Ancient Elves

The Ancient Elves were the precursor race to the modern Elven races in Belia. The came into existence on the Great Land many millenia ago. They also have the only written history from that time.

The Beginning
It is unknown how the first of the Elves came into existence all, even to the Elves themselves. But in their younger years as a civilization they were nurtured and guarded by the race of Sea Serpent's, the greatest amongst them being To no-Bashoba. From their guardians the Elves learned to control and use magic and became quite powerful and built a great city called Arturiath.

The Legendary Trio
When the legendary trio of Mor, Raan and Tel (later known as Varkael, Toloth and Vaturnir) arrived to the ancient Elves, they brought with them a great deal of new knowledge and power, which they taught to the Elves willingly.

The War for the Sunrise
The Elves, with the guidance of the Legendary Trio, had developed greatly in the centuries leading up to the War for the Sunrise. But Raan had come to the view that the Elves had developed too quickly, and should remain in awe of him and his brothers and so, in secret, declared war upon the Elves. In secret during the next decade Raan gathered around him many followers, the most powerful among them being Astuon, and warped their bodies and minds to his service, changing them into the Arati (known as the Red Elves). Raan had the Arati build him a great fortress, named Tor-Mahogot. It was at this time that Mor, the greatest friend to the Elves grew suspicious of his brother and travelled to Tor-Mahogot to confront his brother. Uncovered at last, Raan threw off the veil of shadow that had been covering his army and threw Mor out of his fortress. With his army at his back, Raan attacked Ethroel, the easternmost city of the Elves, and tore through it with a bloody might. Enslaving the population he continued towards the Elven capitol, Arturiath. But was met with a strong line of defence at the Bridge of Sarhys. But it was no match for the might of Raan's army, and soon was pushed back from the bridge to the walls of the city. It was at this time, Zhaothan, chief of the house of the Golden Eye, arrived with his kinsmen and destroyed Raan's forces from behind, with the sunrise at their backs blinding their foes. Raan was taken to the far corner of the world and sealed within a tomb so deep that he shall not be free until the day the sun swallows the earth. Astuon, the chief lieutenant of Raan, who had been given the gift of immortal life by Raan, was chained to the ocean floor. Fanguld, the greatest weapon of Raan, a creature of malice and hate, wrapped in shadow and stone, was beheaded and his body thrown from the highest mountain in the Great Lands and his head attached to a mighty arrow and shot far to the north.

The Sundering
The sundering was a large event that happened around five centuries after the War for the Sunrise and culminated in the splitting of the ancient Elves into their current groups.

The Pure Elves
The Pure Elves, or Anuame, are the descendants of the Elves of Arturiath and many of the surrounding states. Because they come directly from the original stock of Elves who inhabited Arturiath they are known as the Pure Elves as they are the purest blood descendants of the Ancient Elves. Known to be both powerful magic user's and adept warriors. Pure Elf society is now organised into an empire known as "The Empire of Lasting Purity" which has been its governing body since the early days of the First Era.

The Wood Elves
The Wood Elves, or Benuame, are an extremely versatile culture that blossomed in the ancient city of Selioth, second of the cities of the Ancient Elves. After witnessing the horrors of the War of the Sunrise the Wood Elves vowed against magic and instead crafted powerful bows and became proficient in them, so much so that the bows have become a symbol of their society. Most Wood Elves currently are part of the Woodland Realm, a kingdom established in the great forest on the east of Vumenti. The name Wood Elf is a misnomer given to them by humans to distinguish between them and other elves, Wood Elves have only recently, around 10,000 years, been living in the forest and as such do not identify themselves as Wood Elves.

The Water Elves
The Water Elves, or Raname, were a secluded race of Elves who lived on the many rivers to the far south of Arturiath, they established many small communities there but were ultimately destroyed and absorbed by the Pure Elves. It is assumed that around 50 Water Elves escaped the Pure Elf genocide and continued living on the fringes of other societies, their unusually long lifespans, ranging from 60 years to almost 22,000 years have attributed to the survival of the remaining Water Elves. Some are known to have made it to Vumenti.

The Sun Elves
The Sun Elves, or Sarysame, were a prominent society of Elves who grew to rival the Pure Elves, they lived on several large plains to the far east of Arturiath. It is unknown what happened to them as they refused to leave across the sea when the Great Lands began sinking and instead chose to travel further inland and are presumed to have perished.

The Wind Elves
The Wind Elves, or Panuame, were a highly spiritual group of Elves who lived to the far north of Arturiath. They were by nature very secretive and when the Great Lands began to sink they splintered into two further factions, with the Southern Wind Elves joining the Pure Elves as they left the Great Lands and the Northern Wind Elves who fled to an unknown sanctuary.