Sun Elf

a.k.a Gold Elf

Personality

Gold Elves believe themselves to be the chosen defenders of elven culture, tradition and history, selected specifically for the task by the Creator. They are also the most patient of the elven races, and they devote their time to perfecting their chosen tasks with vigor and enthusiasm rather than just merely completing the task. To a Sun Elf, rushing a job or finishing a project in anything less than perfection is betraying the elven ideal. By the same token the Sun Elves are easily the most arrogant of the elven races, because of a deep-seated belief that they are the chosen elven defenders.

As the long-lived elves follow many different paths during their lifespan, the average Sun Elf will be a multi-talented individual, having given the full measure of devotion to each one of his or her chosen paths. This willful devotion takes time, and Sun Elves will not have as many different skills or professions as their Moon Elf cousins. This perhaps is the most significant difference between humans and Sun Elves. More than any of the other races, the Sun Elf longevity has changed their outlook and their very means of thinking. Patience and thoughtfulness dominate every aspect of the Sun Elves outlook. The rest of the time, the Sun Elves are slow and methodical, patient and endlessly thoughtful, in stark contrast to relatively quick-acting, short-lived humans.

Actions are rarely taken without considerable thought, discussion, and consideration, and they never hurry, the only exception to this rule of perfection is combat. Sun Elves have no love for combat, but they are nevertheless well trained in its ways. They view combat as a necessary evil, and one that should be resolved quickly so the task can be done and one can return to more pleasurable and constructive pursuits.

Physical Description

A Sun Elf can only be born from untainted High Elf blood lines or pure blood Sun Elf parents. Sun elves have bronze skin, hair of golden blond or copper red, and eyes of green. They favor contemplation, lore, and study over the quick games and light-hearted songs of other elves, but seem to embody the unearthly beauty, grace, and presence of the elven folk.

Sun elves dress in clothing that is at the same time magnificent and understated, favoring cool colors such as blue and green. They decorate their clothes with intricate gold or mithral thread embroidery in exacting patterns whose subtle designs are easy to miss at first. Jewelry is simple, but painstakingly crafted.

Relations

The Sun Elves feel affection toward their Moon Elf and Grey Elf brethren, although this affection is often unintentionally demeaning and often couched in somewhat patronizing terms, which annoys the Moon Elf. They fear that their Moon Elf cousins are too flighty, chaotic and irreverent, and the Sun Elves often strive to return them to the proper path with stern lectures and fatherly advice. They admire the Wood Elves and Star Elf and feel that they embody the true elven spirit of nature and their elven ancestors. Relations are good between Sun Elf and Wood Elf, although the reclusive nature of the Wood Elves makes direct contact rare. Sun Elves are a pit puzzled by the Wild Elves, and hope one day to civilize them.

Sun Elf bigotry toward all other races is high, but particular toward humans it can be quite harsh. Many Sun Elves won't even stop to speak to a human and would rather leave a dying human man to meet his fate than to save him. This attitude is somewhat understandable, given the way humans have historically treated the elves and their lands, but it wins the Sun Elves few friends among their human neighbors.

If there is one race that the Sun Elves hold in absolute contempt, it is the Drow. They view the Dark Elves as abominations and insults to, The Celestial Council and often attack these hated enemies on sight.

Alignment

Sun Elves are far less chaotic than their other brethren. While they are sometimes neutral good, many tend more toward lawful neutral or lawful good. Those that are chaotic are out of the norm and are often treated as such, these individuals find themselves in adventuring.

Sun Elf Lands

Sun Elves are a sub-species of the High Elf, but the majority of Sun Elves live in the deserts of Tellene, having abandoned their ancient woods and forest during the wars centuries ago. They are only now returning to the land of wood and forest to reestablish their presence among the elven kind. Sun Elves are responsible for the majority of the great elven cities of legend, although other elven races aided in the construction of many of these cities. Sun Elf cities are the stuff legends are made of, an essential part of the history of Tellene for thousands of years. The Sun Elves certainly know this, for they distance themselves from non-elf races and often won't let such “lesser beings” into their lands.

Religion

Religion infuses every aspect of Sun Elf society. Sun Elves believe themselves to be the chosen representative of the mortal realm, and are quick to offer prayers of thanks to their deities. Religion is a serious, solemn subject to the Sun Elves and prayers and ceremonies are invariably long, drawn-out affairs during which loud voices, merry songs, or joyful worship are deemed disrespectful.

They worship all of The Celestial Council equally, and many choose The Great Huntress as their patron. Clerics advise the rules of Sun Elf communities and are the leaders of Sun Elf armies when the Sun Elves must take the field to defend their lands. Clerics are revered as the counselors and advisor, a source of wisdom in times of trouble and are charged with the keeping of knowledge and records among the Sun Elves.

Languages

Sun Elves consider themselves the trustees of ancient elven philosophy, customs and antiquities of all the Elven kind. Among the elves they speak High Elven exclusively, but they use Low Elven when speaking to other races. They typically learn a human tongue and are proficient with Merchant’s Tongue.

Adventures

Sun elves are the least likely of the elven races to take up the adventurer's path. They see little point in roaming around the world and meeting other peoples, especially when any Sun Elf can enjoy as much comfort, study, and contemplation as he or she likes by remaining in one of the hidden Sun Elf cities.

Most Sun Elf adventurers are more properly thought of as spies, dutiful scouts who make it their lifelong task to observe the other people of Tellene and keep a vigilant watch for the rise of any threats to their elven homelands. A few Sun Elves are also drawn to the mystery of ancient power and seek to add to the lore of their people by exploring ruins of ancient empires all across Tellene.