Wood elf

Wood elves (or copper elves as they used to be known) are the guardians of the elven forest homes that were mostly abandoned before The Retreat.

History

Wood elves were the last of the elven subraces to appear on Faerûn, though not through the same method as the other subraces. The wood elves are actually native to Faerûn, the descendants of green elves, silver elves and gold elves who decided to retreat to the deepest woodland areas after the last of the Crown Wars. While not following the same path as the wild elves, they formed tightly-knit, networked commnities, leaving behind high magic and becoming closer to nature. The interbreeding between the three subraces created the wood elves of today.

In the eastern High Forest the wood elves founded the realm of Earlann in -4700 DR. They befriended the dwarves of Delzoun and were responsible for teaching the Netherese about magic.

The elves of Earlann were worried about the sudden rise in power of their Netherese neighbours and attempted to check the humans' pride and expansionism for centuries to come but when Karsus attempted to gain godhood and failed, their hard work had been for naught. They allowed refugees to settle in the city of Ascalhorn. Over 1200 years later, weakened after a year of fighting orc hordes, Ascalhorn fell after a multitude of Baatezu overthrew the city. Earlann fell soon after. The wood elves have never raised another realm like it, although some dream of trying again.

The wood elves ignored the call of The Retreat, staying on the mainland to look after their small villages and protect their forests but with The Retreat over, they have emerged once more as a people devoted to protecting their native forests.

Game History

Under 1st and 2nd Editions, Wild elf and Wood elves were considered to be one sub-race, the difference merely being one of naming, with wild elf being considered somewhat derogatory, much like calling a Moon elf, grey elf. At this time, the entire race was often referred to Sylvan elves, as well as Copper elves and Green elves. The elven name for themselves was Sy'Tel'Quessir and it is not entirely clear whether this continues to apply to both of the new sub-divisions, or only one and if so, which one. Given the earlier matierials' physical descriptions, it would seem that the originally described sub-race is what is now under 3rd Ed referred to as Wood elves.