Elves are one of the major ancestries found on Kishar. Though they are now a fragmented people in exile, in their heyday elven civilization accomplished unsurpassed feats of magic and engineering, including the creation of the aeroliths, flying cities built out of skymetal asteroids pulled down to the planet.
History
Most elves consider the Cradle to be their homeland. The Kingdom of Eita, one of the world's first great civilizations, arose there in the early second millennium, an ambitious nation led to lofty heights by its scholar-nobility. They created a near-paradise for themselves on the Cradle before setting their aims even higher, culminating in the construction of the aeroliths. Eventually, however, the flying cities caused Eita's downfall. Their ruling class departed on the aeroliths for new, nomadic lives in the skies of the world, leaving those that remained without the arcane or technical knowledge to maintain the great constructs and other magical wonders they left behind. With the Cradle increasingly overrun by outlandish flora and fauna unintentionally brought to Kishar, after generations of attempting to maintain their homes the remaining inhabitants of the island left in exile. Most relocated north to Hinthial, where the elves had long had some presence, while others left to find new communities elsewhere in the world.
Appearance
In a relatively short time frame the physical appearances of elves can change drastically in response to their environments, often with visible differences within a matter of several generations. Though the deep elves are the most obvious example of this phenomenon, other elven peoples who have settled in other parts of the world show similar if less drastic changes.
Location
Though elves can be found across the world, there are certain regions where most have settled after their various exiles. The majority of elves live in Hinthial, having relocated there after abandoning the Cradle, with a sizable population nearby in Brightmarch as well. Farther afield, elves are the primary inhabitants of the far-northern region of Yurukan, where many aeroliths eventually made landfall. Many also live amongst the clans and cities of the Aban Steppe. Elves also form the ruling classes, though not the majority population, in Talmithe, where they settled after an earlier expulsion from the Cradle.
Deep elf settlements can be found far underground in the farthest reaches of the Depths, especially beneath the Sangora Desolation.
In places where elves are a minority population, they have largely integrated into the dominant cultures of the areas. Still, their extended lifespans mean they often have trouble keeping up with the ever-changing practices of other peoples, and therefore tend to congregate together or with individuals of other similarly long-lived ancestries.
Lifespan
Elves are one of the longest lived ancestries on Kishar, with an average lifespan of around 400 years.