Sun Elves

looks/traits
Hair: Most have blond or red hair.  Most keep it short and somewhat spiky.
Eyes: small and bright colours, especially gold or red.
ears: small and curved forward more.
Height: small - 5'3" max
build: kind of square build.  Women are often buxom and all are more muscular than other elves.
colouration: dark tan

personality types
Sun Elves are very cheerful.  They have many laugh lines as they get older.  They are also a bit flighty, not always getting as much done as they can.  Like the fire that they have the power of, they can be very passionate both for love and for hate.  They are also sensualists.

dress style
Make: Sun Elves prefer to not wear clothes whenever possible.  When they do wear clothes, they are made of light linen or cotton.  No animal fabrics with the exception of silk.
Top: When worn, are loose, generally short sleeved garments.  Often, they are open down the front in jacket style.
pants/skirt: Both male and female will wear flowing or short skirts.  They find pants too confining.
shoes: sometimes sandals, but they prefer to go barefoot.  In really severe cold, they will wear soft, socklike boots.
overclothes: light cotton cloaks in the cold.
underclothes: none unless necessary
sleep clothes: never worn
accessories: mostly gold or silk, they tuck anything they need into sashes or silk lined metal belts.

powers
Fire magic.  Sun elves can deal with fire and fire elementals.  Impossible to burn.  Can see in the dark.

home/family
Many Sun Elves live in deserts.  They live in adobe style homes with extended families.  One of the few elf kinds that practices marriage.  Children are raised by parents, grandparents, and any siblings, with the parents being in most cases the least important.  Very few halfbreeds because the don't come in much contact with others.  Sun elf homes are adobe style with flat roofs and they stack on each other.  There are large windows, and the doors are on the roof.  The inside is one large room, with outcroppings at different heights for sleeping spots.  Tables are stone and most other furniture is made of cushions.  Their beds are large piles of cushions and blankets that get folded and put away during the day.

Eating habits
Sun Elves eat little meat.  They prefer things that are more highly effected by the sun.  Their drink is mostly water or liquor.  All meals take place in groups, especially family groups.

Social Structure
The oldest grandparents run each individual family, and the oldest in the village run it.  These leaders meet and form a council that decides how things are run.  After age, classes run by family.  Anyone having children outside of marriage becomes lower class, as do the children.  Class is inherited, although if two from different classes marry, the children's rank develops from their own actions.

religion
Sun worshippers.  Fire worshippers.  Fire plays a part in all major life events from birth through death and bodies are cremated.  All ceremonies take place during the day

taboo
Anything that ruins beauty, especially the beauty of the body, is taboo.  As Sun elves live for pursuit of pleasure, anything that hurts others is taboo.

law
Sun elf laws are consensus based.  There are counselors whose jobs are to meet with people who have disputes and work out compromises.  Rape and murder are unheard of.  Abuse is dealt with harshly.  In cases of divorce, the parties are represented by friends to decide how the home is dealt with.  Children all remain together and with their grandparents.  If the grandparents are not alive and there are no other relatives or children old enough to care for them, they will spend time with each parent separately until old enough to care for themselves.

language
reflects their sensuality.  Nonverbal elements very present and very involved with touch.  Verbal speech includes lots of physical descriptions or comparisons.

Naming
Sun Elves are given a name at birth.  They also have family names.  In later life they take on the family names of their partners.  Also as part of their identity they specify their age.
        ie: Judith Edelstein Bellin of the 21st year.

Arts, music, and literature
Sun Elf art is complex and likely to depend on light levels and direction.  Homes will often have murals on walls opposite windows that take advantage of the prevailing light levels.  Other art forms include shadow games in front of fires, sand forms, and weaving.  Music tends toward the brash and impromptu/unrehearsed.  Literature is mostly romances.

Education and play
Sun Elves are considered children much longer than other kinds of elves, remaining in childhood until nearing fifty.  During this time, they are greatly indulged.  Their education is left up to the child's whim and curiosity.  Once they reach fifty, however, they are expected to buckle down and learn everything they need quickly.  What they need to know is decided for them by the council of elders, who look at the individuals and decide what they will do with their lives.  Sun Elves enjoy mask theater in their free time, and much time is also spent in sensual or sexual pursuits.

Economy
money: Sun Elves trade gold and jewels instead of specific money.
consumer sense: Sun Elves are great spenders.  They like to have anything that they want, so if they see something, they will buy it.
imports: some types of food, raw materials
exports: books, jewelry, liquor, firestones
trade style: Sun Elves enjoy the ceremony of trading.  They have rules involving what to eat, where to conduct negotiation and the order in which things may be discussed.

relationship with outsiders
Sun Elves think that outsiders are neat.  They enjoy meeting others outside their homes.  They will often think of outsiders, especially humans, as children, but they will listen to their ideas nonetheless.

companions
As Sun Elves live in desert, there aren't many companions.  They breed hardy horses and have camels.  More domestic animals include certain breeds of dog and cat, but Sun Elves often prefer sharing their homes with plants, that react as they do to the sun.  Outsiders rarely live with Sun Elves, but when they do they are relegated to menial positions and childish regard.

transportation
Sun elves mostly walk, but also ride swift horses.

medicine
Sun Elves use magic and physical medicine.

Differences
Sun Elves with disabilities are treated just like everyone else.  This can be troublesome at times, but they generally believe that differences are superficial no matter what they are and those with the differences shouldn't be restricted in anything.  Those with great intelligence or exceptional skills are encouraged.  Children of multiple births are thought of as mild oddities, but not treated differently.

manners
Everyone defers to those older than they are.  Older elves are given preference of food, seats, and almost everything else.  They have very little concept of personal space.

sex/reproduction
Like all elves, Sun 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.  Sun elves become sexually active young and remain so throughout their lives.  Sex and physical contact is common and casual, with no major consequences.  Sun elves generally have two to four children.