Mortal Elves

The Mortal Elves, sometimes called Dark Elves, are a subgroup of Elves that differ from their so-called 'High Elf' brethren in a crucial aspect: they are able to die from old age.
In appearance, they are tall and slender, but less so than other Elves. Perhaps their most striking aspects are their grey skin and black hair which are considered a byproduct of their mortality.

The Creation of the Mortal Elves

Before Mortal Elves existed as a race, there were a select few Elves marked for mortality. These Elves served as faithful advisers and sworn warriors to Elven kings, and were known as Sceovarines. Their mortality was stripped from them in an elaborate ritual as a show of ultimate loyalty to their liege.
The race of Mortal Elves came into being in the Third Era of the Thurun calendar, when the Mad Dwarf Talhukmaz wielded a Hargead Ýrna in battle and cursed the Elven army with mortality. Elves across the world were also affected at random.
The Elves, unused to the finite sensation of mortality as well as their new faces, panicked and were routed. However, the Mad Dwarf's actions came at a cost- he cursed the entire Dwarven race with an inability to use magic. He dropped the white blade, and it was captured by the newly mortal Elves.
These Elves were cast out from Elven society on account of their 'unnatural' characteristics, with the sole exception of those who were kept as slaves or perhaps novelties to be gawped at. Those unfortunate Elves who became mortal in Elven lands were cast out.
The current Sceovarine was outraged at the treatment of his newfound mortal kin, and fled Eruvanir to join his brethren. This event lives in infamy because no Sceovarine had ever broken their oath before- a sin punishable by torture and death. He took with him the crown of one of the hierarchs, which would later be used as the crown of the king of the Mortal Elves.

Dhul Mabran and the Grey Kingdom

The Mortal Elves were not allowed back to their home, the Isle of Eruvanir, and instead founded their own settlements along Verrin's western coast in a land they named Dhul Mabran- 'land of the forsaken'. According to legend and the teaching of the Yirr Graveth, the Mortal Elves were led and taught by three exceptional individuals known as god-kings, who later ascended from the mortal plane. The three god-kings supposedly shared the burden of wielding a Hargead Ýrna amongst themselves, thereby avoiding the ensuing madness and gaining great powers.
The Mortal Elves quickly found that they were able to reproduce, just as Men and Giants do. As the original Mortal Elves died out and generations passed, they began to consider themselves entirely separate from their 'High' Elf cousins and even developed a pronounced sense of superiority over them, as well as all the other races of Verrin, viewing themselves as the ideal middle ground between the effete but intelligent Elves and the unsophisticated but tough Giants and Humans.
The original Mortal Elves who had once been High Elves were completely unused to the concept of family or raising their young. All Elves had been created simultaneously as individuals and were unable to reproduce, precluding the need for family groups. Now, they banded together into clans and tribes just as Men and Giants did. They also developed a fixation on death and funerary rites as this too was alien to them.
From their earliest formative days, the lives of Mortal Elves have been shaped by hardship. Their position in the West has meant that they have been harried by bandits from Asetnys, roving Giant warbands, and sometimes even the armies of Men. Food and shelter were initially scarce, and famines have struck the Mortal Elves regularly. At one point, a meteor from the heavens even decimated large parts of Dhul Mabran. This stoked a strong sense of perseverance among the Mortal Elves- they are ill-favoured by fate, but continue to strive nonetheless.
The Mortal Elves initially considered themselves cursed and abandoned by the gods of the Alwealda and instead took to worshipping the god-kings of old and their own ancestor-gods. Unique styles of architecture, art, literature and language emerged, less sophisticated than that of the High Elves but more practical.
The Mortal Elves tend to see the High Elven culture as decadent and stagnant, whereas their own culture is regarded as adaptable and forged through years of hardship. They are usually reclusive, but less so than the High Elves. It is not unheard of for Mortal Elves, who have 200-year lifespans, to serve as record keepers for shorter-lived races. They are not averse to manual crafts and trades, or mercenary work.

Governance

When they first migrated to Dhul Mabran and after the departure of the god-kings, the Mortal Elves became fractious and tribal. In their desperation, they fought one another for resources and land. However, the various tribes and clans were forced to unite against external threats such as Giants and Men who were greedy for land and riches. A religious group who shunned the Alwealda, known as the Yirr Graveth, gained considerable power amongst the upheaval and their religion has become dominant among the Mortal Elves.
Eventually, under the cunning leadership of the prophetess Ideth Darivar, the tribes conglomerated into a single state, known as the Grey Realm to outsiders. Among the Elves, it is called the Kingdom of Dhul Mabran. The tribal elders founded their own 'houses', The Great Houses of Dhul Mabran. Through political intrigue, each House sought to get an individual of their own bloodline on the throne while supplanting their rivals. The rivalries between these houses is legendary and persists to this day. The crown of Dhul Mabran is the one stolen by the Sceovarine from the Hierarchs. It serves as a grim reminder of the Mortal Elves' mistreatment at the hands of those they once called kin.
The three-way pull of power between the Monarch, the Houses and the Yirr Graveth has dominated Dark Elf politics for centuries. Despite leading to a rather unstable state of affairs, it also ensures that none of the three powers becomes too influential. The Houses also keep each other in check by political machinations.

The Garaldrim

Some tribes of Mortal Elves are nomadic, travelling Verrin' arid South and sometimes coming into conflict with Valundex's Dwarves. To the Dwarves, these Elves are known as the Grey Ones. Among their Elven kin, they are called the Garaldrim. The Grey Ones believe it is their right to raid and pillage the Dwarven lands as they hold the laws of conquest as a guiding principle. Raiding, herding and hunting for pelts are the primary sources of sustenance for these nomadic Elves.
The relations between these breakaway Mortal Elves and their Mortal Elf kin in Dhul Mabran have been strained mostly due to religious and cultural incompatibilities.

Technology, Culture and Craftsmanship

Despite the relative scarcity of resources in Dhul Mabran, the Mortal Elves are still able to create objects of great beauty from whatever they can find. Their weapons are usually of steel, although during times of shortage bone and chitinous materials may be used. The armour used by the Dark Elves is made from a unique resin-like material harvested from the Black Benarus tree. Heated in a furnace, it becomes a dull golden colour and is just as durable as steel. However, it is not used to make weapons because it does not hold an edge well. Dark Elven armour is also unique in another way- some helmets include a tall crest and a face-covering mask, giving them a terrifying and alien appearance in battle.
The architecture of Dhul Mabran varies across the region, but for the most part it shares common traits. The buildings are generally blocky and square, with flat roofs. Small dwellings may be little more than a single room, perhaps with a terrace on the roof. In general, Dark Elf buildings grow upwards rather than outwards as their size increases, but obviously there are exceptions. The most famous type of Dark Elf architecture is a unique type of tower called a Gnel. A Gnel a tall, rectangular building with many floors, that is desinged to allow a commanding view of the surrounding landscape. As such, they serve as strongholds and castles for the nobility. One such building is depicted on the sigil of House Werod.
The Mortal Elves place great importance on their musical traditions, as music plays a pivotal role in many rituals and rites. They have several unique instruments not found elsewhere in Verrin- the Buoryil, a type of long flute; the Abar, a circular stringed instrument; and the Kal, a large drum. Those unaccustomed to Dark Elf music say it sounds mysterious and somewhat sinister, especially the unusual, lilting vocal styles.
Mortal Elf art usually takes the form of tapestries and decorated rugs or cloth shrouds. These tapestries sometimes depict historical events such as the migration of the Mortal Elves to Dhul Mabran or the battles fought by Ideth Darivar, or more often simply decorative patterns. It is not uncommon to see a tapestry or rug hanging from every wall in a Mortal Elf home.
The alphabet and writing system of Dhul Mabran is closely related and based on the High Elven script, albeit with a multitude of changes. Letters and symbols that represented a certain sound to the High Elves now represent completely different ones to the Mortal Elves, due to the development of the Mortal Elf language.
Dark Elf food and drink is generally simple, and it relies on the variety of spices found in Dhul Mabran for its flavour. Spiced meats are by far the most common food, with various herbal and nettle-based teas as the most common drinks. Water is scarce in Dhul Mabran's interior, and is often drawn from small oases that dot the landscape. As such, animal skin water bags are commonly carried by Dark Elves. Alcohol of many kinds is also consumed- including a very strong brandy-like drink called Braln, which is associated with the upper classes of Elven society. It is distilled from the fermented fruits of the Black Benarus tree, infused with various other ingredients and spices. Traditionally, a small glass of Braln is drunk before a formal meal as per the Mortal Elf dining custom. A host failing to provide Braln is considered to be stingy or operating in bad faith.