Fiction:The Firmament/Wood Elf

"When the old lords fled for their lives, we remained. The World Tree spoke to us - rewarded us for our loyalty. We have become one with the wilds, and we will remain its stauch defenders from those who would defile it. The enemies of nature deserve no mercy."

- Taneadvar Thornwing, Wild-King of Eondrassana

The wood elves (Elven: Eorsan) are one the cultures of elves of Telamon. They rule over the ancestral kingdom of Eondrassana in the eastern continent of Dryadala, serving as the guardians of the World tree Eondrassla.

Biology
Wood elves share the same characteristics of their brethren, for they all belong to the same species; they are tall, slender humanoids, elegant in both appearance and movement and possessing of an almost supernatural grace. Compared to others elves, the Eorsan have fair skin, the shortest stature - though are still taller than men - and, most notably, antlers growing from the sides of their heads.

History
See Elven History

The Wood Elves are the descendants of the Elves who remained in Dryadala after the exodus of the high elves who remained close to the World Tree through the Great Eondrassana War, believing they should not leave it undefended against the orcs and rakash. Following the end of the Great War, a portion of these elves travelled north to guard the borders of the continent, becoming the ashen elves, while the rest remained settled near Eondrassla. Over the course of the next generations, these Elves grew more and more attuned to nature, as if blessed by the World Tree, until they had changed into a new form which mixed their bodies with aspects of the wilderness; such was the birth of the Wood Elves.

Culture
Utterly dedicated to the protection of nature and the World Tree, the wood elves are seen as the most 'savage' of their kind; rather than grand towers of white marble and gold trimming, their cities are made of magically warped trees, and rather than expensive, opulent clothes and jewelry, they dress themselves in leaves, leather and decorate themselves with bone, rocks and feathers. That is not to say they are lacking in sophistication, for their retain the interests in religion, entertainment, nobility and politics which the other Elves are known for, though the wood elves primarily consider themselves warriors and guardians above all else.

Religion
The Wood Elves are the only elven culture who still worships the Elven Pantheon in its entirely. However, their worshipping customs treats all deities as more neutral than they actually are, and their true devotion is largely reserved for the World Tree Eondrassla, with the gods seen as part of the Tree's branches and roots.

Relations with other races
Due to their protective and secluded nature, the wood elves are wary of other races unless they are certain they prove no threat to the World Tree. They retain close contact and friendship with the ashen elves, and among the humans of the Lechnerlands, they are more often seen interact with Waldland; the wood elves are said to have taught the Waldlanders the arts of druidism, an act which ensured the humans' collaboration in keeping the wilds safe. The dwarves see them as odd and confusing, while the elves see them as petty and uncaring in turn. The Eorsan despise Greenskins above all other elves, and any orc or goblin spotted by them is bound to be killed on sight.