| |||||||||||||||||||||||
| [Source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||
The Avariel, also known under the name of Winged Elves, are a sub-race of Elves that reside on the highest peaks of Arda's mountain ranges. As a member of the Firstborn Races, the Avariel were once allied with Morgoth along with both the drow and the tieflings in his campaign against Eru Ilúvatar, though they were hit harder than the rest of the Firstborn in terms of lives lost and now hate him. The race of the Avariel are ruled by a Skylord, or Skylady, from their Capital city of Caras Enel (Sindarin, City of the Sky). They have been noted to worship Manwë, the highest of the Valar.
Physical Description[]
Avariel are much more delicate in terms of body builds than their earth-bound cousins, with hollow bones to aid their flight. They have pale skin, often an almost porcelain shade of white. An avariel's wings are usually white, but can be black, brown or even speckled. Avariel are also known to practice the dyeing of wing tips in all the colors of the rainbow, though grays, blacks, blues and yellow seem to be favored above any other colors. Their eyes are slightly larger than normal and range in color from brilliant blues to green or purple. Their hair color normally is a silver-white or black.
Avariel are also said to have the most beautiful voices of all the Elven Races, and their songs are greatly sought after by bards of Arda's other inhabitants. Especially the drow have been noted to be rather fond of trapping Avariel Elves on the ground to enslave them solely for their skilled voices.
Avariel Society[]
The Avarian society is split into two groups which coexist together:
- The War Tribe
- Consisting mostly of Avariel warriors, these Winged Elves are geared towards war and power, answering to a war chiefs who govern Avariel society equally with the religious leaders. They live by a complex code of honor and spend their entire lives defending their race. In combat, these avariel show no mercy, often using ranged attacks from above and believing that others should know better than to create an enemy of a superior foe, such as themselves. They also view surrender to be dishonorable (for both themselves as well as their enemies), holding the idea that when a warrior draws blood, it is a promise of battle.
- The Cloud Tribe
- The other side of the Avariel society includes solely scholars, philosophers and artists. Intellectuals who believe in solving problems through reason and diplomacy, these Avariel spend much time researching magic and history, contemplating religion and worshiping Manwë, and producing art for the sheer joy and pleasure of creation.
The young members of the Avariel race spend much time immersed in both cultures (this can last over a few decades), so that no matter what sect they come from, they have a deep understanding and respect of how the other half lives.