Virnemor (veer-nuh-moor)

Commonly known as Elves, the Virnemor credit their creation to the nature god, Fis. Due to their unique tie to nature and divine blessing, elves who live at one with the natural world have the ability to live for centuries, and over time and generations, develop traits that complement the natural elements of their home. Due to their long lives, the Virnemor are some of the best keepers of ancient history and religion in Temporis, though they are less inclined to pay as close attention to the faster and more tumultuous events of human history. Elves can be found all over the continent of Temura, but many live only among other elves, cutting themselves off from the outside world for fear of losing their long lifespans.

ANCESTRIES

Wood Elves. The supposedly true virnemor serve Fis, their original creator, and live among the nature of the world. Forests are scattered across the continent, and so too are wood elves. Though many empires and kingdoms have risen and fallen throughout time, the culture of wood elves has remained since their creation. Some wood elves live closer to the rest of civilization, and are more prone to aid and interact with outsiders. Others bar all outsiders and are fiercely protective of the woods they call home, living many human lifetimes.
High Elves. According to legend, the virnadstrum were chosen by the god, Syr, to live forever by his side as stars. Upon reaching a certain age, they would be taken up into the heavens and live among the gods. The virnadstrum once had many great cities, but all were lost in the Great War, and no high elves have been seen ever since.
Dark Elves. The virnemaleum, or dark elves, were once earthly elves who relented to the whisperings of the goddess Mim, choosing to leave the material world and any possibility of a supernaturally long life and abscond to her dark domain, the Simulacrum. Their number grew in the shadow realm, and some were sent back to the material plane to enact Mim's will, mostly within the depths of the earth, unknown to the rest of the world. A sizable group of virnemaleum eventually rejected the ways of Mim and retired to the surface, renaming themselves the virnovatur. The emergence of the virnovatur alerted the peoples of Temura to the coming invasion, and kickstarted the events of the Great War. 100 years later, at the end of the war and in the absence of the high elves, the dark elves (a mostly outdated term today) found themselves without homes and some took the old high elf cities as their own. Today, their population has grown very sizable, and there are several elvish kingdoms comprised of virnovatur ancestors. The virnovatur and their descendants lack the long lifespans of their kin, with many believing the gods have cursed them for the actions of their ancestors.
Sea Elves. It is said that the elves who lived along the coast for centuries learned the ways of the merpeople, and gained the ability to breathe and speak under water. The mavirnemor are seldom seen by land-dwellers, and little is known about their way of life among the seas.
Wild Elves. The virnefey are rarely seen, and are said to come from the realm of dreams. These fey are often draped in the bright colors of twilight and said to serve the court of the wild god, Ferox.

LOCATIONS

Elendar. This kingdom was once ruled by the high elves of old, but after their exodus, the other races of elves moved in and established command. This is the last of the true elf kingdoms, and it very much belongs to a world that no longer exists. Regardless, the Elendarin are allies with the surrounding human and orc kingdoms, and are no strangers to trade.
Old Cerinth. Over a millennia ago, a host of dark elves declared themselves free of the influence of Mim and bathed in the waters of a lake (where the original virnadstrum were said to be blessed by Syr) to signify their change of heart. They named the lake Cerinth, meaning renewal, and hope that by continually bathing there across generations, they might regain their connection to long life. Over time, the settlement of elves became a kingdom that grew around the lake. Today the human empire of Cerinthia has taken over the region, declaring Cerinth a commonwealth of the larger emipre, a fact not all elves are happy about.

Lifespan. 150 years for dark elves, and beyond 500 years for others. (It is unknown just how long elves can live in perfect conditions.)
Average Height. 5-6 feet
Average Weight. 100-180 pounds