There are two distinct sub-species of elves. Unlike humans who vary widely in appearance but are all one race, elves split somewhere along their evolutionary path into two separate sub-races which have many similarities but a few distinct differences in genetics from their branching paths of evolution. They call themselves High Elves and Dokalfir Elves respectively. 

 

High Elves:

 

High Elves, as they call themselves, have ancestral ties to Europe and parts of Asia. They ruled much of both continents for centuries though the events of the Great War reduced the number of nobility and overall population by nearly 45%. Many have since migrated to the Americas in hope of escaping lost ancestral homes and to start anew and many see the dragon presence within Chicago as a beacon of safety and a throwback to their courts in Europe of centuries past. High Elves are physically smaller than humans on average but also tend to have faster reactions and higher intellects. Ranging from between five foot to five foot ten inches in height and generally of a slighter build than humans of comparable height. High elves are often of a pale skin complexion though darker skin tones are not unheard of and they possess a sort of otherworldly beauty to them. 

 

High elves possess exotic features such as almond shaped eyes, vibrant eye colors such as lavender or azure, and delicate pointed ears. Their hair color often ranges between a golden rose hued blonde to an almost silvery tone, though earthen tones such as deep brown or even the occasional raven black are seen from time to time. High Elves possess an acute sight that adapts to darkened conditions by amplifying ambient light. Elves in general tend to be long lived, though not nearly as long as dragons, typically elves can live between 250 to 300 years naturally.

 

The High Elves of Europe were organized into a feudal culture of nobility and commoners, though in general all elves were thought to be superior to other races and so even commoner elves lived an elevated lifestyle and had far more privileges than other races living under elven rule. Beginning near the end of the dark ages an elven King known as Margantus Silverstar came into possession of the sword Caliburn. Deciding that the world had suffered long enough after the fall of the Roman Empire he began The Great Crusade, a conquest of most of Europe, subjecting the other races to elven rule for the next eight centuries.

 

The dominance of elven rule would last through the invasion of the Eastern Horde, a lengthy series of internal conflicts known as the Kith Slayer Wars, the discovery of the 'New World' in the western hemisphere, first contact with the Vampire Kingdoms of south and central America, the colonization of North America, and the loss of those colonies to self declared and wars of independence. It was not until the rise of the Empire and Emperor Lothel Jogenstu that elven control of Europe and Asia were shattered, never to recover.

 

Dokalfir Elves:

 

Native to the Americas, Dokalfir Elves are named such  because their ancestral cities which were built in the ‘Underneath’ a large complex of caverns and caves that run through most of North America. They were driven to an underground existence nearly two thousand years ago due to the massive herds of unicorns that once roamed the North American plains. Unicorns are horse-like, though are generally much larger and bear a single horn on their heads, carnivorous predators known to be exceptionally cunning hunters and possessing an almost cruel intellect. 

 

Dokalfir culture was also rather feudal in structure, consisting of nobility that was organized into houses and commoners organized into castes, much like their High Elven cousins.

 

Dokalfir Elves avoided the catastrophic attempted genocide committed against the High Elves during the Great War, though they did fight against the Empire in the closing days of the conflict. However, many of their subterranean cities were lost during the Infection Wars, as the Infected creatures began using the Underneath as a means to move undetected through the old world nation of America. Several of the larger cities remain, though many Dokalfir Elves have sought out the safety of the city states as well. One of their larger cities to fall in the Wars was located not far geographically from Chicago, leading to many Dokalfir survivors taking up residence there as refugees.

 

Like their cousins, Dokalfir Elves tend to be smaller in stature than humans, usually ranging between five foot and five foot eight inches in height with slender or petite builds. While usually physically less durable and weaker than humans they tend to be faster with higher intellects, just like their cousins.