In the earliest days of creation, when the echoes of the Titans' battle still lingered in the winds, the world of Eldoria was raw and untamed. The elements raged in their purest form, and only the guardians stood watch over the forming realms. Yet, from the divine essence of the gods themselves, the first mortal races would soon be shaped, and among them, the Elves would emerge as the firstborn children of the divine.
The Creation of the Elves
The elves were not the product of a single god, but rather a divine harmony between two celestial forces—Solmara, Goddess of the Sun and Order, and Lunaris, Goddess of the Moon and Fate. These twin goddesses saw the wild and untamed world below and sought to bring balance to its chaos.
• Solmara, radiant and unyielding, shaped their forms with grace and strength, blessing them with near immortality so that they could be the eternal stewards of the world.
• Lunaris, mysterious and wise, wove their souls from starlight and dream, granting them insight, intuition, and an innate connection to magic.
Under their divine hands, the Firstborn Elves arose, stepping into the world with an ethereal grace unseen before. They awoke beneath the boughs of the Eternal Glade, a sacred woodland untouched by time, and were given dominion over the forests, rivers, and skies. The elves were named Ithari, meaning "Children of the Stars" in the ancient tongue.
The First Kingdoms of the Elves
As the Ithari explored their new world, they quickly realized their gifts set them apart from the other emerging races. They were blessed with longevity, intellect, and an unmatched affinity for magic. Yet, as their numbers grew, so too did their differences, and soon, they split into three great factions, each choosing a different path to shape the world.
1. The High Elves – The Kingdom of Iltharis
The first and most regal of the elven kin, the High Elves, saw themselves as the rightful rulers of Eldoria. They built their kingdom, Iltharis, in the heart of the Verdant Glade, where golden towers stretched toward the heavens and rivers of pure mana flowed through the land.
• They dedicated themselves to the mastery of arcane magic, believing it to be the gift of Lunaris herself.
• They built great cities of marble and crystal, with libraries that held the knowledge of the gods themselves.
• Their rulers, the Eldarion Kings, claimed divine right, ruling for millennia without challenge.
For centuries, the High Elves flourished, expanding their knowledge and influence across the land. But their arrogance would sow the seeds of future discord.
2. The Wood Elves – The Sylvanwood Dominion
Unlike their Highborn cousins, the Wood Elves rejected the idea of ruling from great cities. They believed their duty was to live alongside nature, protecting the ancient forests from corruption. They withdrew deep into the Sylvanwood Forest, building hidden sanctuaries where the trees themselves whispered ancient wisdom.
• They communed with the spirits of the wild, learning the secrets of the natural world.
• They became the greatest archers and beast tamers, their warriors moving unseen through the trees.
• They were ruled by the Eldertree Council, a circle of druids who listened to the voices of the forest itself.
The Wood Elves lived in balance with the world, but their isolation made them wary of outsiders, and they viewed the growing ambitions of the High Elves with suspicion.
3. The Dark Elves – The Exiles of Nyz'vareth
The third faction of elves did not choose their path—it was forced upon them. A group of elves, once among the most gifted scholars of Iltharis, sought knowledge forbidden even by their own kind. They delved into the deepest secrets of magic, experimenting with powers beyond mortal understanding.
For their heresy, they were exiled into the shadowed depths of the Underrealm, a vast subterranean network of caverns beneath Eldoria. There, in the blackness, they were twisted by the darkness, their once-radiant forms becoming ashen-skinned and silver-eyed.
• They built the hidden city of Nyz'vareth, a labyrinthine stronghold deep beneath the earth.
• They mastered shadow magic and deception, becoming feared assassins and warlocks.
• Their society became one of power and ambition, ruled by the Matriarchs of the Abyss, a council of the most powerful sorceresses.
The Dark Elves, now known as Drow, swore vengeance against their Highborn kin, believing their exile to be the greatest betrayal in elven history.
The Golden Age of the Elves
For thousands of years, the elven kingdoms flourished. The High Elves expanded their empire, the Wood Elves safeguarded the wilds, and the Dark Elves built a hidden empire beneath the earth.
This era became known as The Golden Age of the Elves, a time when their magic was at its peak, and their influence spread across Eldoria. They crafted powerful artifacts, raised enchanted cities, and shaped the land with their will.
The mortal races looked upon them with awe, for no kingdom, no army, and no magic could match the might of the elves.
But power breeds pride, and pride breeds downfall.
The Fall from Grace
As the centuries passed, the elves grew arrogant, believing themselves above all others. Their divisions deepened, and soon, the bonds that once held them together began to fray.
• The High Elves, blinded by their own superiority, sought to expand their dominion, bringing them into conflict with humans and dwarves.
• The Wood Elves, fearing destruction of nature, withdrew further, refusing to aid their kin in war.
• The Dark Elves, driven by vengeance, launched secret campaigns against their Highborn brethren, seeking to bring ruin upon Iltharis.
The First Elven War erupted—a conflict that shattered the once-mighty empire of the elves. Cities burned, ancient artifacts were lost, and the golden age came to a bitter end.
By the time the war had ceased, the elves were a divided people.
• The High Elves, now a shadow of their former glory, retreated behind their enchanted borders, clinging to the ruins of their once-great civilization.
• The Wood Elves disappeared into their hidden groves, vowing never to trust their kin again.
• The Dark Elves returned to their underground cities, plotting in the darkness, waiting for the day they would strike once more.
The gods, once proud of their creation, now looked upon their children with sorrow.
The elves, once the greatest race of Eldoria, had become victims of their own hubris.
Yet, their story was not over. Though they had fallen from grace, their fate was still unwritten. And in the ages to come, the echoes of their past would shape the future of Eldoria in ways even the gods could not foresee.
A New Age Begins
As the elves turned inward, the world around them changed. Other races rose to power, new kingdoms were forged, and the balance of Eldoria shifted.