Need a comprehensive back story of the elves

[seth6]

Hey im working on a game but im at an impasse I need a complete history of the elves like where they came from why there are different kinds the works in the d&d universe but I cant find anything online. So any help would be huge

[Yuukale]

The point is: the elven backstory is different according to the campaign setting you're using.
Since you're creating one, then you're the one telling where the elves came from and where are they going to.

But, if you're asking for what's D&D's general inspiration, then I'd say it comes from tolkien works (and his inspiration, on the other hand, comes from nordic tales and myths).

To sum this up: nordic elves are pictured as fair (white), spirit-like beings (some part of the Vanir).
Tolkien adds some fratricide (kinslaughter) and unending sorrow due to this. Plus the immortality, elegance, quasi-magical nature and other things.
These are the common elements to almost all elves.

[roguemetal]

Elves have lived longer than almost every other race in 3.5 D&D, and as such their timeline is further back than any stories actually record. According to the Races of the Wild book, the elves share a legend that they were created by Correlon Lerethian from the soil stained with the tears of Sehanine and from the blood Correlon spilled fighting Gruumsh. Each form of elf was born in the image of one of the elvish pantheon's gods, including Arushnee who later became Lloth, thus creating the Drow. Elves believe they were set upon earth to be the gods stewards, to tend to its' forests and protect it from those who seek it harm. From this simple point, all elvish life has transpired to the immense and outstretched civilization it is today, however many thousands of years later that actually is.

Let me know what setting you are in, e.g. if you are using Eberron or Forgotten Realms it will be different. If you just came across the SRD on google though, just use what I mentioned.

[Twilightwyrm]

If you are looking for the general D&D take, I would suggest Races of the Wild (though I tend to use it as loose guidelines, but that's because I find standard D&D's take on elves somewhat...logically inconsistent).

[Phelix-Mu]

Some key elements that seem to be agreed upon in most core stuff:

The elves were created long ago by Corellon Larethian, the chief god of the elven pantheon.

A war took place between Corellon Larethian and Gruumsh, chief god of the orcs, with the followers of each god also becoming involved. Not sure that the reason is properly explored in core, but to go back to the Tolkien roots of D&D, the orcs were originally elves that had been twisted and tortured by dark magic. That doesn't work particularly well with the Gruumsh story, though some creative license could fix this.

A war took place between elves loyal to Corellon and elves loyal to one of Corellon's earlier consorts, {insert Lloth's original name}. This was the Kinslayer War, and led to Corellon's faction winning, while the losers were driven underground, eventually becoming the drow.

As to other elven subraces, you can flavor it to your campaign. The only hints in Monster Manual seem to imply that the differences in racial traits come from region of origin/lifestyle (grey elves are studious and not physical, sylvan elves live outside in forests and are tougher, etc.) Given the vast amounts of time that elves could have been around on any planet (a generation of elves is probably about 150 years, so if there have been a thousand generations of elves, that's 150,000 years...compare to less than 15,000 years of written human history). In such spans of time, even things like some kind of quasi-scientific evolution could have occurred.

I will put in a vote for the coolness of coming up with original stuff. The work is hard, but actually laying down more-or-less unique history for your campaign world will add to the depth and flavor of playing in that campaign world.

[Eonir]

Here is mine....

Countless thousands of years ago, when the forces of good and law had finally managed to push the demons back into the abyss a enterprising young god named Correllon found a plane that had laid relatively untouched by the demons, partly because of it's insignificance and party because of it's protection by the Children of Io (dragons). After gaining permission from both the dragons and the fey if he could make his children on this plane Correlon settled himself and his followers (sehanine, Lloth, et all) and began to work. What came were the Elves, majestic, graceful, immortal, and wise.

But another god, Grummush, also created his children on this plane. The Orcs were a masterful race in their own right as well, strong, cunning, courageous, and vicious. The races of elves and orcs were destined to clash, but the Great War between the dragon clans (metallic vs chromatic) kept the two species out of contact from each other for many centuries.

Finally the dragons lay mostly dead, the few remaining retreating to their tall mountains, deep oceans, and forgotten wastes. The two great races began their race for dominance. During the great dragon war, the fey had taught the elves magic, and thus gave the elves the gift or druidism and sorcery. But fighting the metallic dragons as mercenaries had made the orcs strong and fierce.

War broke out between the two great empires. However, in the end the magic of the elves won the day, and with their great power, destroyed the orcs and enslaving them (thus making them the shattered race they are today).

At this point the elven empire exploded onto the world stage as THE super power. All sentient beings bowed to them (all but the dwarves hadn't managed to climb out of barbarism yet). The great elven city of Avalon [or whatever the hell you want it to be, elves are more mystical in my setting] became the capitol of the material plane and one of the jewels of the entire universe. Vast amounts of knowledge were stored in this city, even the beginings of wizardy, which the elves invented.

But the elves had become arrogant and drunk with power, turning from the worship of Correllon and instead worshiped their magic. Their magic, however, could not save them from the Shadow of the South. From the dark and dead lands across the great ocean came the Death Giants. Monstrosities and Necromancers descended upon the elven lands, devouring all. Nothing could stop them. Desperate and broken, the elves turned to their father, begging for salvation, but their father did not answer. He turned his back on the elves.

But not forever, before the final bastion of elfendom fell, their father returned to save them, not being able to bear the pain of their fall, and crushed the giants. But as punishment for their failure to honor him he sundered the elves, banishing some to the dark (drow), some to the mountains (gray), some to the wilds away from civilization (wild), some to woods to forever wander (wood), and the rest to piece together their people and to lead the younger races into a new age (high).



The rest is pretty typical. The drow became resentful, the gray elves became arrogant, etc etc.

Yay elves.

(sorry for any typos or just general poor grammar)

[Answerer]

The definitive work on Elves. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258370)