Elf

Elves have ruled Himeros through their home nation of Thiese for as long as there's been a Himeros. Though they mature into adulthood at the same pace as humans, elves enjoy extended middle-age and seniority periods by comparison, allowing them to live twice as long. They are generally taller and more slender, and most are capable of using at least some magic. Their long lifespans grant them more patience and wisdom than most other races, but it also gives them misplaced faith in the status quo.

For instance: Back when all the races lived on the Thiessan supercontinent, elves ruled over everything because they lived the longest and were generally accepted by the people that mattered (themselves) as the wisest. Then, the Thiessan Exodus: Humans, Beastkin, Orcs, and even other elves who saw the writing on the wall left the nation en masse, preferring to take their chances on the new lands discovered in the east; most founded a new democratic nation, Novera (where our story takes place). So secure they were in the knowledge of their own greatness, the reaction from the Church of Thiese was essentially, "See if we care."

Once they noticed all the progress that came out of the Noveran invention of the steam engine, rest assured, they cared. They tried to wage a war to bring Novera back under heel and ended up getting their asses kicked so thoroughly, it led to the breakup of the Church of Thiese's empire, and the slow, ongoing decline of the country itself. To be clear: Elves are not an inherently evil race. They're not even inherently dicks. Most elves you'll talk to (especially the ones that live in Novera, of which there are many) will tell you that the Church's empire got what was coming to it. The point of this lore dump is to demonstrate that elves can be so stubborn they'll tank an entire kingdom before they embrace change.

Elves come in two flavors: Highlanders are your average domesticated elves that contribute to modern society, but Woodwalkers—who, incidentally, made up most elves who joined The Exodus—traditionally gravitate toward nature, and are rumored to defend their spaces with **** prejudice. (You're not likely to be a Woodwalker...but if you're an elf, you should know these things.)