The Sun Elves
Overview
by Rhigu
Before the arrival of the Nightmare, the elves ruled a utopia of endless bounty, towering citadels, and decadent aristocracy. Dukes and duchesses, appointed by the Emperor based on their knowledge of manipulating creation magic, ostensibly managed various parts of Tron Daurat but largely deferred to their Emperor in true matters of political concern. With the great schism of the elves, these petty lords and their vassals rejected the idea that the Nightmare was punishment for their old ways or some divine hubris, and so called themselves the sun elves due to the endless daylight still shining over most of Tron Daurat.
While the moon elves retreated to the wilderness, the sun elves remained in their grand cities. Their armies and research establishments were repurposed to combat at learn about the demonic threat, while their grand cathedrals and concert halls stood to remind the common folk of the life they would take back after the Nightmare's defeat. While the sun elves no longer have a unified leader, the many dukes and duchesses of Tron Daurat continue to collaborate across territorial boundaries.
The sun elves are the majority among elven culture, and they are unified in their belief that all elves can return to a life of peace and luxury with the Nightmare's defeat, but debates still occur among the sun elves on the particulars of their people's situation. Some fully accept that their former Emperor is now a demon himself and will never be returned to his former status, but others are convinced that the demon lord in the citadel of Pandaemonium is a false emperor created by the Nightmare, and their true emperor's spirit resides in the sun itself, waiting to be returned to his rightful throne. Some resent the moon elves as treasonous barbarians to be imprisoned or executed on sight, while others disagree with the moon elves' extremist retreat but believe that all elves must stay unified against the Nightmare. Still others loathe that the elves have begun using the demons themselves against the Nightmare, viewing demonologists and demon hunters as corruptions of elven purity.
Time will tell how unified the sun elves can remain, if their scattered petty nobles have no single figure above them.
by ぷーも
Naming Traditions
Feminine names
While moon and sun elves take on names in the same language of Elvish, sun elves traditionally take on names relating to heritage or personal skill.
Annabelle, Blanche, Carine, Cassandra, Estelle, Faustine, Jeanne, Léonne, Lilou, Mireille, Odette, Scholastique, Séraphine, Yseult
Masculine names
Alcide, Aurèle, Benoît, Christophe, Dieudonné, Flavien, Gautier, Judicaël, Maël, Mathias, Philémon, Séverin, Urbain
Unisex names
Alix, Amable, Amour, Ange, Céleste, Claude, Cyrille, Hyacinthe, Léonce, Modeste, Narcisse, Placide
Family names
Archambault, Bellerose, Dumas, Durand, Favreau, Jacquet, Lévesque, Moulin, Pascal, Régis, Richelieu, Samson, Thibault
Other names
While most elves have names in Elvish, some also take names in Draconic. For the sun elves, these are mostly individuals in positions of royalty, religious roles, or those who have taken single-name aliases for their protection due to an unsavory but necessary choice in occupation, such as demonologists or demon hunters.
Adir, Azri'el, Boaz, Eitan, Evyatar, Gavri'el, Hadar, Hevel, Magdala, Shemesh, Tirtzah, Tzuri'el, Yeter, Yitzchaq
Culture
Common Dress code
Elven immortality and appreciation of art and beauty have led to a wide variety of fashions among their people, a variety only encouraged by their ability to conjure material out of Tron Daurat's creation magic. Skilled artisans can not only manipulate this creation magic, but have the creativity and vision to weave new styles. Coupled with the elves' ability to slightly modify their bodies at will, elven fashion can range from the simple yet elegant to the decadently ostentateous, according to the individual's preferences.
Because of this wide variety, there is very little formal concern for dress code among the general populace of the sun elves. Elves of all genders are relatively free to show as much or as little of their bodies as they choose, since hair and skin are considered as much a part of the outfit as the fabric itself, and wearing especially glamorous and ostentateous clothing as a regular fashion choice is generally not frowned upon. The only cultural expectation for dress is that one wears their absolute best during any kind of formal event; formal gatherings among the sun elves can become as visually dramatic as a flock of tropical birds flaunting courtship displays.
For those sun elves who dedicate their lives to an organization or role, such as members of churches or the military, it is expected to loosely adhere to some kind of uniform. While most other cultures consider a uniform to be a specific outfit, sun elven culture instead considers certain themes, symbols, and colors to be involved in an outfit. A default uniform is often provided for those sun elves lacking the funding, skill, or imagination to make their own uniform within these themes, but it is acceptable for an elf to make their own uniform that adheres to the organization's guidelines.
Art & Architecture
For all of elven history, their people have been dedicated to art, beauty, and creativity, and millenia have been spent perfecting work that achieves a sense of awe befitting their divine status. Sun elven art and architecture employ intricate and exuberant details, high contrast, natural and artificial light, and deep, vibrant colors to fascinate the viewer. Even mundane buildings are towering structures equipped with open spaces, vaulted ceilings, elaborate tracery, and integrated sculpture; more important buildings, usually those related to government or religion, are therefore some of the largest structures in the world to ensure they stand out. The use of colorful, reflective roofing, stained glass in both windows and ceilings, and elaborate ceiling frescoes all draw the eye upward, inevitably bringing the viewer's attention to the glorious sun of Tron Daurat, the highest expression of the elves' divinity.
by Cogy
One of the most distinct achievements in elven art is the development of trompe-l'oeil painting, elvish for "deceive the eye". While actual illusive magic is sometimes used to enhance the effect, authentic trompe-l'oeil illusionism uses highly realistic perspective painting to trick the viewer into perceiving painted objects or spaces as real parts of the world around them. Though other cultures employ forced perspective in art, none have integrated it into their society as deeply as the sun elves: trompe-l'oeil art is used constantly in elven architecture to make spaces appear even grander than they are by painting in false rooms on walls or painting vast domes and windows into a simple vaulted ceiling. Illusory magic embedded in the painting can enhance the illusion further: clouds move in a false skylight, painted curtains shift when one walks by, and a cool breeze wafts from a painted window.
by Oliver Beck
