Spire Elves

The elves in the east are proud members of the oldest surviving civilization. Though they are disunited people, each pledging allegiance to their city-state, their Spire. Despite this they share a rich  cultural tradition and a disregard for the world outside the hegemony of their race. They are only called Spire Elves by outsiders, a name derived from the ornate towers which rise up in the center of their cities, they identify themselves by the Spire they call home.

Each spire governs according to their own customs though the most common form of government is an Oligarchy.  The Sidean model is popular, named for the ancient elven philosopher who proposed it.  Sidean Spires have a chamber of lords, representative Chiefs of the great households who rule, and the chamber of elders, the old and wise elves who debate, study and consult portents to guide the young and bold Spire Lords.

Most conflict between spires is short and decisive. The Spire Elves fancy themselves artisans rather than warriors so most spires have very few professional soliers. The bulk of a Spire elf army is made up of citizen phalangites doing their civic duty in defense of their home. Archery and horseback riding are much more difficult skills to master. The elf archers are the guards and police in civil times and the elite warriors in time of war. The cavalry are made up of young members of noble houses and they form well trained and equipped units of cataphracts.

The elves, as a whole, are fascinated with astrology. Many of their greatest philosophers were astrologers. Outside of that field man elves undergo formal and somewhat detached studies of magic and the Feyfolk. Other than that most elven intellectuals are consumed with their own cultural and intellectual tradition reflecting and commenting on the great elven poets and the wonderful hidden meaning in the architecture of the spires.

The elves themselves are exceedingly fair and graceful and their bodies do not fail as man's does. They do age though and with age comes long straight beards and silver hair. They often describe aging as growing weary and death at old age to them is like crawling into a warm bed after an arduous day.

The Spire Elves worship the ancient Gods of the Fey. Their religion is not zealous. They give to the gods their due in a matter of fact attitude with only skin deep reverence. Many elves have a belief that their race is on a slow ascent to god-hood, and they will continue to perfect their knowledge of the world until such time as they are the spiritual masters of it.