Elf

"You call them 'High' Elves because they build towers of white stone? That's hilarious. No. We call them that because they have forgotten where the ground is. They drink wine from glass while we drink tea from roots. They look down from their balconies, but up here in the canopy? We are the ones actually looking at the stars."

— Elder Oaka, Keeper of the Saltwalker’s Flank

Origins: The Great Rooting

• The Ancient Adaptation: Unlike the Eladrin, who are trapped in a seasonal loop, the Elves arrived long enough ago to "metabolize" the magic of the Material Plane. They traded the chaos of the Feywild for the rhythm of the earth, and they rooted.

 
• The Schism (Wood vs. High): Biologically, there is no difference between a Wood Elf and a High Elf. The distinction is political and derogatory.
  

 
• The Keepers (Wood Elves): Those who stayed true to the ancient pact to care for the land (and the Saltwalker). They live in harmony with the ecosystem.
• The Traitors (High Elves): Those who grew tired of "service" and moved to the plains to build walled cities, trade with humans, and accumulate wealth. They are called "High" Elves as a mocking insult by their kin, implying they think they are "above" their station and nature.

Cultural Values: Stillness & Deliberation

• The Art of Slowing Down: Elves are homebodies. They hate rushing. To an Elf, a decision made quickly is a decision made poorly. They value long, thoughtful debates and periods of silence.

 
• The Tea Ceremony: "Root Tea" is the center of social life. It is their grounding ritual. Hospitality involves sitting, brewing, and sipping in silence before business is discussed.

 
• Stewardship: For the forest-dwelling Elves, their life is a job. They are not "wild"; they are Gardeners. The forest is their garden, the Saltwalker is their charge, and they view themselves as the janitors of nature.