Elves

Elves (Homo alfus, or Alfus alfus in some literature) are a grouping of humanlike primates including several smaller races scattered across Rathnir and Eldham. Elves are often mistaken as a unified entity, as all of them share a common pointy ear trait, as well as magical qualities to their bodies, and sometimes, even are grouped all together as one people in documentations. This is further from the truth, as elves are as diverse as humans, and may even be linked to being related to humans due to their similar appearances, and evolutionary traits.

Etymology
The word "Elf", is an exonym originating from Norfthorn who were the first to have contact with an ambassador from the Dominion of Ashura, in which, the High King would refer to them as "Elfve". The word would eventually spread into the language of the Travelers Tongue, which would be passed down through many other languages on trade routes through stories, passers-by or Elven traders from the west, which would come to know the spreading of the word "Elf". Many Elves themselves do not use this word or lack the word in their language, and use their endonyms. However, there are elves who use the word "elf" as a colloquial word, and use it in diplomatic letters to match the rest of the world.

Evolution and Early History
Elves may or may not be a member of, or relative to, the Cercopithecidae- the macaque family. Some scientists believe that elves evolved from macaque-like ancestors due to the common behaviors and facial features the two exhibit, becoming humanlike due to convergent evolution (as many other animals have taken the humanoid form in Rathnir), which explains their similar looks to Humans.

Other researchers disagree, seeing as elves have too many shared characteristics with humans, and instead classify them as a species within the genus Homo. According to this theory, the elves and humans share a much closer common ancestor, perhaps in Homo erectus or another early member of the genus.

Elves appear to have peculiar mutational qualities when it comes to adapting to a climate. Their skin appears to change whenever they settle in a region or environment, and their skin becomes adapted to said climate, with traits adapted to other climates being lost within a generation or so. As a result, their skin pigments differently, and seemingly becomes a different type of "class" of elf, thus, resulting in elves such as Ice Elves, Tundra Elves, Celestial Elves and so on.

This DNA theory is often contested, due to the fact that elves such as Celestial Elves had not went through this stage at all, even after re-settling in the lands of Southern Syltör, rather, having strange features that are not normally seen on other elves such as draconic eyes, the ability to breath fire, scale patches and growing tails. Another challenge to the theory is the breeding between Dune Elves and Humans as well as Yirisi, which saw no signifigant changes to their biology, besides the addition of withstanding cooler climates at the cost to dealing with extreme heat. It is also noteable that elves that live in different regions, even if they lived there for a while, do not seem to change their skin pigmination. This argument leads to believe that this is more of a magical attribute they have when migrating to different places, and adjust to said climate, though, this has never been witnessed.

Elves are said to have migrated to Rathnir around 11,000 years ago during the Elven Migrations, with many of them settling in different parts of Rathnir, diversifying their cultures. They would take a huge majority of western Rathnir, mostly in Syltör, Ummarnu and Haven, while being a minority in other places of the world. They are also present in Eldham in certain locations.

Celestial Elves (High Elves)
The Celestial Elves (Aurlûnoren: Lhûren) or sometimes Dragon Elves (Aurlûnoren: Lûnren) are elves that are the most populous residents of the Aurlûnor Velande. Commonly referred to as the "High Elves" (Aurlûnoren: Tarelren), most Celestial Elves consider themselves to be "children of dragons and stars" rather than actual elves, and state that their current form is actually their mortal forms, while their bodies transcends, henceforth, their namesake classification by anthropologists.

Jungle Elves
Jungle Elves are a sub-species of Celestial Elves who live in the jungles of Western Tacua Province. They are Celestial Elves that had refused to leave their jungle home, and would settle within the region, becoming more adapted to the jungles, mutating with it, having more darker tanned skin, with some even being green as a result of this.

Dune Elves (Azerals/Dark Elves)
The Dune Elves, also known as Azerals, are a nomadic elven people who wander the deserts of Syltör, Ummarnu and Alteniquia, as well as parts of southern Anglunia in Eldham. Dune Elves are sometime known as "Dark Elves" due to their signature Ebony black skin.

Almnutaa Elves
The Almnutaa Elves lived in Ummarnu. They went extinct around 400-200BJC.

Talawans
Talawans are Elves that had a series of kingdoms that would last up until the rise of the First Empire of Uldarash. The Talawans are related to the Dune Elves, and like them, started their own empire. They would later fall out of their own empire, with Uldarash becoming more human dominated.

Nivosus Elves
The Nivosus Elves are rare and exist in the far east regions of Sparwood. Many are nomadic, and tend to live in tribes of around four to five members. Due to the climates they live in, their skin has taken on a more dull tone, and their eyes vary from reddish-brown to light purple. Nivosus elves have been called other names before, like Sparwood Elves, or Tundral Elves.

Teravo Elves
The Teravo Elves are a rare species of elf with a variation of beige skin tones. Unlike normal elves, they have a long furred sandy colored tail and a crest under their right eye representing their family. They descended from normal elves, but adapted to forests, specifically, the birch forest. They evolved over time to use their tails to climb trees, and forage for food. In recent years, they have almost gone extinct, and the few that still exists locations are not known.

Erut'ani Forest Elves
The Erut'ani (Forest Elves) are a race of Elves who specifically adapted to the lush forests and woodlands of Haven many millennia ago. The now extinct race seems to only have one remaining member of their species left, Kaori Hyacinthus Faeryndell.

Iquendi
The iquendi are a group of elves that migrated westward instead of eastward, and migrated eastward far later then any other group, they are of unknown origin and are not believed to be related to most other elves.

Regonian Elves
The Regonian Elves are a group of Elves that can be found around the south of central Sparwood, mostly in the nation of Regonia and Avertico. Regonians speak a language that is far different to other Elven Languages, most likely due to their isolation from other elven races. Regonians tend to be shorter than most elves on Average and have shorter lifespans on Average (200~ years), the cause for this isn't known exactly. Most Regonians have either Blonde or Blue Hair, Light Skin, and Brown or Blue Eyes.

Glade Elves (Waldire)
The Glade Elves are Elves which dwell in the forests around Rathnir and Eldham, they do not belong to any single nation - rather they are made up of tribes in various nations. Glade Elves are decedents of the Celestial Elves - 8,000 years ago the Celestial Elves were in the midst of the Elven migrations but some felt a call to the forest and left their colony behind - then becoming the Glade Elves. They are quite different from their Elven cousins, shorter with the average male being 5'6"-5'8", while females are 5'0" - 5'4" on average. They are also more built than the other Elves - which was the result of the strength attained from living in the forest and their diet consisting of mostly meat. Glade Elves have big hands and feet, also having longer arms, sometimes they are able to grow antlers. They have kept the traditional pointy ears, they often have soft silk-like skin, and are quite young looking, and they are naturally graceful in their movements. Their skin can be light brown, beige, almost a sort of golden-yellow, brown, black, white, or even pale green, and their hair can be brown, black, blonde, ginger, red, or even white. You will find them mostly wearing woolen, fur, or leather clothes and decorate themselves in bone, antler, or horn jewelry.

Hyakki
The Ice Elves or Hyakki, are Elves who have mutated to their surroundings over time or through magic. They have pale whiteish blue skin, silver or pure white hair, and white or pale blue eyes. Their population has lowered since the fall of the Amarion Kingdom, a nation primarily consisting of Hyakki.

Umarín
The Umarín were at first a group of Celestial Elves living under the Kingdom of Almador that decided to split off during the Kingdom's collapse into a 600 year long warring states period ~1500 years ago. They decided tomigrate east and would eventually end up in the world of Eldham, creating many of the world's sky island chains to serve as temples and sanctuaries, the largest of these being Umakwa. The Umarín would eventually adapt to these new conditions in the sky and grow a recognizable light sapphire skin tone.

Sea Elves
The ancestors of the Sea Elves arrived in Eldham doing the Elven Migrations, but instead of living on land like most of their elven cousins, they chose to live nomadic lives on their ships. They formed moving cities made of ships sailing together.

Yirsi
Yirsi are a race of elves descendant from the Hyakki who primarily live in Mirau and have a distinctive cultural identity.

Lava Elves (Va-Kata)
The Lava Elves or the Va-Kata, are that live beneath the surface. There is debate if they are actually elves, due to the fact they share far different biological structure, as well as having many differences from regular elves. The Va-Kata could also be called the "Rock People", since they have a rather rocky carapace and skin, though they do have protected flesh organs that are highly fire resistant, but are weak to water.

Swamp Elves (Tess)
The Tess survived on Tessel due to their magical hibernation, and have lived in the Cursed Mirelands since time immemorial. They also have horns, which sets them apart from the other elven species. Therefore, it is debatable as to whether they are true elves or not. However, the Tess themselves recognize a connection to the other elves that they don't feel to the Niedene.

Races that are called "Elves" but are not
These are peoples who usually mistakenly call them elves due to how similar they look, but are a completely different species. There is also a possibility they could either be, or not be elves, but are not determined.

Mesa Elves (Lamiatrophus)
The Lamiatrophus also known as Succubi or Incubi to humans, are commonly called the "Mesa Elves". They are tall humanoids who have fleshy looking tails, with males having horns. Their common appearance to Elves are usually compared due to their ears and facial structures, but many of this race do not consider themselves as Elves, and always tells the difference, often getting offended.

Mizuwa
The Mizuwa originated in northeast Eldham. Around 200 years prior to Athaz's discovery of Eldham, they began living on coastlines, creating fishing villages and even some of the first aqueducts. They usually have blue or green hair with a range of about any eye color. Some may be born with webbed fingers or toes, and even ears.