Elves are the chosen species of Luma. Elves originate from the Defersi Desert in central Xersia, and have since migrated across most of Mezia but remain most common in central Xersia and central Lamaris. They generally have a preference for living in places with plenty of sunlight.
Early elves were desert nomads, migrating between oases and spending much of their time in direct sunlight. The elves' range grew as their population did, and eventually they migrated out of the desert and some established more permanent settlements. Elven culture is very focused on the Ancient Gods, especially Luma, so their settlements were always centered on a place of worship. Zaman Sanctum in western Defersi is one of the few ancient elven temples to remain standing.
Most other species regard elves as examples of unyielding devotion to the Ancient Gods. Throughout the entire Behemoth Era, elves have travelled across Mezia on pilgrimages to spread the legends of the Ancients, offer a message of hope, and build new shrines or temples dedicated to the Ancients. Elves are known to be polite and helpful guests, though they can get a bit preachy.
Elven physiology is similar in most aspects to humans. The elven body consists of a head, neck, and torso, with two arms and two legs. Elves have almost no hair on their bodies, and have almost transparent skin. They are able to absorb some of the sun's energy and use it, and their cells are resistant to the harmful effects of UV rays. Elves are sexually dimorphic: males are generally faster while females have higher stamina. Most adult elves are between 170-222 cm (5'7"-7'3") tall, with females often being much taller than males. Elves reach sexual maturity at around 35 years old and have an average lifespan of 163 years.
Elves are omnivorous, capable of eating a wide variety of plant material and getting most of their protein from insects. Elves can survive for up to nine days without water, and indefinitely without food as long as they have plenty of water and sunshine and don't expend much energy. Elves are generally diurnal, and usually sleep from shortly after sunset until just before sunrise, lasting anywhere from four to eleven hours. For elves, a daytime birth is usually painless and low risk, but if a birth happens at night there is a very low survival chance for the mother and child. Elven children are raised communally, spend much of their time with children of similar ages, and are offered a great amount of freedom to learn and explore.
Like all creatures, genes and the environment influence biological variation in visible characteristics, physiology, disease susceptibility, mental abilities, body size, and life span. Though elves vary in many traits, any two elves are at least 99% genetically similar.