ELVES

Though present in the Iron Kingdoms, Elves are rare, reclusive, and xenophobic. There are two main groups of Elves, the Iosans (who maintain a strictly-guarded forest kingdom with no trade or contact with the outside world) and the Nyss (a small population of arctic Elves that engage in little commerce with other races, including the Iosans). As a consequence of their xenophobia, half-elves are almost non-existent. Both forms of elves originally descend from a much more ancient elven civilization that was destroyed several thousand years before human recorded history. The majority of the Nyss Elves have recently become corrupted by the Dragon EverBlight and the survival of the race is in question.

The Elves of Ios have a set of gods, each governing particular aspects of the calendar, with spheres of influence such as day, night, and the individual seasons. The ancient elven kingdom of Lyoss attempted to create a bridge to the realm of the elven gods and thus bring them to Caen physically, so that they might better aid the elven people. The Bridge of Worlds allowed the elven gods to traverse the boundary between Caen and Urcaen. In so doing, a great disaster struck the world and the Gate is assumed to have exploded destroying the elven kingdom and many of its' inhabitants. The gods ushered their surviving people to another place but being unable to return to their celestial realm were rapidly losing their powers. The gods eventually departed their people to seek a way to return home. A long time passed without word until a terrible accident occurred, the nature of which is unknown, which caused most of the elven clerics to lose communication with their gods. Only worshipers of Nyssor and Scyrah, goddess of spring, continue to receive spells and the blessing of their Deity.