Preface: I'll try a little different format with this biography. There will be a larger amount of OOC information than I usually include. This is simply to help players understand the character and also to offer a more coherent explanation to the character's motives, behaviour and personality. I'll begin with a short, freeform background and lore check for the sources I've used for the Ruar'Tel'Quessir - The People of the Stars, or more commonly, just Star Elves. I also encourage others to leave comments or to discuss any relevant topics.
Sources used:Player's Guide to FaerûnRaces of FaerûnCandlekeep's Elven Dictionary, which seems to include words used in the canon novels and source books.
Forgotten Realms wiki, for quick online checking of bits and pieces.
Glossary of common words the character uses:N'Tel’Quessir - ‘Not of the People’ (Non-Elves)
Tel'Quessir - ‘Of the People’
Or’Tel’Quessir – ‘People of the Wood’
Ruar’Tel’Quessir – ‘People of the Stars’
Teu’Tel'Quessir - ‘People of the Moon’
Ar’Tel'Quessir - ‘People of the Sun'
Sy’Tel'Quessir - ‘People of the Wilds’
Sha'Tel’Quessir - ‘Friend of the People’ (rarely used and a great honour when applied)
A’Tel’Quessir – ‘Almost People’ (Half-Elves) (Though the character prefers N'Tel'Quessir for most half-elves)
Cha’Tel'Quessir - ‘Half-Elves of the Yuirwood’
Evaliir’Tel’Quessir – ‘Song of the People’
Daoine - 'Stars'
Elaviir - 'Song'
Ess - 'Bringer' (suffix)
Short Intro To The Star Elves, as in the beginning of 1372 DR (present day FR in 3rd ed):To the non-elven population and even those elves, who are poorly aware of their existence, the star elves tend to easily pass as moon elves. This is often preferred by them, as they greatly fear for the safety of their home realm of Sildëyuir, located in the Feywild. More aloof and cautious than most of the other elven races, the star elves prefer to stay in their realm, though in past few decades a hostile force, known as the nilshai, has started to invade this home of the star elven folk. This, though, has worked as only more of a reason to not leave their fortresses, and it is a rare sight indeed to see a star elf who spent extended time outside their citadels.
To Sildëyuir they arrived from Yuirwood (which also has routes to Sildëyuir, though these are
very well guarded secrets), their last home on Faerûn. As the history has seen, the star elves are extremely pacifist and tend to flee to a new home instead of waging full-scale, gruesome wars. When forced to battle, they tend to prefer defensive enchanments over directly offensive means. Before the nilshai, they had been in peace for over 2000 years.
The star elves greatly appreciate beauty in its various formats. Compared to other elves, the average star elf is somewhat taller and tends to stand out as exceptionally handsome and exotic, but frailer and more remote in both spirit and body. Despite this, the star elves have a knack for regocnizing inner beauty over outer appearance.
Most star elves have at least a single level in bard. Even amongst other elves they tend to keep somewhat to themselves and avoid personal inquiries; They've a massive distrust towards humans, as it was humans who drove them from Faerûn.
Despite their songs and artwork often appearing joyful at first, there tends to be an underlaying sense of sorrow. It is said that the star elven death requiem would break even the most hardened warlord to tears.
(Biography in the next post.)