Forest-dwellers of northeastern Criozevan. Unified under the Darkmane Family until internal corruption split the realm and created The Fallen.
Features: Grey/obsidian skin, bioluminescent eyes, carved ears.
The light of the Crimson Convergence was lethal to Elves β every elf it touched died instantly. Surviving elves retreated into the thick forests beneath the shadow of the Jagged Mountains. Over generations, they evolved into the Darkmane Elves.
Culture: Poison rites, blood-bond rituals, soul binding. Factions: ambush clans, reclusive pacifists, poison-brewers.
Social Structure: Tribal warbands led by eldest living Darkmane family member. Some regions use trial-by-duel.
Magic / Tech: Draw corrupted energy from abandoned Golem runes. Abilities: Shadowstep, silence binding, toxin shaping.
Combat: Guerilla warfare, traps, poison-laced daggers. Stealth doctrines and animal familiars.
Relations: Distrusted by Goldhelms, avoided by traders. Uneasy pacts with certain Arashi members.
Religion: Ancestral spirit worship. No central priesthood; each clan interprets omens independently.
Language: Nualthyr (clan-dialects with tonal variance). Spoken secretly among elves who do not wish to be understood.
Status: DECLINING β Strongholds: Grousea, Wrediff. Threats: internal infighting, magic corruption, cultural collapse.