Elf

The elves of Ravnica are as much at home in the markets of Ivy Lane and the inns of Oak Street as their kin on other worlds are in ancient forests and fey castles. They scale the spires of cathedrals and meditate in the gardens of the greenbelts. They are part of the city, contributing to its vibrant life and sprawling growth while ensuring it never strays too far from its roots in the earth.

Elves are associated with the principles and magic of nature, growth, and stability. Striving to live in harmony with both nature and the community of Ravnica, they are drawn to guilds that share those ideals, particularly the Selesnya Conclave, the Golgari Swarm, and the Simic Combine.

Ravnica's elves don't share the unearthly, haunting presence of their kin on other worlds, perhaps because of the extent to which the city has rubbed off on them. They can easily be mistaken for human from certain angles, particularly if their long, pointed ears and their delicate facial features aren't apparent.

Civilization and Culture

History

In the shadowy ages of the time before the Guildpact, there were 3 clans of Elf.

The Silhana Elves were a tribe of beautiful, fair-skinned elves that were deeply entwined with nature and the many living beings of the world. They were the most numerous and even tempered of the clans. When the ages of war presented many atrocities, this clan was split in two. One group wanted to stand steadfast with its companions and face the coming evil. The other group wanted to retreat beneath the ground to stay alive.

The dissenting group eventually formed their own clan with their own culture known as the Devkarin Elves. They usually have darker, olive skin and their time underground made them very attuned to the nature beneath the surface, the beasts that dwell within, and the ways of the ecosystem they existed as a part of.

The Erstwhile Elves were an aristocratic group that was very dainty and delicate and yet was deeply entwined with the hierarchy of life and death. As the wars of the pre-Guildpact age raged on, they were determined not to become extinct. To this end they entombed themselves within their ancient mausoleum, Umerilek, to make sure their spirits didn't pass on, and waited for their savior to resurrect them.

There was a Third Tribe of elves whose name was lost to the storms of time. Both of the other tribes tell us that they were a cruel and unpleasant race, never satisfied and always searching. They were deeply intwined with the oceans of the world, but became largely extinct during the expansion of the city and during the wars of the days before the Guildpact. The descendants of this tribe eventually adopted the name of the most famous among them and became known to history as the Simic Elves.

Genetic Descendants

• Erstwhile
• Silhana
• Simic