Elf Guidelines
Jun 28, 2020 17:31:20 GMT -5
Post by Austin on Jun 28, 2020 17:31:20 GMT -5
ELF LORE
I. History and Origin
The Elves are a proud species. Their sense of pride is both their greatest asset and their greatest hubris. Their species speak Elvish almost exclusively, but most know a handful of human or mythical languages, and will convert to a foreign language if they are interacting with humans or other mythics. It is rare to see an Elf who can only communicate in Elvish as they would appear ignorant which would be unacceptable. Elves come from an unknown common ancestor as Fae. They share many of the same features from pointed ears to immortality, but towards the dawn of man when Elves and Fae were being hunted by the sword, they split into two faction. One took to the jungle, the other to the air above the sea. The disagreement between Fae and Elves stems back to their choice of what true arcana represents. The Fae were of the mindset that it is the sun that grows all things and the moon that pulls the tides, and as such solar and lunar magics were the way to go. Elves disagreed and argued that the four elements are responsible for all creation and thus should be the main focus of study. This feud has lasted up until modern day - each side believing the other is the inferior version of arcana user.
Since Elves focus on manipulating arcana in its purest forms, they tend to carry those ideals across many aspects of their civilization. Elves value knowledge above all else and as such they have become powerful arcana users, but at the cost of neglecting their physical forms. As such, Elves never adapted or evolved to have increased strength or durability as they never found it necessary. They view uses of brute strength as a lesser form of barbarism, which makes them look down on most other mythical species.
The Elves all live in one massive city floating on a massive chunk of earth in the sky called Avandor in Elvish, which roughly translates to The City of Heaven. They utilize a unique ability to protect their city known as the Veil which shrouds the outskirts of their city in a dense fog. Normally, this ability is only cast on small areas, but the Elves have a prized artifact known as the Templa Val which is a crown made of pure arcana inset with a crystallized element on each of its four sides. The crown is said to be a gift from their ancestors and is their most prized and guarded artifact. When worn it boosts the Elves power tenfold giving them a connection to all the arcana of the Elven species. This artifact is how the city was raised into the sky and how the Veil was created massive enough to shroud their entire civilization. It is said when one wears the crown they can hear the whispers of all the current and previous Elves and as such wearing it can easily drive one to instant insanity. It is only said to have been used by the most powerful Elves and only in dire times.
The city's exact location is unknown to those who are not Elves as it is unable to be charted due to the Veil, however the rough location is somewhere in the Bermuda Triangle. Humans know the dangers of this area of land and often times disappear or crash if they happen to get too close to the Veil, though they have thought of countless other reasons for this from aliens to water buoyancy.
Much like their Fae cousins, the Elves are ruled under a monarchy. However, where the Fae elect only queens, Elves elect only kings. Besides the Elven King, there is also the Archmaster of the Arcanos Librium or the Library of Arcana. This is where Elves learn their magics and study. It is the largest library in the mythical and mortal worlds save for the grand library in the Hall of Mythics.
Elves do not allow any outsiders in their city unless they are a member of The Grand Council and even then the visitation is strained. If an Elf brings an outsider into the city or exposes any of their secrets they will be branded a traitor and exiled. Elves that are exiled have the tips of their ears cut off to forever display them as the same as a human in the eyes of their peers. When Pinegrove Academy was first founded, the Elves turned down any invitation to attend. However, after getting word that Fae children were going to attend, the Elves came to the conclusion that they should have some of their kind attend if only to show everyone that they are the superior species.
The Elves are a proud species. Their sense of pride is both their greatest asset and their greatest hubris. Their species speak Elvish almost exclusively, but most know a handful of human or mythical languages, and will convert to a foreign language if they are interacting with humans or other mythics. It is rare to see an Elf who can only communicate in Elvish as they would appear ignorant which would be unacceptable. Elves come from an unknown common ancestor as Fae. They share many of the same features from pointed ears to immortality, but towards the dawn of man when Elves and Fae were being hunted by the sword, they split into two faction. One took to the jungle, the other to the air above the sea. The disagreement between Fae and Elves stems back to their choice of what true arcana represents. The Fae were of the mindset that it is the sun that grows all things and the moon that pulls the tides, and as such solar and lunar magics were the way to go. Elves disagreed and argued that the four elements are responsible for all creation and thus should be the main focus of study. This feud has lasted up until modern day - each side believing the other is the inferior version of arcana user.
Since Elves focus on manipulating arcana in its purest forms, they tend to carry those ideals across many aspects of their civilization. Elves value knowledge above all else and as such they have become powerful arcana users, but at the cost of neglecting their physical forms. As such, Elves never adapted or evolved to have increased strength or durability as they never found it necessary. They view uses of brute strength as a lesser form of barbarism, which makes them look down on most other mythical species.
The Elves all live in one massive city floating on a massive chunk of earth in the sky called Avandor in Elvish, which roughly translates to The City of Heaven. They utilize a unique ability to protect their city known as the Veil which shrouds the outskirts of their city in a dense fog. Normally, this ability is only cast on small areas, but the Elves have a prized artifact known as the Templa Val which is a crown made of pure arcana inset with a crystallized element on each of its four sides. The crown is said to be a gift from their ancestors and is their most prized and guarded artifact. When worn it boosts the Elves power tenfold giving them a connection to all the arcana of the Elven species. This artifact is how the city was raised into the sky and how the Veil was created massive enough to shroud their entire civilization. It is said when one wears the crown they can hear the whispers of all the current and previous Elves and as such wearing it can easily drive one to instant insanity. It is only said to have been used by the most powerful Elves and only in dire times.
The city's exact location is unknown to those who are not Elves as it is unable to be charted due to the Veil, however the rough location is somewhere in the Bermuda Triangle. Humans know the dangers of this area of land and often times disappear or crash if they happen to get too close to the Veil, though they have thought of countless other reasons for this from aliens to water buoyancy.
Much like their Fae cousins, the Elves are ruled under a monarchy. However, where the Fae elect only queens, Elves elect only kings. Besides the Elven King, there is also the Archmaster of the Arcanos Librium or the Library of Arcana. This is where Elves learn their magics and study. It is the largest library in the mythical and mortal worlds save for the grand library in the Hall of Mythics.
Elves do not allow any outsiders in their city unless they are a member of The Grand Council and even then the visitation is strained. If an Elf brings an outsider into the city or exposes any of their secrets they will be branded a traitor and exiled. Elves that are exiled have the tips of their ears cut off to forever display them as the same as a human in the eyes of their peers. When Pinegrove Academy was first founded, the Elves turned down any invitation to attend. However, after getting word that Fae children were going to attend, the Elves came to the conclusion that they should have some of their kind attend if only to show everyone that they are the superior species.
II. Appearance
Elves' most famous defining feature is their long pointed ears. However, they also have a couple more features unique to their species. Most elves are thin and have little muscle mass. Their eyes are shades of purple from violet to plum, and their hair is normally lighter in shade such as beach blonde, sandy blonde, or light brown. It is almost completely unheard of to see an Elf with natural dark hair. Their skin is like that of porcelain and they always seem to have a neat composure. Even the poorest of Elves dress in fine linen and most wear ornate jewelry with Elvish inscriptions passed as a family heirloom or for Elves of a higher nobility, handcrafted for them.
Generally speaking Elves are conventionally attractive and normally sport no physical deformities or flaws. Male Elves tend to appear more androgynous in their adolescents, only adopting more conventionally masculine features when they begin growing facial hair. Most opt to do so as a sign of masculinity since they tend to be otherwise mocked by other mythical species (Orcs most of all) as pretty boys.
Elves' most famous defining feature is their long pointed ears. However, they also have a couple more features unique to their species. Most elves are thin and have little muscle mass. Their eyes are shades of purple from violet to plum, and their hair is normally lighter in shade such as beach blonde, sandy blonde, or light brown. It is almost completely unheard of to see an Elf with natural dark hair. Their skin is like that of porcelain and they always seem to have a neat composure. Even the poorest of Elves dress in fine linen and most wear ornate jewelry with Elvish inscriptions passed as a family heirloom or for Elves of a higher nobility, handcrafted for them.
Generally speaking Elves are conventionally attractive and normally sport no physical deformities or flaws. Male Elves tend to appear more androgynous in their adolescents, only adopting more conventionally masculine features when they begin growing facial hair. Most opt to do so as a sign of masculinity since they tend to be otherwise mocked by other mythical species (Orcs most of all) as pretty boys.
III. Becoming a Elf
Elves are born as the offspring of other Elves. While it is possible for Elves and humans/other mythics to mate, it is extremely rare as they tend to believe it dilutes the family's connection to the pure forms of arcana and brings them farther away from their powerful ancestors. An Elf is only born this way if a male Elf mates with a female of another species. Otherwise, the child will adopt the traits of said other species. Elves born of mixed blood are frowned upon by their species and are typically held to a higher standard than pure blooded Elves, but are not excluded from the city and are given all the same legal rights as pure blooded Elves. Those of mixed blood may take on an arcana evaluation where they will display their prowess and if deemed sufficient enough will be viewed as an equal to their pure blood counterparts.
An Elf is born with an uncanny ability for prestidigitation and unlike other species, most have mastered it before they begin puberty. When an Elf reaches puberty they are brought to the Arcanos Librium and are put in a room with four items. A lit candle, a small rock, a glass of water, and a feather. The young Elf must stay in the room until they manipulate one of the four objects, and the object they are able to manipulate first becomes their primary element and the one they master first. Most become sufficient in their first element relatively quickly in the span of a few months as it is the element they are most naturally drawn to. Once they have done that, they are pulled back into the room with the three remaining objects they didn't effect the first time. They must stay until they are able to manipulate one of the remaining three objects. That determines their secondary element and it is the next one they will learn. This element tends to be harder to grasp than the first, and as such takes more time to become proficient.
The remaining two elements are not taught until an Elf fully matures as they must have fully mastered their first two elements completely before taking on the remaining two. The last two elements are often very arduous as they commonly fall on the opposite of their primary and secondary. (Ex: Fire as a primary would have the hardest time mastering water and vice versa)
Elves age at the same rate as humans until they reach maturity and have mastered all four elements. When they have accomplished that, their connection to primordial arcana becomes potent enough to prevent the aging process, making them effectively immortal. Most master the four elements between the ages of 17-24, though some may be in their early thirties before they gain immortality. Once immortal the Elf physically ages at a much slower rate. Generally, Elves younger than 150 years old are still considered adolescents and will appear to be in their late teens or early twenties. Elves between the ages of 150 and 500 are considered young adults and look to be in their late twenties to mid thirties. This is the age group that males tend to start growing respectable facial hair. Elves between the ages of 500 and 1200 are considered normal adults and look to be in their forties or fifties. Finally, Elves that are 1200+ are considered elders and look to be in their sixties or older. Once they reach this last tier they are stagnant in appearance until they die of unnatural or violent causes. Unlike humans, when Elves are elderly, they are still able to move and function remarkably well and have very little aches and pains, though they tend to not be as agile as their younger peers.
Elves are born as the offspring of other Elves. While it is possible for Elves and humans/other mythics to mate, it is extremely rare as they tend to believe it dilutes the family's connection to the pure forms of arcana and brings them farther away from their powerful ancestors. An Elf is only born this way if a male Elf mates with a female of another species. Otherwise, the child will adopt the traits of said other species. Elves born of mixed blood are frowned upon by their species and are typically held to a higher standard than pure blooded Elves, but are not excluded from the city and are given all the same legal rights as pure blooded Elves. Those of mixed blood may take on an arcana evaluation where they will display their prowess and if deemed sufficient enough will be viewed as an equal to their pure blood counterparts.
An Elf is born with an uncanny ability for prestidigitation and unlike other species, most have mastered it before they begin puberty. When an Elf reaches puberty they are brought to the Arcanos Librium and are put in a room with four items. A lit candle, a small rock, a glass of water, and a feather. The young Elf must stay in the room until they manipulate one of the four objects, and the object they are able to manipulate first becomes their primary element and the one they master first. Most become sufficient in their first element relatively quickly in the span of a few months as it is the element they are most naturally drawn to. Once they have done that, they are pulled back into the room with the three remaining objects they didn't effect the first time. They must stay until they are able to manipulate one of the remaining three objects. That determines their secondary element and it is the next one they will learn. This element tends to be harder to grasp than the first, and as such takes more time to become proficient.
The remaining two elements are not taught until an Elf fully matures as they must have fully mastered their first two elements completely before taking on the remaining two. The last two elements are often very arduous as they commonly fall on the opposite of their primary and secondary. (Ex: Fire as a primary would have the hardest time mastering water and vice versa)
Elves age at the same rate as humans until they reach maturity and have mastered all four elements. When they have accomplished that, their connection to primordial arcana becomes potent enough to prevent the aging process, making them effectively immortal. Most master the four elements between the ages of 17-24, though some may be in their early thirties before they gain immortality. Once immortal the Elf physically ages at a much slower rate. Generally, Elves younger than 150 years old are still considered adolescents and will appear to be in their late teens or early twenties. Elves between the ages of 150 and 500 are considered young adults and look to be in their late twenties to mid thirties. This is the age group that males tend to start growing respectable facial hair. Elves between the ages of 500 and 1200 are considered normal adults and look to be in their forties or fifties. Finally, Elves that are 1200+ are considered elders and look to be in their sixties or older. Once they reach this last tier they are stagnant in appearance until they die of unnatural or violent causes. Unlike humans, when Elves are elderly, they are still able to move and function remarkably well and have very little aches and pains, though they tend to not be as agile as their younger peers.