There are several groups of elves and the relationship between them is very tricky. Some of the groups get along much better with other races than they do other members of their own race or the different subraces of elf.Fire elves are usually gray or darkskinned, with hair color suggestive of their native element - usually reds or yellows or oranges. They tend to be humorless and tough, can't handle cold very well, and are tolerant of temperatures that can blister other folks skin. There was some ancient feud between the fire and wood elves in the days of the Elven Empire, and the fire elves got shorted in the deal. (The exact details differ depending on who you ask about this.) Fire elves do NOT get along with wood elves.
Sea elves breathe water and only spend short times on land if they can help it. Being out of water weakens them and their lungs aren't that big so they tend to exhaust themselves doing much out of the water. Skin is blue or green, with a pale blue-green being the most common. Hair is likewise usually blue or green, but there are individuals with black or white or dark silvery hair. They tend to be very friendly with all of the other races except the fire elves and the Ardrow.
Wood elves are also called high elves or gold elves, mainly depending on who is doing the calling. A few centuries or millenia ago, the high elves decided they were destined to rule over the lesser, short-lived, less-wise, races because they were the most powerful magically and longest lived. The Elven Empire took steps to keep themselves in power that are still being felt and there are a lot of high elves who want to return to those glory days and other races that regard elves of nearly any kind with suspicion. Hair and eyes run darn near every color of the rainbow and a few more besides. They have pointed ears, fair skin, an aptitude for magic, and the ability to enter a reverie where they commune with plants - especially trees.
Ardrow are recent additions. A bunch of these tall dark-to-black skinned elves with white hair decided they were going to go into wildspace during the spelljammer days for a number of reasons and decided that going back to their homeland just wasn't attractive. They were put in jail and being sent back when a human archmage rescued them and gave them the option of going where their goddess had no pull. Since then the ardrow numbers have gone up and they've become valuable members of the Empire. It's just they tend to stay away from areas of constant sunlight.
Winged elves or avariel are fairly numerous in some areas. Aramar seems to agree with them, because their numbers have declined on other planes while they are constantly growing here. They tend to be thinly built, bulkier or more muscular ones are clumsy fliers and apparently good flying skill is considered very desirable. Winged elves have fair to ruddy-dark skin and either black or blonde hair. Mostly.
There are also half-elves. Apparently these originated with other races, possibly humans, getting together with an elf. Some proudly proclaim descent from a human union, others not. The child of a half-elf and a half-elf is another half-elf, and that's how these have continued on. Most look like thin and short humans, with a little ear point and skin and eye color that hearkens to their elven ancestry. If you see a "human" with blue hair - that's likely a half-elf with sea elf heritage. Local half-elves seem to be a lot more powerful than the ones from offplane, for reasons unknown.
All elves have an innate talent for magic, for surviving in the wild of their element, and for long lifespans. They mostly have good eyesight and superior hearing, but they also all tend to have delicate digestive systems.
They also suffer from the opposite gender imbalance that affects dwarves. Instead of one in six births being female as it is with dwarves, only one in four births are male among the elves. There is a definite thread of truth in the old saying "common as an elvish princess."
-Tethian Riverock, 'Tales Of A Wandering Merchant'
Ranma smiled and considered clinging to the underside of the lifeboat rather than spend time inside.
"So tell us about your people!" chirped the smiling THING as she got out a pencil and notepad and prepared to take notes.
The various elves looked on in interest, any animosity between them temporarily shelved at the knowledge that here was an actual human to speak with!
The famed Elder Race. The same species that had produced such individuals as the still-popular Emperor Mannin Shades. The race with such a dizzying reputation for pulling victory from certain defeat, for being wild cards who could do nearly anything they focussed on, for being sexual dynamos, and for being routinely granted a Wild Talent of some kind.
(It was not known that Mannin Shades' Wild Talent had simply been Extraordinary Luck. Most had forgotten his companion Regin Hawkthorne who had been Nearly Immortal as well as incredibly lacking in wisdom. That Hawkthorne had gotten involved in magic and had actually dared an elder god to "do his worst" was also unknown. That the Hawkthorne Bridge was actually the transformed Hawkthorne was also unknown.)
Ranma checked behind him. The Dolphin ship had been holed by attacks from the goblin ship, but the goblin ship looked to be in trouble too.
Ranma checked over the side. The water and land was WAAAAAY down there. Further than he could safely jump.
That left...
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(Posted Sat, 17 Apr 2004 07:09)
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