Elves of Beru

All Elves have a quasi-latin-like approach to their language, but it is not the vulgar Latin of the Arthurian humans.

Sylvan/Wood Elves, “Sylvantiatus”

Tribal. Frequent fights between other wood elf tribes, especially as the forest rapidly undergo changes from the climactic changes.

Wood-Elf tribes are very tribal.Usually only one tribe per major forest, but sometimes fights between 2 or more tribes for control of one forest/area do occur.

Generally the edge of a forest, transition of trees/foliage, river, or mountain, tend to separate realms.

Just because you are wood elf in one forest, does not mean you are liked by other wood elves of another forest.

Other than fights over resources and woodlands, sylvan elves keep to themselves.

They protect their borders, but usually allow established multi-cultural roads to pass through unmolested, as long as those passing through are respectful of the woods they pass through.

Even if from an opposing tribe, unless an opposing military force, will be left alone as long as those passing through “behave”. This is an unwritten rule of most wood elves.

Sylvan elves are subsistence-based, living off the land. This means they are rarely in very large groups.

One tribe can span many villages, but are usually contained within a single forest body.

They do not keep much in the way of written records, passing their heritage through songs, similar to the Edda.

Other than fights over resources and woodlands, sylvan elves keep to themselves.

They protect their borders, but usually allow established multi-cultural roads to pass through unmolested, as long as those passing through are respectful of the woods they pass through.

Even if from an opposing tribe,unless an opposing military force, will be left alone as long as those passing through “behave”. This is an unwritten rule of most wood elves.

Sylvan elves are very tribal and live off the land.

This means they are rarely in very large groups.

High Elves, the “Ascentiatus”

High Elves have a richly developed society, with incredible architecture, artwork, inventions, magic works, well-developed cities, and a richly developed society.

Next to those "Travellers" from other planes, they are arguably the most technologically and socially advanced of the local races. With incredible architecture, inventions, magics, and well developed cities.

There are several Ascentiatus kingdoms throughout the World of Beru.

They are largely a feudal system within each kingdom.

Some kingdoms may have a treaty with others, but they are not united in general.

Though large in numbers and land, they are no longer warmongering, nor generally expansionist (anymore), in fact they have been steadily retreating from the borders of their lands with the non-elf lands.

If they have recurring troubles on one of their borders, they will eventually become “fed up” with the annoyance, gather an overwhelming military force (and magic), and then drive out the trouble makers from that surrounding area, creating a buffer zone, and claiming the lands in victory, to be settled by military outposts.

All the borders of the Ascentiatus are well guarded by military units.

No civilian Ascentiatus settlements are ever found outside of the militarized borders.

High Elves are welcome to freely come and go through these borders, but non-High-Elves must endure lengthy bureaucratic procedures for admittance within the kingdom.

This includes other elves, though there is preference given to other elves compared to other races, even from rival kingdoms (except for Drow).

Sea Elves, Aquariatus

The Sea Elves, or “Aquariatus”, are the “gypsies” of the Elven race.

They can be found anywhere that large or flowing bodies of water can be found.

Oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, if it can be sailed or swum, then it is their homeland.

In general, they are solitary or in small family groups.

They have no established kingdom now. Centuries ago they did have vast underwater kingdoms, but those were destroyed by the Drow and their allies.

The Aquariatus are not tribal. If a PC is a Sea Elf, you are welcomed by all Sea Elves.

They are a friendly and mischievous lot.

They are very self-sufficient and talented in many areas.

They make excellent rogues and bards, in addition to seamen of course.

Though all Elves despise the Drow, none hate them more than the Sea Elves.

It was through the machinations and contributions of the Drow that the Sea Elves' glorious undersea kingdoms were destroyed Aeons ago.

The Sea Elves continue their traditions through song and story, and have excellent memories.

Dark/Drow Elves, Nochtiatus

Despised by all the “good” races, especially other non-Drow Elves, the Drow were not always “evil”.

They once had a completely different socio-political structure, and worshiped very different deities.

They have a complex history that most no longer remember (including many of the Drow).

Though most drow elves now are under pressure to take acts that others consider “evil”, there are the rare few that rebel against the teachings of Lolth and the priestesses.

Usually just a few rare individuals, these "rebel drow", over time they find each other and slowly begin to cluster in hidden underground towns, or above ground.

Unfortunately, these rarely lasts more than a few decades before Lolth finds out and orders the complete annihilation of their kind, because Lolth finds out and orders their complete annihilation.

Some Drow take the chance of going abroad among other races.

Unfortunately most of the ”good” races will generally attempt to capture and kill a Drow on sight.

The surface Elves are in denial. Especially the Wood Elves.

They think the Drow are actually a propaganda effort by humans to discredit elves in general, and an excuse to attack elves as a whole.

The high elves do remember the Drow, and are not in the denial of some of the wood elf tribes (it helps they keep details copious written archives spanning thousands of years), but they speak about it only in very hushed whispers with only those they trust most.

Preferring to bury the “black sheep” branch of their people and try to forget the tragedies caused by those that were once their closest kin.

Humans have such short lives and shorter memories, they think Drow are just fairy tales made up by parents to scare little children into submission.

Many of the "darker" (underground dwelling) races occasionally will see, and even work with a single or small group of drow, but few have ever been allowed to know about what are now considered the "true stories" of the dark elves (but which actually buries their original past), except the partner races such as driders, dwarrows, etc, that live in, or near, the great underground cities steadily growing.

Centuries ago the Drow wiped out the Sea Elves' mighty underwater kingdoms.

Though great kingdoms, the very nature of underwater life, the Sea Elves had little in way of war culture, so were easily crushed by the Drow and their allies.

Then the Drow began assaults on the separate wood elf lands. They overreached however, when they attempted to take on the High Elf kingdoms.

After decades of the Drow growing in their power unchallenged, the growth came quickly to a halt.

The high elves and the others turned the tide quickly.

Steadily the Drow were forced from land after land, though as they were pushed back they did not leave gracefully, salting the lands and destroying all they left behind.

The worst of the battle happened in the northern lands. The Drow had their backs to the great ice (much smaller then), they unleashed most of their dragons to fight the other's great forces. The unleashing of such powers had a cataclysmic effect. Earthquakes, Volcanoes erupted, new mountains shot up, others toppled, seas came crashing in, and new islands were formed, the lands were torn asunder.

During the chaos, the Drow used special portals to escape deep underground, and to the far north, deep under the ice. Under all of the dust, and smoke, and chaos, most people now believe all the Drow were slain.

Only in the past decade have rumors of the Drow transformed from just “old wives tales” to frighten children into compliance, and into actual sightings of individual Drow here and there. But no more than that.

Half-elves

Half-elves are treated differently depending on what race-mix they are, the continent/lands they are currently visiting, and the specific culture they are interacting with.

Some lands revere the close union of two races through the joining of blood as a great blessing and supportive of peace and harmony.

While other lands and cultures abhor the "abomination" of these "half-breeds".