Elf Clan

   You can find the Hall of Cosplay in the tunnels of Replicant City in high-sky ElvenSong on OSgrid.

    Cosplay is the art of dressing up as a favorite character (from just about any genre) and attending a science fiction / comic convention as that character.

    The costumes range from amazingly complex to just plain strange.   The Hall of Cosplay has over 250 photos of the best-of-the-best of Cosplay characters. Please feel free to visit the exhibit.  Is awesomesauce.

    But how is Cosplay done?  The following is a very brief beginner's guide of Cosplay methods to get one started.

HOW TO COSPLAY

    In cosplay there are several things to consider to make the convention fun:

    * First and foremost, consider physical necessities.  You have this awesome costume (or not so awesome, depending on your intent).  It took you months to create it, hours to put it on.  Now... how do you go to the bathroom, drink water or eat?  Keep physical necessities in mind.

    * Consider the cost of attending the convention in your overall calculations.  Shame to build a fantastic costume and not be able to attend a convention or three to show it off.

    * The costume is only part of it. The attitude and role play is equally important.

    * It's best to pick a part that fits you physically (not essential, but best). You can do this by either going with a match-- or an exact opposite (such as a girl playing an ogre, a guy playing Wonder Woman, or a small person playing a 40K Terminator).      It's usually either replication or satire that works.  But the wonderful thing about cosplay:  there are no rules.

    * You can cross genres if you're skillful. A steampunk Elf carrying a huge gun and and checking people out with a "stolen" sonic screwdriver can be a lot of fun. :D

    * Decide on whether you want a simple, "fun" costume (sometimes just a T-shirt and a hat) or an all-out, complex one.  Search the Internet for inspiration.  Read websites on "How to make a Cosplay Costume".  Look at YouTube.  there are hundreds or even thousands of sites telling you step by step how it's done, from simple to highly advanced.

    * Keep it comfortable. Be aware of the need for air flow, especially on the head. Wigs and hats will need ventilation.  Skullcaps are going to be very hot.

    Remember that conventions will range from hundreds to tens of thousands of people (the latest convention I attended had over 100,000 people attend in 3 days).   Each body literally generates the BTU of a small space heater (6000 to 8000 BTU).  This can make the environment very "chummy" very quickly.  If you have to, use battery-operated internal fans or neck-coolers to survive.

    * Keep the weight down. For example if playing an elf... you can carry a full-size solid-steel Elven sword (illegal at some conventions), or a realistic-looking plastic version.  Which is going to make your shoulders sore by the end of the day?

   Same with water and food.  You are going to need both water and food to keep your strength up.  Choose light-weight, high-calorie, high-nutrition versions.  You don't want to weigh your stomach down with expensive convention vendor food.

    * Be aware of size. It's difficult to navigate aisles in a wide petticoat-based dress or full-size Warhammer 40k armor.

    * When posing for a photo, rather than standing and smiling... try striking an appropriate-themed pose. For example with a Dr. Who outfit-- you can just stand there... or you can take a sonic screwdriver reading on someone posing with you, or offer a Jelly Baby to the photographer or someone nearby.

    A strange looking anime character can just stand there and look pretty-- or strike a pose that says, "THIS COSTUME ROCKS!"   Make the character live.   Be the character.  Themed poses are much more interesting for photos and may make the Internet.

    * You can spend almost nothing on a costume, or spend quite a bit (as in months of time and hundreds of dollars). Consider hobbies: most people spend quite a bit on their hobbies. A good costume usually requires either a lot of time and craft-- or monetary investment-- or both. It pays off in fun. Until one has cosplayed-- one hasn't really gotten into the spirit of a convention.

    * If you actually look like the character you'll get a lot more attention. One of the bonuses of my Doctor Who outfit was that I looked a bit like Tom Baker to start with. That helped pull off the overall appearance.  At one convention a large man with warts on his face... chose the part of an ogre, wearing burlap cloth.  People loved it.  Go with what you've got naturally!

    * Research the history of the character. People will make references and it helps to know what they're talking about.  Know your character's story through-and-through.  Study your character. Study the movements, facial expressions, make it your own.

    * It's neat to have something to give people who recognize  your costume, wear a great costume themseves, or for children dressed in costume. For me it was Jelly Babies. If you were an elf, you could have an Elven phrase printed on a nice little book marker and tell people it is guaranteed to protect them from Balrog attacks during the convention. It's humorous, cheap to have produced (computer / printer / scissors), and gives them a memento. You'll need a couple hundred such items (at least), so keep them small, lightweight and easy to produce. Most cosplayers don't offer such, so it will get you remembered and will give attendees a nice memento of the convention.  (There are Elvish translation websites on the Internet.)

    * Make sure any hat stays on your head without constantly falling off.

    * Beware long dress trains that people might step on.

    * Go all-out and enter the costume contest.  Register for such months ahead of time as many conventions run out of competition space.   Walk slowly across the stage, presenting to both audience and judges (who will usually be behind you).  Face the judges as well as the audience.  Address them directly and loudly enough the audience can hear (use a mike if necessary).  Avoid being ridiculous; have the character's mannerisms and spiel down pat. Practice, practice, practice.  Something fun / funny and even out-of-character is always remembered (think Hello Kitty with an AXE!).

    Costume contests are fun. Winning is icing on the cake-- and you never know what is going to strike the judge's fancy. Quite often it is more the presentation and attitude rather than the costume itself.

    That's about it. Just a few tips.  Be sure to visit the Hall of Cosplay and don't let the high-skill costumes intimidate you.  One of my favorites is a simple T-shirt that says, "Error 404-- Costume not found."

--o--

See end of article for explanations of the obscure.

GM: "That's not a moon.  It's a spaceship!"

Player: "Good.  Let's find a door, pick the lock and see if we can hijack it."

================

GM: "There is a bantha standing in the road."

Player: "I attack."

GM: "A bantha is a harmless beast of burden."

Player: "Great!  There's probably treasure in its pack.  I attack."

================

GM: "The force is strong in this one."

Player: "Really?  Okay then... I kill him now before he powers up."

================

Player: "I burst into the room.  How many droids do I see?"

GM: "Approximately 3,000."

Player: "I attack."

================

GM: "Do or do not.  There is no try."

Player: "What, no saving throw?"

================

Player: "I turn on the light sabre."

GM: "Roll to see if it's facing the right direction."

================

GM: "These aren't the droids you're looking for."

Player: "I just rolled a 20 against Force Will.  Yes they are."

GM: ....

================

Player: "Auntie Owen!  Uncle Beru!...  oh.... LEWT!"

================

EXPLANATIONS

    "Powering up" is marshalling one's strength / power / spells etc.  Sometimes it takes a minute or so to gather forces.  Other times... not so much.

    It is a common practice in gaming to "lewt" (loot) bodies after killing them.  No telling what kind of goodies one might find in the pockets.  Ignore the ethics-- this may mean survival or even gold!  Also ignore that you were first hired to track these guys down because they were lewting dead bodies...

    A "saving throw" is a last-chance effort at survival when all else has failed.  Successful, you're just unconscious or manage to evade an otherwise fatal blow.  Otherwise-- you're dead.  No saving throw means you can't possibly avoid the disaster.

    3000 droids:  gamers have been known to cast all common sense out the window-- in almost every instance.

--o--

A couple of members have understandably mentioned a recently announced event regarding "Druid Rituals"... and questioned if such conflicted with the Elf Clan Charter regarding "no religious activities".

I discussed this personally with the leaders of Chanwood and they were most informative and cooperative.  I think to begin this discussion a quote directly from them would be helpful.  Regarding their Druid roleplay and ceremonies, Chanwood states:

"They are no more intended to represent "true" druidism than wearing a sword is intended to express a desire to actually kill someone or promote real-life violence."

The distinction made here is to be noted... for there is an established but not-well-known difference between historical Druids and Druid fantasy mythos.  As everyone is aware, Elf Clan is a fantasy group which allows some crossover into areas such as science fiction, steampunk, post apocalyptic and other fantasy themes. Druid mythos would fall into that theme.

While it is entirely possible for Druid mythos to include religious elements, Chanwood assures me they are most aware of the Elf Clan Charter requirements and are careful to not cross that line.   I have come to trust their word and honor in such matters so see no need to examine the matter further.

DRUID MYTHOS

Very little is known about real life Druids.  The history is extremely scant and even authorities will admit that our "knowledge" of these ancient people are as much from legend and story as real-life archaeological evidence-- perhaps much more. 

Druid Mythos on the other hand is as rich and varied as Elven mythos.   While based on the lore of Druids, that's about as far as mythos goes.  That mythos can range all the way from "early scientists" to "human sacrificing monsters"... as is the case with Elves themselves (as Lord of the Rings fans will testify).  Just as we do not engage in "Elven Gods" or "Evil Elf" concepts... Chanwood's Druid roleplay stays away from the religious and evil side of Druid mythos.

ROLEPLAY IN ELF CLAN

I am not personally acquainted with the Chanwood Druid roleplay... but they are well acquainted with our Charter.  I have found few other roleplay groups as cooperative, friendly and harmonious as Chanwood, so I trust them to conduct such roleplay within the concepts of Elf Clan guidelines.   We recognize of course that in roleplay environments things may take place that are not precisely "Elf Clan" in concept. 

For example, during the Ork Wars many a lives were lost and lands ravaged... which of course has nothing to do with the actual harmony that exists in Elf Clan outside of such roleplay scenarios.  Most of us are well aware that in reality the Orks (when they are present) are our oldest and most loyal allies.   Such did not prevent us from having three rather hilarious and highly entertaining "Ork Wars".  Such is the method of RolePlay.

Thus, things which occur within Chanwood roleplay may not be 100% friendly, harmonious and respectful... nor should such be expected.  It is roleplay.   So long as blood does not gush, language is tempered and other major issues (such as occult, nationalistic, vampiric, modesty, religious etc) are adhered to, battles, ceremonies, plotting, backstabbing and downright unfriendly behavior are all part of the "game"... as roleplay is indeed a game. 

So my findings are there is no need for alarm or concern in this matter.   Chanwood is a trusted sub-group within our realm, they are very pro-Elf Clan and have been most cooperative in all of my communications with their group.   I have found I can discuss just about anything with them without offense either given or taken.  As one of the Eldar I find that most refreshing.

Chanwood assures us that any rituals, ceremonies, celebrations or otherwise will be kept within the terms of the Charter.   As their honor is established in our group and their word given in that, I have no reason to doubt or believe otherwise.  All members may rest assured that such has been examined and found to be standard roleplay concepts.  Their druid roleplay is of the fantasy/mythos nature and as such, is part of the fantasy theme that Elf Clan embraces.

Elf Clan Charter
 
 
Fantasy theme usually involves weapons of some kind. RPG (role playing games) are also often a part of fantasy groups.  Elf Clan also allows SciFi and Steampunk-based themes, which have their own type of gear.

Following are sensible, balanced weapons guidelines that allow you to enjoy your weaponry while protecting innocent bystanders.

 

ALLOWED:
* Decorative, non-functional weaponry
* Functional themed weaponry so long as not use against other members during normal activities
* Battle weaponry during battle events (archery, BattleMace, siege devices, castle defensive items, etc)

FORBIDDEN:
* Non-ornamental, active, abusive weaponry (griefer weapons).
* Non-fantasy weaponry (guns, bombs etc) except in appropriate-themed areas.
* Mass-damage weaponry (nukes)
 
There are exceptions to all of these. Please read below.
 
We wish you to enjoy your toys and to be able to properly test your weapons, but first and foremost this is a peaceful, relatively safe group. Please assist us in assuring that peace, with our thanks.
 
EXCEPTIONS:
* All fantasy-type weapons may be worn for decoration (so long as they are not against the Charter, ie--  occult weaponry, black magic items, etc).
 
* Guns may be tested on sandboxes or facing any sim edge where they can do no harm.
 
* We do occasionally have massive weapons-related events. Our most popular is the "Elven Magical Nuclear Missile" event. (You'll just have to see it to understand). We also have pirate parties where there is quite a bit of weapons use. There are also science fiction and steampunk regions where such are acceptable. And there are always the "Ork Wars"... which are rare but incredibly weaponry-intense events that are part of our fondest-remembered events.  Note that these are AUTHORIZED events. Doing the same thing in an unauthorized area or manner would be prohibited.
 
* You may use combat-type weapons at any time in areas specifically designed for that purpose (ie, battle arenas).
 
* You may demonstrate animation-only type weaponry anywhere, so long as such is not used against another person unless they are a willing participant (ie, ask permission first). Animation-type weaponry would be weapons that have special effects, but no ammunition of any kind. Please be considerate of others and do not use such devices at events, or where crowds are gathered.
 
* Using animated weapons on an unwilling victim will be considered a psychological attack and will be dealt with as griefing.
 
* You are hereby notified that dwagons, pixies and other tiny creatures tend to start pie and toilet paper fights at the drop of a hat. What can we say? They're critters. But you do have the right to ask them to stop if they're annoying you. However, you will find that if you ask politely (and maybe give them a cookie), they will give you pie and toilet paper devices with which to join in the fun.
 
* Target weaponry (archery, throwing spears, etc) MUST have the consent of your target before use. Yes, you must literally ask for-- and receive-- permission to use someone as a target. The exception of course, is if you both are packing. :D
 
Exception: pie fights do tend to start unannounced. It's just one of those things.
 
 
ROLE PLAYING CONCEPTS-- friendly and without attitude
 
These are THEMED sims, not Role Playing sims. "Role Playing" on these islands refer basically to character and dress. It is friendly role play, with people playing their parts-- or not-- as they feel so inclined. There is no requirement for "OOC" (out of character) chat, nor IC chat. The mode people speak in is according to their mood at the time.
 
There is to be no "rude" or abusive RP. Role players are welcome; "attitude" isn't. No role player should ever be rude to a guest or fellow Elf Clan member. No role player should ever attack anyone for any reason (with the exception of mutually condoned battle). No special tag is required to walk these lands. It's friendly RP.
 
What we mean is that if your character is ordinarily rude and offensive (ie, dwarven, ork, drow)-- Elf Clan is different. All of our races get along here. It is possible to be "politely horrendous" and humorous in such rather than abusively offensive. So even Orks are expected to keep themselves in check. It's totally okay for an Ork to say, "Arg... another pinkie!" It's not okay to say, "You're on my turf. Get out or I'll stomp you." That's not how our RP works.
 
Exception: During sponsored battles... all bets are off. But these are highly advertised and people are pretty much aware something major is going on. Even then, our warriors tend to be generally friendly, and more funny than antagonistic. :D
 

 
NOTE REGARDING ORCS, DWAGONS, PIXIES, WHELPS and other creatures:
 
Orcs swear they are never rude. We do not suggest disagreeing with them; they are after all, Orcs. Surprisingly, they are Elf Clan's oldest and most loyal allies. Same goes for dwagons and other tiny creatures. They do tend to do whatever they want to do. Please tolerate them. If one is bothering you, a polite cease-and-desist IM will usually do the trick.
 

 
--o--

Elf Clan Charter

TINIES, MER, DWARVES AND HOBBITS

TINIES

...were invented by Wynx Whiplash, Kage seraph and Noramyr Gullwing. Since that time many

merchants have created various forms of Tinies.  Tinies are characterized by three things:

1) Their form
2) Their type
3) Their nature

FORM. Tinies are made by distoring bodies, folding the abdomen, arms, legs feet and hands to make them as small as possible. Special animations are used to enable walking, running and other movement. Tinies are a genre all their own.

TYPE. Tinies can be of several types. While most tend to be small nimals, tinies can also include dwagons, mechs, chibi and a variety of other creatures. Small animals can either be baby in form (such as baby bears, puppies, kittens, piglets etc), they can also be adult small animals such as otter, ferrets, cats, rabbits and more.

NATURE. Tinies are nutz. I mean absolutely, bald-faced, play-in-the-mud looney. Think your "inner child" and then crank that up a few dozen notches.

I could say more about tinies, but I think it best to refer to an article which I'm told is considered fairly definitive of the genre. To learn more about tinies:  Tinies for Biggies

MERS
I am by no means the authority on merfolk, but I can relate how they have appeared in Elf Clan.

"Mer" as a term refers generally to half-human, half-fish (generally the top half is human, but that is flexible). The fish part can be scaled, shark, dolphin, whale, octopus, lobster or just about any aquatic creature.

Mer of course live primarily underwater, although in most instances they can magically turn their bottom half human and walk upon the land (they can do so at will, with no difficulty). On land, mer often appear to be fae in form (without the wings), but will almost always bear signs of the sea (green seaweed hair, scales at places on their skin, or sea-themed dress and jewelry). Their skin is quite often pastel blue or green in shade, although such can vary widely.

Most mer have limited magic, mainly in the ability to speak to, understand and command all aquatic creatures. Some however can exercise very intense power over water or anything water / sea / ocean related, exceeding even the Fae and Elven in control of water-based magic. The most powerful of Mer can create a monsoon or tidal wave.

In historical myth, others, such as sirens, are potentially dangerous or even deadly man-eaters (fortunately we have no such in Elf Clan). In Elf Clan all of our mer are easy-going and friendly and often come out on the land to visit with friends. While mer of legend are often nude, Elf Clan mer (in deference to our G rated theme) will always wear at the very least ample sea-shell covering, some even wearing entire corsets or clothing. Elf Clan mer tend to enjoy ornate decoration, especially in their hair.

Mer prefer to live underwater, usually in ornate abodes or even castles. Almost everything in their lives is sea / ocean themed, from their appearance to their jewelry to their property. A mer will tend to have a large clamshell to hold valuables rather than a treasure chest. Their bed will be in a huge oyster or clam shell. Water theme permeates everything mer. Mer tend to be rather rare... mainly due to the nature of our VR environment (most of our members are land based, and we are a rather social group).

So it's a rare individual that chooses to play mer as a primary role... although Eldar Peter Lioncourt has been working overtime to make mer feel more welcome.  Still, those who take a mer role will likely find most of their time spent in leg form, on land, with dips into the water only when they can no longer handle the dryness of the air.

DWARVES
In Elf Clan, dwarves are close friends of the Elven (as is the case with the Orcs). Dwarves are pretty much as crude, lewd and rough as the Orcs (within our G rated theme). However they are far more intelligent, being extremely skilled in mining and metalworking. They make the finest swords in creation. A dwarven sword enhanced by Elven magic is a powerful and rare weapon indeed.

Conceptually, the Elven are entranced with Dwarven metalwork, recognizing the skill and beauty. Elves acquire dwarven-mined Mithril silver... the finest metal on the planet (far, far more valuable than gold). As light as dust and far stronger than steel, mithril armor is the choice of Elven leaders.  Dwarven steel is no less desired, for while Mithril is scarce and expensive, Dwarven steel is more obtainable. No steel beats Dwarven steel.

Dwarves are short and stout, but not as short as most people think, averaging 4 to 5 ft in height.  Dwarves cannot swim (they are too stout to float) and are deathly afraid of water. They wear heavy, thick armor, which to their strong, intertwined muscles is as light as a feather. Dwarves are as strong as an Orc. They do not move quickly, but their movements are precise and full of power. A Dwarf with a battle axe or hammer (their preferred weapons) is a terrifying foe.

Dwarven women have beards, varying as widely as hairstyles vary among other races. Many like to braid their beard hair or decorate it with beads. Dwarven men consider such beards quite lovely; indeed, a woman without a beard to a dwarf is considered more of a girl and not all that attractive. The exception are elven maidens, whom the dwarves find so beautiful as to be astounding. But dwarves view such with the utmost respect... and prefer to stick to their own when choosing a mate. For while Elven have an unearthly beauty, they are considered far too "fragile" to make good Dwarven wives.

Few of our members play a regular dwarf, since they are by nature smaller and less physically appealing to most virtual players. But those who do play dwarves usually do so with incredible detail and richness of character.

Dwarves have very limited magic, but what they have is powerful. They can use magic to fire their forges, to enhance their weapons, and dig their mines. Most other magic  they really don't care about, preferring a good, sharp axe to a magic spell when in a fight.

HOBBITS
Hobbits are quite a bit smaller than dwarves, averaging 3 to 4 ft in height, and are not nearly as stout. From a distance a hobbit can be mistaken for a portly child, both in size and features, for their faces tend to look younger than they really are. Hobbits are a wholly unremarkable race, preferring to spend their days in leisure, growing food, eating, growing more food, eating again, smoking pipes, drinking ale, telling tales and sleeping.

Their one claim to fame is the undeniable courage shown in the War of the Rings... in which four selfless Hobbits were responsible for saving all of the other races from the evils of Sauron. For this reason, Hobbits are greatly respected by all the other races, the debt of Frodo and the Fellowship far too great to ever be forgotten. This gave the largely unnoticed hobbits a sense of self-respect, and while they still have no desire for fame outside of their dining halls, they now as a race hold their heads a little higher, and never, ever, deny a young Hobbit the right to explore if he so desires (although they still consider such a bit of foolishness).

As a result we have the occasional Hobbit visit Elf Clan. They usually show up out of nowhere and disappear just as quickly. They are of course most welcome to stay for as long as they wish and even make their home here.

Hobbits have one remarkable trait: they by far set the finest feasts... and they without question make the very best ale in all the lands. No one even comes close to Hobbit ale. That is their true claim to fame and their primary trading material. Even the Orcs will admit that the Hobbits make one fine brew, and because of that saving grace have given their word to no longer bar-b-que Hobbits, for as much as Orcs love the taste of Hobbit, they love the taste of Hobbit ale even more.

(Nevertheless, Orcs have at times been known to make a Hobbit "dummy" out of pig and roast it over a fire... remembering fun times past.)

Hobbits in Elf Clan usually take the role of travelers, sometimes merchants, or sometimes are a temporary role just out of curiosity. They are highly respected in our group, for obvious reasons. Playing a good Hobbit role is challenging, for as with the role of "human" there is no absolutely clear definition. So usually one playing a Hobbit needs to figure out a personality and trade behind the character.

--o--

part 1

part 2

part 3

Elf Clan Charter

 
ELF CLAN ROLES
In general, roles in Elf Clan are that of form more than of action. We are considered a "theme" group rather than heavy "role playing".

The Dwagons are very role-oriented by nature, as are the pixies, orcs and dragons. Other roles are more open and non-precise. Elf Clan is often referred to as being more easy-going and laid-back than other groups. Rather than focusing on story-drama and sexuality (which often forms the center of other fantasy groups), Elf Clan members tend to simply enjoy one another's company.

Our roles tend to be skin-deep, our nature open and friendly, and our members in general tend to be shape shifters more than in other groups. Rather than defining roles for our members, we allow our members to define themselves. No one is barred from Elf Clan or these lands because of their preferred form or activity (so long as such respects our charter... which specifies accepted conduct in our home).  So these are just general outlines of our primary roles-- roles that we see people adopting on a regular basis. To get a flavor for what Elf Clan is and what role you may wish to adopt, visit ElvenSong Castle in Inworldz (or ElvenMyst castle in Second Life), grab a tour document, and visit all the places shown. It is likely something within will tweak your interest-- and you will discover the role that you yourself will develop.

ELVES, ORKS and DWAGONS
"What is an Elf?" is the question most commonly asked in Elf Clan. It's a valid question, for the concept of "elf" is not clearly defined in the roles of fantasy literature. Most commonly recognized are Tolkien Elves from Lord of the Rings, but those are obviously not the Elven of English literature, much less "Keebler Elves".

These are by no means the only roles available, nor are they "set" definitions. There are just generalized concepts of typical roles that have formed in our group over the years. They can be altered or added to at personal whim.

ELF CLAN ELVEN
Elf Clan Elves take primarily three classifications:

HIGH ELVEN. Not named because of rank, but because of choice of environment. The High Elven tend to carve their abodes out of the solid rock of mountains... high places.  In the past Elf Clan has always resided in "mountainous" type landscapes with large hills, mountains and waterfalls throughout. This environment was more apparent on the old sims of ElvenHearth and ElvenHope... and on our current Inworldz sims of ElvenGlen, ElvenHope and several other mountainous regions.

High Elven are often typified by their style of dress, which is flowing, luxurious and highly ornamented. Rich colors and embroidery decorate their clothing, and highly decorated armor in battle. Unlike Tolkien Elven, Elf Clan Elves consider dwarves close friends and often trade with them to obtain the finest metalworks.

Physically our High Elven closely parallel Tolkien's elves. Both males and females tend to be tall and slender. Three times stronger than mankind, lightning reflexes, unerring accuracy and balance. Our Charter has HONOR as its first point, which is the core principle of all our society.

The High Elven spend more time in intellectual pursuits so can be powerful wielders of earth magic... almost the equal of dragons and unicorns (but not quite).

 
FOREST ELVES. The Forest Elves are the same "race", but prefer to live in wooded areas. This has become more common on our Inworldz lands where we have vast forest areas in numerous regions. The Forest Elves prefer to wear less ornate, simpler clothing, preferring comfort to beauty. They enjoy rich neutral colors such as brown, tan, yellow, orange, green or red for highlights, and tend toward sturdy cloth and leather as their daily wear as their lifestyle is more physically demanding than the high elves. Their forest magic is powerful, though perhaps not quite as developed as the high elven. Physically they are somewhat stronger than the High Elven and tend to be more practiced in arts of weaponry.

DROW. The Drow in Elf Clan tend to be highly individualistic. They are a different race of Elves, more like very distant cousins of the other Elves. Some claim the Drow are a mixture of Elves and Dark Fae, but that is unverified. Others state the Drow are "fallen" Elven (a Tolkien concept, but equally unverified in Elf Clan). In Elf Clan we tend to consider the Drow as a race of Elven that turned to dark arts and evil under the reign of Sauron, then changed their ways when they discovered Elf Clan lands.  Their skin can range in color from gray to blue to violet. Their ears tend to be much longer and more pointed than other Elves. Eyes are usually white, steel, violet or red. Hair can be white, blue, violet or black. The Drow tend to focus more on physical pursuits than magical or intellectual. They prefer to live in caverns either in mountainous  areas or deep underground.

NIGHT ELVEN. Very rare, the Night Elven are a form of Drow which are solid black from head to toe and look more like walking shadows than Elves. They wander the  forests at night and are extremely powerful in magic, perhaps even moreso than the High Elven. Night Elven are very rare in these lands, hardly ever seen (which is as they prefer it). They are by no means evil, but neither do they tend to be social (with some exceptions).  It is almost impossible to capture and hold a night elven... suicidal in fact. Of our Elven races, the Night Elven, while living in peace with all, are the most dark, both in appearance and nature.

The Night Elven and their characteristics are a pure Elf Clan-created character. Without lore precedence, these were created in the early days of Second Life as a protective role in Elf Clan. Their claws carried enough punch power to knock a griefer across three sims. Their totally black appearance-- in those days-- was a very intimidating avatar. Between the Elven Elite Guard and the Night Elven-- Elf Clan was well protected and developed a reputation for no-nonsense and zero tolerance when it came to griefing.

That's the Elven. Now for the other races.

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