Physical appearance

Physical appearance
A CGI representation of a blood elf priestBlood elves between the Third War and World of Warcraft were physically identical to high elves, save that they dressed primarily in blacks and reds to remind themselves of their terrible losses. Many painted runes or mysterious tattoos on their faces, arms and shoulders for warding off demons or celebrating significant kills or simply to look intimidating ¡ª something high elves would never do. As well, they adopted hair styles that went against the norms of high elf society.A&HC 15

Currently blood elves flesh tones has turned ruddier or very pale, compared to their night elf and high elf cousins. A blood elf can appear like a high elf bearing odd red tattoos across her face and arms. However, her hair and skin are much paler than that of a high elf, and her eyes glint with a green light, and she wears blood-red robes.MG 64 Their exposure to the light of day and the power of the Sunwell may have altered their skin's pigment.[citation needed] Blood elves also have a slim athletic body, long pointy ears, acute senses and keen sight in the darkness. Night elves have long, slanted ears while blood elves' ears are shorter and tend to point upwards. See High elf for a more complete description.

They feed on mana from mainly felA&HC 6, 7, 14, 15, 67-69MG 54, 55, and recently arcaneBC , and divine[1] sources. The reliance on fel magic causes the eyes of blood elves to glow green with demonic fire. It is a slight evolution from their high elven cousins, and in time they may become as physically distant to high elves, as satyrs are to night elves MG 54 (see Wretched). The eyes appear to be passed on genetically as blood elf children have been seen to possess them. This readily available source of energy also tends to give blood elves a ruddier or paler look compared to their quel'dorei brethren. Nevertheless when approaching Alliance towns blood elves would often disguise themselves as high elves to avoid harm. A&HC 68

It was once said that although blood elves show some physical differences compared to high elves, blood elves and high elves are exactly the same biological race[2]. Its use of the term "race" was likely an equivocation of the definition of the term "species," as race has more to do with ethnic and cultural differences, and species has more to do with the biological (its fairly common in Blizzard works for both terms to be interchanged). However, in Monster Guide, 2007, there is confirmation that the blood elven race is starting to evolve away from high elves due to use and consumption of fel magic. This is likely in reference to the wretched. Player blood elves absorb a variety of magic, including fel. In earlier Warcraft RPG books set during a period before WoW or TBC, they were considered separate races more by cultural differences rather than because of any physical differences.A&HC 15APG 12,123-131

In The Frozen Throne blood elven eyes were white and pupil-less in game and in the official artwork.

The sin'dorei can live up to several thousand years[3]. How fast they reach maturity is under discussion but it is generally accepted that they grow as fast as humans do until their twenties at which point their growth decelerates and they age very slowly.[citation needed]

[edit] Culture
Blood elven architectureBlood elves wear crimson-colored robes to suggest their fiery affiliation and the blood of the fallen elves in Quel'thalas. Many concentrate on studying arcane and fire magic, as opposed to the traditional frost and water spells of their lost high elf society.

Blood elf architecture involves pendulous creations of wondrous curves and columns, its designs natural, floral, flowing, animal. Their fountains seem to defy physical boundaries, creating or warping water in impossible ways. Blood elves have flags that feature a phoenix. In the Third War, Blood Mages had the ability to call phoenixes from the Elemental Plane of fire. These creatures appear to be deeply connected with the blood elves, possibly because they share a destructive nature, or perhaps due to their purely magical composition. This could allow the blood elves to have increased control over them. Since the phoenix dies and becomes reborn, it could be a symbol for the blood elves -- the blood elves metaphorically 'died' as high elves and were reborn as blood elves.

Blood elves speak Thalassian and Orcish. Blood elves learn the languages of their allies.A&HC 16MG 65

[edit] Magical addiction
Since the destruction of the Sunwell at the hands of Arthas and the Scourge, the blood elves have been forced to deal with the sudden relapse of their addiction to arcane energy. A constant curse since the original Well of Eternity was destroyed, the addiction has become more powerful than ever. Blood elves spend their waking days struggling with their weakness, seeking either to sate it by siphoning magical energy from their surroundings or to resist the urge to feed.

Blood elves are addicted to the use of arcane magic. A blood elf must spend one hour each morning in meditation, resisting the distractions of their addiction. Blood elves have learned to slake their thirst through the absorption of fel energies. If the blood elf partakes of demon¡¯s blood, the magic addiction abates for a number of days.MG 65

While the blood elves do not abstain from draining arcane power directly, they are careful to keep their addictions under control, keeping the power their new abilities offer while maintaining self-discipline. Those who lose control over their addiction change into "The Wretched," and invariably fall into insanity and corruption.

As Arcanist Helion (a starting zone quest NPC) says, "Control your thirst for magic...It is a thirst unending." [4]

[edit] Classes
Many blood elves are warlocks or mages, though some become hunters, scouts, or warriors ¡ª especially those seeking to be spell breakers, demon hunters, and rangers.MG 65 A few continue to draw power from the Light and remain priests. Some blood elves take their demonic obsession one step further and become felswornMG 65, and others choose to draw on the magic of the Legion and become Blood Mages. next-->>