpy and coarse, not fully scaled like Merfolk, but an evolutionary approximation that aids them in rapidly moving through water.
Sea Elves tend to be blue or green, shades that are excellent camouflage in the water. The ridges of their scale-esque skin tend to be a lighter color, especially when exposed to light, creating a shimmering scaled effect, and their hair tends to be a darker hue of their skin color. Their eyes, however, tend to be quite bright, most commonly gold but with amber and green being common colors as well.
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