Aquatic elf: Difference between revisions
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==Description== | ==Description== | ||
Some sea elves have deep green skin, mottled and striped with brown, while others have blue skin with white stripes and patches.<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> Even other aquatic elves have pale silver-green skin.<ref name="MMv.3.5-pp101-103">{{csb|Monster Manual 3.5|101-103}}</ref><ref name="EoE-p26-29">{{csb|The Elves of Evermeet|26-29}}</ref> All these groups are robust and tall with long limbs.<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> Their thick skin gives them protection from the cold of deep water, keeping them comfortable at temperatures just above freezing. Their fingers and toes are generally about twice as long as a human's and have thick webbing between them.<ref name="DHotR-p61">{{csb|Demihumans of the Realms|61}}</ref> Their most distinctive feature are the gills visible in their necks and over their ribs.<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> Compared to other elves, aquatic elves have deep voices<ref name="EoE-p26-29" /> and are larger and heavier.<ref>{{csb|Races of Faerun|28}}</ref><ref>{{csb|Races of Faerun|61}}</ref> | |||
Aquatic elves | Aquatic elves can have eye colors including turquoise,<ref name="Dragon116p28-30">{{cite dragon|116/Children of the Deep|28-30}}</ref> white, black, blue, green, and rarely silver.<ref name="Corm-p19" /> Their hair is usually thick and somewhat stringy,<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> and some aquatic elves have a rough hair texture.<ref name="Dragon116p28-30" /> It can be blue-green,<ref name="EoE-p26-29">{{csb|The Elves of Evermeet|26-29}}</ref> emerald green,<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> blue, black, silver, or even occasionally red.<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> Warriors clip their hair short, but other aquatic elves wear it long and flowing.<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> Females in particular sometimes grow their hair up to 4 feet long.<ref name="MM-p110-111" /> | ||
==Personality== | ==Personality== | ||
Aquatic elves are isolationist by both their nature and the physical location of their settlements, although they are not quite as reclusive as the [[wild elves]]. Their trust | Aquatic elves are isolationist by both their nature and the physical location of their settlements, although they are not quite as reclusive as the [[wild elf|wild elves]] ([[Grugach]]). Their trust does not extend far beyond their clan and others of their kind, and their communities are very tightly-knit. They couldn't understand why the surface elves do not realize that community and alliances meant survival, whereas rivalry, individualism, and factionalism meant death.<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /><ref name="Corm-p19" /> However, despite being extremely cautious, they are also extremely curious, and aquatic elves near the shore would often spend a significant amount time secretly observing the land-bound races.<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> | ||
== Abilities == | == Abilities == | ||
Aquatic elves are the least magical of the elven subraces and | Aquatic elves are the least magical of the elven subraces and have fewer innate magical gifts. However, they are deeply in touch with their environment, even more so than other elves. They can detect minute changes in the currents of the water and can hear sounds underwater that surface dwellers cannot perceive.<ref name="EoE-p26-29" /> Additionally, their eyesight is much keener than that of surface races. They can see twice as far as surface elves in low-light conditions (and therefore four times as far as a human)<ref name="MMv.3.5-pp101-103">{{csb|Monster Manual 3.5|101-103}}</ref><ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> and can see clearly enough to count soldiers in an army up to a mile away.<ref name="MM-p110-111" /> They are able to hide in kelp and seaweed as their surface kin can in forests, and their movement is never hindered when moving through the plants.<ref name="MM-p110-111" /><ref name="MM1-p39">{{csb|Monster Manual 1st edition|39}}</ref> | ||
Due to their gills, aquatic elves are amphibious. The amount of time aquatic elves | Due to their gills, aquatic elves are amphibious. The amount of time aquatic elves can leave the water without doing harm to themselves seems to vary. The safe period can be a few minutes,<ref name="MM-p110-111" /> hours,<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /><ref name="EoE-p105">{{csb|The Elves of Evermeet|105}}</ref> a day,<ref name="Dragon116p28-30" /> or even upwards of a week.<ref name="DHotR-p63">{{csb|Demihumans of the Realms|63}}</ref> Additionally, the result of going beyond these limits varies. Some would begin to "drown" on land,<ref name="MMv.3.5-pp101-103" /><ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> while others simply experienced a loss of vitality due to drying out and can remain on land indefinitely, remaining healthy if they took the time to soak for an hour every day.<ref name="Dragon116p28-30" /><ref name="DHotR-p63" /> Even within the same community, the amount of time can be variable, with some "landwalkers" having a greater capacity for breathing air.<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> Some seem to have no limitation on their time away from water at all.<ref name="Mordenkainen's-pp62-63" /> Some aquatic elves use clerical magic to allow them to remain on the surface for longer periods of time.<ref name="Corm-p94-96">{{csb|Cormanthyr: Empire of the Elves|94-96}}</ref> Additionally, some aquatic elves are uncomfortable breathing freshwater and became fatigued quickly when doing so.<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> Others are not harmed by it, but would not truly recover from the damage of being above water unless they spent time in salt water.<ref name="DHotR-p63" /> | ||
==Society== | ==Society== | ||
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=== Settlements === | === Settlements === | ||
The majority of aquatic elves lived in the Sea of Fallen Stars and the Great Sea, although small settlements | The majority of aquatic elves lived in the Sea of Fallen Stars and the Great Sea, although small settlements can also be found along the western coast of Faerûn.<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> Aquatic elves generally built settlements in calm waters that supported coral reefs or seaweed forests.<ref name="MM-p110-111" /><ref name="MM1-p39" /> These settlements usually have populations between 100 and 400, though communities both significantly larger and smaller existed. Aquatic elven communities are almost entirely self-sufficient, trading with others rarely and then only for luxuries. They subsisted on kelp grown on their farms and fish they hunted. Wandering heralds would deliver oral messages between communities.<ref name="MM-p110-111" /><ref name="EoE-p26-29" /> Aquatic elves generally spent around 75% of their time within shallow waters that are less than 150 feet from the surface,<ref>{{csb|Sea of Fallen Stars|38}}</ref> although they can safely descend to around 600 feet.<ref>{{csb|Sea of Fallen Stars|183}}</ref> | ||
The greatest example of aquatic elven culture | The greatest example of aquatic elven culture is the empire of [[Arselmalyr]], which once ruled all the races of the Sea of Fallen Stars from the city of [[Coryselmal]], called the Coral Capital. This empire lasted nearly 18,000 years, and taught the other inhabitants of the Inner Sea magic as well as how to cultivate kelp, coral, and pearls, which remained staples of these undersea societies. However, the empire collapsed when Coryselmal is destroyed by the unexpected fallout of an act of [[High Magic]], killing its more than 40,000 inhabitants (including the [[coronal]] of the empire) immediately and killing around 35,000 more in the surrounding area who are buried by the debris of the shattered city.<ref name="SoFS-Arselmalyr">{{csb|Sea of Fallen Stars|129,134,69}}</ref> | ||
The kingdoms of the Inner Sea are [[Naramyr]] (near [[Dragonmere]] lake) and [[Selu'Maraar]] (near the [[Dragon Reach]]).<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> They are built on the remnants of [[Arselmalyr]]. Originally there are five primarily aquatic elven outposts along the [[Sharksbane Wall]] east of the mouth of the [[Vilhon Reach]] and west of the [[Alamber Sea]], but following [[Iakhovas]]' assault on the wall in {{Yearlink|1369}}, the outposts of [[Akhanmyr]], [[Rulovar]], and [[Phalagiir]] are utterly destroyed, leaving only the outposts of [[Tynathiir]] and [[Velyraar]].<ref>{{csb|Sea of Fallen Stars|52-53}}</ref> A colony called [[Faenasuor]] lay on the continental slopes east of [[Starmantle]], and several small settlements | The kingdoms of the Inner Sea are [[Naramyr]] (near [[Dragonmere]] lake) and [[Selu'Maraar]] (near the [[Dragon Reach]]).<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> They are built on the remnants of [[Arselmalyr]]. Originally there are five primarily aquatic elven outposts along the [[Sharksbane Wall]] east of the mouth of the [[Vilhon Reach]] and west of the [[Alamber Sea]], but following [[Iakhovas]]' assault on the wall in {{Yearlink|1369}}, the outposts of [[Akhanmyr]], [[Rulovar]], and [[Phalagiir]] are utterly destroyed, leaving only the outposts of [[Tynathiir]] and [[Velyraar]].<ref>{{csb|Sea of Fallen Stars|52-53}}</ref> A colony called [[Faenasuor]] lay on the continental slopes east of [[Starmantle]], and several small settlements can be found among the reefs near the [[Fang]] of western [[Aglarond]].<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> | ||
In the Great Sea, the aquatic elven city of [[Nemilar]] sat northeast of Ormpé in the center of the bay of Golden Water.<ref>{{csb|Shining South|112}}</ref> | In the Great Sea, the aquatic elven city of [[Nemilar]] sat northeast of Ormpé in the center of the bay of Golden Water.<ref>{{csb|Shining South|112}}</ref> | ||
In the [[Trackless Sea]], a number of small villages | In the [[Trackless Sea]], a number of small villages can be found off the coast of [[Tethyr]],<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> as well as the kingdom of [[Aluchambolsunvae]] and its capital city of [[Thunderfoam]] north of Evermeet.<ref>{{csb|Demihuman Deities|106}}</ref> A great city known as [[Iumathiashae]] with a population of several thousand aquatic elves lay off the shores of [[Evermeet]], as do several smaller settlements, and these served as an underwater army for the island.<ref>{{csb|Elves of Evermeet|28}}</ref> The aquatic elves of the Deepwater Harbor served a similar purpose for the city of [[Waterdeep]].<ref>{{csb|City of Splendors: Waterdeep|19}}</ref> | ||
There | There is a notable aquatic elven city called [[Hyaline (city)|Hyaline]] in [[Lake Sember]] in [[Cormanthyr]].<ref name="Corm-p94-96" /> | ||
=== Culture === | === Culture === | ||
Aquatic elven society | Aquatic elven society is based on family and clan. Noble families and monarchs ruled, but in a benign and loose fashion rather than with an iron fist.<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /><ref name="EoE-p26-29" /> While women can and do have positions of power, aquatic elven society is largely patriarchal and inheritance ran first through the eldest son.<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> | ||
The concept of private property, for the most part, | The concept of private property, for the most part, do not exist among aquatic elves.<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> Whatever given aquatic elf currently carried on their person can be considered theirs, but everything else belonged to the community as a whole.<ref name="EoE-p26-29" /> This particularly applied to tools, weapons, and other practical items. Any aquatic elf can take one of these items whenever it is needed and regardless of who have possessed it previously, although individuals are allowed to keep relatively private dwellings. Such communal ownership meant theft is almost unknown.<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> The exceptions to this are monarchs, who often have large and elaborate homes with limited access and many personal items. However, aquatic elven rulers are a reflection of their people and usually remained rather generous.<ref name="EoE-p26-29" /> The freedom to borrow items at will is not extended to outsiders, and surfacers are often watched carefully to make sure they do not try to take advantage of the cultural practice.<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> | ||
Aquatic elves held promises sacred and would rather die than fail to complete something they | Aquatic elves held promises sacred and would rather die than fail to complete something they have sworn to do. If they died in the process, their kin took over the responsibility to complete it. The slightest implication that an aquatic elf wouldn't keep his word is deeply offensive. However, promises received from non-elves are highly suspect, both because aquatic elves knew that other races won't honor the promises of their dead and because only other elves have the lifespan to complete any serious task.<ref name="MM-p110-111" /> | ||
Aquatic elves either went lightly clad or wore no clothes at all. Their clothes are formed from underwater plants<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> and made with intricate designs in shades of black, brown, and green.<ref name="MM-p110-111" /> Noble aquatic elves in the Sea of Fallen Stars wore clothes more often in the past as a cultural holdover following the transformation of many surface elves into aquatic elves, however by {{Yearlink|1369}} this trend | Aquatic elves either went lightly clad or wore no clothes at all. Their clothes are formed from underwater plants<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> and made with intricate designs in shades of black, brown, and green.<ref name="MM-p110-111" /> Noble aquatic elves in the Sea of Fallen Stars wore clothes more often in the past as a cultural holdover following the transformation of many surface elves into aquatic elves, however by {{Yearlink|1369}} this trend is fading, and they generally only wore diaphanous silken robes to mark their status.<ref>{{csb|Sea of Fallen Stars|36}}</ref> | ||
=== Language === | === Language === | ||
The aquatic elves | The aquatic elves have their own language that, while clearly related to standard Elvish, is very distinct and not immediately understandable to non-aquatic elves. It is very similar to the language of [[Dolphin|dolphins]], with squeals and clicks interspersed through it. They speak surface languages with great difficulty.<ref name="EoE-p26-29" /> Different languages are more or less common among different groups of aquatic elves, but [[Elvish]]<ref name="MM1-p39" /><ref name="EoE-p26-29" /> and [[Aquan]]<ref name="Mordenkainen's-pp62-63">{{csb|Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes|62-63}}</ref><ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> are known by many groups, as is the [[Common]] tongue among those who lived near the shore.<ref name="MM-p110-111" /><ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> Those who lived in the Sea of Fallen Stars knew the trade language [[Serusan]].<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> The languages of other aquatic races (including that of their mortal enemy the [[sahuagin]]<ref name="MM-p110-111" />) might also have been known to an aquatic elf.<ref name="Dragon116p28-30" /> Nobles and most of those who left their home settlements to adventure are literate, although commoners are not.<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> | ||
===Magic & Religion=== | ===Magic & Religion=== | ||
Aquatic elves are the least magical of the elven races. Once every two or three generations an aquatic elf showed a talent for arcane magic,<ref name="Corm-p94-96" /> making magical talent about as common as it is in [[dwarf]] communities rather than in human or elven ones.<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> Those who are [[spellcaster]]s devoted their long life spans to study and became extremely skilled.<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> In remote communities those elves who are magically inclined are limited to the teachings of the few older magic users and rare written materials. The aquatic elves of Lake Sember are able to send those with magical ability to study with the great mages of Myth Drannor.<ref name="Corm-p94-96" /> | Aquatic elves are the least magical of the elven races. Once every two or three generations an aquatic elf showed a talent for arcane magic,<ref name="Corm-p94-96" /> making magical talent about as common as it is in [[dwarf]] communities rather than in human or elven ones.<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> Those who are [[spellcaster]]s devoted their long life spans to study and became extremely skilled.<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> In remote communities those elves who are magically inclined are limited to the teachings of the few older magic users and rare written materials. The aquatic elves of Lake Sember are able to send those with magical ability to study with the great mages of Myth Drannor.<ref name="Corm-p94-96" /> | ||
While it | While it is unclear why arcane magic is so uncommon among the aquatic elves, it is rumored that the drow are somehow responsible for taking this ability from them,<ref name="MM-p110-111" /> and this is part of the reason the aquatic elves held such a grudge against them.<ref>{{csb|Tangled Webs/MMP (1998)|228}}</ref> A minority of the aquatic elves in the areas around Evermeet are sun or moon elves who have been transformed by some power into aquatic elves. They retained the magical capability they have before their transformation.<ref name="DHotR-p5">{{csb|Demihumans of the Realms|5}}</ref> The aquatic elves of the Sea of Fallen Stars have a significant number of mages and even [[High Mage]]s throughout the millenia, including seven new High Mage students as late as [[1346 DR]].<ref>{{csb|Sea of Fallen Stars|72}}</ref> However, this group regularly received infusions of surface elves fleeing the Crown Wars and the fall of Myth Drannor, who then became aquatic elves through the use of either the [[Sashelan Glass]]<ref>{{csb|Sea of Fallen Stars|127}}</ref> or the High Magic ritual of ''Akh'Faen'Tel'Quess''.<ref name="SoFS-136">{{csb|Sea of Fallen Stars|136}}</ref> By {{Yearlink|1371}}, 80% of the elves of the Inner Sea are descendants of these transformed surface elves, which accounted for the increased frequency of magic among them.<ref>{{csb|Sea of Fallen Stars|136}}</ref> | ||
Clerical magic | Clerical magic is much more common among aquatic elves.<ref name="Corm-p94-96" /> Most revered [[Deep Sashelas]], the elven sea god of knowledge and creation,<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> but [[Corellon Larethian]] is still revered as the father of their race and they acknowledged the other [[Seldarine]] to a much lesser extent. It is considered a great honor for a member of an aquatic elven family to be a priest of Deep Sashelas.<ref name="Corm-p94-96" /> The elves of the Inner Sea generally formed their temples to Deep Sashelas from living coral, while those of the Great Sea are often natural stone and other materials formed into sprawling temples shaped like sea shells. These temples are cultural centers for the aquatic elves, serving both secular and spiritual purposes.<ref>{{csb|Demihuman Deities|105-106}}</ref> | ||
[[Trishina]], a dolphin goddess and the primary consort of Deep Sashelas, | [[Trishina]], a dolphin goddess and the primary consort of Deep Sashelas, is also worshiped by aquatic elves,<ref>{{csb|Monster Mythology|94}}</ref> particularly those of the Sea of Fallen Stars. The relationship between these two gods is one of the reasons aquatic elves are on such good terms with dolphins.<ref>{{csb|Sea of Fallen Stars|60}}</ref> Some aquatic elves are also known to worship the water primordial [[Istishia]].<ref>{{csb|Nightwatch In The Living City|9}}</ref> The [[marel]] subrace of aquatic elves worshiped [[Umberlee]].<ref>{{csb|The Moonsea/Reference Guide|64}}</ref> Some of the kraken priests of the [[kraken]] [[Slarkrethel]] found near [[Purple Rocks]] are aquatic elves.<ref>{{csb|Volo's Guide to Monsters|189}}</ref> | ||
===Arts, Crafting & Leisure=== | ===Arts, Crafting & Leisure=== | ||
Sculpture | Sculpture is the primary art form of aquatic elves, as other mediums are likely to be destroyed by the water in short order. Intricately carved reliefs cover the walls of most cities, and statues are common.<ref name="EoE-p26-29" /> | ||
Aquatic elves are also quite musical. Their powerful voices traveled farther than expected underwater, and their thrumming songs brought to mind whale song and dolphin noises. The songs are often very long and evoked the rolling calm of the ocean.<ref name="EoE-p26-29">{{csb|The Elves of Evermeet|26-29}}</ref> Bards are common in aquatic elven society.<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> | Aquatic elves are also quite musical. Their powerful voices traveled farther than expected underwater, and their thrumming songs brought to mind whale song and dolphin noises. The songs are often very long and evoked the rolling calm of the ocean.<ref name="EoE-p26-29">{{csb|The Elves of Evermeet|26-29}}</ref> Bards are common in aquatic elven society.<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> | ||
Because they lived underwater, the products of aquatic elven crafting often differed significantly from their counterparts on the surface. They developed a range of waterproof magical items, and a system of writing underwater using either cured sharkskin or thick seaweed and an extremely viscous [[ink]].<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> They | Because they lived underwater, the products of aquatic elven crafting often differed significantly from their counterparts on the surface. They developed a range of waterproof magical items, and a system of writing underwater using either cured sharkskin or thick seaweed and an extremely viscous [[ink]].<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> They do not commonly use metal, as it is almost impossible to forge underwater and would corrode quickly.<ref name="MM1-p39" /><ref name="RoF-p28-30" /><ref name="Dragon116p28-30" /> What little metal they do use is traded for or scavenged from shipwrecks. The exception to this is gold, which would not corrode and is easily shaped in its raw form. Beaten gold jewelry is common among aquatic elves. Most aquatic elven items are crafted from stone, coral, shells, and animal materials such as bone, narwhal horns, turtle shells, sharkskin, or chitin.<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> | ||
Aquatic elves commonly crafted tridents of serenity, a type of magical weapon which would keep sahuagin in the vicinity of the weapon from entering a blood frenzy and are given to elves patrolling the borders of a territory.<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> They also developed longbows with bowstrings made of a special kelp that damped vibrations and turbulence. Combined with specially crafted arrows, these bows functioned without the usual drastic loss of momentum that most ranged weapons suffered underwater. Chitinous armor | Aquatic elves commonly crafted tridents of serenity, a type of magical weapon which would keep sahuagin in the vicinity of the weapon from entering a blood frenzy and are given to elves patrolling the borders of a territory.<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> They also developed longbows with bowstrings made of a special kelp that damped vibrations and turbulence. Combined with specially crafted arrows, these bows functioned without the usual drastic loss of momentum that most ranged weapons suffered underwater. Chitinous armor is commonly used,<ref>{{csb|Races of Faerun|157}}</ref> and the elves of the Inner Sea wore [[silverweave]] armor crafted from coral that have been specially treated by the local [[triton]]s or [[shalarin]], although this is usually limited to a pair of armored [[leggings]] to maintain their mobility.<ref>{{csb|Sea of Fallen Stars|129,36,77}}</ref> Evil aquatic elves developed a type of armor made with sharkskin and teeth, but most aquatic elves despised sharks and found the idea of wearing their skins repugnant.<ref>{{csb|Races of Faerun|158}}</ref> | ||
=== Relations === | === Relations === | ||
Aquatic elves are extremely isolationist. There are some aquatic elves who | Aquatic elves are extremely isolationist. There are some aquatic elves who do not even know that the surface existed, let alone a whole world beyond it.<ref name="EoE-p26-29" /> Even other underwater races are generally kept at a distance, regardless of alignment. Aquatic elves fought fiercely against evil races and do not see the point of mingling with their shorter-lived neighbors even if they are of similar alignment.<ref name="MM-p110-111" /> | ||
This isolation extended even to other elves, although if aquatic elves | This isolation extended even to other elves, although if aquatic elves have to interact with anyone they preferred that it be their surface kin.<ref name="MM-p110-111" /> However, at least in [[Iumathiashae]], the elves cared deeply for the surface elves and appreciated the contact they do have with them even if they still kept mainly to themselves.<ref name="EoE-p26-29" /> The aquatic elves of [[Hyaline (city)|Hyaline]] in Lake Sember are less isolated from their kin, having decided that it is necessary for the survival of their children to learn more of the surface world. Aquatic elves there regularly interacted with the elves of [[Semberholme]] and their children are taught in the many schools within the city. This colony also have friendly relations with the [[treants]] on the southern shore of their lake.<ref name="Corm-p94-96" /> In general, aquatic elves saw little difference between the subraces of surface elves.<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /><ref name="EoE-p26-29" /><ref name="Corm-p94-96" /> Surprisingly, the haughty sun elves viewed aquatic elves as almost their equals. They believed that aquatic elves served the same purpose below the waters as the sun elves do above, bringing civilization to the world and preserving elven traditions and knowledge.<ref>{{csb|Races of Faerun|42}}</ref> | ||
Aquatic elves hated sahuagin and sharks more than any other creature and would often attack them on sight. They are driven to destroy them at every opportunity.<ref name="MM-p110-111" /><ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> Aquatic elven societies are occasionally infiltrated by a certain type of mutated sahuagin that looked almost exactly like them, known as a [[malenti]].<ref name="MM-p110-111" /> Interestingly, normal sahuagin ''only'' spawned malenti when they lived in close proximity to aquatic elven communities. Tritons believed that this | Aquatic elves hated sahuagin and sharks more than any other creature and would often attack them on sight. They are driven to destroy them at every opportunity.<ref name="MM-p110-111" /><ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> Aquatic elven societies are occasionally infiltrated by a certain type of mutated sahuagin that looked almost exactly like them, known as a [[malenti]].<ref name="MM-p110-111" /> Interestingly, normal sahuagin ''only'' spawned malenti when they lived in close proximity to aquatic elven communities. Tritons believed that this is because the two races are related, the sahuagin having been created by drow experiments upon aquatic elven captives.<ref>{{csb|Monstrous Manual|307}}</ref> The elves flatly denied this shared origin, and in fact many believed that malenti do not exist at all.<ref name="MM-p110-111" /> | ||
They are also incredibly wary of human fisherman since aquatic elves who are caught in their nets are often mistaken for sahuagin and killed.<ref name="MM-p110-111" /><ref name="MM1-p39" /><ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> Aquatic elves maintained neutral relations with [[merfolk]] and [[locathah|locathah.]] [[Triton]]s and marine [[storm giant]]s sometimes lived in harmony with aquatic elven settlements.<ref name="Dragon116p28-30" /> Relations with the [[shalarin]] varied. The aquatic elves attempted to drive the shalarin out of the Inner Sea following both the First and Second Passings in unprovoked attacks that devastated the shalarin population and in the later case prompted the Fifth Serôs War.<ref>{{csb|Sea of Fallen Stars|68-69}}</ref> As such, shalarin remained wary of interacting with aquatic elves.<ref>{{csb|Sea of Fallen Stars|98}}</ref> The [[Nantarn Alliance]] led to the improvement of relations to some degree between all involved parties (including aquatic elves, merfolk, shalarin, and morkoth) as they worked together to drive [[Iakhovas]] the Ravager out of the Inner Sea and restore [[Myth Nantar]].<ref name="SoFS-74" /> By {{Yearlink|1371}}, aquatic elves and shalarin are working to restore [[Alsyrrt]]<ref>{{csb|Sea of Fallen Stars|50}}</ref> and jointly ruled the settlement of [[Lyrathil]], although this | They are also incredibly wary of human fisherman since aquatic elves who are caught in their nets are often mistaken for sahuagin and killed.<ref name="MM-p110-111" /><ref name="MM1-p39" /><ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> Aquatic elves maintained neutral relations with [[merfolk]] and [[locathah|locathah.]] [[Triton]]s and marine [[storm giant]]s sometimes lived in harmony with aquatic elven settlements.<ref name="Dragon116p28-30" /> Relations with the [[shalarin]] varied. The aquatic elves attempted to drive the shalarin out of the Inner Sea following both the First and Second Passings in unprovoked attacks that devastated the shalarin population and in the later case prompted the Fifth Serôs War.<ref>{{csb|Sea of Fallen Stars|68-69}}</ref> As such, shalarin remained wary of interacting with aquatic elves.<ref>{{csb|Sea of Fallen Stars|98}}</ref> The [[Nantarn Alliance]] led to the improvement of relations to some degree between all involved parties (including aquatic elves, merfolk, shalarin, and morkoth) as they worked together to drive [[Iakhovas]] the Ravager out of the Inner Sea and restore [[Myth Nantar]].<ref name="SoFS-74" /> By {{Yearlink|1371}}, aquatic elves and shalarin are working to restore [[Alsyrrt]]<ref>{{csb|Sea of Fallen Stars|50}}</ref> and jointly ruled the settlement of [[Lyrathil]], although this is still noted to be uncommon.<ref>{{csb|Sea of Fallen Stars|51}}</ref> | ||
Aquatic half-elves are very rare since aquatic elves | Aquatic half-elves are very rare since aquatic elves can not leave the water often and have little interest in interacting with humans.<ref name="SoFS-77">{{csb|Sea of Fallen Stars|77}}</ref><ref name="RoF-60-61">{{csb|Races of Faerun|60-61}}</ref> Additionally, the ability of aquatic half-elves to breathe underwater is variable,<ref name="SoFS-77" /> and as such even those few that do exist are often cut off from sea elven culture. However, a few aquatic elves remained invested in their children's lives, and would visit them when they came out onto the water.<ref name="RoF-60-61" /> Aquatic elves also sometimes reproduce with surface elves (generally sun or moon elves), which resulted in an elf who looked like the subrace of their surface parent except for the greenish tinge to their hair. Unlike aquatic half-elves or even their full blood parents, all such offspring are fully amphibious, having gills that are hidden on their necks but being able to comfortably breathe air indefinitely. As such, they are fully capable of living among their aquatic kin, and those whose mothers are aquatic elves often did.<ref name="MM-p110-111" /> | ||
Aquatic elves would sometimes take in [[water genasi]] children to raise, although in general the genasi secretly pitied the elves for not being able to leave the water for long periods. Water genasi who served Deep Sashelas sometimes worked as emissaries between aquatic elves and their surface cousins. Aquatic elves | Aquatic elves would sometimes take in [[water genasi]] children to raise, although in general the genasi secretly pitied the elves for not being able to leave the water for long periods. Water genasi who served Deep Sashelas sometimes worked as emissaries between aquatic elves and their surface cousins. Aquatic elves have stories of planetouched aquatic elves (similar to water genasi) descended from servants of Deep Sashelas, but there have been no recent examples of such people.<ref>{{csb|Races of Faerun|128-129}}</ref> | ||
The creatures aquatic elves | The creatures aquatic elves have the closest relationship with are dolphins.<ref name="MM-p110-111" /><ref name="MM1-p39" /><ref name="RoF-p28-30" /><ref name="Dragon116p28-30" /> Any large group of aquatic elves have a 50% chance of being accompanied by a number of dolphins.<ref name="MM-p110-111" /> They held whales in great reverence as well, with many of their settlements being built on whale migration routes so that they can interact with the creatures regularly. Young aquatic elves would even travel with a whale pod for a year as a sort of pilgrimage.<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> [[Hippocampi]] and [[giant sea horse]]s are the favored mounts of aquatic elves.<ref name="DHotR-p63" /> Many other marine creatures are also tamed as mounts, beasts of burden, and pets.<ref name="Dragon116p28-30" /> | ||
==History== | ==History== | ||
According to one aquatic elven myth, they once dwelled on land, their ancestors having served as an armada that | According to one aquatic elven myth, they once dwelled on land, their ancestors having served as an armada that is going down in a storm and is saved by an unknown goddess.<ref name="EoE-p26-29" /> | ||
The first aquatic elves came to Faerûn sometime after {{Yearlink|-25400}},<ref>{{csb|The Grand History of the Realms|8}}</ref> following the migration of the gold and silver elves from [[Faerie]]. This made them the last of the elven subraces to come Faerûn.<ref>{{csb|Races of Faerun|27}}</ref> They first appeared in the [[Great Sea]], and rather than settling down they began a nomadic existence as they explored their new home.<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> | The first aquatic elves came to Faerûn sometime after {{Yearlink|-25400}},<ref>{{csb|The Grand History of the Realms|8}}</ref> following the migration of the gold and silver elves from [[Faerie]]. This made them the last of the elven subraces to come Faerûn.<ref>{{csb|Races of Faerun|27}}</ref> They first appeared in the [[Great Sea]], and rather than settling down they began a nomadic existence as they explored their new home.<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> | ||
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Around {{Yearlink|-17000}}, the surface elven kingdoms of [[Eiellûr]], [[Syòrpiir]], and [[Thearnytaar]] started the War of Three Leaves<ref name="GHotR-12">{{csb|The Grand History of the Realms|12}}</ref> A number of the citizens of these realms fled to the Sea of Fallen Stars (known as [[Serôs]] to those who lived beneath its surface), using an Eillûran artifact known as the Sashelan Glass to transform themselves into aquatic elves.<ref>{{csb|Sea of Fallen Stars|127,128}}</ref> | Around {{Yearlink|-17000}}, the surface elven kingdoms of [[Eiellûr]], [[Syòrpiir]], and [[Thearnytaar]] started the War of Three Leaves<ref name="GHotR-12">{{csb|The Grand History of the Realms|12}}</ref> A number of the citizens of these realms fled to the Sea of Fallen Stars (known as [[Serôs]] to those who lived beneath its surface), using an Eillûran artifact known as the Sashelan Glass to transform themselves into aquatic elves.<ref>{{csb|Sea of Fallen Stars|127,128}}</ref> | ||
In {{Yearlink|-11743}}, the aquatic elven city of Coryselmal | In {{Yearlink|-11743}}, the aquatic elven city of Coryselmal is established in the Selmal Basin (known to surfacers as the [[Vilhon Reach]]) as the capital of the kingdom of [[Selmalyr]]. By {{Yearlink|-11400}}, both the First and Second [[Crown Wars]] have been underway for centuries, and the [[Sable Wars]] have recently begun. This drove another wave of refugees to the Inner Sea,<ref name="GHotR-12" /> primarily using the High Magic ritual of ''Akh'Faen'Tel'Quess''.<ref name="SoFS-136" /> Additionally, the Crown Wars began to affect the aquatic elves of the Great Sea, despite their attempts to stay apart from them. As a result, a number of them immigrated to Serôs as well.<ref name="RoF-p28-30" /> This caused the elven settlements in the Inner Sea to expand to deeper waters, igniting their first conflicts with the native merfolk and sahuagin.<ref name="GHotR-12" /> The end of the Second Crown War and the fall of Thearnytaar in {{Yearlink|-11200}} prompted another migration to the sea, and the aquatic elven kingdoms of [[Coranthys]], [[Tor Meraliir]], [[Ullythan Reef]], and [[Ryeniir]] are established. In {{Yearlink|-11003}}, the empire of Aryselmalyr is official established, ruling over all the aquatic elven kingdoms of Serôs. This marks Year 1 in the [[Aryselmalyn calendar]].<ref>{{csb|The Grand History of the Realms|14}}</ref> | ||
Starting in {{Yearlink|-9872}}, the aquatic elves began working with the merfolk and [[locathah]] of the Inner Sea to build garrison towers along the [[Sharksteeth Mounts]] at the insistence of the triton cleric of [[Persana]] known as [[Vodos]] the Builder as well as their own clerics of Deep Sashelas. These garrisons came to be known as the [[Pillars of the Trident]] and are the basis of the massive [[Sharksbane Wall]] that | Starting in {{Yearlink|-9872}}, the aquatic elves began working with the merfolk and [[locathah]] of the Inner Sea to build garrison towers along the [[Sharksteeth Mounts]] at the insistence of the triton cleric of [[Persana]] known as [[Vodos]] the Builder as well as their own clerics of Deep Sashelas. These garrisons came to be known as the [[Pillars of the Trident]] and are the basis of the massive [[Sharksbane Wall]] that is later constructed beginning in {{Yearlink|-9845}} to defend against the sahuagin.<ref name="GHotR-15">{{csb|The Grand History of the Realms|15}}</ref> | ||
In {{Yearlink|-9839}}, the First [[Serôs Wars|Serôs War]] began, pitting the elves and the merfolk against the sahuagin of the eastern waters. The war lasted six years and destroyed the sahuagin kingdom in the [[Trench of Lopok]],<ref name="GHotR-15" /> and while the sahuagin continued to skirmish with the other races over the following century in a desperate attempt to prevent it, the Sharksbane Wall | In {{Yearlink|-9839}}, the First [[Serôs Wars|Serôs War]] began, pitting the elves and the merfolk against the sahuagin of the eastern waters. The war lasted six years and destroyed the sahuagin kingdom in the [[Trench of Lopok]],<ref name="GHotR-15" /> and while the sahuagin continued to skirmish with the other races over the following century in a desperate attempt to prevent it, the Sharksbane Wall is completed in {{Yearlink|-8938}}. This trapped the majority of the sahuagin in the [[Alamber Sea]], a southeastern branch of the larger Sea of Fallen Stars.<ref name="GHotR-16">{{csb|The Grand History of the Realms|16}}</ref> The aquatic elves and other races ruthlessly hunted any remaining sahuagin, and by {{Yearlink|-8000}} there are none to be found west of the wall.<ref name="GHotR-19">{{csb|The Grand History of the Realms|19}}</ref> | ||
In {{Yearlink|-8298}}, the aquatic elves prompted the locathah slaves of the local [[kuo-toa]] to rebel, instigating the Second Serôs War. This ended with the utter annihilation of the Kuo-Toan Consortiums, their cavern homes collapsed and any remaining kuo-toans hunted down and slain.<ref name="GHotR-16" /> | In {{Yearlink|-8298}}, the aquatic elves prompted the locathah slaves of the local [[kuo-toa]] to rebel, instigating the Second Serôs War. This ended with the utter annihilation of the Kuo-Toan Consortiums, their cavern homes collapsed and any remaining kuo-toans hunted down and slain.<ref name="GHotR-16" /> | ||
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Around {{Yearlink|-8000}} an aquatic elven wizard whose name is unknown released an army of tanar'ri into Serôs. The aquatic elven and merfolk armies came together to hold the demons in place while elven High Mages worked a ritual, binding the demons into a coral reef, creating the [[Demonreef]].<ref>{{csb|Sea of Fallen Stars|134}}</ref> | Around {{Yearlink|-8000}} an aquatic elven wizard whose name is unknown released an army of tanar'ri into Serôs. The aquatic elven and merfolk armies came together to hold the demons in place while elven High Mages worked a ritual, binding the demons into a coral reef, creating the [[Demonreef]].<ref>{{csb|Sea of Fallen Stars|134}}</ref> | ||
Beginning around {{Yearlink|-7700}}, marids and jann from the Calim Empire began to settle in Selmalyr, the heartland of the Aryselmalyr Empire, and within a year | Beginning around {{Yearlink|-7700}}, marids and jann from the Calim Empire began to settle in Selmalyr, the heartland of the Aryselmalyr Empire, and within a year have spread throughout Serôs, becoming a major contender for power with the aquatic elves. The elves attempted to wage war on the genies, but their settlements are too deep for the elves to reach, making most attempts to quell them futile.<ref name="GHotR-19" /> | ||
In {{Yearlink|-7130}}, the Dukars, an order of monastic and militant wizards based on elven dualist wizards who experimented with magic-augmenting corals, are officially established. The members are primarily aquatic elves at the time, but accepted students of all races. The Dukars grew quickly and by {{Yearlink|-6946}} are powerful enough to establish the Mervae Alliance as an equal party with the Aryselmalyr Empire and its vassal states, being the only signatory who | In {{Yearlink|-7130}}, the Dukars, an order of monastic and militant wizards based on elven dualist wizards who experimented with magic-augmenting corals, are officially established. The members are primarily aquatic elves at the time, but accepted students of all races. The Dukars grew quickly and by {{Yearlink|-6946}} are powerful enough to establish the Mervae Alliance as an equal party with the Aryselmalyr Empire and its vassal states, being the only signatory who is not required to make oaths of fealty to the empire.<ref name="SoFS-67">{{csb|Sea of Fallen Stars|67}}</ref> | ||
{{Yearlink|-6676}} marked the beginning of the Golden Age of Aryselmalyr. The aquatic elves | {{Yearlink|-6676}} marked the beginning of the Golden Age of Aryselmalyr. The aquatic elves have established peace along their borders as well as with the [[Marid States]] that have been established in Serôs, ushering in an era of peace that lasted for 5,000 years. The aquatic elven empire grows even more powerful after the Marid States mysteriously vanished or are destroyed by krakens.<ref name="SoFS-67" /> | ||
In {{Yearlink|-3309}}, two of the Dukar schools are destroyed by kraken attacks. As a result, they decided to raise a [[mythal]] over their central settlement of Nantar in {{Yearlink|-3002}}, creating Myth Nantar and establishing a new school. The caveat of having the aquatic elven High Mages raise a mythal for them | In {{Yearlink|-3309}}, two of the Dukar schools are destroyed by kraken attacks. As a result, they decided to raise a [[mythal]] over their central settlement of Nantar in {{Yearlink|-3002}}, creating Myth Nantar and establishing a new school. The caveat of having the aquatic elven High Mages raise a mythal for them is that any Dukars trained at this new school are required to swear oaths of fealty to the Coronal of Coryselmal.<ref name="SoFS-67" /> | ||
Around {{Yearlink|-1660}}, aquatic elven High Mages and the Dukars destroyed the enclaves of "Deep Netheril" (the outposts of Cuulmath, Werapan, and Quaeluuvis) in the Battle of the Three Seaflames. They | Around {{Yearlink|-1660}}, aquatic elven High Mages and the Dukars destroyed the enclaves of "Deep Netheril" (the outposts of Cuulmath, Werapan, and Quaeluuvis) in the Battle of the Three Seaflames. They do so by transforming the crystal domes above the cities into a substance that burned when it came in contact with water, then directing the subsequent explosions inward. The blasts are so large they created new bays in the coastline.<ref>{{csb|Sea of Fallen Stars|20}}</ref> | ||
In {{Yearlink|-1588}} the aquatic elves attempted to raise a mythal over Coryselmal, but after repeated failures are forced to give up. These failures wore on the sanity of the current coronal, [[Essyl Merynth]], who felt betrayed by the Seldarine and turned to the worship of [[Dagon]]. He triggered the Third Serôs War in {{Yearlink|-1539}} by massively overreacting to minor raids by [[koalinth]] and [[scrag]]s, uniting them with the [[merrow]] against the empire. The elves successfully destroyed the merrow kingdom of [[P'karnis]] as well as the [[ixitxachitl]] [[Imperium of Ilvanyv]] within the first five years, but the merfolk of [[Thalorlyn]], long a loyal vassal state, are unhappy with the return of war to Serôs and attempted to secede from the empire. Coronal Essyl responded by slaughtering nearly 30% of all the merfolk in the Inner Sea. He then placed Kyron the Mad (a traitor to the rebel merfolk and fellow worshiper of Dagon) on the throne of the subdued Thalorlyn. He also gave Kyron an artifact called the Emerald Eye, which | In {{Yearlink|-1588}} the aquatic elves attempted to raise a mythal over Coryselmal, but after repeated failures are forced to give up. These failures wore on the sanity of the current coronal, [[Essyl Merynth]], who felt betrayed by the Seldarine and turned to the worship of [[Dagon]]. He triggered the Third Serôs War in {{Yearlink|-1539}} by massively overreacting to minor raids by [[koalinth]] and [[scrag]]s, uniting them with the [[merrow]] against the empire. The elves successfully destroyed the merrow kingdom of [[P'karnis]] as well as the [[ixitxachitl]] [[Imperium of Ilvanyv]] within the first five years, but the merfolk of [[Thalorlyn]], long a loyal vassal state, are unhappy with the return of war to Serôs and attempted to secede from the empire. Coronal Essyl responded by slaughtering nearly 30% of all the merfolk in the Inner Sea. He then placed Kyron the Mad (a traitor to the rebel merfolk and fellow worshiper of Dagon) on the throne of the subdued Thalorlyn. He also gave Kyron an artifact called the Emerald Eye, which is given to the coronal by three fiendish kraken servants of Dagon who now secretly supported his cause. Essyl then turned the Dukars of Myth Nantar against the other orders. The mad kings are in power for another twenty years, but Kyron is eventually slain in {{Yearlink|-1506}}, with Essyl being killed by his own brother a few years later in {{Yearlink|-1502}}. This marked the end of the war, which have thrown much of Serôs into turmoil. [[Vaequiss Merynth]], the kindly sister of Essyl and a priestess of Deep Sashelas, took over as the new coronal.<ref>{{csb|The Grand History of the Realms|35-36}}</ref> | ||
Vaequiss | Vaequiss have a relatively quiet rule, with only the brief Fourth Serôs War occurring during her rule. After her passing in -1219, three generations of rulers follow her in relatively quick succession. The most notable is her great granddaughter [[Vaequiss II Merynth]], also known as Vaequiss the Dark, who took the throne in {{Yearlink|-819}}. This coronal is extremely paranoid of magic users and set many sanctions against them, particularly the Dukars, who she believed assassinated her father. She also feared the newly-arrived and already well-liked [[shalarin]], and mobilized the aquatic elven army in an unprovoked attack against them, to much outcry from all the other races. This is the Fifth Serôs War, in which all the other races of the Inner Sea allied against the oppressive armies of Aryselmalyr. Desperate for help, Vaequiss II allied with two krakens, who then destroyed the peaceful [[morkoth]] settlements of the [[Four Arcana of Humbar]]. The coronal and her krakens are eventually slain by the Dukars, and the Grand Dukars made it a requirement that they approve any future rulers.<ref>{{csb|The Grand History of the Realms|40}}</ref> | ||
In the {{YearlinkName|-387}}, a group of aquatic elves exploring the coastal shallows of the [[River Verire]] made contact with green elves from [[Cormanthyr]], learning of [[Lake Sember]] and the peace to be found in [[Semberholme]].<ref>{{csb|Cormanthyr: Empire of the Elves|94}}</ref> | In the {{YearlinkName|-387}}, a group of aquatic elves exploring the coastal shallows of the [[River Verire]] made contact with green elves from [[Cormanthyr]], learning of [[Lake Sember]] and the peace to be found in [[Semberholme]].<ref>{{csb|Cormanthyr: Empire of the Elves|94}}</ref> | ||
In the {{YearlinkName|-294}}, an aquatic elf [[Luszoch]] becomes the coronal of Coryselmal and begins to tour the empire, making veiled threats against his allies and vassals. This put the entire empire on edge, preparing for the war they felt | In the {{YearlinkName|-294}}, an aquatic elf [[Luszoch]] becomes the coronal of Coryselmal and begins to tour the empire, making veiled threats against his allies and vassals. This put the entire empire on edge, preparing for the war they felt is inevitable. However, the coronal is soon poisoned by his top general and old friend, who wished only to preserve the peace. Luszoch son, a pacifist Dukar name Esahl, took the throne. He promised to begin working on reforms that would allow the vassal states of Aryselmalyr to rule themselves, a notion well received by the other races.<ref name="SoFS-69">{{csb|Sea of Fallen Stars|69}}</ref> | ||
Unfortunately, this promise | Unfortunately, this promise is fulfilled in an unexpected way. In the {{YearlinkName|-255}}, four High Mages of [[Nikerymath]] in the [[Chondalwood]] used their magic to summon a tidal wave to scour the Twelve Cities of the Swords in Jhaamdath.<ref name="SoFS-134">{{csb|Sea of Fallen Stars|134}}</ref> But to create this wave, they unknowingly raised the [[Asahlbane Monolith]], a massive plateau that rose under eastern Coryselmal, shattering the city and instantly killing 40,000 people (primarily sea elves), including the coronal.<ref name="SoFS-69" /> The debris of both Coryselmal and Jhaamdath are dragged out by the receding water and went on to kill around 35,000 more people.<ref name="SoFS-134" /> This led to the almost immediate collapse of Aryselmalyr. Every remaining power in Serôs immediately began vying for control of the empire, throwing the Inner Sea into chaos and beginning the Sixth Serôs War. Aquatic elves are subject to brutal retributive purges that didn't end for fifteen years.<ref name="SoFS-69" /> In the {{YearlinkName|-231}}, the Kelpor'ral clan fled the chaos and violence of the Sea of Fallen Stars with two other clans to Lake Sember, founding [[Hyaline (city)|Hyaline]].<ref name="Corm-p94-96" /> | ||
In 400 DR, the aquatic elves living near the surface city of [[Northkeep]] on the [[Moonsea]] are cursed by the gods for denying the city aid when it | In 400 DR, the aquatic elves living near the surface city of [[Northkeep]] on the [[Moonsea]] are cursed by the gods for denying the city aid when it is under attack by an army of goblinoids. The entire population of the aquatic elf city is physically transformed into [[marel]]s and forced to patrol the sunken city of Northkeep forevermore. They rebuked Deep Sashelas and the other Seldarine, turning their worship to Umberlee and becoming incredibly cruel.<ref>{{csb|The Moonsea/Reference Guide|64}}</ref> | ||
At some point prior to {{Yearlink|650}}, [[Triktappic Kelpor'ral]] | At some point prior to {{Yearlink|650}}, [[Triktappic Kelpor'ral]] is offered a seat on the [[Council of Trees]] of Cormanthyr. He declined, preferring to remain among his people in Lake Sember. He is the only person ever to have declined such an honor.<ref>{{csb|Cormanthyr: Empire of the Elves|96}}</ref> Additionally, a female aquatic elf once served as Spell-Major, the leader of the magical branch of the Cormanthyran army.<ref>{{csb|Cormanthyr: Empire of the Elves|47}}</ref> | ||
Following the collapse of the empire, the aquatic elves played a much less significant role in the politics of Serôs. However, nearly a millenia later, the fall of [[Myth Drannor]] prompted surface elves to once again flee into the Sea of Fallen Stars.While this prompted the other races to watch them a bit more closely due to fears that they would try to reestablish the empire, the aquatic elves are for the most part ignored since this happened during the Tenth Serôs War and the other races are preoccupied. Within the next century, they | Following the collapse of the empire, the aquatic elves played a much less significant role in the politics of Serôs. However, nearly a millenia later, the fall of [[Myth Drannor]] prompted surface elves to once again flee into the Sea of Fallen Stars.While this prompted the other races to watch them a bit more closely due to fears that they would try to reestablish the empire, the aquatic elves are for the most part ignored since this happened during the Tenth Serôs War and the other races are preoccupied. Within the next century, they have established three new kingdoms: [[Keryvyr]], [[Naramyr]], and [[Selu'Maraar]], becoming a major power within Serôs once again.<ref>{{csb|Sea of Fallen Stars|70-71}}</ref> | ||
The fears of the other races of Serôs are seemingly well founded, since in the {{YearlinkName|936}}, the three new kingdoms of the aquatic elves united under the wizard [[Nyratiis]] to conquer Serôs in the Eleventh Serôs War, also known as the New Aryselmalyr War. This war | The fears of the other races of Serôs are seemingly well founded, since in the {{YearlinkName|936}}, the three new kingdoms of the aquatic elves united under the wizard [[Nyratiis]] to conquer Serôs in the Eleventh Serôs War, also known as the New Aryselmalyr War. This war is prolonged by the powerful magical items that Nyratiis crafts for the leaders of the elves, but the elves are eventually defeated. The kingdom of Keryvyr is destroyed, and Nyratiis fled capture.<ref>{{csb|Sea of Fallen Stars|72}}</ref> | ||
In the {{YearlinkName|1369}}, the megalodon known as [[Iakhovas]] the Ravager discovered an unknown magical artifact in the ruins of Coryselmal and used it to blow a two-mile hole in the Sharksbane Wall. The blast destroyed the major sea elven garrison of Akhanmyr, and an army of sahuagin came through the breech and quickly destroyed the outposts of Phalagiir and Rulovar as well. The survivors of Phalagiir fled to to the outpost of Tynathiir, where they are able to reinforce that garrison and keep it from falling to the sahuagin.<ref>{{csb|Sea of Fallen Stars|149}}</ref> Meanwhile, at the opposite end of the Sharksbane Wall, the outpost of Velyraar | In the {{YearlinkName|1369}}, the megalodon known as [[Iakhovas]] the Ravager discovered an unknown magical artifact in the ruins of Coryselmal and used it to blow a two-mile hole in the Sharksbane Wall. The blast destroyed the major sea elven garrison of Akhanmyr, and an army of sahuagin came through the breech and quickly destroyed the outposts of Phalagiir and Rulovar as well. The survivors of Phalagiir fled to to the outpost of Tynathiir, where they are able to reinforce that garrison and keep it from falling to the sahuagin.<ref>{{csb|Sea of Fallen Stars|149}}</ref> Meanwhile, at the opposite end of the Sharksbane Wall, the outpost of Velyraar is nearly overwhelmed when a group of good malenti came to their aid and defeated the attacking saguagin.<ref>{{csb|Sea of Fallen Stars|53}}</ref> Following this devastation, the aquatic elves joined the Nantarn Alliance, which eventually drove Iakhovas and his armies from the Inner Sea.<ref name="SoFS-74">{{csb|Sea of Fallen Stars|74}}</ref> | ||
==Notable Aquatic Elves== | ==Notable Aquatic Elves== | ||
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== See Also == | == See Also == | ||
*[[Noviere]] | *[[Noviere]] | ||
== Gallery == | == Gallery == | ||
<gallery captionalign="left"> | <gallery captionalign="left"> | ||
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<references /> | <references /> | ||
=== Bibliography === | === Bibliography === | ||
{{FRwiki}} | |||
{{index|title=Aquatic Elf%' OR Topic LIKE '%Elf, Aquatic}} | {{index|title=Aquatic Elf%' OR Topic LIKE '%Elf, Aquatic}} | ||
===Connections=== | ===Connections=== | ||
[[Category:Humanoids]] | |||
[[Category:Creatures]] | |||
[[Category:Elves]] | [[Category:Elves]] | ||
[[Category:Aquatic creatures]] | [[Category:Aquatic creatures]] | ||
[[Category:Characters of Karpri]] | [[Category:Characters of Karpri]] | ||
[[Category:Characters of Aquallor]] | [[Category:Characters of Aquallor]] | ||
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| Aquatic elf | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Alignment: | Usually Chaotic Good |
| Type: | Humanoid |
| Subtype: | Elf |
| First appearance: | Blackmoor (1974) |
| Aquatic elf | |
|---|---|
Aquatic elf} logo | |
| General information | |
| Size: | Medium |
| Alignment: | Usually chaotic good |
| Type: | Humanoid |
| Subtype: | Elf |
| Patron deity: | Deep Sashelas[1] |
Aquatic elves (also called sea elves) are water-breathing cousins to land-dwelling elves.[1]
Description
Some sea elves have deep green skin, mottled and striped with brown, while others have blue skin with white stripes and patches.[1] Even other aquatic elves have pale silver-green skin.[2][3] All these groups are robust and tall with long limbs.[1] Their thick skin gives them protection from the cold of deep water, keeping them comfortable at temperatures just above freezing. Their fingers and toes are generally about twice as long as a human's and have thick webbing between them.[4] Their most distinctive feature are the gills visible in their necks and over their ribs.[1] Compared to other elves, aquatic elves have deep voices[3] and are larger and heavier.[5][6]
Aquatic elves can have eye colors including turquoise,[7] white, black, blue, green, and rarely silver.[8] Their hair is usually thick and somewhat stringy,[1] and some aquatic elves have a rough hair texture.[7] It can be blue-green,[3] emerald green,[1] blue, black, silver, or even occasionally red.[1] Warriors clip their hair short, but other aquatic elves wear it long and flowing.[1] Females in particular sometimes grow their hair up to 4 feet long.[9]
Personality
Aquatic elves are isolationist by both their nature and the physical location of their settlements, although they are not quite as reclusive as the wild elves (Grugach). Their trust does not extend far beyond their clan and others of their kind, and their communities are very tightly-knit. They couldn't understand why the surface elves do not realize that community and alliances meant survival, whereas rivalry, individualism, and factionalism meant death.[1][8] However, despite being extremely cautious, they are also extremely curious, and aquatic elves near the shore would often spend a significant amount time secretly observing the land-bound races.[1]
Abilities
Aquatic elves are the least magical of the elven subraces and have fewer innate magical gifts. However, they are deeply in touch with their environment, even more so than other elves. They can detect minute changes in the currents of the water and can hear sounds underwater that surface dwellers cannot perceive.[3] Additionally, their eyesight is much keener than that of surface races. They can see twice as far as surface elves in low-light conditions (and therefore four times as far as a human)[2][1] and can see clearly enough to count soldiers in an army up to a mile away.[9] They are able to hide in kelp and seaweed as their surface kin can in forests, and their movement is never hindered when moving through the plants.[9][10]
Due to their gills, aquatic elves are amphibious. The amount of time aquatic elves can leave the water without doing harm to themselves seems to vary. The safe period can be a few minutes,[9] hours,[1][11] a day,[7] or even upwards of a week.[12] Additionally, the result of going beyond these limits varies. Some would begin to "drown" on land,[2][1] while others simply experienced a loss of vitality due to drying out and can remain on land indefinitely, remaining healthy if they took the time to soak for an hour every day.[7][12] Even within the same community, the amount of time can be variable, with some "landwalkers" having a greater capacity for breathing air.[1] Some seem to have no limitation on their time away from water at all.[13] Some aquatic elves use clerical magic to allow them to remain on the surface for longer periods of time.[14] Additionally, some aquatic elves are uncomfortable breathing freshwater and became fatigued quickly when doing so.[1] Others are not harmed by it, but would not truly recover from the damage of being above water unless they spent time in salt water.[12]
Society
Settlements
The majority of aquatic elves lived in the Sea of Fallen Stars and the Great Sea, although small settlements can also be found along the western coast of Faerûn.[1] Aquatic elves generally built settlements in calm waters that supported coral reefs or seaweed forests.[9][10] These settlements usually have populations between 100 and 400, though communities both significantly larger and smaller existed. Aquatic elven communities are almost entirely self-sufficient, trading with others rarely and then only for luxuries. They subsisted on kelp grown on their farms and fish they hunted. Wandering heralds would deliver oral messages between communities.[9][3] Aquatic elves generally spent around 75% of their time within shallow waters that are less than 150 feet from the surface,[15] although they can safely descend to around 600 feet.[16]
The greatest example of aquatic elven culture is the empire of Arselmalyr, which once ruled all the races of the Sea of Fallen Stars from the city of Coryselmal, called the Coral Capital. This empire lasted nearly 18,000 years, and taught the other inhabitants of the Inner Sea magic as well as how to cultivate kelp, coral, and pearls, which remained staples of these undersea societies. However, the empire collapsed when Coryselmal is destroyed by the unexpected fallout of an act of High Magic, killing its more than 40,000 inhabitants (including the coronal of the empire) immediately and killing around 35,000 more in the surrounding area who are buried by the debris of the shattered city.[17]
The kingdoms of the Inner Sea are Naramyr (near Dragonmere lake) and Selu'Maraar (near the Dragon Reach).[1] They are built on the remnants of Arselmalyr. Originally there are five primarily aquatic elven outposts along the Sharksbane Wall east of the mouth of the Vilhon Reach and west of the Alamber Sea, but following Iakhovas' assault on the wall in Template:Yearlink, the outposts of Akhanmyr, Rulovar, and Phalagiir are utterly destroyed, leaving only the outposts of Tynathiir and Velyraar.[18] A colony called Faenasuor lay on the continental slopes east of Starmantle, and several small settlements can be found among the reefs near the Fang of western Aglarond.[1]
In the Great Sea, the aquatic elven city of Nemilar sat northeast of Ormpé in the center of the bay of Golden Water.[19]
In the Trackless Sea, a number of small villages can be found off the coast of Tethyr,[1] as well as the kingdom of Aluchambolsunvae and its capital city of Thunderfoam north of Evermeet.[20] A great city known as Iumathiashae with a population of several thousand aquatic elves lay off the shores of Evermeet, as do several smaller settlements, and these served as an underwater army for the island.[21] The aquatic elves of the Deepwater Harbor served a similar purpose for the city of Waterdeep.[22]
There is a notable aquatic elven city called Hyaline in Lake Sember in Cormanthyr.[14]
Culture
Aquatic elven society is based on family and clan. Noble families and monarchs ruled, but in a benign and loose fashion rather than with an iron fist.[1][3] While women can and do have positions of power, aquatic elven society is largely patriarchal and inheritance ran first through the eldest son.[1]
The concept of private property, for the most part, do not exist among aquatic elves.[1] Whatever given aquatic elf currently carried on their person can be considered theirs, but everything else belonged to the community as a whole.[3] This particularly applied to tools, weapons, and other practical items. Any aquatic elf can take one of these items whenever it is needed and regardless of who have possessed it previously, although individuals are allowed to keep relatively private dwellings. Such communal ownership meant theft is almost unknown.[1] The exceptions to this are monarchs, who often have large and elaborate homes with limited access and many personal items. However, aquatic elven rulers are a reflection of their people and usually remained rather generous.[3] The freedom to borrow items at will is not extended to outsiders, and surfacers are often watched carefully to make sure they do not try to take advantage of the cultural practice.[1]
Aquatic elves held promises sacred and would rather die than fail to complete something they have sworn to do. If they died in the process, their kin took over the responsibility to complete it. The slightest implication that an aquatic elf wouldn't keep his word is deeply offensive. However, promises received from non-elves are highly suspect, both because aquatic elves knew that other races won't honor the promises of their dead and because only other elves have the lifespan to complete any serious task.[9]
Aquatic elves either went lightly clad or wore no clothes at all. Their clothes are formed from underwater plants[1] and made with intricate designs in shades of black, brown, and green.[9] Noble aquatic elves in the Sea of Fallen Stars wore clothes more often in the past as a cultural holdover following the transformation of many surface elves into aquatic elves, however by Template:Yearlink this trend is fading, and they generally only wore diaphanous silken robes to mark their status.[23]
Language
The aquatic elves have their own language that, while clearly related to standard Elvish, is very distinct and not immediately understandable to non-aquatic elves. It is very similar to the language of dolphins, with squeals and clicks interspersed through it. They speak surface languages with great difficulty.[3] Different languages are more or less common among different groups of aquatic elves, but Elvish[10][3] and Aquan[13][1] are known by many groups, as is the Common tongue among those who lived near the shore.[9][1] Those who lived in the Sea of Fallen Stars knew the trade language Serusan.[1] The languages of other aquatic races (including that of their mortal enemy the sahuagin[9]) might also have been known to an aquatic elf.[7] Nobles and most of those who left their home settlements to adventure are literate, although commoners are not.[1]
Magic & Religion
Aquatic elves are the least magical of the elven races. Once every two or three generations an aquatic elf showed a talent for arcane magic,[14] making magical talent about as common as it is in dwarf communities rather than in human or elven ones.[1] Those who are spellcasters devoted their long life spans to study and became extremely skilled.[1] In remote communities those elves who are magically inclined are limited to the teachings of the few older magic users and rare written materials. The aquatic elves of Lake Sember are able to send those with magical ability to study with the great mages of Myth Drannor.[14]
While it is unclear why arcane magic is so uncommon among the aquatic elves, it is rumored that the drow are somehow responsible for taking this ability from them,[9] and this is part of the reason the aquatic elves held such a grudge against them.[24] A minority of the aquatic elves in the areas around Evermeet are sun or moon elves who have been transformed by some power into aquatic elves. They retained the magical capability they have before their transformation.[25] The aquatic elves of the Sea of Fallen Stars have a significant number of mages and even High Mages throughout the millenia, including seven new High Mage students as late as 1346 DR.[26] However, this group regularly received infusions of surface elves fleeing the Crown Wars and the fall of Myth Drannor, who then became aquatic elves through the use of either the Sashelan Glass[27] or the High Magic ritual of Akh'Faen'Tel'Quess.[28] By Template:Yearlink, 80% of the elves of the Inner Sea are descendants of these transformed surface elves, which accounted for the increased frequency of magic among them.[29]
Clerical magic is much more common among aquatic elves.[14] Most revered Deep Sashelas, the elven sea god of knowledge and creation,[1] but Corellon Larethian is still revered as the father of their race and they acknowledged the other Seldarine to a much lesser extent. It is considered a great honor for a member of an aquatic elven family to be a priest of Deep Sashelas.[14] The elves of the Inner Sea generally formed their temples to Deep Sashelas from living coral, while those of the Great Sea are often natural stone and other materials formed into sprawling temples shaped like sea shells. These temples are cultural centers for the aquatic elves, serving both secular and spiritual purposes.[30]
Trishina, a dolphin goddess and the primary consort of Deep Sashelas, is also worshiped by aquatic elves,[31] particularly those of the Sea of Fallen Stars. The relationship between these two gods is one of the reasons aquatic elves are on such good terms with dolphins.[32] Some aquatic elves are also known to worship the water primordial Istishia.[33] The marel subrace of aquatic elves worshiped Umberlee.[34] Some of the kraken priests of the kraken Slarkrethel found near Purple Rocks are aquatic elves.[35]
Arts, Crafting & Leisure
Sculpture is the primary art form of aquatic elves, as other mediums are likely to be destroyed by the water in short order. Intricately carved reliefs cover the walls of most cities, and statues are common.[3]
Aquatic elves are also quite musical. Their powerful voices traveled farther than expected underwater, and their thrumming songs brought to mind whale song and dolphin noises. The songs are often very long and evoked the rolling calm of the ocean.[3] Bards are common in aquatic elven society.[1]
Because they lived underwater, the products of aquatic elven crafting often differed significantly from their counterparts on the surface. They developed a range of waterproof magical items, and a system of writing underwater using either cured sharkskin or thick seaweed and an extremely viscous ink.[1] They do not commonly use metal, as it is almost impossible to forge underwater and would corrode quickly.[10][1][7] What little metal they do use is traded for or scavenged from shipwrecks. The exception to this is gold, which would not corrode and is easily shaped in its raw form. Beaten gold jewelry is common among aquatic elves. Most aquatic elven items are crafted from stone, coral, shells, and animal materials such as bone, narwhal horns, turtle shells, sharkskin, or chitin.[1]
Aquatic elves commonly crafted tridents of serenity, a type of magical weapon which would keep sahuagin in the vicinity of the weapon from entering a blood frenzy and are given to elves patrolling the borders of a territory.[1] They also developed longbows with bowstrings made of a special kelp that damped vibrations and turbulence. Combined with specially crafted arrows, these bows functioned without the usual drastic loss of momentum that most ranged weapons suffered underwater. Chitinous armor is commonly used,[36] and the elves of the Inner Sea wore silverweave armor crafted from coral that have been specially treated by the local tritons or shalarin, although this is usually limited to a pair of armored leggings to maintain their mobility.[37] Evil aquatic elves developed a type of armor made with sharkskin and teeth, but most aquatic elves despised sharks and found the idea of wearing their skins repugnant.[38]
Relations
Aquatic elves are extremely isolationist. There are some aquatic elves who do not even know that the surface existed, let alone a whole world beyond it.[3] Even other underwater races are generally kept at a distance, regardless of alignment. Aquatic elves fought fiercely against evil races and do not see the point of mingling with their shorter-lived neighbors even if they are of similar alignment.[9]
This isolation extended even to other elves, although if aquatic elves have to interact with anyone they preferred that it be their surface kin.[9] However, at least in Iumathiashae, the elves cared deeply for the surface elves and appreciated the contact they do have with them even if they still kept mainly to themselves.[3] The aquatic elves of Hyaline in Lake Sember are less isolated from their kin, having decided that it is necessary for the survival of their children to learn more of the surface world. Aquatic elves there regularly interacted with the elves of Semberholme and their children are taught in the many schools within the city. This colony also have friendly relations with the treants on the southern shore of their lake.[14] In general, aquatic elves saw little difference between the subraces of surface elves.[1][3][14] Surprisingly, the haughty sun elves viewed aquatic elves as almost their equals. They believed that aquatic elves served the same purpose below the waters as the sun elves do above, bringing civilization to the world and preserving elven traditions and knowledge.[39]
Aquatic elves hated sahuagin and sharks more than any other creature and would often attack them on sight. They are driven to destroy them at every opportunity.[9][1] Aquatic elven societies are occasionally infiltrated by a certain type of mutated sahuagin that looked almost exactly like them, known as a malenti.[9] Interestingly, normal sahuagin only spawned malenti when they lived in close proximity to aquatic elven communities. Tritons believed that this is because the two races are related, the sahuagin having been created by drow experiments upon aquatic elven captives.[40] The elves flatly denied this shared origin, and in fact many believed that malenti do not exist at all.[9]
They are also incredibly wary of human fisherman since aquatic elves who are caught in their nets are often mistaken for sahuagin and killed.[9][10][1] Aquatic elves maintained neutral relations with merfolk and locathah. Tritons and marine storm giants sometimes lived in harmony with aquatic elven settlements.[7] Relations with the shalarin varied. The aquatic elves attempted to drive the shalarin out of the Inner Sea following both the First and Second Passings in unprovoked attacks that devastated the shalarin population and in the later case prompted the Fifth Serôs War.[41] As such, shalarin remained wary of interacting with aquatic elves.[42] The Nantarn Alliance led to the improvement of relations to some degree between all involved parties (including aquatic elves, merfolk, shalarin, and morkoth) as they worked together to drive Iakhovas the Ravager out of the Inner Sea and restore Myth Nantar.[43] By Template:Yearlink, aquatic elves and shalarin are working to restore Alsyrrt[44] and jointly ruled the settlement of Lyrathil, although this is still noted to be uncommon.[45]
Aquatic half-elves are very rare since aquatic elves can not leave the water often and have little interest in interacting with humans.[46][47] Additionally, the ability of aquatic half-elves to breathe underwater is variable,[46] and as such even those few that do exist are often cut off from sea elven culture. However, a few aquatic elves remained invested in their children's lives, and would visit them when they came out onto the water.[47] Aquatic elves also sometimes reproduce with surface elves (generally sun or moon elves), which resulted in an elf who looked like the subrace of their surface parent except for the greenish tinge to their hair. Unlike aquatic half-elves or even their full blood parents, all such offspring are fully amphibious, having gills that are hidden on their necks but being able to comfortably breathe air indefinitely. As such, they are fully capable of living among their aquatic kin, and those whose mothers are aquatic elves often did.[9]
Aquatic elves would sometimes take in water genasi children to raise, although in general the genasi secretly pitied the elves for not being able to leave the water for long periods. Water genasi who served Deep Sashelas sometimes worked as emissaries between aquatic elves and their surface cousins. Aquatic elves have stories of planetouched aquatic elves (similar to water genasi) descended from servants of Deep Sashelas, but there have been no recent examples of such people.[48]
The creatures aquatic elves have the closest relationship with are dolphins.[9][10][1][7] Any large group of aquatic elves have a 50% chance of being accompanied by a number of dolphins.[9] They held whales in great reverence as well, with many of their settlements being built on whale migration routes so that they can interact with the creatures regularly. Young aquatic elves would even travel with a whale pod for a year as a sort of pilgrimage.[1] Hippocampi and giant sea horses are the favored mounts of aquatic elves.[12] Many other marine creatures are also tamed as mounts, beasts of burden, and pets.[7]
History
According to one aquatic elven myth, they once dwelled on land, their ancestors having served as an armada that is going down in a storm and is saved by an unknown goddess.[3]
The first aquatic elves came to Faerûn sometime after Template:Yearlink,[49] following the migration of the gold and silver elves from Faerie. This made them the last of the elven subraces to come Faerûn.[50] They first appeared in the Great Sea, and rather than settling down they began a nomadic existence as they explored their new home.[1]
Around Template:Yearlink, the surface elven kingdoms of Eiellûr, Syòrpiir, and Thearnytaar started the War of Three Leaves[51] A number of the citizens of these realms fled to the Sea of Fallen Stars (known as Serôs to those who lived beneath its surface), using an Eillûran artifact known as the Sashelan Glass to transform themselves into aquatic elves.[52]
In Template:Yearlink, the aquatic elven city of Coryselmal is established in the Selmal Basin (known to surfacers as the Vilhon Reach) as the capital of the kingdom of Selmalyr. By Template:Yearlink, both the First and Second Crown Wars have been underway for centuries, and the Sable Wars have recently begun. This drove another wave of refugees to the Inner Sea,[51] primarily using the High Magic ritual of Akh'Faen'Tel'Quess.[28] Additionally, the Crown Wars began to affect the aquatic elves of the Great Sea, despite their attempts to stay apart from them. As a result, a number of them immigrated to Serôs as well.[1] This caused the elven settlements in the Inner Sea to expand to deeper waters, igniting their first conflicts with the native merfolk and sahuagin.[51] The end of the Second Crown War and the fall of Thearnytaar in Template:Yearlink prompted another migration to the sea, and the aquatic elven kingdoms of Coranthys, Tor Meraliir, Ullythan Reef, and Ryeniir are established. In Template:Yearlink, the empire of Aryselmalyr is official established, ruling over all the aquatic elven kingdoms of Serôs. This marks Year 1 in the Aryselmalyn calendar.[53]
Starting in Template:Yearlink, the aquatic elves began working with the merfolk and locathah of the Inner Sea to build garrison towers along the Sharksteeth Mounts at the insistence of the triton cleric of Persana known as Vodos the Builder as well as their own clerics of Deep Sashelas. These garrisons came to be known as the Pillars of the Trident and are the basis of the massive Sharksbane Wall that is later constructed beginning in Template:Yearlink to defend against the sahuagin.[54]
In Template:Yearlink, the First Serôs War began, pitting the elves and the merfolk against the sahuagin of the eastern waters. The war lasted six years and destroyed the sahuagin kingdom in the Trench of Lopok,[54] and while the sahuagin continued to skirmish with the other races over the following century in a desperate attempt to prevent it, the Sharksbane Wall is completed in Template:Yearlink. This trapped the majority of the sahuagin in the Alamber Sea, a southeastern branch of the larger Sea of Fallen Stars.[55] The aquatic elves and other races ruthlessly hunted any remaining sahuagin, and by Template:Yearlink there are none to be found west of the wall.[56]
In Template:Yearlink, the aquatic elves prompted the locathah slaves of the local kuo-toa to rebel, instigating the Second Serôs War. This ended with the utter annihilation of the Kuo-Toan Consortiums, their cavern homes collapsed and any remaining kuo-toans hunted down and slain.[55]
Around Template:Yearlink an aquatic elven wizard whose name is unknown released an army of tanar'ri into Serôs. The aquatic elven and merfolk armies came together to hold the demons in place while elven High Mages worked a ritual, binding the demons into a coral reef, creating the Demonreef.[57]
Beginning around Template:Yearlink, marids and jann from the Calim Empire began to settle in Selmalyr, the heartland of the Aryselmalyr Empire, and within a year have spread throughout Serôs, becoming a major contender for power with the aquatic elves. The elves attempted to wage war on the genies, but their settlements are too deep for the elves to reach, making most attempts to quell them futile.[56]
In Template:Yearlink, the Dukars, an order of monastic and militant wizards based on elven dualist wizards who experimented with magic-augmenting corals, are officially established. The members are primarily aquatic elves at the time, but accepted students of all races. The Dukars grew quickly and by Template:Yearlink are powerful enough to establish the Mervae Alliance as an equal party with the Aryselmalyr Empire and its vassal states, being the only signatory who is not required to make oaths of fealty to the empire.[58]
Template:Yearlink marked the beginning of the Golden Age of Aryselmalyr. The aquatic elves have established peace along their borders as well as with the Marid States that have been established in Serôs, ushering in an era of peace that lasted for 5,000 years. The aquatic elven empire grows even more powerful after the Marid States mysteriously vanished or are destroyed by krakens.[58]
In Template:Yearlink, two of the Dukar schools are destroyed by kraken attacks. As a result, they decided to raise a mythal over their central settlement of Nantar in Template:Yearlink, creating Myth Nantar and establishing a new school. The caveat of having the aquatic elven High Mages raise a mythal for them is that any Dukars trained at this new school are required to swear oaths of fealty to the Coronal of Coryselmal.[58]
Around Template:Yearlink, aquatic elven High Mages and the Dukars destroyed the enclaves of "Deep Netheril" (the outposts of Cuulmath, Werapan, and Quaeluuvis) in the Battle of the Three Seaflames. They do so by transforming the crystal domes above the cities into a substance that burned when it came in contact with water, then directing the subsequent explosions inward. The blasts are so large they created new bays in the coastline.[59]
In Template:Yearlink the aquatic elves attempted to raise a mythal over Coryselmal, but after repeated failures are forced to give up. These failures wore on the sanity of the current coronal, Essyl Merynth, who felt betrayed by the Seldarine and turned to the worship of Dagon. He triggered the Third Serôs War in Template:Yearlink by massively overreacting to minor raids by koalinth and scrags, uniting them with the merrow against the empire. The elves successfully destroyed the merrow kingdom of P'karnis as well as the ixitxachitl Imperium of Ilvanyv within the first five years, but the merfolk of Thalorlyn, long a loyal vassal state, are unhappy with the return of war to Serôs and attempted to secede from the empire. Coronal Essyl responded by slaughtering nearly 30% of all the merfolk in the Inner Sea. He then placed Kyron the Mad (a traitor to the rebel merfolk and fellow worshiper of Dagon) on the throne of the subdued Thalorlyn. He also gave Kyron an artifact called the Emerald Eye, which is given to the coronal by three fiendish kraken servants of Dagon who now secretly supported his cause. Essyl then turned the Dukars of Myth Nantar against the other orders. The mad kings are in power for another twenty years, but Kyron is eventually slain in Template:Yearlink, with Essyl being killed by his own brother a few years later in Template:Yearlink. This marked the end of the war, which have thrown much of Serôs into turmoil. Vaequiss Merynth, the kindly sister of Essyl and a priestess of Deep Sashelas, took over as the new coronal.[60]
Vaequiss have a relatively quiet rule, with only the brief Fourth Serôs War occurring during her rule. After her passing in -1219, three generations of rulers follow her in relatively quick succession. The most notable is her great granddaughter Vaequiss II Merynth, also known as Vaequiss the Dark, who took the throne in Template:Yearlink. This coronal is extremely paranoid of magic users and set many sanctions against them, particularly the Dukars, who she believed assassinated her father. She also feared the newly-arrived and already well-liked shalarin, and mobilized the aquatic elven army in an unprovoked attack against them, to much outcry from all the other races. This is the Fifth Serôs War, in which all the other races of the Inner Sea allied against the oppressive armies of Aryselmalyr. Desperate for help, Vaequiss II allied with two krakens, who then destroyed the peaceful morkoth settlements of the Four Arcana of Humbar. The coronal and her krakens are eventually slain by the Dukars, and the Grand Dukars made it a requirement that they approve any future rulers.[61]
In the Template:YearlinkName, a group of aquatic elves exploring the coastal shallows of the River Verire made contact with green elves from Cormanthyr, learning of Lake Sember and the peace to be found in Semberholme.[62]
In the Template:YearlinkName, an aquatic elf Luszoch becomes the coronal of Coryselmal and begins to tour the empire, making veiled threats against his allies and vassals. This put the entire empire on edge, preparing for the war they felt is inevitable. However, the coronal is soon poisoned by his top general and old friend, who wished only to preserve the peace. Luszoch son, a pacifist Dukar name Esahl, took the throne. He promised to begin working on reforms that would allow the vassal states of Aryselmalyr to rule themselves, a notion well received by the other races.[63]
Unfortunately, this promise is fulfilled in an unexpected way. In the Template:YearlinkName, four High Mages of Nikerymath in the Chondalwood used their magic to summon a tidal wave to scour the Twelve Cities of the Swords in Jhaamdath.[64] But to create this wave, they unknowingly raised the Asahlbane Monolith, a massive plateau that rose under eastern Coryselmal, shattering the city and instantly killing 40,000 people (primarily sea elves), including the coronal.[63] The debris of both Coryselmal and Jhaamdath are dragged out by the receding water and went on to kill around 35,000 more people.[64] This led to the almost immediate collapse of Aryselmalyr. Every remaining power in Serôs immediately began vying for control of the empire, throwing the Inner Sea into chaos and beginning the Sixth Serôs War. Aquatic elves are subject to brutal retributive purges that didn't end for fifteen years.[63] In the Template:YearlinkName, the Kelpor'ral clan fled the chaos and violence of the Sea of Fallen Stars with two other clans to Lake Sember, founding Hyaline.[14]
In 400 DR, the aquatic elves living near the surface city of Northkeep on the Moonsea are cursed by the gods for denying the city aid when it is under attack by an army of goblinoids. The entire population of the aquatic elf city is physically transformed into marels and forced to patrol the sunken city of Northkeep forevermore. They rebuked Deep Sashelas and the other Seldarine, turning their worship to Umberlee and becoming incredibly cruel.[65]
At some point prior to Template:Yearlink, Triktappic Kelpor'ral is offered a seat on the Council of Trees of Cormanthyr. He declined, preferring to remain among his people in Lake Sember. He is the only person ever to have declined such an honor.[66] Additionally, a female aquatic elf once served as Spell-Major, the leader of the magical branch of the Cormanthyran army.[67]
Following the collapse of the empire, the aquatic elves played a much less significant role in the politics of Serôs. However, nearly a millenia later, the fall of Myth Drannor prompted surface elves to once again flee into the Sea of Fallen Stars.While this prompted the other races to watch them a bit more closely due to fears that they would try to reestablish the empire, the aquatic elves are for the most part ignored since this happened during the Tenth Serôs War and the other races are preoccupied. Within the next century, they have established three new kingdoms: Keryvyr, Naramyr, and Selu'Maraar, becoming a major power within Serôs once again.[68]
The fears of the other races of Serôs are seemingly well founded, since in the Template:YearlinkName, the three new kingdoms of the aquatic elves united under the wizard Nyratiis to conquer Serôs in the Eleventh Serôs War, also known as the New Aryselmalyr War. This war is prolonged by the powerful magical items that Nyratiis crafts for the leaders of the elves, but the elves are eventually defeated. The kingdom of Keryvyr is destroyed, and Nyratiis fled capture.[69]
In the Template:YearlinkName, the megalodon known as Iakhovas the Ravager discovered an unknown magical artifact in the ruins of Coryselmal and used it to blow a two-mile hole in the Sharksbane Wall. The blast destroyed the major sea elven garrison of Akhanmyr, and an army of sahuagin came through the breech and quickly destroyed the outposts of Phalagiir and Rulovar as well. The survivors of Phalagiir fled to to the outpost of Tynathiir, where they are able to reinforce that garrison and keep it from falling to the sahuagin.[70] Meanwhile, at the opposite end of the Sharksbane Wall, the outpost of Velyraar is nearly overwhelmed when a group of good malenti came to their aid and defeated the attacking saguagin.[71] Following this devastation, the aquatic elves joined the Nantarn Alliance, which eventually drove Iakhovas and his armies from the Inner Sea.[43]
Notable Aquatic Elves
See Also
Gallery
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Two aquatic elf warriors
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An aquatic elf warrior in action
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A male aquatic elf wielding a trident
Appearances
External Links
References
Notes
Citations
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Bibliography
| This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Aquatic elf on the Forgotten Realms Wiki (view authors. |
Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index
The Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index (EGI) is based on previous work of Jason Zavoda through '08, continued by numerous other fans. The EGI article has a list of sources, product names, abbreviations, and a link to the full, downloadable index.
| Topic | Type | Description | Product | Page/Card/Image
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aquatic Elf | Monster | Reference | SEE Elf, Aquatic | |
| Elf, Aquatic | Monster | Native of: Material Plane, | Dragon magazine #295 | 96 |
| Elf, Aquatic | Monster | Native of: Material Plane, | Dragon magazine #350 | 65 |
| Elf, Aquatic | Monster | Native of: Material Plane, | Ghosts of Saltmarsh, D&D 5e | 38, 52, 58, 61, 82, 111, 134, 246 |
| Elf, Aquatic | Monster | Native of: Material Plane, | Ivid the Undying | 51, 53, 93 |
| Elf, Aquatic | Monster | Native of: Material Plane, | Living Greyhawk, Living Onnwal Gazetteer, D&D 3.5e | 85, 103 |
| Elf, Aquatic | Monster | Native of: Material Plane, | MC11 - Forgotten Realms Appendix 2 | Insert (Elf, Aquatic) |
| Elf, Aquatic | Monster | Native of: Material Plane, | Monster Manual 1, AD&D 1e | 39 |
| Elf, Aquatic | Monster | Native of: Material Plane, | Monstrous Manual, AD&D 2e | 110-111 |
| Elf, Aquatic | Monster | Native of: Material Plane, | Monstrous Manual, AD&D 2e (Premium Edition) | 110-111 |
| Elf, Aquatic | Monster | Native of: Material Plane, | Monster Manual 1, D&D 3.5e | 103 |
| Elf, Aquatic | Monster | Native of: Material Plane, | Monster Manual 1, D&D 3.5e (Premium Edition) | 103 |
| Elf, Aquatic | Monster | Native of: Material Plane, | Monster Manual 1, D&D 3.0e | 86 |
| Elf, Aquatic | Monster | Native of: Material Plane, | PHBR8 - The Complete Book of Elves | 10, 12, 13-15, 33, 37, 63, 78 |
| Elf, Aquatic | Monster | Native of: Material Plane, | Stormwrack, D&D 3.5e | 34, 39, 40, 148-150, 215, 216 |
| Elf, Aquatic | Monster | Native of: Material Plane, | The Kopru Ruins, D&D 3.5e | 1, 2, 3, 10 |
| Elf, Aquatic | Monster | Native of: Material Plane, | U1 The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh | 16, 18, 23, 24, 27, 29 |
| Manaan Tribe (Aquatic Elf) | People Group | Clan, | U1 The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh | 24 |