Elves style="font-style: italic;">

The elves of J.R.R. Tolkien’s
Middle-earth are beautiful and wise. Their love of art is displayed in
their songs, and heard through their glorious singing voices. It is
said that the elves were the first race to speak, and to sing. In
homage to this, the elves named themselves Quendi, which means “the
speakers.” Elves possess natural immortality, although they can be
killed, and they can also die of grief. Their immortality, skills, and
ethereal good looks often make them appear to other races as magical
beings.



Physically, elves are tall and lean (An elf reaches physical maturity
around his 100th year.) They are graceful and athletic with sharp
senses and especially keen eyesight. Their hair can be either fair or
dark, depending on region and tribe. The Silvan or Wood Elves are often
described as dark-haired, while the Vanyar or High Elves are described
as fair-haired. (At launch,
the elves of Lord of the Rings
Online will be Silvan elves.) Elves typically do not have
facial hair. Although Tolkien has described at least one elf in later
stages of life as bearded, this is the exception rather than the rule.



src="http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/files/images/elf_portrait.jpg"
style="width: 160px; height: 240px;" align="left" hspace="4" vspace="2">Elves occupy themselves with things such as smithwork, sculpture, song
and other arts; they are known for their craftsmanship. Both male and
female elves tend to do things with equal skill. Although females have
a greater tendency to specialize in healing abilities while the males
go off to war, their roles are not rigid--a female elf can defend
herself in battle as well as a male, and a male can be as skilled a
healer as any female.



Elves
marry for love, and remain mated for all time. Infidelity is unheard of
among elves. As a rule, elves produce few children, and at
widely-spaced intervals, although they do delight in raising their
young. Elves are typically named by their father at birth, a name
referred to as their father name. Their first names do not generally
reflect their personalities or who they are. At a later time, they are
given their mother name--an important name which relates to their
personality, skills, or fate. In later life, elves take their
after-name, sometimes a name of their choosing, which is a title of
respect and honor.



By the Third Age (the time in which The Lord of the Rings takes place),
the elves’ importance in Middle-earth has diminished, and only a few
remain in havens such as Rivendel, Lothlorien, and Mirkwood. Eventually
as elves age, their immortal spirits overwhelm their physical bodies,
rendering them bodiless. Before this occurs, many elves make their way
to the port of the Grey Havens and sail to the realm of Valinor.



Tall and strong, fair and graceful, Elves have a keen sense and a deep affinity for the beauty of the natural world. Throughout the ages, the deeds and struggles of the noble races of elves have been entwined with the history of Middle-earth. Elves do not grow old as other races do - there are elves abroad in Middle-earth today who still remember their youth in the First Age. They remember all too well the devastation cause by tides of evil that once darkened the land - a shadow that threatens to do so again. In ages past the Elves divided into many different groups, and settled throughout Middle-earth, primarily in the ancient forested realms where they still live.

Nationalities:

Elves, like Pop Tarts, come in a variety of flavors. If you don't know the difference, no need to painc. Other than a title, your origin bears little on your character. If you do recognize these names, this will be a nice touch the game adds to roleplay and character customization.

style="font-weight: bold;">Classes

Elves are a graceful race and are capable of filling roles not necessarily requiring finesse or delicacy. An Elf can fill the following roles:

Champion - A true master of arms, the Champion excels at combat, focusing on little other than destroying her foes. The Champion's whirling blades can strike fear into the heart of even the foulest orc, cutting down swaths of their numbers at once. While a Champion's training and armor grants her some survivability, it is not her focus, and a Champion can quickly find herself in trouble when facing several foes on her own.

The Champion is the class of choice for players that enjoy fast-paced combat with multiple options available at any given moment. Champions can use various weapon styles, but focus on using two weapons simultaneously. With their active play-style Champions are able to consistently cause large amounts of damage to both single and multiple opponents in combat. Their style of combat revolves around the idea that the best defense is a good offense.

Guardian - A doughty fighter and protector of the weak, a skilled Guardian can face even the toughest foes and survive. The Guardian is one of the few classes willing and able to try to draw more blows onto themselves, so they can retaliate with devastating maneuvers in response.

The Guardian is the class of choice for players that enjoy drawing the attention of their foes in combat and taking advantage of their missteps. Masters of the defensive arts, Guardians use taxing attacks and irksome taunts to draw and hold opponents' attention, relying on their shield and weapon to turn aside incoming attacks with blocks and parries. A Guardian's combat style depends on creating openings during an opponent's attack to provide the opportunity for their own counter attack.

Hunter - Woodsman, pathfinder, and master of the bow, the keen-eyed Hunter can use his arrows to devastating effect from a distance. Archery is not the only thing the Hunter excels at, for he can lead his companions through the forest at greater speed than they could on their own, and can set up traps to ambush enemies. The archer is no close-quarters fighter, however, and would generally rather let his bow do the work than resort to his sword.

The Hunter is the class of choice for players who enjoy striking a target at range. Clever by nature, the Hunter is known to lure his targets into traps to hinder them, giving him time to use his bow to deadly effect. A Hunter's knowledge of nature also provides skills that help him and his fellows survive in the wild. A Hunter's combat style depends on the ability to injure a foe while staying out of harm's way.

Lore-Master - A keeper of ancient lore and otherwise lost knowledge, the Lore-master uses his knowledge of the lesser and greater powers of the world around him to stave off the advances of the shadow for a time, and to treat the wounds and suffering of his companions. In dire need he can use this knowledge to hurt his foes; but this task being extremely difficult, a wise Lore-master would rarely attempt it.

The Lore-master is the class of choice for the player that enjoys using the power of ancient lore to aid their allies and hinder their foes. Steeped in the histories of Middle-earth Lore-masters are able to aid their fellows in recovering from maladies caused by the forces of the Dark Lord. They can also use their knowledge to daze, harm, or hinder their enemies, as well as give of themselves to strengthen another. Some Lore-masters are even said to be able to communicate with animals and request their aid. A Lore-master's combat style is anchored in the power of knowledge and using it intelligently to defeat evil.

Minstrel - With song and tale, a Minstrel brings hope to places thick with gloom. She can inspire those with desperate minds and heavy hearts to great deeds. In battle, she can turn the tide with songs that strengthen her allies and dirges which strike fear into the hearts of enemies.

The Minstrel is the class of choice for players who want to aid their friends, inspiring them to keep going through the darkest of times. With a vast repertoire of tales both fair and foul, a Minstrel restores the morale of her fellows, as well as causing enemies to despair. Though able to wield weapons, she prefers to let her words, rather than her sword, speak for her. A Minstrel's style of combat is based on maintaining hope no matter what the odds.

Passive Skills

Deeds and Traits