Silvan

Silvan Elves are terrestrial and arboreal bipeds. They have different frames depending on the subspecies but their exodermis typically resembles the outer layer of plants whether it the bark of a tree, the stem of a flower, or the roots of grass. They typically take on earthy tones in skin color but can occasionally have warmer skin tones as well. Their hair can take the form of leaves, moss, grass, or just normal hair of bright or earthy colors. They have slightly larger eyes than a Human and their eyes can be a larger variety of different colors. Their ears cause them to be often confused with the High Elf which is the origin of their name, as they also possess large and pointed ears but don't mistake them as they are a completely different species.

Silvan Elves are believed to have originated from the various plants of the Valorus Forest, a clue to this is the way in which they reproduce. When two Silvan Elves wish to produce an offspring they perform a ritual form of intercourse after which the female member of the species produces a small seedling that they bury undergrown and it sprouts into a different plant (or group of plants) depending on the subspecies that goes through several stages of the plants' lifecycle all taking about 5 years to fully mature into a Silvan Elf child.   It is known that hybrids between Silvan Elves and other intelligent species can occur, which produces the Half Elf as this group of hybrids is colloquially referred to.

The first stage of Silvan Elf life is the seedling stage. This stage lasts for around 5 years during which the plant the adolescent silvan elf will be born from grows and is taken care of by its parents and community. This is the stage of life in which Silvan elves are most vulnerable as they typically cannot be moved and must be given nourishment, sunlight, and plenty of water.   Following this stage is the stage of adolescence, the Silvan elf emerges from the fully formed plant typically leaving behind the bio-husk in which they formed. The adolescent Silvan elf is equivalent in capability to a 5 year old Human but has no ability to speak as of yet. They remain in this form aging in a similar way to Human but each year of human life is equivalent to about 4 years in terms of maturity. This continues for the next 75 years until they reach the equivalent of age 20 in which they reach maturity. The remaining biohusk quickly recovers from the emergence process and becomes the associated plant.   After this Silvan Elf continues living through their life and lives on average to the age 300. The oldest recorded age for a Silvan Elf was 538 years old. At the end of a Silvan's life, they go through a 10 year period of decay in which they slowly begin to become more and more plant-like in terms of mobility. Once they reach the end of this period they are fully rooted in the ground and usually form a plant most associated with them. If a Silvan Elf were to die early on in their life before this death by aging they typically decay rapidly into various leaf-like seedlings that revitalize areas in which plant life is devoid.

Silvan Elves typically make their homes in the tall trees of the Valorus Forest as well as down on the forest floor. Though it is not uncommon to find Meadow Elves and Bloom Elves living in the open plains around the Valorus Forest.

Silvan Elves are omnivores and typically eat a combination of forage, and domesticated plants and animals found in and around the Valorus Forest. Such as deer, berries, common grasses, squirrels, rabbits, etc. Though they are very careful when it comes to eating plants not to accidentally eat off of the growing seedlings of newly planted Silvan Elves as this is seen as a complete taboo and widely frowned upon, even to the point of it being a crime to do so among most Silvan Elves.

Silvan Elves' hair color, especially that of the Arbor Elves changes with the surrounding foilage in terms of seasonal change, though they are not shed during winter. They instead cover their foliage hair during the winter to protect it from the harsh weather. In spring a rapid increase in green pigmentation brings back their usual coloration.

The impact of nature magic on their vision and their larger than Human eyes cause them to have the ability to see quite well in the dark. On top of this, their larger ears allow them to hear quite well. An affinity for nature magic allows them to also use this in helping with sensing their environment.

Republic Of Valorus
Malberry Defense Force

The Silvans speak the language of the fey known as, Sylvan.

Following the original creation of the Silvan estimated to have happened around 4800 RB. After this was a period of smaller settlements and coalitions that lasted until around 4080 RB when these coalitions grew into four major nations in the region of the Valorus Forest, these nations were separated based on the origins of the Silvan's: the Arbor, Bloom, Moss, and Meadow. These nations were not in conflict in terms of war with each other but did compete for land and access with the World Tree located at the center of the Valorus Forest.   Over the next several hundred years diplomacy and a great understanding of their origin brought the four nations together in which they formed the Republic Of Valorus in 3022 RB. The early days of the Republic were rough as the four peoples' distinct cultures collided but the shared worship of the Gods of Nature as well as a shared origin allowed for them to take on different roles in society that made the new nation strong in the world stage. the Republic Of Valorus has continued on with the main goal of preserving nature and the magic throughout the world. Being a strong and adaptable people the Silvan's helped maintain and protect nature all across Aris and other parts of Atoria. In this the Meadow Elves accomplished the domestication of the Griffin in 3374 RB which became the staple symbol of the Republic Of Valorus upon its founding.   During the events of the Kardan Incident in 1 AK the Republic Of Valorus was unable to help and stop the calamity that followed. This coalesced beyond the Republic Of Valorus as a subgroup of Silvan's felt that the Republic Of Valorus was failing in its goal of preserving magic throughout the world therefore in response to this they formed a more extreme organization with the goal of both preserving magic at any cost as well as protect the world from extra-planar threats called the Malberry Defense Force which formed in 5 AK. Some Silvans view the extremes of which the Malberry Defense Force is willing to go to protect magic to be too extreme but some side with the organization.    Since then Silvans have had a major role in the accusation of magical knowledge as well as the protection of magic as a whole. As they view magic as being intertwined with nature at a foundational level this extends this knowledge and protection to the world as a whole.   In 2064 AK the Republic Of Valorus had to defend itself form an attack from the Great Orc Hoards.   Some major events of the Malberry Defense Force include: 1582 AK - Defending the Frostmor World Tree from the attack of an unknown Necromancer 3110 AK - Helped fight against an extraplanar threat at the Battle of Steelheart