Elves - Time Lost Refugees

The mist gave way to a serene island with a massive tree at it's center. Prince Baena and his royal escort had finally made it to Erumalda. From this distance one couldn't tell that it was one of the largest settlements of elves in all of Elturia. As they docked their boat, and journeyed into the city, they hadn't noticed any obvious dwellings. The elves seemed to magically appear from the natural formations of the land around them. Baena finally saw their diplomat emerge from one of the boughs of the great tree through a seemless wooden door. He then looked up to see many small signs of the people living within and about the great tree itself. He stared with wonder at the massive roots, sprawling branches, and the dormant portal beneath its trunk as the diplomat came to address him.

— The arrival of Prince Baena to Erumalda, to ask for aid in the civil war

Elves are often seen as graceful and mystical beings to the other folk of Elturia. They still consider themselves new comers to the world and most live in tight knit communities that wish to have little interaction with the outside. They strive to live with nature and leave as little of an impact as possible. Elves have a natural affinity for magic, and they often use these talents in the pursuit of bettering their community.

There are many conflicted feelings that other ancestries have of the elves. Many look up to them for their role in the Dawn War and their association with Gilindrea Helfast. While few others look upon them with distrust and disdain, not trusting their long lives and suspicious of the outsiders to their realm. However, most see them as a mysterious people.

Timelost and Timeless

Adding to the mystique of the elves is their long lives. Many of the oldest elves remember the Dawn War like memories from their youth; a matter of several generations for most of the other mortal ancestries. The sad thing is, they cant remember much before that. All the elves know of the time before arriving in Elturia is the Wandering, and, at that dark time, when they arrived they knew only war.

All the elves know of their time before Elturia is that they were fleeing something, and they payed a great price for safety. When an Elf becomes old enough for their naming ceremony, they are told of how and why their people came to this land, as much as they know anyways. The home of the Elves before Elturia came under a grave danger that threatened to wipe out their people, even destroy their world. In order to bring the elves to safety, their leaders bargained with the Arch Fae for passage from their world to another using the shifting lands of the Fae that connect them. The only price was their ancestral memory. They bargained for the right to keep memories of their family and communities, but they lost almost everything else.

Inspired by this opportunity to start over, and find a land welcome to them, the Elves accepted. Only, the journey wasn't safe and when they finally did arrive, many of them came to a land ravaged by a war between Giants, Fiends, and Primordials. With nowhere else to go, they picked up arms and fought for a new home.

While that dark time has passed, time is strange in the Fae lands. Every so often the few portals that exist alight and new refugees cross into Elturia.

Journey of Discovery

With the loss of many great elvish accomplishments, all elves encourage their youths to explore the world and either accomplish great deeds or bring something back of use for their people. The people of Erumalda call this Yorm'ellắ. After their history, many of the elves just wish to embolden their community without encroaching upon the land or peoples around them.

Elves of Erumalda

While the settlement of Erumalda is a mysterious far off place for most people in the region, the high elves are the most seen throughout Elturia. They are the most steeped in the arcane arts, and have a consistent involvement within the Reliquary.

Elves of the Whispering Wood

The Forest Elves found within the Whispering Wood are often seen as the most savage. Tales say they hunt for Arrast, run with the wild life in the forest, and kill all who enter. While they do have a deeper connection with the land and wildlife than their cousins, they wil only kill those that desecrate the forest.

Elves of the Ackryda

It is not known where the elves of the Ackryda crossed over, or how much they know of their past. They are the most secretive of their culture. Few of the sea elves are seen above land serving on boats, or along the coast. All that is known of them, is that they quickly integrated themselves within the greater politics of the ocean societies and became incredibly influential.

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