Wood Elf

Wood elves, also known as copper elves, are the most populous of the elven races. Wood elves saw themselves as guardians of the Elven forest homes that were largely abandoned, but unlike most elves they did not view themselves as a people apart from the rest of Glania.

Civilization and Culture

Common Etiquette Rules

Compared to other elves, wood elves had a notable disinterest in the arcane arts. To a wood elf, the wizard's spells were little different from the mason's castle walls or the tiller's plow—a means of controlling the natural world, which was contrary to the common ethic of living in harmony with nature rather than trying to dominate it that so many wood elves espoused. As such, wood elven adventurers were more likely to take on careers that did not require the use of arcane magic. In particular, many were drawn to the path of the fighter, the ranger, or the rogue, relying on their natural-born skill to overcome obstacles. Compared with other Tel-quessir very few wood elves went on to become spellsingers or bladesingers. The one major exception to the wood elven taboo on arcane magic was the arcane archers, who counted among their number several wood elves. Other wood elves from more remote areas were drawn to the ways of the barbarian while many religious wood elves became druids with clerics often seen in much the same light as wizards.

Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals

As a people, wood elves were largely seen as calm and level-headed. Arousing strong emotions in wood elves was not something that was easily done, although many did have a strong aversion for large cities, having lost the passion for urbanization after the fall of Earlann. To wood elves, the trappings of civilization, including the mightiest of fortresses or tallest walls, were transient and impermanent things that would eventually be overcome by the long processes of nature. To many, this attitude seemed condescending, weakening the bonds between wood elves and other races. Additionally, wood elves could sometimes seem off-putting compared to other Tel-quessir, with a gruff manner that made them less charismatic, despite their avowed compassion and humility.
In keeping with their naturalistic inclination, wood elves were not particularly fine metalworkers and had no interest in developing any such skills. However, wood elves were among some of the world's finest carpenters and stoneworkers, masters in the crafting of bows and arrows as well as in leather tanning. Wood elves even developed a number of specialized arrows, including those that flew further than usual as well as some that were used as signal devices. So carefully guarded were wood elven crafting secrets that even experienced fletchers from other races had difficulty emulating wood elven designs. Wood elven leather armor also often doubled as camouflage, disguising a wood elven hunter from potential enemies. Compared with wild elven designs, wood elven crafting often looked surprisingly elegant, although they were often made of the same materials and used similar methods, reflecting some of the differenced between the two elven subraces.
Wood elves were generally uncomfortable with most forms of magic, viewing wizards and other arcane spellcasters with no small amount of distrust. Clerics and other divine spellcasters fared little better in wood elven eyes, who saw their prayers as a useless call to distant and alien gods. However, wood elves were largely at ease with the ways of the primal magic used by druids, barbarians, shamans, and wardens, which they felt was the truest expression of supernatural power—or rather, a reflection of nature itself, used to protect the wilderness. However, wood elves were not completely adverse to arcane magic and wood elven bards, sorcerers, and wizards were far from unknown, although wood elves as a whole had no particular tradition of the Art.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Wood elves looked to the examples of the ancient elven empires and, seeing failure after failure, felt that their aim should be compassion and humility, rather than political or military strength. Unlike many of their kin, wood elves felt that their fates were inextricably tied to those of Zedrelon's, other races and they made no effort to pull away or isolate themselves. Ironically, so reclusive were wood elven settlements that, despite their open nature, wood elves rarely actually saw people from outside their race.
Of all the humanoid races of Zedrelon, the ones most familiar with the wood elves were the humans and dwarves native to the North, who often lived within the vicinity of the fey. Still, few humans or dwarves had ever actually met a wood elf and when they did it was often largely by chance. However, when meetings did occur, they were largely friendly and, like the moon elves, wood elves saw themselves as allies and teachers of humanity, rather than as rivals.
Wood elves also felt a kinship with the sapient giant owls, with whom they formed a symbiotic relationship. In return for the elves acting as protectors for the owls, the birds of prey often acted as advance scouts for wood elven warriors.
Gnomes and halflings were less frequent guests among the wood elves, but they were generally seen favorably. Conversely, wood elves, like most elves, had a strong contempt for orcs, as well as for gnolls, out of the devastation that raiding parties often brought to the forests that wood elves held dear.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Elf

Average Physique

Physically strong, frail, intellectually and emotionally distant, steady-headed, naturalistic

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Wood elves were easily identifiable by their coppery skin and green, brown, or hazel eyes. Wood elven hair was usually black or brown, although hues such as blond or copper red were also found. Wood elves tended to dress in simple clothes, similar to those of the moon elves but with fewer bold colors and a greater number of earth tones that blended into their natural surroundings. Accustomed to a harsh, naturalistic lifestyle, wood elves loved to wear leather armor, even when they were not under immediate threat. Wood elves were roughly identical to other elves in height and build, with males larger than females.