Elfkind

Examples of various races of elves: Left to Right, front to back: row 1. : hake elf, grey elf, blood elf, snow elf, desert elf, wild elf; row 2. : sand elf, high elf, drow, anqueael, ash elf, doroz; row 3. : wollumis, sylvan elf, flarie, Im'Salanos, wood elf, mountain elf, half elf.

Elfkind is a reference to all the different types of elves that are native to the Aiers universe including the Nebulosa of Ots. Most definitive information is currently for the elven nations and races that originated and evolved on Aiers IV.

Before the arrival of humans (and Kanov type humans) to Aiers IV in the 1rst Century a.a.H, elves might be characterized as the "people" of that world. At least in the sense that they built advanced civilizations, and expanded and colonized the world at the expense of other races and wilderness. They themselves certainly thought so.

Like the humans and kanov that would mysteriously appear, the elves divided themselves into races that didn't necessarily have much to do with what category they were, or would settle into many varied environments developing their own cultures. For example, the very successful blue skinned Zuleis category would gain uncontested control of the Aels and Ushaenor continents, and have many tribes living in Zarhuy and Hieyoks. Yet these were not people under any unified code or creed, and would develop their own cultures and all of them would suffer severe reversals of fortune in later centuries as the also diverse Rossnes elves would gain ascendancy over their blue skinned elven cousins. Even the Rossnes elves having their own differing cultures and national divisions; the High elves supposedly preferring to peacefully join with fellow Rossnes elves, but treating them like benighted children in the process.

Arrogance has no specific claim to any race.

The elf are one of the races of Aiers. There are many different races of elves, and they differ markedly in color, size, culture, and disposition.

Very General Appearance

Relative to humans, what they all have in common is a general good aesthetic look to them, with regular and often demure features, often with sparse body hair relative to humans. Their ears tend to be large, long and pointed relative to humans. The most prominent distinction is their long lives.

Size

Size by Gender

The two genders of male and female are actually fairly close to each other in scale and mass relative to the sexual dimorphism of humans. There is a great deal of overlap between the biologic genders, with men and women sometimes being difficult to differentiate by casual appearance alone due to similarity of builds around an androgynous average. Many males are 'effeminate' relative to human males, while females might be quite 'boyish'. This does not mean that masculine men and feminine women cannot appear among elves, those appearances are still common--but cannot be said to represent the average; for the average of the genders overlaps.

The Light Elf groups of elves tend to be the more 'human-like' in this area. Males being a bit taller and heavier than their females. The High Elves and perhaps even more so, the Mountain Elves, having the gender averages diverging from each other.

However, Dark Elf groups differ in that the males are often the same height or shorter than their females, and with similar builds, with their masses being about the same. The Drow take this to an extreme with females clearly being statistically taller and heavier than their male counterparts in most communities.

Size by Racial Category

Size relative to Humans

Elves are almost always smaller and lighter than average sized humans. High elves are often considered to be the tallest and largest of the elven races; with the tallest of High elves being about as tall as humans, but will usually be thinner and therefore lighter. Some members of the so called Dark Elf group of Anqueael Elfs are taller than High elves, and even many humans, but tend to be even thinner, while the Hebonnor mountain elves might not be so tall, but might have an unusual (for elves) bulk to them, (and hairiness) that both makes them large elves in terms of weight, but also lends some doubt to their elven purity of blood.

Rossnes and High Elf Variability

But while High elves might have a size that sometimes rivals and leads to confusion between them and humans, other High elf individuals or subgroups might have heights and sizes closer to that of other elves. As an example of this, the character Naemae is a Wild elf native to Antor in the interior of the continent of Zarhuy. Naemae is a descendant of high elf colonists to the continent and a population remnant of a fallen kingdom, yet she and her fellow wild elves are significantly smaller than the High elf known as the White Hermit; but she was also taller than the Drow Trio whom she met on their adventures in Zarhuy. Part of this might be explained by lesser nutrition when living on the Plains of Antor, but the colony that she is descended from was populated with High elves who were simply smaller than some others. Presumably, should a traveler visit many cities and towns in the 'elf continent' of Ushaenor circa the 20th Century a.a.H., towns of high elves might have elves who could vary considerably in size.

The Six Elf Categories, Tallest to Shortest

• Anqueael Elfs of cold white or light grey skinned "Dark Elves" are about 165 - 190 cm in height. Taller than almost all Rossnes and most High elves, but about the same size or lighter in weight as an equivalently tall High elf due to their spare frames. Unknown level of gender dimorphism in height and size.

• Rossnes elves of "rose" or "warm" colors includes the High elves, Hebonnor and Sylvan elfs, as well as other, less defined racial groups as Blood elfs, Grey elfs and Wild elfs. They vary considerably in size and height in various populations and sometimes even in related populations. These elves are about 150 - 185 cm in height. Males generally average taller than females within a given population and are heavier. High elves being regarded as the tallest 'race' (although with a considerable height and size range), with Hebonnor being the heaviest relative to their height.

• Zuleis elves of blue skins, were second major category of elves, rivalling the Rossnes elves in terms of success of numbers for a time. These blue elves included the Hake, Flairie, and Desert elf groups are shorter and smaller than many of the Rossnes elves at about 140 - 165 cm in height. Males and females are more equalized in height, males might be taller and heavier.

• Neroz elves, mostly represented by the Drow, have near black to grey, or slightly bluish or purplish skin, are statistically shorter than the Zuleis and Rossnes types. They are about 130 - 155 cm in height. Females average significantly taller and often heavier than the males in most populations.

• Wollumis elves are purplish skinned, tiny elves who live in deep woods or primal wildernesses where small size is often a benefit. The Wollumis elves are at about 120 - 140 cm in height. Genders about equal in height and weight?

• Verdennos Elfs. have greenish skin, and reputedly take their primitive lifestyle to an even greater level than the Wollumis, yet they are renowned for having powerful magic they use to regulate nature. They are the smallest category of regularly accepted elves at about 110 - 125 cm in height. Yet, they have proportionately the longest and largest ears. Genders about equal in height and weight?

Ears

Elves are well known for having pointed ears that sometimes reach impressive lengths, averaging about 1/2 to 2/3 of the lengths of their heads. This is fairly universal amongst the elves, and would seem to have been an evolution straight from the precursor of the very long eared humanoid known as the Fairy or "pygmy elf". The precursor believed to be the ancestor of the elves. It is suspected that the Verdennos elves might be the category of elf more closely related to the Fairy; at least, they most resemble them in having a smaller size, and large and long ears, and strong magic.

Treatment of Negeémi Drowlings Using Progressive Ear Stretching

Presumably, there was some selective pressure for evolution to enlarge and lengthen the ears of the proto-elves. Possibly a sexual advertisement? A means of the subspecies to distinguish itself from the Goblins which elves are far closer related than they might wish to admit?

Elven children typically have pointed ears, but their overall length and area are modest, comparable to ears of other races. As they grow older and reach adolescence, and then adulthood, their ears grow ever longer reaching some impressive lengths and area. This would suggest that elven ears have become a positive secondary sexual advertisement? (In an evolutionary biological sense as well as cultural) It is also true that elven ears are typically highly mobile and might serve similar functions in emotional display as human eyebrows?

However, some elves reach adolescence with ears that might be pointed, but fail to become particularly long or large, more resembling ears of goblins or orcs. But elves will often treat such problems with stretching, simple operations to alter irregular or unwanted ear-shapes, skin and cartilage implants and magic 'flesh bending' techniques related to healing spells, to enlarge and reshape, (or repair) small or damaged ears. Physicians that specialize in such techniques are called Eartists.

Elf Aging

All elves, but the Doroz and the various half elves, live much longer than humans, where, as children, they age half as fast as humans; and as adults, they age only one month for every year that goes by. Due to their magical auras, elves don't get diseases, or at least greatly resist diseases, and don't typically suffer catastrophic body failures due to aging infirmities, they can truly live a very long time.

ELF LIFE CYCLE

• Infant: (biological human years (BHY): 0 to 5) = 0 to 10 years
• Kid: ( BHY: 5 to 12) = 10 to 24 years
• Teen: (BHY: 12 to 18) = 24 to 36 years
• Young Adult (BHY: 18 to 25) = 36 to 120 years
• Adult I (BHY: 25 to 50) = 120 to 420 years
• Adult II (BHY: 50 to 65) = 420 to 600 years
• Elder I (BHY: 65 to 75) = 600 to 720 years
• Elder II (BHY: 75 to 87) = 720 to 864 years

Elf Biological Age Calculation

Elf Age Calculation for determining human biological equivalent years: ((Age of Elf in years - 36) / 12) + 18 = The Elf's Human Equivalent Aging

This calculation subtracts '36' from the elves age to account for childhood when the elf aged much faster. The division of '12' is to account for the elf's slow aging at a rate of one month per year. The addition of '18' is to replace the aging of childhood.

So, a 500 year old elf would be: ((500 - 36) / 12) + 18 = (464 / 12) + 18 = 38.667 + 18 = 56.667 years of human equivalent aging.

Because they live for so long, and due to reduced infirmities, can indeed live more active life styles, even when aged, they are also much more likely to die of accidents or violence rather than age. This is especially true of living through multiple violent eras of history.

It should be pointed out that a longer life might result in a greater degree of build up of toxic materials.

Cultural

Positions in Society

Almost universally, elves place great importance on age relative to respect and social advancement. Various societies tend to mitigate this, of course. Primitive, tribal societies such as the Wollumis, for example, value effective leadership and youthful feats very much; but still have a powerful counterbalance of the aged shaman or wise-woman. More advanced societies will tend to place aged individuals higher. Hake societies certainly place great emphasis on the aged and learned. The High elves likewise value aged wizards and academics, but often have much younger individuals as monarchs or heads of state, often with a term limit which will likely equal or exceed any reign of a human contemporary. Similar such arrangements are made for other elven races, particularly the Rossnes.

Elven Youth

Almost all elves, except some of the more tribal or less numerous, practice a separation of generations by a delay of reproduction of a century or more. This is coupled by a distrust of the youthful members of society to make wise decisions. Hence, a 'Young Adult' of 36-120 years is essentially treated as a 'Teenager' for that time. Often expected to behave frivolously, foolishly or rashly, not often being given important positions in society until gaining a perspective and maturity to counter chaotic impulses. (Although such treatment might well have the unfortunate effect of such low expectations leading to such results in spoiled or otherwise childish behavior from elven youths).

It should not be at all thought that elves must therefore disdain youth. On the contrary, elven childhood is so (relatively) brief, that it seems to an elven family and community that a child grows up much too fast, a child and childhood being very valued. Particularly in that elven females ovulate but once a year and so a child being born is not always a certain outcome. An extended 'quasi-adolescence' is a means of extending that childhood for those societies stable enough and wealthy enough to encourage and promote such a thing. And, an extended childhood allows for an extended training of knowledge and skills resulting in a more cultured and sophisticated individual, contributing to an elven aloof and superior demeanor and stereotype of such. And, again, the unfortunate possibility of spoiling such youths from an extended childhood.

View of the World

Elves do not see themselves as an ever-youthful race. For they see that humans and orcs have a far greater proportion of children in their populations. They see themselves as un-youthful in a changing, very impermanent world, where dynamic and promising elven youths might die 'young' with more fortunate members that will see nations rise and fall, forests grow and be cut down, and even rivers might change their course. Elven culture and societies and personal views are often, knowing or not, an attempt to bring stability into their world, contributing to their penchant for indecision. And, of course, in dealing with recalcitrant non-elves, they can always put the matter off, thinking that they'll deal with the next generation, if at all; as the offending civilization might fall. However, many elves found that the civilization that would fall was their own when pitted with dynamic, youthful cultures like the humans, Kanovs and orcs.

Elves with Less Longevity

The Doroz are elves that have been stripped of their magic (maná) auras by a genetic virus. Curse of the Doroz. They live only a third as long as their magical brethren, but still far longer than humans, as they can live to be over 300 years old. They are unfortunately fully subject to virulent diseases however, it is unknown if they suffer from increasing bodily dis-functions such as cancer or undue aging infirmities.

Half Elfs have a life span that might range to be almost as long as most elves, or almost as short the non-elven parent. Although the greater the elven blood, the better chances of long life.

Elven Recovery

Elves tend to be small, lithe, and therefore delicate compared to humans, and certainly compared to most races of Orcs and sometimes even the smaller Goblinoids. The elven magic aura does help afford a faster recovery time from injuries, and a better prognosis to recover well from damaging or scarring injuries. This seems to be a low scale "healing spell" that they naturally have, but it does not extend to regeneration, or automatic bone setting, and scars might remain for many years, or never go away.

It is unknown whether elves have many sets of teeth beyond the two sets that humans have.

Elven Magic

All elves, except for the unfortunate, magic-less Doroz, and perhaps some half elves, or people with trace amounts of elven blood, have magic. More accurately, elves generate a "maná" energy field about themselves which greatly contributes to their long lives, and resilience and resistance to disease.

Types of Magic

About one elf in ten has the ability to manipulate the mana that they generate, and to also bend the maná of the world around them. This allows them to achieve "spells" of various effects. Usually having to do with manipulation of energy, such as offensive use of fireballs, or lightning, or soul burning! Or of healing. Or in acts of creation.

It is known that elves may also use magic in various constructive ways, from aiding the construction of high towers in some unknown way, to aiding the growth of crops, the development of animals, or fashioning fine products as colored silk, glowing lamps, graceful ships, or tasty food.

Numbers of Magic Users

It is unknown how some elves have good maná manipulating abilities while most individuals in any given population do not, but the key does seem to be genetic in its basis. Albeit, there might be considerable benefit in a nurturing environment in bringing magic out of individuals. Nutrition and brain development might provide a key for the potential to develop in children and to unlock it during adolescence when it usually emerges.

Nor does simply possessing magic mean that an elf knows how to use it. An elf needs to receive years of training in order to cast spells to useful effect. Otherwise, the elf will merely have bursts of poorly controlled energies doing little good and often harm. So, a system of focusing those energies is needed, and community providing tutelage, which elves can readily provide. Those elves who are quite intelligent or disciplined or 'in touch' with their power can sometimes accomplish much by themselves in learning to control their power. But usually, schooling or mentoring is required to fully reach one's potential. Not all elves who have their power manifested will actually learn to use it, and many more will never realize that they had such potential in the first place.

Using the Central Kazrrad Drow State of Negeémiliel as an example: There are 530 thousand drow elves in that empire. About 10% are Acolytes and former acolytes, and will have achieved training. 10% of the acolytes would be expected to have some practical magic ability, this means that one percent of the population might be trained to use some offensive magic.

530,000 x .01 = 5,300 acolyte magic users. Of these, approximately 70% will only be able to use simple offensive spells, 30% being capable of being Priestesses or sorceresses. So: 5,300 x .3 = 1590 priestesses or sorceresses.

The War Priestesses and high level sorceresses are rarer yet, how many is not known, but might be 300 to 500 such war mages. Perhaps one percent of the available, well trained, population.

It should also be pointed out that such individuals will be either spread through the spectrum of ages, so a few would be too young to be trained, many will be too old or otherwise retired to be fighting war-mages and, of course, some will have certainly been killed in combat. So the numbers of available magic users, and certainly war-mages will be less than a simple statistical breakdown might suggest.

Most commoner elves would never receive the training to use their powers effectively, or realize their potential in the first place. However, 'great power often reveals itself', so some commoners with great potential would indeed demonstrate power. Such children might be sent to school at state expense to learn how use generally non-offensive magic for healing or food production or reinforcing structures.

Various elven societies might be more or less egalitarian than Negeémiliel. Some elven societies might have rulers who want no such competition, others might search amongst its people to locate and train as many potential magic users as they can. This is certainly the case of the city-state of Zaghäl which made a concerted effort to birth, identify and train as many magic users as possible, with much material support and subsidization from the Dark Legion.

Origins

The fairy or pygmy elf and goblin have similarities

The original prototype for elves on Aiers may have been a creation of a primordial world builder race that worked on Aiers, and created the underworld of Kazrrad hundreds of thousands of years previous to the 35th Century a.a.H.

The bowl land of Polforia may have been an open air laboratory where prototype races were released? In any case, it is known that Polforia was the original homeland of the elves.

The natural occurring wingless, green skinned "fairy" or "Pygmy-elf" a close related descendant of the original prototype race. With the small size, proportionately huge ears, and sharp teeth of the Pygmy-elf demonstrates a common link to the Goblinoids

Categories of Elven Races of Aiers IV

Regular Categories of Elves

There are six types of elves, seven if the Fairy or pygmy-elf is counted as a regular category, although, technically they are considered to be a precursor and a side branch to elfkind, and a link to the Goblins.

Relationships of elven categories. Click to see larger picture

Category of elf -- Short description, order according to size, largest and/or tallest to smallest and/or shortest

• Rossnes -- Elves with lighter skinned with "warmer-rosy" skin tones, 2nd tallest and largest category, colonized the coasts of the world
• Anqueael -- Milky white, or light blue or grey skin, tallest and 2nd largest category, arctic type elves with developed but struggling societies
• Zuleis -- Blue skinned elves, intermediate sizes, built great ancient civilizations
• Neroz -- Black or grey skinned elves, smaller sizes, built the earliest elven empire
• Wollumis -- Purple skinned elves, smaller sizes, usually violent, primitive societies
• Verdennos -- Green skinned elves, smallest sizes of the regular elves, larger ears, usually peaceful, primitive societies. Often thought of as larger cousins of the Fairy due to their similarities

Irregular Categories of Elves

There are elven categories that don't fit neatly into these racial categories. These are elves who are a mix between the two, or the Doroz, who are a race born of a genetic virus that stripped their ancestors of their aura magic. The Doroz becoming a distinct race of their own on the Hieyoks Continent.

Conversely, many are the descendants of High elf colonies who now live lives very different from the High elves that they sprang from. They have their own listings such as "Grey elf" or "Wild elf" given their cultural differences, even though in a larger genetic sense, they are the same people. Some scholars might argue that the Mountain elves, particularly the Hebonnor might belong in the irregular category as well. Some of them have a degree of mixed blood with Galaw Orcs and there is the suspicion that they have mixed blood with humans or Kanovs for their unusual sturdiness and extra hairiness compared to other elves. However, much of this is speculative and the Hebonnor normally look and act generally like Rossnes elves would be expected to. Their somewhat more bulky and hairy bodies being more of a minor question mark.

Irregular Category of elf -- Short description

• Fairy or Pygmy-elf -- Green skinned, tiny, easily the smallest category, large eared, and sharp toothed 'ancestral' group. Fairies are descendants of the common ancestor of Elfs and Goblins.
• Ash elves -- Often maligned mix of dark and light elf races. Often Zuleis and Rossnes
• Im'Salanos -- A specific and strongly mixed cultural race of Rossnes elves and Kanov type humans.
• Sand elves -- A mixed race of High elves with some Kanov and human ancestry.
• Snow elves -- An ancient mixed race of Neroz and Rossnes, with more recent Rossnes mixing
• Zaghäli -- A mixed race of the Neroz Drow and Zuleis Hake, bred for strong magic capabilities during the 25th and 26th Centuries a.a.H.
• Doroz -- A race of elves that have had their aura magic stripped of them. Any elf race might have unfortunate doroz descendants that tend to have white hair, yellow eyes, and lighter skin than the parent race. The Doroz that have formed societies of their own are of Rossnes elves in the Hieyoks Continent.
• Battleborn -- An artificial race of "elves" born of elven magic, blood and captured "demon" soul shards. Possess wings.

Elven Races

HOMO ELVII Elves -Elfkind (This list should not be thought of as complete, many distinct sub-races of elves have not been yet revealed)

---

---

Neroz

Drow

• Cavrest Drow

• Chelian Drow
• Dungeandar drow
• Erehel Drow
• Mazalean Drow
• Negeél Drow
• Sunner Drow

---

Rossnes

Sylvan elf

• Ahrean
• Bierteno
• Nubla
• Prairies Elf
• Marsh Elf

High elves

• Golden High Elves
• Silver High Elves
• M'Adhai (part of the Silver High Elves)

Blood elf

• Swamp Elf

Sand elf

• Zarhuycan
• Ipertian

Mountain elf

• Hebonnor

Snow elf

• Northern Snow elf
• Southern Snow elf

---

---

---

Zuleis

Flairie

• Unnlinne Flairie
• Koyonko Flairie
• Lantanian Flairie
• Enkel Flairie tribes

---

---

---

Battleborn

An artificially created race of elves from Daemoni Soul Shards. Appear to be tall, large and strong Golden High elves with retractable wings.

Elves of the Nebulosa of Ots

The Nebulosa of Ots is a nebula of about 800 star systems, a large number of which seem to have been terra-formed to be living, "Aiers Type" planets by some unknown world builder race at least tens of thousands of years previously. The nebula is named for a colony established there, the Aiers system is on the outer fringe.

In the future relative to the Fantasy and Modern ages of Aiers IV, "artificial" elves derived by cloning or more advanced bio-technology, or alien elves native to worlds within the Nebulosa of Ots will colonize, or be found to inhabit the nebula.

Aenian

Elves that were derived by biotechnology, either by "purifying" genomes from elf-human populations, or cloning DNA from living or dead elves. Many elven and dark elven races were created by various means and various companies to populate various colony worlds.

Underdark Technologies Inc.

A type of Aenian elf. These are bioengineered drow or clones of drow, some of the clones have been from individuals dead for centuries. They generally have in common bioengineering that speeds up their growth cycle and increases their fertility rates.

Extra-Aierian Elves

Elven races were discovered within the Nebulosa of Ots that are virtually identical to elves in appearance and bio-chemistry, but have no known direct connection to Aiers IV.

Lorran

A race of elves native to the Nebulosa of Ots that strongly resemble Hake, including considerable and advanced use of aura magic (maná) and technologies that work on mana manipulation.

Governments

Elves have governments with a great diversity as might be expected, they might have anything from tyrants to democracies to anything in between. However, they differ from other peoples for their long lives and for having magic.

Elective Monarchies

Often, elves have more primitive political systems for being so long lived with roots of their governance being in the deep past. However, due to assassinations and political intrigue, these old systems tend to have a 'modern' seeming twist. Elves very likely have kings and queens in a monarchy styled system; however, very often these monarchs are elected by a council, nobility or the general people. This election is also very often for a period of time, sometimes for 50 years as a likely example.

This arrangement at least allows the ambitious the hope to rise without need of assassination or for change to take place without rebellions.

Magicracies

Elven governments almost invariably have some form of 'magicracy' associated with it; magic users as rulers or electors or officials or advisors or so on.

Magicracy, the rule of the ones with Maná.

Among elves, such rule is not unexpected, as magic users are often the ones ruling or in positions of prominence in elven societies be it as seemingly godlike arch-mages at the pinnacle of an advanced civilization, or simple shamans of tribal elves. Those elves blessed with power are often tasked with using that power for the entire community and given accolades and some form of elite status for that service, not for the mere possession of an ability to bend magic to their will.

Maná is Maná in Aiers; but that doesn't mean that different societies treat it the same. The Hakes see the practice of magic as an artifact of their past greatness, and hoary sorcerers jealously guard and meditate on truly ancient symbols and texts. The High elves debate and analyze spells, trying to choose the most effective, trying to make new advances. The Drow see magic as a gift of the divine and seek power through prayers, bloody sacrifices, and seeking for their souls to grasp some 'godhead' within themselves.

Not surprisingly, the Hake might be ruled by some singular god-king who astounds for his feats, or else the wizened mage whose mere appearance and proclamation might change the minds of kings and the direction of nations. While High Elves typically have a rule by a magical council, or else an elite and usually revered board of advisors making recommendations taken with great import. The Drow, with their priestesses and sorceresses, typically rule by the interpretations of their holy writs, or by 'revelations' to their high priestesses.

Elven magic wielders may serve their people, but not infrequently via Autocracies, Oligarchies and Theocracies.