Hair: Black, dark brown, or
midnight blue in general. Most keep their hair short, but more
important ones will keep it very long and curled in intricate patterns. Eyes: brightly coloured, blue,
green, red. Large and round. ears: Large, in general.
Point has a forward curve and is very prominent. Height: Middling. Most are
between 5'5" and 6' build: Slim, but a bit more
muscular than High Elves. colouration: Very dark.
The darker, the higher the individual's importance.
personality types
Dark elves are very secretive. They aren't sociable and tend to
stay to themselves in large gatherings, especially when non-elves are
present. This makes them hard to open up to but very good once you
do. They keep secrets to the death - sometimes even when they
shouldn't. With friends they can be very open and seem different
people.
dress style
Make: Dark elves will wear
leather but prefer not to. During some ceremonies, animal hides
will be worn. Most clothing is made of cotton or wool. There
are often subtle patterns on the cloth, generally sacred patterns or
ones that show things like the night sky. Top: Many wear clean white
shirts with loose sleeves that tie in a the wrist. Other
commonalities include dark tunics or highly decorated linen or cotton
shirts. pants/skirt: Most wear pants of
dark colours. Some women will wear brightly coloured skirts,
generally in blues and greens and some men will do the same with pants. shoes: High boots when outside,
slippers inside. overclothes: In cold weather,
one of two basic things is worn over clothing - a long wool cloak or a
leather trenchcoat. Generally black or midnight blue. underclothes: while
menstruating, females wear belted pads. During pregnancy, they
wear bands over their breasts. At other times, underclothes are a
matter of personal preference. Many don't wear them. sleep clothes: pants pajamas accessories: Earrings are very
common, especially intricate ones. Most will wear belts on which
they carry money or bags with gifts. Most also carry short daggers.
powers
Dark elves specialize in the unseen. Dark, for them, means that
it's something unknown. They are the ones who deal with old rites
and old gods and things from before most living creatures were
created. They are also the ones who deal in information.
Their magic involves finding things and learning things.
home/family
Dark elves are very widespread. They live anywhere. They
drift until they find the place that feels right to them. They
live in small family groups in small homes. Because Dark elves
have a strong sense of destiny, they have an easy view on halfbreeds and
will raise them regardless of other considerations that others
have. Dark elves live in small, sparsely furnished houses.
The colours are soothing and there are no locks. They have high
windows to take best advantage of light. As they travel a lot,
their possessions are easy to pack up.
Eating habits
Dark elves' eating habits depend on where they are. They will eat
meat, but only if the hide and other parts of the animal are being
used. They mostly eat vegetables and grains. They drink
mostly water and tend to avoid liquor whenever possible. They tend
to eat in several small meals throughout the course of the day whenever
they are hungry. As such, they don't tend to eat in large
groups. When in a position to join a feast, they will, but they
still eat sparingly.
Social Structure
As Dark elves are mostly solitary, there is little social
structure. There is a single leader who will call the others for
important events that need large groups [4 times a year]. Judicial
cases are looked at then. Other than that, Dark elves are on their
own. As such they have no real social classes. Each one
judges others based on his or her own criteria.
religion
Dark elf religion exists on two levels, the micro-religion and the
macro religion. The macro-religion takes place four times a year
on equinoxes and solstices when large groups of Dark Elves get together
to make sacrifices to the old gods and spirits. The micro-religion
is very personal and not taught to any extent. In this part, the
individual finds his own personal gods or spirits and puts together his
own form of worship away from others. Parts of it exist within a
family setting, but it's mostly carried out on the single level.
taboo
As Dark elves are strong believers in destiny and finding your place in
the world, anything involved in avoiding fate is taboo. Nothing
else is.
law
Dark Elves have few laws. In cases of property dispute, each
party chooses a person to decide the case and a neutral party is chosen
by the judges. In more serious cases, most involving murder or
rape, the offender is turned over to the loved ones of the victim for
punishment. Anything done to the offender is considered warranted
and never questioned.
language
circumspect. As Dark elves deal with secrets, their speech is
very closed and secretive. Getting information from them takes a
long time and they can talk around a subject for hours before getting to
it properly. This doesn't refer to everyday topics like food and
clothes. With these topics, Dark are as down to earth as Wood
Elves.
Naming
Dark elves have two names given to them at birth: the use name and the
name only given to family and close friends. In addition they have
a secret name [similar to the religious name of the High Elves] that is
given at adulthood. They can also give persona as the place they
go for the major ceremonies.
ie: Judith who worships at 1st
Hebrew, know as Judy to her family [who's secret name is Yehudit]
Arts, music, and literature
Most Dark Elf art is based around antiquity. They follow old art
styles to keep them alive. Homes are spartan, with one or two
focal pieces to draw things together. Much of their art is also
subtle. Highlighting the grain of the wood in a table to produce
an effect is a common Dark Elf technique. Their music tends
towards minor keys and harmony is almost more important than
melody. Their songs are often old ballads that they have collected
from those that still remember them. While they appreciate fiction
written by others, Dark Elves mostly write histories and mythos.
Education and play
Like the High Elves, Dark Elves love riddles and puzzles. Almost
from infancy, children are taught how to work out puzzles, many times
using High Elf puzzles for their intricacy. This helps train their
magic. Dark Elves are also trained in reading, writing, maths,
sciences, history, societies, and languages to prepare them for anything
they may encounter in life. Some children are taught in schools
that others nearby have, but most are taught solely by their
parents. Many Dark Elf children have few or no friends and little
contact with others until out of childhood.
Economy
money: As Dark Elves travel,
they usually adopt the currency of the locals. They also will use
pure gold or jewels as currency. consumer sense: While Dark Elves
are, for the most part, practical consumers - they only buy what they
need - they will also spend large amounts on things that seem old or
unique. imports: literature, art,
antiquities exports: woven cloth, strong
furniture, pieces of art trade style: If a Dark Elf
really wants something, he or she will show less interest in it or
insult it loudly. They haggle to get the lowest possible price
when buying or the highest possible price when selling.
relationship with outsiders
As followers of destiny, Dark Elves have good relations with all
outsiders, no matter how hostile they may seem to others. While
they don't often trust others, they are good at dealing with harrowing
circumstances and are often sought for help.
companions
Most Dark Elves have a horse of good quality that they travel with, and
a dog or wolf for protection. With these creatures, Dark Elves
have an instinctual bond that is almost telepathic. Some prefer
cats to dogs, for their individuality and ability to understand
mysteries. While many prefer to travel alone, there is also a
significant group that will buy a slave or two to have as
companions. They will always free the slaves first and offer them
the opportunity to go their own way.
transportation
Most Dark elves ride horses or similar creatures. Some prefer to
walk. They will, on rare occassions, use a cart or wagon, but they
prefer not to, as they believe that those means show too great a love of
possessions.
medicine
Dark Elves are great proponents of herblore and ancient medical
techniques. They use magic as well, but will often try other
techniques first.
Differences
Dark Elves view those with disabilities as very special "chosen"
ones. They live in groups in the areas of the major temples.
Those who are born with disabilities are considered holier than those
who have accidents later in life, but both have very high places within
society. Those with exceptional intelligence are similarly
revered. Children of multiple births are never separated because
it is felt that whatever important destiny they are fated to, they will
need the strength of two.
manners
Dark Elves mostly follow the manners of those they live in closest
contact with. Because they live all over, they follow many
different forms of manners, and will often know the manner systems of
many different classes of people.
sex/reproduction
Like all elves, Dark elves reach sexual maturity around the age of
twenty. Females know as soon as conception occurs, and gestation
is somewhere between nine and twelve months. Because of the fact
that many Dark elves never settle in one place, both long and short
ralationships are normal, and sex is considered casual. Sexual
activity tends to taper off during the last quarter of life, around age
750. Dark elves generally have one or two children, and there is
no difference in interaction during pregnancy.
Everything on this page was
created by Juchan. Do not
use without permission.
