Elves

The Elves are a long-lived race of humanoids in Somara.

Origin
Elves were created by Valen sometime during the First Era. Depending on who you ask, elves are often considered the first mortal race to have been created.

They are a people of otherworldly grace and beauty, and are often called the "fair folk". Of all mortal races on Somara, elves are perhaps the most varied, having six different subraces, more than any other race.

Physical Description
Most elves are lean and graceful, possessing a natural athleticism. They usually mature at the same rate as humans, but will live much longer. Elves are generally considered adults once they reach their early 100s. They often lived well past 700 years, with the oldest elves reaching past 1,000 years.

All elves possess an innate darkvision to some degree, and some subraces (such as the drow and shadar-kai) preferring darkness to natural light.

With their unearthly grace and fine features, elves often appear hauntingly beautiful to most humans and members of other races.

Other than these basic features, each subrace differs in its range of skin tones, hair colors, and eye colors.

Personality and Behavior
Elves tend to be patient and diplomatic, far preferring peace to violence. When pushed, however, most elves reveal exceptional marksmanship, a masterful grasp of strategy and high propensity for magic use.

Because of their long natural lifespans, their behavior is often considered mild by other races' standards. Elves are more likely to be amused than excited, and more curious than greedy. They tend to remain aloof and unfazed by minor trifles or insults.

Most elves tend to enjoy nature, magic, and art, as well as all the good things of the world. They can be masterful craftsmen when it comes to intricacies, and their architecture has an impressive beauty that frequently surprises outsiders.

Elven Societies
Elves tend to believe that independence and freedom for the individual are more important than the rigid structures of civilizations. They live in harmony with nature, seamlessly blending their architecture into the natural landscape.

That being said, their cities can vary wildly in look and value, depending upon the type of subrace that predominantly occupies the area.

Elves generally need little to eat, and though they are omnivorous, they tend to eat more plants than meat (with the exception of the Wood Elves, who are proud hunters and largely carnivorous).

Subraces
There are six elven subraces in Somara, not counting the half-elves.

Drow
The drow, or "dark elves", are a race of evil elves that are native to the Underdark. They tend to have dark skin and pale hair, with dark brown or violet eyes. They live in a strict matriarchal society, built on deception, might, and slavery, and they usually worship Lolth, the Demon Lady of Spiders. Some large drow cities include Erelhei-Cinlu, Inzuralizai, and Vazdalan.

Eladrin
The eladrin are a group of elves native to the Feywild. Eladrin are attuned to the seasons, and in the Feywild, their appearance and mood changes depending on the season of they land they are occupying. On other planes, their season is more reflexive, changing based on their general mood or temperament. Some Eladrin cities in the Feywild are Thalore (in the Land of Summer), Shaeras (in the Land of Winter), and Astrazalian (on the Isle of Stars).

High Elves
High Elves tend to have keen minds and mastery over magic. They can be haughty and reclusive, tending to think highly of themselves. They often have fair hair and skin, with green or blue eyes. The High Elves are most common in the Allilean Domain, in cities like Religas, Pynaera, and Alilea.

Sea Elves
Sea Elves are able to breathe water, and rarely stray far from it. They are rumored to have descended from the Triton. Their cities tend to be near coastal regions or rivers. Sea Elves often have pale, teal-colored skin, with sea-colored hair of shades of blue and green. Sea elf cities include Neptune's Retreat in Ezelun, Ectuen in the Illithian Isle, and Efan Thalor in the Outbow Atoll.

Shadar-Kai
The Shadar-kai are from the Shadowfell, and are servants of the mysterious Raven Queen. They have extremely pale skin, sometimes with dark hair, and brown, black, or violet eyes. They have a large city called Sithemar in the Shadowfell, but rarely leave this plane.

Wood Elves
Of all elves, the Wood Elves are the most in tune with nature. They live in small, tribal societies that tend to be hunter-gatherers. Wood elves typically have tanned skin, with brown or red hair, and green or brown eyes. Wood Elves are the prominent species on the Everstrom Isle, but have presences in other continents, such as Eriakwood in the Allilean Domain.

Elf Adventurers
Due to the wealth of subraces, elf adventurers can take many different forms. Overall, however, they tend towards classes which let them utilize their dexterity and magical talents. As a result, barbarians are really the only class that elves tend to shy away from, though some Shadar-kai and wood elf traditions include barbarians.

Due to their propensity towards arts and music, elves of almost every subrace (usually excepting the drow) can be found as bards. They tend to favor the College of Creation, Eloquence, Lore, or Swords, with Shadar-kai being pioneering members of the College of Whispers.

Among elf clerics, Valen is one of the more popular patrons, and his clerics fall under the Forge or Unity Domains. Shadar-kai clerics almost unanimously revere the Raven Queen, and the drow have a similar relationship with Lolth. Other than that, Syvl, Kevolah, and Vikyn are the other three most popular deities that elves worship.

Due to their close ties to nature, many elves will become druids. The Everstrom Isle holds the highest concentration of druids on Somara, with many of them being Wood Elves. Similar reasons drive many elves to become rangers as well.

Elf fighters are generally not known for their strength, but rather their quickness and cleverness. The Arcane Archer Archetype was actually created by elves, and that power is a closely guarded secret. The bulkiest elves become paladins, with their favored oath usually being the Oath of the Ancients.

Due to their high magical abilities, many elves become sorcerers or wizards. Some also delve into darker magic, becoming warlocks or binders.

Finally, many elves are also able to use their patience and dexterity in more graceful ways, becoming rogues or monks that are able to deliver devastating strikes to their opponents.