Elf

6fa3d1a5ac0b8a4d60ce605cb72d748d — Elf (Art by Ina Wong)

“	They're not the shortstack, candy cane, toy-buildin' on Christmas kind. They're more like uh...demigods. Except they don't have a human side to them, so they're kinda like lesser gods. Or fairies on steroids. Really pretty on the eyes, though. Trust me, it's better to have 'em as friends.	„
	~ Hellboy

An Elf, also known as Álfar, is a mythical creature, sometimes referred to as a demi-god even, of Germanic Mythology/Paganism which still survives in northern European folklore.

They were originally a race of minor gods of nature and fertility and are luminous beings said to be “more beautiful than the sun,” whose exalted status is demonstrated by their constantly being linked with the Aesir and Vanir gods.

Overview

The elves are said to be guarded by the Valar, the Hidden Gods, and governed by other gods such as Freyr or Apollo. According to Immanuel, the reason why they are so heavily protected is because the elves are thought to be the "batteries of light". This could most likely mean that the elves are actually the ones who would give power to the Light itself, not to be mistaken for God who is revered to as such.

While it is normal for elves to worship the gods that govern over them, they were also said to even worship the Valar, whom are actually angels but alter the perception of the elves, offering them gifts for their protection, even though the Valar do not ask for it. The Valar are also viewed as gods instead of the messengers of Eru (God) and ones that radiate light upon the lands of the elves. However, the relationship between the angels and the elves is quite positive, as some of the Valar could be seen playing with elven children whenever they would take the time to descend upon the material plane to oversee the development of the realms alongside the gods.

Elves created magnificent towns and palaces before the arrival of humans during the Convergence, destroying many of them following conflicts, as they did not wish for elven architecture to fall into the hands of humans. Many modern human cities including Novigrad, Oxenfurt, Vizima, Tretogor, Maribor, Cidaris, and the city of Cintra are built on the ground of destroyed elven cities. Many elves and half elves have managed to integrate into human society but are often still faced with prejudice. Others have chosen to live in the wilds in secluded clans, living off the land and avoiding all contact with humans if possible.

Some elves commonly cause human illnesses, but they also have the power to heal them, and seem especially willing to do so if sacrifices are offered to them. Despite this, elves are relatively peaceful creatures and would only fight if they or their homeland is threatened. They are likened to demigods and are superior to humans, with more arrogant elves usually taking advantage of this superiority to have humans worship them.

Appearance

Often, elven hair was dark, either brown or black, with copper red or blond hair also found amongst wood elves, although orange or even green hues were not completely unheard of. Elven eyes are commonly brown, hazel, or an emerald green. Elves, like their cousins the Fay, were fair and beautiful, handsome, and had pointed ears and no body hair except eyebrows, eyelashes, and hair, but some say they are empty from the back, like a hollow tree. Their most striking feature are their long and pointy ears which provides them excellent hearing.

They are also adorned with stunning pieces of jewelry like necklaces and such. Like humans, Elves choose to wear a variety of different clothing styles, although Scoia'tael are known to favor furs and hides, particularly those of squirrels and other forest dwelling creatures. They also are known to wear make-up, itself being an elven invention. Elves are also often pictured as youthful men and women of great beauty living in forests and other natural places, underground or in wells and springs. They have been portrayed to be long-lived or immortal and possess magical powers that are attributed specifically to them.

Description

Elves matured at roughly the same rate as humans, though they were not usually considered past adolescence until they reached 110 years of age. Unlike humans, elves did not age dramatically as their lifespan came to a close, with the most obvious changes being a change in hair color, alternatively graying or darkening. Most elves remained healthy and full of life up until their death, which, if age-related, was usually between two and nine centuries.

Back during the Dark to Middle Ages, elves were usually found in small tribes throughout the forests of Europe, as well as on windswept plains and in mountain vales. The elves, as a whole, preferred these secluded places of nature to the cities and nations of the civilized world, living in harmony with their natural surroundings. Cautious and cunning warriors, particularly of the bow, elves secured these homelands through guile and tactics. Before such ages and afterwards, they resided in realms normally inaccessible to humans such as Álfheimr, Avalon, the Feywild, the Otherworld, and even Agartha.

They would also develop a religion similar to that of the Abrahamic tales but with several differences. For the elves, they interpret God as Eru Ilúvatar and his angelic children were called the Ainur. In the creation myth of the elves, known as the Ainulindalë, they believe that Ilúvatar instructed the Ainur in the arts of music, until he brought them together to make the Music of the Ainur: the great song that created the Vision of Ilúvatar and ultimately the real world and the universe as a whole.

Relationship with Humans

The elves also have ambivalent relations with humans.The danger that looms over their lands usually involves humans wishing to expand their kingdoms over the lush lands as well as the properties it provides them. While humans and elves have a stable relationship these days, it was not always like this for in the distant past, humans were known to invade elven lands for their fertility and utility, although they would simply drive out the elves the latter would fight back against the invaders resulting in wanton slaughter from both sides. During the days of Sparda, the Dark Knight would come to the defense of the elves and would even destroy any human oppression against them while declaring to the humans that they never again seek out and plunder elven lands for their own benefits.

Humans and elves can interbreed and produce half-human, half-elven children, who often have the appearance of humans but possess extraordinary intuitive and magical powers. The most prominent feature of such a hybrid are their pointed ears and angelic appearance. It is believed that humans can apparently become elves after death, and there was considerable overlap between the worship of human ancestors and the worship of the elves. They were also known to mate with other mythical beings though humans were the most prominent which only had controversy surrounding such unions.