Elves

The elves, or Aeldremar, in their tongue, were the first beings to walk Ayvindor. For thousands of years they explored and colonized the world, founding a strong empire, that endured for ten millennia. After the first Plague War, elven supremacy waned, making way for the younger races.

After the dissolution of the Aeldremari empire, various elven offshoots appeared throughout Ayvindor, sharing the basic elven appearance and longevity, but differeint in almost every way. For the most part, elves are of good or neutral alignment, though this is not always the case.

Physical attributes
Elves are typically between 5'5" and 6'0" in height, all are of an athletic build. They do not grow beards, and body hair over the rest of their body is rare,save for eyebrows, eyelashes and hair. They are considered fairly light weight, compared to men or other races. However, they are of equal or greater strength than humans, though lack the brute power of more warlike races.

Though very similar in complexion to humans, there are some unique skin coloration among the Aeldremari. Ranging from abnormally pale skin of the snow elves, to the ash grey of the Soulblight elves. Hair colours are similar as well, though some unique variations, such as copper or a deep red are common in some elves. Most elven eyes are blue, green, or gold in color, with the notable differences being the pale silvers and icy blues of the snow elves, and the vivid greens and yellows of the wood elves.

All elves share the immortality bestowed upon the first of the Aeldramar. Though they can still be slain by mortal weapons, and diseases affect them like any other living creature. The eldest of the Aeldramar claim to remember the first years of their people, and are revered by all elven kind.

Elves mature at roughly the same rate as humans, though, they are considered adolescent until they have at least passed their first century. However, unlike the mortal races, elves do not become frail with age. The most notable change, when an elf reaches a great age, is the shift towards silver or white fair and fine lines around the eyes and mouth.

Abilities
Elves are most often noted for having unnaturally keen senses, and being unerringly precise in combat. In addition, they can move with uncanny agility and speed over most terrain, and are quite perceptive. This gives them a marked edge over most humanoids, and makes them useful allies and dangerous enemies.

Psychology
Elves are known for being kindhearted and loyal, but are also capable of insufferable arrogance. This springs from their status as being the first race to walk Ayvindor, and often leads to misunderstandings and confrontations. Among themselves, the Aeldramari are honest and forthcoming among their own kind, but are secretive and distrustful of younger races.

Elves are slow to anger, but once roused, are slower still to calm. Though not known for their impulsiveness, they are prideful, and will not suffer insults lightly. Because of the high casualties in war, they view it as a terrible affair, and become grim and stoic.

Despite common prejudices against other races, and often directed towards them, elves make loyal and close friends, and will never leave an ally in need, if they can help it. Very rarely an elf may declare a close friend or lover Aelkin, marking them as a friend of that elfs family. Such individuals are tolerated, if not entirely trusted among elven society.

History
The elves were the first of the races to be created, and the first to walk the lands of Ayvindor. Though at first, living among the wilds of the world, in forests, and high, protected mountain ranges. As decades became centuries, the bravest of the Aeldramar, led by Faerival the wanderer, left their homes to explore the world. In -18,000 IC, the first elven city, Cyanthir, was built, and Faerival became the first king of elven kind. This marked the beginning of an Aeldramari empire that would last for millennia.

Elven adventurers soon came across the first of the dragons in what would be known as the Drakespire mountains. Despite the dragons' predatory nature, they found that they shared a kindred spirit with the elves, and began to share their knowledge with them. Shortly afterwards, the city of Arathmor was formed in the those mountains, and roads were established between it and Cyanthir, the capital.

In -17,561, the elves finally became competent seafarers, and began to explore the Sea of Songs. After years of setting up coastal cities and outposts, the elves came across a large island, which they named Arivandor, and colonised it.

Several centuries later, Eremor Taeferel, lead an expedition of elven miners in search of precious gemstones many of the Aeldramar had become infatuated with, and worked into their apparel and structures. It was during this journey through what would become the heartlands of the Empire, that he first encountered the dwarves of the Gold mountains. Though initially wary of each others intentions, the elves and dwarves soon struck up a lasting friendship, complete with trade agreements and cultural exchanges.

Eremor and the high king of the dwarves, Garund Stonefoot, became great friends personally, and because of this, Eremor was assigned the position of elven ambassador to the dwarves. After decades of cooperation, the city of Halthram was built, half above, half below ground, at the base of the Gold mountains. Gemstones of the highest quality flowed from all over the mountain kingdoms of the dwarves, in exchange for elven delicacies.

When the dwarven hold of Njarzhal was nearly overwhelmed by a massive orcish army, it was the elven army of the nearby city of Arathmor, that ended the siege and routed the orcs, though at great cost in both Aeldramari and dwarven lives. This was what solidified the alliance of the two races for millennia to come.

Humanitys' rise
As the years went on, the Aeldramari spent them mapping and exploring regions farther and farther from their traditional homelands. The more the elves explored, the more they noticed primitive settlements, creatures known as humans. The elves at first dismissed their crude, short lived species as insignificant, and barely worth their time.

It was to their great alarm, then, when they noticed that these humans were spreading almost out of control, and advancing in knowledge much faster than both elves and dwarves. The barbaric tribes that had been been seen throughout the world began banding together, and forming fledgling nations.

These early kingdoms were often at war with one another, or the warbands of orcs that roamed from place to place. For the most part, the elves beleived humanity would be wiped out within centuries, due to their belligerent nature. Some, however, saw the spark of intelligence in the humans, and set out with the intent to nurture it.

This collaboration, though it took many centuries, eventually bore fruit, and led to the first stable human nation; Caldrin. Encouraged by the success, dwarven diplomats approached the humans, establishing defensive alliances and trade deals. With the both elven and dwarven guidance, the humans flourished, with Caldrin becoming a powerful nation with a culture and military nearly as powerful as the Aeldramari.

The Morning War
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The creation of the vampires by the god Karsh, and the assassination of the elven high king, started the conflict that would later be referred to as the Morning War. When the first vampire was discovered, he and his allies fled north. The Aeldramari assembled a grand host, and marched upon the newly formed Imperium of Night.They hoped to end the threat posed by the vampires before they could regroup.

However, (first vampire name) was not idle. He and his allies recruited from the kingdoms of men, and with these new allies, they forged a mighty empire throughout all of northern Ayvindor. Even as the elven forces, their dwarven allies, and those human nations who refused to join the vampires, marched on the Imperium, the vampires moved to meet them.

What followed, was a bloody, century long war, that saw the vampires eventually pushed back to the area that would be known as the Shadowlands. Though the alliance of elves,dwarves, and men triumphed elsewhere, they were unable to penetrate into the stronghold of the vampires. Karsh once again interfered with the world, covering the last bastion of the vampires in a dark clouds,blotting out the sun. From then on, that place would forever be known as the Shadowlands, where nothing but vampires lurked.

Unable to defeat the last of the undead, the allies set up a great siege around the land, and warships patrolled the rocky coasts to the east. However, the alliance was dissolved, not by some cunning strike by the enemy, but by the truth being revealed. The Aeldramari, shamed that one of their own had fallen so low, had hidden the origins of the vampires from the other races. When the truth was revealed, the dwarves, already slow to trust and easy to anger, were furious.

The dwarven people withdrew from the alliance, weakening the siege considerably, and damaging relations with the elves to an irreparable level. The various kingdoms of men, some still in their infancy, were more hesitant. However, squabbling over land, spreading distrust, and a resurgence of orcish warbands and katar raiders quickly drew away the last of the human kingdoms.

With only the Aeldramari to hold the line, the vampires launched a series of devastating raids and breakout attempts. Eventually, the Aeldramari were unable to maintain the siege, and withdrew. This marked the decline, and eventual dissolution of the Aeldramari dominion.

End of an era
With the failed siege of the Shadowlands, and the loss of their alliance with the dwarves, the Aeldramar empire began to fail. In addition to this, many began to question their new high king. Now that the war was over, the Aeldramar nobles began to put their own powerplays into motion. Soon, distinct groups emerged among the empire. Many called for crackdowns on several human kingdoms that had severed ties with the elves, while others encouraged reestablishing diplomatic channels with old allies.

Months later, the capital of the Aeldramari empire, Cyanthir, was a cauldron of opposing beliefs and volatile tempers. The aspirant to the throne, an elven noble by the name of Narhondiir, devised a cunning plan to seize power and eliminate his rivals. He called for cooler heads to prevail, he suggested the high king, and the heads of several noble houses meet in the nearby city of Irvanuur, atop mount Ivara. The nobles and the king himself, agreed to bring no more than a small retinue of soldiers with them.

Unknown to the other, this was where Narhondiir would perpetrate his great betrayal. He assembled an army of hundreds, loyal to him and his followers. When the talks reached their most heated, he announced he would be the new high king of the elves, and sprang his trap. Divided by distrust, the nobles accused not only Narhondiir, but every other noble of treason. What followed was a slaughter since unheard of. Every lord present ordered their soldiers against the other, with the high king, Ealamir, confronting Narhondiir alone.

While their guards fought, the high king and the aspirant to the throne duelled atop sapphire spire, the tallest in the city. After an hour long fight, Narhondiir was triumphant, but not before Ealamir, favoured of Alahandor, called to his god to punish the traitorous noble. Narhondiir and all who followed him were marked, their skin turned the colour of ash, marking them as traitors to their kin. Appalled by this sudden change, and realizing that those in the empire would at the least, be suspicious of their new appearance, Narhondiir and his followers fled.

With their king dead, and the most influential of their leaders' dead, there were none to fill the void the death of the Ealamir had left. Infighting became prevalent in most cities. Armies through their strength behind one faction or another, threatening total war among the empire. Powerbases emerged among the cities of the empire. With their focus inwards, the Aeldramari missed the warning signs that would trigger the first Plague War.

The Plague comes
The first Plague War was signalled, as one would expect, by a great sickness that swept through the land. Thousands died, regardless of race or station. Crops wilted with no sign of the cause, and whole villages vanished. The elves of the mountains, who had striven to maintain relations with the dwarves, reported that the dwarven holds had barred their gates. Many reported that the surface areas of their great cities showed no sign of life whatsoever.

It was then, once the races of the world had been decimated, that the Reth struck. Armies fell before the foul hordes, caught by surprise as the Reth emerged from below ground to strike at those above. Cities were conquered, populations put to the sword. Even the largest citadels were overrun by thousands of creatures never before seen on the surface of Ayvindor.

With their people dying, and chaos reigning throughout the land, the leaders of the Aeldramari, those that still survived, put aside their differences. For years, they fought, creating unlikely new alliances, and reforging old ones. When the last of the Reth had been slain, the Aeldramari empire which had stood for millenia, was shattered. Cyanthir was a burned out husk, and the Aeldramari themselves numbered less than a quarter of their pre-war number.

This devastation was the blow to the already fragile empire. The various leaders that had banded together to fight a common enemy, went their seperate ways. Some to the mountains, others to the forests, some to the frozen north, and the crystal city of Iluvia. The majority, however, those that named themselves the Aeldrathi, or the noble peoples, sailed across the sea, and settled in Arivandor. They believed they alone were the heirs of the once great Aeldramari empire. Ravaged by plague, war, and famine, the Aeldramar empire fell apart, allowing for the rise of the kingdoms of men.

Subraces
Aeldrath

The Aeldrathi, literally meaning as the noble people, were the last descendants of the ancient Aeldramar empire. They left the mainland of Ayvindor to settle on the large island of Arivandor. They see themselves as the most cultured and magically inclined of their race.

Eldrath

The Eldrathi, literally, the people of the wood, remained in Ayvindor, unlike their Aeldrathi kin. They sought isolation from the other races, settling in the forests of the world. They have become expert ambushers and marksmen. Over the centuries, they have forged a symbiotic relationship with the creatures that call the forests home.

Iludrath

The Iludrathi, literally, the people of ice, settled in northern Ayvindor. Aside from the Aeldrath people, they were the most proficient in the magical arts. Spellswords were quite common among their ranks. After the winter war, they joined with the remnants of general Aurius' legion to form the nation of Aidal.

Duordrath

The Duordrathi,literally, the people of the stone, remained allied with the dwarves long after the initial alliance dissolved. They are some of the few elves that wield axes and warhammers, and wear heavy armour. Building elegant cities and towers in the mountains, they have a flourishing trade and defensive alliance with the dwarven kingdoms.

Saedrath

The Saedrathi, literally the lost people, are those elves that followed Narhondiir. They are seen as enemies of the elven people in general, though alliances have formed in desperate times. The Saedrathi refer to themselves as the Nar'vothi, literally meaning 'the betrayed'. They have left the mainland for the chain of islands known as the 'Blighted Isles'.