Elf
Elves are a magical people of otherworldly grace, living in the world but not entirely part of it. They live in places of ethereal beauty, in the midst of ancient forests or in silvery spires glittering with faerie light, where soft music drifts through the air and gentle fragrances waft on the breeze. Elves love nature and magic, art and artistry, music and poetry, and the good things of the world.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Elves have anatomy very like that of Humans, ranging from under 5 to over 6 feet tall. Lean muscles accentuate their slender builds. Elven faces tend to be narrow with angular, yet graceful, features. Their pointed ears are one of Elves most defining features.
Growth Rate & Stages
Although elves reach physical maturity at about the same age as humans, the elven understanding of adulthood goes beyond physical growth to encompass worldly experience. An elf typically claims adulthood and an adult name around the age of 100 and can live to be 750 years old.
Ecology and Habitats
Elves are capable of thriving in most any environment, but they seem to enjoy the beauty of forests and other wild places full of life above all else.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Elves, while not expressly vegetarian, tend to eat very little meat. Protein is usually sourced from plants instead, though there is a consistent market for fish and other animal products.
The Fey nature of Elves also means they have little to no need to sleep. Instead, they usually meditate deeply, remaining semiconscious, for 4 hours a day. While meditating in this trance, they can dream after a fashion; such dreams are actually mental exercises that have become reflexive through years of practice. From resting in this way, Elves gain the same benefit that a Human does from 8 hours of sleep.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Elven senses of hearing and visual acuity are highly regarded among other races. Accustomed to twilit forests and the night sky, Elves also have superior vision in dark and dim conditions.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Elves are considered children until they declare themselves adults, some time after the hundredth birthday, and before this period they are called by child names.
On declaring adulthood, an elf selects an adult name, although those who knew him or her as a youngster might continue to use the child name. Each elf’s adult name is a unique creation, though it might reflect the names of respected individuals or other family members. Little distinction exists between male names and female names; the groupings here reflect only general tendencies. In addition, every elf bears a family name, typically a combination of other Elvish words. Some elves traveling among humans translate their family names into Common, but others retain the Elvish version.
Major Organizations
Beauty Ideals
Little distinction exists between male and female Elves as both are blessed with lithe bodies and graceful features. Elves of both sexes also commonly wear their hair long and arranged in plaits or more complex braids that compliment their facial features or frame their pointed ears.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Elvish is a fluid language, with subtle intonations and intricate grammar. Elven literature is rich and varied, and their songs and poems are famous among other races. Many bards learn their language so they can add Elvish ballads to their repertoires.
Sylvan, though the older language of the Elven people, is now considered an offshoot dialect of Elvish. The more isolated Wood Elves of the wild Green Rainforest speak the old tongue most and as such are seen as less refined by High Elves and even other Wood Elves based nearer to civilization.
History
Elven culture began altogether outside the physical boundaries of Eurra. Tens of thousands of years ago, the ancestors of Elves began to migrate from the Feywild onto the material plane through World Nexus portals that led them to various locales of Eurra. Ultimately, the Elves largely coalesced in the deep forests that make up the territory of the Elven Leagues. There they split into two distinct cultures: the more refined and scholarly High Elves, and the more outgoing and nature-loving Sylvan, or Wood, Elves. While neither of these cultures have much interest in human activities, a number of Elves have immigrated to Glayswen, Brovia and other regions over the years, integrating with the cultures of their adopted lands.
As a whole, Elves are driven by tradition and respect for the past. Where Humans value innovation, Elves strive to perfect the techniques of their ancestors. With centuries to devote to their studies, the Elves are masters of their chosen crafts; at the same time, their society has changed very little over the last five thousand years, while the rest of Vyrania is constantly evolving.
Comments