Elves

Elves live such long lives that it's said they're virtually immortal. It is true that there are multiple instances of elves which are upwards of a thousand years old, however they can die of injury or disease, mistreatment or starvation, just not of natural causes. Their aging process is accordingly slow, with whole centuries passing before they have started showing wrinkles and white hair. Since elves live for so long and have had such attunement and command with magic, they have evovled a highly individualistic society. Elves spread around the world in order to bring light to others, as emissaries of their own culture, but in reality they were escaping the unbearable bonds of familiarity that they had fallen to, among each other. Spending eternity with the same people can be dull, and elves have been known to have drifted into the lives of other more mixed and/or remote communities, spending decades living and getting to know them and live among them. In some cases they start families (they can have half-elves, which however don't live as long), become heroes, get elected into positions of political power, teach, get revered. All those cases are called 'drifters' and drifting can be a very common practice among them. It can be looked down on by some or encouraged or even required by others, in order for one to find their position in the group.

Basic Information

Genetics and Reproduction

Since elves are virtually immortal, they are very protective of their young, as well as the process of procreation. To avoid population spikes (a problem which communities have met in the past), they are careful about how many children they allow to be introduced in a group. For that reason, they also maintain very frequent censuses among communities. Elven birth cycles are long. It can take decades between periods of fertility for both men and women. These can be sensed in advance and prepare, something that is even celebrated within some communities. The process of ovulation can be pushed forward with a joint effort between magic and science. There are both methods of contraception and of assisted fertility.

Genetic Descendants