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Malewoodelf

Lorengorm, a male Wood Elf (Dryas nemorivagans).

Elves (family: Circulifestidae) are a species of powerful, humanoid, woodland-dwelling faerie. While Elves enjoy pastimes such as feasting and merrymaking, they are temperamental, but also wise and dignified. Elves are beautiful and slender in appearance, and their clothing, skin, and hair is subject to seasonal change.

Elves organize themselves under regional monarchies, and seem to be of such a status that they can command the respect even of "lesser" faeries.

Description[]

Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You[]

"Elves are capricious by nature, and few rules control their long lives. They are fond of circle dancing, parties, singing and games and are most likely to be discovered when engaged in one of these activities. Sometimes, for fun, fairies will attract people to dance with them or try a little of the food. In both cases, human beings will lose all time and be caught unless saved.

"If one hears music coming from seemingly uninhabited woods or from underneath hills, chances are the area is inhabited by elves. Elven music is thought to be the source of many great human compositions, but hearing it can also bring on madness.

"When walking through the woods, one should pay special attention to hills ringed with thorns or close to streams. Walking around such a hill, one might notice places where the ground is sunken. Travelers should beware these hollow hills, as they are likely to be the dwelling places of elves.

"Elves are governed by regional monarchies where a queen has greater authority than a king. Each "court" is said to be either Unseelie (if composed primarily of malevolent elves) or Seelie (if composed primarily of benevolent elves).

"The monarchs lead mounted parades on May, Midsummer, and November Eve. Although people do sometimes see these trooping elves, more often the only evidence is a strong wind sweeping past only to disappear."

Additional facts[]

Elven skin is pale and translucent and peels into leafy, petal-like growths on the forehead, shoulders, chest and limbs. The leaves change colour with the seasons, just like real leaves. Elves' clothing, made by forest materials, change colour in similar pace. They also have insectoid wings.

Male individuals are often more colourful than women, especially in autumn.

Elfshot are thin, triangular pieces of black stone sometimes buried in trees or logs. They are the only evidence of Elven bows, and in battles they are deadly, burrowing their way into the opponent's heart.

Sometimes Elves enchant the grass around their mounds to disorient travelers and force them to venture the other direction. One way to do this is to place Stray Sods around their mounds.

Femalewoodelf

The Green-Eyed Elf, a female Wood Elf (Dryas nemorivagans)

Elves are a race to be wary of, and with good reason. Their ancient fey magic is the cause of many of the natural miracles in our world, and their appearances often are an omen of shiftings in the Balance.

Elf magic can preserve a human for centuries and keep them from aging. However, if the human leaves the elves' mound, all the years they missed while trapped within the mound will return to them and, depending on how long they were with the elves, the human will age rapidly or turn to dust.

Mab, Nicnevin and Titania were three well-known Elven queens. Of the Elven kings, Oberon and Finvarra are the most famous.

Known species[]

  • Wood Elf (Dryas nemorivagans)
  • Mountain Elf (Alpis Dryas)

Media[]

The Spiderwick Chronicles[]

The Spiderwick[]

Lorengorm, the Green-Eyed Elf and the Leaf-Horned Elf all lived in Elven Grove south of Spiderwick Mansion, along with the rest of their small tribe. Arthur Spiderwick was very interested in elves, which the elder ones didn't like at all. They demanded of him to destroy the Field Guide, but the Human attempted to trick them by hiding the real book and burning another. The elves imprisoned him and Arthur was trapped in the Elven kingdom for almost 80 years without aging a day.

Elf leaders

The leaders of the Elven Grove.

When the Grace children discovered the Invisible World and started to search for their lost great-great uncle, tracks led them to Elven Grove, where the Elves again demanded the Humans relinquish hold on the book just as they had poor Arthur. But Thimbletack, the Mansion's Brownie had stolen and hid the book. However, unlike Arthur, the children managed to escape the elves' hold on their fate and left the Grove.

When Mulgarath and his Goblin army destroyed the Mansion, stole the book and captured the childrens' mother, Jared asked Green-Eyed Elf for help. He was allowed to speak with Arthur, who told the boy all that could be useful to know about Dragons and Ogres. Thereafter, the Grace children traveled to Mulgarath's palace on Byron with Thimbletack and Hogsqueal.

LeafHornedElf

The leaf-horned elf

After the evil Mulgarath was defeated, the Grace family, along with Hogsqueal, and Thimbletack-in response to a message from the elves-walked to Elven Grove to give the Faeries Arthur's Field Guide. However, the Wood Elves said Humans could be trusted, and returned the book to them. The elves then granted the Graces' a wish: to release Arthur from his eternal prison. (Hogsqueal-who ultimately actually killed the Ogre-demanded a huge party-banquet and a gold medallion in his honor, but the Elves just replied they would consider it.)

2008 Film[]

The Elves do not appear in the 2008 film adaptation of The Spiderwick Chronicles. Their role is instead filled by the Sylphs.

Extended Links[]

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