#lanjari elf

A representation of The Many in its diversity.

Elves call themselves "The Many" in Elvish. They are a very diverse species, with several ethnicies and depending on who you ask, a subspecies too! High elves, tall and slender. Wood elves, curly-eared and rectangular. Cavelves, small, stout with their whiskers, fur and big ears. Their mixtures: plains elf, tundra elf, deep elf... and that's just describing a part of their genetic heritage.

Sun elf, high elf, tundra elf, coastelf, plains elf, northern woodself, southern woodself, Mixed- even drow. The Many has various names for its cultural groups.

Cavelves have historically never belonged to the Many. In recent times, with a clearer seperation between the species group cavelf and the cultural group drow, they have become more accepted. Even now, the politically correct term for cavelves is "The Few". Most other terms for them in Elvish are (originally) derogatory.

Left to right. Not including cultural groups- many of these people would not call themself the names given here.

Back row:

Plains elf tossing their child. A fey-blooded elf with a head covering and glasses. A chubby plains elf. A wood-elf with low ear curling expression. A high elf with bodymodded ears. A wood elf with a head covering. A very thin tundra elf. A high elf with cropped ears.

Middle:

A wood elf with dreadlocks.

Front row:

Many cultures dance. The dances are as varied as the people that perform them. In Lanjari, there are more dances than names for them! From top to bottom, left to right:

Dragonborn stomping dance. Performed in trios, this earthshaking rythm dance focuses on in-out movements, keeping beat, power, and generally having a very loud and fun time!

Elvish autumn dance. This duo dance is performed in four parts, one for each of the seasons. It is a graceful, illustrative performance that requires the dancers to be in sync, daring and very flexible. Dancers go lower and lower, all while keeping their leaf-shaped dangles spinning.

Dwarvish wrestle act. Some might call it a performance, some a dance, some a wrestling match- this powerful display of strength requires mock wrestling the partner with specific steps until a winner is declared by the audience. Moves include pushing, pulling, stomping in rythm, mirroring each others movements and loud yells.

Orc chant performance. This dance, performed with voice, shield and spear, is used to summon good luck and ferocity. It is an awesome display of weight, power and fast spear movements. Some call the chanting deafening, especially when performed in a large group.

Halfling jumping jig. Halflings specialize in fast-paced, tap-dance like footwork. This dance is focused on jumps with increasing complexity, all while keeping very tight beat! The first to lose their rythm and not make their way back to the dancing surface on the beat loses.

Bluebolt seated ribbon dance. Thought to have originated in a way to symbolise wings and soaring flight, this thin ribbon dance involves rolling and posing all while keeping the ribbon flowing beautifully.

NPCtember 11: A pair of newlywed elves, Sun and Moons. Finally, after almost a century of waiting. Her Moons. Her very own companion, now official. Ever since they were centurelings they had been together. Of course not without strive and fights and difficulties. But to live without one another was torture. She was sure- he was hers. And now, dressed in the astral blues and reds of their families and lordship... hers.

A wedding blessed by Spring, the elders said. Soon there would be a child. So they became Sun and Moons, spring and autumn- properly balanced to bring a new Star to the world. But that was for another time. Now, just him.

Elves are generally monogamous or strictly romantically involved with a few partners. They are socially allowed to have many partners as a centureling, but once they reach adulthood, they are expected to be strictly defined to their partner collective. High elf families are loosely organised into lordships based on family heritage. Elf weddings mark social changes, new partner collectives or the adoption of children. In the high elf society around the Stel, there are four recognized players in weddings. Weddings can have three or more players, and elves can go through several weddings in a lifetime.

The Sun is often the feminine player and related to the spring, the spark of beginning. The Earth is often the neutral or third gender and is related to the summer, the strong passion for life. The Moons is often the masculine player and is related to the autumn, the soft embrace of change. The Stars are generally children or elderly. They are related to the winter, both potential and fulfilling ends.

Romantic marriages are between the sun, earth and moons. They are more so linked to their cultural roles than their physical sex. "Star marriages" are adopting children or temporarily adopting a child from centurelings into your family group. A star marriage can also be elderly marrying each other, the rare remarrying, or adopting a new family elder.

The dark-haired elf here is (visibly) pregnant, and was assigned the Sun even though she usually assigns herself a non-binary gender both as elf and in other languages. This is more related to her social state than anything related to her physical sex. A amab elf that is actively raising children, taking a new step, or about to star a new career for example, could also be a Sun.

An elf parent gives children who played too rough some advice.

Elves are very caring for their young children. Elflins ears stand up at around 12 years of age. Until then, most elves in a community will care for elflins, but especially their parents or direct family. They are relient on parental care for the first twenty or so years of their life. Once they enter their centurling stage between twenty and adulthood, they are integrated into the community. The focus shifts from general education to finding their career, identity and adult purpose. They usually self-proclaim adulthood at a century of age, and take an adult name.

The sylvanoid sorrow response is wailing through the nose and chattering teeth. The lips tighten and the eyes can squint close on particularly intense moments. On adults, the ears will fold. Elflin ears are already folded, making them look the equivalent of puppy-eyed at all times.