The Ward Elves, whom I formerly named the Guardians, are similar to the High Elves in terms of their biology, manner of ascension, access to magic and close fellowship with Eleyon. However, they made the fateful decision to remain among the Fallen instead of removing themselves into bliss.
Those who made the decision to become Ward Elves did so out of a genuine concern for the wellbeing of the Fallen. When they heard the judgements proclaimed on the Fallen, their hearts were moved to sympathy and they grew concerned for how the Fallen would survive under so harsh a ban. These Elves had hope, hope for the goodness that remained in the Fallen, hope for the image of Eleyon that still existed, albeit distorted, in their disgraced kin.
The hope that the Ward Elves had was hard to justify, for it becomes increasingly evident that the Fallen as a whole, increasingly turn away from the will of Eleyon. But, there was beauty in what remained intact while all else crumbled. Courage in spite of adversity, generosity in spite of poverty, hope in spite of suffering. For whatever virtues remained within the Fallen became brilliant sparks in the deepening darkness. In seeing those virtues, the Ward Elves were encouraged, but as time wore on, fewer and fewer of those virtues remained intact.
In the Age of Light, the Ward Elves lived among the Remnant of the Fallen, who were still faithful to Eleyon. And they dwelt in the forested city of Ilvaris. The Ward Elves played the role of arbiter and judge among the people of Ilvaris, because they could hear the prompting of Eleyon when they made decisions. In addition, their ability to sense emotions and thoughts, while vague when trying to understand the Fallen, was still a significant advantage in discerning the truth. Among the Ward Elves, they could sense each other's thoughts and emotions clearly, but the higher senses were clouded when it came to the darkened minds of the Fallen.
The Ward Elves had children of their own, which sometimes proved problematic when the younger Elves did not share the same temperament as their parents, wishing instead to be removed to the cities of the High Elves. So it was that a path was made for these elves, and it wound its way westward out of the Cradle and over the mountains. It was not open to the Fallen, for when it reached the mountainside, there were gates sealed by magic, which only the elves, who had magical skill, could open.
Those who left dwelt near the Cradle, to the west, and cared for the land there as they had long desired, raising it into natural beauty. However, the lands around the Cradle never equaled the full prime of the High Elvish dominions of the Far Continent. This was mostly due to the limited time with which the Ward Elves were able to bless the land before the arrival of the Fallen in the Age of Water.
By the end of the Age of Light, the Ward Elves had all departed and renamed themselves the Grief Elves, for most of their hope in the ways of the Fallen was disappointed and they suffered much in the wars between the Radiant and the Zealots. After the Deluge, some remained behind to repair the damage to the land, but most of the Ward Elves sought out their High Elf siblings. Since there were High Elven cities towards the south, many headed there and mingled with the High Elves until their long years of toil were but a memory. After a short rest in these lands, many headed east, over the sea, to reach the Far Continent and dwelt their in bliss. They rested, drank of the Spirit Cup and waited until their call for ascension.
Among those who remained were, ironically enough, were the first Elves to depart from the Cradle. They had dwelt long in the land west of the Cradle and had grown to love it. Wishing to see it restored, they remained to reestablish the forests. Other than that, the original Ward Elves who had survived also remained. However, they were soon faced with the first arrivals of the Scattered from the Cradle. The Scattered were the Fallen who did not heed the call of Alaris, and became the first wave of Fallen humans to leave the Cradle. They were not very aggressive peoples, and dwelt beside the Elves and aided them in their labours for a time. But the Grief Elves never again mingled and stayed in the same cities as the Scattered, for they were wary of the Fallen.
At the end of the Age of Water, the Elves could no longer remain a significant presence in the lands around the Cradle. Their rule of the land had to give way to the Alarians in the second wave of dispersal of the Fallen. Unlike the people of the first wave, the Alarians were proud and aggressive, and they wished to seize the land for themselves. The pacifist Elves yielded to the violent Alarians, and many more departed over the sea to the Far Continent in this time. Soon, there were no more permanent Elvish dwellings to be found in the lands near the Cradle.
Now the only Elves who remained mostly consisted of the original Ward Elves a few more of the younger Elves who also felt the call to aid the Fallen in their struggle. They became wanderers, traveling wisemen who were the source of myths about wizards and witches. For in the ignorance of the Age of Rulers, the Fallen forgot who the Elves were and could not discern their benevolent intent. But as the Age of Rulers progressed, the Wanderers became fewer and fewer in number. They were lost to violence, or departed over the sea, and a few were called to ascension after finding a secluded hermitage to rest. They ascended despite never having drank of the Spirit Cup, because grace was given to them to find rest from their long labours. Some persisted in outlying lands until the Age of the Church, even longer than the High Elvish dominions, but not for much longer than that. And so the influence of the Elves in Eldwan was finally ends and the whole earth was given over to the Fallen.
Those Elves who were unfortunate enough to suffer a physical death were simply allowed to transit straight into the Realm of the Soul, for their spirits were still pure. Their only problem was that they were less prepared for the Realm of the Soul than the Elves who matured through the whole process to reach typical ascension. The Elves who arrived prematurely had to be given special provision to acclimatise themselves to their new medium of existence, and this was not without some degree of mental anguish. But when they completed their transition, they were honoured by Eleyon, Ilvesu and the host of the Wevel for giving the ultimate sacrifice in their service.
In the Age of Light, the Ward Elves lived among the Remnant of the Fallen, who were still faithful to Eleyon. And they dwelt in the forested city of Ilvaris. The Ward Elves played the role of arbiter and judge among the people of Ilvaris, because they could hear the prompting of Eleyon when they made decisions. In addition, their ability to sense emotions and thoughts, while vague when trying to understand the Fallen, was still a significant advantage in discerning the truth. Among the Ward Elves, they could sense each other's thoughts and emotions clearly, but the higher senses were clouded when it came to the darkened minds of the Fallen.
The Ward Elves had children of their own, which sometimes proved problematic when the younger Elves did not share the same temperament as their parents, wishing instead to be removed to the cities of the High Elves. So it was that a path was made for these elves, and it wound its way westward out of the Cradle and over the mountains. It was not open to the Fallen, for when it reached the mountainside, there were gates sealed by magic, which only the elves, who had magical skill, could open.
Those who left dwelt near the Cradle, to the west, and cared for the land there as they had long desired, raising it into natural beauty. However, the lands around the Cradle never equaled the full prime of the High Elvish dominions of the Far Continent. This was mostly due to the limited time with which the Ward Elves were able to bless the land before the arrival of the Fallen in the Age of Water.
By the end of the Age of Light, the Ward Elves had all departed and renamed themselves the Grief Elves, for most of their hope in the ways of the Fallen was disappointed and they suffered much in the wars between the Radiant and the Zealots. After the Deluge, some remained behind to repair the damage to the land, but most of the Ward Elves sought out their High Elf siblings. Since there were High Elven cities towards the south, many headed there and mingled with the High Elves until their long years of toil were but a memory. After a short rest in these lands, many headed east, over the sea, to reach the Far Continent and dwelt their in bliss. They rested, drank of the Spirit Cup and waited until their call for ascension.
Among those who remained were, ironically enough, were the first Elves to depart from the Cradle. They had dwelt long in the land west of the Cradle and had grown to love it. Wishing to see it restored, they remained to reestablish the forests. Other than that, the original Ward Elves who had survived also remained. However, they were soon faced with the first arrivals of the Scattered from the Cradle. The Scattered were the Fallen who did not heed the call of Alaris, and became the first wave of Fallen humans to leave the Cradle. They were not very aggressive peoples, and dwelt beside the Elves and aided them in their labours for a time. But the Grief Elves never again mingled and stayed in the same cities as the Scattered, for they were wary of the Fallen.
At the end of the Age of Water, the Elves could no longer remain a significant presence in the lands around the Cradle. Their rule of the land had to give way to the Alarians in the second wave of dispersal of the Fallen. Unlike the people of the first wave, the Alarians were proud and aggressive, and they wished to seize the land for themselves. The pacifist Elves yielded to the violent Alarians, and many more departed over the sea to the Far Continent in this time. Soon, there were no more permanent Elvish dwellings to be found in the lands near the Cradle.
Now the only Elves who remained mostly consisted of the original Ward Elves a few more of the younger Elves who also felt the call to aid the Fallen in their struggle. They became wanderers, traveling wisemen who were the source of myths about wizards and witches. For in the ignorance of the Age of Rulers, the Fallen forgot who the Elves were and could not discern their benevolent intent. But as the Age of Rulers progressed, the Wanderers became fewer and fewer in number. They were lost to violence, or departed over the sea, and a few were called to ascension after finding a secluded hermitage to rest. They ascended despite never having drank of the Spirit Cup, because grace was given to them to find rest from their long labours. Some persisted in outlying lands until the Age of the Church, even longer than the High Elvish dominions, but not for much longer than that. And so the influence of the Elves in Eldwan was finally ends and the whole earth was given over to the Fallen.
Those Elves who were unfortunate enough to suffer a physical death were simply allowed to transit straight into the Realm of the Soul, for their spirits were still pure. Their only problem was that they were less prepared for the Realm of the Soul than the Elves who matured through the whole process to reach typical ascension. The Elves who arrived prematurely had to be given special provision to acclimatise themselves to their new medium of existence, and this was not without some degree of mental anguish. But when they completed their transition, they were honoured by Eleyon, Ilvesu and the host of the Wevel for giving the ultimate sacrifice in their service.
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