A Race Divided: Elves

In the beginning, the elves were all one tribe, one people. Guided safely out of the dangerous chaos of the early Feywild by Elyrr and into the Material Plane, they settled eagerly in this new land. To aid them and as a sign of his blessing those he especially favored, Elyrr blessed some of the elves. These elves would find themselves changing into what are known as Silver Elves, gifted with innate magic and beauty and grace standing out amongst their kind. Taking this as a sign of superiority, the Silver Elves became the ruling elite of the elves, making the rest their servants and workers. For centuries the Silver Elves ruled over the rest, becoming ever more arrogant and slowly taking their oppression further and further. Then one day, a tribe of elves that had been pushed to their limit fled to hide in far-off woods. There they encountered a kin of the Goddess Inar, and in her words, they found wisdom and salvation. These would go on to become the first of the Tree Elves. Following their example other elves would flee the safety of their homelands for dangerous wilds so long as it would mean escape from the clutches of the Silver Elves. Some would join the Tree Elves, bolstering their number while others would go on to different areas, finding their salvation. The elves that fled to the mountains and rocks would become Mountain Elves while those who fled to the Frozen North would become Snow Elves. Those that sought shelter in the dark and shadowy places would become Shadow Elves and those that hid in volcanic and fiery lands became Ash Elves.
Of course, the Silver Elves did not just let their servants and workers simply leave. As disappearances began to increase they cracked down on the others further and searched for those who went missing. When they eventually found those who ran away a war among the elves broke out. With the Silver Elves attempting to force those who escaped to return the others fighting for the independence of themselves and the others beneath the Silver Elves. The conflict would last for several decades and go on to be known as the first of the Sylminar Wars and the first attempt at a lesson to be learned.
The war finally ended when Elyrr returned from a journey, or rather a jaunt, in the Feywild to find his people sworn to other gods and fighting one another. Descending into the heart of it all Elyrr stopped the fighting, granted the independence of the other tribes, and allowed any who remained and wished to leave the ability to do so. Those who chose to remain were blessed and made into Silver Elves for their loyalty and love of Elyrr. To quell the protest of the Silver Elves, Elyrr brought the tribes that had come to worship him for his protection during his time in the Feywild to replace the lost elves. These would be the first Changelings, Goblins, and Satyrs to walk the Material Plane. The events that would surround them however is their story to tell.
Not all the elves that left after the first Sylminar War, would go on to join the major communities that had formed. Many would wander the world, forming nomadic communities and others would join the civilizations of the other races. Some would even follow the Witch Gods, taking up an interest in Witchcraft and by doing so being forsaken by Elyrr and many other gods. Others would find even more paths to follow with their considerable lifespan. However, when the Sundering began and the Curse of the Forsaken appeared many of them would find themselves fleeing back to Sylminar in the hopes of becoming Silver Elves or simply gaining the protection of Elyrr, or becoming Forsaken. Of these, the only ones that remained were those that resided in the greatest of civilizations, who were taken in by Enyll, God of Law and Civilization, and became City Elves. And those that pursued Witchcraft and the last of the Witch Gods, becoming Swamp Elves

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