Elves (Alfar/Allfier/L-5er)

"There are few things as perfect as an elf, particularly a Wood Elf. We gain strength from nature, our lives are long and filled with knowledge and wisdom, and we are the most beautiful of all races. Hmmm. Oh yes, and we're modest too. Ah, it is hard to be living perfection, but this is a burden that we elves must bear. Only elves, and particularly Wood Elves, live long enough and are kind and wise enough to make effective rulers. That other races do not think so merely points out how imperfect they are, and prone to jealousy over us."
---Tageron Dain, elven philosopher

During the First Age Of Man, the elder race known as humans discovered the secrets of shaping life. In their exploration of other worlds, they discovered many health problems came to affect them as they flitted about in the space between worlds.

And so was born the first of the sons of Man. Able to exist without those health ailments, shaped of the flesh of man and similar to man, but improved in odd ways. They were first known as L-5ers due to their main habitat, and the name stuck through common usage long after its truthfulness had faded. Later the name was corrupted, and they became the Allfiers.

Allfiers had developed oddly useful gifts known as Talents, gifts for music and for dance, and the ability to handle weightlessness and high acceleration. Physical beauty was always a consideration, for these were the first children of those ancient humans, and so these children were slender and tall and fit. Due to their heritage, they were also always apart - at the edges of their society and loathe to circulate amongst normal humans. They felt more comfortable "among their own kind" and saw themselves as a breed apart - not the children of humans but as a better seperate race.

Allfiers became the Alfar much later, first as the name of their race was altered in the language known as Galacc. At the Time Of Chaos - it was an Alfar research team that broke the secrets of dimensional tunnelling and allowed the Second Diaspora. It was another Alfar team that tried to go beyond that and caused the Time Of Chaos itself.

With the new force, magic, unleashed - the Alfar altered, breaking apart into five distinct groups by the time of the Age Of Sorcerer Kings..

The Wood Elves were those who felt most comfortable with forests and greenery, and turned their lives into an extension of the Green. Wood Elves are sustained in part by the lifeforce of trees and woodlands, of the growing things everywhere. As they are part of the Green, they can also channel and influence it to some extent. Singing to trees to shape them into homes or to enchant them, for example. Wood Elves are the most common of the elven breeds, and consider themselves superior to the other breeds. Wood Elves live about 600 years, without apparent aging until the final weeks so long as they surrounded by the forest. Many choose to become part of the forest at their death, their spirits merging with a living tree. This is why Elven Forests are reputed to be haunted and sacred to the elves. They get along well (though condescendingly) with halflings, caivehi, and kirrfolk. They do not get along with dwarves, there being much bad blood between the two species though individuals are considered almost acceptable company. If the Wood Elves hate any single race, it is the Fire Elves who have that distinction. Seven Wood Elven communities (Amberlake, Brightleaf, Cinnimar, Fiddler's Green, Nightbow, Oaktall, and Yarrow) are found within the Shadarian Empire.

Sea Elves are those who took to the oceans and waterways. Some Sea Elves are actually river or lake elves, though these are often looked at askance by their ocean cousins as being "provincial". Sea Elves can breathe air for periods of an hour without problem, though they tire and are easily dehydrated away from a water source. Sea Elves possess a gift of transformation, able to turn at will into a dolphin. Those whose homes are rivers or lakes instead take an otter-like form. In addition to this transformation ability, Sea Elves are often the best mediators among the elves - being a reservoir of calm when they deem such is needed - or raging into a fierce storm when that seems the best course. Mainly, however, they are calm. Sea Elves live for 300 years. They get along well with ottari and merfolk, and with most of the other races as well even though their time spent above the waves is usually quite brief. Sea Elves (aka seafolk) are among the most accomplished traders within the Shadarian Empire. Sea Elves typically value their dignity more than the other breeds of elves, and are among some of the most accomplished mages among the elves. Sea Elf communities within Shadar are Pearldepths (sea, near surface), Tritonis (sea, deep), and Woodshole (lake, near surface).

Sky Elves (Aelfar) are distinctive. Where Sea Elves typically look like green or blue-tinted Wood Elves, Sky Elves are slender and shorter than either group. They also have wings, which usually are a similar coloration to their hair. Sky elves tend to be gold or coppery colored, though darker hues are also possible. They are capable of flight in a similar manner to the Sea Elves' ability to transform, an innate levitation ability that allows them to disregard their weight to some extent. Sky Elves regard themselves as the pinnacle of elvendom, which does not sit well with the Wood Elves, but the Sky Elves are generally more laid back about the whole thing. Sky Elves have the shortest lifespan of any elves, 150 years is the average. They tend to be aloof in their later years, but those who have formed friendships during their years of wandering usually retain those friendships for a lifetime. Sky Elves are among the most powerful mages of Air Elementism, and are some of the most impressive lancers. They rarely mate outside their own species. Sky Elven communities within the Shadarian Empire are found on Cross Island (Aeyrie and Thistledown) and the winged folk often serve a term or two within the courier or merchant corps of the Empire to see the world and get a little money ahead of the game.

Dark Elves (dokkalfar) or Fire Elves are distinctive, and should not be confused with the drow or dark elves of other planes, though a few bear white hair and dark (not black) skin. Shorter even than Sky elves, the dokkalfar rarely surpass 6 feet in height and average just under 5 feet in height. Their skin lacks the paleness of Wood Elves, the slight shimmer and blue or green tint of Sea Elves, the wings or golden coloration common to Sky Elves. Dark Elven skin runs from a coppery red to a dark mahogany, and almost every shade in between. So does hair and eye color, making them among the most colorful group. They prefer darkened areas, bright lights such as the eternal noon over much of Aramar has been known to give even the most stalwart a throbbing headache. They also enjoy hot areas and seem to have a racial problem dealing with cold. Fire Elves have an extremely high body temperature when compared to other elves or a human, and can fare well in eating contests with halflings. They get along well with almost everyone, except other elves. Under Shadarian rule, dokkalfar numbers have steadily risen and their lifestyle has also continued to improve. Since Emperor Shades first took in the Fire Elves, they have become some of the staunchest supporters of the Empire and can be found in many aspects of the government and society. With a lifespan of 250 years, many have risen to great ranking within their chosen craft. Dokkalfar are fascinated with humans, in part due to the benelovent rule of their beloved Emperor Shades, and will often pay steeply for items of the First Age or that were owned by humans. Dark Elves tend to mix with other non-elven races socially, but two major communities are found at Firehome (volcanic rift) and Shadar Hi.

ArDrow are different and seperate from the other groups in that these are naturalized, non-native. These correspond very closely to the drow of other planes except for a few minor differences, mainly their eyes - which run the color of every gemstone and are as clear and bright as any burrower-polished gem. They are tall, averaging 6 feet in height, uniformly dark skin and white hair. Ardrow are refugees, an initial group of 50 brought here by the mage Greylle some five hundred years ago, fleeing religious intolerance and a wrathful goddess known as Lolth. This was supplemented some 100 years later by the city of Refuge. Their numbers are few, though they have produced several outstanding individuals who continue to shape Shadarian society such as Lijra and (to the betterment of many and the lamentations of quite a few) Sjul. There is a single Ardrow community on the main island of Shadar (Refuge) and a number of individuals found scattered throughout the Empire.
Refuge is the new name of a city once belonging to the drow of Toril. During one of their frequent inter-clan feuds, an entire city of the drow found themselves facing the combined might of no less than three other cities. Finding their spider-goddess had turned from them, the clerics of that city called out for a miracle. A miracle was offered them by a passing deity. If they wanted to survive, all they had to do was pass into the light. Of a city of 10,000 - 4,250 decided to sincerely take this offer of escape. They were burned free of their hatreds and fears and came to rest in Shadar. There were some conflicts, but over the intervening centuries they have shown little to no regret for turning from drow to ArDrow.

Elf Racial Limits