Elves

Before the Godswar the Elves held themselves apart from the Foreclaimers as they sought the secrets of immortality. Centuries long lifespans were not enough for them, in the end they devoured their young to grasp eternity. Armed with Soulgems to protect their souls upon their body's death to be returned to the Well.

However their quest for immortality led them to hold themselves apart from the Godswar, refusing to join any faction. Because of this the Taint of the Orc was laid on the Elves. Their revulsion to what they saw as a disease led them to drive out the Orcs and eventually escalated to The Blood War.

Cultures

Elves of The Well

Elves born of The Well will join their parent's House until they Emerge. Then they may move to a different House depending on the House of their Truesoul.

Darkwood

Not a House of elves, the Darkwood Elves are are a loose confederation of tribes living on Darkwood, dedicating to preserving the sphere and hold back the Orcs. As Antecedents reach maturity they will leave their tribe and set out into the wider world to experience it before emerging and returning to the Blood War.

Stone

Shapers of stone and earth, the House of Stone molds the Spheres to their will. Source of the Boneshapers, the Earth Elves can make living bone from the very minerals in the ground. They are also able to shape metal through their will, with no forge ever touching the ore.

Sun

Masters of green and growing things, the House of the Sun cultivates the land to support Elven society. Perfected over centuries and lifetimes, cultivation has been raised to an artform. Field plots are living sculptures tended over multiple lifetimes by the same elf, they produce more than any other culture's agriculture. Of all the Elven Houses they are the most likely to tolerate mortal ancestries within their lands.

Shard

What is left of the House of Crystal, the Shard Elves jealously guard the secrets of making Soulstones. They are extremely xenophobic and assured of Elven superiority over the mortal Ancestries.

Star

The keepers of the pre-Godswar knowledge, The House of Star is a house of Wizardry. Antecedent compete for scraps of knowledge in the hope they will learn something that will add to their Emerged self.

Houseless Elves

After the First Shattering, banishment from The Well became a way to deal with political rivals and enemies of the current Elven leadership. Banishment involves having their Soulgem confiscated then being exiled from Val'a and barred from return. For such Emerged Elves, maintaining their immortality and the fate of their souls become of primary concern.

Aged Nostalgists

Focusing on maintaining their bodies, the Aged Nostalgists will live in seclusion, attempting to find safe refuge from the dangers of the world. They will wrap themselves in nostalgia of ages gone by, and hide from the fact that this life will be their last. Typically these come from the Houses of Earth, Star, or Shard.

House of Crystal

Masters of the secrets to craft a Soulgem, they had immense power over Elven society. When a plot to dominate the council and break the power of Star came to light, it caused a civil war leading to the after the First Shattering the majority of the House of Crystal was banished to Menzorastar while those left behind became known as the House of Shard. Suffering under the Curse of Poison, only the Elven Matriarchs survive the toxic environment by being regularly pregnant.

Feraline

Some Banished Elves tried to revert to a truly "Natural" existance. They create societies that are built around channeling Primal Forces. As they develop their Primal channeling, the power changes them to be more animalistic. These typically were Darkwood or House of Sun Elves.

New Penitents

Upon being cast out, the New Penitents seek latch onto worship as a means of protecting their souls. They will integrate themselves into the faithful of their chosen faith and become some of their most ardent supporters. Elves banished in larger groups often become New Penitents.

Nihilists

Giving up on hope for continued life the Nihilists throw themselves into making their remaining life as full as possible. Ravenous for new experiences the Nihilists will go to any extreme. Singularly banished Elves will often fall to Nihilism.

Newsoul Elves

After the First Shattering it discovered that elves not born of The Well were not gaining a Truesoul. Without being able to Emerge, they will not gain the power and wisdom of their Truesoul. Unable to return to Val'a due to their parent's banishment they created new societies. Some developed cultures around Houseless Elves. Others integrated into other cultures, taking on the trappings and faiths of their new communities. Still others created societies of their own.

Settlements

Bonespire Citadels

Created by House of Stone Bonesingers the Bonespire Citadels are tall thin needles of bone. With ancient space warping magics multiple levels are accessible through a singular corridor that seems level. Every House utilizes them as the core of a major settlement.

Havens

Settlements created by the Houses of Sun and Stone, these clusters of manor houses are crafted and decorated with centuries of effort. Their gardens and fields artistically manicured for greatest artistic effect and productivity.

Religion

The oldest Emerged elves remember a time when the Gods and Dragons strode the Spheres. They remember rejecting them in their search for immortality. And they remember the Taint of the Orc was bestowed on them by the Old Gods, engendering their eternal enmity. Even with the emergence of the Spirits, Saints, and Gods they rejected them, satisfied with the immortality the Well provides them. Only those Banished from the Well and the Newsoul elves revere divinity. After the Nexus Accords, elves who were Called would explore Adherence to a God, but such pursuits are looked down on by their Emerged parents.