Elf
Basic Information
Anatomy
Elves are on average tall, lean bipedal creatures, with two arms and two legs, and are plantigrades, walking on the soles of their feet, with their toes and soles flat on the ground. Elves have 5 toes on each foot, and four fingers and a thumb on each hand.
The Elves evolved from the Tal like all other Rularian species, expect the Elves evolution was affected by the Fey portals that existed around Erandule. As such the change into the Elves from the Tal had very little physical change, the Elves standing slightly shorter than the Tal on average, and their ears reducing in size slightly, but most of the change into Elves happened internally. Their evolution around the Fey caused the Elves to gain Fey features, mainly a resistance to magic.
Biological Traits
High Elf
High Elves, also known as Sun Elves or Moon Elves or City Elves, are often time's Elves that have had very little adaptation. Their ancestors established cities, most around portals to the Feywild, and so were more influenced by the Fey magic that poured from the portals, having an innate spellcasting ability to cast a Cantrip. Due to their living in cities and large towns, High Elves have access to greater education, and learn an additional language during their upbringing.Wood Elf
Wood Elves adapted to their inhabiting of the forest of Erandule, which was known to have smaller Fey portals during the early years post Rularia splitting. As such their knowledge of the Fey magic, and the risks of Fey creature's coming through those portals to hunt, meant the Wood Elves had to develop a natural ability to hide themselves in foliage, rain, snow or other weathers.Drow
The Drow exist as a result of Elves that ventured into the Vermoran mountains, finding deep tunnels and mines, wherein they encountered the Duergar. The Elves who chose to descend into the dark in search of a new life, away from the Fey that influenced the overworld, ending up being influenced by the deep magic, much like the Duergar. This Elves become Drow, gaining a greater ability to see in the dark, as well as gaining some natural ability in deep magic - being able to cast Dancing Lights, Faerie Fire and Darkness. However, years in the underdark has left these Drow sensitive to the sun, making it harder to see and engage in combat in the sunlight.Eladrin
Eladrin are the final Fey evolution of the Tal, the Elves who chose to remain in the Feywild once the decision to close the portals was made, became Eladrin. The Eladrin are so separate from their Elven cousins, that rather than being a subspecies, Eladrin are a full species in and of themselves. The Eladrin are also know as Season Elves, being able to change their appearance to better suit a season Autumn, Spring, Winter or Summer - a change to their season also affects their ability of Fey Step. Whilst all Eladrin are able to change their season, some choose not too, and some have no control over the change, either changing with the season, or changing based on their moods. Like other Elves, the Eladrin are also able to see in the dark, and are highly perceptive - one has to be when dealing with the Fey on a daily basis.Shadar-Kai
Whilst Eladrin are Elves that remained in the Feywild, the Shadar-Kai are Elves that were drawn to the Shadowfell by the Raven Queen. After the closing of the Feywild portals, the Raven Queen's influence was felt across Erandule, as she began to expand her dominion over shadows now Uranus and Inday were gone from the plane. She brought Elves into the Shadowfell, where the Plane of Shadows influenced the Elves, giving them a natural resistance to Necrotic damage, as well as allowing them to move through the shadows and teleport, turning ghostly and pale, and being resistant to all attacks for a few seconds.Genetics and Reproduction
Elves, like all Tal descendants, are mammalian and reproduce via internal fertilisation and a live birth, after 9 months.
Additional Information
Facial characteristics
Elves tend to have sharp and angular features, with ears that come to an inch to half inch point. Whilst Elves can grow facial hair, the rate at which it grows is far slower than any other race, taking three to four times longer than Humans or Dwarves, so most remain clean shaven; seeing an Elf with a full beard shows the dedication they have, dedication that tends to carry over into the rest of their life.
Elven hair tends to be lighter than the other races, Blondes and light brunette's being most common, and all Elves tend to have long hair.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Elves have come to live all across Rularia, but most choose to remain in Erandule, some Elves have started to follow in the footsteps of the Polantian's, establishing colonies in the Northern Rularian Frontier.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Elvish names have two names, a first name and a family name. Whilst most Elven names are often the Elvish word for flora, some choose to name thier children the Elvish word for an area important to the family. A textile merchant may name their child for a type of fabric, a jeweller a type of gemstone. Often times Elves will use the Rularian Common translation for their name, or a shorthand version of their Elvish name for those who might struggle to pronounce Elvish names.
Family names also follow this trend, but have their name be in Sylvan, the tounge of the Fey. This was originally a defence mechanism, protecting thier true names against the Fey tricksters, choosing two Sylvan words and combining them. This both hide thier first name from the Fey, as well as confuse the Fey in not understanding what the name meant. Things like Moonweap, Starstone or Nighthowl.
Major Organizations
The major Elven Organisations are the Elves of Erandule and the Eladrin in the Feywild. Erandule is the Elven kingdom in Rularia, on the north eastern island. They are a smaller nation compared to Ixmoria or Dragontide, however they are older than both, having united long before Rularia's first age. The Eladrin in the Feywild operate across the region, with some factions in the Seelie court, some towns and villages of Eladrin, but there isn't an Eladrin Kingdom or large organisation in the Feywild.
The other notable organisation is the Drow who live in Elrian, however Elrian is a city state with Deep Gnomes and Duergar as well, with an equal divide of population. So Elrian is more of a major organisation for the Drow, Duergar and Deep Gnomes.
Gender Ideals
Ever since the Venmorian Era, the Elves of Erandule have lived in a matriarchal society, and even before that, when their was a male monarch, women have had a higher status as enchanters, mages and politicians. Most noble houses pass their title down to the first born daughter, as daughters were often the choice of the Fey who made deals - some claim it was due to the Fey preferring the taste of female children, others because the female children were easier to teach Fey magic too. Either way, because of the Fey's preference to female children, the Elves grew to see women as stronger people than the men, and better to lead their families.
The only reason Erandule had two Era's of a male monarch is because both Tamora and his mother only had one child, a son. Tamora Erandule had not had a male monarch since before Rularia's second era. Many attributed the betrayal nature and failings of these Kings to their gender, resistablishing to many Elven families that the women were the stronger gender.
There are a lot of Elves who find themselves not falling into either binary gender identity, with gender fluidity being a widely accepted part of Elven society since Rularia's first era, far earlier than the next Rularian nation to understand the gender spectrum - that being Polantia, after the coronation of Queen Mifeath and Dragons become a wider part of Polantian society.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Elves speak two main languages, atop the common that is used in their region. Elvish, often an Elf's first language is heavily derived from Sylvan, borrowing the
consonance's and vowels from Sylvan - their second language - but Elvish is more spoken, with a very light tone and expression, Sylvan is often times sung or rhymed. Most sentences in Sylvan following a different rhyming scheme, depending on where the speaker originates from. Erandulelian Elves who speak Sylvan follow a ABAB rhyming structure, however most Eladrin, whose first language is Sylvan, speak in a XXAA rhyming structure.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
Elves are often viewed as seeing themselves above other people, holding thier own people and communities in higher standing than other nations. However, most Elves are quite humble and respectful to other nations and species. The notion of Elves seeing themselves above other species is mostly derived from the attitude of Tamora and Trindual, and the nobles at court they surrounded themselves with.
Dragons
Whilst the only main offence against the Elves by a Dragon came from Queen Mifeath, the Wintered Fury, after her attacks of Ithual, the Elves have come to view all Dragon's with a sense of fear and apprehension.Dragonborn
After the Dragonborn established their own kingdom in Rularia, the Elves were their first trade partner, having discovered the new Dragonborn nation. As such the two people have known a good friendship, better than the mistrust of the Dwarves originally towards the Dragonborn. Though their mistrust of Dragonkind since Queen Mifeath's attacks, trade between the Elves and Dragonborn continues.Dwarves
Humans
Orcs
Details about the Elf species, their place in Oxdara, and details about them. Specific features can be found in the Player's Handbook.
Scientific Name
Talis Elvari
Origin/Ancestry
The Tal
Lifespan
750-800 Years
Average Height
56' - 6"6''
Average Weight
120 - 150lbs
Average Physique
On average Elves are very lean and slim, not overtly muscular, a more dexterous people.
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Elven skin tones vary depending on what type of Elves they are. High Elves have skin tones that range from bronze and gold to a dark sepia or umber, to pale alabaster or porcelain skin. Wood Elves have a more copper skin tone or a tawny skin tone. Drow have charcoal black, deep grey or obsidian coloured skin tones. Eladrin skin tone vary on the season the Eladrin is in, with the colours reflecting the season - Autumn Eladrin have deep red or orange skin, Winter Eladrin have white or pale blue, Spring and Summer Eladrin have various shades of green, with deeper and more vibrant tones in Summer and lighter, pastel tones in Spring. Shadar-Kai have extremely pale skin, light gray and some a dull white.
Elven hair tones, like thier skin tone, fall across a wide variety depending on their subspecies. High elves have hair tones that fall across a wide spectrum, from fair blonde, to dark browns and black, some even having pale blue or startling white hair. Wood Elves have darker hair, normally brunettes or black hair, but some redhead's and copper hair tones. Drow have white or pale pastel hair tones, and Eladrin have hair that reflects their season, along the same tones as their skin.
Geographic Distribution
Related Organizations
Related Ethnicities
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