Elves

Elves, also called the Fair Folk, are a sapient species native to the enchanted island of Annwyth on Alatoria. In ancient times they more closely resembled creatures than people, though after a few millennia of inter-breeding with Humans, the modern Elf now reflect traits of both species, with some regional and cultural variations. They are considered the cousins of the Darkbloods, who are also native to Annwyth in the Fairmounts.   Elves can be categorized into two distinct classes; High and Low. High Elves are more populous as a people and are often just called 'Elves' due to their prevalence. Low Elves make up a variety of 'lesser' species such as the Mer, the Lupyn, nature spirits and other less-humanoid-appearing peoples from Annwyth. They are still considered nominally Elven, though their appearance varies wildly and most do not carry any Human genetic material whatsoever. Many are not fully sentient and are better classified as animals, and they often face prejudice from High Elves.   In modern times, the two most widely-known ethnicities of High Elf are the Annwythi Elves and Tenebronian Elves. The former are native to Annwyth, whilst the other is native to the Kingdom of Tenebron, and they have distinct physical and cultural differences between the two. Cyrhani Elves are the most Human-looking of all Elvenkind.   Elves are deeply entwined with the magic of the natural world, as they are the descendants of the Fae, the ancient proto-Elves who were more immortal than mortal. Thus they carry strange traits inherited from their primordial ancestors. Elven lifespans are long due to their interbreeding with Humans and their own origins -- An average healthy Elf can live up to five-hundred years, sometimes longer if magic is involved.   All Elves are inherently magical, regardless of High or Low status or ethnicity beneath those. For example, all Elves, High and Low, are capable of Soulgazing, allowing them to share memories, dreams and thoughts with other creatures through physical touch at will.   Additionally, some Elves, though not all, may be subjected to the terms of the Kindred Bond, an Elven covenant unique to them that sees them paired with a pre-determined match in order to produce strong and capable offspring.   The Kindred Bond is believed to have been started by an ancient spell, written millennia ago, to avoid interbreeding among the relatively small population of Elves on Annwyth, and thus is extremely common among Annwythi Elves in particular. Low Elves do not appear to be affected by the conditions of the Kindred Bond, whilst other High Elven races like the Tenebronian Elves appear to be affected intermittently. The Kindred Bond is a way of life on Annwyth, though, and is treated like sacred law among the Mastery.   Elven magic, especially for Annwythi Elves, primarily revolves around 'covenants', a classification of magic that deals with bargains, deals, oaths, and shared power between two or more individuals. Elven covenants can be so strong they go on to affect every living creature they were written to touch, like the Kindred Bond, the most powerful covenant in known existence. Due to the nature of Elven magic, they are often regarded as tricksters as they usually derive power from one-sided agreements on their part.   Elves from outside of Annwyth, like those in Teneborn or elsewhere, tend to have more atypical magical aptitudes and might not use Elven covenants at all.