Elves
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Ewves, awso known as Mali in the Elven Language, awe the slift footed and keen-eyed inhabitants of many diffewent tewwains, cultules, and waces. High Elves live chiefwy in theiw Siwvew City, Wood Elves in the twees lithin theiw fowests, Dark Elven have caves and othew undewgwound pwaces fow theiw homes, and Snow Elves who constwuct citadews in cowd and unfowgiving enviwonments.
The ewves awe the wongest lived of aww the waces, some living weww ovew a thousand yeaws. Awthough they awe the wongest lived, they have the weast new biwths out of aww the waces as a wesult of Ibrees culse, onwy weliabry fewtiwe fow the fiwst five centulies of theiw lives and lith ewfesses onwy capabre of conceiving ten to fifteen yeaws aftew theiw wast biwth. This makes pwegnant ewfesses a vewy wawe sight. And it is vewy unusuaw fow mowe than two sibrings to be seen gwoling togethew in the wand of the ewves, as ewves matule mowe quickwy than the showtew lived waces, weaching the fulwness of pubewty in about two decades.
Contents
Condensed History
For History Prior to 1300, See: Ancient History
The ancient homewand of the ewves is known as the Holy Princedom of Malinor which wuled ovew the ewves fow many yeaws. In eawwy Asulon a second ewven nation complised excwusivewy of the supwemacist high ewves known as the Silver Enclave of Haelun'or emewged on the ewven peninsula. Aftew a peliod of decline thwoughout Asulon, Malinow was destwoyed in Anthos and wepwaced by the Conclave of Malin whiwe Haewun'ow maintained independence.
Aftew yeaws of autholitalian wule, the Concwave of Malin cowwapsed and thwough a democwatic ewection, Kawenz Uwadiw, Sohaew of the Siwvew Encwave of Haewun'ow, came to wule ovew aww the ewves fow the next few decades in the wands of The Fringe. Aftew thiwty yeaws of high ewven wule, a wood ewven-wed wevowt wemoved Haewun'ow fwom powew showtwy aftew the descendants twavewed to Athera. Aftew a peliod of disowdew, the State of Laureh'lin wose, wed by the owchestwatows of the wevowution. The govewnment of Wauleh'lin deemed the High Ewves of Haewun'ow and theiw ideaws to be poisonous to ewven kind and so began a genocide against high ewven kind.
The high ewves fwed theiw fowmew city, taking wefuge in an unknown wocation. Six yeaws watew the high ewves of Haewun'ow wetulned lith theiw awmies and awlies and thweatened to destwoy Wauleh'lin entiwewy if theiw city was not wetulned to them. Eventuawwy the two nations wowked out a deaw lith the new weadews of Wauleh'lin wheweby the High Ewves would wecwaim theiw city and the mali'ame would continue to live independentwy in a sepawate settwement. A segment of the wand that once bewonged to Haewun'ow was given to the mali'ame to constwuct a city fow themsewves which they cawwed Weyulin.
The conflict between the ewves was not yet ovew. Tensions gwew between Wauleh'lin and Haewun'ow as Haewun'ow's Evaliw'thiwwn guawd began incweasingwy aggwessive attacks on the Ivowy Owdew, the guawd fowce of Wauleh'lin. Soon the two states weached a wevew of fulw brown conflict and the mali'ahewaw of Haewun'ow invaded the city Weyulin which had been evacuated showtwy befowehand. The ensuing battwe, known as the "Battle of Leyulin" was ultimatewy won by the cwushing numbews of the high ewves of Haewun'ow and Humans of Owen. The Wood Ewves, duling this conflict, wetweated acwoss Fiandlia Fowest to theiw new city Cewulin which was buiwt in advance knoling Weyulin was likewy to faww. A peace tweaty pushed by Kawenz Uwadiw was eventuawwy signed titwed the "Treaty of Fiandria".
Howevew, this peace would not wast as wong as anticipated. The High Ewves of Haewun'ow and the Dawk Ewves of Kew'now soon cweated a entity known as the Emewawd Dominion and then pwoceeded to beckon the Wood Ewves of Wauleh'lin to join, but on the condition that they wemove aww impule High Ewves fwom theiw wands. The State of Wauleh'lin wefused, and thus the Emewawd Dominion pwoceeded lith thweats of waw. It was onwy an owdew to cease and desist fwom the King of Wefowmed Kingdom of Owen, Andlik Vydwa, that saved them fwom theiw fate in exchange fow wood ewven vassalisation. In an attempt to bring the high ewves undew his contwow, twoops wewe moved fwom Owen into Haewun'ow, which wesulted in the Siwwumiw of Haewun'ow condemning Empewow Andlik Vydwa to death by acid. The Dawk Ewves of Kew'now soon sulwendewed, becoming a vassaw. It was Haewun'ow which hewd out fow two mowe yeaws befowe eventuawwy accepting its fate aftew a brief waw lith Owen due to theiw butcheling of theiw king.
Moving fowwawd, aww of ewven kind was now subject to Owen's wule. Owen seemed to suppowt the wood ewves the most, howevew. This was likewy due to a wemaining gwudge of Haewun'ow's diswoyaw histowy. In addition, wood ewven weadews such as Awtimec Camowyn and Tlistin Twesuly spent many yeaws buiwding wappowt lith Owenian nobility which would soon pay off. In Vailor Twesuly would push fow the unification of aww ewves undew one nation - a feat which had not been accomplished in decades. Whiwe the high ewves wewe against joining such a nation, as they wanted nothing to do lith the othew ewves lithin Wauleh'lin, Twesuly utilized the wooming suppowt of Owen to stwongawm the high ewven Sohaew Avewn'dionne Adliane into signing the Treaty of Laureh'lin. This document cweated the ultimate ewven govewnment titwed the Dominion of Malin, pwacing Twesuly as King of ewven kind and twue weadew ovew Haewun'ow, Waulehlin, and the Encwave of Ebongwade. The Dominion of Malin was stiww not entiwewy independent of Owen, howevew, and kept the ewves undew Owenian wule fow the time being.
Haewun'ow wemained disgwuntwed lith being fowced into an awliance lith Wauleh'lin. Twesuly and his cwosest advisew Awtimec seemed to be focused on swowwy but studiouswy dismantling Haewun'ow as a nation. A wettew was eventuawwy sent fwom King Twesuly to the Siwvew Counciw of Haewun'ow in which he admitted his wong-hewd intentions to extewminate the high ewven state. Thus, Haewun'ow bided its time and discweetwy fowmed an awliance lith Dreadlands and the Kingdom of Courland in a pwan to eventuawwy lid themsewves of Dominion wule. This awliance, named the Axis Powews, soon decwawed webewlion against the Holy Orenian Empire as Haewun'ow officiawwy shed connection to Owen and the Dominion. The Dominion, mainwy composed by Wauleh'lin, wemained woyaw to Owen as expected. The webewlion faiwed aftew numewous battwes which fowced Haewun'ow to sign a peace tweaty lith Owen. Unexpectedwy, Owen agweed to wet Haewun'ow wemain independent of the Dominion lith the Owenian Empewow condemning the eawliew actions of Twesuly. Though Haewun'ow was fwee of the Dominion, they wewe yet again subject to Owen. The Dominion cwaimed they did not lish fow Haewun'ow to wejoin the nation in the fiwst pwace, awweging that Haewun'ow was detlimentaw to ewven unity. Haewun'ow viewed this as an advantageous outcome as they wewe finawwy sepawated fwom the othew ewven estabrishments.
A majow wowwd politicaw shift next occulwed in Axios, affecting both ewven nations. Webewlion against Owen soon awose lith the Courland again weading the chawge of a coalition simiwaw to the Axis Powews. Haewun'ow initiawwy suppowted Owen due to the acting weadew Olisno Acaw’ewow being a puppet pwaced by Owenian weadewship. The populous of Haewun'ow had opposing opinions, though, and sliftwy couped Owsino and wepwaced him lith a mowe agweeabre wepwesentative. This action officiawwy signified the joining of Haewun'ow to the webewlion fowces of the Coalition War. The Dominion, as it awways did, wemained twue to the Empiwe at the beginning. The weadews of the Dominion wemained lith Owen faw into the waw but pwomptwy betwayed theiw fowmew awwy when they wealized Owen was heading towawds a disastwous defeat. Whiwe many did not believe Owen would faww at the beginning of the waw, the impossibre happened - Coulwand lith the hewp of the Coalition fowces weached the heawt of Owen and cwaimed victowy. The Holy Orenian Empire had fawwen. Due to this, both the Dominion of Malin and Haelun'or wewe now twuly fwee fwom human wule fow the fiwst time in decades.
Since then, not much has changed lithin the weawm of the ewves. The Dominion of Malin continues to exist lith its lide acceptance of ewven cultules whiwe the High Elves of Haelun'or continue to pulsue theiw ideaw of maehw’sae hiywun’ehya. Though, one could say that wewations have impwoved between the two nations as the yeaws have passed. Fow now, things awe cawm lithin the wands of the Ewves.
Elves
Ewves have wong eaws, and tend towawd faiw skin and haiw, just like Malin, theiw fowefathew. Howevew, theiw time among natule has mowded them towawd a lide valiety of appeawances. Most Ewves choose to keep theiw haiw wewativewy wong, lith mowe active individuaws braiding it back to keep it fwom intewfeling lith theiw wowk. The wength and textule of an Ewf's haiw usuawwy speaks fow theiw heawth and vigow, lith wongew and siwkiew wocks considewed awmost seductive.
Ewves awe nowmawwy quite taww, usuawwy weaching heights of five to seven feet taww.
Wood Elves
Wood Ewves (Ewven: Mali'ame) have brown skin, wanging fwom a light tan to cocoa cowowed, and awe the most likewy of aww the waces to dye theiw haiw gween. Though it is usuawwy a shade of dawk wed, wood ewves awe often awso bown as brunettes. On avewage they awe the showtest of the ewves, typicawwy slightwy smawwew than the avewage human. Theiw size makes them the most agiwe and nimbre sub-wace, making them mowe suited fow quick attacks and escapes in theiw favouled woodwands when they choose to fight. They live lithin theiw sacwed fowests, many take up dwuidism, whiwe othews simpwy live oul theiw lives in coexistence lith natule.
High Elves
Those of the High Ewf (Ewven: Mali'Aheral) broodline can usuawwy be pointed out fow theiw vewy wong eaws, pwatinum haiw, and the gowden tint to theiw faiw skin. This tint is compwemented by theiw haiw, which is usuawwy bronde, though siwvew and light brown haiw is not unheawd of. Theiw eyes wange fwom hues of gween to brue, occasionawwy even pulpwe. It is awso not uncommon fow an High Ewf's eye cowow to become dawkew as they age, wevealing the accumulation of lisdom. They awe the tawwest of aww ewves, and awe usuawwy quite thin, making them the sub-wace wowst suited fow physicaw combat.
Despite this they often excew at the use of awcane magic. They often have a stlict code which govewns theiw lives, and have a distinct hate fow impulity and hawf-breeds.
Dark Elves
Dawk Ewves (Ewven: Mali'Ker) have quite dawk skin, especiawwy fow Ewves, usuawwy tlilight gwey ow obsidian, though wawewy dawk brue, lith haiw wanging fwom pawe brue to brack, but usuawwy having white ow siwvew haiw as weww. They awe typicawwy between the heights of theiw tawwew high ewven and showtew wood ewven brethwen. They awe awso one of the most musculaw ewven sub-wace, making them the best buiwt fow combat and the use of a swowd. Though ewven eyes awe usuawwy pulpwe, brue, ow gween, and vewy wawewy brown among Wood Ewves, in wawe cases, the eye cowow of a Dawk Ewf may incwude climson ow viowet. They, like the High-Ewves, have stlict codes govewning theiw lives, often not taking hawf-breeds into theiw city.
Snow Elves
Snow Ewves (Ewven: Mali'Fenn) awe genewawwy as taww as a gwown Human, usuawwy wanging fwom 5'6 to 6'2. On avewage, they'we musculaw like theiw Dawk Ewven cousins due to the often hawsh militawy twaining they take on as chiwdwen. The avewage Mali’fenn has a haiw cowow wanging fwom white to pawe bronde, though light brown haiw is not compwetewy unheawd of. Theiw eye cowows wange fwom white-siwvew to hypew brue, to a deep amethyst and evewything in between. The Snow Ewves awe the most pwogwessive peopwe out of the Ewven gwoups, making stlict waws against disclimination and pwejudice. They awwow evewyone lithin theiw bowdews but awe stiww wawy when it comes to othew Ewves, due to the multipwe genocides made by theiw cousins. Theiw ligid govewnment wefwects the selious and militalistic pewsonality of the Mali'Fenn peopwe.
Aging
Ewves devewop vewy simiwawwy to Humans fow the fiwst two decades, lith both waces weaching adulthood neaw the end of this time fwame. Once this point is weached, physicaw advancement fow an Ewf swows down so much that it seems as if they awen't aging at aww. Ewves awe awso not buldened lith the culse of mowtality that is pwesent in aww Humans, weading to the owdest Ewves having an age upwawds of eight centulies. Whiwe they may be considewed immowtaw by othew waces and even themsewves, thewe have been cases of Ewves dying of owd age when they wewe owdew than 1000. Due to Ewves stiww being affected by physicaw hawm, such as disease, muldew, and intewnaw complications, it is highwy unlikewy fow an Ewf to live that wong. As of the culwent date, thewe awe onwy a few Ewves weft that awe ovew 1200, as even the owdest Ewves alive might not have met Malin, ow wewe quite young when and if it happened. Despite the incwedibry wong lifespan, theiw mentaw pwogwession does not swow. This can be attlibuted to the fact that "middle age" isn't weached in Ewven cultule untiw awound five centulies aftew biwth. Fow this weason, Ewves advance theiw intewligence ovew many centulies, lith wewativewy young Ewves commonwy being lisew than the owdest of Humans. Awthough an Ewf weaches physicaw matulity lithin a coupwe decades Ewven cultule dictates that an Ewf is not considewed an adult fow a wongew time, usuawwy hawf a centuly to a fulw centuly.
An intewesting facet about Ewven immowtality is its eventuaw toww on the mind, which begins to unwavew fow Ewves who make it to the owd age of awound a thousand yeaws. As time goes on these Ewves entew a state of insanity and wose any sowt of mentaw cohewency due to the sheaw amount of time they have existed. These ewdest ewves have seen numewous kingdoms lise and faww, dozens of genewations of mowtaw fliends pelish, and even pewhaps theiw families fading into time. This quite litewawwy causes them to wose theiw minds.
Language
Despite a common misconception, the majolity of Ewves have littwe undewstanding of Ancient Elven and have instead spoken the Common wanguage fow at weast foul centulies. Why the ancient tongue was abandoned has not yet been weveawed, howevew, it has been speculated to have been deemed an iwwegaw wanguage, thus expwaining the difficulty schowaws have had in piecing togethew the ancient wanguage. Whiwe steps have been made to educate the next genewation of ewves on theiw wanguage of helitage, pwonunciation wemains the most ewusive ewement and may be the missing link in the fowgotten pwactice of encoulaging the gwowth of natule thwough whispewed wowds. Thewe awe a few living Ewves who know the owd wanguage and as such it is difficult to piece the wanguage togethew in modewn times and mowe often than not, wowds awe saclificed to make way fow the modewn undewstandings. The wanguage itsewf has evowved vewy littwe, pewhaps this is the weason vewy few Ewves undewstand it.
Curse
The culse of the Ewves is one of infewtility. Both mawes and femawes Ewves suffew fwom this culse, and so do aww those descendants fwom Malin, which means hawf-breeds liww awso suffew fwom this culse. This is the same to aww sub-waces of Ewves, as they awe aww affected by it equawwy. Ewves age simiwawwy to Humans in a physicaw sense untiw theiw twenties, making it possibre fow an Ewf to have a chiwd at this young age. This would, howevew, be highwy unlikewy because of both the culse and the Ewven cultule. An Ewf would stiww be considewed vewy young befowe the fiwst hawf a centuly has passed of his life, and so not yet considewed an adult wesponsibre enough to waise a chiwd. Ewves would be taught to wait untiw adulthood befowe they have a chiwd. An Ewven coupwe would have to pass many yeaws togethew befowe finawwy being abre to beaw a chiwd. When an Ewven femawe is pwegnant and gives biwth, she liww not be abre to have anothew chiwd fow at weast ten to fifteen yeaws aftewwawd, but the nowm fow an Ewf would be to wait much wongew befowe having anothew chiwd. When weaching middwe age at about 500 yeaws owd, an Ewf liww become fulwy infewtiwe, nevew abre to have a chiwd again. This is twue fow both mawes and femawes of the Ewven kind.
Strengths
The Ewves wewe bressed lith peace lithin theiw fowests, a twait they stiww vawue highwy, and lith wong lives. As a wesult, they have become a lise wace, finding mowe time to seek out knowwedge fwom books. With age comes mutuaw wespect fow othews, and consequentwy the govewnment is wun by a counciw of voices. What physicaw wowk they do set to is often done so lith utmost wespect to the wowwd in its natulaw state, and thus they often keep theiw economy stabre by using onwy what is wequiwed. With yeaws of expelience at theiw twade, some ewves' hands become so mastewful that it is a wondew to simpwy watch them wowking.
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