Svartálfar

Basic Information

Anatomy

Svartálfar are tall, slender humanoids who are taller but thinner in frame than most humans. The average Svartálfar is identical in appearance to their elf ancestors save for their darkened skin and natural magical talents.

Biological Traits

Svartálfar have a natural connection to planes and can sense and subtly manipulate planar energies with training. The blessing of the archfey grants innate magical powers that are expressed as the ability to transform themselves and their possessions into a fleeting shadow for moment and travel short distances in a moment.

Additional Information

Geographic Origin and Distribution

All shadow clan Svartálfar can be found in Forbuho with a few exceptions among the undead who fled after the Great Undertaking. The dark clan Svartálfar have managed to spread across the rest of the world save Gedic where the Svartálfar avoided due to the bitter history between archfey and other races.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Svartálfar eyesight is said to have been enhanced by the archfey allowing the species to see in pitch black as well as being sharper than the average human.

Civilization and Culture

Major Organizations

Among the shadow clan Svartálfar the Svartálfar Courts of the Dead control most of the political and military of the empire. These courts are split into three subfactions Bone, Blood, and Breath each with their own agenda and methods.

History

In the last days of the Breed War the Archfey were losing steadily with many of their number banding together as was never done before. In desperation the archfey left and sundered their ties to the world but not before leaving their remaining elf followers with a means to stall the allied armies. As the archfey prepared to leave they joined together to perform two rituals together, one to flee this world and another to transmute those still loyal as a reward. Given darker skin to denote their higher rank and granted innate magical talents the archfey fled and in doing so altered the very island into a convergence of planes.
Those that remained to guard their masters retreat took the name Svartálfar or "loyal" in the fey-tongue and waited for the enemy to invade. But as years went and no enemy came the Svartálfar had little else to do but explore the island and while they had managed to wrest some control of the island much of it was too dangerous. What made matter worse was an affliction that affected all Svartálfar, the Weight of Ages which Svartálfar sages surmised that their life was being lived across all planes that touched the land, a candle burning ten times as bright and as quick.
The Svartálfar attempted all manner of arcane and alchemical solution with a few even turning to the once cursed deities while other spent generations working to save their grandchildren if not their children the Svartálfar built ships and learned to sail. Finally a wizard by the name of Morgana discovered the magical relation of the soul and created the first undead. Her further work would be the basis for necromancy which would protect the Svartálfar from losing their greatest. Some believed that necromancy would save the Svartálfar while others believed it to be a stopgap and the the population had become split. Some proclaimed they were still loyal chose to remain and find a way to cure the Weight of Ages while the others believed their Fey lords had abandoned and cursed them and chose to flee.
Those that remained continued to live within the island of Forbuho as the shadow clan elves while the Svartálfar that fled spread across the world as the dark clan elves. For a time the two thrived in different ways until all of the shadow clan vanished for more than a century.

Historical Figures

• Morgana LeFay first queen of the Svartálfar and master necromancer
• Kiran Noquar founder of the reformed blood court
• Elan Varlov the Blood King who purged Forbuho of most of the undead

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

The Svartálfar hate and are hated by all species. While individuals have managed to make peace due their origin the species as a whole is considered deceitful and untrustworthy by just about every other sapient species not aligned with the archfey.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• ArchFey
• Elf

Lifespan

600 years

Average Height

5'7" ~ 6'6"

Average Weight

110lbs

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Svartálfar skin color ranges from pitch black to various shade of purple. Hair color is often blonde, white, or bright purple with the eyes ranging from gray, red, violet, or yellow.

Related Ethnicities

• Shadow Clan Svartálfar