Ælfes can vary much in size, from as small as 3 feet tall, to 5 and a half feet tall in height. They greatly resemble humans, but with facial features that either veers towards uncanny valley or vaguely supernatural-like. Their eyes are much bigger in proportion in comparison to similar races, and their upper and lower canines are sharp and almost tusk-like. The skin of ælfes seems unnaturally smooth while their body hair is thick but transparent, making their skin feel soft and fuzzy in various places. Similar to humans, their skin, eye, and hair colors all come in a range of color with the occasional unnatural variety of colors resulting from magical ancestry. Their hair or skin often has a faint metallic, iridescent, or opalescent sheen to it.

There is minor biological differences between the sexes of ælfes, primarily that female ælfes are taller and have slightly enlargened breasts. Pregnancy will temporarily increase their size, as with humans.   Individuals will vary in body shapes, weight, and heights to half of the extent that humans can reach in body diversity. Most of the differences will be dependent on an individual's clan heritage and the regional variations it brings.

An ælfe will reach teendom at around age 20 and then shortly reach adulthood at around 24 years old. Their aging is similar to other races, but then slows to a halt for around a hundred years starting at the age of 46. When they start reaching the end of their natural life span, their skin does start to wrinkle and thin, their faces grow gaunt, and their eye color starts to fade, but their hair remains the same in coloration and many don't gain as many health issues as other races do when they age that affect their joints or bones.

Ælfes are omnivorous, though around 60%-70% of their diet requires meat. They the ability to digest a wide range of meat sources, including meat that has started fermenting. Ælfes have one of the highest calorie needs of the mammilian races. Aside from meat, they also enjoy a wide range of eggs, as well as fruit that is high in calories.

The most notable characteristic of ælfes are their long, thick, pointed ears. The orientation of ears vary heavily- ranging from drooping to pointing straight up- but they are consistently around the length of about 3/4 of a foot to 1/4 feet long.   Their faces resemble that of humans, but with more defined features such as their chin, jawline, and cheekbones. Their eyebrows tend to be thin and wispy, and end in a curled point on the outer ends of the eyebrows. Their eyes are on the larger end compared to the other humanoid races, and are also longer. Their pupils seem to be colored a darker variation of whatever eye color they have rather than the solid black they normally are. Additionally, their pupils will change shape from round to slits, depending on the lighting. Their mouths are very long, but otherwise unremarkable similar to the other humanoid races. Overall, the facial features of ælfes seem to create an uncanny feeling when gazed upon by members of other races, and they often look wistful regardless of their mood.

Ælfes can be found all across the globe, having Clans that dedicate themselves to living in specific environments wherever those biomes may be found.

As a sapient and sentient race, ælfes are as smart as humans but with much more knowledge due to their longer lifespans and existence as a race. They are especially knowledgeable in military tactics and martial arts due to many centuries of honing it through wars with each other and other races.

Ælfes have the ability to willingly cause sharp, shooting pains upon skin contact with other races. These medium-strength pains will last on the spot the target touched for about an hour, and can only be applied by an ælfe’s hands. This ability is thought to possibly magical in origin, evolved by ælfe ancestors to disable prey and threats with pain. This pain is refered to as 'ælfe shot' by both ælfes and non-ælfes.   Due to their long ears and strong eyesight, ælfes have a strong sense of hearing and very good eyesight. Because of this, it is hard to sneak past an ælfe on the lookout, and it is often says it is a testament to your stealth if you are able to avoid being spotted by an ælfe.   Notably, Moon ælfes are capable of seeing magical energies that the rest of their kind cannot.

The feature most focused on feature for beauty is that of their ears. The ælfes view their ears as their most defining characteristic and will greatly judge ear length, cone and cartilage structure, and hygiene. Many ælfes who are looking to attract love will obsessively take care of their ears and decorate then in glitter, gold  leaf, and paints, and wear lots of jewelry. Many Ælfes take great pride in their ears, and to dress them up this much is a sign of this pride.

The ælfin language is known as Ælfic and consists of a hushed, whispered tones. The language sounds ethereal and each word comes off as gentle, yet deliberate. Syntax in Ælfic follows a verb-object-subject, and it has many subtle vocalization variations that affects both the object and subject. The written word looks like swirls and waves mixed with straight diagonal lines. When written, Ælfic starts from the top right and is written downwards and to the left.

Ælfes are a secretive folk that prefer to keep their culture out of the sight of non-ælfes as they see outsiders as incapable of understanding their traditions. Their culture heavily revolves around their connection to the supernatural and their clan system, and they see themselves as an evolved form of spirits that have taken on corporeal form. Another important aspect of ælfin kind's culture is their love of combat and fighting. Hunting and dueling is seen as a very common ælfin pass time, and their skills in both are often greater on average than the other races.   Their clans are heavily based on the homelands that the ælfes have spread out to, and the customs they have picked up. Each community of a clan has a community-selected leader that represents their town or city, who then will meet up in councils to discuss the state of the clan and the clan's lands as well to ask for aid or advice. These leaders, known as Advocates, may then pick three of their most favorable leaders to represent the clan as a whole when a meeting of multiple clans is called to discuss important matters than concern the ælfin race as a whole or for diplomacy between the clans.  
The most commonly encountered clan is that of the Lowland Clan- also often referred to as Plains Aelves- which is a nomadic clan that has learned and mastered the art of cavalry and general warfare as they have warred the most with their own kind as well as non-ælfin races. The Lowland aelfes heavily associate themselves with air magicks, due the the windiness of the plains and prairies they call home. They have chosen the Priairie Coneflower due to its abundance in their lands and because of how hardy it is to droughts and winds. They have a heavily chivalry and honor based culture that care about how well you are able to fight while also being a functioning member of society. Respect is something that is highly demanded and strict manners are the norm, especially before those who are your elder or superior. Consistent rebellious or disrespectful behavior is a fast way to be shunned and outcast   Lowland ælfes prefer honorable tactics in combat while displaying feats of strength and skill. Their warfare is highly strategical and even the greatest human generals will find something to learn from their tactics. They will form vast armies that are rigidly trained with the most strict discipline, and will function together like well oiled machines to overpower their opponents.

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The other most commonly encountered clan is the Weald Clan, who live deep in forests and jungles across Nielea. Outsiders may sometimes call them 'wild ælfes' as as as result of mishearing the clan name and because of their more nature based culture. The Weald clan is greatly attached to the wooded habitats they call home and are the most in tune with its flora and fauna, often learning from their behaviors and implementing it into their lives and fighting styles. Many a Weald ælfe's tale will include some sort of animal getting into trouble, only to be saved by their natural talents. Because of their attachment to their lands, they associate themselves with nature magicks. Jack-in-the-puplets are their Clan's favored flower, as it has a distinctive appearance and grows in abundance in many of their territories. Life within a Weald clan settlement is very relaxed, with many calm days and frequent festivals to celebrate nature and life. Many ælfes will be hunters or foragers, while others are artists, poets, and tailors.   The Weald Clan favors a down and dirty fighting style that uses traps and deceptive attacks before fighting head on after an ambush and excel in guerrilla warfare. Many favor ranged combat, while others prefer easily concealed weapons that get up close and personal. It is said to be the most terrifying thing to attempt to raid a Weald ælfe's village, only to be picked off rapidly by the myriad of traps and concealed warriors before one can realize what is going on.  

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The Desert Clan is the most reclusive of the clans, and stick to only a few settlements scattered throughout the desert. They associate themselves with fire magics because of the heat they endure as well as the comforts and gifts that a dangerous element can bring. As well, they have chosen the flower of the hardy and long lived Saguaro as their clan's symbol due to its longevity in face of the arid climate. The few Desert Clan settlements that exist are built around floating megaliths known as Athanasia Stones, which they have developed as a way to communally saved memories, dreams, knowledge, and other important information that is shared across the community. These communities function around this shared knowledge heavily, and they are seen as the wisest of the clans as their stored knowledge dates back thousands of years. If a megalith is permanently broken, the knowledge it shared is lost and the settlement's ælfes may become disorientated or amnesiatic. Because of this, the community is quick to disband and move to other settlements to reintegrate to new Athanasia stones to recover. Because knowledge is evenly shared across all ages and professions, desert ælfes treat each other a lot more equally and are able to form stronger bonds with each other than other clans. The community leader is the only one seen as above the others, as their role is not only to represent the community, but to power and maintain the Athanasia stones so that the settlement may live on. The lives and community all depend on the Advocate performing their job well, and that is why they are seen as more important.   The desert ælfes prefer diplomacy over warfare, and try to talk out issues before any rash or violent action is taken. But when fighting is the only option left, they become a fearsome force backed by millenias worth of warfare tactics and knowledge. They do not have a specific style to their fighting, as it is a mix of the knowledge they have, but the one thing that is common among the Desert clan is that their troops' strong bonds with each other make them difficult to shake their morale.

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Living along the mountain ridges of Nielea, the Alpine Clan live a more secluded life, focusing heavily on trade and agricultural living within towering walls of stone that contain their villages and cities. They have claimed unity with the earth magicks due to living in fortified towns in the most mountainous regions. They have selected the flower of a thistle due to the plant's hardiness that lets it grow in many places, and its thorns that protect it well, much like how the Alpine ælfes have built fortifications to protect themselves. The Alpine clan's fortified cities are a sight to see, built with fortification and longevity in mind to protect against invaders and wars. Their cities are enough to make a Dhuerven architect jealous with their construction geared towards being nigh impenetrable while also matching the aesthetics of the nature around them. Within these cities and villages, the Alpine ælfes are heavily co and the most common jobs are merchants, farmers, ranchers, and tradesmen. Those who do not take part in these commerce based jobs are instead recruited to be a part of the city guard and militia to help maintain peace. Within the city walls the Alpine ælfes live happily, bearing a resemblance to the more bustling human cities day to day. The main difference is that the ælfes have found ways to maintain nature within their walls and work to maintain their balance with nature while advancing their technology and defenses. Trees and brush are integrated into every building, and both food and flower gardens can be found every few feet. Each settlement is designed to be as self-sufficient as possible so that they are able to wait out sieges for as long as possible, and many are build next to or on top of natural water sources. Community-wise, the Alpine ælfes see each other as the many branches and roots of the same tree, creating a strong sense of community and good will. Many homes are communal, shared by many ælfen families that are close friends with each other. Often these families will work together in running their businesses, too.   When it comes to warfare, the Alpine clan focuses on using their fortress as their primary defense. They line their walls with the best building materials available to them, and are manned with archers, ballista, and even rarely cannons. When humans invented using hot water or oil, or heated sand in their defenses, the Alpine clan were quick to adopt these tactics as a part of their fortifications as well. But when these defenses fail, the Alpine ælfes are capable of taking up arms themselves and each citizen is encouraged to learn some form of self defense or combat. The typical martial style of Alpine ælfes is very defensive and patience, where shields or an offhand weapon is used to protect from blows while the defender waits for an opening or a show of weakness. They are also excellent at siege due to their superior knowledge of fortifications and the various weaknesses that may be built into even the finest fortress.  

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In the northern tundras of Nielea, the Snow Clan lives and thrives. They build small settlements scattered across the north out of stone, trees, wood, and ice. Snow ælfes focus heavily on survival tactics, hunting, and animal taming & husbandry to make it out in one of the harshest environments on the planet. They claim kinship with the element of ice because it is part of the world they know and survive. Meanwhile their clan flower is a Snowdrop. The flower is capable of growing through the snow, and often signals the end of winter with its growth, so the Snow ælfes greatly value its emergence each year. Because they live in such a harsh environment that can be demanding, Snow æfes prefer to stockpile and share their resources across the village rather than have individuals claim ownership of goods that would mean the difference between life and death. When trade is required, it is usually done with golds over currencies. It is incentivized that each individual in the village does something to contribute to the survival of the whole village, even if it isn't something as difficult as hunting or foraging. Personal property extends to the come and land that a family or individual lives on, and their clothes, furniture, home cooked meals, and other objects of importance or personal value. But it is heavily frowned upon to keep food, hide, fibers, or other materials hidden away in your possessions as it is seen as greedy. Thievery of both the town's resources or another ælfe's personal property is also frowned upon and will often be punished swiftly. Members of a Snow Clan village are often close-knit and will do what they can to aid each other through thick and thin. Each village has a collection of livestock and tamed animals that is cared for by the majority of the village. These animals are used for labor, compainions, food, hunting, and even combat and are the most prized part of each village. The animals are treated with great care and respect, and are integral to the way of life for ælfes of the Snow Clan because of the value they provide. Whatever animal a Snow ælfe can get their hands on, they will do their best to try to tame it or domesticate it.   When it comes to combat, the Snow Clan is scrappy but resourceful. The tactics and combat styles they know and use change village by village, but one thing remains consistent among all Snow ælfes: they will use the environment and weather to their advantage. Snow ælfes will adapt quickly and change up their equipment and tactics as the circumstances around them change. And they will do it faster than any other Clan or race. Another important aspect of their armies and warriors is that they almost always will have a companion or steed at their side, and the animal itself will vary wildly. Most commonly, use reindeer or moose to pull equipment or to act as a mount, while others will use wolves, dogs, pumas, foxes, raptors, or other predators as attack dogs to fight by their side. Some have even claimed seeing a bear or two in historic battles involving the Snow Clan.  

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Some ælfes are found along the shores of Nielea, making up the Coastal Clan. These ælfes have developed a sense of unity with the sea and water itself, building vast settlements either along or on top of the water. They have chosen the sea pea's flower as a symbol of their clan, as it is common in their dishes and grows along the many beaches the coastal ælfes inhabit. The plant's ability to spread far and wide, often through the ocean's current, is another reason for its use as their symbol. As coastal ælfes see themselves similar to the sea pea with how they spread through the ocean before taking root somewhere along the shores. With their coastal lives, many ælfes of this clan are sailors, salvagers, and fishermen. Coastal ælfes like to take their lives day by day, following the flow of the ocean and the change of weather and seasons to guide what they might do for the day. Many settlements focus on making sure their home stays afloat- literally in the case of floating villages- and a lot of the citizens will work together as many parts of a whole to keep life going. Though they still heavily treasure free time, and will often have dedicated times of days to relax and enjoy the sea breeze, go for swims, or have meals with each other. Many coastal ælfes are agile and excellent swimmers and are capable of challenging Psarighans in swimming races with some effort. They may often take it upon themselves to seek out any members of other clans or races that are drowning or stranded so that they make use of their swimming skills and experience with the ocean to save the day.   Ælfes of the Coastal Clan are excellent skirmishers and duelists; they make use of their excellent agility and hand-eye coordination to outmaneuver their opponents. Another form of combat that ælfes excel at is naval warfare. Their excellent sailing has led to many captains and pirates originating from the Coastal ælfes, and knowledge of sailing and how to handle battles between ships has been passed down many generations. It is thought that Coastal ælfes even invented sailing itself, conquering the harsh and dangerous ocean that covers Nielea's surface.  

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  And lastly is the Moon Clan. The moon clan were formerly of the Weald clan, set up in a specific set of forests in central Nielea. But when the Faeries arrived to Nielea, they appeared directly in the territory of this specific part of the Weald clan. The magic released by the Faerie's arrival heavily changed the lands around them and any life form that existed there, altering them to an evolved magical state. This included the former Weald ælfes, who found themselves becoming nocturnal; gained more brightly colored skin, hair, and eyes; and a higher proficiency for magic. They were also able to see magic and leylines because of this transformation. Shortly after they decided to form a new clan because of their new state; naming themselves after the moon after their new nocturnal behavior and because of how the moons are heavily associated with the ebb and flow of magic. They picked moonflowers to represent their people, as it is a beautiful and nocturnal flower, and easily began associating themselves with magic energies itself. The Moon Clan has developed a strong allyship and friendship with their neighbors, the Faeries, and will often welcome and treat the Fae as one of their own in their homes. The Fae are treated as an exception to the taboo towards outsiders in ælfe culture, and many Moon ælfes accept the Fae as the entire reason for their clan's existence.   Moon ælfes started delving deeply into magical arts, experimenting with and perfecting their newfound magical proficiency that set them ahead of the rest of the clans in magical prowess. And after many centuries of these practices, they became some of the best magic users on the planet. They integrated this magic into their day to day lives and even into their clothes, food, and architecture. Many moon ælf children are taught magic from a young age, and their first spell is treated as memorably as a child's first words. Many moon ælfes are scholars, philosophers, and mages, and they often have great libraries full of arcane knowledge. A common and beloved sport among the ælfes are duels between mages, and often arenas and even coliseums are built for many to watch these prize fighting mages duel it out for supremacy. Naturally, the Moon clan's favored fighting style involves magic users. Many of their warriors are arcane warriors or knights or straight up wizards, witches, and mages. Even their archers and rogues incorporate some sort of magic into their arsenal.

It is a common practice for ælfes to tattoo themselves at a young age with symbols associated with the clan they are born to on their checks and upper torsos. The tattoos will often depict lines mixed in with animals, plants, or landmarks of the lands their clan comes from.