Elf
Long-lived descendants of the Fae
Descended eons ago from ancient races of fae, the ageless elves balance culture and civilization with raw natural magic and a reverence for the world around them. On the surface elves bear physical similarities to the fae creatures they are descended from and their relationships with such creatures are almost always friendly.
Almost all elves prize personal freedom above nearly all other considerations and have a tendency to migrate away from hostile natural phenomena as they arise rather than taking action to stop a naturally occurring hazard unless it likely poses a serious threat in the future. Elves value their privacy and traditions, and while they are often slow to make friends, at both the personal and national levels, once an outsider is accepted as a comrade, such alliances can last for generations.Much like the seasons, elves are accustomed to a long view of events and a small forest fire may be ignored because of the purpose such a fire serves, however should the fire show signs of becoming a major wildfire they would likely intervene.
Elves have a curious relationship to their surroundings, perhaps as a result of their incredibly long lifespans or some deeper mystical reason. Elves who dwell in a region for long find themselves physically adapting to match their surroundings, most noticeably taking on coloration reflecting the local environment. Those elves that spend their lives among the short-lived races, on the other hand, often develop a skewed perception of mortality and become morose, the result of watching wave after wave of companions age and die before their eyes.
History
Subspecies & Modern Cultures
Physiology
Culture
Basic Information
Biological Traits
Although generally taller than humans, elves possess a graceful, fragile physique that is accentuated by their long limbs and delicately pointed ears. Their eyes are wide and have large, vibrantly colored irises. While elven clothing often plays off the beauty of the natural world, an individual elf is equally as likely to prioritize function or form.
Genetics and Reproduction
Elves have a very real link to the world around them. Although a binary race with male and female genders it often seems like the natural world around them behaves as a third genetic contributor. Elven pregnancies have a 14 month gestation period and during birth it is not uncommon for the mothers' entire complexion to change during labour to match the current season and those of her child.
Growth Rate & Stages
With a long lifespan and slow metabolism elves mature at a comparable scale to humans, albeit on a longer timeline. Males tend to mature more quickly than women although since the women show fewer physical signs of maturity it can be difficult to decipher their ages.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Many elves have vegetarian diets and sedentary households always have vegetable gardens with fruit trees. They don't have any qualms about eating meat from animals however it's often easier for them to simply grow the food they need.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Most elves feel a powerful bond with nature and strive to live in harmony with the natural world around them. Often, elves find manipulating earth and stone to be distasteful, and prefer instead to indulge in the finer arts, with their inborn patience making them particularly suited to wizardry.
Facial characteristics
Compared to humans, elves generally have slightly narrower facial structures - chin, jaw, nose, and brow appear more delicate and elongated. High cheek bones and wide, narrow eyes are usually what truly set off a face as elven and vibrant irises of nearly any color are also a strong indicator.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
The average elf has extremely keen hearing and sight. They require much less light to see than humans and they can see much further.
Civilization and Culture
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Elves are prone to dismissing other races, writing them off as rash and impulsive, yet they are excellent judges of character. An elf might not want a dwarf neighbour, but would be the first to acknowledge that dwarf ’s skill at smithing. They regard gnomes as strange (and sometimes dangerous) curiosities, and halflings with a measure of pity, for these small folk seem to the elves to be adrift, without a traditional home. Elves are fascinated with humans, as evidenced by the number of half-elves in the world, even if they usually disown such offspring. They regard half-orcs with distrust and suspicion.
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