Elven people (白種, Hakushu)

The Elves (白種, countable 白人 Hakujin) are a human ethnic group indigenous to the far north and west of Ausalon. They are believed to be the first human inhabitants of the continent, having crossed from the western landmasses during the last glacial period—approximately 5,000 to 7,000 years before the beginning of the First Age.   These resilient migrants settled across diverse environments, from taiga and tundra to temperate mountains and wind-swept coastal lowlands. Over generations, they developed distinct languages, oral traditions, religious practices, and social customs adapted to the varied climates and landscapes they came to inhabit. Their intimate knowledge of the land and its rhythms allowed them to establish sustainable lifeways rooted in foraging, seasonal migration, and kinship-based communities.   The First Age is traditionally dated from the coming of the Ryūshu (Dragons) to Ausalon. Their arrival marked a cataclysmic and transformative period in Elven history. It was during this time that the Neri tribes of the north—neither more advanced nor more powerful than their southern kin, but simply situated in the wrong place at the wrong time—were altered by the Ryūshu through means both arcane and ritual. From among them arose the Kōbyakushu (高白種), or High Elves—a newly formed caste distinguished by their metaphysical bond to the Ryūshu and elevated beyond their kin in magic, longevity, and divine purpose.   By the start of this age, the Elves had diversified into numerous tribes and nations, each with its own customs, dialects, and belief systems. Among them, the High Elves became the most politically and culturally dominant. Their mastery of magic, codified law, writing systems, ceremonial hierarchies, and refined artistic traditions made their culture synonymous with imperial administration and spiritual authority throughout the northern continent.   In contrast, the remaining Elven tribes are collectively referred to as Low Elves or Wild Elves, though these terms obscure the richness and complexity of their cultures. These groups represent a wide variety of lifeways, from forest-dwelling animist communities to organized chiefdoms, and include distinct languages, cosmologies, and political institutions of their own. Though often seen as peripheral to High Elven society, many Low Elven peoples maintained relative autonomy and thriving traditions well into the historical period.  

Physical Characteristics

The term Hakujin ("White People") refers both to the Elves' ethnic identity and to their characteristic pale white skin, which distinguishes them from the darker-complexioned peoples of the southern latitudes. Elves tend to be shorter in stature, with shorter limbs and narrower builds adapted to colder climates. Their facial features are typically sharp and refined, with high cheekbones, angular jawlines, and narrow eyes. Straight black hair and dark eye colors are dominant across most Low Elven populations.   High Elves, however, present a marked divergence in appearance due to the long-term metaphysical influence of the Ryūshu. They are known for their hair and eye colors in vibrant hues of red, blue, and violet, often iridescent or luminous in certain lighting. These features lend them an otherworldly presence and contribute to their mythic status among other peoples of Ausalon.   Though often seen as a single ethnicity by outsiders, the Elves are a civilizational mosaic whose internal diversity continues to shape the social, linguistic, and political history of the continent.