Black Elf

"It's a good piece, but what's with the decorative engraving? It's a sword, not an art project."
-Bowlin Stoneheart, dwarven blacksmith/art critic

Some say beauty is the birthright of all elves, not only in body, but in their works as well. The artistic works of elves of all kinds are more intricate and elegant than many of those of other races, but it is said that even those of other elves are positively clumsy compared to those of the black elves.
These people have many names. The people of Bjornland call them the "svartalfar"-- "black elves" in the common tongue-- while many others call them night elves, while they call themselves elia'r-maklindel, the children of the moon.

"Black" Elves
The term "black elf" originally comes from the Prose Edda, one of the few actual sources we have on Norse mythology. Effectively, they're just dwarves, even credited with works built by them in other sources. Translations of the Prose Edda pretty much only call them dwarves.
Simply put, I made them distinct because I thought it would be cool. So, I effectively made the dichotomy based on form or function of their crafts.

Additional Information

Facial characteristics

Much like other elves, black elves are lithe and agile. Often, they are somewhat more robust than the rest of elvenkind, particularly their smiths and hunters. Even so, this difference in build is too subtle for most casual observers to notice.
Far more dramatic is their coloration. Almost all have very dark hair-- the source of their moniker "black elves". Skin tones are usually shades of gray ranging from nearly white to nearly black. Their eyes are usually some cool shade, usually blue or violet, but green or even red is not unheard-of.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

As with other elves, black elves have very keen senses, especially hearing and sight. They also have the ability to see in the dark, although they can unfortunately only see in shades of gray rather than color. As such, most black elf artists prefer to work in dim light.
Their darkvision is actually superior to that of most elves, being more similar to that of their subterranean kin, the dark elves. Like them, they too are especially sensitive to bright light, especially sunlight. Black elven society is nocturnal for this reason, which stands as the origin of the term "night elf".

Civilization and Culture

Culture and Cultural Heritage

The black elves value nothing more than they value beauty. As such they often value the most beautiful among them. Many consider the black elves to be famously vain. For most, this description is not inaccurate, but they also appreciate the beauty and artistry of others where they find it.
The black elven love of beauty also manifests in a love of artistry. Those who create beautiful things are also valued greatly, and pass on their skills to their apprentices, who are expected to surpass them in time. Even the most practical items are created to be works of art, and their craftsmanship is unmatched, save possibly by the dwarves.
In addition, the black elves place a great, almost religious reverence for the moon. According to the stories they tell, while the night hid them from the wars of their kin, the moon reminded them that there was light. To them, the light of the moon reveals the beauty of the world around them without the harsh brightness of the sun.
They perform a great many rituals under the light of the full moon, starting with the Baptism by Light the first full moon after the day a child is born. Marriages and rites of passage are also performed in a clearing under the full moon. These clearings are sacred places, and utterly forbidden to outsiders.

History

In the earliest days of Covenant, when the gods first formed the very world, before they even brought their people to the lands made for them, elves emerged from the Otherworld. Exactly why they left is not known. It is a mystery even to the elves, themselves.
It is said that elven civilization split when other races such as dwarves and gnomes began to appear. One faction believed that elves deserved to rule over these younger races while another preferred peaceful coexistence. Respectively, these factions became known to others as "dark elves" and "light elves".
In the end, the light elves won this conflict, seeing the dark elves banished from the surface world forever. There they turned bitter, attacking and enslaving surfacers whenever they could and even going as far as allying with the infernal hierarchy of Baator.
However, throughout this conflict there was one other faction, one that preferred to remain neutral. As elf killed elf, they hid far away, remaining far from conflict and hiding themselves in the dark of night. These elves became known as the "black elves".
All in all, they have preferred to remain distant from the affairs of the world. They have remained in their isolated communities, such as Enav'ral, working on their arts and magic. Most of the impact they've had has been on the arms and armor produced by black elven smiths, including Mooncutter, the sword of Athiope the Swift.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

The black elves are a very insular people, choosing not to seek contact with other cultures. Neither do they drive away outsiders, however. Still, the isolated nature of their cities makes such contact rare. They remain utterly neutral to conflicts of the world around them.
In particular, they bear a certain distrust of other elves. When around them, they tend to watch both light and dark elves very closely. They tend to be under the belief that their fellow elves are pursuing the agendas of their own people, and it takes a great deal of time to prove otherwise to a community at large.
The only great exception to their cultural isolation is the dwarves, with whom they keep a very close connection. Their relationship is mutually beneficial, as the dwarves provide the raw materials black elven craftsmen require, while the elves provide magical aid in return. Personal connections between these races are comparatively rare, however, the elves consider the dwarves to be dour while the dwarves see them as lazy.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Elf

Lifespan

800 years

Average Height

4 ft. 10 in. - 5 ft. 8 in.

Average Weight

90 - 150 lbs.