Elves

An elf is a creature of mythology. Elves were originally thought of as a race of minor nature and fertility gods, who are often pictured as youthful-seeming men and women of great beauty living in forests and underground places and caves, or in wells and springs. They have been portrayed to be long-lived or immortal and as beings of magical powers. In Norse mythology the elves appear to have been conceived as powerful and beautiful human-sized beings. Crossbreeding was possible between elves and humans in the Old Norse belief. The notion of elves thus appears similar to the animistic belief in spirits of nature and of the deceased.  The elves of Norse mythology have survived into folklore mainly as females, living in hills and mounds of stones. The elves are typically pictured as fair-haired, white-clad and (like most creatures in the Scandinavian folklore) nasty when offended. In order to protect themselves against malevolent elves, Scandinavians could use a so-called Elf cross. It existed in two shapes, one was a pentagram and the second form was an ordinary cross carved onto a round or oblong silver plate. This second kind of elf cross one was worn as a pendant in a necklace and in order to have sufficient magic it had to be forged during three evenings with silver from nine different sources of inherited silver. The elves could be seen dancing over meadows, particularly at night and on misty mornings. They left a kind of circle where they had danced, which were called älvdanser (elf dances) or älvringar (elf circles). Typically, elf circles were fairy rings consisting of a ring of small mushrooms, but there was also another kind of elf circle: On lake shores, where the forest met the lake, you could find elf circles. They were round places where the grass had been flattened like a floor. Elves had danced there. By Lake Tisaren. It could be dangerous and one could become ill if one had trodden over such a place or if one destroyed anything there.

If a human watched the dance of the elves, he would discover that even though only a few hours seemed to have passed, many years had passed in the real world.

The original German elves thought to be light creatures who lived in heaven during the era of Germanic paganism, and may have included dark elves or dwarves underground. In post-Christian folklore they began to be described as mischievous pranksters that could cause disease to cattle and people, and bring bad dreams to sleepers. English folktales of the early modern period commonly portray elves as small, elusive people with mischievous personalities. They are not evil but might annoy humans or interfere in their affairs. They are sometimes said to be invisible. In this tradition, elves became similar to the concept of fairies.

Elves tend to be more beautiful and wiser than humans, with sharper senses and perceptions. They are also said to be much more gifted in magic and stronger physically and mentally. Often elves do not possess facial or body hair, and are consequently perceived to be androgynous. A hallmark of fantasy elves is also their long and pointed ears. It is worth noting that those things described as being of or related to these fair elves are referred to as "elven" or "elfin", as opposed to "elfish" (a term more closely associated with the sprite-like elves of medieval conception). Elves are much more beautiful, wiser, stronger, intelligent, naturally have the ability to use magic unlike with humans, the gift does not come naturally and usually humans do not have the ability to use magic unless they are a Dragon Rider. Every elf is a vegetarian because they do not approve of killing animals that think and feel like they do.

Gnomes

A gnome is a mythical creature characterized by its extremely small size and subterranean lifestyle. According to certain medieval beliefs, Gnomes were deformed, usually with a hunchback, and were led by their king, Gob, who ruled with a magic sword.

Today, Gnomes are traditionally thought of as being small, bearded and wearing pointed, colourful, conical hats. They live in natural areas close to the Earth and care for wildlife. They are more benevolent than other folkloric creatures such as goblins.

Gnomes are commonly portrayed as large-headed humanoids about a meter in height, displaying characteristics such as a cheery temperament, a high degree of intelligence coupled with curiosity and poor judgment, and an unusual talent when it comes to either using magic or inventing and building technology, depending on the setting.

Gnomes consist of a number of different types. The most common is the Forest Gnome who rarely comes into contact with man. The Garden Gnome lives in old gardens and enjoys telling melancholy tales. Dune Gnomes are slightly larger than their woodland brethren and wear remarkably drab clothing. House Gnomes have the most knowledge of man, often speaking his language. It is from this family that Gnome Kings are chosen. Farm Gnomes resemble the House gnomes, but are more conservative in manner and dress. Siberian Gnomes have been more interbred than other gnomes and associate freely with trolls. They are much larger than the other types and have an infinitely more nasty nature. It is best never to evoke the ire of such gnomes for they delight in revenge.

Gnomes are usually an average of 6 inches tall, but with its cap on it appears much taller. Their feet are somewhat pigeon toed which gives them an extra edge on speed and agility through the wood and grass. The males weigh a little over ½ a pound, and a female is about a ½ a pound.

Males wear a red “dunce” cap, blue or brown-green pants, and either felt boots, birch shoes, or wooden clogs. Around his waist is a belt with a tool kit attached, holding a knife, hammer, etc. They are fair of face, though they have rosy red cheeks. Long beards adorn their faces and turn gray far sooner than their hair.

The females wear gray or khaki clothing, with a blouse and ankle length skirt. She also has gray-black knee socks and high shoes or slippers. Before she is married, she wears a green cap and her hair is hanging down and braided which later disappear under a scarf while the green cap is replaced by more somber tones after she marries.

Male gnomes are the guardians of animals and show little preference for their animal friends, not withstanding their dislike to cats. Gnomes tend to live in hilly meadows and rocky woodlands. Most gnomes are 7 times stronger than a man, can run at speeds of 35 miles per hour, and have better sight than a hawk.  They are generally vegetarian and never worry.