Dark Elf

Dark elves are the charcoal-black subspecies of elf common to Southern Amerist and Elarond. They're much more resilient to the sun than their paler-skinned counterparts, but otherwise are mostly the same as high elves. They lack in-born magic, save for the arcane hijacking mechanism known as anti magic. They are capable of learning spellwork, though not to the degree of their Kakajuan cousins.
Like all elves, they have an exaggerated youthfulness about their looks. Unlike Kakajuan and high elves, while more akin to forest elves, some dark elves have a hereditary propensity to be around as short as seers (instead of the usual elven tendency to be slightly taller than humans). In general, dark elven hair colour is lighter and brighter than their skin, though black-haired dark elves are still a common morph.

Additional Information

Facial characteristics

Dark elves are one of the few elven subspecies capable of growing facial and body hair, but even then, their body hair is thin and barely covering.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Dark elves tend to prefer hotter environments such as deserts and tropical coasts, and thus are concentrated in Madaki nations about the Sea of Riches, such as Nadibha, or the hot, mountainous island of Elarond. Arkhera has a thriving, generations-ingrained immigrant population of dark elves from both Madaki and Elarondian sources.

Average Intelligence

Like most elves, they're sapient, self aware, empathetic and imaginative bar psychological illnesses.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Depending on their origin and culture, dark elves have different naming traditions. Madaki dark elves tend to have names reflective of their monotheistic faith in the God of Renewal, often attaching the suffix 'el', 'il', or 'al' to their names, as high elves from the same area do.
Madaki male name examples: Azrael, Dalil, Rahim, Ahmal, Ezra, Muresh.
Madaki female name examples: Rahab, Delilah, Esther, Aisha, Rasheeda, Noora.
Elarondian dark elves tend to have 'or' and 'll' sounds in their names, occasionally containing 'x' and 'r' noises. Generally, their names end in vowel noises; 'o' for males and 'a' for females.
Elarondian male name examples: Morello, Muraxi, Virello, Moragar, Sontaro, Solyx.
Elarondian female name examples: Moraxia, Esmerelda, Florella, Franaria, Sonaxa, Lexana.
Arkheran dark elves have a bizarre combination of the two immigrant dark elven cultures influencing their naming conventions, usually skewing towards one or the other depending on if the province they're born in is more Madaki or Elarondian influenced. A much greater influence is placed on the Elarondian 'x' tendencies, as well as, unusually, incorporating harsh 'kh' noises from Arkhera's Plague Imperial days.
Arkheran male name examples: Jaraxx, Mikken, Jakhal, Irikhos, Irigax, Komekk.
Arkheran female name examples: Elrax, Naraxa, Magaral, Amerei, Koaraxa, Artyxia.

Major Organizations

Royal House of Morello (Elarond)
House of Silerri (Elarond)
House of Avaryn (Elarond)
House of Solerro (Elarond and Arkhera)
Royal Electorate of Arkhera (Arkhera)
House of Axol (Arkhera)
House of Foenaxas (Arkhera)
House of Kazaros (Arkhera)
Murax Privateering Fleet (Arkhera and Isle of Wor'ghan)
Blue Division of the Order of the Shade (Arkhera)

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Dark elves are, with the exception of Elarond, where they make up the bulk of the ruling class, generally treated with some level of suspicion and prejudice. In Madaki nations, just like their white-skinned counterparts, they're treated as beneath humans, while in Arkhera, cities with high elven nobility have mixed consistency in how they treat dark elves.
For example, in the Selenia-governed Moonstone, dark elves are generally barred from the higher classes, whereas in the Sihelios-led Great Oasis, dark elves are equals to high elves. However, multiple racists exist in Arkhera, pointing to dark elven-run cities such as Ashglass and the Flowerfields with mockery and derision in spite of the cities' economic flourishing. Generally, dark elves are stereotyped as having criminal tendencies, however in Arkhera this assumption is almost completely groundless in any province where they're not so downtrodden that crime is their only viable option.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Elf

Genetic Descendants

• Elven Hybrid
• Human-Elf Hybrid
• Serenian (species)

Scientific Name

Homo pulchris tenebris

Origin/Ancestry

Kakajuan Humanoid

Lifespan

70-120 years

Average Height

5'5'' to 6'8''

Average Physique

Tall and youthful like most subspecies of elf, with the trademark youthfulness of all elves. Some have a condition that accentuates neoteny in height too, resulting in individuals the height of seers.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Their skin ranges from charcoal black to dark brown, while their hair colours are either a contrasting light colour like ashen grey, golden blonde or deep red, or black. Their eyes are unusual, ranging from scarlet red to golden to brown to black.

Geographic Distribution

• Ali Madak
• Ali Manabhuk
• Arkheran Isles
• Elarond
• Nadibha
• Nu
• Qaras
• Qus Almat
• Romi

Related Ethnicities

• Arkheran
• Elarondian
• Madaki
• Rominese