Elf

Etymology and definition

Biology

Elves were one of the few near-human races that have differentiated from baseline stock enough to be considered a new species in the human genus rather than simply a subspecies. They can easily be described for having pointy ears and slender bodies. While many Germanic myths depict them as about 1.4-1.7 metres on average height, some fantasy stories portray them much shorter or even slightly taller than humans.

Subspecies

In Norse mythology, elves are separated into two subspecies: light elves and dark elves. Light elves originated from the peaceful realm of Alfheim. They had snow white skin, and they were peaceful in nature. Dark elves, the second elf race, were native to the dark realm of Svartalfheim. They had dark brown to jet black skin, and they were more aggressive in nature.