The Scorned Elves

Hailing from the militaristic Empire of Daeruin, the Dark Elves are blighted by a foul reputation wherever they go. They are a proud people who value family, their homeland, and tradition, while scorning outsiders and their machinations. Dark Elves are visually hard to mistake with their gray or black skin and burning red eyes. Their fierce pride and sense of superiority is expressed through a virulently hierarchical social structure with the great houses at the top and slaves at the bottom. While the rapid expansion of their empire brings with it new ideas and challenges to the social order, Dark Elven tradition is no fickle thing. They are a matriarchal culture, like most other elves of the region. Clan mothers lead their families, women manage and inherit all wealth, property, and lands, and men are often left to inherit nothing. For this reason, many Dark Elven men leave their homeland to become adventurers. Religiously, the Dark Elves are quite unique in their approach to the gods. Aligning themselves with The Infernal Order along with their ancestors, they see their gods in an adversarial manner, as challenges to overcome. The gods grant the most worthy of the Dark Elves boons and receive their worship in exchange. As such, it's best described as a transactional spirituality. Many of these elements of their culture leave the Dark Elves scorned and vilified by most of the other races of Sol. Naturally, the feeling is mutual.

Slave Raiders

The reputation of the Dark Elves is marred by their severe matriarchy, brutal conquests, and infernal worship, but perhaps no aspect of their culture earns them more scorn than slavery. While it should be noted that slavery was not a Dark Elven invention or peculiarity, the people of Daeruin have turned the institution into an art form. It is such a vital aspect of their culture and economy that in Neirath, the great capital of the Empire, it is suggested that slaves make up a more significant share of the population than free people. In the far-flung southern lands, slaves work the lands of their seized homelands, producing cash crops such as sugar, coffee beans, tobacco, spices, and other exotic goods under the watchful gaze of the Dark Elves. On the mainland, slaves serve as domestics, laborers, bodyguards, soldiers, sex slaves, and eunuchs. While many cultures practice slavery in one form or another, nowhere on the continent is it as entrenched or widespread as with the Dark Elves. Many races find themselves put in bondage including goblinoids, Humans, Orcs, Dwarves, Catfolk, and, of course, Snow Elves. Generations of raids into Mistvall has resulted in a slave race of Snow Elves in Daeruin which has persisted for so long and under such brutal conditions, that these slaves have begun to culturally diverge from their ancestors distinctly enough to be considered their own culture variant of Snow Elves.

A Dark Reflection

Despite some of these less charitable aspects of Dark Elven culture, it'd be a mistake to write them off as evil or less civilized than the other races. Plenty of Dark Elves are perfectly capable of kindness to others, including outsiders. It is worth noting that many Dark Elves who leave their homeland to adventure or settle in distant lands often find themselves the target of scorn, ridicule, discrimination, and persecution. In Dragoncliff, for example, the Dark Elves there dwell in the slums, much like the rest of the elven population, including the Snow Elves. At home, Dark Elven culture does place great value in many things which others may admire such as family loyalty, a strong sense of community, and respect for elders, including those of other races.