Test
| Strain | Aelf |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Homo Aestheticus |
| Plural | Aelfes |
| Possessive | Aelfen |
| Eyesight | Farsight, Deepsight |
| Location | Aelfgarad,Aelfwode |
| Language | Aelfen Language,Otani Language |
| Climate | Temperate |
| Height | 9-11 Kol (140‒170 cm) |
| Weight | 4-6 Tas (37‒68.9 kg) |
| Skin Color | Porcelain, Fair |
| Hair Color | Blonde, Brown, Auburn, Red, Blue, Aqua, White |
| Eye Color | Blue, Silver, Brown, Green, Hazel, Gray |
| Build | Slender |
| Distinctions | Air of distinction. Slender build. Pointed ears. Often very physically attractive. |
| Disposition | Aesthetically driven. |
The Aelfes were created and scattered upon the lands of Otan by Woden the All-Father. The Aelfes soon found that they were driven by their preferences, and a schism developed between them. The Wodaelfes preferred the forests granted to them by Woden, decrying that nothing on Otan was more beautiful than Woden's creation.
The Friggaelfes had meanwhile come to the conclusion that art was the dominant aesthetic and that Aelfen art was certainly more beautiful than Woden's creation; Woden simply provided the tools to create art. The schism advanced until the two main tribes separated completely. Wodaelfs stayed mainly in the forests while Friggaelfes preferred coastal shores.
Society and Culture
Aelfen society is heavily vested in aesthetics. The bodies that form Aelfen governments concern themselves with aesthetics above all but the most dire needs of their charges. Securing a village from an impending attack, for example, would involve two parts setting up defensive archers and blockades. One part would be devoted to making those blockades and ambuscades "look visually interesting".
The governments of the two nation-states controlled by Aelfes are Aelfgarad and Aelfwode. Aelfgarade's Council of the Arts makes all but a few decisions for the nation, the remainder of which are made by the king (or queen). Decisions too small for the Council of the Arts are made by smaller and smaller councils. Few decisions in Aelfgarad are made by a single individual.
In contrast, Wodaelfes are satisfied to let nature take its course. Believing that the only true aesthetic is that which is produced by nature itself, they are content to let things slide. Individuals in Aelfwode are more likely to take initiative in big decisions and trust in those decisions is handed over to nature or the gods.
Physical Characteristics
Aelfes could easily be mistaken for Humans if not given a second look. They are generally more slender than their Human cousins and sport small pointed ears. Their biology is similar to humans and they are able to survive on both plant and animal protein. Aelfes are more agile than Humans, though this is a generalization as they do not possess super-human agility.
Natural and Latent Abilities
Perhaps the greatest of all Aelfen abilities is to create the perception that they are more able than others at all things. While they almost certainly exceed the rest of the realm in their aestheticism, it's commonly believe that Aelfs are more agile, resilient, wise, intelligent, psychic, and beautiful than any of the other strains of man. While this is patently untrue, a typical Aelf does not deny a jot of this.
History
For Aelfes as all the people of Otan, history began in the first year IM. After the Great Erasure, the Aelfes woke to find their people split into two countries. They quickly realized why as the Wodaelfes and Friggaelfes had very different views about how an Aelf should live.
The Wodaelfes did eventually side with Humans in the Grendel War, where the Grendel had ravaged human settlements in the North. The Aelfes may have acted from compassion or possibly because they believed that they would be the next victims of Grendel aggression. Since that war, Aelfes and Humans have been less reluctant to trade and interact.
