Elf culture is divided into three major bloodlines:
Sylvar Elves
These elves are believed to have been named because of their silvery or white hair. They are the oldest and most pure of the elf bloodlines. These elves are so connected to the forests of Ayamao that they find it physically and emotionally draining to be apart from the trees for very long. As a result, very few sylvar elves leave Sith’a’niel or its surrounds, and those that do return at least once a year. Stories persist of sylvar elves who were stranded from their beloved homes for periods longer than two years it is said they wept continuously until they could return. They are the least likely to have romantic affiliations with humans or other races, as they seek to continue their pure line. However, they are much more likely to form friendships with other races than are the pyran elves. They have a deep-seeded hatred for the deep elves beyond that of any other bloodline.
Pyran Elves
Tracing the ancestry of pyran elves will usually result in finding either one or two dalliances with a human. This erases the mark of the silvery hair that the pure bloodline holds. It also weakens the bond with their native forests. These elves are more free to travel, and many of them do travel in order to be further from their sylvar elf cousins. They see their impure past as a mark of shame, and usually work very diligently to prove their worth. Pyran elves are fiercely proud, and try not to associate with the ‘lesser’ races who were the root of their impurity. Because of their travels, though, they are more likely to eventually find love amongst those few they might befriend than are the sylvar elves.
Common Elves
They know that the other two bloodlines look down their noses at them, but don’t much seem to care. Their ancestry might include a handful or more humans or half-elves with their elf heritage still a majority. They are the most common bloodline, and the most likely to be seen travelling and adventuring. Common elves freely associate with other races, and have no qualms about forming a romantic bond. They also have the least connection to Ayamao, and some have never even set foot in their ancestral home. They are also best able to tolerate the presence of deep elves.