Ice Elf

They say that the very nature of elves is tied to the power of the lands they inhabit. Nowhere is this more true than in the frozen wasteland of the Great Tundra. The elves who live there are just as cold, just as ruthless, and just as unforgiving as the unmelting snow in which they dwell.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Whether due to the intervention of the Gods of Ice and Snow, or simple adaptation over time, the ice elves are different from their more ordinary kin. The cold, no matter how frigid simply doesn't touch them. Even magical cold such as a Cone of Cold does them far less harm than it does most beings.
Conversely, they find hot, even temperate weather extremely unpleasant. However, they are capable of weathering such things just as well as any normal person, with those rare few who leave the tundra even becoming acclimated to higher temperatures.

Additional Information

Facial characteristics

As with all elves, ice elves tend to be smaller and slimmer than humans. Their features are delicate and finely chiseled. Most races find find them especially attractive with an exotic cast to their features, although the cold look of hatred they always wear among outsiders detracts from this.
Their skin tone varies from snow white to icy blue. Their hair is typically white, silver, or blue, although shades of black or blue-black are not unheard of. Their eyes vary widely in color, although they are almost always a bright, vivid color.

Civilization and Culture

Culture and Cultural Heritage

The ice elven culture defined by a harsh caste system. These castes do not accociate with one another any more than what is necessary for their society to function. Marriages only take place within caste, and are often carefully arranged beforehand.
The Holy Caste is highest in ice elven society, and is made up of the priesthood of the Gods of Ice and Snow. The magic they wield is known by all ice elves to be divine, however most southern scholars believe them to be warlocks, instead. Either way, the priests are the true rulers of the empire, who live in luxury and excercise complete control over the law.
The Arcane Caste is made up of mages. They engage primarily in research and creation of magical equipment. They, too live in luxury, but suffer from what they see as a tragic lack of influence.
The Warrior Caste is the next lowest in the hierarchy. It is made up of those who bear arms for the empire, from the lowest footsoldier to the highest swordmaster, also including the many scouts and skirmishers that patrol the frozen wilds. They generally live communally in a barracks unless extremely skilled.
The Shaper Caste are the artists and artisans of the ice elves. The term "shaper" refers to the ice shapers that construct buildings and sculptures. These individuals are the most well-respected members of the caste, although other craftsmen are included as well. Their quality of life is generally higher than the warriors, but they still must obey their orders.
The Labor Caste is the lowest caste of ice elven society. It is made up of the farmers, herders, and unskilled laborers that keeps a civilization running. Their accommodations are generally very poor, and their work very hard.
There are those lower than the laborers, however. In the dark of night above the Great Tundra sometimes shines an aurora unlike any other. These lights are a deep, bright red. They are the Blood Lights, the darkest of omens. Those born under the Blood Lights are said to have not been born at all. Most are simply abandoned, and quickly die with no one to take care of them. Others survive, outcasts in their own society forced to live off little more than scraps.

History

As with the other elven subrace of the Twin Worlds, the sea elves, the early history of the ice elves began with the First Rising. As the mind flayers rose from The Warrens, some elves fled north to the Great Tundra, desperately hoping they would not be pursued.
According to their legends, they had a long and hard journey, losing many. Then, when they reached the north pole of Amaun, they met the Gods of Ice and Snow. These divine beings were impressed by their journey and so changed them, so that they might survive in that cold, hard land.
Southern scholars have a far different theory regarding the ice elves' creation. Most of them believe that after their flight into the tundra, most of them died. Seeing their desperation, an archdevil offered a deal to them to change them so they might survive in exchange for worship.
No matter the truth of it, the ice elves constructed the Temple of the Unmoving Star, and from there, the city of Under-Star. Unopposed, the created the Empire of the Ice Elves across the entirety of the Great Tundra. They've violently kept out the rest of the world ever since.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Ice elves are taught from a very young age that theirs is the pinnacle of civilization. After all, they not only thrive where none others can even survive, but they were divinely gifted those lands. Because they believe in this divine mandate that all land beneath the unmelting snow belongs to them, they kill without question any who intrude upon this territory.
It has been known, albeit extremely rarely, for one or two ice elves to leave the Great Tundra. Most often, these are low-caste elves, even children of the Blood Lights, leaving for a better life. However a single elf rarely survives the beasts of the tundra, let alone the beasts of The Wilderlands. The people of Eroch also kill any ice elf on sight unless someone can vouch for them. Even then, such individuals are treated with extreme suspicion.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Elf

Lifespan

800 - 1000 years

Average Height

5.5 - 6 ft

Average Weight

100 - 140 lbs