The Wood Elves of Delastari

In the southern parts of the The Kingdom of Arden lies a great forest. Seperating the Provinces of the Dalarn Lowlands and Eastfold, this forest is the realm of the Wood Elves.
A race of people with unnatural grace and elegance, Wood Elves stand around the same height as humans, but this can vary greatly. Slender and lighter than humans, they are distignuished by their pointed ears and slim features. Unlike other Elves, Wood Elves skin is the most varied, ranging from almost pure white, to deep shades of copper and bronze. Their hair grows long and flows with an unusual dignity, often found in a plethora of colours from typical blondes, browns and reds, to also shades of green and blue.

Origins of the Wood Elves

It is thought that Elves were the first of the mortal races to come in to being. Indeed, their recorded history goes back several thousand years, although not all are privy to such ancient texts. Legends say that the First Gods created the Elves as one race, and over the generations they divided in to the different sub-races of Elves that are found throughout the land.
The Wood Elves, naturally, are the descendants of the Elves who had an affinity for nature and the trees.

Wood Elven Society

Within Delastari, society is typically divided in to houses, which consist of blood relatives, extended family and even associates that the house adopts in to their own family unit. This is often done freely, and Elves do not hold family bonds in high regards, tending to form bonds with those of similar interests. In short, an Elf will form a family with whoever they like!
The Elves of Delestari share equal rights between male and female, with neither being more likely to be found in leadership roles. Despite this, there are some sects, tasks and ranks within Elven society that will favour male or female, with this being decided from tradition or more likely; common sense.
Certain houses of Wood Elves are held in higher regard than others, often due to having an ancient heritage or being renowned for their skills in a certain craft. It is also these houses that are responsible for the worship of The Wood Elf Pantheon, with an particular house dedicated to each of the major Elven Gods. Often referred to as the "nobility", these Wood Elven houses hold some power over decisions made for Delastari and its peoples.
At the top of the Wood Elven heirarchy is the Druidic Circle. Made up of some of the eldest and wisest of Wood Elven kind, these Elves are masters of the Druidic magics. These Elves are the cultural and political leaders of Delastari, and are treated with a reverance by all members of their society.

The Homestead

The Forest Realm of Delestari is often forbidden to outsiders, but if one were to venture deep enough in to the forest, they would find Elven homes deep in the valleys. These homes are not made of brick and mortar, like other races, but are instead part of the very trees. Grown with Druidic magic, the Wood Elves create their homes by manipulating the forest with a care and skill seldom seen outside of their realm.
Within the homes, a range of furniture can be found that is also grown and manipulated from various plants. Curved beds, tables and chairs are grown rather than made through the harvesting of lumber. Silken fabrics and wools can be found in varied, naturally occuring colours and materials. Everything in a Wood Elves home is taken respectful;ly from nature, and nothing is wasted or taken by force.

Food and Diets

"The Gods gifted us with everything we need here in Delastari, and we must live in harmony with it so that others may also flourish in its presence." - Archdruid Erolith Tlarsholhar

A vast majority of the Wood Elven diet is based on hunting and gathering. Fruits, berries, nuts and all manor of grown foods are harvested naturally for the Elves to eat, and it is not unheard of for each home to have several nearby trees and bushes to compliment the food that they buy and trade within their society. Mushrooms are also harvested and used in recipes when possible, although these are more naturally occuring and treated with care. Hunting parties are used to find meat from the local wildlife, which mostly includes deer and small game. These animals are always treated with respect once they are killed, and their sacrifice is always noted so that the Wood Elves can survive. If near forest streams, fishing is also used to suplement food stocks. An Elf will never take or hunt more than they need for their race to survive.
Wood Elves also use natural sweeteners such as honey on a variety of dishes, but also to make mead. They are also known for making a variety of wines, which is typically the favoured alcoholic drink of many Wood Elves.
Even with various options for food, surviving in such a way for an entire culture is not feasible. It is for this reason that the Wood Elves of Delestari employ magics to enhance and preserve their food. This is especially important in the Autumnal months, where many Elves aid to gather food for the Winter ahead.

Life and Death

The average age of a Wood Elf is well over 700 years, but there has been known cases of individuals living well past 1000. This extended life has meant that births are very rare in Wood Elf society, and are a celebrated occurence. Many Elves will come to provide gifts and honour the newborn, with a week-long celebraation often being arranged. Music, wine and food are all bought together to honour the new member of Elvish society.
A Wood Elf will typically mature at the same rate as a Human, having reached a physical maturity around the age of 25. Despite this, an Elf is not considered an "adult" until their 100th birthday. Before this, they will be expected to learn and develop skills that will provide for themselves and their family. It is also in these years that a Wood Elf may drift from their blood realtives, and may be "adopted" in to another house.
The death of a Wood Elf from old age is a very rare thing, and is treated with the upmost serenity. It is more likely for an Elf to die from an unnatural death, be it from an accident or in battle. Regardless of the cause, Wood Elven funeral customs are all the same. The Elf is typically burried between the roots of a tree, which are magically manipulated by the Druids of the society to create a resting place. A few personal items may be put beside the body by loved ones, before magic is used to encase the fallen Elf beneath the tree. It is thought in this way, the tree will use the remains of the body to grow stronger, returning the body to nature and allowing the soul to be one with the natural spirits of the forest.

Economy and Trade

With their deep beliefs that everything should be balanced with nature, there is not much room for profit and business within the Elven Realm of Delastari. Even so, the inhabitants still require resources to survive. Where possible, natural means of producing goods from wood using Druidic Magics is preferred. Metal is used by Wood Elves, but is not a principal resource. Mines are not found in Delastari, and instead, the Wood Elves rely on imports from other cultures, or means of magically procurring the metals they require. This often takes the form of summoning forth Elementals, who can better manipulate the lands to find minerals in the soil or rivers.
Leather, fabrics and silks are found plenty in Delastari, all made from natural resources such as animals and plants. When taken from such beings, it is always done with respect and an intention to make as little damage to the environment as possible.
The most prized items from the Wood Elven lands are the bows and arrows that are produced. Wood Elves all seem to have an affinity with the bow, and they take particular care and pride in crafting these weapons.
Due to the cultures inwards-looking ways, internal trade is typically prioritised, and very little exports leave Delastari. There is no coinage that is used within the Wood Elven homeland, and the markets are based on a barter and trading system. Each Elven household and individual is expected to be able to contribute in some way, be it harvesting or hunting food, or producing items that they can trade with others.

Technology and Magic

Living off the land, Wood Elves have little need for vast foundries like the Dwarves, or great Trading Companies as found in The Kingdom of Arden. Where other races may find inventive ways to produce materials and goods, the Wood Elves find a way to live within their natural habitat so that all members of their society can flourish in the ways they desire. Despite this, some industrial practices can be found within Delastari, such as smithing and papermaking.
The latter of these is used for books, in which the Wood Elves take great pride and care. With their long lives, an Elf that has lived for a few hundred years may be prone to forgetting things from their past, so keeping notes on their own lives is seen as a cultural need. Alongside this, many Wood Elves enjoy various forms of art; be it poetry, drawing or fictional writing.
Magic is, for the most part, restricted to what is deemed "Nature Magic". There is a distaste amongst the Wood Elves for anything Arcane in origin, a cultural distrust that has been around for thousands of years. Magic is still used, however, but it is guided with the thought of Nature in mind. Bettering the land and manipulating things with a gentle nudge of magic to grow in a certain way are widely used. Alongside this, Illusion and Divination Magic can also be found within the Wood Elven Realm, be it to better diguise oneself amongst the foilage or to foresee what issues the next winter may bring to the Elves.

Entertainment, Music and Humour

"When the Gods first sang, that is when the Elves first came to be. And that is why we sing now. For within music, there is life!"

Often seen as a more serious peoples by other Races, it is often misunderstood that Wood Elves have a great love for the arts. Music is a common practice amongst all Elves, with wooden wind and string instruments being of prime place amongst the varied music. Poetry, peformances, stories and art are all shared and expressed freely in Wood Elven culture, and many of the most beautiful works have come from the lands of Delastari.
Alongside this, if an outsider were to befriend a Wood Elf, they would quickly learn of Elven homour. Jokes and a general sense of "not taking the world too seriously" can be found amongst the Wood Elves, who have learnt that a good sense of humour is required with such a long life.

Elven Attire and Fashion

Furs, leather and silks make up the majority of the Wood Elven clothing, with practicality being the forefront of most designs. For casual wear, long dresses, shirts or simple tunics are worn, along with simple shoes. These are often dyed in the same greens and browns found within the Elves natural forest home, with brighter colours being reserved for nobility or particular religious decour.
For those Elves higher up in society, simple jewellery is often worn, showing that the Elf in question is more well off and can afford to have such precious items as metal made in such a way.

Health, Medicine and Body Hygeine

Wood Elves are generally a healthy people, but some ailments may still befall them. In such times, the Priests and Priestesses of one of the Noble houses will be called upon to treat the stricken Elf. Medicines are found naturally in the forest, with many herbs, mushrooms and animals being utlised for all sorts of illnesses. Wood Elven healers are a sought after commodity for outsiders.
Wood Elves are a very clean people, and soap and perfumes are found throughout Delastari. Rivers are carefully managed within the forests valleys so that places to bathe are readily available, and it is the cultural norm to ensure oneself is washed very day.

Courtships, Relationships and Marriage

Marriage is unheard of within Delastari. Given the long lifespans of Elven kind, the Wood Elves believe it to be ridiculous to swear oneself to a single person for the rest of their lives. This does not mean long-term relationships do not exist, and often a Wood Elven couple will partake in a bonding ceremony to declare their feelings for each other. These ceremonies vary for each couple, but are often a joint work of art the two Elves work on. As part of the ceremony, the couple will eventually link their right arms, each holding the others wrist, while a piece of silken cloth is wrapped around.
There is no standard for who an Elf chooses to be with, although some of the Noble houses may only wish to couple with others who are in the same standing as themselves. Elven relationships within Delastari are free and up to the individual, which includes both becoming a couple and ending a relationship. It is quite common that a Wood Elf may leave their current partner for another, as interests and priorites change over the Elves long lives.

Leaving Delastari

Living for such a long time, many Wood Elves often find themselves with a wanderlust and sense of adventure at some point in their lives. Leaving their ancestoral homelands is permitted, and a Wood Elf may always return if they wish to. Many Wood Elves have journeyes far and wide, and a few have never returned to Delastari, finding a life for themselves elsewhere. For this reason, Wood Elves can be found all over the world, and especially in The Kingdom of Arden. Many Elves have settled in the Kingdom, making a living and finding famillies outsde their homeland.

The Forest Realm of Delestari

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Related Organizations

• The Gods of the Fey-Realm

Related Myths

• The Sundering of Auraiddmir

Delastari is one of the largest forests found on the continent of Vastalia. Situated within The Kingdom of Arden, it finds its roots at the southern-most tip of the Minydenn Mountains. Thick and vast, many outsiders fear going in to the forests due to the myths and legends that surround the beasts that live within. It is rumoured that even the trees themselves face off any would-be trespassers. Deep within Delastari, the Wood Elves make their home; a vast settlement built in to the trees themself. Around the main "city", smaller settlements can be found, but these are never situated too far away.

Relationships with other Races
The Wood Elves of Delastari largely stick to their woodland realm, and have a deeply rooted distrust of the other races of the world. This is none more apparent when dealing with Dwarves of Rhyk-Durgen, who there is a long history of skirmishes and competition between the two races. The exception to this distrust is when dealing with other types of Elves, namely the High Elves of Laheria and the ocean-dwelling Sea Elves. A common kinship is shared amongst all these types of Elves, although this does not extend to the Dark Elves of the Ibrezar Dynasty, who are often seen as a most-hated enemy.