Alignment: Lawful Evil. Dark Elf societies are a cruel oppressive regime that follows a strictly enforced order of rules, but indulge in many dark hobbies.
Dark Elf societies are a strict matriarchy, with all men automatically regarded as being the lowest class of citizen, barely above the slaves. As with all elven societies, bloodlines only influence who is likely to become upper class; magical power and the knowledge to wield it are more important than lineage alone. An unusual genetic irregularity results in males being born with no magical aptitude, hence the reason for this female dominated society. Dark Elves suffer substantial diplomatic penalties with the other elves, as they simply do not see eye to eye, and will frequently wage bitter wars upon one another. They also retain the elven penalties with associating with dwarves, as the dwarves don't see enough difference between them and any other kind of elf. Dark Elves also have an interesting relationship with demons; it is perfectly acceptable to enter into a bargain with them as long as you remain perceived as the dominant party; a noblewomen with a few pet demons is very popular in the courts. However, being perceived as subservient to a demon is disgraceful.
Upper Classes - Magi
Just like their elven cousins, the upper echelons of Dark Elf society are ruled by the magically advanced. Every single member of the upper classes is an accomplished and talented spell-weaver, be it in arcane arts, channelling the power of their gods, or dark powers granted by the infernal. This makes power struggles all the nastier as not only does everyone have an ego, but the power to back it up and not much in the way of morals holding them back. Still, the laws of the society mean that rarely does anyone take an overt action, preferring to subtly work against one another; spies, assassins and poisons remain very popular. A wise ruler will play them against one another to ensure no threats become directed at her, as such shadow games are inevitable.
The nobles themselves rarely fight, and when they do, they do not form units with other nobles, instead leading a retinue of their personal guard, be it dark elf, demon or a mixture of the two. As you'd expect, this kind of unit prefers to act autonomously, and is not above ignoring orders to do what it believes is best. Still, few nobles will throw their lives away foolishly, nor would they dare return with the shame of cowardice branded upon them, so they tend to do fairly well on this regard. They will however, if their plans suit it, take control of other units nearby to orchestrate their own plans, and may not be so conservative with troops that aren't their own. Ultimately, while a powerful and independent force, give them too much rope and you'll have the threat of a power struggle on your hands.
Middle Classes - Lesser Womenfolk
The middle classes are populated by the majority of the other dark elf women. Ranging from artisans and merchants right down to maids, they still have a reasonably equal social standing simply due to their gender, even if their financial situations are widely diverse. All in all, these are women with little to no magical prowess who make an "honest" living through other means, they tend to be just as deceitful and treacherous as the upper classes without the power to back it up. While the majority of the physical labour is left for the lower classes, certain members of the middle classes are not above a more physical profession, resulting a fairly diverse range of torturers and even guards and soldiers from this class.
Military units from this class tend towards highly trained and cruel units who work fairly well together. With a tendency towards morale breaking shock units who prefer cruelty to efficiency and slave taking to outright killing, they don't make the best main-line units; but they can have devastating effects on enemy morale when put into action, making them an ideal support choice for an army. That said, not all fall into the above category, with elite guard units able to execute the enemy with brutal efficiency.
Lower Classes - Men and Slaves
At the bottom of Dark Elf society rests their breeding stock and captured slaves, as well as the women who have shamed their heritage by submitting to a man. This is not to say all the men are treated badly; it is not uncommon for a women of high status to have some favourites who are treated well and pampered and whose only duties are to keep her happy, but such individuals have no official power whatsoever, and the very implication that they might hold some kind of power or sway over their mistress usually creates enough of a scandal to see them put to death lest they shame her, often in violent and painful ways. The smart ones take their own lives before such things can occur utilising less brutal means. The majority of the kingdom's physical labour, and armed forces, are drawn from here and lacking any power to alter the system most just try to stay out of trouble.
As with most lower classes troops, they can be trained up into elite units in their own rights or be recruited temporarily as militia. Dark Elf militia fights especially well because each and every one of them is aware that death on the battlefield is a much kinder death than the punishment for cowardice. Slave troops have it especially bad, as they are usually magically enchanted so that if they break and run, parts of their body will explode; sometimes they are lucky enough for it to be a part that results in their instant death, usually they are not so fortunate.
Avatar Choices
Dark Elf Warlord
A Dark Elf Warlord usually seizes power by gaining enough military fame and prowess that they gain control of the majority of the kingdom's army, and march upon the capital. Understandably, this causes a fair amount of unrest among the upper classes, but as powerful as each of them may be, they're aware they cannot fight an army and the Warlord leading it and expect to come out on top. As with all the Dark Elf societies, the lower classes are meek and easily controlled so they get no special bonus for being a warlord. However, due to her robust and battle hardened nature, she finds herself much more well prepared for assassins and better able to resist the effect of poisons, and her obsessive drilling ensures the armies are extremely prepared for battle; the bonuses she confers to them exceed those of other nations' warlords. Finally, any army she leads would sooner die than face her wrath.
Dark Elf Governor
A master of deceit and guile, a Governor probably seized the throne after a series of carefully made assassinations that simultaneously let everyone know she was behind them without leaving a shred of proof to get her in trouble. Be her the daughter of the ruling line, or the founder of a new one after the old one was tragically wiped out in a series of unfortunate accidents, either way she is a political force to be feared. Many of the nobles dare not plot against her lest they end up falling prone to their own unfortunate accidents, leaving her free to spend more time attending to other matters. Likewise, her cut-throat reputation extends beyond borders, making neighbouring kingdoms more complacent in fear. Of course, all this focus on the subtle arts leaves her little time for more overt things, such as military matters, and so due to a lack of attention her armies require more upkeep. Furthermore, she is in particular risk of a military coup as the leader of a great army feels a lot more secure about their safety and thus more willing to cross her.
Dark Elf Mystic
The Sorceress Queen of the Dark Elves is perhaps the most legitimate heir, considering their power structure, and being the top dog in magical power certainly means the other members of the high class are more likely to turn their attentions to each other as they angle for better positions under her. However, perhaps a drawback of her amazing power, the Dark Elf Mystic cares little for statecraft and would rather seek to further refine her magical prowess, and other entertainments. The kingdom as a whole will be less productive under her rule, especially in the areas she personally oversees, although at random a certain aspect of the realm may dramatically increase in productivity as it becomes the testing subject of her latest experiment and the magical charms she weaves cause wonders. Such things do not last long, however. Dark Elf Mystics usually have an established place on the demonic hierarchy, their sheer power allowing them to be treated like a demon lord in their own right by lesser demons, although this may also result in occasional demonic invasions from rivals in the underworld.