Sea Elves

Locations
The Sea Elves originated in the harsh waters around Bleak Reef in the far western regions of the known world, but during their long history many of them have left behind those dark waters and journeyed east across the Woeful Straits. Nowadays, they have adapted to inhabiting the great rivers of the Siimessalo forest as well as the open seas.

Typical Physical Attributes
All Elves are lithely built and on average slightly shorter than humans. Sea Elves have countershaded skin, with a lighter-colored front of the body and a darker back and sides. In the water, their lower limbs taper off into two eel-like tails, which are transformed into legs when they step onto solid ground. They have large, fin-like ears and long, sleek hair. They have little need for clothing, as their skin is thick and coarse like leather.

Sea Elves are theoretically immortal, and seem to live forever unless killed by violence, disease, or the like. However, as they age, Sea Elves are attracted to ever deeper waters, and the most ancient of them have descended into the dark depths of the ocean. Some stories (especially Windborne ones) suggest that they turn into sea monsters.

Prevailing values
The Sea Elves are a pragmatic people, well-suited to living in harsh underwater conditions. When a war with the Sylvan Elves seemed imminent, they raised armies, but when their forest-dwelling cousins reached out in friendship, they were willing to cast aside old grudges and ally themselves with them under Unity. Sea Elves can be protective of their lands, but they also don’t uphold tradition just for traditions’ sake.

Customs
Sea Elves hunt in packs, and rely entirely on meat for sustenance, much like their Sylvan brethren.

Aesthetics
Sea Elves prefer the colors of the deep waters; rich blues, purples, greens and greys, accented with true blacks and specks of white. While underwater, the long locks of their hair tend to float around their heads like ever-shifting tentacled halos. They prefer not to wear clothes, although some adventurous individuals, eager to see more of the world and willing to adapt to land-dweller customs still do in order to blend in better. Their ears are long and protrude outwards from their faces, resembling sharp-pointed fins.