---
races:
- name: Dark Elf
formal_name: Shadow Elves
appearance:
build: Lean, elegant
height: Similar to surface elves
skin: Deep, purplish black
hair: Stark white or silver
eyes: Red
vision: Excellent darkvision, sensitive to sunlight
clothing: Dark, simple, aids in stealth
location:
type: Subterranean
description: In vast caverns in a single nation beneath the Broken Lands
naming_conventions:
basis: Ancient elven dialect
characteristics: Elegant, melodic, short, concise
structure: Personal name + family/house name (suffix)
examples:
- Feeth
- Feidor
- Lelkor
history:
- Tragic and complex.
- Originally surface elves, they were deceived by an evil Immortal.
- The Immortal promised a perfect world underground but transformed them into a new race, stripping their connection to the sun.
- They have forgotten their surface heritage and believe they were created underground.
- Their hatred for other races, especially surface elves, stems from an orchestrated banishment.
- They are a deeply bitter and vengeful people.
culture_and_religion:
culture:
- Highly militaristic and matriarchal.
- Built on a strict code of racial purity and conquest.
- They despise all other races, viewing them as inferior.
- Masters of engineering with a technologically advanced empire.
- Masters of using magical tools and weapons.
- Driven by a desire for vengeance against the surface world.
- Launch frequent raids for slaves and supplies.
religion:
- Revere and worship a being they call the "Radiant One."
- The "Radiant One" is the evil Immortal who tricked and transformed them.
- name: Gray Elf
appearance:
build: Slender, elegant
height: Taller than other elven kin
features: Sharp, angular
skin: Pale, almost translucent
hair: Silver or gray
eyes: Deep violet or silver
clothing: Intricate, finely crafted clothing and armor, elegant jewelry
naming_conventions:
characteristics: Elegant, melodic, multiple syllables
structure:
- Given name
- Family name
- House name
- Birth name, personal name, and a "chosen" name
reflection: Names reflect noble lineage or family accomplishments.
history:
- Descendants of the original elven race.
- They have chosen to live in cities and civilized areas.
- A deeply proud and ancient people with a history of powerful empires and great wizards.
- Have a long-standing rivalry with other races, particularly humans.
- Masters of both diplomacy and magic.
culture_and_religion:
culture:
- A rigid, aristocratic caste system.
- Tradition and arcane knowledge are paramount.
- Strong sense of pride and deep respect for ancestors and noble lineage.
- Known for their love of art, music, and poetry.
religion:
- Revere a pantheon of gods and goddesses.
- A powerful deity of magic and knowledge is their chief deity.
- A solemn and serious affair with a focus on ritual, tradition, and ancestor worship.
- name: High Elf
appearance:
build: Graceful, elegant, slender
height: Similar to other elven kin
features: Sharp, angular
skin: Paler than wood elves
hair: Various shades of silver, gold, and platinum blonde
eyes: Green or blue
clothing: Intricate, finely crafted clothing and armor, elegant jewelry
naming_conventions:
characteristics: Elegant, melodic, multiple syllables
structure:
- Given name
- Family name
- House name
- Birth name, personal name, and a "chosen" name
reflection: Names reflect noble lineage or family accomplishments.
history:
- Descendants of the original elven race.
- They have chosen to live in cities and civilized areas.
- A deeply proud and ancient people with a history of powerful empires and great wizards.
- Have a long-standing rivalry with other races, particularly humans.
- Masters of both diplomacy and magic.
culture_and_religion:
culture:
- A rigid, aristocratic caste system.
- Tradition and arcane knowledge are paramount.
- Strong sense of pride and deep respect for ancestors and noble lineage.
- Known for their love of art, music, and poetry.
religion:
- Revere a pantheon of gods and goddesses.
- A powerful deity of magic and knowledge is their chief deity.
- A solemn and serious affair with a focus on ritual, tradition, and ancestor worship.
- name: Wood Elf
appearance:
build: Lithe, graceful, athletic, lean
height: Taller than other elf subraces
skin: Coppery to reddish-brown
hair: Shades of autumn leaves (golden blond to deep dark brown)
eyes: Green, brown, or hazel
clothing: Usually made from natural materials, blends with the forest.
naming_conventions:
characteristics: Melodic and lyrical, reflects the sounds of nature.
structure: Given name followed by a family name.
family_name_basis: A significant natural landmark or a powerful forest animal.
examples:
male: Rael, Vaelen
female: Shayla, Sylvana
history:
- A reclusive and ancient people, descendants of the original elven race.
- Their history is deeply intertwined with the great forests.
- They have chosen to remain close to nature, shunning cities and technology.
- A history of quiet guardianship, protecting wild places from invaders.
- A long-standing distrust of other races.
- Masters of stealth and guerrilla warfare.
culture_and_religion:
culture:
- Tribal and nomadic.
- Strong emphasis on self-reliance and survival.
- Live in harmony with the natural world.
- Fiercely independent and will fight to the death to protect their homes.
religion:
- Deeply spiritual, centered on the worship of the gods of nature.
- A deep reverence for the forest.
- Revere a pantheon of gods and goddesses of the hunt, nature, and the wild.