Elves
Outside of the glittering city there is a long stretch of roots and vines, magically woven together to form a sturdy bridge into the sky beyond. Elves wearing long robes walked across the bridge for the docks to greet their guests. “Hello my friend, I hope you are well.” The elf at the lead of the procession nodded to the ship’s captain and to the wizard standing behind them, “we have much to discuss.”
It is believed that before the breaking the Elves were the most powerful race of the world, but the devastation of the breaking changed that. The elves, though long lived, didn’t regain their numbers as quickly as other races, a loss they are still recovering from. There have only been a handful of elvish generations passed since the breaking. Now there are very few population centers of elves on Orizon. The elves do have some small scattered cities of their own, but these are sparse. Most elves have integrated themselves within larger societies, or integrated other races into theirs.Basic Information
Anatomy
Elves are humanoid (a term that annoys them), meaning they are bipedal with two arms that allow them to grab and reach. They have slender, lithe, and willowy frames. Their bones are physically longer giving them an illusion of narrowness. They have long pointed ears, making for better hearing. their metabolism tends to be faster then the other Races giving them a constant thin look. Elves can only grow hair on the top of their heads; it is physically impossible for a male elf to grow facial hair.
Biological Traits
High Elves
The High Elves of Orizon find themselves having a closer connection to the goddess Celeste, as such, they have a stronger connection to the magic of the world. High Elves ranges in skin tones vary from vibrant yellows and golds to more subdued blue and silver hues. Their hair varies the most in colors from bright reds and oranges to dark blues and purples. High Elves tend to be the smartest of their kin making it easier for them to access the magic of Orizon
Wood Elves
While the High Elves took to the Heights of the Skylands, the Wood Elves took to the ground hiding in plain sight among the trees. The wood elves of Orizon have skin tones that tend towards copper or olive and even into slight green hues; giving them a natural camouflage. They still stand as high as high elves, between 5 and 6 feet.
Dark Elves
Also called Drow, are know as the fiends of the Underdark. Thier skin tones vary from dark purples, deep blues and silvers, and even as black as midnight; while their hair only varies from white, light yellow, or blood red. Most Drow are short compared to Humans, but taller than Gnomes or Dwarves, between four and a half and five and a half feet. Due to their dwelling in the Underdark has given them enhanced darkvison, but leaving them very sensitive to light to the point it almost blinds them. But like their High Elven kin, they have innate reach into the magical arts to overcome this.
Genetics and Reproduction
Elves are nearly identical to humans when it comes to reproducing. The gestation time differs immensely however. Pregnancies are shorter for the female elf, usually taking only 28 weeks. However, this comes at a cost, as the pregnancies cause much more extreme behavior. This gets to the point where pregnant mothers are forced into isolation at the later stages when it becomes worse. This is both to help her understand the natural world she is about to introduce her child too, and to calm herself. Only near the time of birth is she allowed to return to elven society.
Growth Rate & Stages
Elves after birth mature at a rate very similar to humans. When they reach the age of 20 they are considered physically mature. However, their understanding of adulthood doesn't come well until they are 50. Once hitting 50, they are allowed to go out and explore without an elder, effectively being entirely independent. It is rare for a young elf to be independent before that age.
Additional Information
Social Structure
High Elves
The high elves have almost exclusively traveled away from the dangers of the ground and moved to the skylands, embracing the elevation of status that comes with the elevation of altitude. Some few skylands have been converted to cities of high elves where they seclude themselves from the rest of the world. The high elves that have become part of the rest of the world typically find high positions in fields of learning, magic, or politics.
Wood Elves
Wood elf culture is predominantly divided between those living on the ground and those living in the skies. They are perhaps the most well traveled of the elven peoples and wood elves are a frequent sight in many places.
The wood elves in the skylands are typically part of other, predominantly human, cultures. They have found that the dexterous skills they used to travel through the forests have served them well navigating the ropes and sails of airships. Other wood elves in the skylands are part of the high elf cultures, acting as a distinct caste of people within those cities.
Wood elves on the ground territories have their own means of keeping themselves safe, unlike the dwarves with their fortifications, wood elves have established hidden cities within deep forests. Wood elves in these cities live a semi-nomadic existence, traveling in small caravans between their hidden cities. Other wood elves on the ground have integrated themselves into the larger territories centered around gathering resources for those in the skylands.
Dark Elves (Drow)
During the breaking, some elves sought refuge from the turmoil by fleeing underground. Down there they discovered massive caverns and established their new cities within them. But these caverns were also home to monsters that had retreated from the hunters of the old world and the nascent Drow found themselves having to fight nearly constantly for the survival of their cities.
Eventually the fighting abated as the Drow established themselves, but in that brief time the elves had interbred into a single dark-skinned race and had retained a merciless culture of war. The Drow established themselves as rulers, conquering other races of the Underdark to act as serfs or slaves, and as soldiers to fight off the other monsters of the Underdark. The Drow have also constructed hidden tunnels to the surface which they use to conduct nighttime raids on the surface or the Skylands.
Most people outside of Drow culture only encounter their raiders or slavers, which has given the whole race a reputation for evil and brutality. Though this isn’t completely accurate, there’s still a grain of truth to it.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Elves, endowed with fey ancestry from Celeste, have impeccable perception of whats going on around them. This includes having darkvision (for the Drow, this is even more attuned). High elves seem to have a more innate magical due to their deeper connection with the goddess.
Civilization and Culture
History
The Elves were the second sentient species created by the gods. After seeing how humans responded to the world Celeste wanted to create her own Species, one that would be more elegant then humans. With Incantus' help she took his "template" and wrapped them in her starlight creating the High Elves. The Wood Elves would come later when Diasilva wanted to create a protector for her great forest; with Celeste mold for the Elves Diasilva used the first ancient tree she created to imbue these Elves with her nature magic creating the first Wood Elves.
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Genetic Descendants
Scientific Name
Homo Dryadalis
Lifespan
750
Average Height
6'2"
Average Weight
110 Lb.
Discovered by
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