Personally,I see elves as amorphous to their beliefs.I really don't think "winged elves" or "water-breathing elves" should be elves. Like they seem physiologically drastically different. We wouldn't consider tritons or angels to be subspecies of humans.
Or in simple terms, elves transform based on their culture and deity worship. Not immediately but after generations or divine intervention.
Basically, there is an elf subspecies for every elven god.
1 elven god,1 elf race.
3 elven god,3 elf races.
10 elven god,10 elf races.
or you can use the MOTM explanation that elves were malleable fey and could change form until Lloth tricked them.
fey crossing- high elves
forest- wood elves
Feywild- eladrin
oceans- sea elves
Shadowfell- shadar kai
SPACE- astral elves
Underdark- drow
Last edited: