Elves

... i knelt before Ayrika in the center of a large area, that was mostly covered in darkness. It was night and onFn here already, and so i knew that beyond the shadows it was still much larger. In this moment all my attention was focused on Ayrika though. I held her battered face and comforted her wounded body. Hamanuq, the chieftain of the Umalaq-Sitha was a capable healer and had done a great job saving her, so i was sure she would survive and heal, but seeing her like this, breath shallow, a red bandage around her belly, i felt rage boiling up in me, and my gnashing teeth showed.   Chieftain Hamanuq put his hand on my shoulder. He stood next to me, ironwood sword still drawn, but pointing downward non threatening. We were surrounded by more Sitha warriors and also their Draks, green scaled, wingless dragon creatures that reminded in their posture at dogs, but in their size at horses. One of them was still gnawing on the body of my former comrades... yet after what these "comrades" had done, what they had tried to do to Ayrika and then me, i couldn't care less, and so i granted the beast it's feast. Things were different here anyhow: Nothing goes to waste in the Eternal Forests. One thing Ayrika had taught me.   "I thank you for your help, Hamanuq of the Umalaq-Sithai. I know that she is Norn, and that you..." i began   "Stop right there, Sulacio. The right of hospitality is sacred, and those who are our guests enjoy the same protection as our own people. Even the Norn. Even the Humans. It is not you who has to thank us... it is us who have to thank you." the chieftain answered, and left me perplexed.   "I don't understand..." I answered truthfully.   "She is Umalaq-Norn, a daughter of the other tribe that lives on this tree. The tattoo on her shoulder betrays it. They are fewer, but as you witnessed with her, what they lack in numbers, they make up for with determination and battle skill. And if she would have died here... under our watch, the war would have returned to our branches..."   "But... Why?" i inquired further, even though, deep inside i knew the answer already.   "Greed..." the chieftain answered. "The Umalaq-Sithai... and to some part also the Umalaq-Norn, rule this area. And it is full with things humans desire: Ironwood, Cryst flowers, tameable draks. And if we fight each other..."   He didn't have to continue. I understood.   "We were just lucky, that you were at her side, when they wanted to strike. They didn't seem to have expected that..."   I smiled and it hurt, but i didn't want to tell him about me and Ayrika, and why we were sharing our restplace. For one thing i had the impression that he knew anyway, and for the other, not even my former "teammates" had known what had blossomed between me and the norn scout.   "Don't you think they will return?" I asked.   "Others might, but they? They are alone, hurt and without guide in Umalaq's deep branches. They won't return, they will die" he answered and knelt down next to me, before continuing:   "Lets bring her to the shamans cave. He can bring you a healing, dreamless sleep and also ease her healing meditation by entering it"   "Too bad they also took my diary..." i mourned, as the Sitha lifted her onto a transport lie made of ironwood and onauru leaves.   "Was it really that important?" the chieftain asked. I started with a nod while i answered:   "It was meant to help me write a book once i return from the eternal forests, but now... "   My nod froze. I looked at Ayrika, who was safe now, then into Hamanuk's big green eyes, and then at the darkness which hid the surrounding, neverending but everchanging wilderness...   "... i don't think i will."
— Sulacio Kerbikonen and Hamanuq of the Umalaq-Sithai talk after the fight that became basis of a profound friendship.
 
"Father... i must inform you, that i have heard the call. The deep roads are demanding for me..."   The old Norn, bent over a large kettle which was emanating a reddish fog, most likely another one of his healing potions or balms, stopped stirring the fluid immediately, startled by the words of his only son Tondak. He had seen many winters, and lost many Norn souls to the darkness beneath, even though, as it is usual with elves, his appearance didn't show this age. He hadn't reached the age of ailment yet, and he had always hoped that his son would take over when he did.   "Go to…" he started, but his son interrupted him mid sentence.   "I went to the stone of second chances already. This is the second time we have this conversation, father. The stone won't help me anymore…"   "We have probably a few weeks… months till it becomes unbearable…. i could try to figure out a cure… I know i tried so often... but there has to be one… If i work tirelessly…" the old norn babbled hectically, but his son again shut him down mid sentence.   "There is none and you know. Those who hear the call must go, you know that. I prepared everything. Friends will bind my eyes and lead me to the underdark, so i won't find back so easily. There i will reside until the beasts below slay me, or i turn into draugh and join the armies below. I won't risk our society for a few days and a hopeless endeavor. Prepare some words to warn the others not to follow me.   The old norn inhaled, and tears welled up in the turquois giant eyes. He nodded. He knew it was the best and only way. But it was so painful. "What else can i do..." he asked, somewhat rhetorically, but his son answered nevertheless:   "I could need a good hug right about now…"
— Turasak , Shaman of the Andulak Norn, and his son Tondak talking, shortly before Tondak vanished in the caverns of the underdark.
   
"You must give to the church, what belongs to the church."   The tall figure straightened, giving the black haired eadun tax collector a slightly threatening appearance, when his head almost touched the ceiling of the low salesroom. The men behind him, two human guards who still wore their helmets, which made it difficult to make out their features in the halfshadow, didn't appear less threatening either. But people rarely gave the taxes freely. They did so when they were strongly pious, but the man certainly wasn't. In his head the eadun elf made a mental note, that someone should soon take a look at the family, and check if they were worshipping the right gods.   The store keeper, a man of middle age, with somewhat thin blond hair, but a build like a blacksmith, grabbed behind the counter and took out a short sword from underneath.   "No… what do we get from the church anyway? They bleed us out. And what for? My family needs food before it needs protection… Also... what kind of tax collector are you anyway?. Elvish? The church ought to protect us from your kin!"   "I consider this an insult… human... The kingdom of Haven doesn't take it lightly when you scrutinize the legitimacy of eadun citizens. And there is no higher proof of citizenship than working hard to levy taxes. Take him guys, and when you brought him to the brig, make sure the home is searched for forbidden religious tokens. Lets see if we can add heresy to the list of criminal offenses. "   The elf squinted his eyes almost mischievously,   "...And lets see how good his family gets along, when there is no one feeding them for the next six months…"
— A scene in Aidrun.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Elves are bigger than humans, although quite slender, which gives them a somehat lanky apperance. Their noses have a broad bridge, and taper to a flat broad tip which gives it the appearance of that of a predatorial cat. Their eyes are, for human standards, extremely large, and their ears are tipped and the tips usually reach through the thick hair. Elves also have the famous "grabbing feet" which help them with climbing, "Glove shoes" exist, which allows them to use their feet to this end.

Genetics and Reproduction

Even though Elves have genitals just like humans, this misled many humans into thinking that the procreation works the same. Like more than half of the species on Ardu, Elves belong to the seedless genotype, and like all representatives of this genotype, males produce no fertile seed, and female no eggs, making the procreation a matter of both the personal fae of the partners inolved and their willingness to procreate.   During the act, if triggered by the will to procreate, the personal fae of both partners joins, samples genes of both partners and creates a new life in the female body. The will that drives this process is usually the will of both partners, however, if the will of one partner is strong enough, or enhanced by magical means, the singular intention of one partner might suffice to trigger the process. All elves besides the drow consider such an act a crime though, whereas drow elves consider it the only reasonable way of procreation, as it conforms to their philosophy of the survival of the fittest, and ensures that those may procreate who can opress their will on others.   Humans, who, like all soulbearing species, create their own personal fae, are not excluded from this kind of procreation, making halfelves, an, albeit rare, possibility, which is most common between Eadun and humans. See  
Procreation on Ardu
Physical / Metaphysical Law | Mar 17, 2024
  for further information.   As a side effect elf women do not show a phase of heightened fertility every 30 days like humans do, and they also do not have a period, a trait many a human woman envies them for.

Growth Rate & Stages

Elves do not age like humans. They reach maturity at around 16 to 17 years and keep their youthful apperance for almost their whole life, which lasts about 100 to 110 Years. This trait led to the false human belief that elves are actually immortal. The truth is, that only in the last few years of their life, they come into a phase of a quick degradation, which leaves them frail and in need of protection, that, unless they are draugh, the tribe and the children happily provide until death takes them.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Origin of the three Elf Subspecies

  Elves come in three different kinds: The Sitha, the Norn and the Eadun elves.   The Norn once were the lower caste of the Elves who lived on the mid levels of the giant world trees, while the Sitha dwelled on the sunny treetops. With less access to sunlight the Norn levels are home to predators which prey on each other for sustenance, and enforce a much more conflictdriven mindset. It was this mindset which drove the norn to interact with the Humans early, while the Sitha tried to avoid contact as much as possible. By nature of this conflict there were two possible strategies to deal with the threat the Humans: Conflict or ally oneself. The answer the different norn elves implemented led to the separation of Norn, which originally chose conflict and the Eadun Elves which chose join the humans.  

Norn, Sitha and Eadun today

The orginal social structure which gave rise to the distinction between Norn (Onauru for "root") and Sitha (Onauru for "leaf") still exists, but only in the World tree Jungles of the The Evergreen Peninsula and the The Eternal Forests. The term Eadun in these regions describe elves which support humans, and are thus marked as traitors by both groups.   Everywhere else the world has mostly adapted the human definition of the different species: Sitha are the elves which try to avoid contact with the humans as much as possible, Norns are the elves which "fight" the humans, and Eadun are the elves that, although they might not all live among the humans, even though many do, still attempt to achieve a peaceful cohabitation on Ardu.
  This classification, although easy to understand for humans, is however wrong in its indifference or at least incomplete.
 
Norn
Next to the Norn that want to fight the humans (and which among other Norn form a subgroup at best), there are also those which trade with them. Then there are the Norn, which have founded the Norn Empire Cun Moragh Norn, and which define themselves as Norn simply by being part of it.   Common among all norn seems to be the desire for an ethnic and spatial separation from the humans, but paired with an acceptance for the fact, that interaction is inevitable. One could say, that Norn are of all elves the ones who are most ready to stand their ground, and defend their interests against humans. Which in human propaganda comes about as "seeking the fight". It wouldn't be a fight, if the humans behaved... or so the norn claim.   Some Norn even live among humans, like the Eadun do, but they claim, that, unlike the Eadun, they haven't "corrupted" their culture to fit in. The threshold as of which these Norn are considered norn still by other norn is fluent. Therefore there can be Norn living among humans who consider themselves Norn, who are considered norn by their eadun neighbors, yet who are considered eadun by all other norn.  
Eadun
Eadun apply a somewhat softer approach in their attitude towards humans, which quite a norn would consider "demure" or "cowardly". Quite a large fraction of these eadun elves nowadays lives among humans, in human cities even, and follows human traditions and even religions.   Nevertheless, there are also those who have settled in the Silverwood, a region which, so the eadun claim, was once given to them by Haven in exchange for the promise of peace.   With Cair Emru and Oskis the Silverwood has the only eadun cities. Cair Emru also holds a Worldtree (the Aunathil Worldtree), which is however the last worldtree of the Silverwood.   Most eadun have never developed their own language. They either employ dialects of the local norn tongues or speak the human tongue of the region they inhabit. An exception are the "High Elves" of the Silverwood who speak High Elvish.   Today Eadun all around the Inner Sea believe the elves to be descendent of "Faeborn", so called "Sidhe Lords", who once came from their Faerealms to Ardu together with their elvish courts and their gelf servants. They wanted to expel the humans, because they didn't understand that Ardu was to become the human world. As a punishment (who punished whom here is often a question of the local religion or folklore) their immortality was taken from them, and the way back to their "Faerealm" was barred. Therefore all Elves now have to die and be reborn until they understand this truth, which is when they will be allowed back after their final death.   This belief is known and heavily supported in many human cultures around the inner sea, and found its way even into the teachings of the Church of the Creator, the Faith of the Seven and the Folklore of Culmeria, if it hadn't started there to begin with.   As a result many eadun today believe, that the time of elves on Ardu is coming to an end and claim the absence and relative sterility of worldtrees as proof. They are of course heavily opposed by the norn, who call this belief human brainwashing.  
Sitha
It is for the elusive Sitha for which the human definition works best. Elves who try to avoid humans as much as possible define themselves as Sitha elves (except in Cun Moragh Norn where they are also called Norn, because of their allegiance to the Realm, here they form a political subgroup).

Facial characteristics

Elves have large eyes which support them in the constantly dim light of the forests from which they stem. They also have large tipped ears and a broad flat nose, which gives them a somewhat cat of prey like appearance.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Elves live almost everywhere on Ardu.   Most Sitha elves still live in The Eternal Forests and on the The Evergreen Peninsula, however some tribes still inhabit other primeval forests, like the Wooden Bow and the Wolven Forests Wolven Forests. Even the Long Forest far in the north holds some Sitha Tribes.   Norn elves are further spread, yet, even after the Norn Exodus, some tribes still live in the Eternal Forests or on the Evergreen Peninsula , and continue to inhabit the lower levels of the worldtrees. Far in the east, the Norn are ruling the massive realm of Cun Moragh Norn, which is governed by the norn queen on her throne in Carcosa and which holds the majority of Norn on Ardu today. But besides them, there are still other Norn tribes living in the forests of Caldaven, Aquira, Culmeria and also the Wolven Forests far in the northwest of Ardu.   The times are over though, in which most elves of the north dwelled in worldtrees, because the time in which those giants covered all of Ardu, if such a time ever existed, is over. Caldaven for example holds four worldtrees still, and the number of worldtrees in the human kingdoms eas of the The Inner Sea . Even in Cun Moragh Norn only about twenty tribes can call a hometree their own, and there are about seven true Onauru left in the wolven forests, some of which belong to Sitha, and some to Norn which additionally also claim the surrounding forest.   Therefore the term Sitha and Norn, "Leaf" and "Root", has lost its original meaning and describes just tribes which can trace back the heritage of their customs to different sources. To this day, many Norn and Sitha tribes of the "narrow forests" hold at least a healthy dose of mistrust against each other, which can escalate to open hostility, once both cultures fight for the same territory. But there are also stories of appreciation, common understanding and mutual support and even tribes which trace their ways back to both kind of elves now that the old days of segregation are over.   The Eadun elves live with the humans and are usual part of human settlements, even though Eadun elves try to remain aloof from their neighbors. The most Eadun live in the Kingdom of Haven, yet they also spread over the whole globe, and there is no human realm today which does not have it's share of eadun elven or halfelven citizens.   The draugh live in the giant labyrinthine network called underdark, which spans beneath all of Ardu. Here they build their cities, and here they return to from their raids on the surface world. A large hub is naturally found beneath Cun Moragh Norn and The Eternal Forests, but as the underdark knows no boundries, so don't the draugh.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Elven eyes are adapted to the constant dim light of the forests, and thus more responsive to light, allowing elves to see up to 60 feet under usual night conditions without any inhibition, although absolute darkness blinds them just like it does with humans. Draugh, who inhabit the constant darkness of the underdark, have adapted even better and can see almost twice this distance without inhibition, yet are at disadvantage when exposed to bright daylight, due to being blinded.   As elven do not dream, but rather meditate in a dreamless sleep, they do not enter the counterrealm like humans do. This inhibits their connection to the fae and makes them more resilient against being charmed. Also magic can't put them to sleep as there is no connection to exploit.

Civilization and Culture

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Onari Onari is the Language spoken by many elves stilll, especially Sitha, It is "some kind" of elven common somewhat like Ring is for the Humans. It status as a common tongue is challenged by Norn in the east of the The Inner Sea, and only a few imperial elves who speak Norn also speak Onari. This Language is commonly known as Old Elvish to the Humans.
  Common Norn: also simply called Norn is spoken by Norn elves in the realm of Cun Moragh Norn Caldaven, and all regions east of the Inner Sea. Norn who speak Common Norn sometimes speak Onari (Elvish) still, but refer to their own language as Elvish and to Onari as Onari.   Elder Norn: spoken mainly by Norn of The Eternal Forests and the Evergreen Peninsula, yet also in regions south of of the Inner Sea (Eridu, but also Orom) and in the regions between the Inner Sea and the Dragon Stones or the Hammer of Ice (Haven, Culmeria, Aesgard). Very similar to Onari, so much so that many Sitha tribes consider it a dialect. An Elder Norn dialect is spoken by the Sandelves, an eadun subgroup which lives in the Sea of Sand, which call their tongue "Sandsprek".   Western Norn spoken by most Norn and Eadun in the regions west of the Dragon Stones and the Hammer of Ice, yet not on the Evergreen Peninsula, where the Norn still speak a version of Elder Norn or Onari . Norn who speak Western Norn sometimes still speak Onari, especially in Weyland, as do the Eadun of this reagion. Both Norn and eadun refer to Western Norn as elvish, and to Onari as Old elvish or South elvish.   High Elvish A language derived in isolation from Elder Norn. Also known as Eadun despite only being spoken by a minortity of Eadun, namely those who live in the Silverwood, the northern parts of the Cityleague of Eridu and Haven, while other Eadun (if they speak elvish still) speak Norn in any of its local expressions. Most Eadun who speak High Elvish also speak broken Onari(Elvish) still, due to the resemblence of Onari and Elder Norn.

Common Taboos

Not a taboo per se, more of an instinct: Elves try to avoid touching the ground as much as possible. This instinct stems from the fact that in the primeval forests, which are made of world trees, so much biomass lands on the ground level, that it has become its own biosphere. Many predators hide in the boggy ground, waiting for some careless person to step, where he or she better shouldn't. Also the ground itself is often not as reliable as it seems, hidden swampholes may suck a careless wanderer into a wet murky death within minutes, if he hasn't been eaten by other predators already, who are only waiting for a chance like this.   All elves still share this tick. It is (of course) weakest with the Eadun elves, due to their centuries long resocialisation, and strongest with the Sitha. It is also completely subconscious, because the elves of course know that the ground in a city is harmless, yet, whenever they can, they try to hold on to something that allows them to get their feet off the ground.   It is also the reason why drow move through the underdark rather climbing then running, making them seem almost eerily spiderlike when they move through a tunnel by its walls and ceiling, a sight that has shocked many an adventurer who went there, and something that further lends to the fairy tale that Drow and the giant spiders of the underdark mate in order to create even more terrifying creatures.

History

A History in Differences

  Depending on which elf is asked, so changes the history of the elves, and each version has its own inconsistencies.  

Earliest History (Sitha and Norn)

  The Sitha and Norn do show a significant overlap in their stories, but to find this common ground between Sitha tales and Norn tales one must go back to the legends which tell of a time before the great Norn Exodus. What Norn and Sitha agree on, is, that once the world was covered in forest. Once there were no Norn, no Sitha, no Eadun and no draugh. Once the elves called themselves Ona Uru, the "tree people", and their home were the world trees, the Onauru trees. Then came the humans, and with them they brought destruction.   In contrast to Eadun elves and humans, Norn as well as Sitha elves argue that it was the humans, which brought The Plague, and that the elves had no part in it. The Ona Uru argued about how to face the humans and while the ancestors of the Norn wanted to fight them, claiming that The Plague was a human invention, the ancestors of the Sitha just wanted to maintain peace with the humans and, over time find a solution for The Plague, claiming that it was a natural occurrence and that Ardu produced enough ressources for all to share.   Thus began the split that led to the formation of two elven factions.  

Eadun Origin Story (Eadun and Human)

  The Eadun elves believe that it was the Humans who inhabited Ardu first, and that it was the elves who "invaded". The Eadun claim that all elf descend from so called Sidhe lords, who once came over to Ardu from their Fae Realms, together with their court and entourage, which included the gelf. They could easily do so, because there was no Counterrealm and no veil yet, which would prevent it. At first they were greeted by the humans with curiosity and peace, and despite the hostile intentions the Sidhe fostered when coming to Ardu, their Queen Emru decided to give peace a chance. She and her followers (The Sidhe of the Summer court) were opposed by a certain fraction of Sidhe lords (which the Eadun call the "Sidhe of the Winter Court") who, so the eadun claim, would later become the ancestors of the Norn.   The Winter Court Sidhe pretended to go along with the decision of the Queen, so this split was not obvious at first. Then the peace was betrayed by some of them, who would became the first draugh, not so much as a punishment, but because they couldn't foresee the consequences of their actions.   Together with one particular nasty Gelf called Gremm, these traitors concocted the Plague. And while they also inadvertendly infected themselves with it, they managed to infect many humans, including the Founder, a holy man, who was the leader of the Church of the Creator. He had welcomed them with open arms, but, after being infected, turned into the very first plaguebeast, which today the humans only call the Huntsman (although he has many names).   Appalled by these actions, the humans ended the contact and a terrible war, the Cataclysm, followed. It destroyed many hometrees and in its aftermath the way back to the old faerealms from which the Sidhe came was barred by the Veil and the Counterrealm. The Sidhe, now cut off from their home, became just as mortal as the humans.   Why this is, Eadun in the world disagree about. Some claim it was the Cataclysm which created the Veil, while others, especially in countries faithful to human religions, usually believe it was the locally worshipped deities, who punished the Sidhe for their sacrilege. Still other Eadun fractions argue that it was Kaaeya (the elf goddess most Norn believe in) herself who did it.   After the Cataclysm the Eadun split further. The Sitha, ashamed and fearful of the humans, fled to the furthest leaves of the worldtrees that still existed, and to this day attempt to keep the contact to humans as little as possible. The gelf fled underground or hid their villages, while the broken hearted Eadun, first among them Queen Emru, joined the humans in their fight against their own kin (the Norn), and started to call themselves Ead-uru, "True elves", which over time turned into the word Eadun.   Today the Eadun have arrived in the human society, even though there are still animosities because of racism and the role elves played in the creation of the plague and the corruption of the founder.   They are still, like most "Faeborn" or other non-humans, shunned from higher posts within the church. Besides this limitation however, they fill almost every role humans do too in the societies they belong to, and with Conn Benn Calad they even provide an, although halfelven, king, in the Realm of Caldaven.  

The Norn Exodus (Norn)

  Around the time of the 3rd Shadow war, the Norn of The Eternal Forests grew increasingly discontent with their role in the elven society.   Once the norn were only a small subgroup of the Elves, who rebelled against the passive ways of their brethren and argued to take up arms against the humans. Thus, in the eyes of Sitha brethren who wanted to stay far away from the humans in the crowns of their trees, they caused the catastrophic Cataclysm.This first human-elven war reshaped the world, and cost the elven much of their former hometrees. Just like common criminals they were then banned from the elven society and from the fertile upper layers of the world trees and gave themselves a new name: Norn-Uru, which means "Root people", while the other elves took on the name Sitha-Uru (Leaf people) in order to distance themselves even further from the Norn.   In the centuries following their banishment, the numbers of Norn grew, their language changed and their culture, more martial and hardened by the harsh environment they inhabited, became alienated from the Sitha cultures that dominated the upper layers of their world trees.   New tensions between the Norn and Sitha arose. From the perspective of the Norn these tensions were mainly driven by two things: As the ones who inhabited the lower levels of the world trees, they were the ones hit hardest by draugh raids, and had access to way lesser ressources, turning life into a fight hence. Nevertheless the Sitha, enjoying a very carefree life, due to the involuntary protection by the Norn, held the monopole on the fruits and products of the fertile upper levels. And they weren't ready to share, always referring to the Norn crimes of old as a justification.   A long time the Sitha were able to hold the Norn at bay, due to their superior numbers, granted by a higher fertility, which was again driven by their access to better ressources. After centuries, the Norn of different tribes had connected with each other though , and the great elven civil war begun.   Far in the east, in the region around the Anvil of Storms, the Norn succeeded in their rebellion and drove the Sitha out. Yet, in the regions of traditional Sitha dominance, like The Eternal Forests, the Evergreen Peninsula and some other, yet intact, primeval forests, where it was, due to the density of the World tree population, easier for Sitha tribes to lend assistance to each other, the rebellion proved unsuccesful, leaving the norn worse off than before, by further fueling the prejudices held by their Sitha brethren, and cementing their status as a lower caste.   Over the next centuries the Norn that lived around the Anvil of Storms forged an empire and once they felt strong enough, they called all Norn tribes to join them. And thus began the great Norn Exodus, when over seventy percent of all norn heeded the call and wandered eastward, in the largest migration Ardu had seen yet.
Lifespan
100-110 years
Average Height
1.8 to 2.13 meters (6 to 7 ft)
Average Weight
70 to 100 kg
Average Physique
Elves are usually larger than humans, adults reaching from 6 to 7 feet, with the females being slightly smaller.   Elves feature broad, flat, almost straight noses, which broaden only slightly at the tip. Together with the large eyes and the prominent irises, this lends to a somewhat predatory, almost catlike impression. The ears of elves are elongated and end in small pointy tips.
by cyrgan
  Elves are comparably slender, with long legs and arms, which aid them in the natural habitat: the forests. Elven feet are slim, long and feature an opposable large toe, allowing for the elf to hold on branches or ledges with their feet as well as their hands.In order to do this they must wear elven shoes, which are basically leather gloves for the feet, or none at all.
Elven feet
by cyrgan
  Unlike humans, elves have no facial or bodily hair besides the hair on their head, which proves to be slightly thicker and faster growing than that of humans.
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
The skin colors of elves ranges from the dark tones equal to the Oromi over dark bronze of some Sitha and norn elf tribes, which live in The Eternal Forests or the south of Ardu, to the pale white of draugh, with Norn and Eadun ranging somewhat in the middle, sporting everything from a whitish beige to a rich brown, depending on the region which they inhabit. Just like humans, elf skin, if exposed to sunlight, tends to turn darker over time.
Related Ethnicities

Articles under Elves



Cover image: by cyrgan

Comments

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Dec 1, 2018 09:08 by Sai & Tyme

I enjoyed envisioning the various range of elven subgroups that fill your world. The way they procreate is also fascinating! Do your Drow have an origin story as well?

Dec 1, 2018 09:51

Hello Sai, they have sort of. It centers around being freed from useless moralities by the Plague. They also do believe it was the humans who brought the Plague to Ardu. They consider themselves better than any other race and the ones naturally inclined to be the rulers by the ruthlesness that was bestowed on them by becoming drow.   It is a work in progress though as i am focussing on PC Races in the moment and am working on Humans at the moment.   I am happy you liked the rest!

Dec 19, 2018 20:53 by Alex

I liked the fact that they have biological differences from humans beside "tall" and "pointy" ears. I especially love the foot design, it makes so much sense.

Dec 31, 2018 05:51 by Jonathan Thompson

Now this is a good rendition of elves; familiar but with some interesting notes about the subgroups

Dec 31, 2018 08:00 by Terry

Love when people take generic fantasy concepts and put an interesting spin on them :) I would love to learn more about the different elven ethnicities :)

Dec 31, 2018 11:29

You will,   I am working on all "High level" race backgrounds in the moment to give all my payers a good startoff.   I am working on Humans in the moment, which is the brunt, due to their diversity and due to them being dominant in so many countries around the Inner Sea. I will follow up with Gelfs, also called Gelflings, which are the Gnomes & Goblins of this world, and then Orcs, before working my way down the culture list. Very much on top of that list are the elven subgroups, and especcially the Norn, as they, of all elves, seem to be the most liked ones, at least with players.