Elf - Expanded

_{Notice: This is an unabridged version, please see the short article: Elf.}

Elves are humannoid race with a slender build, long and pointy ears and a signifactly long lifespans. They are considered by most humanoid cultures to be the native inhabitants of Theras as they are widespread throughout the entireity of the Prime Material Plane; however, they can also be found in many of the Outer Planes and are not in fact native denizens of the prime.

We do not deign to acknowledge the slanderous propaganda spread by the stunted humans who call themselves dwarves. The little miners have always had a rather, shall we say, biased outlook on history and the true workings of reality. They call themselves the finest creatures to grace the worlds with bodies like that, we suppose one would have to have an active fantasy life.
For those graced with true vision, Elves comprise the finest race in all the worlds. We are that which other races aspire to be: Our longevity, our beauty, and our craftsmanship are all the stuff of legends. Certainly, each of these attributes can be recreated in some fashion by the lesser races, but theirs is an artifice of face and form and creation never as fine as those that come naturally to us.
Our lives are long and filled with happiness, for we recognize the impermanence of all things, excepting ourselves. Indeed, we do not suffer death as do the mortals. Only through violence, accident, or disease do we die at all.
Although we vanish from the ken of mortal knowledge after hundreds of years of existence in this plane, you may rest assured that we continue on elsewhere. Even those who perish on the battlefield do not truly die, but instead become part of the earth's cycle of growth and rebirth. Our spirits linger on, for we are intimately tied to the world and its core. Indeed, we are the integral part of that core.
We would turn now to other matters, for to continue on in this vein would, no doubt, lead you to believe that we are boasting of elven prowess. We do not boast. Anyone who has seen even the slightest fraction of elven ability knows the truth of what we say within these pages.
Yes, we are a proud race, but do we not have just cause? Are we not Elves—creatures of most wondrous might? Simply understand that we are what we are and that nothing you can do will change us—then may we become good friends. But beware: We are a complex race, and the workings of our lives will ever be a mystery to you, our dreams foreign from yours. You will never truly understand us, no matter how you try.

— Pe-phennaspen, "Dreams of Immortality"

Basic Information

Anatomy

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Elves generally resemble humans physically. Although they tend to be shorter and slimmer, they can often successfully disguise themselves as small humans. Without this disguise, however, their true origins are readily apparent. They are betrayed in this respect by their distinctive countenance. Many elves, however, find this is not a problem; they have no wish to be confused or identified with humans in any way.
One interesting elven characteristic that few are aware of is the elves' lack of canine teeth. Since they sprang full-fledged into the form they now occupy, they skipped the evolution process undergone by so many other races. Thus, although they are omnivores and their teeth are all strong, they have no pointed, canine incisors.
All elves are very slim, hiding their natural strength under a veil of fragility. Their slight build belies a power seemingly drawn from the earth itself. Looking at them, one would never believe that these creatures were some of the most powerful ever created, or that they very nearly witnessed the birth of the world. Elves saw the rise of other races—the crawl of humanity from the primordial ooze. They are older than many trees and will live to see generations of trees and humans alike. Yet they hide this innate power beneath a delicate exterior; many thus assume they are harmless.
Elven hair and eye color varies by subrace. This is, in fact, how many people identify the separate types of elf at first glance, most especially grey and high elves. With other elves, the differences are often immediately obvious. However, it is still useful for any character to be familiar with the various traits that distinguish the elf subraces.
Elven skin is usually quite pale. The obvious exceptions are, of course, the Dark Elves and the Aquatic Elves and some of the Crescent Elves. Even half-elves are rather fair when compared to their human parents.
Of course, all elves have pointed ears. This affords them sensitive hearing, and they can hear sounds unheard by human ears. However, the range is not really great enough to make a significant difference; it is only enough for elves to distinguish certain tones, which enables them to pass messages not meant for human ears.

Biological Traits

Elves have delicate chiseled features that are typically quite angular and beautiful. There is really no such thing as an elf born ugly; those who have low Charisma were either scarred accidentally or marred magically. However, Charisma is not only an indication of outward beauty. The fact that many elves have average Charisma is a testament to the fact that beauty is not, contrary to popular belief, the only important thing about a person.

Genetics and Reproduction

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Elves have been known to produce children with beings of other races. Most of these are the offspring of a union between elves and humans. Elf females sometimes find themselves drawn to human men for a brief while, and human women cannot resist the charms of certain elf males. The child of these unions is usually born and reared in the civilization of its mother; elf males rarely want humans in their lands, and most elf females don't want to bear a child outside the elven realms, nor to abandon it to humans.
While elves may dally with members of other races, there is usually no offspring from such unions. Something in the natures of the races involved makes such a child distinctly improbable. Only with the aid of strong magics or unforeseen coincidences has there been any result from these dalliances. Apart from the physical differences, elves find most other races unappealing in appearance. Dwarves have their beards, and halflings have their hairy feet and considerable girths. While elves may get along with these races, they do not, for the most part, seek to grow any closer than good friends would. Thus, while elves may be physically interfertile with other races, they generally choose not to be. While there are many half-elves in existence, most of those known are of human descent. One or two half-elf/half-dwarves have cropped up in legends, but little remains of what their abilities were like or what the circumstances of their births were.

The Waning

The waning is a stage in an elven life cycle, for which the children, either from male or female, are regarded as split. This condition is rumored to have the children more law-inclined, unadjusting to elveIsh chaotic life and choosing to leave elven society. Sometimes this condition is something that the elves call in the deragotry term of "Elf-Dwarf".

Growth Rate & Stages

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Elves have the longest known lifespans in the known worlds. The length of their lives often surpasses even the ancient trees, although the elves typically leave the lands known to humans before reaching 600 years. Some have been known to stay for as long as 750 years, but very few remain after that time. The siren call of the unknown beckons to them, and they leave the world in the capable hands of their successors.
Elves live long enough to see the changes the world has to offer—to see things humans regard as permanent deteriorate into dust. One generation of elves can see the rise and fall of a mighty human empire, the birth and death of a forest, the gradual eroding of a mountain range. The face of the earth can change dramatically during the time an elf spends on the world. This gives them a far broader range of values than humans are usually capable of understanding.
Elves do not feel the effects of age as humans know them. After an elf has grown to maturity, her features cease to change or, at least, change very slowly. There is very little difference between the way a 100-year old elf and a 400-year old elf appear. The only way to tell between young and old is the degree of exuberance, spontaneity, and enthusiasm each exhibit. Only at venerable age do elves begin to show their years, yet they still appear younger than most humans do at age 50.
Older elves are less likely to charge off to do great deeds rashly, preferring instead to think the matter through a bit more. Younger elves, on the other hand, have not yet discovered the value of patience. They dash hither and yon in an effort to squeeze the most from life, realizing but not quite understanding that they have hundreds more years in which to do so.
Elves go through several stages of life, including childhood, adolescence, adulthood, middle age, old age, and venerable age. Once elves have tired of the world, usually by their 600th year, they pass on to a place called Arvanaith. Because this final rite of life is such an important part of the elven way.

Childhood

Elves remain children for approximately 65 to 75 years. They grow slowly throughout these years, achieving a height of 4 feet at most. It is during this stage of life that they learn what it means to be an elf. They learn the basics of archery and swordplay. However, they are still essentially children and continue with their childish ways until they reach adolescence.

Adolescence

At about age 75, elves enter adolescence. Whether male or female makes no difference; both sexes mature at roughly the same time and at the same rate. This is the time of life when elves begin growing, some to a height of 5½ feet or more, although the norm is often approximately 5 feet. The end of this period is also the age at which they are inducted fully into elven society—the age when they must bear the responsibilities of adulthood. It is during adolescence that older elves teach younger ones how to continue finding joy in the years to come without succumbing to the crushing boredom that advanced years often bring. Those elves who were not prepared for the prospect of centuries stretching before them may fail to manage the weight of those years. Indeed, such elves (not to mention other beings given such longevity) often come to a terrible end if forced to live those hundreds of years. The most common example of this misfortune is an elf who grows up in a human community. Such elves do not let the years slide past as do other elves; instead, they try to cram as much living as possible into as short a time as possible—as do their human teachers. These elves don't learn the true value of relaxation and merriment, and these are often the elves who become insane or suicidal. Of course, this isn't true of all non elf-raised elves, or even many of them. Most elves have an instinctive grasp of the way they should live so that they can enjoy the entirety of their lives.

Adulthood

When elves reach age 110, they are considered adults. They are allowed to make their own way in society, human or otherwise, and are free to make all personal choices. They are also ready to take responsibility for their actions—whether good or bad. Adult elves can now experience life fully, for they are fully grown and are in the prime of life. This is the age when many elves begin adventuring. Free of the constraints of childhood and free to follow their own guidance, they relinquish their role in society for a time. They yearn to satisfy their boundless curiosity about the universe. This is, unfortunately, also the age when many of these adventuring elves die. Having had no true experience of the world outside their homelands, they are usually unprepared for what lies beyond the fields they know. Less than one-fourth the adult population of elves goes adventuring. Most—although curious about the world—find enough joy and beauty right where they are. Those who take up the sword and the bow to campaign in the outerlands often feel some driving need. They are not ostracized by their fellows for the wish to experience more; indeed, those who stay at home may feel a little wistfulness that they have chosen to remain behind.

Middle Age

At the age of 175, elves reach middle age. They have slowed somewhat and become slightly more vulnerable to disease and age. In trade, they know much more about the world and its workings, having affirmed their connection to the land countless times. Elves of this age have the wisdom to know what their abilities are and the intelligence to not push themselves beyond their means. Many elves cease adventuring at this point. More than 60 years of one's life devoted to pursuing fleeting treasure and fame is quite enough for most elves. The priests settle in one community, the wizards retire to perform magical research full time, the warriors train others, and thieves establish their own guilds. There are a few elves who never cease the campaigning life. They are likely to remain actively adventuring forever—or until their enemies catch up with them. Often, they have some epic quest or some inner need driving them. These are the elves most often spoken of in legends, for they will not retreat from what they perceive as their duty. They do what they must, not always what they want. They are among the most admired beings on whatever world they exist; their most hated enemies hold them in grudging respect. Decades and even centuries have given these elves a reputation of might and power. Even if these elves have no great ability, that reputation is enough to cow most opponents.

Old Age

Around the age of 250, the elf has entered "old age." He still hasn't become visibly old, but he feels the effects of age. He slows his activities, preferring less strenuous ones. Rather than sprint through the forests as he might have as a young elf, he sits in the rays of sunlight and composes songs. He has tapped into the mystic rhythms of the earth and become ever more attuned to its cycles. Few elves continue adventuring upon reaching old age. Their bodies and minds evolve into something more suited for a quiet, contemplative life. Still, their bodies do not appear any different than they did 100 years before, and their skills are still as sharp as they ever were. There is a slight slowing in their limbs, but that is all.

Venerable Age

Here the elf, at age 350 or older, begins to show signs of age. Wrinkles start mapping her face. Her physical condition deteriorates still further, but her knowledge and her wisdom continue to grow ever greater. Physically, she can still exert herself, but not nearly as much as a younger elf. Fortunately, no one expects her to do so. She has earned the right to be called elder, and other elves defer to her wisdom and vast experience. Unlike humans, even the very old elves do not lose much vitality—only endurance. Their willpower grows to phenomenal might, and these elves can force themselves to great deeds if need be. As a rule, venerable elves prefer to lead a relaxed lifestyle, playing music and singing, and listening to others do the same. There is no such thing as a naturally senile elf.

Dietary Needs and Habits

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Elves can subsist on any food palatable to humans, although their tastes are generally more discerning. Their preferences are clearly toward delicate foods and wines, particularly those that possess a great degree of subtlety. Heavier foods, such as beef and coarse bread, distress the elf stomach. Humans usually find elven food unsatisfying, for the portions are too small. Elves, of course, require less food than do humans. They very rarely hunt for or make more food than they can eat in a day. However small the portions, the food elves do make is such that the finest human chef blushes in shame at his inadequacy. Indeed, many humans who would be gourmet cooks try to procure an apprenticeship among elves. Those who learn the elven techniques have a right to boast of their achievements.
Elves tend to be more vegetarian than humans, for this has less of an impact on their environment. When they do eat meat, it is carefully culled from the excess animal population of their area and done in such a way that it doesn't disrupt the land.
Elves almost never keep herd animals. Not only do these creatures take up space that could more properly be forest, animals require almost constant maintenance and feeding. No elf wants to be saddled with the joyless burden of watching animals eat all day long. Let the humans rake in the profits to be had from ranching; elves can survive on the fruits of the forest. Besides, elves don't believe in raising animals simply to kill them. That is not nature's way and therefore not the elves' way.
For drink, elves mostly subsist on sparkling waters from cold mountain springs. However, they are not averse to wine and beverages of a similar nature, and many elf cities and towns cultivate the grapes and grains necessary to the making of such refreshments.
Elves enjoy drinking mead, or fermented honey. This delicate drink agrees well with the elven palate and gives them a pleasant feeling. Greater quantities act on elves much as alcohol does on humans. Fortunately, elves feel none of the ill effects humans do when drinking this beverage. However, elves are susceptible to human brews such as ale and beer.
The elves favorite drink, however, is a nectar created from the juice of flowers, mixed with honey and an additional, secret ingredient. This nectar is of ancient origin and is called feywine. What its secret ingredient might be has long been a mystery to humans, dwarves, and the demihumans, as well as most elves. Feywine is used liberally at elven festivals. It induces frivolous behavior, lasting for days or even weeks.
Elves can, however, turn off feywine's effects when necessary (for example, when defending against rampaging orc hordes). Humans, dwarves, and other races are not so lucky. The effects of feywine on these races is much greater than it is on elves, and large quantities can make a human lose all sense of self for months. Too much feywine is the cause behind stories of humans waking after reveling with the elves, only to discover that months have passed since their last memory.
Because of this, elves rarely allow humans to consume feywine. The side effects are simply too great, and consumption only increases enmity against the elves. Any human attending an elven festival can expect water, mead, or nectar; only when the elves are particularly mischievous or when their judgment is somehow impaired will they allow a human to sample feywine. Since feywine doesn't keep well, elves never carry it on their travels.

Behaviour

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Outlook

Their lifespan gives elves a unique perspective on life than most other races can't share. Elves don't worry about not experiencing enough in their lives; rather, they look for the next new thing to excite their curiosity and enthusiasm. This lifespan also means that elves develop an attitude and a character that is uniquely their own. No one can tell exactly how their years will affect each individual elf. Typically, elves begin their lives as carefree, fun-loving spirits. As they grow older, most of them become slightly more cautious, yet still retain the warmth and vitality necessary for elves to fully enjoy their lives.
Still, some of them start life with a more serious attitude, believing (despite the advice of their elders) that their time is too short to be spent frittering it away on such foolishness as dancing and singing. As these elves grow older, they often become obsessed with finding a meaning to everything, seeking the fundamental truths of existence. Some few realize that their years are enough for both truth and fun. Most, however, continue on in a somewhat joyless existence, spending their years associating exclusively with sages and elder beings. Eventually, they lock themselves away from true life. In seeking the "truth," they lose the meaning and purpose of that which they value most: their lives.
Most elves, as has been noted, are more interested in living life fully. They can begin several projects within the span of a year, such as writing songs, creating works of art, learning swordplay, and so forth. They think nothing of setting aside each project when something more interesting comes along. After all, with centuries at one's disposal, taking a decade or two on a task is nothing to worry about. If they lose interest in the product in the intervening time, they can always ignite interest by reliving it through the reverie.
Obviously, elves see no need to hurry themselves through anything. If their short-lived friends legitimately need something quickly, elves will rush to fill that need. If left to their own devices, however, elves will take a much longer time than might otherwise be appreciated by a human. Elf lives simply aren't short enough to worry about haste. But elves are far from lazy. They are almost constantly active during daytime, engaged in some project or another. If they want to spend a day lying on a grassy hillside watching birds or just relaxing, who complains?
Elves do not regard material acquisitions as anything important, instead preferring to cultivate music, art, and poetry that will outlive the years and the treasured possessions of others. Elves do not therefore try to accumulate gold or other treasures, except as a means to acquire the things that they truly treasure. Even the greatest paintings eventually fall to the weathering effects of time, becoming useless and valueless.
On the other hand, elves love to gaze at works of beauty and true craftsmanship. Oddly enough, elves are rather bad portrait artists. Perhaps because they try so hard to capture the inner elf that they haven't mastered the human method of painting, which combines the outer shell with inner beauty. As such, elves have been known to locate masterpieces of human artists, take them to their homes, and then use a secret technique to preserve them through the years. Although this is not a perfect means of preserving these pieces, it does give the art many more years of life.
Elves have developed other magical methods of preserving such works but will not share these with other races; the other races do not have a proper appreciation for the intricacies of art, and thus the preservation would be wasted on them. However, any of these races are free to journey to the elf cities to gaze on the works elves have felt important enough to save from the ravages of time.
Although they place little importance on material possessions, elves do have a clearly defined sense of ownership. Treasured items, such as magic or fine weaponry, sculpture or favored instruments, are definitely the property of their owners. Thievery of such items is highly frowned upon. Most elf thieves take their skills to the cities of humans or to the underground, where they may be put to use by adventuring parties. Elves caught stealing the treasures of other elves are cast away for half a century—preferably to learn proper loyalty to one's race.
Items that aren't important to their owners are usually freely loaned to other elves or to their non-elf friends. As long as the item is available when the original owner needs to use it, there is no problem. Most elves have learned that bickering over small questions of ownership and property are one of the surest ways to lose friends. They do their best to ignore the finer points of ownership and to share the fruits of their labors with others (as well as share the fruits of others' labors).

Individual Worth

Elves care very little for structured society, preferring instead to focus on the needs of the individual. There is nothing so important to elves as the feelings and the needs of the individual. This doesn't mean that one individual's needs outweigh those of the rest of the elves. Instead, the majority of elven society and law is geared so that the right of each elf is to become as happy as he or she may need to be. Elves don't interfere in the lives of other elves unless there are other elves who would be harmed by inaction. All elves are believed capable of dealing with their own problems. Although other elves may be curious about a certain elf's choices, they will not intervene in the action. Free will is all-important to the elf mind. Still, there are few atypical elves who are so purely selfish as to reap the love and understanding of their fellows without returning any love. A typical elf in an elf community puts the needs of others before his or hers, recognizing that without these others, life means less.
While elves are strongly individualistic creatures, they also have a strong sense of duty toward their kindred. Just as the human ranger believes in furthering the cause of his people even while avoiding most of them in the wilderness, so too do elves. They know that all their fellows are essential for a balanced life, and so they look out for their people as a whole as well as individually.

Emotion and Logic

Some consider elves to be totally emotional creatures, driven by the whim of the moment. Others see them only as coldly calculating creatures who do nothing without first considering the benefit to themselves. Neither of these is really true. Elves are often seen as distant and self-serving creatures, probably because of their legendary haughtiness. Once one can get past their exterior, they find that elves are a freely emotional, intuitive people. On the other hand, elves do not let their emotions rule their lives. They have a finely developed logical system and use it daily. Since it is a logic that is based on their long lives and the elven mindset, it can freely incorporate all aspects of elven life. Logic naturally includes feelings. Humans and dwarves cannot seem to grasp that emotion is an important part of one's life, to be cut off only at risk of losing one's personality. Those who live solely by the word of heartless logic ignore fully half of their lives, to their detriment. Or so say the elves. Although elves fear very little in this world, those things that they do fear they regard with utmost terror. They conceal their fears from the other races, not wishing to appear weak before them. Also, they wish to appear invincible to such petty things as fear, for to do so might expose a weakness to enemies.
Elves don't really fear death, but if closeted away from nature, that fear is likely to surround them. When they encounter a spirit-destroying creature (such as a tanar'ri or a wraith), they suffer mortality pangs of the worst kind, fearing as desperately for their lives as any human would. Elves hate and fear undead. They see them not only as perversions of nature, but also as nearly immortal foes to be dreaded and loathed. Since undead can live even longer than elves, these creatures are a serious threat to the elven way of life. Their plans can span centuries, their machinations of purest evil.
Elves therefore often become hunters of the undead. The elves have set themselves as the natural adversaries of undead. The undead are a blemish on the face of the world, an otherworldly perversion of the life force. Elves, embodying the life force, find the undead far more repugnant than most ordinary people do. (To become an undead elf is, to elves, truly a fate worse than death.) Only good- or neutral-aligned liches may even hope to escape elven hatred, and these are feared.
The elves' ability to hunt the undead is impressive, especially in older elves. Many adventuring elves have gained the experience necessary to fight monsters, and they bring this wealth of knowledge with them when they begin hunting undead. Elves somehow seem able to sense the very foulness in the air when undead are present, and this leads them to their prey. Although this ability is not easily applied in game terms, the DM should be more lenient in allowing elves to find undead. Undead lairs are such rank holes of un-nature that elf senses are acutely aware of the evil aura left by these foul beasts. Elves are never necromancers (either mage or priest), except for those who have turned to evil. These elves resemble the drow in attitude and, as such, do not mind the foulness and corruption associated with the undead. The only time an elf associates their name with necromancy is when they study necromancers' tomes for clues about those they seek.

Generational Splits

There are no serious troubles between members of separate generations, as is often the case with humans, but the variations in views held between elf generations are huge. Indeed, because of the unique nonaging physiology of elves, one of the few ways to tell between young and old elves is the difference in personality. Of course, this is still not a clearly defining test, for elves have as varied personalities as humans. The personality of younger elves is characterized by curiosity, a strong streak of individualism, and a willingness to learn. They are just getting used to their long lives. Young elves are often found wandering into places where few would expect an elf to be. These are the elves who make friends with humans and the short-lived races, for they have not yet realized the speed of years for humans.
Older elves, on the other hand, lean toward isolation and quiet enjoyment of the world. Few, if any, elves of more advanced age leave the elf lands, for they have seen enough of the world to last their lifetime. While they don't become entirely inactive, their activities are of a contemplative nature, rather than the more boisterous activities of young elves.
This difference in outlook creates a generational gap, but the older elves do not attempt to restrict the youths. They remember all too well their wilder, younger days and have no wish to repress that which they valued themselves. Because elves are so closely connected to their own pasts, they never wonder at the motives of youth. The reverie helps older elves remember the excitement and passion of youth and the need to be independent and explore the world.

Additional Information

Average Intelligence

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The key to understanding the elven mind is comprehending the years an elf must fill. Most races do not (and cannot) understand the perspective hundreds of years of life lend an elf. This incredible lifespan often gives the elf a terrible, driving ambition. Paradoxically, it can also give elves a lackadaisical attitude. Above all, elves are patient. They have years to complete any task, and they don't mind the wait. After all, they have created many ways to wile away time. They find impatience to be an especially amusing vice possessed by the other races. If the need for haste is urgent, however, elves can move faster and more decisively than most of the other races.
Elves tend to be very clever and devious, having had years to practice their skills and hone their minds. Their conversation and their games possess many degrees of subtlety, most of which goes unheeded by non-elves. Elves delight in paradox and humor, for it is through these attributes that they express themselves most fully. These two qualities allow them to communicate with one another and affords great verbal play as elves try to outwit each other. Although elves are primarily happy folk, they are capable of great emotions of a much darker nature.
An angry elf is a terrible foe. An elf bent on vengeance is even worse. As mentioned, elves have an inexhaustible store of patience. They can wait for years before exacting revenge—after their prey has been lulled into a false sense of security. Or they can hunt their enemies over the years, never faltering or slowing in the pursuit of their quarry.
Occasionally, elves will make a pretense of the hunt and let the person "escape." After the person has taken to flight, the elf is likely to appear at random intervals—a tactic designed to keep fear instilled in the heart of the person. This can make for a life of anxiety for anyone who has earned the wrath of elves, for that person never knows when the elf may strike to claim vengeance. This is one reason that the elves are so feared as foes, for no one wishes to live a paranoid life fearing elven wrath.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

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Elves have certain abilities not accessible to most humans except through powerful magic. They are aware that other races do not have these faculties, and they take great pride in knowing that they are the only mortal race blessed with them. However, most elves do not treat other races as inferior simply because they were born without these abilities; rather, they rejoice in their own uniqueness. The elves feel truly blessed.
Among the abilities all elves are born with are communion, elvensight, manifestation, the reverie, and a limited resistance to heat and cold.

Communion

All elves have the inborn ability to share their experiences, their feelings, and their lives with those elves they love or trust implicitly. This sharing, called communion, can only be undertaken by fully willing elves. It does not work with half-elves, nor does it function when one of those participating has even the slightest reservation. This includes those under the influence of charm-related spells, for they hold qualms deep in their hearts, even if told they do not.
Communion requires all elves involved (to a maximum of four) to be in a state of total relaxation. They must be in a place of peace, preferably where the world is not likely to intrude with its troubles and its cares. A natural surrounding works best for this operation. Communion requires the participating elves to be totally serene, thinking only of the others in this most intimate bond. (Thus, communion is not an effective method of relaying messages of any urgency.) All the elves must free themselves of judgments and prejudices about the others, which may take some time. Indeed, some communions have been known to take a fortnight or more merely in preparation for the bonding. When the participants have sufficiently calmed and retreated from the rigors of the world, they lightly touch palm to palm, finger to finger. They open their minds to the others, freely and completely joining together; if even a tiny reservation remains, the bond fails. During communion, the elves explore all the facets of the others' personality—the loves, hatreds, hopes, and fears.
Interestingly enough, the very act of communion offers a protection of sorts. Those in communion are defended against being spied upon, either mentally or physically; this defense takes the form of an invisible barrier surrounding the communing elves. It is speculated that the elves are so enrapt with each other that they project a mental shield that keeps discovery to a minimum.
The benefit of communion is not only that elves learn the most secret facets of others. Because of the sharing, they also become intimately acquainted with others' habits, fighting styles, and ways of thinking. For the day immediately following communion, the bonded elves can fight in perfect harmony, one's weapon following through where another left an opening.
Communion can only be effected once a week. Those who try it more often with the same partners find themselves sharing with essences that are essentially themselves, for those who have participated together have shared enough of their spirits that there is little difference between them. Furthermore, communion tends to be somewhat draining even while it invigorates. Bonding so totally is simply too much of a drain on one's psyche to be attempted lightly and frequently. Communion works best when the participants have something to learn or gain from one another.

Elvensight

Elves have extremely keen eyes. Although they are not as sharp-eyed as most birds of prey, their eyes are still sharper than those of the average human. In addition, their eyes have the ability to see further into the infrared spectrum, allowing them to function in most unlighted places. In most landbound elves, this sight extends only to a range of 60 feet. See elves, have an entirely different sort of sight. Naturally, there must be no other light at all for elvensight, or infravision, to function. If a greater intensity of light than starlight (including moonlight from a half full or fuller moon) is within the elf's line of sight up to 100 feet away, his or her elvensight will not work at all. Although the range of infravision is typically 60 feet, bright light farther away affects them adversely. Elf eyes must, of course, adjust to a change in light. They can no more immediately use their elvensight any more than a human can immediately adjust to the sunlight after spending a time in darkness.

Manifestation

Despite the fact that elves are shorter than humans and often appear childlike because of their height, they are usually not discounted as such. There are the rare occasions when they are, however, and it is at such times that they invoke the elven ability manifestation. When elves wish, they have an imposing presence. Suddenly, they can seem far larger, more there, than their actual height and weight would indicate. They use this ability to good effect against impressible humans; it keeps the credulous ones at a distance and occasionally attracts necessary attention to the elf. The manifestation ability is purely a result of the elven connection with the land; the only trick involved is in demonstrating this connection. Naturally, manifestation does not work on planes other than the Prime Material. Furthermore, it functions only when the elf is in a natural environment or in one that the elves have shaped, in which case they generally do not wish to make their presence known. Finally, manifestation works only on an elf's home world or after an elf has lived on a world for more than 50 years, whereupon the elf has grown used to the natural rhythms of the world. If an elf from Toril were to travel to Oerth, he could not manifest for half a century. After such time, he would have made the planet his home. To do the manifestation back on Toril, he would have to return to that land and become reattuned to the planet. Any elf away from his home world for 50 years, no matter where he is, loses this ability until he reattunes himself to the land. Note that it takes only five years to readjust to an original home world, unless an elf has attuned himself to another. In this case, he must endure the entire 50-year process, for he has made himself a native of that other land, and must entirely readjust to the cycles of his home world of old.

The Reverie

Yet another difference between elves and the other humanoids of the worlds they share is that elves do not sleep in the typical sense, though they can enter that state if they desire. Instead, they gain their rest through a process known as the reverie. The reverie is akin to sleep, yet is very much unlike it. When elves enter this state, they vividly relive past memories, those both pleasant and painful. Like the dreaming of humans, elves have no control over which memories rise to the fore when they relinquish their bodies to the reverie. Occasionally, elves do actually dream, but this is not a frequent occurrence and mostly occurs only when they truly sleep.
Elven dreams, when they happen, are sometimes prophetic. Whether these dreams are an indication of some sort of precognitive ability on the part of the elves or granted by their gods is a matter of debate. However, not all elven dreams are prophetic. Indeed, enough of their dreams are like those of humans that they cannot rely on their dreams for guidance. Still, all of their dreams are highly symbolic, providing insight into each individual's character.
In a very real way, the reverie accounts for the elven desire to lead happy, joyous lives. Who would look forward to reliving unpleasant memories every night? Very few, though there are some truly noble elves who take on the pain and suffering of others so that they relive the memories with each reverie instead. These elves have accepted this sacrifice for the good of their people, taking upon themselves the burden that could not (or should not) descend to the lives of other, more innocent elves. They perform the unpleasant task of drawing into themselves the suffering of their people.
When they enter reverie, elves do not usually close their eyes unless there is a bright light present. They relax their bodies entirely, each muscle losing its rigidity, until they are absolutely calm. Their faces relax into a dazed and distant look as if they were seeing another land or another time.
During this time, they are aware of their surroundings, but they cannot act to influence them any more than a human can while asleep. Only by an act of will can an elf tear herself from reverie, and she will be confused for a short time, just as a human would be who has torn himself from sleep.
Although the reverie provides rest, it is primarily an important memory tool that helps the elf maintain a strong sense of identity. Since their lifespans are so great, elves must periodically recall the events in those hundreds of years that were integral to the making of their personality. The fact that elves go into this reverie, rather than enter actual sleep, could help to explain their natural resistance to sleep spells. Since sleep is, for the most part, alien to their nature, they can ward off its effects easily. But since the reverie is akin to sleep, they suffer no ill effects when they do fall victim to sleep spells and like magic.
The combination of reverie and manifestation may also account for the elves' near-immunity to charm-related enchantments. The reverie imparts a strong sense of self, giving them a secure identity. They are intimately attuned to their own lives, wants, and needs and are therefore not easily misled about their goals. They allow only themselves to determine their course of action.
Their innate manifestation ability makes them well aware of efforts to influence them through extranatural means. Since they can sway others, they are conscious of attempts to manipulate them and can resist these endeavors with more authority and success than most other races.

Resistance to Heat and Cold

Elves are keenly attuned to the world and its meteorological cycles. As such, they are less affected by extremities of temperatures than are many other races. The blazing sun of the desert and the chill of the arctic cause elves discomfort, but not nearly as much as such extremes do others. Elves can withstand up to 100°F with only mild discomfort. Likewise, they can remain clad in their usual clothes to a low of the freezing point of water and be only mildly uncomfortable. Below 32°F, they suffer the same ill effects as anyone else, but until that point they feel little different. Above 100°F, they suffer as do others but exhibit no undue stress until that temperature is surpassed. They lose no body water to sweat, nor do they need to lighten their clothing. It has been surmised that this is why elves have pale skin and only rarely tan. Their resistance to the elements prevents much of the skin damage that other races suffer. Only those elves who are constantly exposed to the elements suffer even the slightest amount, and even then they do not tan as deeply as some humans and dwarves.
The elves' immunity to a range of temperatures does not extend to fire or snow, or anything that simulates these conditions. For example, an elf could not stick his hand into a fire and be undamaged, nor could he walk through freezing rain without effect. Neither are elves immune to spells that rely on fire, ice, wind, and other weather-related effects. It is only to natural temperatures that elves have even the slightest resistance. A cone of cold or a fireball has the usual adverse effect on an elf.

Other Elven Abilities

Despite their frail appearance and lowered Constitutions, elves have a remarkable resistance to ordinary disease. While it is not on a scale with the paladin's total immunity to nonmagical diseases, elves are only rarely afflicted by disease. A Unless a disease is fatal, the effects usually fade simply with the passing of time, for elves have a strong regenerative ability. Scars (not wounds) on their bodies heal more quickly than they do on other races, eventually disappearing almost entirely. Such scars show up only under intense scrutiny or under harsh lighting conditions. Their regenerative ability does not extend to regrowing lost limbs or organs, although some contend that the elves are the original creators of the magic that enable this. Elves are, however, on the pioneering edge of creating artificial limbs to replace lost ones. In addition, elf crafters are working on ways to replace the more sensitive organs, such as eyes and ears, as well as the heart, stomach, and other internals.

The Elven Bond

Very rarely, an elf will form a mystical and unbreakable bond with another being, whether elf, human, dwarf, or otherwise. Some signify this bonding through the giving of gifts designed to demonstrate one's love. Others merely forge the bond quietly, without any outward signs. Whatever the process through which this bond is formed, the elves involved and their chosen can sense the strong emotions of each other. They feel the joys and sorrows of the other, their triumphs and angers as well. Should distance separate the two in this bond and one pass away, the other can feel the death through the breaking of the bond. This is an even stronger version of the communion ability elves share, for this is a lifelong bond and not lightly broken.
For this one person, elves become truly altruistic. Their lives are focused around making their loved one happy, even to the extent of sacrificing their own life. When this bond is broken, whether through betrayal or death of one of the pair, it is a tremendous shock to the other member of the union. Elves can die from the grief caused by such partings.
Because they can enact this union only once (or twice, in extremely rare cases) in their lives, elves are very careful about those to whom they attach themselves. Many elves go through life without joining their spirits to another, for many find no mates suitable for or deserving of such an important union.
Few elves bestow this gift on humans, for humans are so short-lived that the bond would be all but wasted on them. Still, there are some who consider this a small sacrifice for the love of a particular human. The very number of half-elves attests to this, for although most half-elves aren't children of this union, there are enough who are. The blink of an elf's eye spells an end to these ties, but the love they gain lasts for the rest of their life.
This bond applies, to a lesser extent, to the earth itself. If confined or kept away from the land or the company of other elves for too long a time, an elf can die from grief and loneliness. Even if being held prisoner near nature or with other elves, the elf can lose hope and—without sustaining physical injury—force his or her own death. This is done only in the darkest of times, and only when there is no hope left at all to the elf. This ability to choose death over life is one that defeats captors and would-be torturers, for they are unable to maintain their grip on their victim for long should the elf choose this method of "escape."

Civilization and Culture

Major Language Groups and Dialects

The elven language is melodic and fluid, consisting of musical words that are a joy to hear. There are nuances and lilting intonations, all of which combine to make Elvish a lovely language. Even Drow Elvish is an attractive language, full of dark mystery and secrets. When spoken by non-elves, Elvish seems strangely brutalized, although it is hard to define exactly why. Elves know that this is because the subtleties inherent in Elvish only fully translate for them (or for those using magic to communicate). Elves, because of their keen hearing, perceive an additional current in their tongue, one which also conveys emotion should the speaker wish. Because of this hidden feature, elves can carry on a conversation within a conversation. The subtleties of the language and the nuances available allow elves to pass on the substance of an entirely different topic provided, of course, it is not a difficult or confusing one. This ability also allows elves to pass hidden messages to one another even in front of a human who understands Elvish, which is one reason why elves make such excellent spies. They can speak of inconsequentialities, yet pass along vital information to other elves. No one hearing them without magical aid can discern the additional message that is carried on the wings of the conversation.
The intricate care involved in the structure of the elven language extends to naming children. Elven names, although they often sound somewhat similar, are all individual. No two elves have ever shared the same name, save as a matter of choice, for elves are far too individualistic to stoop to using identical names for their children.
Elves prefer names that flow off the tongue like wind through trees. Sibilants and "th" sounds are common, as are others of the softer consonants. Occasionally, to add interest to a name, elves will include a hard consonant, such as a "k" or a "t." Overall, they prefer to allow the name to remain fluid and melodic, much like their language.

Culture and Cultural Heritage

Livelihood

Elves earn their livelihoods through whatever craft pleases them most. Often, this will be something that is beneficial to the entire community. Sometimes the goods are traded with humans for manmade wares but, more often than not, the items remain within the elf community. Since elves need not be concerned with money to the extent humans are, their home lives are rarely marked with worry about when the next meal is coming. As long as they produce something of value for their community (and probably even if they did not), the other elves will support them. Giving something as ephemeral as humor or laughter to brighten the days of others would be reward enough for the easygoing elves. Even in the harshest winters and the driest summers there is plenty of sustenance for all elves. Because they are so closely connected with nature, they know when bad seasons are brewing and thus plan well ahead to meet the demands of such troubling times.

The Death of Elves

There are those who consider the elves to be virtually immortal. While they can die through accident or violence, no one has ever seen an elf die of "old age." That is because no truly old elves remain in the world known to humans; "old" elves have left the world and journeyed on to a place called Arvanaith. At about age 550 years old, elves feel an irresistible urge to make one last journey. An elf can defy this urge only marginally more than a man can defy death when it comes. With the spells available for prolonging one's life, elves do have the choice of temporarily forestalling the inevitable. However, because of their attachment to the natural cycles of the world, most elves feel disdain for those who attempt to avoid the unavoidable. Only those elves who feel no respect for the tuggings of the seasons or those who have crucial tasks yet unfinished take this option. Otherwise, old elves travel to Arvanaith, the hidden elven homeland. No elf who has traveled to Arvanaith has ever willingly left that land, nor has any elf regretted such a journey. The sylvan glory awaiting all elves there is beyond any ever experienced by humans—and is barely conceivable by the elves themselves.
Arvanaith is a place full of natural beauty, hidden away from all but elves. Some human sages have speculated that this pocket is a piece of Arvandor, but none have ever been able to reach it—save through death. Those sages who have made such a journey and were able to return to their original plane are unable to speak of Arvanaith. The memory of the beauty is too intense for their human minds to bear. It is truly a realm only for the elf.
Those elves who have passed into its wooded glories can experience anything they've ever wanted for as long as they want. Unimaginable happiness lies in this realm, and every elf can expect to enter Arvanaith upon his or her departure from temporal kingdoms. The only way to return from Arvanaith is through reincarnation, resurrection, or some way of retrieving the spirit from this realm. (The last two methods are always done against the elf's will.) A very few return voluntarily, having spent millenia enjoying the splendor of Arvanaith; they volunteer to be reincarnated, and their souls begin anew. Those who leave seldom regain their original bodies. They find themselves reincarnated in the form of any animal ranging the spectrum of the animal kingdom. Sometimes these elves return as creatures so low on the evolutionary scale that they lose their elven spirit altogether.
Only a legendary few have ever returned through time to their original forms. These elves have returned to complete quests of epic valor and salvation. More likely, those truly heroic elves who have requested to be reincarnated are reborn as a new elf.
Some elves are ripped from Arvanaith by the spells or prayers of those still on the mortal plane. A very few of these survive the shock of returning to their old bodies; they regain their mortal lives, albeit their spirits are now touched with a strange sorrow. Most elves, however, fight to remain in Arvanaith. Their spirits do not willingly leave the glorious forests of this most ancestral land. Should powerful magicks force them against their will, the elves will return—but at great cost. Such elves usually succumb to madness and despair; a few cannot survive the return and are transformed into banshees.
In Arvanaith, all things are possible. Anything elves might want, including forgetfulness or even oblivion, is available. The winds of Arvanaith are enough to soothe even the most troubled spirit, causing it to set aside his or her fears and torments. Only those few who refuse to give up their sorrows retain the memory of former troubles.
Instead, memories of friends and happy times make up an elf's new life, along with new dreams and challenges. Troubling memories remain largely in the back of an elf's mind, serving only as a reminder and measure for the goodness of existence in Arvanaith. Most elves are happy to relinquish the memories of their suffering, retaining only the knowledge of its passing to more fully appreciate their current happiness.
Of course, no elf is forced to stay in Arvanaith against his or her will. However, only a few elves have chosen to return to the mortal plane—and then only after centuries have been spent in Arvanaith. It is largely inconceivable that any elf would not want to remain in the eternal lands.
It should be noted that elves don't die the way other mortal races do; in fact, elves only rarely suffer true death. Those that do are mourned for months, for their spirits can never return to nourish the earth once again. Their children are cherished in hopes that they will carry on the works of their parents, provided the parents did not die dishonorably.
There are only a few ways that elves can suffer this fate. The attacks of certain undead, suicide, dying in an unnatural place, and other extraordinary circumstances can completely eradicate the existence of an elf. The only way to recover these brave elves is through magicks no less powerful than a wish. The bodies of those who have died the true death are often burned. This prevents the undead life force from occupying the body. Elf villages have learned from experience that an unwhole spirit is worse than an undead one.

Accidental or Violent Death

Seemingly unlike many other races in the worlds, elves try to avoid violence. Their actions are typically more cautious, despite the fact that they seem impetuous. This is more true of older elves than younger ones. When embarking on a course of action, elves remind themselves that it could be their last. This has sobering effect on even hotheaded elves.
Elves live long enough that they don't want to risk their lives on an insignificant issue. Only truly earth-shattering events and dire emergencies will stir older elves from their retreats in the forests or mountains. Nothing less will entice them to risk their lives; although they are not cowards, they have no desire to lose a life for something petty.
This is one of the reasons why elves have become legendary for their skill with the bow; it keeps their foes at a safe distance, affording the elves little danger. At closer distances, elven training with the sword is proficient enough that few need worry. Still, elves have no foolish notions about killing an opponent "honorably." The method of least resistance is more likely to preserve precious lives.
Unlike most races, elves have no ingrained fear of death. Their longevity ensures that they have a healthy respect for the cycles of life and—because of their interrelationship with nature—they accept death in nature. Indeed, elves look forward to their "death," for it signifies the journey to Arvanaith and a new way of life rather than the surcease of life. However, elves do fear death by other means.
Elves also fear the violation of their spirits and their free will, for these are essential in entering Arvanaith. Any creature that feeds on the lifeforce of another is zealously avoided (or slain, if the means are available) by elves, for these creatures are among the few who can inflict true oblivion upon an elf. Even those elves who live under the shadow of evil find no kinship in these creatures.
If an elf suffers a fatal accident or is murdered, she cannot re-enter the grand cycle, that mystical rhythm that hurtles the earth through the spheres. Instead, her body lies cold and useless wherever the physical death occurred, her spirit cast out and swallowed by the nameless void surrounding her. If her body is returned to the land of her birth, the story is another matter. Only then can the elf's death once again have meaning, for there her physical form can contribute to the well-being of her world, nourishing the plants and animals of her birthland. Her spirit is free to enter Arvanaith and partake in its glories.
Any elf of good or neutral alignment is allowed in Arvanaith. Even drow so aligned are welcomed and allowed to share in the beauties of spirit found in Arvanaith. In Arvanaith, subrace is not important as long as the soul is good or neutral. Any spirit residing there has earned the right to do so, regardless of what it might have been in life. This is truly a reward for those who lived their lives under a pall of suspicion simply because of the circumstances of their birth.
Sea elves, too, are welcome in Arvanaith. Although they probably had no real contact with the surface-dwelling elves in life, they can revel in the company of these elves in the afterlife, for in Arvanaithall things are possible. Aquatic elves and land elves mingle in a world where the air is water and water is air; there is no difference to them.

Funereal Ceremonies

Since most elves pass on to Arvanaith, their passing is not mourned for long. Although it is unlikely that they will return to the earth in the same form as they had assumed before or even with the same personality, their spirit continues on. As such, death rituals are more often a celebration that the elf has achieved the joys of Arvanaith. While the elf may be missed for a while, others know their companion has passed on to something better.
The ceremony surrounding each elf funeral varies even from village to village. Some gather with great pomp to watch the body be interred in the ground, with speakers expounding on the merits of the deceased. Others bury the body with dispatch; they regard it as a mere husk from which the life force has departed. After ridding the shell, they celebrate the spirit of the elf who once resided there. Still other elves believe that burning is the only way to truly rid the spirit of its earthly ties; not only does it free the spirit for Arvanaith, it prevents anyone from using the body for nefarious purposes. Each burial is typically related to the nature of the elf, so that the burial is personalized and the point made that the spirit has left the body.

Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals

Elven Music

Song and dance play an important part in everyday elven life. They find that music provides an outlet for their centuries of experience, pain, and joy. The elf that does not have at least some experience with an instrument or some proficiency in dancing is a rare being, and one might suspect that he or she is somehow emotionally stunted. Elven music is an incredibly complex and beautifully crafted art, although it is not often played around non-elves. Elves have learned that their tunes haunt anyone who has an ear for music, for it leaves these people with a vague, unsatisfied yearning that can never be filled with anything but elven music.
It is for this reason that there are very few traveling elf bards. For one thing, they don't want to destroy the enjoyment humans find in their own music. For another, they know humans would never leave the elf cities alone if they knew of the sublime beauty elves are capable of producing with music. Those who have been fortunate enough to hear elven music claim that humans learned music from the elves. Although human music is but a poor imitation, the humans continually strive toward the ultimate musical experience that the elves provide. The best human and half-elf bards are those who have learned from elf masters, yet even they can only echo the elves. This is the reason, some sages surmise, that so many wonderful musicians remain dissatisfied with their work.
Elven songs of grief are often acappella wordless melodies. Those listening to such songs who are non-elves will find themselves in tears before the elves are halfway through, for the anguish expressed in the lilting voices of the elves transcends the human experience of heartfelt pain. Those who hear the elven mourning rituals are never quite the same, returning to the present sadder and somehow wiser. The sorrow that the songs express often haunts the listeners for the rest of their lives.

Rituals

Elves have no end of festivals to lighten the weight of passing years. They create many occasions to celebrate life—so many, in fact, that other races have sometimes concluded that elves do nothing but engage in revelry. Of course, this isn't true, but they do have a disproportionate number of celebrations—particularly when compared to dwarves.
Although elves prefer simple revels to structured rituals, there are times in their lives when they feel the need for more formal, serious ceremonies. Typically, the priests of the elven gods preside over such ceremonies. They are there to fulfill the function of the ceremony and to instill the proper respect and solemnity required for that ceremony.
Because elves lead such long lives, the ceremonies each village and city celebrates are equally unique. Although different, all are based on certain traditional milestones in elven life and so retain an air of similarity. These events include birth, adulthood, marriage, the journey to Arvanaith (which is covered in Chapter Seven), and blood oath.

Celebration of Birth

Since elf children are few (or at least far fewer than human children), the birth of an elf is a cause of great celebration. Births are always times of great joy. The village turns out in profusion, setting aside the day's work to celebrate with the infant's parents.
Following a two-year pregnancy, elf women are glad to celebrate the lightening of their burden. They happily join in the festivities honoring their newborn. Such celebrations typically last several days and conclude with the naming of the infant. Children are given a private name by their parents and then given a public name. The secret name is known only to the elf, his or her parents, and the priest presiding over the ceremony. While knowing the name gives no power over an elf, it is a sign of love and respect when an elf reveals his or her true name.
Gifts and wishes are often bestowed upon an elf child at birth by family and close friends of the parents. Such presents usually have a lasting impression on the elf, for favors given to an infant are far from ordinary. One child was given the ability to speak to dragons; she later used this gift to great advantage when she averted a war between her village and a nest of green dragons living nearby. Another child was gifted with always knowing when someone lied to him.

Passage to Adulthood

Rites of adulthood are common in many cultures, and that of the elves is no exception. When elves reach the age of 110, they are considered young adults, with all the freedoms and responsibilities that entails. They no longer live in the house of their parents, for it is time to make their own way in the world. Elf families hold a ceremony to formally announce the young elf's passage into adulthood. New adults are given gifts—most often adventuring gear if they are so inclined. The older elves regale the family with tales of their pursuits, and they wish luck upon those who follow their steps. If the new adult isn't inclined toward the adventuring life, they are given tools of their chosen trade and a house of their own. From this point on, they make their own way in life, working with other elves to make a life full of happiness and joy.

Celebration of Marriage

Marriage is an occasion for great joy among elves, for the union symbolizes the continuation of the elf race. Those who disrupt this ceremony to kill the betrothed earn the wrath of the elves forevermore, and they will hunt such marauders and their kin for eternity. Marriage is a rarer occurrence for elves than the short-lived races, and there are few things so dangerous as to profane the sanctity of this ritual. Sometimes weddings occur to seal treaties and for other diplomatic purposes, but more often it is through love that elves achieve a state of marriage.
Marriage between elves lasts until one partner dies. (There has been only one known divorce in the last three thousand years, and that was between two extremely opinionated Sehan Elves.) Elves rarely take a new partner after the death of a mate. Their vows bind more than honor; they bind the spirit and heart of each to the other. By taking this step, many elves give up some measure of their individualism. Often, only the most ardent and devout lovers choose the path of marriage; others prefer a less formal arrangement.
The marriage ceremony itself is typically formal (although it can be as informal as the lovers like) and is presided over by elf priests of Helani Celanil. The priests themselves serve no purpose at the ceremony other than as witnesses, for it is the partners who perform the ritual and the binding vows. In a true elven marriage of love, vows tie the spirits of the loved ones together, allowing them access to the other's inner self. This is a form of the elven ability communion. Wedded elves become fully aware of their partner's needs and emotions, allowing them to anticipate and fulfill these needs. They are not aware of the other's exact thoughts.
Because elves relive their past through the reverie, the circumstances attracting one elf to another are always fresh. Thus, elves seldom fall out of love. Only the gravest of tragedies and disloyalties can tear an elf couple apart. Although they might have disagreements and even fights, they continue to love each other.
But elves can grow tired of a partner, even when they are joined spiritually and have become more intimate than any non-elf could suspect. Elves reignite the spark of passion and love through absence. For stretches of time, one partner in an elven marriage will live apart; this allows both elves to gain time to themselves so that they might grow as individuals. When the two rejoin, they shower complete love and affection upon the other. Elves also tend to spend time away from their loved ones in order to make their time together that much more precious. After all, there are fewer sure ways to grow bored of a person than to spend hundreds of years with him or her. Time alone allows them to think on the relationship and to experience new things to share with their mates, thus keeping the marriage fresh and vital.

The Blood Oath

Elves are not always peaceful folk. If they or their friends have been grievously insulted or injured, they swear the sacred oath of vendetta—a ceremony carried out in the darkest hour before dawn. When they swear this terrible promise, they forsake all other pastimes to seek retribution. Elves understand this oath and will release the avenging elf from his or her tasks.
The avenging elves hunt down the offender to exact some form of vengeance, be it merely a sincere apology for an insult or something more severe. Typically, a time of service given to the injured elf is enough to satisfy this oath. However, there are occasions when nothing less than death will satisfy the demand of the blood oath.

Elven Holy Days

Every day is a day of celebration for elves; their love of music, poetry, and song imbues their lives with a festive air. However, there are particular days that elves traditionally commemorate. These celebrations, despite their rituals (or perhaps because of them), are the most anticipated days of the year. Naturally, these days have a special significance attached to them, for they mark events in the hearts of elves. The following is a list of the major festivals elves celebrate each year, although it is by no means complete. Each gathering of elves will have other celebrations in addition to those below, each with its own unique observance. The holy days are presented in chronological order:

• Yeartide: Yeartide takes place during the winter solstice, marking the end of the death that autumn brings. During this time, the elves believe the earth is purified while she lies underneath her blanket of snow. Even in those regions where the sun doesn't rise and the snow lies eternally across the land, the winter solstice is seen as the changing of the old year into the new. Elves celebrate Yeartide with quiet meditation on the year past and on things to come. They regard the human practice of ushering in the new year with feasting and drinking senselessly barbaric—the mark of people unable to truly understand the passing of time.


• Faerieluck: This is a day in early spring when elves celebrate with their cousins—the pixies, leprechauns, and so forth. Too often elves forget their kinship with these other races, and this festival reminds them all of their relationship. It is a day spent in practical jokes and merriment, and participants try to demonstrate their cleverness at the expense of another. The games are never acrimonious; they draw to a close long before any irreparable damage can be done to one's pride.


• Springrite: Although winter is seen as the turning point of the year, the vernal equinox (spring) represents a time of fertility among the elves, who spend this season engaged in the pursuits of romance and song. Elves spend the week around the equinox dancing and singing, involved in nothing but merriment. All important decisions and actions are postponed until the week is over. This is the time of year when most couples bond in marriage or announce that they are promised.


• Agelong: Agelong is the celebration of the elven creation, the observance of the legendary battle between Corellon Larethian and Gruumsh One-Eye. This holy day serves to remind the elves of the presence of their enemies. Held at the summer solstice, Agelong is the perfect elven excuse to go orc-hunting. On the night of the hunt, elves nick themselves with obsidian daggers and let their blood flow into the earth, simulating the bloodletting that made their existence possible. They then swoop down from their homes and kill as many orcs as they can find during this night.


• Fallrite: As Springrite is to birth, so is Fallrite to death. Held during the autumnal equinox, Fallrite is a week long period when elves contemplate the spirits of their ancestors, the passage to Arvanaith, and the immediacy of death even in a nearly immortal lifetime. Unlike some races, elves do not hide behind merriment to avoid facing death, because they feel that death is merely a passing on to a different stage of life. The most important duties of the year and the most difficult decisions are reached during Fallrite. The elf kings and queens traditionally sit in judgment at this time of year to hear any capital cases.

History

From the primordial turmoil at the center of the universe sprang the gods full-fledged, full-formed. Each claimed jurisdiction over certain effects, all being equally endowed with the power and force of the cosmos. They cooperated for the first (and the last) time to create the worlds. But some gods used their powers more wisely than their brethren.
An early alliance formed among these wiser gods. They knew how to manipulate their power. This gathering of gods, who called themselves The Seldarine (or the Brothers and Sisters of the Wood), imparted their very essence into creating certain aspects of the worlds.
While other gods squabbled over jurisdiction and possession of this virtue and that attribute, The Seldarine modified some of the lands, making their worlds lush and green and beautiful. In addition, they created vessels that would one day hold the spirit of the first sentient life to set foot upon these worlds—the race of beings known as Elves. They crafted these vessels with thought and care, and gave them extraordinary beauty. The other gods grew black with jealousy, and they thirsted to imitate The Seldarine.
These gods hastily fashioned their own vessels, vying against those created by The Seldarine. But they would not invest the time vital to creating a race, and so their results were flawed—the gods did not care. Their creations were nothing like those shaped by The Seldarine. Most were Monsters, creatures that would one day haunt the dreams of Elves. Of all the crude creations, only the vessel reserved for Man held a glimmer of potential, for they would one day have the ability to change the land as would the Elves.
The gods of the new races tried too hastily to reproduce a feat that had taken the wiser gods eons. But neither group's constructs would not come to life until the historic meeting between Corellon Larethien and Gruumsh, leader of the Anti-Seldarine.

— An excerpt inside a tome of Labelas Enoreth and Corellon Larethien teachings

The Creation

Following Separation by Spear, it is more understood that the elves were created by the blood of Corellon Larethien, but not because of a battle with Gruumsh as some may believe - as Gruumsh and Corellon were brothers and fought together. The Elves themselves were created from the many battles that Corellon spilled, but not because of Gruumsh.

The Elfwar

Prelude

After the Separation by Spear, the deities divided the world among themselves so that their creations could prosper and grow, following the Rotation of the Continents inside the Prime Material Plane and Planar Divergence.
The Seldarine chose the forests for their children, the Elves, but secretly encouraged them to spread as they would. The other gods did likewise, and the races fought for land: The hatred introduced by Gruumsh the Cursed One had spread to the mortal species.
The Elves were, at this time, all one people. There were variations, but these were individual, rather than any sort of societal rift. All differences were a matter of personal inclination, and the Elves lived in harmony with one another.
There were those who lusted for power, and those who could not bear to live within the confining walls of a city. Others were rabidly xenophobic, wanting to bar outsiders such as Humans and Dwarves from the Elflands, keeping away the taint of those "unfavored by the gods." Still others, more moderate in most things, were scorned by their brothers or even despised.
Each Elf thought he knew best, and each tried to impose his views on his brother. Evil flourished in this atmosphere of distrust and dissent. The great Elf cities of old deteriorated, and the Spider Queen Lolth gained a foothold in the hearts of many Elves. They used her to gain Greater Power and influence, and her evil ways led them even further astray. These Elves practiced dark magic and forbidden lore to make themselves mighty, and they turned from the light they had loved so much.

Engagements

The tension grew unbearable. The Elves who had embraced the teachings of Lolth marched into the cities and slaughtered their brethren. The first attack came under cover of darkness, and the other Elves could not mount a defense. But they had seen the dark time to come, and they had readied themselves for war. Their preparations were not in vain. They returned fire.
The Elfwar raged for decades, neither side gaining victory. Thousands of Elves perished on both sides, and the number of wounded grew ever higher. The Elves of Lolth took the name Drow to signify their new allegiance, and they took the cities they had captured as their homes. They massed for the final battle, and Lolth covered the land in loathsome clouds of black to strike fear in the hearts of mortal Elves. The Drow were prepared to win—but then the gods themselves intervened.
Corellon Larethian and his companions struck deep into the heart of Drow territory. Long and hard they fought, seeking the evil in that land. Finally, Corellon Larethian came upon the dread Spider Queen, and he attacked. Magic flared and spat; blood merged in rivulets. Then Corellon struck Lolth a telling blow, driving her deep into the earth. With her defeat, the haze over the battlefield lifted, allowing the bright light of the sun to bathe the land in its healing rays.

Aftermath

The Drow turned their faces away from the sun's purification, preferring instead their fallen goddess. They consciously chose the shadows over light, and Corellon decreed that such treachery would forever show upon their faces. It is for this reason that the skin of the Drow is dark.
Corellon forced the evil Elves into the rift where he had banished Lolth the Spider. After the last Drow was driven underground, he and his fellow gods abandoned the Elves to their own devices, preferring instead the plane of Arvandor.
The rifts and turmoil created by the Elfwar have permanently scarred the elf psyche. Although many factions were appalled at the breaking away of the drow, some could not contain their discontent. Several such groups chose to strike out on their own: an event called the Fractioning. Thus, the division of elves, begun by the drow, continued. The elven race divided into the grey elves, who had chosen the mountains as their home; the Sylvan Elves, who had returned to the forests of their birth; and the high elves, who chose to remain in the elven cities and be the keepers of the elven way of life. Still more sought farther afield, roaming the oceans, the arctic wastes, and the skies above.

Post Elfwar

In time, these elven nations grew further apart, each coming to develop special characteristics. The grey elves became ever more aloof, while the Sylvan Elves grew as wild as the forests. The explorers adapted themselves to new lands, regardless of where they settled. Still others continued to roam, leading a nomad's life.

Common Myths and Legends

Elves, like other races, venerate the names and deeds of their heroes. Frequently, some of the heroes from other races have been fabricated—mostly to illustrate some religious point or another. Not so with the elves. Although their heroes also serve to make a point of some sort, all of them existed in some form or another.
Heroes such as Fistilanthus Woodhelvin and his half-elf brother Gilanthus (both of whom faced the dread pit fiend Marlikora at the cost of their own lives and saved the elf lands) live on in the glorious tales of storytellers. Elven legend tells that they will someday return when the elves most need them and that they will aid certain blessed elves or half-elves in times of gravest need. Their bravery and courage thus inspires those in mortal peril. Other heroes, like Feradar Jaralmus, serve as examples of elven life. Although in his life he neither slew terrible beasts nor singlehandedly fought off menaces from the planes beyond, his love and compassion saved the elves from fractioning still further, teaching them the value of life and tolerance. Many other heroes once lived (and, indeed, still live) in the halls of the sages, inspiring and teaching those who hear the tales. Elven lore is not solely concerned with tales of goodness; there are also tales of dark, twisted evil. Fionna Casilltenirra, the first elf vampire, still haunts the dreams of romantic young elves seeking delight in the arms of humans. And the story of Besathan Ridire, the elf who made a pact with the Spider Queen Lolth and suffered eternal torment at her hands, is told every now and then to show children the questionable value of dealing with evil. All elven legends make a point of some sort, whether they deal with an inspirational story of heroics and valor or with more humble values such as compassion and simple charity. In both life and deeds, elves strive to teach and to learn. They see their lives as quests for understanding, and they do their best to complete their personal quests; elven legends often help point the way to fulfilling those dreams.
Sometimes there is more to an elven myth than meets the human eye. The moral gem hidden within a tale may be far too subtle for humans to understand completely. This chapter presents but a few of the tales the elves have collected over their millenia of existence.
⇕The Legend of Fionna Casilltenirra⇕

When the Elves all lived in the forests and had not yet spread to the seas or the mountains, there was a beautiful Elf named Fionna Casilltenirra. Barely past 100 years old, she met a Human who intrigued her completely. Shy and retiring at first, she grew more open and let herself be seen when he traveled in the woods.
Their elders swore to them that such a match would never work, but Fionna and Killian had eyes only for each other. They wed in secret. Five years of bliss passed before Fionna saw that Killian was aging far more rapidly than she. The lovers searched for some way to avoid the cruel hand fate would one day deal them, but they could find no answer. In abject despair, Fionna went to a Human Vampire of whom she had heard. She begged Vasily for his help, asking that Killian be made a Vampire so the two could share life for the length of her days instead of Killian's.
The Vampire was overwhelmed by Fionna's beauty and agreed to her plans, with one stipulation: that she, too, consent to become a Vampire. In her love for Killian, Fionna never thought of the danger to her very spirit—she agreed to Vasily's dastardly request. The Vampire took Fionna in his arms and told her he would bestow upon Killian the "gift" of eternal life. He drained her, then laid her on the floor of his catacomb. He looked at Fionna and marveled at her beauty; desire coursed in him, as did treachery, and he vowed that none but he should possess her. When Vasily found Killian, he snapped the Human's neck instead of making him anew in Vampire form.
When Fionna discovered Vasily's treachery, she flew at him in rage. Confident that she was his thrall, Vasily was amused rather than alarmed. That proved a fatal error on his part, for his head was ripped from his shoulders by the grieving Elven Vampiress.
Bereft of her love and her life, Fionna wandered the world searching for someone new to take the place of her beloved, but only hatred and fear met her advances. Anger and malice found their way into her heart, and she gave herself wholly to evil.

⇕Jarsali and the Treant⇕

Following a similar, though ultimately contradictory, view to the tale of Fionna Casilltenirra, the story of Jarsali and the Treant glorifies love of any sort—provided that love is true and good. While some elves refuse to acknowledge the truth of this story, claiming it is truly myth and has no basis in fact, others believe it holds the germ of truth. They cling to it as a justification for the paths they have taken themselves.
Jarsali Oaklimbs was a wood elf of the truest grain—even to the point of shunning others of her race, preferring instead the company of the woodlands well over that of her fellows. How her heart came to be full of suspicion and bitterness at her mortal comrades, no one knew; they only knew that Jarsali was a strange girl, even for an elf. Nothing assuaged the sorrow in her soul save the nearness of the primordial trees. Her wanderings from camp took her deeper and deeper into the virgin forest, to places where even few elves had ever set foot. In the heart of the wood, she found a living tree holding court with his minions. Her shock was great.
Remember, this was a time before the elves had spread across the world, and they knew little of all its races. Few had ever heard of a treant, much less seen one. Although her tribe had, Jarsali had never heeded the lessons of her compatriots, for she had no desire to learn from their experiences. Entranced by the sight of the treant, she crept closer to investigate. Suddenly, great bark-covered limbs from a nearby "tree" lifted her from the ground and held her captive. The animated oak brought her before its liege.
Jarsali stood prisoner before the treant lord, and something in her heart cracked and was set free. The elf maiden fell instantly in love with the enduring beauty of the craggy wood before her. The treant eyed Jarsali's flushed cheeks and bright eyes. Suthurithidan, the son of Garanahil the First Treant, saw hidden behind the elf's truculent air a spirit of fire that could not be quenched. It was the treant's first true look at an elf, and he was entranced. With a silent flicker of his twiggy finger, he commanded the tree to release the elf maid. The two stared at each other, sunlight filtering through the dappled leaves; then Suthurithidan turned and melted into the forest.
Jarsali returned to her camp. Her companions were amazed at her newly softened manner, so changed was it from her usual self. They wondered what could have happened on her latest excursion into the woods, but none said anything, feeling only gratitude and not caring the cause. When Jarsali crept away a week later, unable to forget the treant Suthurithidan, some few smiled, thinking perhaps she had found a lover with a nearby tribe. One elf, however, did not smile—he frowned. Azalarer had thought to wed Jarsali himself, for he lusted after the elf maid. The words of his people were an irritant to his pride.
Jarsali found again the treant lord, and this time neither could deny the truth of how well their souls matched the other. The initial exhilaration inspired by their first meeting provided the impetus for the rest of their relationship, and the feelings between two such dissimilar beings deepened. In time, they found that they were truly in love, each unwilling to continue life without the other beside them.
But Azalarer grew suspicious of Jarsali's continued change. He and his cohorts followed her into the depths of the forest. Intent only upon meeting her love, Jarsali's ordinarily sharp hearing did not warn her of this pursuit. Azalarer and the others found her then, and they beheld a sight none had ever thought to witness in all their years: An elf maid embraced by a living tree!
Azalarer's heart grew black. He taunted Jarsali cruelly and incited the prejudices of his comrades. In righteous wrath, they tore Jarsali from the arms of the surprised tree lord and spirited her back to camp. There Azalarer fanned the flames of xenophobia. The elves had never heard of such a strange coupling; they were outraged that Jarsali's chosen was not even humanoid, much less elven. They locked her behind a stout wood stockade and angrily began debating what to do with her.
Jarsali called upon all the elven gods of the forest and of love, and she called upon the gods of Suthurithidan, too. She prayed for both release from the stockade and from her elven form, that she might not have to endure the cruelties the elves inflicted upon her in the name of racial purity. The gods heard her pleas: They gave her the answer to one by granting the other.
Inside the stockade, Jarsali's body stiffened. Her hair grew long and turned green, and her limbs became limbs of wood and not flesh. Her feet sought the cracks in the ground, and she extended her new roots into the soil beneath. Shouldering aside the flimsy blockade, she forced her way into the sylvan camp. The elves scattered before her. Some prostrated themselves in abject terror, fearing for their lives.
Azalarer, along with those who had been deliberating Jarsali's fate, came forth from the council chambers. The elf's heart turned ever more black and cracked with rage; he grabbed a firebrand but the council restrained him. With utmost respect, they bowed to Jarsali and bade her good speed and clean water, for her transformation showed them that her love was real—that nothing they could say or do would change this simple fact.
With only the faintest bow, Jarsali turned to the forest and was reunited with her true love. The elves watched her go with a newfound respect; to this day, the sylvan elves and the treants share the custody of the woods. Moral: True love transcends race—and sometimes even species.

The story of Halimath Arnuanna is a cautionary tale relating the dangers of pride and arrogance, even in those who have again and again proven their superiority of skill. ⇕Halimath's Pride⇕

Halimath was a smith who had transcended all boundaries of metalworking in his craft. A true master with the hammer and tongs, each piece of precious metal commanded his complete attention, each blow of the hammer comprised his entire world. His creations were truly marvelous and inspired such awe in others. With each passing year, his skill grew ever greater. Elves traveled the world over to see his works of art.
Centuries passed, and the Sehan Elf decided that his life's work should culminate in the creation of one truly magnificent artifact—preferably a sword—to be wielded in the cause of good. He had no doubts about his skill, and he had the costly metals and gems with which to make and ornament this sword. But the Sehan Elves had banned the making of any more weapons of power. They wanted no reminder of the Elfwar or the Fractioning, and they forbade Halimath to make such a sword. The elf would neither listen nor obey; breaking the laws of his land was but a small price to pay for the glory of the magic he would wrought.
Thus commenced Halimath's destruction.
The rituals the elf sought to enchant the blade were dark and arcane, their powers hardly more than he could contain. Halimath continued without regard, believing that the creation of the Sword of Justice would atone for any evils he committed while creating it. The first spell he cast almost cost him his life, so strong were the magicks within it. This spell ensured life to the wielder of the blade for as long as the Sword was held. A second spell enchanted the weapon so that it could only be used on the side of goodness, and the third ensured the Sword would strike down the foes of the wielder with but a single blow.
Rumors of Halimath's transgressions reached the ears of the Sehan Elf elders. The wisest and most just of them, Andriana, confronted Halimath and demanded the truth. To her folly, she held up the Sword to emphasize her point. The master smith flew into an insane rage at his creation being so touched. His massive fist struck the frail elf woman, and she crumpled to the floor. Blood splattered across the blade in Andriana's hands and stained the carpet beneath her still-breathing form. Halimath stared down at the woman in horror, his senses returning to him in the cold light of what he had done. He knew the other elders would never allow him to finish the Sword of Justice, and that thought alone consumed him. He grabbed the Sword and fled.
Shortly after, the Sehan Elf elders discovered Halimath's misdeeds. Though Andriana lived, the elders swore the blood oath against Halimath. They hounded the elf day and night, until they finally cornered him; though bruised in body and spirit, he was still unrepentant.
Halimath let out a great cry and raised the Sword of Justice in defiance against the elves who harried him. He leaped to attack, but the blade crumbled to dust in his hands. When the arrows pierced his body, Halimath fell dead. Moral: Obsession destroys everything.

Although many human cultures have adapted this familiar story for their own use, the elves claim original credit for it.
⇕Haranavei Koehlanna⇕

An elf village was destroyed by an orc raiding party—the only survivor an elf woman, great with child. She fled into the burning forest and forded a swollen stream. On the other side, she found refuge in a tiny human village. There, she gave birth to her child, for labor was brought on by her traumas. With her dying breath she named her infant daughter Haranavei Koehlanna, and she bade a woodcutter care for her child. The elf woman perished that night.
Under the care of the villager, who was now the mayor, Haranavei grew into a child of amazing beauty. The human women of the household took exception to this beauty, and they did their best to ensure that such loveliness would never show. The mother and her daughters made Haranavei clean the middens, the sties, and the fireplaces every day. The poor elf child worked from before dawn to after dusk. The people whom she called "family" sought always to humiliate her for her pointed ears and thin features, and to belittle her beauty. Their taunts hurt an innocent heart.
And so matters went for many years, until one day a prince rode through the now prosperous village. He was an elf prince, this much is true, and he stopped at the human village to water and feed his stallion. The mayor's daughters were smitten with his charm and elegance; in him they praised the very features they taunted in Haranavei.
The elf amused himself at the human girls' expense—until he saw the thin figure of Haranavei trudge by, bearing her heavy burden of firewood. The prince grabbed the elf maid by the arms and stared long and hard into her eyes. Then, slowly, he smiled, for his search was over. Drawmij Koehlanna had found his sister. The two wept with joy when the truth was revealed, though Drawmij was saddened at the news of his mother. He disclosed that he had been away at the time of the orc attack; he had returned to discover his home in flames. But there was no sign of his mother, whom he knew to be pregnant, and so Drawmij went in search of her and her child.
More truth was revealed at the house of the mayor's, for the elf prince saw that the humans had made a slave of his sister. He retaliated by slaying the mayor's wife and daughters, only just sparing the man's life at the request of Haranavei. Moral: Suffer not the vanity of others.

The elven love of creation has extended itself into their stories, as has their unique perspective on the nature of time. Perhaps this story helps to explain why elves are so willing to devote years to a single project—and why they can take years away from a venture before returning to it with a fresh, new perspective.
⇕Caelestis⇕

Malissin Ariessus was a high elf architect and artist of exceeding vision, though he had no exceptional skill. His dream was to one day create the perfect tree town, where all elves could live in harmony and peace in a setting of unimaginable splendor—and improbable engineering.
Malissin did, indeed, create his city within the trees. Caelestis exceeded even Malissin's dreams, and the city excited all who saw it. Even the gods were filled with wonder at the magnificent tree town. Alas, Malissin forgot to weave the final enchantment on his city.
For many years it stood tall and proud, a monument to one elf's dream. Malissin passed on to Arvanaith, happy and secure that his tree city was all that he had hoped it would be. A great storm brewed the night of Malissin's death—a storm so great it tore asunder even the mightiest oak trees. Malissin's city was destroyed for lack of the binding spells that would have made his structures permanent—an oversight in an otherwise flawless creation.
Though the architectural principles Malissin employed are long since lost, his dream lives on in all of us. The desire to design perfection that is beloved by the gods burns in the breast of all who create, and the urge for such immortality is often irresistible. Moral: Love of creation is the element of perfection. Patience and love of creation are the permanence of perfection.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

The first elven contact with humans has been lost to the mists of time. Since the elves were figures out of Human myth, the humans were more inclined to hold them in awe. This attitude has carried over even unto the present day, and the elves remain enigmas to humans.
Although elves and humans have not gone to full-scale war with one another, there have been a number of small clashes. Many of these are over Human encroachment into the forests and their heavy-handed techniques for logging. The elves take exception to the death of virgin forest. Further, some humans, out of greed and jealousy, have taken advantage of the elves' trust to slay and destroy them.
Thus, elves have come to mistrust humans as well; many have withdrawn beyond Human ken. While some remain in the lands known to humans, more have returned to the fabled Elflands.
The elves are a proud people. They see the unbridled thirsts in the Human race; that, coupled with their amazing fecundity, make them a serious threat to all that the elves originally accomplished. The elves watch the humans, and there is fear in their hearts.

Attitudes Toward Other Races

Elves generally do not hate other races. Although they may dislike these races, they still feel a kinship with them as living beings. Humans never understand this, for they have not the time to make a true connection with the life force of the world. Only the true mystics of other races can understand the affinity elves have for all life.
Those races that hate the elves with an all-consuming passion are not worth any such emotion from elves. Irritating as these species may be, the elves regard them with nothing more than strong antipathy. Only those who routinely defile the forest for their own evil ends arouse much anger in elves. The elves reserve their darkest emotion—hatred—for the drow. The drow have thrown away all that the elves consider sacred and have instead embraced foulness, corruption, and death. They have betrayed the heritage that was theirs by right and forsaken the light of the sun to live with pure evil: Lolth. Not only do most of the surface elves fail to comprehend this choice, they don't understand how beings created from the blood of a god could descend to the depths of evil as have the drow. They do understand, however, that the drow mean only to destroy them. The drow dreams of world conquest and domination are secondary to their hatred for surface elves. The elves of sunlight know this hatred well and return it in full measure.
With regard to other races, elves have been accused of being haughty, arrogant, and contemptuous. This accusation is not entirely true. While elves do hold themselves apart from the other races, they do not hold them in contempt. (Granted, dwarves do come close.) Most elves, however, don't befriend these other races because of their short lives, not because of any inherent dislike. While the elves believe in living life to its fullest, they don't relish the idea of watching myriad friends grow old and die.
Since elves can live through twenty human generations before leaving for Arvanaith, many see no point in befriending those whom they will only lose immediately. (While dwarves are longer lived, they don't agree well with the elven disposition.) Younger elves are sometimes willing to accept the sure pain of impending death for the joy friendship with these vital beings brings. After a few decades, however, they see that their companions are aging at an absurd rate when compared to elf friends. This is always a shock to the young elves. For the first time, they must come to grips with the concept of mortality and death. This proves more difficult for some than for others, though it comes to almost all finally.
Despite their short lives, each of the other races holds a unique place in the elven heart. Outlined below are typical dynamics between elves and humans and demihumans.

• Dwarves: Although elves and dwarves both fight on the side of goodness, they often find themselves at odds over everything else. The main point of contention between the two is the definition of a good life. Dwarves strongly believe in the work ethic (elves do not). Dwarves don't feel that happiness is essential to a good life (elves certainly do). Dwarves believe life should be organized and well cared for—not haphazard and spontaneous as elves prefer. These views, so contrary to the elven enjoyment of life, don't allow dwarves to see things on the elven level. Yet each race secretly appreciates the other, and some of the strongest bonds in the world are between elves and dwarves. The two races are actually a good complement to each other.


• Gnomes: Elves and gnomes get along well when they meet. Gnomes have an appreciation of humor and a zest for life that appeals to the elves. In elven opinion, gnomes take what is best about the dwarves and combine it with a healthy dose of elvendom. Indeed, some ancient elven legends say that gnomes were created by crossing elves with dwarves. This is not to say that gnomes are entirely loved by the elves. They take their obsession with digging into the earth a little too seriously, and they seem to regard elves with some suspicion. Elves return that regard. Still, as with dwarves, the two races will defend each other if necessary.


• Halflings: Elves genuinely like halflings, although in a somewhat patronizing way. They regard halflings as an amusing race and treat them for the most part as children. The halflings don't have enough curiosity for elven taste; halflings are usually content to remain in their burrows and comfortable little farmsteads without ever experiencing the outside world. Elves are very impressed when a halfling manages to amount to something more than a connoisseur of food and drink.
  Halflings sometimes resent the elven view that the halflings are like children, but they are very much in awe of elves and so rarely speak out against them. To associate with an elf is all the excitement a halfling needs in his or her life. To travel a time with elves is more than many halflings can bear. Elves regard halflings as children and are very protective of them. They don't appreciate attempts to harm halflings in any way and will do their best to avenge any wrongs.


• Humans: Elves have a difficult time classifying humans. Many humans are friendly and even a little in awe of elves. Others are bigoted and unfriendly, even downright hostile. While other races have variations in their racial makeup and general views, none are as varied as the humans. This means that elves will regard every human they meet with some degree of suspicion until that human has proven him- or herself a friend. Elves, despite their many accomplishments, are amazed at humans. Humans are prolific producers of children, and many have incredible innate ability. Humans have managed to convert lands elves had once thought unlivable into homes. The elves are impressed—and perhaps a little frightened. Despite their constant bickering and warlike nature or perhaps because of it, humans now dominate the world. They have accomplished in a few short years what it took elves hundreds of years to achieve. It is because of the humans' soaring population and expansionistic tendencies that elves find themselves retreating to the forests and secluding themselves from the world.
  The vast variance of human nature is enough that elves have no set reaction to them. Their variety confuses elves, and they stay away from humans as much as possible.

Genetic Descendants

• Avariel
• Dark Elf
• Gnome
• Grey Elf
• Half Elf
• High Elf
• Sea Elf
• Sehan Elf
• Wood Elf

Origin/Ancestry

Eldar

Related Organizations

• Demesne of Arharlwn
• Demesne of Fybinlyn
• Demesne of Fyolelyn
• Demesne of Tebinlyn
• Demesne of Teolelyn

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