Elves (Alanthalani "The People")

Elves are a common sight in the lands of Gaia. Elves average from five to six feet tall, with females slightly shorter. Elves weigh from 80 to 160 pounds. All elves have pointed ears. Elves are a long-lived race, and can live to be about 900 years old. Elves in general tend to get along with other races, although there is occasional tension with dwarves. All elves, with the exception of the Droweno'lanthalani, hate the goblinoid races, although they will not necessarily kill them on sight (they will capture them). Elves save their greatest anger for each other. Droweno'lanthalani are universally despised by the other subgroups, and the Droweno'lanthalani hate them in return. Elven subgroups tend to marry within themselves, although there is some intermarriage between groups. This is not discouraged, but there is a subtle societal trend to marry within subgroups. All elves, regardless of subgroup, have the following special abilities:


Cloud Elves (Alta'lanthalani "People of the Clouds")

The Alta'lanthalani, or cloud elves, are the most common type of elves on Gaia. Cloud elves have brown or blond hair, and blue or green eyes. Cloud elves tend towards chaotic good, although individuals vary. Cloud elf society centers around extended families, and five or six such families will gather together in small villages. Cloud elves are loosely governed by a king or queen, with the first born child succeeding when the previous ruler dies or steps down. The ruler is counseled by a council of the heads of leading families.

Cloud elves usually live in forests, although many live in human cities. When a cloud elf reaches the age of ascension, usually around 100-110, he or she will leave home to see the world and travel for 20 or 30 years. Many become adventurers, and all are changed by their experiences. Cloud elves are by nature curious, and many become rogues or mages, not from any need for wealth or power, but so that they can explore and discover new things. Many cloud elves remain outside their ancestral homes after their normal period of travel ends, and this tends to give them a broad outlook on life, and the ability to see from another's point of view.

Cloud elf society is very tolerant, and although most marriages are monogamous, polyamory is an acceptable alternative. Because of their long lives, cloud elves, and elves in general tend not to have too many children. Usually two or three is the norm, although in times of crisis this may climb to five or six. Cloud elves view death as a transition to another existence. However, they also believe that each death removes a part of this existence. Cloud elves bury their dead in sepulchers in secluded glens. The traditional mourning color is black.

All cloud elves have the following abilities in addition to those possessed by all elves:


Wind Elves (Arcto'lanthalani "People of the Wind")

Arcto'lanthalani, or wind elves, are the second most common subgroup of elves. Wind elves have brown or black hair, and blue, brown, or violet eyes. Wind elves tend toward neutral good. Wind elf society centers around the 'nuclear' family. Wind elves marry for life. Female wind elves usually pierce their ears several times. Unmarried females who have come of age wear one large silver hoop in their left ear, while married females wear one of gold. Male wind elves wear their hair long until they marry, when they shear it to about an inch below the ears.

Wind elf governments are usually constitutional monarchies, although many adapt to the local government because of the wind elves' habit of intermingling with other subgroups of elves. Local wind elf governments are often councils, and in large towns, a mayor will be elected. Wind elves usually congregate in small towns and villages, although there are a few large cities.

Wind elves usually choose trading or crafting as occupations, although the full range will occur in most populations. Wind elves often form guilds, so, for example, there is a silversmith's guild, a warrior's guild, etc.. Cloud elves tend to view wind elves as unsophisticated, while wind elves think of them as unpractical. Wind elf adventurers are somewhat uncommon, they can be seen in any adventurer's tavern or thieves' guild.

All wind elves have the following abilities in addition to those possessed by all elves:


Ice Elves (Silvano'lanthalani "The Glacial People")

Silvano'lanthalani, or ice elves, are much more common in the cold lands of the south than anywhere else. Ice elves are usually in the tall range for elves. Ice elves have blond hair and blue or green eyes. Ice elves are usually lawful good and are very tribal. Ice elves are the only elves of Gaia that have facial hair, and males usually wear at least a moustache and goatee.

Ice elves live in villages, and a tribe will live in several nearby villages. Each tribe has a symbol or totem that tells the outside world what tribe the bearer belongs to. Neighboring tribes will usually help each other in times of crisis, although political differences often arise. The political leadership of a tribe is headed by the head Matriarch, while the warriors are led by the most experienced male, by tradition. Most of the adults of the tribe are trained to fight in some capacity, so all the secondary war leaders may be females. Wizards are rare among the ice elves, although in general they are highly regarded. Priests are fairly common, especially those of Martikar and Faelecia.

Cloud elves and wind elves in general believe that ice elves are just one step from being uncivilised, but this is not the case. Ice elves have adapted marvelously to their environment, and do not need the 'civilised' accoutrements that most other elves consider 'civilised'.

All ice elves have the following abilities in addition to those possessed by all elves:


Sea Elves (Valeno'lanthalani "People of the Waves")

Valeno'lanthalani, or sea elves are the most divergent of the elven peoples. Sea elves have webbed fingers and toes, and can breathe air or water, although it takes a round to switch. Sea elves have green hair and blue eyes, and their skin has a blue-green tint to it. Sea eleves tend towards chaotic good. Sea elves live in small communities in water less than 200 feet deep, although some have moved into the now sunken cities that were lost.

Sea elves have a special relationship with dolphins and porpoises, and there will always be a population at least 20 percent of the size of the sea elven population in and around the settlement. Sea elves can also shapechange into dolphins, and are only detectable by other sea elves, dolphins, or (rarely) by rangers familiar with sea animals (5% per level chance). Sea elves can also speak the language of dolphins, and have their own language as well, although they can also speak the language of land elves.

Sea elves ahve no higher form of government than their local community leaders, although neighboring communities will band together to help each other when needed. They also tend to have good relationships with nearby human communities, although tensions with fishermen sometimes occur. Unique among the good elves, sea elves do not hate the Droweno'lanthalani, which did not exist at the time the sea elves branched off from the land elves. Encounters between the two subgroups are so rare that no history of hatred has been built up. However, the sea elves do have enemies, the most important of which are the Sahaugin and sharks.

All sea elves have the following abilities in addition to those possessed by all elves:


Dark Elves(Droweno'lanthalani "The Forsaken People")

Droweno'lanthalani, or dark elves are a corrupted mirror image of their surface-dwelling relatives. Dark elves have dark blue to pitch black skin, white hair, and black eyes. Dark elves run the gamut of evil alignments, although the ones that rise to leadership positions are usually lawful evil. Dark elves that have alignments that differ from the norm usually are loners, and are rejected by their society.

Dark elven society is strongly matriarchal, although leaders are determined by how powerful they are, and how well they can stave off their rivals. Dark elves worship Orantos, who was responsible for creating them, and his minion Liloth, the goddess of spiders. this has lead to a special relationship between the Droweno'lanthalani and spiders, and the dark elves have bred many varieties of them for various tasks.

Dark elves live in the underdark, which has changed them considerably. Dark elves cannot bear to be in the sunlight, which severely hampers them, and even a cloudy day is uncomfortable. Dark elves gain a 3% per level resistance to magic when they are within a mile of their homeland, but lose this when going farther than one mile. Dark elves from another homeland do not gain the magic resistance.

All dark elves have the following abilities in addition to those possessed by all elves:


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