High Elf

The high elves are a race of elves in Souldiamond. They are known for being almost universally adept with wizardry, as well as for the racial pride found among all elves. This pride has caused multiple wars among between various high elf kingdoms and the other kingdoms of the world. High elves, like all other elves, tend to be tall and lean, growing up to about 6 to 6.5 feet tall and 100 to 145 pounds. Females tend to be shorter and lighter than males. They have long hair and large pointed ears. They can live well over 700 years, also like other elves. There are many racial differences, though. The hair of high elves are light in shade, generally being blond, brown, purple, or blue. Their skin is pale, even in hot regions like the Blilafian Islands. Rarely, a high elf will have dark blue skin and dark hair. High elves can have blue, purple, green, or yellow eyes. High elves also have smaller ears and less defined points then their wood and dark elf cousins.

High elves are prideful, aloof, and blunt. They tend not to mess around on minor affairs, instead getting to the big issue on hand. But they are also artistic, especially when it comes to magic, as well as honorable and intelligent. High elves have a strict code of honor, set in place when they were unified under a single ruler. This code of honor has been changed from kingdom to kingdom, but the same basic code stands. There are several high elf kingdoms around Souldiamond, the most major being Saviororn, Lievar Myroth, and Traol. There are several dozens of smaller fiefs scattered throughout the world. These kingdoms and fiefs are made up of several smaller towns and villages ruled by nobles, with one large capital city where the Monarch lives and does business. In the smaller fiefs, leaders are elected democratically every 200 years or so. In the larger kingdoms, however, a council of former Monarchs and former advisers to the Monarch are gathered to hold a competition. In this competition, candidates elected by the nobles of the kingdom must do a powerful act of magic. The council judges which candidate did the most impressive act of magic, and elect that candidate. This process can often be flawed, as the oldest and therefore most experienced mages often get the position of Monarch, and can die, become senile, go mad, or any combination of the three soon after. The exact nature of the different fiefs and kingdoms differ depending on region. The Votranian kingdoms tend to strict, and focused on military to reflect the large amount of war in the region. The kingdoms of the Blilafian Islands are usually focused on trade and travel. There are no Orori kingdoms or fiefdoms, as high elves are rare there.

High elves do not tend to be religious. This can vary from high elves being casual about it, or just not mentioning or carrying holy material, to being aggressively antitheist. There are many legends to the reason behind this. The most popular myth is that the Lords abandoned the high elves after the Fey Genocide of 256. Other stories include the emperors purposely renouncing the Lords, a dragon disguised as a high elf tricking the Lords, a cult of men trying to kill the Lords and reinstate the Old Lords was created by the high elves, and countless others.