Elf

Elves are the second most populous peoples in Pastoria and are best known for being the traditional rulers of the Monarchy of Viridia. Elves are also nicknamed The "Fey-touched" due to their claims of being descended from The Faemother herself. This is at times a confusing misnomer when compared to the terms Hell-touched and God-touched which refer to magical conditions giving mortal creatures features of fiends and celestials.

Origin

The story of the origin of Elves is inexplicably intertwined with one of the more famous myths of the Origin of Pastoria and the beginning of the Monarchy of Viridia. According to the Royal Family of Pastoria, Elves are the descendants of Lurlea - the daughter of Lurline, The Faemother - and her husband, Ozkar "Oz" Pastoria. 
According to legend, Lurline brought a group of humans from The World Before to Pastoria. She asked her daughter, Lurlea, to choose someone to set an example for the mortals residing in her infant realm. Lurlea selected Ozkar Pastoria, or simply Oz, and soon fell in love with him. The two asked for Lurline's blessing on their union. Lurline did not want her daughter to experience the sadness of watching her lover grow old and die, as mortals tend to do, so she offered an ultimatum to the couple: She would bless them beauty, grace, magic, and long life so long as Lurlea gave up her power as a faery and immortal being. Lurlea agreed and she and Ozkar became the first elves. 

Culture

The Elves of Pastoria are spread far and wide over the world. Because of this, many elves adopt the culture of the region they were raised. Still there are distinct cultural identities amongst the various ethnic groups of elves in Pastoria. The Gentry are mostly found in noble and aristocratic households. These Elves are likely able to track exactly how they are related to the Pastorian Royal family. The Nomads are the most common elves throughout Pastoria, these are the Elves that have travelled throughout Pastoria and settled far and wide throughout it's lands. The Shade are a minority ethno-religious group of elves who have culturally separated themselves from the Church of The Faemother and have embraced the absence of gods in their world. The Shades have been branded as heretics and accused of being in league with evil faeries and wicked witches, however this is not the case. The Shades actively work towards rehabilitating society from it's cruel nature, which led to Lurline's Departure. According to The Shade "We live in a world where prayers are likely not going to be answered."

Anatomy

Elves stand from 5'10" to 6'3". They tend towards slender and willowy builds moreso than other mortal races, but this varies amongst ethnic groups. They have little to no body hair. 

Ethnic Distinctions

The Gentry tend to have sharper features and lean builds. Use the High Elf subrace if you are playing a Gentry elf.
The Nomads tend to have rounder faces with more muscle tone. Use the Wood Elf subrace if you are playing a Nomad elf.
The Shade tend to have rounder faces and shorter builds. They also tend towards thicker builds than other ethnic groups. Use the Shadar-Kai subrace if you are playing a Shade elf.