Wood Elf

The Wood Elves are known as the "children of the forest." They are famous for their dexterity and cunning; they have far better senses than their High Elven cousins, and can move swifter and quieter than any Night Elf, especially in dense forests. The Wood Elves are said to have been created by their patron Goddess Earana, who is the Goddess of the forest and nature.

Small roaming groups of Wood Elves can be found in many wooded areas and forests, but the largest permanent settlement of Wood Elves is in the Grandulin Forest, the largest wood in all of Haven. It is here that the massive Forest Temple was built, and it is the home of the Sage of the Forest; Istirus, as well as the spiritual epicenter of all Wood Elves. Notable individuals from Kuroki include Illari as well as Aengvir Northwode and his wife Callia, the Guardians of the Grandulin Tribe.

Abilities and Traits
Wood Elves are masters of stealth and cunning. They have the ability to run and jump through even the densest areas without being heard, and often times without being seen as well. Wood Elves also have enhanced senses, and can see and hear things far easier than any other race. They also use a form of magic specific to their race known as Alder Magic to boost their abilities in natural settings, as a result of the Greenbond.

Most Wood Elves are slightly shorter than the average Human and are most commonly found with brown or red hair. In fact, they are shorter and more built than their High Elven or Night Elven cousins.

Society
Organized Wood Elf Soceity is broken up by tribe, the largest of which lives in the Grandulin Forest. Several smaller tribes, some of which are nomadic, also exsist throughout Haven.

Each tribe is led by a Guardian (or two if married). It is the job of the Guardian to lead the tribe, treat with foreigners, ensure the safety and endurance of the tribe, and preserve tribal traditions and history.

Nénumar, the members of the Circle, command a large degree of respect in Wood Elven society. They are rarely seen or interacted with by the public, but they have great autonomy within tribal land and answer only to the Guardian.

Witherbound are an anomalous faction of Wood Elven society. They are given a great deal of respect and awe, as this form of soulbinding is considered the ultimate devotion to Alder magic. The Witherbound are also extremely powerful beings, able to bend many forms of life to their will and glimpse fragments of the future. That said, they are unpredictable and occasionally violent. Witherbound are sometimes approached even by Guardians when times are dire and advice is needed.

The Hunters are a very visible and well known group within the Wood Elven heirarchy. They are the source of the tribe's food and leather, and serve as a type of police force and militia.

Other major niches include tribe healers and alchemists, craftsmen (who are the only men and women capable of working with whitewood), and other nobles whose families are of purer bloodline than most wood elves.

Permanent Wood Elf settlements often exsist mainly in the trees, in large treehouse like structures that resemble buildings. Smaller nomadic tribes make intricate, mobile camps.

Military
Wood Elves have never been known to raise large armies, and as a species would much rather employ sabotage and guirilla warfare as opposed to outright conflict when dealing with enemies. Wood Elf weaponry, armor, and technique have all been catered to that end, and have been perfected after centuries of use. The Wood Elf "army" is comprised mainly of a group within the tribe called The Hunters; a job class of Wood Elves whose purpose it is to both hunt for food as well as protect the tribe from any external or internal threat. The most elite warriors within the Hunters can join the Circle. The Circle is a secrative organization, but are known to guard the secrets of the Wood Elves and act as a special peacekeeping, investigative, and interrogative agents. Members of the Circle, known as Nénumar, are known to be some of the most skilled rangers and assassins in all of Haven.

Because of their hieghtened senses, Wood Elves are master archers. They can often hit targets on sense of smell and hearing alone, which proves useful when hunting at night. because of this, and their ability to move from tree to tree unheard and unseen, Wood Elves are natural assassins. Wood Elf bows are often very ornate and are crafted from Whitewood, a wood exclusive to the Grandulin Forest, and it is stronger than any other naturally occuring wood in Haven. All Hunters are equipped with a hand-made Whitewood bow. Wood Elf daggers and shortswords are also rather ornate, and their shape and style varies often. However, daggers are common weapons employed by all Wood Elf Hunters. Wood Elves craft their daggers and swords from fine steels.

Most Wood Elves have no use for conventional armor, as it would only slow them when running through the trees. However, the standard armor worn by Wood Elf Hunters is made of hardened leather, light but strong, which allows full maneuverability as well as providing damage protection. Often however, Wood Elves wear tunics and cloaks, meant to help them blend into the greenery of the forest. These tunics are often elaborate and sometimes include capes and are often supplemented with leather bracers or greaves for extra protection. Some cloaks are magically enhanced, providing the wearer with arcane benefits, but such garments are rare and expensive. The most expensive and uncommon form of Wood Elf armor is that which is worn exclusively by the Seekers; full armor made from magically reinforced glass. This armor is extremely durable and light, stronger than steel and lighter than leather. It is often inlayed with gold and silver, and the glass is emerald green. Although the armor is lighter than leather, it does not allow as much free movement as leather armor and therefore is more suitable for a stationary guard than a roving hunter. The glass suits of armor are often accompanied by a matching green cape and a hood, though seeker garb varies.

Magic Use
Alder magic or "woodland magic" is the designation for the innate arcane abilities of Wood Elves. According to Wood Elven lore, Alder Magic was granted to the Wood Elves when their ansestors made a deal with the forests themselves in an agreement known as the "Greenbond." This pact placed the Wood Elves and their kings as stewards and protectors of forests all over Haven. In return, the forest and its inhabitants gave all their power to the Wood Elves. The resulting Alder Magic gave the Wood Elves their own unique form of magic which can be applied to almost any circumstance.

Alder Magic is known to give Wood Elves the ability to:
 * Summon forest creatures on demand (such as bears, wolves, foxes, squirrels, ect.) to eather fight with the elf in battle, or carry messages unseen.
 * Control trees to move delibratly to block the path of enemies wandering through the forest, resulting in their confusion and eventually their getting lost in the wilderness. Also, the trees can be controlled to swing their branches over Wood Elves hiding in the trees, making them virtually invisible.
 * Some more gifted elves can communitcate mentally to both trees and animals in the forest and elsewhere, which is useful for gathering information and passing it secretly.
 * Create extremly potent remedies and poisons from plants that most other races could not use. This is a form of advanced Alchemy.
 * The ability to become Witherbound by accepting a spirit of the forest into the body, much in the same way a Human accepts a demon into the body to become an abomination. However, Witherbound are not necessarily good or evil, and are often used for sage advice by Wood Elves. This is the ultimate power of Alder Magic.

Notable Wood Elves

 * Illari
 * Aengvir Northwode
 * Callia Northwode
 * Istirus