Nightlands: High Elves (Incomplete)
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houseofstrangeThis has been sitting in a file for a while and I have been thinking about little asides, but a lot of those asides can reference High Elf lore that is in this profile, so now I am posting it, incomplete as it may be.
Nightlands: High Elves In Detail
Foreword
High Elves are the magically powerful, immortal lords of the Nightlands. Because of their immortality, the High Elves remember right back to the time before Nightfall - the creation of the Nightlands, though they rarely ever speak about it outside High Elf circles. There are three subraces of High Elves who while they have disputes between themselves, usually they present a united front against non-High Elf threats.
General Info
Names
High Elves
Quendár - Elves
Arquendár - High Elves
Night Elves
Lómaquendár - Night Elves
Tauráquendár - Forest Elves
Moon Elves
Ránaquendár - Moon Elves
Isilmaquendár - Creasent Moon Elves
Ëarquendár - Sea Elves
Rásaquendár - Sea Elves
Falmarindi - Sea Spirits
Óarquendár - Mer-Elves
Star Elves
Eleniquendár - Star Elves
Elvëaquendár - Starlike Elves
Alcaráquendár - Bright Elves
Curwaquendár - Crafter Elves
Name Origins
The name "Quendár" is a very ancient word that means "Speakers" in Quentá, the High Elf language, and has been the self-given name of the High Elves as far back in their history as the eldest of their people can remember.
"Arquendár" is a variation that came to exist when the Quendár first encountered the Middle Elves. In fact it was a translation of the Middle Elves' calling them Brannár Kessír - "Lordly Elves". The Middle Elves would also call them "Alfirin Kessír" - simply "Immortal Elves", since though long-lived, with a lifespan of a thousand years, Middle Elves are still mortal.
All three subraces have changed their names after Nightfall, changing to names that reflect a Nightlands sentiment, embracing aspects of the new land they lived in after Nightfall - Night, Moon and stars.
Night Elves, the mainland race who had strong connections to woodlands, chose "night" as it was all encompassing, and even then, their people were the most numerous.
Moon Elves chose to adopt a lunar theme in relation to their over-all complexion, which has always been on the more pale end of the scale, with light shades of hair. They have not however totally rejected their old names, which refer to their relationship with the sea. but often share those names with the Middle Elves who often live with them.
Star Elves actually have their names date back to a short while prior to Nightfall, when their Crown Prince came to adopt three daughters he claimed were fallen stars. Prior to this, their people were most often known as the Crafters, because they loved crafting in as many forms as they could think of.
Species
High Elves
Quendár
Species Details
The Quendár are so ancient that it is unknown exactly where they started. It does not help that they often will not speak on it themselves. Some tales have managed to leak out despite their notorious silence, but most of them sound more like myth an legend, stemming from their equally secretive religious beliefs.
These legends speak of a great over-god who created the world to give his children a place to live. The Quendár do believe they are the firstborn of this over-god's children, and it is a conclusion hard to argue with since they are such an ancient race.
What is more concretely known is that the Quendár have lived in the Westerlands - the lands that became the Northern Nightlands - for nearly as long as they have existed. They are believed to know what really caused the Nightlands to come into existence, but they also refuse to speak about it to non-Quendár.
Lómaquendár, or Night Elves, have lived in the Westerland forests, once known as the Tauráquendár - Forest Elves - due to being so linked to woodlands. It is believed that in pre-Nightfall times that they only lived on the northern continent, but it was during the Fae War, said to have happened within the first thousand years post-Nightfall, waged against the Unseelie Court, when Night Elves migrated into the Elenimbë (Star Vales) located in the southern Sunset Mountains, after the Star Elves chose to abandon them and retreat north.
The Moon Elves favour the name "Isilmaquendár" best of the various Quentá names applied to them, as they associate the crescent implication if "isilmë" to the line of the Mist Islands, which are both a straight line and also a curve, since they span right down the whole length of the world, and in some ways it is seen to be a crescent guarding the western edge of the Nightlands.
The Moon Elves have always been associated with the sea, believed to have originated from Endánórë - the large equatorial island known in Common as Midland. From that tropical island they spread out to other islands, eventually having control of all the Hísitollë (Mist Islands).
The Eleniquendár, or Star Elves, were once known as the Curwaquendár, or "Crafter Elves" because they were, and still are great craftsmen. They are some of the best makers of enchanted tools, producing items equal or even greater than even dwarves can produce, though that does not mean they are in conflict with the Dwarves. In fact Star Elves have had a long history of cooperation with the Dwarves, which includes quite a few of the Elenimbë - Star Vales - being closely linked to underground Dwarven cities.
Arcane Race
Yes, very strongly so.
Arcane Details
All High Elves have a very strong natural arcane ability. They have a natural ability to sense the spirit world, sense the ambient magic around them. They have a natural ability for telepathy which they need to learn how to control, learning how to guard their minds from telepathic noise, prevent themselves from broadcasting their thoughts for all to hear. They must learn how to put up shields that keep their arcane presence under control, or anyone with even a little arcane skill will sense their presence.
As well as that, magic is used in common so much that it is almost not even thought about. All sorts of little tasks are made all the much easier by casual magic, that to less arcane races may seem tactless and indecorous. All Quendár however have such a strong natural arcane ability that learning all these small magical actions is a form of exercise that keeps their arcane ability active and in proper function.
Because the Quendár are such arcanely powerful beings they have embraced the necessity of living a nocturnal life - that is their waking hours are when the Greater Moon is not in the sky - and spending Moonday (when the Greater Moon is up) is spent under the shelter of stone, preferably Living Stone, and likely asleep.
Population
Night Elves - 500,000
Moon Elves - 200,000
Star Elves - 10,000
Total Population
Aprox. 710,000
Population Distribution
Night Elves:
Northern Mainland - 485,000
Southern Sunset Mountains - 10,000
Endánórë - 5000
Moon Elves:
Endánórë - 100,000
Hísitollë - 60,000
Mainland Ports - 20,000
Star Elves:
Elenimbë : 3000 - 150 per vale.
Eälondë aka Hópa Elenna: 1000
Eärelenatollë: 2000
PHENOTYPE
General Physical Description
All three High Elf races are tall, averaging at 6 feet in height, tend to be slender, but deceptively muscled. There are no records of an overweight High Elf. Body shapes that remain thin and tall can vary, with the tallest known High Elf topping over 8 foot in height, and the shortest on record being around 5 foot, 8 inches.
Most High Elves favour long hair, most have straight to mildly wavy hair, though curls are not unknown, only uncommon.
High Elves are considered "otherworldly" by most of the other races, a characteristic that is believed to be related to their strong arcane abilities, and potentially their immortal status.
All High Elves have moderately pointed ears.
The three races have different colourings.
Hair, Eyes and Skintones
Night Elves can vary widely in skin colours, but tend to favour darker, warmer tones, ranging from tan right through to obsidian black. These tones can also include skintones like green, blue and purple - colours never seen in humans - but all are rare, especially blue and purple and thus are considered exotic and beautiful.
Hair also tends to stay in the darker shades, going all the way from dark blonds, warm reds, through to black, including green, blue and purple, but like skin these latter colours are also rare.
Eye colours are also dark, with a predominance of midnight blue, forest green and black are the most common. Purple eyes are rare and highly admired. Red eyes can occur, but are viewed with suspicion.
Some Night Elves living in coastal port communities can show light colourings, but more often than not that is a sign of intermarriage with Moon Elves.
Moon Elves, converse to Night Elves, are light and pale in over-all colouring.
Skintones are always pale, almost to the point of almost albinism. Tones tend on the cooler end of the scale and can include tones of pale blue and green.
Hair is almost always ash blonde, platinum blonde, white, icy blue, icy green, and pale mauve and lavender. They almost never have red hair, though can have pale pinkish hair. Brown is also never seen in pureblood Moon Elves.
Eye colour is always light blues, greens and mauve/lavender. Moon Elves never have brown eyes.
Moon Elves can show darker colours if they are the children of a Night Elf or Star Elf parent. Night Elf children can show warmer skin shades.
Star Elves are light-skinned, though never quite as light as Moon Elves. They can have warm tones to their skin, and also cool shades (including green, blue and purple tones). They never get much darker than tan.
Hair colours are always darker, stronger shades, including golden blondes, deep reds, right through to deep black. Green and blue shades only come up in very dark, almost black shades. Purple is extremely rare.
Eye colours tend to be bright strong shades, though the royal family all have grey-blue eyes.
RACIAL CHARACTERISTICS
Health
High Elves are immortal. They can be killed, and can suffer some illnesses, but are resistant to most illnesses most mortals can have, and can heal from worse wounds than a mortal could stand. High Elves can also be resurrected or reincarnated, depending on what has happened to their body.
High Elves however are more likely to die due to psychological trauma - dying of sadness, or from grief, emotional pain and distress.
If a High Elf dies, if their body is not greatly damaged, it can have preservation magic cast on it and be repaired by a healer, and the person can potentially return to it, once called back by a priest.
If their body is too damaged, they will have to reincarnate, returning to life by being born in a new, infant body.
Lifespan
Eternal. Able to return to life if killed.
Lifespan Details
Currently the oldest known High Elf, the Lord Captain of the Moon Elves, is estimated as being around 20,000 years in age. It is believed that some High Elves have, in whatever realm they go to while dead, can choose to never return to life. Certain major historical figures are implied to have never returned to the living world, indicating they made a choice to stay dead.
Because they are immortal, High Elves have children only rarely, and it is even rarer for them to have a child who is a truly new soul, as may births are reincarnations.
A High Elf is not considered physically adult until the age of 50, and allowed to marry after that age. A new soul is thought to not be fully mature for another 100 to 400 years.
A reincarnated elf will not recall their previous life until at least in adolescence, though once they do recall it, they will be considered mature in mind, even if they are not yet 50. If they were married before they died, they will have to wait until they reach 50 in their current life before they may go through a reaffirmation of their marriage.
General Personality Traits
High Elves can seem both friendly and aloof at the same time. Towards most people they endeavour to be polite, friendly and helpful, but will ignore or outright refuse to answer most inquiries into High Elven society and history. Most friendly relations remain polite but superficial. If faced with hostility they will become cold to the point of harshness.
The High Elves have a tendency to see in very long-term and to the shorter-lived mortal races can seem very unconcerned with events, more interested in concentrating on simple daily tasks than having anything to do with politics. This is a mistake as High Elven views on politics tend to span centuries or even millennia.
Night Elves can be divided into three subgroups, those who live in the cities, those who live in the forest communities, and the Southern Sunset Mountain Star Vales. The city Elves are more involved in the functions of the city they live in, usually acting as advisors, mentors, and managers of trade portals to the mortal races they share the city with. They tend to seem the most approachable and friendly High Elves of the lot.
Forest-dwelling Night Elves have a deep concern for keeping the forests healthy and can be very annoyed by anyone who stumbles into their territory and is damaging to the woodlands. They can also be helpful towards travelers who they deem not causing undue damage, especially people who have suffered adverse effects from the Greater Moon offering services at modest prices cure them of severe conditions, or at least give them shelter until an effect wears off.
Hyarmenya Elenimbë (Southern Star Vale) Night Elves are the most stand-offish of their people, given that the outsiders they most encounter are either from the Black Empire or the Unseelie Fae. They live in rigidly militaristic arrangements and view vistors in terms of invading enemy or unauthorised entry. The only way to get authorised entry to a Southern Star Vale is to be send via portal system from one of the High Elven communities in the north.
Once a person is trusted, they will gain aid in whatever task they have been sent to complete and will be treated with politeness. If they do something unexpected or that could be perceived as potentially against Night Elf interests, the Southern Night Elves will become very harsh, and actions ranging from imprisonment pending deportment via portal right through to immediate execution can occur, depending on the actions it is response to.
The Southern Night Elves have strong relationships to the Southern Dwarves, surface mountain folk including Grey Elves, southern White Elves, Winged Elves, mountain giants, dragons, griffons, phoenixes, and Wild Elves who have ventured upland. The more northern Star Vales are on polite but cool terms with the Empire of Men, not fully approving of their relations with the Black Empire but respecting that they have resisted takeover and hold back the Black Elves from assaulting the north.
Moon Elves have four subgroups, the Hísitollë (Mist Islands), the mainland ports, Endánórë (Midland), and Eärelenatollë (the Star Islands).
Moon Elves dominate all the Mist Islands from north to south. On most of the islands, they are primarily concerned with their daily tasks of fishing and maintaining their ships. They can be politely helpful to travelers, especially those coming in from the Western Day Seas - the oceans west of the Mists. Compared to most of the Nightlands, all the island folk - High Elves, Middle Elves and humans - can seem a lot more down-to-earth and a lot less fey to a Daylander, because they live so close to they Daylands, with some of the Mist Islands being on the brighter side of the Mist.
Mainland Moon Elves are more fey than the island folk, since they are further away from the Dayline. They have more to do with the mainland races and tend to have strong relations with the Night Elves. There are a few heavily protected Moon Elf ports on the southern continent and they, in comparison, are far less welcoming and far more suspicious of anyone coming to them from inland. They do however tend to be more welcoming to Moon Elf ships coming from the sea.
Endánórya Moon Elves are the more staid than a lot of the islands, also very laid-back, something directly related to the fact that Midland is a tropical land. They can be sensitive about the Crystal Wall, a cliff that runs right across Endánórë, right in the densest part of the Mist, where the Dayline is located. The Moon Elves do not like to speak of the Crystal Line, they do not even like to acknowledge it exists and will get angry if a person insists on asking about it.
Eärelenatollë (the Star Islands) are a territory unto themselves where the resident Moon Elves, the Eäroquenya (Seariders), share the islands with a group of Star Elves, and do not usually take direct orders from Midland, where the Lord Captain resides. This results on them being a bit more stand-offish towards other Moon Elves and a bit more secretive and defensive, and less inclined to be helpful to random visitors, including random Daylanders.
The Star Elves are the most secretive High Elves, and least inclined to share much information with outsiders and will instantly shut down any conversation that turns to inquiring about the royal family. As a whole, they can seem obsessed by whatever craft they have chosen, to an almost maddening extent. Their groups are Eärelenatollë, Hópa Veríotornassë Númëoronti (Harbour of the Bold Brotherhood of the Western Mountains) or Hópa Elenna (Star Harbour) for short, and the northern Elenimbë.
The Star Islands Star Elves are not very inclined to speak to outsiders, tending to leave that to the Moon Elves they share a very symbiotic relationship with. The Star Elves, being near-obsessive crafters, tend to handle all land-bound tasks, acting to support their Moon Elf counterparts in every way possible. The Star Islands are led by one of the Three Sisters, powerful High Elves who are said to be fallen stars. Elossí, the Island Queen as she is colloquially known (much to the annoyance of the Lord Captain and to a lesser degree the Night King), is wedded to the second eldest son of her adopted father, one of the two remaining Crafter Princes.
Hópa Elenna is a mainland port in in the northern coast of the northern continent. It is not a very welcoming port to random passing ships, but it exists as a mainland port specifically for the Star Islands. The Port's High Elf residents are mostly Star Elves, but Moon Elves from Eärelenatollë also have a presence there. Like the islands, the Star Elves of the port tend to not be the people who most outsiders speak to, and tend to seem very single-minded on their given craft. The port is led by another of the Three Sisters, Losá, and her seemingly immortal human husband.
The Elenimbë, hidden valleys in the Sunset Mountains, were all established by the Star Elves, even the southern ones, but at some point in the distant past retreated to the northern continent, handing the southern Vales over to Night Elves. Because the Elenimbë are hidden and heavily shielded, Star Elves tend to be suspicious of random travelers who stumble across their lands. However they have strong relationships with Grey Elves, Winged Elves - both Middle Elf races who typically live in the mountains - and also dwarves. Most Vales are directly linked to an underground Dwarven settlement and the Star Elves, because of their strong crafting tradition, have very good relationships with Dwarves. The Vale linked to the Dwarven capital, where the Dwarven High King reigns, is ruled by the third of the Three Sisters, Elená, and her Southern Adan bonded guardian. The other surviving Crafter Prince, eldest in the family, lives in this Vale. He is an arcane smith.
Expertise & Prowess
A High Elf's physical abilities are so great they can almost seem magic on their own - strength far beyond what a Man could manage, dexterity and agility that would be faster than a human eye could follow, eyesight that can easily see to the edge of the world's curvature, hearing that can hear for miles, and all on far less sleep than humans can live on - and that is even without their arcane abilities augmenting them.
High Elves are frequently very good warriors, with even those not dedicated to warfare - womenfolk, priests, healers, farmers and land healers, and crafters of peaceful crafts - will have training that often outstrips any training the average human can manage. Part of this advanced training is due to the time their immortality allows them to learn, with even seemingly young Elves being highly trained and experienced from past lives.
High Elves can change their chosen profession, but such a change is uncommon unless the Elf has reincarnated and experienced a different upbringing from their previous life, leading to a new interest. This can also give an Elf an potentially unexpected talent to those who do not know of their past life.
Special Abilities
Healers
Healers has an inclination and better ability to use magic to heal people of physical wounds. Healers with sufficient training can even heal a dead body, repairing the wounds that killed the Elf. This is the first step to resurrecting a dead High Elf.
Priests
Priests both preside over religious ceremonies and holidays, identifying reincarnations, adulthood ceremonies and marriages. Priests act as healers of the mind, aiding people who are suffering mental issues. The most important role for priests however is being able to reach the spirits of the dead, speak to them, call them back to healed bodies, or link them to a couple who will become the parents of their reincarnation.
Priests however are not easy for outsiders to identify as they practice the priestly tasks in a manner that makes it seem like a normal part of life. Priests do not live as a separate vocation but is often something that someone does alongside another role. A lot of priests are also healers, with the counseling on emotional and mental issues being more seen as part of their healing. A lot of community leaders can also hold priestly roles, especially in presiding over holidays and ceremonies. It is only the ability to contact the dead that really stands out and marks an individual as something special, but even then a common arcane crafter, or land singer, or even a war commander could also do that when a situation comes up that calls for it.
Arcane Crafters
Arcane Crafters are Elves who craft enchanted items. The most famous kind of arcane crafter are the arcane smiths, but other crafts can be imbued with enchantments, including clothing, sculptures, paintings, and even magically imbued food.
Land Singers
Land Singers are healers of plants and land. They have a skill in being about to read the magic of the land and work with it encourage plant growth, purify tainted soil, and work with the Living Stone. Some of the greatest land singers have as strong a connection to the Living Stone as Dwarves.
Gatekeepers
Gatekeepers maintain the magic portals that connect High Elf settlements across the whole of the Nightlands, a network almost the whole of the Northern Nightlands depends on for trade, travel and moving warriors in wars without suffering undue effect from the Greater Moon.
Scryers
Scryers work hand-in-hand with Gatekeepers, managing communications between High Elf communities. Scryers can also spy on places, watching out for potential threats to their communities, and are frequently called on for legal matters as they can sometimes divine past events and reveal the truth.
SOCIAL VALUES & CULTURAL INFORMATION
Overview
(This is one of the parts I have not completed. Conceptually I think the major social value High Elves have is principals of peace, kindness and letting as many people have good lives as possible. Given that they are the eldest race of the Westerlands, even proceeding some of the ancient non-humanoids like dragons, they see themselves as being parental figures to all the other races, but not being an all-controlling authoritarian regime, so their leadership remains very hands-off, acting as advisors, mentors and history-keepers.)
Language(s)
The native language of the High Elves is Quentá. The Name "Quentá" simply means "speech" though has come to be a synonym for "language" to most northerners.
Formenya Adaní Quentá is the widespread language of Menfolk in the north. All High Elves in the north will know it, and the southern Night Elves will have a good command of it.
Kessír Quentá, the language of the Middle Elves, can have many dialects, and which dialect a High Elf may speak depends on where they live and which Kessír subrace they associate with. The close relationship the two Elven races also has an effect on Kessír Quentá by keeping the speed at which the language changes at a glacial pace, this most dialects tend to be mutually intelligible.
Moon Elves are likely to understand Sea-talk, which is not so much a true language as a way that Oár Kessír (Sea Elves) communicate while underwater, and Mer-Quentá, a more complex underwater language.
Social Hierarchy
Quendár society is arranged in clans, though extended clans can form due to reincarnations and the family links that can cause. Typically each city, town or settlement has one clan of Quendár who resides there. If a given town's clan has links to other clans, there can be some back-and-forth.
The three Quendár races are ruled by monarchies, with widely acknowledged royal families. The Night King of of the Lómaquendár, the Lord Captain of the Isilmaquendár, and the Crafter Princes and Three Sisters of the Eleniquendár. Because of their immortal nature, royal descent is a rare and unusual thing amongst them, and while the Lord Captain has not changed in all known history, legend says the Night King was not the first to rule as such.
The Eleniquendár royal family has an even stranger story, shrouded in myths about how Nightfall happened. The most commonly accepted parts are that the first known Crafter King was the grandfather of the Princes, and that the Three Sisters were adopted by said Princes' father. The Princes were also not their father's only sons, they are said to have been the eldest two out of seven brothers. No tales tell of what became of their mother. The two Princes have never claimed kingship, with the second only taking the title of "Lord" alongside his wife. Likewise the Three Sisters do not take the title of "Queen" for themselves, though Lady Elossí of Eärelenatollë is often colloquially referred to as the "Sea Queen".
Religions / Beliefs
Like many other things, the High Elves can be vague and cagey about their religious beliefs. What is well known is a strong belief in "The Arcane" which can be both spoken as being the magic of the world in general and an otherworldly realm that exists beyond even the Fae Realm, and treated as the place Quendár souls go while dead. More rarely the High Elves can refer to the Arcane as if it is a living entity, one that both supplies the world's magic and protects dead souls. However this possible "god" is something the Quendár never elaborate on.
The High Elves, particularly the Eleniquendár, do consider the Arcane and "The Stone" (or "Living Stone") that the Dwarves believe in to be either the same thing or linked to each other.
The High Elves have, over time, influenced Middle Elf religious beliefs to the point that what were once considered independent gods by Middle Elves are now thought of in terms of being aspects of the Arcane and how those aspects manifest in an anthropomorphic manner.
Morality
(Again, incomplete. As mentioned in the social values part, their main moral direction is peace, kindness and not being over-controlling. The High Elves will also act in defense of groups whose freedom is at risk, the most common being the continued freedom of groups on the southern continent who want to get free or remain free of the Black Empire.)
Death & Death Rituals
Because of their immortal nature, High Elves have an unusual relationship with death. They can be resurrected if their body can be repaired and preserved until a priest or priestess can perform the ritual to call them back. If their body is too damaged, a search will be made for a couple to become their new parents and then a priest will preside over linking the couple to the spirit of the dead person, guaranteeing that they will reincarnate when that couple get pregnant.
Some Elves, when contacted by priests, refuse to return to life. If they intend to return at a later date but wish to rest for a while, they are likely to indicate such, but some have totally refused to return at all. This situation is one of the most common circumstances that proceeds the birth of a true new soul amongst the High Elves.
If a High Elf soul refuses to return but still has a body that has been preserved, the body will usually be cremated once their intent not to return has been confirmed. A soul who has decided not to return for a time, but not straight away may ask for their body to be cremated with the expectation of going through reincarnation when they are willing to return. A body deemed too damaged to be repaired will be cremated. It is considered honourable to lay ashes under trees or in flower gardens to feed to earth.
Family Structure
Due to their immortality, High Elves can have very complex family structures. At it's base, High Elven families are the same as in the mortal races - children are deferential to and respectful of parents, siblings of parents, grandparents, but the issue of reincarnation creates a complex issue. When a High Elf dies and is reborn in a new life, their previous family still remains their family, once they recall their previous life. These multiple families can create links between the reincarnated elf's two families, as both old and new family try to build a friendship for the sake of their shared kinsman. Some High Elf families can have sprawling networks of family linked by multiple reincarnated members, as well as links built by marriages.
Biases (Against Others)
Most Middle Elves: Young, living just long enough to think a bit too highly of themselves.
Gold Elves: Smug, snobbish, presumptuous fools who think themselves far better than they are and sometimes need to be put down, but gently.
Black Elves: Not to be trusted at all, dangerous, vicious, cruel, untrustworthy.
Seelie Fae: Allies who can be troublesome and mischievous.
Unseelie: Dangerous vicious monsters that need to be killed or driven away at all costs.
Humans: Almost vanishingly short lives, but dangerously active.
Dragons: Some can be trusted but most are chaotic, aggressive and as bestial as a sapient race can be.
Stereotype (As Seen by Others)
All High Elves: Aloof, remote, unconcerned.
Night Elves: Tree-huggers, more concerned with forests than people.
Moon Elves: Always out at sea, Midlanders are laid-back to the point of ignoring the world, Star Islanders are insular.
Star Elves: Avoid contact to outsiders, obsessed with their chosen crafts, hates southerners.
Southern Night Elves: Rigid warriors who are suspicious of everyone and will kill intruders in their mountain vales.
All High Elves as seen by the Black Empire and most of the Empire of Men: Dangerous enemies that wish to keep the Empires restricted. Frigid moralists who have subtle and insidious control over all the northerners that needs to be broken.
Unseelie: Too pure, too perfect, must be destroyed, slowly and painfully.
Seelie: Far too up tight and have no concept of fun and amusement.
Notable Legends
The Crafter Prince and the Three Stars is a legend saying the son of the king who ruled before Nightfall, a legendary arcane smith even amongst Star Elves, witnessed three falling stars, went to find them because he wanted starmetal to work with. However on finding the place the stars had fallen, found three infant girls - or found the fallen stars only for them to transform into infant Elves upon his touch - who he promptly adopted. These are the legendary Three Sisters who are the mostly unseen leaders of the Star Elves, and the reason why their people took up the name Eleniquendár - aka "Star Elves".
There is a belief that the Three Sisters had something to do with Nightfall - the creation of the enchantment that created the perpetual night of the Nightlands, but no one can say how. Very few believe the Sisters are somehow related to the Moon Goddess legend, but some people do believe they somehow came from the Moon Goddess, especially if they know the fallen star story, taking that as a sign the Sisters are daughters of the goddess.
In a similar line of thinking about the Moon Goddess legend, some people think Moon Elves are a special race to the goddess, who marked them with her own colouring (pale).
Midland Elves can be conflated with both Sea Elves and merfolk by people who do not understand the difference between the three races.
The title of "Night King" can make some people suspicious, especially Daylander travelers who find a name like "Night Elves" as a sign of evil.
Night Elves can also be conflated with the Seelie Fae.
Nightlands: High Elves In Detail
Foreword
High Elves are the magically powerful, immortal lords of the Nightlands. Because of their immortality, the High Elves remember right back to the time before Nightfall - the creation of the Nightlands, though they rarely ever speak about it outside High Elf circles. There are three subraces of High Elves who while they have disputes between themselves, usually they present a united front against non-High Elf threats.
General Info
Names
High Elves
Quendár - Elves
Arquendár - High Elves
Night Elves
Lómaquendár - Night Elves
Tauráquendár - Forest Elves
Moon Elves
Ránaquendár - Moon Elves
Isilmaquendár - Creasent Moon Elves
Ëarquendár - Sea Elves
Rásaquendár - Sea Elves
Falmarindi - Sea Spirits
Óarquendár - Mer-Elves
Star Elves
Eleniquendár - Star Elves
Elvëaquendár - Starlike Elves
Alcaráquendár - Bright Elves
Curwaquendár - Crafter Elves
Name Origins
The name "Quendár" is a very ancient word that means "Speakers" in Quentá, the High Elf language, and has been the self-given name of the High Elves as far back in their history as the eldest of their people can remember.
"Arquendár" is a variation that came to exist when the Quendár first encountered the Middle Elves. In fact it was a translation of the Middle Elves' calling them Brannár Kessír - "Lordly Elves". The Middle Elves would also call them "Alfirin Kessír" - simply "Immortal Elves", since though long-lived, with a lifespan of a thousand years, Middle Elves are still mortal.
All three subraces have changed their names after Nightfall, changing to names that reflect a Nightlands sentiment, embracing aspects of the new land they lived in after Nightfall - Night, Moon and stars.
Night Elves, the mainland race who had strong connections to woodlands, chose "night" as it was all encompassing, and even then, their people were the most numerous.
Moon Elves chose to adopt a lunar theme in relation to their over-all complexion, which has always been on the more pale end of the scale, with light shades of hair. They have not however totally rejected their old names, which refer to their relationship with the sea. but often share those names with the Middle Elves who often live with them.
Star Elves actually have their names date back to a short while prior to Nightfall, when their Crown Prince came to adopt three daughters he claimed were fallen stars. Prior to this, their people were most often known as the Crafters, because they loved crafting in as many forms as they could think of.
Species
High Elves
Quendár
Species Details
The Quendár are so ancient that it is unknown exactly where they started. It does not help that they often will not speak on it themselves. Some tales have managed to leak out despite their notorious silence, but most of them sound more like myth an legend, stemming from their equally secretive religious beliefs.
These legends speak of a great over-god who created the world to give his children a place to live. The Quendár do believe they are the firstborn of this over-god's children, and it is a conclusion hard to argue with since they are such an ancient race.
What is more concretely known is that the Quendár have lived in the Westerlands - the lands that became the Northern Nightlands - for nearly as long as they have existed. They are believed to know what really caused the Nightlands to come into existence, but they also refuse to speak about it to non-Quendár.
Lómaquendár, or Night Elves, have lived in the Westerland forests, once known as the Tauráquendár - Forest Elves - due to being so linked to woodlands. It is believed that in pre-Nightfall times that they only lived on the northern continent, but it was during the Fae War, said to have happened within the first thousand years post-Nightfall, waged against the Unseelie Court, when Night Elves migrated into the Elenimbë (Star Vales) located in the southern Sunset Mountains, after the Star Elves chose to abandon them and retreat north.
The Moon Elves favour the name "Isilmaquendár" best of the various Quentá names applied to them, as they associate the crescent implication if "isilmë" to the line of the Mist Islands, which are both a straight line and also a curve, since they span right down the whole length of the world, and in some ways it is seen to be a crescent guarding the western edge of the Nightlands.
The Moon Elves have always been associated with the sea, believed to have originated from Endánórë - the large equatorial island known in Common as Midland. From that tropical island they spread out to other islands, eventually having control of all the Hísitollë (Mist Islands).
The Eleniquendár, or Star Elves, were once known as the Curwaquendár, or "Crafter Elves" because they were, and still are great craftsmen. They are some of the best makers of enchanted tools, producing items equal or even greater than even dwarves can produce, though that does not mean they are in conflict with the Dwarves. In fact Star Elves have had a long history of cooperation with the Dwarves, which includes quite a few of the Elenimbë - Star Vales - being closely linked to underground Dwarven cities.
Arcane Race
Yes, very strongly so.
Arcane Details
All High Elves have a very strong natural arcane ability. They have a natural ability to sense the spirit world, sense the ambient magic around them. They have a natural ability for telepathy which they need to learn how to control, learning how to guard their minds from telepathic noise, prevent themselves from broadcasting their thoughts for all to hear. They must learn how to put up shields that keep their arcane presence under control, or anyone with even a little arcane skill will sense their presence.
As well as that, magic is used in common so much that it is almost not even thought about. All sorts of little tasks are made all the much easier by casual magic, that to less arcane races may seem tactless and indecorous. All Quendár however have such a strong natural arcane ability that learning all these small magical actions is a form of exercise that keeps their arcane ability active and in proper function.
Because the Quendár are such arcanely powerful beings they have embraced the necessity of living a nocturnal life - that is their waking hours are when the Greater Moon is not in the sky - and spending Moonday (when the Greater Moon is up) is spent under the shelter of stone, preferably Living Stone, and likely asleep.
Population
Night Elves - 500,000
Moon Elves - 200,000
Star Elves - 10,000
Total Population
Aprox. 710,000
Population Distribution
Night Elves:
Northern Mainland - 485,000
Southern Sunset Mountains - 10,000
Endánórë - 5000
Moon Elves:
Endánórë - 100,000
Hísitollë - 60,000
Mainland Ports - 20,000
Star Elves:
Elenimbë : 3000 - 150 per vale.
Eälondë aka Hópa Elenna: 1000
Eärelenatollë: 2000
PHENOTYPE
General Physical Description
All three High Elf races are tall, averaging at 6 feet in height, tend to be slender, but deceptively muscled. There are no records of an overweight High Elf. Body shapes that remain thin and tall can vary, with the tallest known High Elf topping over 8 foot in height, and the shortest on record being around 5 foot, 8 inches.
Most High Elves favour long hair, most have straight to mildly wavy hair, though curls are not unknown, only uncommon.
High Elves are considered "otherworldly" by most of the other races, a characteristic that is believed to be related to their strong arcane abilities, and potentially their immortal status.
All High Elves have moderately pointed ears.
The three races have different colourings.
Hair, Eyes and Skintones
Night Elves can vary widely in skin colours, but tend to favour darker, warmer tones, ranging from tan right through to obsidian black. These tones can also include skintones like green, blue and purple - colours never seen in humans - but all are rare, especially blue and purple and thus are considered exotic and beautiful.
Hair also tends to stay in the darker shades, going all the way from dark blonds, warm reds, through to black, including green, blue and purple, but like skin these latter colours are also rare.
Eye colours are also dark, with a predominance of midnight blue, forest green and black are the most common. Purple eyes are rare and highly admired. Red eyes can occur, but are viewed with suspicion.
Some Night Elves living in coastal port communities can show light colourings, but more often than not that is a sign of intermarriage with Moon Elves.
Moon Elves, converse to Night Elves, are light and pale in over-all colouring.
Skintones are always pale, almost to the point of almost albinism. Tones tend on the cooler end of the scale and can include tones of pale blue and green.
Hair is almost always ash blonde, platinum blonde, white, icy blue, icy green, and pale mauve and lavender. They almost never have red hair, though can have pale pinkish hair. Brown is also never seen in pureblood Moon Elves.
Eye colour is always light blues, greens and mauve/lavender. Moon Elves never have brown eyes.
Moon Elves can show darker colours if they are the children of a Night Elf or Star Elf parent. Night Elf children can show warmer skin shades.
Star Elves are light-skinned, though never quite as light as Moon Elves. They can have warm tones to their skin, and also cool shades (including green, blue and purple tones). They never get much darker than tan.
Hair colours are always darker, stronger shades, including golden blondes, deep reds, right through to deep black. Green and blue shades only come up in very dark, almost black shades. Purple is extremely rare.
Eye colours tend to be bright strong shades, though the royal family all have grey-blue eyes.
RACIAL CHARACTERISTICS
Health
High Elves are immortal. They can be killed, and can suffer some illnesses, but are resistant to most illnesses most mortals can have, and can heal from worse wounds than a mortal could stand. High Elves can also be resurrected or reincarnated, depending on what has happened to their body.
High Elves however are more likely to die due to psychological trauma - dying of sadness, or from grief, emotional pain and distress.
If a High Elf dies, if their body is not greatly damaged, it can have preservation magic cast on it and be repaired by a healer, and the person can potentially return to it, once called back by a priest.
If their body is too damaged, they will have to reincarnate, returning to life by being born in a new, infant body.
Lifespan
Eternal. Able to return to life if killed.
Lifespan Details
Currently the oldest known High Elf, the Lord Captain of the Moon Elves, is estimated as being around 20,000 years in age. It is believed that some High Elves have, in whatever realm they go to while dead, can choose to never return to life. Certain major historical figures are implied to have never returned to the living world, indicating they made a choice to stay dead.
Because they are immortal, High Elves have children only rarely, and it is even rarer for them to have a child who is a truly new soul, as may births are reincarnations.
A High Elf is not considered physically adult until the age of 50, and allowed to marry after that age. A new soul is thought to not be fully mature for another 100 to 400 years.
A reincarnated elf will not recall their previous life until at least in adolescence, though once they do recall it, they will be considered mature in mind, even if they are not yet 50. If they were married before they died, they will have to wait until they reach 50 in their current life before they may go through a reaffirmation of their marriage.
General Personality Traits
High Elves can seem both friendly and aloof at the same time. Towards most people they endeavour to be polite, friendly and helpful, but will ignore or outright refuse to answer most inquiries into High Elven society and history. Most friendly relations remain polite but superficial. If faced with hostility they will become cold to the point of harshness.
The High Elves have a tendency to see in very long-term and to the shorter-lived mortal races can seem very unconcerned with events, more interested in concentrating on simple daily tasks than having anything to do with politics. This is a mistake as High Elven views on politics tend to span centuries or even millennia.
Night Elves can be divided into three subgroups, those who live in the cities, those who live in the forest communities, and the Southern Sunset Mountain Star Vales. The city Elves are more involved in the functions of the city they live in, usually acting as advisors, mentors, and managers of trade portals to the mortal races they share the city with. They tend to seem the most approachable and friendly High Elves of the lot.
Forest-dwelling Night Elves have a deep concern for keeping the forests healthy and can be very annoyed by anyone who stumbles into their territory and is damaging to the woodlands. They can also be helpful towards travelers who they deem not causing undue damage, especially people who have suffered adverse effects from the Greater Moon offering services at modest prices cure them of severe conditions, or at least give them shelter until an effect wears off.
Hyarmenya Elenimbë (Southern Star Vale) Night Elves are the most stand-offish of their people, given that the outsiders they most encounter are either from the Black Empire or the Unseelie Fae. They live in rigidly militaristic arrangements and view vistors in terms of invading enemy or unauthorised entry. The only way to get authorised entry to a Southern Star Vale is to be send via portal system from one of the High Elven communities in the north.
Once a person is trusted, they will gain aid in whatever task they have been sent to complete and will be treated with politeness. If they do something unexpected or that could be perceived as potentially against Night Elf interests, the Southern Night Elves will become very harsh, and actions ranging from imprisonment pending deportment via portal right through to immediate execution can occur, depending on the actions it is response to.
The Southern Night Elves have strong relationships to the Southern Dwarves, surface mountain folk including Grey Elves, southern White Elves, Winged Elves, mountain giants, dragons, griffons, phoenixes, and Wild Elves who have ventured upland. The more northern Star Vales are on polite but cool terms with the Empire of Men, not fully approving of their relations with the Black Empire but respecting that they have resisted takeover and hold back the Black Elves from assaulting the north.
Moon Elves have four subgroups, the Hísitollë (Mist Islands), the mainland ports, Endánórë (Midland), and Eärelenatollë (the Star Islands).
Moon Elves dominate all the Mist Islands from north to south. On most of the islands, they are primarily concerned with their daily tasks of fishing and maintaining their ships. They can be politely helpful to travelers, especially those coming in from the Western Day Seas - the oceans west of the Mists. Compared to most of the Nightlands, all the island folk - High Elves, Middle Elves and humans - can seem a lot more down-to-earth and a lot less fey to a Daylander, because they live so close to they Daylands, with some of the Mist Islands being on the brighter side of the Mist.
Mainland Moon Elves are more fey than the island folk, since they are further away from the Dayline. They have more to do with the mainland races and tend to have strong relations with the Night Elves. There are a few heavily protected Moon Elf ports on the southern continent and they, in comparison, are far less welcoming and far more suspicious of anyone coming to them from inland. They do however tend to be more welcoming to Moon Elf ships coming from the sea.
Endánórya Moon Elves are the more staid than a lot of the islands, also very laid-back, something directly related to the fact that Midland is a tropical land. They can be sensitive about the Crystal Wall, a cliff that runs right across Endánórë, right in the densest part of the Mist, where the Dayline is located. The Moon Elves do not like to speak of the Crystal Line, they do not even like to acknowledge it exists and will get angry if a person insists on asking about it.
Eärelenatollë (the Star Islands) are a territory unto themselves where the resident Moon Elves, the Eäroquenya (Seariders), share the islands with a group of Star Elves, and do not usually take direct orders from Midland, where the Lord Captain resides. This results on them being a bit more stand-offish towards other Moon Elves and a bit more secretive and defensive, and less inclined to be helpful to random visitors, including random Daylanders.
The Star Elves are the most secretive High Elves, and least inclined to share much information with outsiders and will instantly shut down any conversation that turns to inquiring about the royal family. As a whole, they can seem obsessed by whatever craft they have chosen, to an almost maddening extent. Their groups are Eärelenatollë, Hópa Veríotornassë Númëoronti (Harbour of the Bold Brotherhood of the Western Mountains) or Hópa Elenna (Star Harbour) for short, and the northern Elenimbë.
The Star Islands Star Elves are not very inclined to speak to outsiders, tending to leave that to the Moon Elves they share a very symbiotic relationship with. The Star Elves, being near-obsessive crafters, tend to handle all land-bound tasks, acting to support their Moon Elf counterparts in every way possible. The Star Islands are led by one of the Three Sisters, powerful High Elves who are said to be fallen stars. Elossí, the Island Queen as she is colloquially known (much to the annoyance of the Lord Captain and to a lesser degree the Night King), is wedded to the second eldest son of her adopted father, one of the two remaining Crafter Princes.
Hópa Elenna is a mainland port in in the northern coast of the northern continent. It is not a very welcoming port to random passing ships, but it exists as a mainland port specifically for the Star Islands. The Port's High Elf residents are mostly Star Elves, but Moon Elves from Eärelenatollë also have a presence there. Like the islands, the Star Elves of the port tend to not be the people who most outsiders speak to, and tend to seem very single-minded on their given craft. The port is led by another of the Three Sisters, Losá, and her seemingly immortal human husband.
The Elenimbë, hidden valleys in the Sunset Mountains, were all established by the Star Elves, even the southern ones, but at some point in the distant past retreated to the northern continent, handing the southern Vales over to Night Elves. Because the Elenimbë are hidden and heavily shielded, Star Elves tend to be suspicious of random travelers who stumble across their lands. However they have strong relationships with Grey Elves, Winged Elves - both Middle Elf races who typically live in the mountains - and also dwarves. Most Vales are directly linked to an underground Dwarven settlement and the Star Elves, because of their strong crafting tradition, have very good relationships with Dwarves. The Vale linked to the Dwarven capital, where the Dwarven High King reigns, is ruled by the third of the Three Sisters, Elená, and her Southern Adan bonded guardian. The other surviving Crafter Prince, eldest in the family, lives in this Vale. He is an arcane smith.
Expertise & Prowess
A High Elf's physical abilities are so great they can almost seem magic on their own - strength far beyond what a Man could manage, dexterity and agility that would be faster than a human eye could follow, eyesight that can easily see to the edge of the world's curvature, hearing that can hear for miles, and all on far less sleep than humans can live on - and that is even without their arcane abilities augmenting them.
High Elves are frequently very good warriors, with even those not dedicated to warfare - womenfolk, priests, healers, farmers and land healers, and crafters of peaceful crafts - will have training that often outstrips any training the average human can manage. Part of this advanced training is due to the time their immortality allows them to learn, with even seemingly young Elves being highly trained and experienced from past lives.
High Elves can change their chosen profession, but such a change is uncommon unless the Elf has reincarnated and experienced a different upbringing from their previous life, leading to a new interest. This can also give an Elf an potentially unexpected talent to those who do not know of their past life.
Special Abilities
Healers
Healers has an inclination and better ability to use magic to heal people of physical wounds. Healers with sufficient training can even heal a dead body, repairing the wounds that killed the Elf. This is the first step to resurrecting a dead High Elf.
Priests
Priests both preside over religious ceremonies and holidays, identifying reincarnations, adulthood ceremonies and marriages. Priests act as healers of the mind, aiding people who are suffering mental issues. The most important role for priests however is being able to reach the spirits of the dead, speak to them, call them back to healed bodies, or link them to a couple who will become the parents of their reincarnation.
Priests however are not easy for outsiders to identify as they practice the priestly tasks in a manner that makes it seem like a normal part of life. Priests do not live as a separate vocation but is often something that someone does alongside another role. A lot of priests are also healers, with the counseling on emotional and mental issues being more seen as part of their healing. A lot of community leaders can also hold priestly roles, especially in presiding over holidays and ceremonies. It is only the ability to contact the dead that really stands out and marks an individual as something special, but even then a common arcane crafter, or land singer, or even a war commander could also do that when a situation comes up that calls for it.
Arcane Crafters
Arcane Crafters are Elves who craft enchanted items. The most famous kind of arcane crafter are the arcane smiths, but other crafts can be imbued with enchantments, including clothing, sculptures, paintings, and even magically imbued food.
Land Singers
Land Singers are healers of plants and land. They have a skill in being about to read the magic of the land and work with it encourage plant growth, purify tainted soil, and work with the Living Stone. Some of the greatest land singers have as strong a connection to the Living Stone as Dwarves.
Gatekeepers
Gatekeepers maintain the magic portals that connect High Elf settlements across the whole of the Nightlands, a network almost the whole of the Northern Nightlands depends on for trade, travel and moving warriors in wars without suffering undue effect from the Greater Moon.
Scryers
Scryers work hand-in-hand with Gatekeepers, managing communications between High Elf communities. Scryers can also spy on places, watching out for potential threats to their communities, and are frequently called on for legal matters as they can sometimes divine past events and reveal the truth.
SOCIAL VALUES & CULTURAL INFORMATION
Overview
(This is one of the parts I have not completed. Conceptually I think the major social value High Elves have is principals of peace, kindness and letting as many people have good lives as possible. Given that they are the eldest race of the Westerlands, even proceeding some of the ancient non-humanoids like dragons, they see themselves as being parental figures to all the other races, but not being an all-controlling authoritarian regime, so their leadership remains very hands-off, acting as advisors, mentors and history-keepers.)
Language(s)
The native language of the High Elves is Quentá. The Name "Quentá" simply means "speech" though has come to be a synonym for "language" to most northerners.
Formenya Adaní Quentá is the widespread language of Menfolk in the north. All High Elves in the north will know it, and the southern Night Elves will have a good command of it.
Kessír Quentá, the language of the Middle Elves, can have many dialects, and which dialect a High Elf may speak depends on where they live and which Kessír subrace they associate with. The close relationship the two Elven races also has an effect on Kessír Quentá by keeping the speed at which the language changes at a glacial pace, this most dialects tend to be mutually intelligible.
Moon Elves are likely to understand Sea-talk, which is not so much a true language as a way that Oár Kessír (Sea Elves) communicate while underwater, and Mer-Quentá, a more complex underwater language.
Social Hierarchy
Quendár society is arranged in clans, though extended clans can form due to reincarnations and the family links that can cause. Typically each city, town or settlement has one clan of Quendár who resides there. If a given town's clan has links to other clans, there can be some back-and-forth.
The three Quendár races are ruled by monarchies, with widely acknowledged royal families. The Night King of of the Lómaquendár, the Lord Captain of the Isilmaquendár, and the Crafter Princes and Three Sisters of the Eleniquendár. Because of their immortal nature, royal descent is a rare and unusual thing amongst them, and while the Lord Captain has not changed in all known history, legend says the Night King was not the first to rule as such.
The Eleniquendár royal family has an even stranger story, shrouded in myths about how Nightfall happened. The most commonly accepted parts are that the first known Crafter King was the grandfather of the Princes, and that the Three Sisters were adopted by said Princes' father. The Princes were also not their father's only sons, they are said to have been the eldest two out of seven brothers. No tales tell of what became of their mother. The two Princes have never claimed kingship, with the second only taking the title of "Lord" alongside his wife. Likewise the Three Sisters do not take the title of "Queen" for themselves, though Lady Elossí of Eärelenatollë is often colloquially referred to as the "Sea Queen".
Religions / Beliefs
Like many other things, the High Elves can be vague and cagey about their religious beliefs. What is well known is a strong belief in "The Arcane" which can be both spoken as being the magic of the world in general and an otherworldly realm that exists beyond even the Fae Realm, and treated as the place Quendár souls go while dead. More rarely the High Elves can refer to the Arcane as if it is a living entity, one that both supplies the world's magic and protects dead souls. However this possible "god" is something the Quendár never elaborate on.
The High Elves, particularly the Eleniquendár, do consider the Arcane and "The Stone" (or "Living Stone") that the Dwarves believe in to be either the same thing or linked to each other.
The High Elves have, over time, influenced Middle Elf religious beliefs to the point that what were once considered independent gods by Middle Elves are now thought of in terms of being aspects of the Arcane and how those aspects manifest in an anthropomorphic manner.
Morality
(Again, incomplete. As mentioned in the social values part, their main moral direction is peace, kindness and not being over-controlling. The High Elves will also act in defense of groups whose freedom is at risk, the most common being the continued freedom of groups on the southern continent who want to get free or remain free of the Black Empire.)
Death & Death Rituals
Because of their immortal nature, High Elves have an unusual relationship with death. They can be resurrected if their body can be repaired and preserved until a priest or priestess can perform the ritual to call them back. If their body is too damaged, a search will be made for a couple to become their new parents and then a priest will preside over linking the couple to the spirit of the dead person, guaranteeing that they will reincarnate when that couple get pregnant.
Some Elves, when contacted by priests, refuse to return to life. If they intend to return at a later date but wish to rest for a while, they are likely to indicate such, but some have totally refused to return at all. This situation is one of the most common circumstances that proceeds the birth of a true new soul amongst the High Elves.
If a High Elf soul refuses to return but still has a body that has been preserved, the body will usually be cremated once their intent not to return has been confirmed. A soul who has decided not to return for a time, but not straight away may ask for their body to be cremated with the expectation of going through reincarnation when they are willing to return. A body deemed too damaged to be repaired will be cremated. It is considered honourable to lay ashes under trees or in flower gardens to feed to earth.
Family Structure
Due to their immortality, High Elves can have very complex family structures. At it's base, High Elven families are the same as in the mortal races - children are deferential to and respectful of parents, siblings of parents, grandparents, but the issue of reincarnation creates a complex issue. When a High Elf dies and is reborn in a new life, their previous family still remains their family, once they recall their previous life. These multiple families can create links between the reincarnated elf's two families, as both old and new family try to build a friendship for the sake of their shared kinsman. Some High Elf families can have sprawling networks of family linked by multiple reincarnated members, as well as links built by marriages.
Biases (Against Others)
Most Middle Elves: Young, living just long enough to think a bit too highly of themselves.
Gold Elves: Smug, snobbish, presumptuous fools who think themselves far better than they are and sometimes need to be put down, but gently.
Black Elves: Not to be trusted at all, dangerous, vicious, cruel, untrustworthy.
Seelie Fae: Allies who can be troublesome and mischievous.
Unseelie: Dangerous vicious monsters that need to be killed or driven away at all costs.
Humans: Almost vanishingly short lives, but dangerously active.
Dragons: Some can be trusted but most are chaotic, aggressive and as bestial as a sapient race can be.
Stereotype (As Seen by Others)
All High Elves: Aloof, remote, unconcerned.
Night Elves: Tree-huggers, more concerned with forests than people.
Moon Elves: Always out at sea, Midlanders are laid-back to the point of ignoring the world, Star Islanders are insular.
Star Elves: Avoid contact to outsiders, obsessed with their chosen crafts, hates southerners.
Southern Night Elves: Rigid warriors who are suspicious of everyone and will kill intruders in their mountain vales.
All High Elves as seen by the Black Empire and most of the Empire of Men: Dangerous enemies that wish to keep the Empires restricted. Frigid moralists who have subtle and insidious control over all the northerners that needs to be broken.
Unseelie: Too pure, too perfect, must be destroyed, slowly and painfully.
Seelie: Far too up tight and have no concept of fun and amusement.
Notable Legends
The Crafter Prince and the Three Stars is a legend saying the son of the king who ruled before Nightfall, a legendary arcane smith even amongst Star Elves, witnessed three falling stars, went to find them because he wanted starmetal to work with. However on finding the place the stars had fallen, found three infant girls - or found the fallen stars only for them to transform into infant Elves upon his touch - who he promptly adopted. These are the legendary Three Sisters who are the mostly unseen leaders of the Star Elves, and the reason why their people took up the name Eleniquendár - aka "Star Elves".
There is a belief that the Three Sisters had something to do with Nightfall - the creation of the enchantment that created the perpetual night of the Nightlands, but no one can say how. Very few believe the Sisters are somehow related to the Moon Goddess legend, but some people do believe they somehow came from the Moon Goddess, especially if they know the fallen star story, taking that as a sign the Sisters are daughters of the goddess.
In a similar line of thinking about the Moon Goddess legend, some people think Moon Elves are a special race to the goddess, who marked them with her own colouring (pale).
Midland Elves can be conflated with both Sea Elves and merfolk by people who do not understand the difference between the three races.
The title of "Night King" can make some people suspicious, especially Daylander travelers who find a name like "Night Elves" as a sign of evil.
Night Elves can also be conflated with the Seelie Fae.
