Elf
Without a doubt the most impactful ancestry on Pearalos, the elves are present across the planet and have had incredible impacts upon it, standing as the origin point of all elf-adjacent ancestries and the biggest movers and shakers of affairs across history - for both good and ill.The elves are an ancient ancestry, and stand as the true progenitor ancestry on Pearalos, making up the majority of all life on the planet - if only barely - and serving as the origin point of all elf-adjacent ancestries - and indeed, many bestial ancestries too. Known for their excellence in magical talent and their genetic adaptability, elves are extremely capable and prolific as a people, and their influence can be felt just about anywhere - for they can live just about anywhere, and that is to say nothing of their exceptional lifespans, either.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Elves are defined by their pointed ears, which can either point outwards or more upwards depending on the specific subspecies of elf in question - sun elves, moon elves, high elves, and dark elves are known for horizontal pointed ears, while the wood elves and star elves are famous for their more vertical pointed ears. Beyond that, however, they are very alike to humanity - which makes sense, as humans are descended from them - and have a variety of subtle differences based upon the specific subspecies, though these are minor and more discussed below.
Biological Traits
Perhaps the greatest biological trait of elvenkind is their genetic adaptability, which is so intensive that elves can live just about anywhere, taking only a few elven generations for their bodies to adapt to their environment. This adaptability is the origin of many of the elf-adjacent ancestries, as the adaptability causes the elves to take on appropriate traits for the biosphere and environment they have adapted to. For many regions, these traits are minor and do not prevent the elf from adapting again, but for major environmental differences (such as living underwater, for example), the adaptations are permanent, and once they have adapted, they lose the ability to do so again, and also lose most of their innate elven abilities - which is why elves can create these adjacent ancestries, but those ancestries cannot become elves.
Elven Subspecies
Most such adaptations are minor, as noted, and only the most extreme cases result in permanent adaptation. Among the elven ancestry itself, however, there are 6 elven subspecies, along with the nephilim. These subspecies are not the product of adaptations, but rather general genetic variance within elvenkind, and when people refer to elves, they mean one of these subspecies (or the nephilim), as opposed to the various elf-adjacent ancestries... usually, they mean high elves.Sun Elves
One of the two 'first-generation' elven subspecies (alongside moon elves), sun elves are most defined by their darkened, tanned skin, their preference for desert environments, and their extensive suite of martial-oriented skills; like all elves, they know magic and are very capable with it, but it does not define them like it does the moon and high elves. The sun elves are one of the most powerful and prevalent martial societies on Pearalos, and despite their elven frailty, they can best even draconic ancestries in martial contests. Indeed, sun elves are sadistic to a fault, and are known slavers of non-elves - many believe they invented the craft, even. Their historical impact is best felt through their creation of the Great Salahad Empire, one of the greatest realms of history.Moon Elves
The second 'first-generation' elven subspecies, moon elves are some of the most proficient and terrifyingly powerful casters on Pearalos - and indeed, if an elf-adjacent ancestry has magical leanings, it was either the moon elves or the high elves connected to its creation. Moon elves are defined by their fair skin and their lighter hair colours, generally being silver or white - though any light colour seems to appear with relative abundance across the subspecies. For the longest time, the moon elves have had a reputation for being extremely peaceful, and they have ever been content to practice their magic in peace, and while many have taken this inclination to mean they are pacifists and - thus - not much of a threat, this often proves to be a very poor judgement. Nowhere did this become more prevalent than the First Magi War, which the moon elves participated in and demonstrated their extreme magical talent and the fact that they are very willing to take up arms if it is required. Nowadays, moon elves are remarkably rare, and their most famous genetic progeny - the high elves and dark elves - take up much of the spotlight in their stead, but in realms where the moon elves are present, they almost invariably reside in positions of power.High Elves
The subspecies most people actually mean when they refer to elves as a whole, the high elves are famous for their intense arcane talents and their beauty. Featuring fair skin, bright, vibrant eyes - often blue, but not always - that lack traditional irises, and possessed of impressive levels of intellect, the high elves are generally believed to be the first of the 'second generation' elves, and nowadays they define the mystical and intellectual side of the elven ancestry. High Elves have ever had significant parts to play in magical matters, from the First Magi War to the Godwar, the Yokai Crises, and much more besides, they have ever played vital roles, and stand as one of the greatest magical ancestries to ever exist, a mantle taken up from that of their moon elven forebears.Dark Elves
Well known for their dull, grey skin and their white hair, dark elves are a subspecies of elvenkind that has adapted for subterranean life beneath the surface, and have ever butted heads with - and been friends of - the dwarves, having bonded over a mutual hatred of goblins and orcs (and the other myriad monstrous denizens of Subterra. They retain much of the moon elven magical prowess - though not nearly as much as high elves gained - but also possess much of the sun elven penchant and skill for martial warfare; they generally stand as the 'second generation' elven subspecies that is most dedicated towards physical combat.Wood Elves
Well known for their unity with nature and their ability to control and commune with it far more freely and naturally than other elves - as all elves have the ability to learn and master magics that allow them to manipulate certain forms of nature, but only wood elves can do so with any form of nature freely - and their connection to the faeries and their realm of Nyssara, the wood elves are the elven subspecies that most heavily focuses on dextrous activities; hunting, bow-use, and so on. They're famous for their shorter heights compared to other elves - ranging from 6 to 7 feet tall - and for their penchant for archery - and their complete mastery of it.Star Elves
By far the rarest elven subspecies, star elves are said to possess a connection to the sea of stars themselves, which allows them to - if the tales are to be believed - wield a level of magical power that rivals that of some gods. Little is known of the star elves, and - indeed - none are known to currently exist, but the tales of their powers tell a very foreboding case; they're said to be the origin of the 'first generation' elves, and said to thus be the ancestors of all other elves. They are also heralded to be capable of incredible martial feats - able to match and exceed any non-divine being to have existed - and possess truly peerless magical power, able to affect magical change across entire continents with ease (be that to mind control entire continents, sink them, create new continents, and so on)... and indeed, some tales suggest that they even possess access to psionic powers, something that very few ancestries can even remotely access. Of course, for all we know, none of this is true, and nobody knows how old the star elves are, if any remain alive today, the role they once had if they existed, or even if they ever existed in the first place - though the fact that the System Compendium does recognize the Star Elves does serve as proof to many that they did exist (though this ignores the fact that the System Compendium tailors its knowledge based on what people know, so it could have put information on the star elves there because the world believes they might exist. Only time will tell, and to many, the continent of Vulniras might hold the answers, if it can ever be found.Additional Information
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Elves as an ancestry originate from Ranalore and Salahad, but nowadays can be found the world over, with each elf subspecies generally being focused in a different region of the world. Sun elves can be found nearly anywhere, though they have a preference for warmer climates - steppes, savannahs and deserts - and don't cope well with subterranean life. Moon elves have no realistic limits on where they can be found, and as such they can be found the world over.
High elves are primarily found only on the Shimmerdawn Isles, but small enclaves can be found across the world and there are a sizeable number of them across Thrain. Dark elves prefer the mountain ranges of Thrain, but can also be found rarely in the mountains of Salahad and Shirahanai. Finally, wood elves are primarily found in the jungles of western Ranalore, but small hunting and exploring communities can be found all across Pearalos.
Average Intelligence
While the average elven intellect varies from subspecies to subspecies, as a baseline elves are very intelligent, with even the 'least' intellectual elven subspecies - the sun elves - being smarter than most humans, and the smartest elven subspecies - the high elves - possess a very high degree of intellect, though certainly not on the same level as imperial dragons.
Lifespan
1000+ years
Average Height
Elves are tall and lithe, generally being a minimum of 7 feet tall, and ranging all the way up to 8'5" or even 9 feet in some cases.
Average Weight
Elves are surprisingly light, with their average weight being similar to the Dravir, ranging from 100 to 150 pounds.
Average Physique
Elves are well known for their physique; they're lithe, shapely and generally quite athletic, though their physique doesn't lend itself amazingly well to pbysical exertion.
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