Elves

Civilization and Culture

Beauty Ideals

The Elves are drawn to grace and delicate intricacies. An ideal elf is lithe and graceful.

Gender Ideals

There is no difference between males and females in Elven society and there is no concept of gender. Clothing, jobs, and other things are identical between the sexes. The elven language has no pronouns that differentiate between the sexes, there is no equivalent to he or she, only singular or plural. Elves who travel outside of the Elven kingdom may temporarily take on some of the gender norms of the Mortal Kingdom to avoid annoying questions, but will leave those behind when returning to the Elven Kingdom.

Courtship Ideals

If an elf wants to enter into a life partnership, they begin by offering a gift. If the courtship is accepted the two elves present each other one gift a month over at least a fifty year time span. Most of the times the gifts take the form of outings together or other small gestures, but are bigger and grander on each year anniversary. If all goes well and all gifts are accepted, then a bonding ceremony will be scheduled. While it is expected that successful courtships will end in marriage, it is also accepted that the courtship period is meant to determine if the couple will actually be happy together. There is no stigma to ending a courtship that isn't working, but there is quite a lot of stigma around quick or rushed courtships.

Relationship Ideals

Elves maintain strong ties to their families throughout their lives, even if one moves away. Surface friendship and initial trust between elves is given easily, but true friendship and deep trust can take hundreds of years to develop. Romantic relationships take even longer, if they are meant to be life bonds. Trivial romantic entanglements can be entered into and exited from easily and with little expected attachment.

Average Technological Level

Elves deal little with technology and instead have perfected the use of magic in everyday life and the creation of grand structures.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Elven

Common Dress Code

Most elven clothing is long and designed to flow with movement. They use fine materials and embroider intricate, delicate patterns on the fabric.

Common Taboos

Killing another elf is the worst taboo for elvenkind. Their lives are so long that death is something almost unknown among their ownkind and is thus treated with the utmost respect and ceremony. To take the life of an elf early is something disgusting and almost unthinkable.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Elves do their best to avoid contact with any other race, who they view as lesser and backwards.