Elves

2007 by CL

When the world was new and the first breath of life was taken, the elves were born. Tall and lithe, their beauty rivaled that of nature itself. Their vanity and self-indulgence quickly overtook their hearts, and they sought to enslave humans to do their bidding. Their vices angered the Keepers, the deities of Nyecia, who judged them and set their punishment. Stripped of their immortality, they were touched by the fae, becoming deformed by wings, wild hair and eyes, horns, or other random appearance flaws.

Several of the elves were horrified by the extreme punishment, committing suicide or hiding in the farthest corners of the world. In the end, though, many adapted, learning to be accepting of their appearances. Some even discovered small amounts of fae magic in their blood, helping them to survive in the mortal world. Integration was difficult at first, as the humans were frightened of the wilder appearances, but eventually some societies accepted them. Now they are as varied in personality as in looks, much like the humans that tolerate them.

On Being Elves

Like the fae they resemble, there are innumerable variations of elven appearance. They are generally humanoid, their features slim and angular, but that is where their resemblance ends. Sharply pointed teeth, ears, or claws; naturally bright hair the color of a piece of rainbow; eyes like a feline; small wings or horns; even furry skin separate the them from the humans. Often the oddest of their features is passed to their children.

Most elves live in human cities and towns, though whether they are welcomed or not varies. Their fae blood gives them advantages that make them desirable employees, particularly in factories and farms, but many humans still find their odd ways and magical affinity frightening. Many towns not familiar with them are likely to burn an elf on a stake or chase them out of town, thinking them demons and monsters. Those with strong fae blood are able to conceal their nature by shifting their surface features to resemble humans, though they must be very careful not to be caught, and can rarely act on love without risking everything.

Despite the removal of their immortality, elves still have extended lifespans compared to the short-lived humans. Living for 250 to 300 years, they seem wise and ancient even at puberty, which occurs at around 60 years of age. They do not suffer the strong allergy to unrefined iron that their Fae counterparts do, but prolonged exposure can make them a tad weak or even cause first degree burns.

The Power That Is

Being fae-touched opens up a few interesting possibilities for these beings. The most obvious is that they are able to enter the Nether with minimal risk of dissapearing. They aren't necessarily welcomed there, and there is always a risk of winding up in the middle of the Wild, but the option is theirs alone.

In addition to realm-hopping, they are also able to access a small range of Fae sourced magic. A few have been able to gain nearly full power in one or two spells, but overall it is far weaker, more difficult to train, and only a few spells can be learned. Any Fae-source magic must be replenished through dreams, as they do not have the ability to drink the emotional energy of others.

A very important factor in the elven lineage is their ability to cross magics. Normally the addition of a new Source will overwrite the old one, but because Fae-source is naturally a part of them and too weak to interfere, they can also utilize Clerical or Arcane magic if available to them. If they use Arcane magic and become imbued, however, they will still lose the Arcane abilities.