Eladrin

The eladrin (a word in Sylvan and some dialects of the Elven languages meaning "rightly-turning ones") are a species of humanoids closely related to the elves of the material world. They are said to have been created by the Leshay - a group of semi-divine fey beings which existed in the distant past, who are likewise believed to be the creators of many other species of fey.
For the most part, eladrin physically resemble elves, though they are infused with powerful magic which somewhat alters their appearance and emotional state. This magic is tied to the "seasonal resonances", which are linked with - but not entirely synonymous with - the seasonal changes experienced on the physical world. The way in which the passing seasons affect the physical appearance of the eladrin appears to be highly variable; most commonly recorded are swirling markings on the skin which change colour with the seasons, and similar changes in the colour of their hair - though in some cases these changes can be significantly more dramatic. Perhaps more consistent is the psychological association of the seasons: spring is associated with joy and enthusiasm, summer with pride and anger, autumn with generosity and goodwill, and winter with sorrow and pessimism.
It is believed that whilst in the material plane eladrin tend to be infused with the magic of the seasonal influence that predominated over the area that they dwelled, changing thoughout the course of the year; scholars tend to assume that in places where there is not a fairly equal division of the seasons, these changes might be skewed towards a particular seasonal resonance - for example, in the southern parts of Volsanger, which is covered in permafrost throughout the year, most eladrin might be drawn towards Winter throughout the year. Equally, it is said that the emotional state of an eladrin could alter their seasonal resonance if sufficiently strong - so that an eladrin who was provoked into anger might manifest the marks of the summer regardless of the time of year. Some eladrin are also said to have developed the ability to change their seasonal resonance at will, though the techniques that allowed this are poorly-recorded.

The Fading Light

It is understood that the eladrin were not originally native to the material plane, and that indeed their nature is not entirely compatible with it. Eladrin who dwelled for too long upon the material plane are said to have slowly succumbed to an insidious illness which was referred to as the "Fading Light". This condition, which is believed to develop over a course of months-to-years, was said to present with a gradual but progressive weakening of the muscles, increased fatigue, a weakening of the bones, and an increased susceptibility to infection. It is believed that it was probably fatal within a few years of onset; the Dominions of the Leshay were said to have methods of preventing it and treating it when it did occur, but the nature of these treatments is unknown.
The precise cause of the Fading Light is unclear, though a handful of scholars who have been in communication with eladrin that have visited the material world have been able to establish some contributing factors. One major factor seems to relate to a lack of various "subtle energies" which exist within the Periphery and certain immaterial realms but which do not normally occur in the material world. It is said that in the distant past some eladrin did manage to alter themselves to be able to do without these subtle energies, but in doing so fundamentally transformed themselves, becoming the elves that are widespread throughout the material world.
Some sources suggest that the Fading Light may have become more severe in the years prior to the destruction of Shas'Ellith, though why or how this might be the case is unclear.

History

It is unclear when the eladrin first walked the world, though an early reference to their kind can be found in the Book of the Flood:

In the fiftieth year of the rule of King Tzumenakka, an envoy did arrive from the people-of-the-seasons, bringing news that the Coldhearted One had from his palace of Luminous Sorrow been deposed, and taken thereupon his exile to the place they called Bitterness; and that his conqueror had proclaimed herself Queen of Frost and Soul of Winter in his stead

Tzumenakka is traditionally said to have ruled over the dwarven tribes that would later become the Tevashi approximately 2800-2600 years before the First Founding (approximately 5550 to 5350 pre-AK).

The Eladrin Dominions

The Eladrin Dominions appear to be another name for the Dominions of the Leshay, an empire which was contemporaneous with that of Alversa. This empire appears to have emerged around the city of Shas'Ellith, believed to have been founded at some point in the 6th millenium  pre-AK - thus making it potentially older than Vash Ossai.
Shas'Ellith is said to have been destroyed by a great earthquake which caused the city to sink under the ocean; the cause of the city's destruction is much-debated (and generally blamed on the Drow by the Teriani), though by some accounts the Third Paragon, Ceneric ap Rutcoddr, destroyed it in retaliation for the sacking of Llyrgwael by the Fifth Paragon, Orobouranithos. The precise date of its destruction is unclear, though an incidental reference in the Chronicles of Vash Edom has often been used to estimate this at roughly two thousand years  pre-AK, give or take a century or so.
Among the settlements ruled by the Dominions of the Leshay, according to the Birch Scrolls of Pryddcael, were:

• Caer Daru
• Eisenvala
• Kalizith
• Llyrgwael
• Rusthkotha
• Shas'Ellith
• Shas'Latha
• Shas'Qame

The Decline

It is unknown when the last Eladrin walked upon the material plane, though most scholars agree that by the time of the rise of the Empire of Kataris, there were no longer any living eladrin on the material plane. It is assumed that most of those who survived the destruction of Shas'Ellith succumbed to the Fading Light within a few decades; some may have managed to survive within the material realm for a few centuries through the use of magical methods, but such enclaves were certainly few and far between.

Eladrin today

There are no permanent communities of eladrin known to exist upon the material world. It is understood that a handful of eladrin do occasionally travel to the material plane from their otherworldly domains, though what purpose these visits serve is unclear. They do not typically announce their presence - though it is likely that few would recognise them even if they did - and are assumed to generally disguise themselves as elves in order to go about their business. Only a handful of scholars - mostly elves of the raths - have ever managed to speak in depth with an eladrin, and fewer still have written much on the subject.
Five ethnocultural groups of eladrin are believed to exist: the Maegorans, who dwell in a realm known as Luminous Sorrow and are associated with Yadzalu; the Vandorians who dwell in the Wyldfire and in a realm known as the Verdant Reach under the dominion of an entity called Si'a'u; the Thelandrans, also found in the Wyldfire and in a place they call Scour; the Artanians, who claim to be native to the Gardens of Evening; and the Crawborn, said to dwell within the Shattered Forest.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Leshay

Lifespan

Unknown; likely 700 years or more, though much less when on the material plane.

Average Height

Five to six feet tall.

Related Ethnicities

• Artanian
• Crawborn
• Maegoran
• Thelandran
• Vandorian