Hiyas:

I was wonderin' if I am correct in believing that the only difference between a (high) elf & a dark elf (druchii) is the point of view; in other words, they aren't separate "species" (like D&D Elves & D&D Drow) by any means, & a high elf can "become" druchii & viceversa.  Or am I wrong?

THANKS!

L

Physiologically they are the same.  Their goals, beliefs, and magic focuses are entirely different.

jh

 They've been separate for 5000 years or something, but that's nothing genetically, especially to an extremely long lived race. Culturally it's very big though, and they would only look similar if one was disguised as the other and working very hard to imitate the mannerisms and habits of a very different culture. I would be very surprised if any elves had "changed" from one kind to the other though, as the animosity between the two races is extreme. One would find it very difficult to ever trust a member of the other group. It would be possible though.

As said, they have been apart a long time (though for shifts in various things long lifespan makes it less than it would be for humans).  They are physically similar enough to pass for each other but psychologically completely different - as different as a Veranan judge and a devoute cultist of Khorne.

HI:

Thanks for the input!

I was musing about an adventure where one (of either) elf infiltrates the other "camp" & how difficult would that be.

L

It would be their reactions that give them away.  The asur being insufficiently appreciative of the artful torture being put on as dinner entertainment, the duchii unable to restrain from truly injuring another when particpating in the sword dance or smiling at the sight of accidental death.

Discipline and Guile checks to control one's reactions as well as put on right show.

A slightly lesser factor might be that druchii likely have more scars as "love tokens" and other events than an asur, though a cruchii chosen to infiltrate would be one with minimal problem of that sort.

Rob