The Alfar are the first true civilisation known to have arisen on the Shards. Below is some info on the Alfar from Scandinavian legend, on which the Shards Alfar were based.

Note that the Liosalfar are not "good" and the Svaralfar are not "bad" - they are "light" and "dark" respectively only in terms of their colouration and where they live. The split between the Liosalfar and the Svaralfar was the basis for the forming of the Seelie and Unseelie courts.

Alfar is a common term used for both Liosalfar and Svaralfar in Norse, Scandinavian, and Icelandic legend and mythology.

Alfar are similar to what some might call Elves or Sidhe in both appearance and nature: tall, pointy-ears, fine bone structure, dextrous, and capable at magic and music.

The Alfar are from the realm of Alfheim, one of the Nine Worlds of Norse mythology, which can be reached via Bifrost, the rainbow bridge. It has also been told that the ley lines in Scandinavian countries represent a "curtain" between Alfheim and Midgard, and that some of the Alfar have the ability to step across that curtain - most often, the Liosalfar.

The Liosalfar are fair in hair and skin coloration, and are somewhat similar in nature to light elves in nature. They also tend to be a bit more friendly to humans/mortals than the Svartalfar. The Liosalfar live above ground in the forests of Alfheim.
The Svartalfar live mostly below ground in tunnels and caverns in Alfheim. They are supposed to be consumate smiths and artisans.
According to legend, both races of Alfar are supposed to be ruled by Frey of the Vanir. Both races stood with the Aesir and Vanir against the Jotuns (giants of Jotunheim), and both races are supposed to do so again at the battle of Ragnarok.

Elves evolved in the mountains and forests of Scandinavia, where they are known as the alfar of the huldre folk. There are two main types of elf - Dark (svartalfar) and Light (liosalfar) - together with some regional varieties.

Dark elves have black hair and black eyes, and sometimes black skin. Light elves are typically Scandinavian-looking, with blond hair, pale skin and blue eyes. They are generally tall and slim, with sharp, delicate features and pointed ears, although some British and German elves can be very tiny, and are often mistaken for fairies.

Elves are the most difficult magickal race to pin down. Mythological sources tell us that the liosalfar or light elves live in Alfheim where Frey is their Lord. However, there has also been the enduring belief in folklore of the elves as faery-folk: beings associated with the natural world. These two conceptions of elves might still be linked, however, as Alfheim is known to be a place of incredible natural beauty, and Frey, their leader, is an agricultural deity. To further confuse this issue, Norse folklore has a strong belief in the Landvaettir, or land spirits who may fit into either or both of these categories. Whether one calls the spirits of the land as the elves, the faeries, or the landvaettir, or uses all of these terms interchangeably, respect is all important.