High Elves

High Elves were created by genmaturgists of Xylian Dominion to serve as a basis of their military power, supporting their warmachines by being smarter and more versatile (while notably more squishy). They were also meant to serve as an entertainment, namely as a gladiators fighting to death on arena's for xyl's amusement.
They sustained nearly crippling casualties during the Black Iron War, when they were thrown at incoming machine legions of Command AI just to slower it down and allow xyls to flee. Then they were massacred even further during the Fourty Years War, only to sustain even further loses to human invasions. With final hit being the war against Taretian State in late Preimperial Era.
As the effect they were nearly pushed into extinction. It was made worse by their closed system of Houses, created in times of Xylian Dominion with fostering certain martial arts/magicks in mind, mostly to arrange interesting gladiatorial matches between members of Houses. Many of them died out during Preimperial Era, the rest interbreeding heavily, with their culture and religion created in times when Houses were made of tens of thousands members, while now some of them were reduced to several hundreds. Over time it caused incest becoming less of a taboo at least on the inside, with very closed and elitist Houses never speaking openly about it, but with outer world nearly sure this does happen.
The side effect is having to arrange their marriages quite strictly, to prevent some really problematic genetical problem for occuring, which makes the Houses practice a surprisingly advanced form of eugenics. With high elves fleeing from such life being yet another problem for their survival.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Typical humanoids. Two hands, two legs, one head. Tend to have well developed muscular systems and improved reflexes, which make them a natural born warriors. Most of them is naturally gifted towards magic, making them have bigger mana pool after becoming mages.

Biological Traits

As all elves, they are very dependant on level of their blood purity. Mixing with other elven subspecies makes their offsprings genetically inferior, slowly degenerating into low elves, making special traits of their subspecie much weaker with every generation, and lowering their lifespan.

Genetics and Reproduction

Their reproduction is typical for elves. Can have children only with other elves, ogres, and very magical beings for example shapeshifters and high dragons. Pregnancy ranges from 9 to 10 months, depending on level of blood purity.
Due to risk of extinction, their culture puts lots of pressure into childbirth, with most of their families having multiple children.

Additional Information

Facial characteristics

Lack of facial hair with exception of eyebrows. Their skin tends to feel and look rather soft and delicate. Skin light, hair in most cases dark blond or gold-like.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Most of them inhabited elvharian forests from times immemorial, the small populations of high elves from Itavia (especially) and rest of Karathia mostly returning home following the Black Iron War. Now they are a rather rare sight outside of Holy Elvharan Empire.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Very good sight and hearing.

Civilization and Culture

Major Organizations

Holy Elvharian Empire (ruling class).

Courtship Ideals

Elves tend to have a rather strict, patriarchal culture, especially among the higher strata of their societies. It is especially visible among high elves, with their females controlled really strictly and paired even against their will to actually led them prolong their House without risking public outrage with too close and too frequent incest.


With overwhelming majority of high elves being nobility, it is normal for them to arrange bethrothals even right after births of their children, when only their sex is confirmed.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Elven Speech, Elvharian Diallect

Common Taboos

As among most of the elves, they have a taboo about relationships with members of other subspecies. While this does happen, albeit rarely in case of high elves, it is generally shunned among most of elven societies, making elves that attempted it in most cases move to other provinces of Imperium.

Created by: Xylian Dominion.
IC: Occurence: Uncommon
IC: Danger: Vulnerable

Lifespan

80-400.

Average Height

1.9-2.1m.

Average Weight

70-100kg.