The Elves (The Silv)

While all of the Silvs (commonly called Elves) are pretty much of the same blood and build, it is in their attitudes, personalities and cultures that they differ. They are tall, slender and agile, with life spans of between 150 and 200 years. True, pure blooded Cersilv live the longest - sometimes even as much as 250 years. But that's in the courts of the Cersilv.

“Pure” elves in Iskitaan are far from pure - there is a lot of human, dryad and nymph blood mixed along the way, so a more typical lifespan is around 175 years - the “purer” the elven blood, the longer the lifespan. Half-elves live around 125 years. Elven children mature at the same rate humans do, reaching puberty in about the same time frame. However, past puberty, aging slows down tremendously for elves, giving them their appearance of “eternal youth”. The bulk of their aging happens in the last 20-30% of an elf's life. Elven women are of child bearing age until 100-120 or so, however, they aren't particularly fertile, particularly for a few years, possibly even decades after having given birth. So large elven families are fairly rare. Twins and triplets are even rarer.

Cersilv (High Elves) are the only ones adjusted to living at the high altitudes and nearly unbreathable air of the mountains surrounding Iskitaan. They look down upon those they call Lowlanders, especially those of their brethren who choose to live among the lowlanders.

Ricsilv (Ice Elves) are the guardians of the Cercsilv lands.

Larsilv (Tree Elves or Wood Elves) chose to live among or close to the lowlander Humans and Dwarves. They are the ones with most humans associate the word elf. Many Larsilv have lived in the lowlands for so long, they can no longer walk among the high mountains of the Cersilv.

Darsilv (Black Elves) are those elves who have been drawn in by the voices of the Nages (Shadows) in their heads. Almost all elves will hear the voices in their heads at one time or another and resist, but those who listen to the evil shadows become Darsilv, and are warped towards evil. Some are redeemable, but most are not. Once they have succumbed, it is even harder to resist the nages.