Elves

Elves live in villages and towns scattered throughout Tellene, usually loyal to a prince or a king that rules a loose hereditary monarchy. The oldest and most secluded of these settlements number in the tens of thousands, but these few are rare and exist only in deep forests. Surface elves often gather in cities in the Lendelwood and the Kalalali Forest, while ancient dark elf cities lie beneath the Elenon and Krimppatu Mountains.

The elven races include the high elves (lathlani), dark elves (drow), gray elves (doulathan), wild elves (seleeris), and wood elves (aralarai). To play an elf, simply use the game statistics in the Player’s Handbook, but with Merchant’s Tongue replacing the Common language. They also speak both High and Low Elven. You can use the same statistics for each subrace, or use those provided. Remember that the true difference is in personality and appearance, not mere game statistics.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Feminine names

Ammereia, Asaibakil*, Celamis, Coleiana, Culexi*, Hanivia, Jelanica, Jeshela, Larelena, Mehamia, Seviavena, Tesseia, Tulmeree,Wylameia,Wylixolin*. *Dark elf only.

Masculine names

Male: Amascai, Amelak*, Batidell, Cateine, Hullitee, Huridin, Kiteine*, Melidor, Sellitad, Shifyrn, Sinatai,Teleseine,Toratin,Welityrn, Xeb’beth*. *Dark elf only.

Family names

When dealing with non-elves, family names are usually translated to Low Elven, since High Elven is the sacred language of their elven ancestors. Also, High Elven is so detailed that it takes even a skilled elven scribe 3-4 hours to draw one character! Some elves translate directly their names into Merchant’s Tongue, so high elves have names such as Whitehelm, Highspear and Lightfoot, while wood elves use arboreal or rural-sounding names, like Woodhall, Oaklimb and Greentree. Wild elf names might refer to animals or locations such as Foxtail or Riverrunner. Dark and gray elves prefer to use their native names, since they are less concerned with making pronunciation easier for the “lesser races.” Gray elves feel that if the humans cannot pronounce Veirseleak, it simply further demonstrates their barbarism and lack of culture. Adralabriria, Aladan’na*, Bereralaen, Calaeclya, Cebaenaryn, Daramariel, Halamaela, Isachariel, Jenneriaeclya, Kexithemios*, Laberiaddlaen, Naedredar, Nalabouranna, Onaeriel, Sharasiki*,Tendriliamar. *Dark elf only.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Standard Low Elven does not use the letters “K,” “Q,” or “X,” although the dark elf language (Drow) contains “K” and “X” but not “Q.” Dark elves also separate all identical consonant pairs with an apostrophe, as well as never using identical vowel pairs (such things are bad luck).

Common Myths and Legends

Though some religions speak of the Creator forming life through her hands, most elves hold fast to their belief that she created life through her song, the echoes of which still reverberate through the universe today. First came the gods, of which there were fifty-four. Next came the world of Tellene, populated with plants and animals of unimaginable variety. To maintain Tellene while she wandered among her children, the Creator fabricated elves – the first born of the races. Eventually, there came the War of the Gods, with the Creator’s apparent demise, and the remaining gods turned their attention to Tellene. Now the gods argued over control of the world. Through all of this, the elves remained quiet, for none of the gods yet turned their attention to them. However, the elves soon began to worship these new gods, for much had changed since the war began. Each god now wished to shape Tellene with his own powers, and brought many new races into being. Death came to the elves, for now there was time (which withered their bodies), and hunger and starvation (which wasted them). Though the elves had no wish to traffic with these new gods, they knew that they needed protectors from these new forces. They began to worship the new gods (particularly Raconteur, the Guardian, Eye Opener, the Lord of Silver Linings, and the Great Huntress). Depending on the storyteller or elven subrace, gods are admitted to or omitted from this legend, which naturally makes its veracity more unbelievable

Related Organizations