Dark Elf
Pitchdark Dark Elves
Embracing ideals of perfection and superiority over all other races, the dark elves are a ruthless, cunning, ferocious and tenacious people, always striving to be better than they were yesterday. To them, this means including methods such as betrayal, manipulation, lies and deceit, as well as more overt actions like duels, assassinations, and outright murders in order to overcome obstacles to greatness. This is all thanks to their goddess, Niasyl, whose insidious involvement with her children behind the scenes spurs them on to fulfill her twisted sense of perfection. There is little to no discrimination based on sex or gender identity, the dark elves instead elevating members of their society who have proven their cunning and might above all the rest. Those who can keep power and guide their people are raised to the status of the ruling class, but if they show too much weakness, they may eventually be destroyed by the very people who lifted them up. In addition, any ruler must always be vigilant against assassination attempts. Perhaps unexpected, but despite their bloody-minded ways, they still possess the capacity for good sense, loyalty, love, and passion, and are willing and able to form lasting bonds. While these bonds may one day be broken by treachery or misfortune, dark elves as a whole are not wilfully self-genocidal. They instead seek to persistently cull the weak so that the strong may thrive in the harsh darkness of their cavernous world below Yalasra's sun-kissed surface. In regards to military, the dark elves are both willing and capable to organize together for the benefit of the greater whole. They also form Houses as part of their system of government, and lean heavily on Niasyl's teachings for guidance. Religion being a major facet of dark elf culture, it pervades every aspect of daily life, enforced by the clerics and priesthood who are said to hear whispers of Niasyl's will. Through them, her will is enforced, sometimes violently, and they serve to keep the dark elves as a people from straying from her desires. The dark elves have an education system that may be surprising to some in its robustness, as it is thorough and comprehensive. Schooling starts early in life, and lasts partway through early adulthood, with the later schooling being optional once a person is old enough to make that decision. Further education is an option, and there are academies dedicated to the many sciences of the world, as well as magic schools and schools including even broader subjects. Onece more, despite the dark elves' cruel nature, their culture is also complicated and fairly organized - as much as a singular peoples could be considered organized. They have their share of unique cuisines, fashion, technology, methods of agriculture, and more, making them a varied and hardy race. As always, the important thing to remember with the Pitchdark elves is that they seek to elevate their kind above all others, rather than merely have a select few stand upon a pedestal. The superiority of the whole supercedes the greatness of the individual. It is for this last reason, as well, that tyrannical rulers are not tolerated for long.Surface Dark Elves
These dark elves, contrary to their Pitchdark siblings, have broken away from Niasyl's vile influence, and have traveled to the sun-touched surface of Yalasra. Unfortunately, despite their disconnection, they still retain many of their ingrained traits and much of their inherited nature. While they are fighting against their darker traits, it takes time to overcome these, and many still struggle to be better and more compassionate than what they were made to be. That said, most other races on the surface regard them with wariness at best, but many hold nothing but blatant contempt for all dark elves, seeing them all as monsters or villains to be eradicated. This is because the dark elves frequently launch raids on surface settlements, killing and looting, as well as kidnapping survivors to take back into the Pitchdark and make into slaves and servants. Many dark elves who make it to the surface are there for one of several reasons. Most often, individuals or small groups will wisen up to how deeply Niasyl is influencing their species, and, disgusted by how much control she has, and desiring greater autonomy, they will pack up and leave their underground homes. Doing so is difficult and treacherous, the paths out of the caverns oft a winding maze and wrought with peril, and many die in the attempt to reach the surface. Other times, a cave-in will occur due to an earthquake or major magical mishap, destroying much of a city, and the survivors have little choice but to journey upwards. Yet, once out of the dark and into the light, Niasyl's influence wanes, and even those loyal to her begin to question why. As more dark elves reach the surface, they seek out others of their kind, and often form their own villages or towns. Others who don't find their own kind early, usually end up in backwater villages or occasionally cities and bustling metropolises, hiding out among the locals or earning other ways to live. They tend to seek their own kind to gain a sense of kinship and familiarity, as well as protection from other prejudiced races, but that doesn't mean some individuals won't go out alone into the world. Many dark elves who live on the surface embrace other deities, most because they genuinely come to believe, and others purely to spite Niasyl and gain some further protection from her influence. The latter, naturally, tends to truly gain faith with their new chosen deity or deities, though whether they realize it may take some time. One aspect of their culture they try very hard to maintain, however, is their education values. They seek to learn more about the world around them, each other, and other races, and therefor many turn to becoming scholars, so that they may in turn teach others as well.
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