Elves are a race of demi-humans in Drifters.
Characteristics[]
With the exception of their elongated ears, elves of both the male and female variety are almost identical to their human counterparts in appearance. Unlike humans, however, elves enjoy a lifespan so long that many of the characters considered "adults" by human standards would be thought of as young by theirs. Yet despite this near-immortality, elves also reproduce less often than humans. Consequently, they are an easy target for the genocidal policies of the Orte Empire, who sought to wipe the elves out by taking elvish women away from their homes during the elvish breeding periods.
Prior to the war between the elves and the Orte Empire, they were also once renowned for their skill in archery. After their defeat by the Orte Empire, however, the production and use of bows and arrows were forbidden to elves.
History[]
Fifty years ago Orte conquered the elves in its goal for human supremacy. Many elders of the elves, were executed resulting in a loss of racial history and knowledge of the elves. The survivors were forced to work the lands as poor serfs. Life of the elves became intolerable, they were forced to work the land as farmers, despite having no experience in farming, they were forbidden from entering the forests due to Orte fearing they would return to their racial skills as foresters, bows and arrows were also forbidden to them due to their former skills as archers. In addition their women were periodically taken and raped by the human soldiers.
Nasu Suketaka Yoichi was the first Difter that encountered the elves. The elves mostly avoided him, due to the edict by the Orte Empire that elves were forbidden from approaching Drifters. Yoichi however despite his minimal contact with the elves managed to learn elvish and after he was joined by Oda Nobunaga the latter did the same.
Still the elves kept their distance until two elven boys, Mark and Marsha, discovered the injured Shimazu Toyohisa, they brought him to his fellow Drifters, who lived in the abandoned elven ruins.
Shara brother of the two boys that saved Toyohisa reprimanded their actions stating that if the local governor learned that they had interacted with a Drifter they would be put to death. Unfortunately a passing Orte patrol came to the elven village. The human soldiers quickly assaulted the elves, herding them out to be present before Aram. Mark and Marsha managed to flee to the woods, but were pursued by riders.
Aram revealed that he was aware that the elves had helped the Drifters. He stated this was a breach of their agreement since their servitude under Orte. Shara taking a stand defended his brother actions stating that he was near death, and that the laws passed by the humans were driving the elves to extinction.
The knight wishing to punish Shara for his defiance quickly stabbed his father in the chest and order his men to begin halving the elves in the village. The soldiers began to randomly slaughter the elves before them. Shara seeing what his outburst had caused begged them to stop the massacre, offering his own life. Aram declined, wishing to make live with the guilt of his crime, mocking the elf, blaming his ancestors for his race's state.
The elves were later rescued when Toyohisa, singlehandedly slaughter many of the soldiers in Aram's party. Upon seeing the scene the samurai challenged the knight. Aram thinking him nothing to be a savage, arrogantly engaged the man, but to his shocked, Toyohisa quickly overpowered him with his bare hands. Pinning his arms to the ground, the samurai humiliated the knight by beating him with the butt of his scabbard.
Seeing the despair on the faces of the elves, Toyohisa offered his sword to an elven father whose son was murdered. He encouraged the elves to take up their revenge over the injured knight for all the pain and abuse they suffered.
Later the surviving elves then gather for a meeting to determine how to respond to their new situation. Hope for forgiveness was bleak as they had killed the knight of the local lord. Some suggested they could let the Drifters take the blame, but knowing the Empire's men they would not come out unscathe. To make matters worse, he wheat which they had grown had mostly burned, due to the actions of Nobunaga, and if the men from the Empire came they would most likely take all the harvest leaving them to starve. Their only chance to save themselves was to rebel, but even many saw that it was unrealistic. The Drifters from the forest arrive and offer to assist them in repelling the Orte force that would come in day. Toyohisa then convinces them to fight asking themselves what their ancestors would think of them now, inflaming many of their prides.
The elves then relocate to the ruins in the forest where Yoichi aids them in relearning the ways of the bow and arrow. Toyohisa then declares that after killing the Orte soldiers they would march to the local governor's fortress and take it as well to reclaim the captive elven women.
When the Orte soliders arrive to the village they find it abandoned and the well full of shit. The elves and Drifters launch an attack on the soliders who made camp in the village. Rousing to arms, Toyohisa leads the Orte men deeper into the village as Nobunga proceeds to create a makeshift fort where he and the elves proceed to launch fire arrows on the village. The soldiers now trapped in the en flamed village and blocked by a small force of elven archers attempt to overrun them, but as halted due to the arrow that are covered with shit. POtentially infected of disease and having no prospect of being remembered for fighting serfs Nobunga knows they lost as they lose their morale. Toyohisa further demoralizes them when he effortless takes the head of the commander. The death of their leader causes the remaining soldiers to flee and be hunted by Yoichi and several elves.
Toyohisa and Nobunga then lead the elves, now donning the armors of the dead soldiers to the governor's fortress. After claiming to be the returning soldiers they infiltrate the fortress and reveals themselves. Many of the soldiers are killed, though a few after dropping their weapons surrender. Though the elves which to kill them all Toyohisa prevents them from killing them as it would be dishonorable. However Toyohisa soon discovers the chamber where the elven women are kept. There he finds the women being subjected to acts of rape by the soldiers. Seeing this scene Toyohisa retracts his statement from before and orders the death of every man in the fortress.