Category:High Elf

The high elves, or quel'dorei ("Children of Noble Birth" in both Darnassian and Thalassian), are a race descended from the Highborne night elves who left Kalimdor and settled in the Eastern Kingdoms, founding Quel'Thalas.

The high elves were once a significant force on the continent, but in recent times their numbers have been dramatically reduced, 90% of their race having being slaughtered in the Third War. Following this, another 90% of the survivors changed their name to "blood elves" in remembrance of their fallen brethren, and no longer consider themselves high elven. Only tens of thousands of high elves remain, and those who do cling to the Alliance and are trying to restore the glory of their once great people.~

Physical Description
The high elves are taller and slimmer than humans, being over 6 feet in height on average and weighing 100-175 pounds. They have white to flaxen colored hair and skin, with brilliantly intense coloured eyes that seem to glow with an inner light. While many high elves have blue or green eyes, violet and red are not unheard of. They reach adulthood at 110 years, a "venerable" age at roughly 350 years, and dying of old age between 354 and 390 years. Most high elves do not wear red or black for fear of being mistaken as Blood Elves. They have shorter ears and much smaller, lighter bodies than night elves. As well, their ears point upwards whereas those of the night elves do not.

Typical high elves have long blond, white or brown hair and brilliant blue or green eyes. Their skin, in comparison to blood elves is slightly more pale.

Blood elves and high elves were for the most part the same race in terms of underlying physical biology. However, blood elves have recently been evolving beyond or into something different than high elves due to use of fel magic, and may evolve even further in time (some of these changes include glowing green eyes, and paler or ruddier skin). For the most part however, they are considered separate races due more to cultural differences more so than because of physical differences.

In World of Warcraft, the high elves closely resemble blood elves appearance-wise (they seem to be the exact same except for the lack of glowing green eyes), but their voices are those of night elves. Taela Everstride at Allerian Stronghold even says, somewhat bemusedly, "I get that a lot... I'm a high elf, not a blood elf. Don't worry, I won't suck the magic out of you."

-- http://www.wowwiki.com/High_elf

Note: The WoWwiki description of elven age is contested by Blizzard's the Warcraft Encyclopedia on the WoW EU site: "One similarity between night elves, high elves, and blood elves has only recently come about. The night elves sacrificed their immortality and much of their power at the end of the Third War. Thus, all elves are now mortal and have comparable lifespans that can extend as long as several thousand years."

The same source cites King Anasterian Sunstrider being involved in wars 2,800 years apart.