HARP: The World of Tarn

The Races of Tarn: Wild Elves

Special Notes: Wild Elves are to be treated as Elves in HARP.

Summary:

The following are accepted truths about wild elves:

• Wild elves are solitary or tribal.
• Wild elves should not congregate in cities.
• Wild elves spend their lives protectiong the natural, unbuilt spaces.
• Wild elves appreciate others who defend the wilds, like Fey and the Pack.
• Wild elves especially mistrut humans, who like to build and disrupt the wilds.
• Read, understand and accept the following help file.

History: Wild elves are direct descendants of the first sentient creatures in Tarn - the ancient elves. When the split of elves began, and the sub-races formed, a group of elves took one particular aspect of the ancient customs and their strong connection with Nature, and based their entire society on it. The wild elves became protectors of the forests and of Nature. For the most part, they gave up everything else that tradition and history had provided for them, and focused entirely on living in, being with, and protecting the forests. Over time however, they branched out into other regions of Tarn, reaching into the icy terrain of Glacia and the deserts of Lanakh. They became ice elves and desert elves and other sorts, all bent on protecting the land and Nature. Wood elves remain the most common type.

Wild elves have a strong connection with the web of life, able to manipulate it even more strongly than the other races of elves. They are brought up with a singular thought in their minds - to protect the forests and Nature. Given this, and the hardships of their lives, very few wild elves exist. Their society has not grown substantially in thousands of years. And often, wild elves are found living as almost solitary creatures, pursuing their goals of protection with little support, as they have been spread thin across Elysia.

Those that do live together, do so in tribal form, although the specific cultures vary significantly from tribe to tribe.

Description: As with all elves, wild elves share similar facial features and an ancient, natural beauty. However, the rigor of life in the outdoors, and the constant conflict that has erupted in the protection of Nature, has left the wild elves quite different. They rarely focus on their own appearance, and in turn, have let themselves go slightly wild. Their general facial structure and body structure is similar to that of other elves, although their faces are often broader with rougher bone structure. Wild elves tend to be stronger and faster. They are in fact the smallest of all elves, but also the strongest. Wild elves look the most similar to high elves, although their hair, over thousands of years, has darkened considerably into shades of hazelnut and dark brown. Few wild elves will have light hair, silver or blond as the high elves do. Their eyes have also darkened, and it is not uncommon to find wild elves with dark brown eyes, although many are still blue and green. Wild elves tend to let their hair go wild, which has grown thicker and more prominent over time in comparison to other elves. And in fact, some wild elves will even maintain small beards or stubble on their faces, a rarity among the other elven races.

Personality: Wild elves are strong of will and mind, having spent thousands of years with one singular purpose. Although wild elves do not share the same disdain for other races as their high elven cousins, they do tend to be exceptionally wary of others, especially races not born out of the forests, or in the wilds of Nature. Wild elves do appreciate any other race bent on the same mission as them, which most often includes the Fey creatures. The years spent in the outdoors have secluded wild elves from most societies, and as such, wildelves rarely feel comfortable in cities or even in large congregations of people. They are more solitary creatures, and definitely less refined than the other elven races. Wild elves tend to be quiet, especially around strangers, and highly suspicious. Their hatred for dark elves is slightly lessened by the fact that the dark elves care little for the wilderness of Tarn and so the two races have rarely encountered each other. Wild elves are often more concerned with humans, who tend to ruin the wilderness for their own expansion. They remain followers of the Light, as they feel protecting the wilderness is the most sacred and noble of duties. However many wildd elves are also followers of the Neutral path, for the concepts of traditional good and evil are no longer of concern to them. It can considered that high elves continue to evolve into more refined beings while wild elves in fact are de-evolving into wilder creatures.