Elf
Elves are one of the more common species seen around the world, as they are a form of elemental spirit that has managed to take on a physical mortal form. As living embodiments of nature, they are often either worshiped, feared, or both. For the most part, though, elves are more curious and friendly, but an angry elf is still something to be feared. Their minds often seem to work differently than most other species', which can lead to some misunderstandings and confusion, but for the most part elves actually tend to prefer to avoid causing harm.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Elves physically resemble humans, the only obvious difference being the shape of their ears. They tend to be long, pointy, and cat-like, often with a greater range of motion than human ears.
Their internal anatomy, however, often varies more than that of a human. The only organs that they consistently seem to have are those related to the senses, digestion, reproduction, and a circulatory system. Many types of elves don't actually have lungs, even if they still breathe like a human would.
Genetics and Reproduction
Elves are interesting in that while they are perfectly capable of sexual reproduction which follows the same rules as human reproduction, they also often appear spontaneously from a corresponding elemental source. These individuals can range in age from a newborn to a fully grown adult, though their mental faculties are generally more typical of a newborn regardless of their physical maturity. Those born in more mature bodies typically progress to an appropriate level of mental maturity within a decade of their birth.
Growth Rate & Stages
Elves typically age like humans do. However, it's rare to find elves that look older than about middle age, and so many once believed that they simply don't age. The truth is, elves can live for up to roughly a thousand years, but historically many elves don't make it past 400, which happens to be roughly middle age for them. Tales of ancient-looking elves were often considered mere fables.
Ecology and Habitats
Elves prefer to take up residence in areas rich in both ambient magic as well as their attuned element.
Dietary Needs and Habits
For the most part, elves and humans can consume the same sorts of food items and have very similar diets. However, elves can also survive off of manifestations of their associated element(s). For instance, a fire elf can subsist on a campfire, an earth elf can subsist on rocks, a lightning elf can consume static electricity, and a water elf can simply drink water. They won't suffer any ill effects from consuming only their element for extended periods of time, and some individual elves admit to preferring to consume their element above any other forms of sustenance.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Their five basic senses tend to be at least a little sharper than a humans', with their sharp sight and hearing being the most well-known. They also have the ability to sense magic in ways that humans simply cannot. They seem to have a separate sense for it, but they are also capable of observing magic with the other five senses as well.
Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms
Many illnesses and diseases that affect humans don't affect elves, by virtue of their highly magical nature. Most types of viruses and bacteria simply can't survive in their magic-rich bodies. The ones that do tend to be adapted specifically to high concentrations of magic, and as such
Civilization and Culture
Culture and Cultural Heritage
Elves have a very diverse cultural background, owing to their previous lack of cohesive society. However, there is one thing that all elves seem to share despite this lack of shared culture: a tendency towards patience and some amount of pacifism. Elves do not like to take lives unnecessarily, and, depending on their age, their threshold for what counts as "unnecessary" can be considerably lower than other species. Elves tend to have a strong belief that anyone can change and do better if given enough time, hence their reluctance to end lives on a whim.
History
Despite having been around for arguably longer than many other sapient species, elves have only somewhat recently begun to develop their own societies, often borrowing elements from local societies. While certainly sociable, they historically haven't felt much of a need to form their own social groups, often preferring to join existing groups instead.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
In general, other species find elves strange and sometimes even confusing or contradictory. Many species, save for dragons, bear a certain amount of fear and awe towards them due to their nature as, well, physical embodiments of nature. Elves, in turn, have a wide variety of opinions of the other species, though most tend to be generally curious and friendly.
Genetic Ancestor(s)
Genetic Descendants
Origin/Ancestry
Dark, Light, Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Lightning, Ice
Lifespan
100-500+ years
Average Height
4 ft 7 in- 6 ft 3 in (1.4-1.9m)
Related Organizations
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