Hometowns:
Seramythian Forest
El’Raanin, Port City of Mahalia
Caer Menthadon, Gateway City to Mahalia
Patron Deity:
Erileia the Twilight Diamond, Lady of Art and Beauty
Average Size:
5 – 6 1/2 paces tall
Appearance:
Elves can be anywhere from five to six and a half feet tall and have slender, wiry builds, much slimmer than that of a human. They have very distinguished facial features, most notably their trademark pointed ears, by which many other races have nicknamed them. They tend to have angular faces, small and straight noses, high and well-defined cheekbones, and small, slanted eyes. They fancy themselves as the fairest of all races, though many of the others think them simply conceited.
Though elves can and do exhibit a wide variance of skin tones and complexions, the vast majority are fair-skinned, and their hair is generally shades of either blonde or brunette. Other hair colors are sometimes seen as well, including black, white, silver, and very pale shades of blue and violet. Elves can be seen with every eye color humans have, as well as more exotic colors like gold and violet. Wealthy elves will occasionally use dyes or minor illusions to change their hair and eye color into whatever they wish.
Example Description of an Elf
Female:
Standing five paces and three fingers in height is this elven woman. Long silver hair cascades down her back in soft ringlets as thin layers of bangs cover her forehead. Tapered ears protrude out of her hair, for her race to be seen by all. Her face is soft with a small nose, and heart-shaped lips. Her eyes are almond in shape and golden in color with flecks of silver near her pupils. Her figure is lithe in appearance with soft curving and average anatomy of her race. Her flesh is pale with very little evidence she spends time outdoors, often. There appears to be no scarring upon her form as a soft aroma of rose wafts about her figure.
Male:
Long locks of strawberry-blond hair cascade down this elven man’s head, reaching to the small of his back. His fringe rests just above deep forest-green eyes and is of an even level to his pointed ears. His form is lithe and elegant and there appear to be no blemishes on his soft pale skin at all. He stands at a mere five paces and four knuckles in height, certainly one of the smaller of his kind.
Culture:
The elven race is divided into two main cultures: the noble elves of Mahalia, and the more naturalistic elves of Seramythia. Mahalia is the home of the elven royalty and is a city of beauty, wealth, arrogance and political intrigue. The elves of Seramythia are much more in tune with nature, living as one with the forest surrounding their city. Regardless of their location, all elves are considered loyal to the court of Mahalia until they prove otherwise.
Elves generally consider other races inferior, and rarely hide this opinion. The elves of Mahalia even consider their forest brethren of Seramythia somewhat inferior. They are still seen as superior to non-elves, just not as civilized as Mahalians.
Tradition and family heritage are important to the elves, and they are the only race other than humans to adhere to the belief of noble and common blood. With such long lives, elven traditions are strictly followed, sometimes merely because the eldest elves have followed them for centuries. The elven people are often slow to adapt their culture to changes in the world around them and have difficulty accepting changes within their own communities.
Known Noble Houses in Elven Culture:
House Lomasi
The House of the Lomasi family is the oldest house among the elvish nobles. Known as a peacekeeping family, the Lomasi are often found in varying political positions, usually in an opposing fashion. They are a long proud line of diplomats and strategists, often sought after in negotiations between governments and warring countries. In addition to their diplomatic bloodline, the Lomasi are a very tight-knit family, honoring their kin above all else. They are one of the most beloved elvish families in Mahalia, and one of the most known and respected throughout Eadoin. Their sigil is that of a snow white dove in the center of two olive branches.
House Morfael
The second oldest house among elvish nobles, this house was founded by the youngest son of an ancient elvish king. The house is well known for its devotion to Ereleia and for its horticultural skills, especially regarding lotus. Through the generations, members of the house have often made it a point to cultivate a new flower in honor of Ereleia and so the land surrounding the main estate is covered in gardens of exotic and rare plants. Because of their cultivation skills, the house owns most of the farmland around the elvish nation and the food produced by this land is transported worldwide. Occasionally, a child in the house will become a diplomat or merchant to deal with these aspects of the family. The farmers which tend to the fields of the House are often brought from Seramythia, trained to farm, and then given a patch of land to grow food, which a certain portion must be given to the House. The symbol of this house is a pink and white lotus flower on a blue background.
House Lindrael
Setting great store by formality and tradition, the Lindrael are best known as somewhat austere, hard to please folk. Their line is both respected, in that it preserves the ancestral customs and practices of the elvish people, but also at times feared and disliked, for they are famed for being severe and uncompromising. Their precise manner leaves them sought after as historians, army commanders and nobility above all, they are known for their power and tenacious hold over elven society, finding pleasure in ceremony and luxury. They are often combating with the Lomasi for prestige in Elven culture, where the Lomasi are kind and passive, the Lindrael are often ruthless and progressive. Suitably enough, their symbol combines both wisdom and power in the form of a majestic eagle owl.
House Sitara
The symbol of House Sitara is that of a white wolf on royal blue, to symbolize courage and strength.
Affinities:
With their slender builds, elves are nowhere near as strong or as hardy as humans, but they are significantly more agile. Still, in a physical confrontation alone, an elf can only match a human by being more skilled. Elves are often more intelligent and better educated than humans, however, and their long lifespan tends to make them wiser. The true strength of the elven people, however, is their admirable abilities with magic, in which they are second only to pixies. With their mental acuity, certain mind-controlling magics do not work well on elves, and they have a natural ability to move silently and see in the dark.
Tips for Playing an Elf:
Coming soon
History:
Elven legends hold that the elves were created first of any of the sentient races of Visola, brought forth by the goddess Erileia. Therefore many elves refer to their own kind as “the Eldest”. Shortly after creation the elves crafted their home, Mahalia, a city of beauty and perfection. There they lived for generations and watched as the other races came to be.
Gradually the elves expanded to other parts of Visola, most notably Seramythia. They created a city drastically different from Mahalia, with a more naturalistic expression of beauty. As time passed, the elves of Seramythia learned to live peacefully with nature rather than manipulate it.
When the Age of Strife began, the elves found themselves suffering the brunt of the orcish attacks. They fought prolonged defensive battles against the orcs from within Mahalia’s walls, and later against humans as well, who sought to take their lands from them. The armies of Seramythia marched to aid their cousins, but the elves were fighting a losing war.
It was the elven king Ethiliaul who, out of desperation to save his people, made a pact with Siramus and was given the Wrath of Caelestis, the only weapon in Visola capable of slaying a god. The leaders of the seven orcish clans, weary of being forced to fight, helped Ethiliaul slay Cedric, though the details of that day are known only to very few. The repercussions from the death of the god of war were immense, and brought battles all across Visola to a close within moments, ending the Age of Strife.
Though the elven people were saved, their king’s soul was banished to Abystus for slaying a god. Left leaderless and devastated by the prolonged war, the elves formed an alliance of necessity with the humans and strove to rebuild. After generations of work, they have regained much of their former glory, but the scars of their past have not been forgotten.
Notable Elves Throughout History:
- Godlin
- Tanwen Morfael
- Amaris Lomasi-Shadowwood, Diplomat of Mahalia
Common Stereotypes:
Human – They are like us in many ways, which I find disturbing. I envy their adaptability, but culturally they have centuries to go before they match us.
Orcs – We have a bitter history, but the orcs have changed much since those days. They’re still uncivilized savages, though.
Brownies – They are a good people, and they did help us once, though they’re simple and can be irritating on occasion.
Hydrelean – I don’t know much about them, but I doubt they’re truly worth knowing.
Aeromis – Ignorant people. They don’t understand proper order and yet go out of their way to cause trouble. How annoying.
Pixies – Charming little creatures, on occasion. I can only stand so much of a pixie’s company before it becomes tiresome, though. They’re deceptively skilled with magic for such a simple people, and sometimes I find myself envious.
Centaurs – They’re barbaric, but you can trust them. Just don’t invite one into your home.
Felar – Untrustworthy creatures that think they’re more cunning than they really are.
Dwarves – They have no concept of beauty of refinement, despite their skill and knowledge. Their company is just somehow repulsive.
Giants – Unusual people. They’re not quite savages, but their culture is nothing compared to our own.
Gnomes – I admit their minds are impressive, but they waste such intelligence on pointless things.
(This is the general concept of the race. Advent allows for diversity and originality when it comes to racial concepts and backgrounds, as long as it is within reason, so feel free to use your creativity when playing the race. Physical references to races, however, should remain within the norm.)
