Imperial Elven Races

Imperial High Elves

Overview

High Elves come in a few varieties: the winged Avariel of the Imperial House, the dark-haired Moon Elves, the pale-haired Sun Elves, and the Star Elves are a small movement casting off old traditions, mixing with the bloodlines of other elves to heal old political divides. In appearance High Elves are often significantly taller than the average elf, and are usually more powerfully built. Still, because many High Elves as part of their ascension spend extended periods exploring the dream world of the Feywild, their appearances can vary wildly from those of Harvest Elves or even one another: Unusual luminous eye colors, strange skin tones, prominent ears or eyebrows that extend several inches from their face similar to those of Feywild creatures (though often kept trim). The High Elves are incredibly fond of and skilled with cosmetic alteration through magic and will often utilize such spells upon themselves or their servants.

NOTE: Imperial High Elves are still under construction, this information can and will change in the near future.

"Take shelter from the storm. It will pass, and the sun will return."

Lore

The Avariel were among the first Fey species to come to the mortal world from the dream realm of the Feywild - a caste of Warrior Sorcerer Lords who's duty is the protection of the Empire and maintenance of the Imperial House. Though not biologically compatible with elves, Avariel are considered sacred to and are exalted by the faltering Empire of Aer Arnad, and are included in the collective of 'High' Elves (along with Sun, and Moon Elves). Due to an effort to preserve their near-extinct species, almost every Avariel who has ever visited that nation has been granted a courtesy title; 'Baron' or 'Baroness of The Sky' and are quickly introduced to the luxuries afforded to them by the High Elves of that nation.

Because many of their race are unable to be healed magically of injuries (See 'The Anathema' below) and the endangered status of the Avariel population - less than two hundred individuals; more are rumored yet to survive in the dream-world of the Feywilds - most of them live their lives in comfort and luxury in the heartlands of the Empire of Aer Arnad, served by slaves most often born into their service; either in the ivory spires of the imperial palace, or incredibly isolated mountain-top family communities known as aeries. Both can only be visited or departed from by flight, carried when invited by Avariel, or by one's own magic.

It is often remembered as a near religious experience to witness an angellic Avariel coming down from the sky to land with their great feathered wings before a gathered host; their often innocent demeanor and straight forward (and some might say simplistic) yet benign reasoning is both inspirational to the often cynical High Elves and likewise makes them a useful figurehead and justification for Elven dreams of dominion; which is what has made their preservation so important as a matter of national pride to the citizenry and nobility of Aer Arnad.

Avariel are technically the rulers and the Highest Authority of Aer Arnad's once vast empire, they are a relatively simple people that value personal freedom, and the arts above all else. The reality is they know little of rulership, which is maintained in their name by Sun and Moon Elves, and the Avariel - including the Winged Emperor, though he is by necessity a bit more pragmatic than they - and are generally aloof, flying from luxurious palace to luxurious palace, listening to advisors tell them of battles fought in their name and the distant difficulties of the mortal world below them, while considering themselves the rightful custodians of all goodly creatures beneath the sun.

Quirks

Because of their endangered population: It is considered a capital crime against Aer Arnad to harm or to forcibly restrict an Avariel's personal liberty and those who found - even abroad - to have done so are often abducted and returned to Aer Arnad for trial and execution.
All Elves are capable of hearing the heartbeats of creatures within five meters of them.
While every Avariel is treated as a Noble of the Empire of Aer Arnad and will be afforded rights there, many Avariel are actually born abroad in independent regions, and may be from virtually any surface city or land in the realm that other races hail from.
Elves due to their racial origins in the Feywild do not sleep, and cannot be physically or magically compelled to do so, tending to rest for up to four hours a day while performing leisurely tasks such as reading, writing, drawing, or meditating.
The Avariel are something of a pristine innocence that The High Elves are too ashamed to disrupt; for it is they who have failed to make of the world what the Avariel believe it is and what they too believe it should be due to selfishness, bureaucracy and mortal frailty.
'The Anathema' (related in some ways to the origins of the drow and The Second Heresy) is a magical blood-curse that causes divine healing magic to harm instead of heal those born with it. Most surviving Avariel possess this genetic trait, though Player Character Avariel do not have to.
Avariel younger than 100 years of age are considered and typically appear as children. Though they often have more mature outlooks on the world than many humans they may not be played on Orcrest.

Core Characteristics

Size: Medium

Average Lifespan: 500 years

Physical Characteristics:

Pointed, movable ears, keen-earing.
Any skin and hair colors within human norms.
Vivid, even unnatural (to humans) eye-colors.
Large feathered Wings (Wingspan for Flight)

"In my life, I've fought four battles upon this, the Red Fjord of The Eol."

Lore

Of the blood of the Eladrin and Faerie to which they are related, the High Elves are the elves most unlike the race of men. Every High-Elf is not simply 'of the blood' but has taken a pilgrimage to the dreamworld of The Feywild and has witnessed the dreams of mortal men. Living nearly twice as long as the average elf - nearly a thousand years - and being more magically adept; High Elves are virtually immortal unless killed and represent what is most alien to men about the elder races.

Though few in number, High Elves are the rulers and warlord caste of The Old Empire. After several disastrous battles against the superior numbers of petty human kingdoms, The Empire of Aer Arnad and many of its High Elven Sorcerer Overlords receded to the east toward their capital of Helmrast, though some remain, attempting to maintain or regain ancestral lands they believe themselves entitled to.

High Elves are the source of many Elven and Human cultural norms. Though modern High Elves can often be seen as hedonistic and eccentric, they are Imperial nobility they typically marry for life, remarrying only after the death of a spouse - usually for political purposes - but often take and keep consistent lovers and concubines outside their marriages and many noble households frequently keep entire harems of concubines of Harvest Elves, Humans, or even other unwed High Elves: In order to compete with human birthrates, care is often taken to be certain a human or Harvest Elf does not impregnate the household matriarch, though complex sexual and romantic relationships as well as cross-household alliances are commonly part of such arrangements.

Quirks

High Elves were often the rulership class of The Old Empire, and because of their age and biology tend toward affluence. Wealth accumulation is seen as a natural consequence of knowledge, long life and not being required to sleep; often even inheriting from humans spouses and half-elven offspring.
Elves do not sleep, and cannot be physically or magically compelled to do so, tending to rest for up to four hours a day while performing leisurely tasks such as reading, writing, drawing, or meditating, though this is not biologically required.
Cosmetic Magics may have dramatically altered the appearances of most High Elves, who are often quite vain about their appearances. Magically illuminated caste tattoos are common among High Elves and their servants.
Younger elves - including high elves - tend to be eager to ally with or at least attempt to live around humans, finding their dramas, struggles, and emotional highs and lows to be a fascinating contrast to traditional and predictable elven culture.
Older High Elves are sometimes accused of hypocrisy or the practice of magic forbidden to others, as if rules do not apply to them and that their own necessity in guiding 'The People' should take precedence over social norms; because of this they are often curt, and prefer for Harvest or Half-Elf servants or advisors to speak on their behalf to humans.
Because of the sexual environment of High Elven harems, the complexity of their family trees and insults commonly associated with nobility, High Elves are sometimes accused (mostly) incorrectly of incestual relations. The closest this usually comes however is a sterile Half-elf being offered as a concubine to a blood cousin of another House too closely related for marriage, in exchange for political favors later.
Elves younger than 100 years of age are considered and typically appear as children. Though they often have more mature outlooks on the world than many humans they may not be played on Orcrest. High Elves are often significantly older, because of the non-congruent periods they have spent in the Feywild divining projections of the future from the dreams of mortals.

Core Characteristics

Size: Medium

Average Lifespan: 900 years

Physical Characteristics:

High Elves may be as tall, or taller than humans.
Pointed, movable ears, keen-earing.
Vivid, even unnatural (to humans) eye-colors.
Typically long hair, and some have hair long enough to be carried behind them by servants.

B E Y O N D O R C R E S T

Imperial High Elves