High Elves

Culture

Major language groups and dialects

High elves speak Elven- an old language developed from Sylvan roots with influences found in all neighboring language families. Although varying geographic locations speak subtly different dialects, Elven- at least High Elven- is quite grammatically controlled and usually mutually intelligible all across Beshabha.

Culture and cultural heritage

High Elven culture is old and storied, though in many places stagnated to the point of decadence. Due to a long history of widespread empires across Beshabha, High Elven cultural heritage is traced back to the widespread imperial rule, although most actual Elven cultural practices are tied to smaller-scale local tradition. Many High Elves are quite proud of their long racial history, even with the various historical dissolutions of great Beshabhan empires- the storied history of Elven magic and learning providing some inspiration even in modern times.

Art & Architecture

Elven art revolves around ideals of light, grand patterns, and material abundance. Pieces are often animated by magic- beyond just the limits of a moving illusionary pictures, images take on three-dimensional qualities, often with aspects of paintings becoming animated constructs or sculptures performing routine action. Bright colors and reflections are especially important in High Elven art, with representations of stars and other celestial bodies often moving in time, as if orreries. Elven sculpture is often very usable, as their widespread use of constructs makes functional but also bizarre sculpture not only possible but necessary. Beings like Trompe L'oiels are used to act out historical scenes in complex layered and abstract paintings, even travelling outside of the paintings to interact with viewers.
High Elven architecture is complex and elaborate, often blurring lines between architecture, painting, and sculpture. Colors a bright and glittery, and elaborate lines curve up and around various narrow pillars and wide windows. Mosaics and bright lights suffuse the buildings, taking advantage of Elven low-light vision to suffuse rooms in dim but colorful light displays that are subtle and extravagant. High Elven architecture often is mobile, as well, using various Elven magical traditions to animate parts of buildings like bridges that unfurl when they need to be crossed or windows that grow and shrink. The most extreme of High Elven buildings are those that lean deeply into dimensional magic, bending space into curves and fitting more space between parallel lines than seemingly possible.

Coming of Age Rites

As an incredibly long-lived species, all elves have peculiar views of coming of age. High Elves, however, take that to an extreme- rather than having a single transitional state, Elves have many levels of liminal space, moving through various "adolescences". Regional cultures have various different definitions for these periods of life, and have different rites that separate them, but the life periods are usually divided into (at least) these important categories: a young childhood, an adolescent excursion, a long period of learning various important subjects (weaponry, physics, history, etc.), and an adulthood. Elven adolescence is very slow-paced and spread out, however- over the near-century of adolescence, elves spend most of their time in 'self-discovery'- free time where they are encouraged to learn about themselves and others, form and break relationships, and practice various arts.
Adolescence for High Eves is expected to be full of freedom and self-discovery- in many areas, High Elves in their 40s or 50s will spend years in commune-like lifestyles with close friends before moving on and never speaking to those friends again. In contrast, adult High Elves are expected to be quite down to earth and strict in both work and personal life- a dramatic contrast that elves approaching adulthood must learn to comprehend. Often, this leads to young adult High Elves having difficulty "turning off" their professionalism around even trusted friends, as they haven't learned how to transition between various states of expression. In addition, the perception by the outside world of Beshabhan elves as frivolous, lazy, or solely focused on casual lifestyles comes mostly from interactions with adolescent elves on on explorative journeys. Inexperienced elves like these will occasionally take up adventuring and then leave it behind upon adulthood, only to reenter an adventurous life with a more professional view.

Ideals

Beauty Ideals

High elves favor appearances that exemplify, to humans, ideas ranging from "ethereally beautiful" to "downright uncanny". They seek a certain kind of 'grace' of appearance- limbs long and delicate, skin soft, facial features sharp. Although often quite appealing, the extremes of long limbs, wide mouths, and eyes too large often unsettle other humanoid races- especially the stouter dwarves and halflings.

Gender Ideals

High elven gender is mutable, on a cultural scale of decades and centuries. Due to their complex stratification of life phases, terms for gender- and, in fact, even gendered pronouns- change in meaning and pronunciation. Most high elves are generally expected to fluctuate through many different gender presentations and identities during their long adolescences, and even adult gender expression is frequently changed. Due to the prevalence of magic in their society, both beauty and gender are exemplified by high elves with access to the illusion or transmutation magic necessary.

Relationship Ideals

High elves pass through many relationships in their lives. In fact, different elven terms apply to the different types of relationships high elves experience at different phases of upbringing. Nevertheless, adult elves generally follow a type of 'preferential polygamy'- the adoration of a mutual and favorite partner in romance and life, with an acknowledgement of one another's many other romantic/sexual dalliances.

Encompassed species

• Elves

Related Locations

• Beshabha