Power in the Elven Deep is not inherited by blood alone. It is earned through arcane mastery, political manipulation, and prophetic vision. Every Elf is a thread in the great work of restoration.
The ancient dynasties of Dark Elves who rule Vel’Kyra’thel from crystal cities deep beneath the mountains. Ebony-skinned and white-haired, they govern through the Circle of Nightglass. Power is earned through arcane mastery and political acumen, not mere birth. Their singular purpose: the restoration of Elven immortality through the careful manipulation of the surface world.
Those who have undergone the Ritual of Veiled Ascension. High Elves are crafted for human courts — pale, elegant infiltrators who serve as advisors, scholars, and mages while secretly advancing the will of Thalrien. Forest Elves blend with orcish tribes, guiding them from within across generations. Loyalty to the Deep remains absolute.
The unascended foundation of Elven society: soldiers, artisans, scholars, scouts, and operatives. They are literate, educated in the Great Work, and trained in basic spellcraft. While bound to their caste, exceptional service can elevate individuals within military or arcane orders.
Those who survived failed or partial Ascension. Marked by arcane scars and instability, they are not discarded but revered as living martyrs. They serve as zealots, spies, and guardians, their suffering seen as a path to greater purpose in the restoration of immortality.
All castes ultimately serve the restoration of Elven immortality. Surface races are tools to be shaped — or obstacles to be removed. Even the Hollowed believe their suffering brings the wheel closer to its turning.