Velkor

The Velkor were a major ethnic group in the Whispy Woods, who thrived nearly 10,000 years before the events of the novel. The tribe is known for being a secretive lot who kept to themselves and forbade marriage outside the clan for fear of diluting their power. The Emperor is the last surviving member of the tribe, having destroyed the rest of the tribe after his father killed the girl he had fallen in love with.

History
The Velkor were direct descendants of the Mag Nuk, the first known tribe of humans to live within the region which became known as the Whispy Woods. For about two thousand years, the Velkor ruled over the land. That was, until a group of elders came together and discussed the possibility of evil procuring from power. An agreement was made, and so the Velkor gave up their lands to lead simpler lives, thus isolating themselves from their cousins, the Arnor, who were left to rule themselves.

Some time after this point, the Tribe disappeared from the Arnor's watch entirely, instead going to live in a distant country, far from any outside contact. Despite their altruistic origins, the secretive nature of the Velkor soon earned them mistrust. Their xenophobia is said to be based on pride at one point, although they were also concerned that their magic would become diluted if they married outside of the tribe. However, this line of thought eventually led to their downfall, as shortly, one of their own, (who became known as the Emperor) fell in love with a woman of the Arnor. Subsequently, when his disapproving father banished the girl from their world, the young man killed his father and the rest of the Velkor, thus sparking his descent into evil.