Ages ago, the wizards of the Dwarvan Empire touched off a phenomenon unknown, and their nation fell. It brought down with it the civilization of the Elv-ra on that doom-filled night, the result being the withering death of the great forest which had 'til then lay emerald-strewn across the world's breast.

Amid the subsequent decline of the First Pantheon of Elvan Gods, Elv-ra survivors amidst the devastation gathered themselves, after long migrations, in the forests that still stood sheltered in the valleys of the Fruznok mountains. In these dark years, among the Elvs grew political movements surrounding leaders who helped these remnants of the Elvani make sense of their new world. The Elvs reverted to feudal, even tribal, ways and hewed to the bidding of these strong enough to make themselves heard.

Gathered around the Lord Maelakkit were one such group, and they called themselves the Mellonkompiel. Their activities and ethos were so abhorrent to another faction grown powerful among the surviving Elvs, who followed Lord Glorieth, called the Lightbringer.

These factions, and many others beside, made war and caused still further death even when the great shadow of the Cataclysm hung recent over the survivors. Further schisms led to the first faction to quit the Fruznok Forest, and to journey far to the north to a land of stone and found their own nation. These followers of Glorieth became the Light Elvs of Cythere.

Dark Elvani and Light Elvani hate each other to this day. Their enmity stands, and Dark Elvs and Light would prefer to kill one another to the last man that stand together, even in the face of new and greater darknesses.

Dark Elvani dwell in stone fortresses and cities far beneath the dark trees of the Dark Forest, amongst whose roots lie secret and guarded entrances to their underground realms. Driven to these retreats long ago, shortly after the Dwarvan Apocalypse, the Mellonkompiel are a race turned towards bitter darkness, their eyes turned vengefully on the surface world, the Mellonkompiel hold their territory jealously, and much seek to expand their realms underearth.

A Dark Elv with the talent for majik, some large percentage of the populace, will become a sorceror, never a Wizard or Druid, and the healing arts, while they have some, are not well-known to them. There are no temples to Mko in their kingdom, and the weak and infirm are largely looked down upon. Strength is prized, love merely a risk to be taken, and power prized above all.