Elf culture is highly bureaucratic and based on many and complex rules. Almost all elf cultures are based in the Asgardian kingdom and thus are ruled by a single law; the Asgardian law. The culture is highly stratified, in Asgard specifically all elves (and fae) are divided into castes. Elf culture is also obsessed with controlling their emotions. The asylum system captures and attempts to cure elves that show emotional outbursts or other deviant behaviour. Deviant behaviour includes criminal behaviour; within elf culture criminals aren't seen as evil but simply as people with mental disorders. This system gives rise to a society where the few emotions that are shown visibly are usually reserved for when the elf is alone or with a select few friends.
Emotional expression
Although elves are perfectly able to feel emotions to the same extremes as the other races, this usually doesn't influence their outward behaviour or mannerism. This makes it hard for non elves to gouge the emotions of elves which are usually communicated trough verbal language instead of body language.
Emotional bursts
Strong and sudden triggers of emotions can cause emotional bursts of extreme outwardly expression in some elves. Elf society has various ways of dealing with these outbreaks, see common culture.
Behaviour And Motivation
<img src="imagecache/small/images/elf.jpg" alt="left" /> Most elves are appear calm and thoughtful, sometimes even cold and emotionless. This isn't entirely accurate, since it is more a matter of time. With their long lifespan, elves are not in any hurry. They can and often do take their time. They prefer to get things right from the start. They are more likely to let a situation sink in before they respond.
Elves are often proud and arrogant. They often see other races as inferior, archaic and unintelligent until proven otherwise - some go as far as labelling orcs and trolls as little more than animals. Their magical and social achievements sometimes tends to make them overconfident.
Asylums
Main article:
asgard insane asylums
The asylum system of Asgard was introduced by the elves and later
(somewhat grudgingly) adopted by the Fae.
Living And Housing
Most elves live in small communities spread throughout the large forests of Asgard. Most elves spend their lives tending to the garden forests surrounding their community. In the garden forests, the elves stimulate the growth of plants and animals they can use for food, and they discourage those plants and animals that are harmful for their food source. It takes many years of patient study before someone is skilled enough to balance the ecology of a forest garden.
Communication And Art
Their written language is know as Asgardian Runes or Feyfont which, though seemingly complex, is a highly effective syntax. Most elves speak Northern trade (English).
Diet
Elves are omnivorous but they tend to eat relatively little meat and fish when compared to humans. They almost never eat their food raw. Elves tend to be very well adjusted to processed and cultivated food.