Elf

Physical Form

Elves are a lithe species originating from the Kiebe Forest. Their most notable features are their long, pointed ears and their skin, which is patterned with line and dot markings, and the color of which can be changed at will, serving as highly effective camouflage. Though they dwell on the forest floor, where they are potentially vulnerable to predators, elves have persisted thanks their camouflage and a number of other defensive abilities, including a toxic acidic compound in their blood that renders them highly unpalatable and a strong resistance to the sorts of enchantments that less bitey fey creatures often use.

Though elves can freely alter the color of their skin, each elf has a default skin color that is visible when this ability is not in use. Elves come in a variety of colors, but they tend to match the coloration of trees their particular subtype originated in, with skin tones typically ranging from pale grey to dark brown, and hair colors including white, blond, red, and brown. Elf eyes start nearly white as children and gradually brighten to their adult hue. Elves have few differences in form between males and females, as elf men cannot grow facial hair, and elf women possess little of the added body fat that women of other species do, but there are clear differences in color - a female elf's markings are a few shades darker than their base skin tone, whereas a male elf's markings are bright and colorful. Each elf's pattern is unique, and even twins have very subtle differences between them.

Elf height and weight ranges widely, between 4'6" and 7'0" and between 90 and 200 pounds respectively. Maedhel represent to low end of these ranges, Mothedhel are close to the average, and Moridhel are on the high end of things. There is no difference in average height and weight between females and males.

Lifespan and Reproduction

A healthy elf can live upwards of 550 years of age. They are considered preteens at 20, teens at 45, adults at 60, middle aged at 350, and elderly at 500. Their extensive preteen stage is spent entirely on the brain development required to support five centuries worth of memories and skills.

Elf pregnancies last for close to 2 years and nearly always yield single children, with twins being a rarity to the point that their birth may be seen as an omen. Elf women have the opportunity to conceive approximately once every 7 years. As a biological marker to ensure this rare occasion is not missed, elf women develop colorful freckles around the time of ovulation, which fade a few weeks after.

Diet

Elves are primarily vegetarian, though they supplement their diets with meat when available and desired. Dairy products make them ill.

Notable Attributes and Abilities

The most notable ability elves possess is the ability to change the color of their skin. Their control over this skill is finely tuned, allowing them to produce many different colors and detailed patterns at will. This skill is largely useful as camouflage, allowing elves to disappear into their surroundings with ease, but it may also be used to convey emotion or as a method of self-expression. An elf can hold a specific color and pattern for several hours, but they will eventually tire and revert to their original coloration.

Elf blood contains a toxic compound that burns an irritates the skin of other species. This property serves as a defense mechanism against the predators of their homeland, deterring such beasts from seeing elves as a viable food source, as a predator that bites an elf is not likely to do so again. Unfortunately this ability has consequences for medical care in mixed species settings: without protective gloves, any non-elf attempting to staunch an elf's wound may end up with acid burns as a souvenir.

Elves do not normally sleep - rather, they enter a meditative state known as a trance, wherein they rest their bodies and minds while remaining alert to their surroundings. They require half the time in this state that the other races require in standard sleep, and as such they are able to spend more time traveling or working and keeping watch for danger. Despite this, an elf may sleep normally when badly injured or under extreme stress, which can help keep them from becoming mentally affected by experiencing intense pain or stress with no respite.

Thanks to the structure of a mind designed to withstand over 500 years of life, elves have a unique resilience when it comes to enchantment magic. Spells intended to put them to sleep simply do not work, and they are notoriously resistant to charming spells. This trait serves them well in their forest of origin, which has a strong connection to the Feywild.

Culture

As the elven reproduction cycle is quite slow, and children slow to reach adulthood, the protection of the young is of tantamount importance to elven communities. Most elf children are raised in creches, secluded communities dedicated to the purpose of childcare. In an elf settlement, the creche is always the innermost portion of the town, and is defended with the most ferocity as long as the young occupants remain inside. In a mixed-race towns, a creche may be found in any predominantly-elven neighborhood, and elves will gravitate towards living in close proximity to each other for such a purpose. The creche also serves the additional purpose of keeping elven children separate from children of other races. Since elves age so slow, it's considered a poor idea to allow them close contact with other races - elven children may feel left behind as their peers learn and grow much faster than they do, and young romance inevitably ends in heartbreak when one of the participants will grow old before the other even reaches adulthood.

Dancing is of high cultural importance in all elf populations across Dûnathel, mainly because it's the method used by a elven man to attract the attention of a woman. Elf men will perform elaborate dances that utilize their color changing abilities in order to draw attention to their health and agility, and an interested woman will respond in kind. Holidays of elven origin almost always include some sort of dance, providing a chance for old couples, young flames, and children just beginning to practice their moves to hit the dance floor.

Subtypes

Maedhel (MAY-uh-del): Maedhel are the shortest of the three elf races, averaging between 4'6" and 5'3". They originate from the open grasslands of the southern Byspell Plains. Their skin is dusty brown or warm grey. Their hair is usually blond, and their eyes are green or blue. Male Maehel markings tend towards green or yellow hues.

Mindhel (MIN-del): Mindhel average between 5'0" and 5'7" in height. They originate from silver birch forests in the Erimead Plains. Their skin is a pale blue or grey, their hair is usually white or silver, and their eyes are typically blue. Male Mindhel markings tends towards shades of blue or indigo.

Moridhel (MOR-ih-del): Moridhel are the tallest of the three elf races, averaging an impressive 6'6" to 7'"2 in height, on average the tallest of Dûnathel's people. Unlike the other two types of elf, their skin is colored not to blend with trees, but with stone - their purple-tinted grey skin disappears easily against the purple-hued stone of the Moriviir Caverns of their origin, and isn't far from the grey bark of the trees found growing within this massive sinkhole network. Moridhel hair is usually pale lavendar, grey, or white, and their eyes are typically purple. Male Moridhel tend to have purple, pink, or red markings. Where most subterranean peoples have a short stature to better fit through small passageways, a Moridhel's height serves to allow them better reach when scaling rock walls and ancient trees.

Mothedhel (MOTH-eh-del): Mothedhel are of middling height for elves, averaging between 5'4" and 6'5". Their skin is rich brown or very tan, matching the darker colors of bark found in the southeastern half of the Kiebe Forest. Their hair is usually dark brown or reddish, and their eyes are typically green. Male Mothedhel tend to have markings in shades of green, yellow, or cyan. They are the original variety of elf.