Green Elves

Green elves are not a homogeneus ethnic group but a confederation of elven tribes (High Elves, Forest Elves and Moon Elves) united by culture, language, religion and traditions as well as intermarrying. They are the most common type of elves found in the continent of Teria and they have been fundamental for the developing of the Elven culture and civilization.

Physical features

Generally speaking, green elves, regardless of their subethnicity or gender, tend to be tall and slender. Their hair is usually blond, brown, or black; gray or silver is not very common and is generally the result of mixed marriages between a green elf and a snow elf. Between the forest elves there are also examples of people with red hair . Most green elves, regardless of gender usually have long, straight hair although short hair is also common. Many elves choose to let their hair hang loose, although it is also very fashionable for both men and women to wear their hair in a ponytail.   Among them, green or blue eyes predominate, although brown or black eyes are also common. Their skin is generally light, although a little darker than that of the snow elves since the climate is sunnier than in the cold north. His bearing is usually described as dignified, serene and at the same time elegant.

Culture and Cultural heritage

Foreign perception

The Green Elves are viewed favorably by their human neighbors to the north. The Blatians consider them friends, even though 400 years ago, after the fall of Ikaria, the Green Elves waged war against the remnants of the Empire in the Old South to reconquer the elves' "lost territories."   They also consider them equals in civilization and admire their respect for the gods and their magic, as well as their connection to nature.   Further north, the Green Elves' cousins, the Snow Elves, also maintain positive relations with them, although they consider them somewhat haughty, as some Green Elf nobles regard some Snow Elf communities as primitive, closer to the barbaric Nords than to civilized Elven standards.   The elves of Seria have, of course, benefited from trade with the Green Elves for centuries, and this hasn't changed with their annexation into the Seris Empire, as the imperial authorities continue to encourage this commercial and cultural exchange on both sides of the ocean.   Beyond the Great River live the half-elves, the Elvish-Oronai, the fruit of conquest by the human Oronai kings and waves of settlers from the north. Of course, these half-elves view their neighbors/relatives favorably, and while the appreciation is usually mutual, the Green Elves tend to look down on the half-elves somewhat, sometimes treating them like children in matters such as magic.   Contact with other distant communities, such as the Sun elves or the Nari humans of the far east of Karia, is very sporadic lately, but there is still a cordial relationship with these peoples, mainly with the Sun elves, whom they recognize as having great successes in the fields of magic and science, not without showing a certain envy.

Major language groups and dialects

Both the former Elven Confederation and later the Kingdom of the Green Elves use Classical Elvish as their official language. This is also the language of culture, science, philosophy, theology and magic across the vast kingdom. This is also the language use to communicate with other elves both in their daily lives and in official diplomatic missions, as well as with their human and half elf realms to both north and west of the country.     In their daily lives Green Elves speak their local dialect of classical Elvish, very similar to the standard form and also similar to the dialect spoken by the Southern and Snow Elves.

Shared customary codes and values

Politeness and respect are key in the Green Elf society, it is expected that both elves and foreigners show a high degree of politeness towards other people. They also value religion very highly since they believe that the secret of the elven success and their position among the rest of the humanoids lies in their faith and special connection to the gods.

Average technological level

The green elves are practically on par with great human civilizations like the Seris and the Blatians in terms of technology, although they are superior in magic.   For example, they are capable of casting the most powerful spells without apparently suffering any physical harm, and they are also capable of speaking with animals. They are also the only humanoids who have been able to domesticate deer to turn them into mounts.   They have also achieve many impressive things in the field of agriculture, especially in their forest settlements where

Fashion and dress code

Green elves, especially their upper classes are perhaps the most fashionable people in all of Teria, after the Ikarians/Blatians. The King, its courtiers and the petty rulers and nobles of the Kingdom like to dress in very elegant loose robes made of silks imported from Blati.  

Oh these Blatian humans have a great sense for fashion, and their materials are excellent, we just...add a touch of elven flavour and elegancy...

  In contrast with the fashion of their ancient ancestors, modern Green Elves favour long loose dresses for men and women rather than being bare chested like many elves during the early Bronze Age. Men and women of all classes usually wear tall boots while noble women also like to wear sandals or expensive shoes. This is of course true for the elves who live in the cities and especially the High Elves and Moon Elves that form part of this ethnic group. On the other hand the Forest or Silvan elves resemble more the fashion of their ancestors from millenia ago. They prefer more organic materials like cotton, leather or even leafs or feathers to make their clothes. They are the ones who mostly dress in green colours which gave the elves of this part of the world their distinctive name.   Facial painting is not common among High Elves but it is widespread among Moon and Forest elves and some of the patterns they use resemble those used by their Snow Elf relatives. Like them, they believe these paintings have spiritual properties, they connect the individual with a certain deity or they protect the person who wears them as well as a symbol of bravery in combat. These paintings are of course made for women and men alike.  

Art & Architecture

  Green Elves are masters of stone and timber building, their skills in architecture are renown in all Teria, and their legacy and influence across the continent is well known and respected. Not in vain they live in the most beautiful and biggest elven cities across the continent. Many of the buildings and houses outside the forest areas are made of limestone or even marble, something that surprises even their civilized Blatian neighbours. One of the most distinctive features of their architecture are the tall and thin towers that are very typical in every city in the country. They serve as lookouts, Meditation areas or even as places for banquets. These towers resemble the Towers of prayer in the Sun Elf cities and at first some Sun Elf visitors have mistaken them for such.   In the forest areas however, the prefered material is obviously wood. The settlements of the Moon and Forest elves are truly impressive, they are like floating cities, alien worlds,. There the green elves live surrounded and embeded in nature and in terms of commodities, forest cities do not have to envy the cities of the valley or the coast.   One of the inventions of the elves is the pointed arch which they use quite extensively in their buildings, either in the forms of doors or windows or just as wall decorations.

Rituals and festivals

Green elves share many common festivals with the rest of the Light Elvenkind. Most notable the Elven festival of the Winter Solstice and Howazd, the festival of the Star, in which all the Light Elves (Green, Snow, Seris, Sun and Desert Elves) celebrate the Summer Solstice with a communal meal. Though the Green Elves also have their own specific ones like

Naming Traditions

Feminine names

Lunareth, Vaelora, Elarwen, Isilwen, Faelwen, Orithiel, Rowaneth, Aelindra, Liraethis, Myrianel.

Masculine names

Elarion , Thalorien, Velarion, Aeltharion, Thalendor, Tyrandel, Calendir, Eryndor, Thalunor, Velunthar,

Family names

Starwhisper, Moonveil, Silverthorn, Greenbranch, Nightbloom, Dawncaller, Starglade, Elandriel, Shadowglen, Dreamthorn, Everlight, Oakshield, Silvariel, Windbloom, Eclipseborn .

Closest ethnic groups

The Green Elves closest relatives are the Southern Elves to the east (which are basically green elves but as they are no longer part of the Confederation they are treated like a separate ethnicity), the Snow Elves to the north are also related to the Green Elves, in fact they are probably descendants from High Elves from the South as their stories tell us (as well as the Classical Elvish they speak is also a link to this common past) . They were cut from their southern relatives early in the bronze age by the first humans, and later by the Kallians and lastly the Ikarians, but they mantained very important cultural and trade links despite the distance.   The Elves of Southern Seria are even closer to the Green Elves, they were part of the same people but their destinies became separated with the the tournament of the Goddesses and the creation of the Interior Sea and the separation of the continents of Teria and Karia. Despite that there is evidence of trade and settling of green elves groups across the sea in Southern Karia. The so called Seris Elves, despite the increasing Seris cultural influence share many customs, traditions, festivals and language with their cousins on the other side of the sea.   And because of this relation with the Seris elves, the Green Elves are distant relatives of the Anthynneryn Sun Elves as well as the Desert elves.   Last but not least we have the Karynn which are green elves and half elves who over the centuries have been Ikarianized, adopting many customs from their former conquerors as well as their language. They are commonly found across the northern provinces bordering the Interior Sea.  

The role of magic

Green elves are great sensitive beings regarding magic. For them magic is a normal element of their lives, that they use the same way you use a fork to eat or a pen to write, though always with respect, as magic is a gift from the gods!. Magic is taught at school since the first year, at least the basic notions of it that would help the young elves for the rest of their lives., in this regard Magic plays the same role as Maths for them.   Each subethnicity of Green Elves has a different source of magical power, thus the origin of some of their names. For example, the Forest Elves' source of magic is nature itself and the energy and spirits bound to her. The Moon elves get their magical powers from the light of the Moon, and lastly the High Elves can use many sources of magical powers such the aforementioned ones plus the light of the Sun, water or the air. This ease with which the high elves obtain different sources of magic has made them, over time, the dominant group within the Green Elf ethnic group.