Description

Elves have pointed ears and lack facial and body hair. They live for around 750 years, and they don’t sleep but instead enter a trance when they need to rest. In that state, they remain aware of their surroundings while immersing themselves in memories and meditations.

An environment subtly transforms elves after they inhabit it for a millennium or more, and it grants them certain kinds of magic. Drow, high elves and wood elves are examples of elves who have been transformed thus.

Elven-subspecies

Drow

Drow, in some cases also known as Dark Elves, typically dwell in the Underdark and have been shaped by it. Some drow individuals and societies avoid the Underdark altogether yet carry its magic. The Drow are descended from those Elves that never renounced their loyalty to Lolth. They traveled to the Underdark where they created a life for themselves, separate from the rest of Elf society. Their time in the Underdark changed their appearance, just like the time above ground changed the other elves. In time, Drow society on Kildar changed. With that change came Drow that preferred to live above ground and reintegrate themselves into Elven society. These Drow, calling themselves Dark Elves to differentiate themselves from their Lolth-worshipping cousins, have renounced Lolth and embraced Corellon once again, becoming welcome members of Elf society in the process.

High Elves

High elves have been infused with the magic of crossings between the Feywild and the Material Plane. On Kildar, High Elves are city dwelling elves who embrace a culture of high society, embracing the finer things in life.

Wood Elves

Wood elves carry the magic of primeval forests within themselves. They are known by many other names, including wild elves, green elves, and forest elves. These Wood Elves enjoy simple lives in or near the forests of Kildar. They embrace their connection to nature as part of their identity.

History

The Elves arrived on Kildar from the Feywild in ages past. When they did, they began building settlements. These settlements were unknowingly built in the territories of the nomadic hunter gatherer Orcs. This led to the displacement of the orc peoples, and eventually armed conflict when the Orcs assaulted the Elves. It is said that in those days, Corellon and Gruumsh dueled on Kildar itself, and it was Corellon who came out on top. In their victory, the Elves annexed most of the Orc territories, leaving them to live on a small strip of land that would thereafter become known as the Orclands.

The Elves quickly became a dominant force on Kildar. They built good trade relations with the Dwarves, Dragonborn and Goliaths who already lived on the continent. The High Elves are descendants from the Elves that built the cities on Kildar. These were beautiful walled cities with high spires and large arches, unlike anything the inhabitants of Kildar had seen up until that point. The Wood Elves are descendants from the Elves that settled near forests and tended the land. Farmers and hunters who preferred a simpler, more quiet life. Then there are the Drow, most of whom are descendants of Elves who traveled to the Underdark when they arrived on Kildar, in order to worship their god Lolth away from the followers of Corellon. In more recent ages, some Drow have come back to the surface to rejoin the Elven culture. These Drow also sometimes call themselves Dark Elves in an attempt to renounce their connection to Lolth and embrace Corellon instead.

The Elves lived in peace until the Humans came from the isle of Medvedov to invade and conquer Kildar. In this bloody conflict, the Elves lost and their nation absorbed into the kingdom of Kildar. Over generations, the Elves were allowed to self-govern with an appointed royal governor and eventually even married into the royal line.

Culture

The Elves are a people who like to take their time and enjoy the smaller things in life. They place high cultural emphasis on the arts, magical and non-magical. Elves also seek perfection, specifically in their chosen trade or craft. They strive to be the best in their specific field or niche. The martial arts are one of those crafts celebrated, just like the musical arts or philosophy. The Elves don’t particularly place high value in strength of body, but more on strength of mind. When they have to engage in combat, they do so methodically, dexterously and intelligently.

The Elves are philosophers who can debate for decades about topics that in some cases never reach a conclusion. They also enjoy the finer things of life, enjoying delicate wines and masterfully cooked dishes. In some cases, this leads to a life of excess. Lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy and pride are all present to a certain extent in Elven culture and most elves eventually suffer a flaw related to one of these sins. Because of this, there is a certain subculture of Elves that particularly appreciate meditation and self-control. Members of these subcultures can typically be found living in monasteries or embracing faith as clerics.

Language

The language is Elvish, the word already has an elegant vibration to it, at least that is what the Elves think. Their language, their tongue, - which is also known as Lyric - is preserved for only those who are worthy of it. Only those who match the opulence, class and finesse this tongue holds… Elves! The world they live in, do not comprehend nor match the words they speak. The elves saved it for music and poetry that is shared amongst their culture. Some taverns provide an Elf Only entrance, like ‘The Tipsy Treant’ and ‘The Drunken Dryad’. Here they can practice painting, poetry, spoken words and music to keep their culture alive. They like to celebrate their culture and language, but when another race speaks their tongue it just doesn’t feel right.

Common Names