Sylfae

Fae'Naru
Race
Pronunciation	Fay-nah-roo
Archetype	Elven
Nicknames	Forest Elves, Woodfolk, Wildkin
Languages	Elvish
Vampiric Conversion	Possible
Aetherial Affinity	Level 4 - Gifted at Casting Magic
Roleplay Difficulty	Hard
Racial Traits
Aetheriality	Physical
Max Age	320 Years
Strengths	Fast, Flexible, Agile
Weaknesses	Weak Constitution
Height	5' to 6'
Weight	90 to 200 lbs
Eye Colors	Sky Blue, Brown, Hazel, Green, Blue, Purple, Lilac, Magenta, Amber
Hair Colors	Blond, Brown, Black, Gray, Red
Skin Tones	Ranging from Pale to Tan
Average Physique	Slender to Toned
Aetherial Limit	Class 3 Delta
Significant Demographics
While this doesn't mean your character has to come from one of these places, it's recommended they do. Arcadian Wilderness

A unique breed of nature loving elves, the Fae'Naru have become one with nature. Usually referred to as "wildkin" by locals, these elves are an ancient offshoot of the Aesiri race. They live in primitive shelters and partake of nature's bounty without damaging the environment around them. They don't care much for outsiders who know little about the forest, but have a deep seated respect for Celestia and her creations. It's wise not to underestimate the Fae'Naru, they are extremely agile and will surprise anyone who dares encroach upon their territory.

Physical Characteristics

Centuries of living in the forest have made wildkin far more resilient then their Aesiri forebearers. While still not as strong or as tough as a human, wildkin are considerably less prone to serious injury compared to that of an Aesir. While not having notably superior motor skills like an Aesir, wildkin are agile and particularly fast. They can maneuver around their forest home with ease, and have a massive range of flexibility. In fact they are so flexible that they can get into tight spaces that other elves would never be able to reach. When it comes to physical features wildkin have the same range of hair colors and eye colors as humans. Their frame is bigger then the slim Aesir but not as thick as a human, however they do share the same average height as humans. They fall under Elven Physiology and therefore do not visually age past full maturity or accumulate excessive body fat.

Mental Characteristics

One should not be fooled by the wildkin's primitive lifestyle, they are just as smart as the average human. If tossed into a civilized setting, they are capable of learning any trade and performing any kind of labor. That is not to say they would so willingly, they have very strong bonds with the ancient forest and would never leave behind their natural heritage or the culture they were born into. Wildkin are very empathetic, similar to the Yu'Lorei but instead centric around a strong desire to nurture. They are selfless and group oriented, most of the time placing other's needs before their own. It's common for them to completely neglect their own desires, to the point that another wildkin takes notice and tries to help them. Despite their aggressive stance towards outsiders who venture into their territory, wildkin are actually very passive and reluctant to participate in violence which goes against their empathetic nature. Wildkin are very defensive and won't hesitate to defend their social circle from aggressors, something to remember for those who harm their friends.

History

The forest elves have existed long before the recording of history. While it is not known for certain, the forest elves and the high elves are assumed to be connected ancestrally at some point in the distant past. There is little history regarding these elves since they have for the most part existed outside the main course of history secluded within the ancient forest.

In a time before the rise of Exodia, the elves claim that Celestia resided within the ancient forest. She nurtured and protected the forest from the great threats of the time, and formed a special bond with the forest elves. At some point she disappeared, no one knowing where she had went. It many centuries after this that humanity discovered magic and began clearing the ancient forest. The elves fought back, but were utterly defeated at the hands of superior magic and were forced to recede deeper into the ancient forest. They have not moved since, and most history concerning them from this point on concerns the events of groups who enter the forest and are slain.

Society

The forest elves maintain a natural equilibrium with nature, usually preferring a peaceful life in the deep woods as opposed to urban living. Their living accommodations are the bare minimum, despite this they greatly enjoy their lifestyle. Forest elves have learned how to co-exist with the forest in such a way that they can live among the great beasts and animals with no consequences, while outsiders are quickly slain by the very same beasts. The largest known population of forest elves can be found in the Arcadian Wilderness, one of the last frontiers of the Exodius Continent and the only remaining portion of the once continent spanning ancient forest. There are very few forest elves, if any at all, that have emerged from the forest in search of a life elsewhere. The elves are very zealous in defending their ancient home, killing anyone the beasts fail to slay who venture into their territory. While they are uniformly hostile to outsiders, they are actually a very peaceful people internally. Their animosity is mainly the result of the Exodian Era in which the vast majority of the ancient forest was cut down to fuel human ambitions. The elves have a special relationship with Celestia, who is considered the caretaker of the ancient forest and the guardian of the forest elves. Centaurs are considered to be blessed by Celestia and are therefore tolerated within forest elf territory unless they harm the forest. Fairies were created by Celestia herself, and are always welcomed within the ancient forest. Travelling fairies are how the elves have procured information on the current state of affairs outside their forest.

Politics

When politics are mentioned, the forest elves are the last race to come to mind. There have been no successful negotiations with them on a national level, however there are stories of individuals being granted safe passage through their territory. Many nations have tried to come to an agreement with them in the hopes that they would gain access through the ancient forest to other nations, but in all cases the elves would not accept any terms. The forest elves have no use for manufactured commodities, and instead prefer their primitive lifestyle. They also refuse to negotiate with human nations all together, only elven, fairy and centaur emissaries have successfully made contact with the forest elves. The elves do not have any form of centralized government, and consist of many tribes. Even among these tribes, there is no clear leadership figure and instead the elves follow a set of traditions and punish their kin if they deviate. This has made formal agreements all but impossible to make with them, in recent times most nations do not give any thought to the possibility of opening negotiations with the forest elves.

Culture

The forest elves lead simple lives free of economic struggle or excessive hardship, and are perfectly happy within their natural paradise. Their homes are made of simple branches from trees, and their food almost completely consists of fruits and vegetables. They are sworn to protect the forest and the creatures within, and therefore do not kill any beasts or animals. If an animal dies by other means, they are buried near a tree or left for predators as a sign of respect to nature. Their clothing is a primitively woven cloth derived from the bark of certain trees and is very minimalistic, as they have built up considerable immunity to the harsh conditions of the outdoor forest environment. Their society is driven by a set of ancient traditions which govern their priorities and what their tasks on a daily basis are. The elders of this culture are the closest thing to an authority figure, however their only significant function above others is ensuring that their people follow the ancient traditions.

Almost every forest elf has an animal companion which accompanies them throughout life, it is part of an ancient tradition where their bond to their animal companion signifies their bond to the forest itself. The elves have developed ways of communicating with their animal companions directly, enabling conversation between them. When an animal companion dies, the elf will select a new companion from the animal's offspring or from the forest itself if their animal companion had no offspring. In many cases the children of the forest elves will inherit an animal companion from the offspring of their parent's animal companions. Some elves take on more then one companion, and this is often attributed to having a greater connection to the forest.

Fairies have a special place in forest elf society, and are viewed as emissaries of Celestia herself. There have been many cases of fairy and forest elf pairings, and the resulting child is highly respected by the elves. These children often take on special roles and use magic to mend parts of the forest that have been damaged. Dryads are also very special, the elves will often heed their every word as they speak for the forest itself.

Magic

The forest elves consider magic to be an evil and corrupt practice that threatens the safety of their forest. This can be attributed to the Exodian Era, where humans used magic to clear much of the ancient forest. There is however, a specific kind of magic which the elves view as a completely separate practice. This magic involves healing living organisms and strengthening them. The elves use this kind of magic to repair damaged sections of forest, and to heal injured beasts and animals. There is even speculation that the forest elves are more knowledgeable on this specific use of magic then even the most cutting edge research of the major nations.

Religion

There is no formal concept of religion among the forest elves, however they are deeply tied to ancient traditions and faith in Celestia. The celestial fairy known as Celestia was known to protect and nurture the ancient forest in an era before the time of Exodia. She was a friend to all life, and to the forest elves, represents the guardian of nature. While there are no mentions of rituals or outright worship involving Celestia as a deity, the elves have certain times every year where they gather in honor of Celestia as their guardian. During the summer equinox the elves will gather flowers and plant them in an open spot near their village, they do this to symbolize their desire for Celestia to return to them.

Military

The arsenal of the forest elves consists of primitive spears made from dead tree branches and pointed stones, and shields made from tree branches and thatch. Possibly the most ineffective military force in all of Amestria, the elves rely on guerrilla tactics to eliminate intruders of their territory. A great portion of their effectiveness and survival relies upon the great beasts that still roam the ancient forest, which can easily kill many enemies in a single attack. The great beasts that roam the ancient forest have declined in the past few centuries, leaving the forest elves more vulnerable then ever before. The elves have recently been forced to use primitive magic to drive back intruders when beasts fail to eliminate them.

Technology

Forest Elves are possibly the most primitive race on the Exodius Continent. They lack any kind of manufactured commodity, and it is speculated that their clothing is possibly the most advanced aspect of their culture. Their ability to survive the ancient forest despite having any effective technology has given rise to interest in certain academic circles. In fact there is currently a survey underway to reveal the extents of the forest elves' survival skills and the possibility of technology which has not been revealed yet.