Elf
Generalizations of the elves found on Yandelar
Origins
The elves have splintered from one main branch of what is now referred to as Relic Elf. Many eons ago, the elves consisted of one main race and referred to themselves as simply 'elf'. The split of the sun elves and mech elves came long before the Dissention War that essentially crafted the other varying races of elves. As such, the current Gods of the Elven Pantheon used to be mortal leaders of the Elven people. They led the split of the races and then set on achieving new heights of power, destroying the old Gods in their Milennia War that carved the path for the sand, snow, veil, moon, and wild elf races that exist now. Because of this, the Mech Elves are technically the only surviving members of the Relic Elves.
Before this dissention and the split of the Relic Elves, through eons of magic manipulation, the elven people evolved and mutated off of a base humanoid that the other varying races of Vyril have stemmed from. But because this was so very long ago, no one remembers or knows of this shared ancestry.
Mating Habits
These vary by culture.
Mech elves are much like commoners in human society in that a man will ask his intended's parents for permission, should he wish to be polite, but ultimately it is up to the involved members to decide for themselves. The upper class tend to be more choosey based on power and wealth, but that is not a guiding rule, just a 'bonus'. The majority of marriages contain loving couples.
Commonly, moon elves will choose mates based on mutual desire and bind themselves to their significant other for the rest of their lives. There is no divorce and no remarrying after. Family sizes range from 1 - 8, with the larger families belonging to those that can afford them.
Sand elves typically reproduce with whomever and have no official binding or mating ceremonies. The only true bonds they see are based on sibling relationships, which often develop into lovers. Children are raised by the collective village, choosing whether they will go into work, become warriors, or join the temples. Only those who have another sibling may join the service of Fendal and Fairalus, so it is considered sacred and important.
Snow elves form elaborate families and marriages arranged by the females. A mother will choose for her children, and will make deals or trades with others to secure marriage.
Sun elves mate with who they would like, based on mutual attraction and decide jointly if they will have children. The children are taken care of by the parents until they are able to walk and talk, after which they are pushed into a school where the parents will have loose connections with them and the children will be gifted their demon or devil.
Veil elves are born sterile, and must earn the right to reproduce through merit. They then go through a ceremony involving a Priestess of Secrets and a Masked Priest, who watch over the mating and in turn ensure reproduction.
Wild elves have no habits save when one is bound to another through an oath. As their name, they are wild and do not believe in rape. However, if one is bound to another through word, they are unharmed and left unmolested. Any other bond, laws, or codes of conduct they do not recognize. Children are handled however their parents wish.
Diet
Elves are primarily omnivores and eat a wide variety of foods native to their locale.
Mech elves however, have a very selected diet. Nothing much grows around their cities and the ocean they live in, Aquain, has become so polluted from the run off that there is no more natural life that flourishes. Instead, they grow fuse Kelpie which supplies their dietary need for meat, while mollusks known as azoth shells supply their need for other essential minerals the kelpie meat does not provide. Sweets and spices are imported and are considered delicacies.
Sun elves are, primarily, meat eaters. Those elves that do not pass the test and become utterly possessed by their demon or devil at a young age are stripped of the evil outsider, losing their soul in the process, leaving behind an emotionless vessel easily directed by the other sun elves. These essentially castrated sun elves become listless shepherds and farmers in the underground caves of their cities.
Wild elves have the toughest constitution when it comes to eating just about anything organic. There are very few fishing villages and farmers that supply small settlements with food. Otherwise, their food is looted from the nearby human kingdoms.
Snow elves primarily eat goat and a type of peacock that is native to the cold climates they live in. Gryphon meat is rare and ate only by the lower rung of society when one of the animals dies or must be put down due to injuries. Nobles will refuse the tough meat. In addition to, they also grow potatoes.
Moon elves have the ability to eat a wide variety of things, but they survive mainly on their own form of mineral tea and an array of fruits. Moon elves can eat meat, but most will refuse to as that is their diet of choice once they are dead and it's seen as something only those that have passed on do.
Sand elves live on a variety of bugs and snakes that they consume and farm in their canyon homes. Some of their meat is known to make outsiders rather ill, though it's rarely fatal. Their main staple is snake.
Though the majority of the veil elf populace live in caverns, those that do not become accepted into Forms will often move out of the caves to become farmers in near by valleys. As such, the veil elves have a varied diet.
Philosophies
Sun elves are supremely arrogant, believing themselves to be gods. They believe in survival of the strongest in that, as children, they are grafted with a demon or devil that takes permanent residence in their mind. Those that fail to learn control are stripped of their beast and their soul, becoming mindless farmers. The most respected among them are archfiends, or people who harbor both a demon and a devil. They regard humans and all other elves as only tools or toys for their own amusement.
Mech elves have no gods, worshiping only science and logic. They are rather isolationist while they welcome visitors, it is difficult to receive permission to leave their oceanic cities, as they do not wish their technology to be stolen. In addition, they have no desire to share their knowledge, even for a profit. They have no regard for the natural world, going so far as to pollute an entire ocean with their cities and machines. They constantly strive for innovation.
Moon elves are strict isolationists, and will allow no one not of their race within their borders. In fact, they are very violent in insisting that people stay away. They care and think very little for other races. Very few of them leave their homeland, though some are occasionally banished for heresies. They are an extremely religious people, and take such transgressions very seriously. Those who are banished are branded with four, one-inch long lines apiece on their right cheek and above their left eye, to represent the gods. Moon elves are dedicated to the use of the bow as a weapon, (as it is the favored weapon of their chief god), and are skilled archers.
Wild elves live their lives according to the promises they make, and are very sensitive to them, as their gods take an active role in smiting those who break a promise, or go back once they have given their word and they cannot get around those rules by disbelieving in the gods. In that sense, they can be oath bound to someone, (or even forced into it), and the only way to break that bond is through the death of the person they are bound to. Wild elves never lie to one another, as it can be seen as a breaking of an oath, and they have no wish to incur the wrath of their deities. However, they mistrust and will lie to members of any other race but still will not break an oath to them, as they will still be smited. Of all the elves, wild elves are the most chaotic in their thoughts and actions. They have no form of government, and very few established cities. They live off of raping and pillaging, and many become pirates. The only titles they can gain are Captain (for pirates), and Commander (for war parties ). They do not care overly much about anyone s heritage, and are the most likely to spawn mix-bloods.
Snow elves are arrogant, serious-minded elitists with little regard for other races. They often study as elementalists. They have an established monarchy consisting of an Emperor and Empress, as well as a full court coupled with all of the politics associated with such. They are very sensitive to the differences between classes among their society.
Veil elves believe that all things of importance sex, intrigue, murders, betrayals should be done in secrecy and in silence. Those who fail to live by these rules and make the mistake of exposing their involvement in affairs lose their place in society. Veil elves are born sterile, and have to earn the right to have children with their achievements, and their union must be blessed by clergy in order for them to spawn a child. With more achievements, they are allowed to have more children, and those at the top of society have large families. Those who are not selected by one of the Forms after their graduation become the culture s farmers, and can be granted permission to have a child if they earn a certain amount of money from their labors.
There are three classes in sand elf society: the clergy, warriors, and non-combatants. No one who is a warrior will ever fight someone who is not. No one hurts or touches the clergy, as they are seen as divinely touched. Sand elves believe that siblings are holy, and incest is prominent among their culture because of it. They care very little for races other than their own. Their religion is heavy on rituals and death rites.
Hierarchy
Moon elves are ruled by a small council around a High Priest/ess and a Bow Lord/Lady. The best of the best that are proven every two years.
Sand elves have two factions to their society. The day to day management of the cities are overseen by the leaders of the Temple, while those that chose to fight follow War Band leaders. Neither interact with one another save that when a War Band takes a city, they 'claim it' until it is lost in some other war. Their fights are purely between warriors, with non combatants strictly separate and always unharmed.
Snow elves are ruled by an Emperor and an Empress, surrounded by a court appointed by them that serve as advisers. Either become Elemental Savants or Knight Protectors.
Sun elves are ruled by a single Czar who has absolute power, and their consorts whom they chose for whatever reason. Beneath them are advisers. Public hot springs for bathing.
Veil elves are ruled by guild like factions called Forms, and those are controlled by an Animus and an Anima who work together and often have a family.
Wild elves are ruled by strength and mob like groups that are often oath bound to a Commander or Captain.
Mech elves have created Inevitables in order to combat the humans trying to claim the resource-rich mountains around their ocean. Their blood Is almost black and when exposed to air, turns almost clear/gray. They are built a little different internally, almost like 'aliens' in that their organs are in different places and not quite shaped the same.If they are cut, the blood wells black but then fades to a gray.
Lifespan
Most variant of elves live to be 1,000 - 1,500 years old. The exception to the rule are Mech Elves, who alter themselves with machines and wires to live around 3,000 years and the sun elves who have tamed demons and devils to extend their lives to 4,000.
Average Physique
They vary greatly in coloration and appearance based on their racial variant, but there are some things that stem from their common ancestry of Relic elf.
They range from 5' to 6' and are of a slender build. Their ears are usually pointed, though in varying degrees of severity and length, with almond shaped eyes and narrow facial features.
- Mech elves, also referred to as aquatic elves, are generally of fair complexion and darker colored hair. They've no special looks or height. What separates them is their godless society based on science. As such, many of them have physically enhanced themselves in some way with metal replacements and wired neural systems.
- Moon elves take their names from their creamy white complexion, much like that of moon light, and their dark hair and eyes. They are easily the most monochromatic of their race and often resemble corpses. They tend to be shorter than most, very lithe almost unnaturally so, but with a wiry strength that makes them some of the best archers on Vyril.
- Sand elves take their coloration from the way they tan after long exposure to the sun, with a deep brown skin and bleached blonde hair. Their eyes range widely in the color spectrum but those with orange, green, or red eyes are considered blessed by either Fendal or Fairalus. They are of average height in the elven realm and of a normal build, typically marking themselves ritualistically with tattoos if they are warriors.
- Snow elves, named both for where they choose to live and their coloration, are as pale as moon elves. But where their cousins appear lifeless, the snow elves have a faint blue tinge that would lead one to believe they are always cold. Their hair ranges from blue, to white, to gray, with some very rare sporting purple though this leads to suspicion of mixed heritage. Their eyes always match their hair. They are also taller than most, averaging around 6'.
- Sun elves derive their name from their coloration, though they are also referred to as golden elves. They can range anywhere from a metallic golden to a burnt copper, with black hair and metallic colored eyes. Rarely, they will have some red show in their eyes or hair. They, like the snow elves, are taller than most and retain their youthful appearance up until they die, at which point they rapidly rot.
- Veil elves range in color from gray to purple, with some rare pure black skin. Their hair and eyes can range more so into darker blues as well, but it's not considered 'pure'. Those with completely black eyes are considered blessed by the Masked Lord.
- Wild elves are, perhaps, the most un-uniformed in both color and appearance. They vary wildly in clothing and coloration, anywhere from muted grays and browns to stark reds and burnt oranges. They're referred to as 'impure' by most and comprise the widest array of mixed bloods and rogues. There is no standard appearance for them save that they look like no other elvan variant.
Related Myths
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