Elves

High Elves
The HE society was mostly destroyed by the ancient cataclysm, but the ones who escaped the city fled to nearby human cities where they stayed and started to mix with the populace. This leads to a greater number of half elves in more southern human cities. However a number of generations later there was a large movement for blood purity which lead a number of pureblood highelves to leave and return to their ruined home city to reestablish a society. Unfortunately the gene pool was limited which lead to a number of physical deformities, and general acceptance of dogmatic and oppressive religious beliefs. The high elves who live within the ruined city have evolved into an Egyptian styled culture, but rely on persistent sacrifice of sentient beings to appease the sun god.

Wood Elves
Distant cousins of the High Elves the WE live a much simpler lifestyle. They’re much less prejudice than the high elves, mostly because of the fact that they are more secluded, and don’t often see other races. Prejudice is replaced with curiosity.

They live high in the canopy of the trees and their society is tribal based matriarchy. WE women hold the most power in their society. Although they are tribal they still exhibit an evolved sense of morality and magical use. They choose to remain primitive because they believe it to be the most pure form of existence.

Most WE lean towards a life of ranging, being excellent trackers and foragers, however they are mostly pacifist in nature, and only kill when necessary. When they make a kill for sustenance they use the entire carcass, and much of their vestments are indicative of this in that they wear bones and animal skins.

Drow (Dark Elves)
The Drow are the most different from any of the other elf races having been banished from Sun Spires a few thousand years before the cataclysm. Their banishment came about during the height of the Elven Empire, essentially they were discovered to have been practicing forbidden dark magic and their trial was swift. At that time the elves despised executing their own kind, so they banished these practitioners of dark magic, and warned them that if they ever returned they would be put to death.

After leaving Sun Spire the banished HE made their way north to explore the world that had been forbidden to them. Eventually they settled in dark and dismal land that was more north than any society before them had attempted. This change in climate and surrounding led to a slow but distinct evolution of the Drow.

Dark Magic is a staple of Drow society and they mainly practice the dark arts of necromancy, but are also adept at illusion and evocation.