Saigonnus
Auror
I think Dragonlance had three types of elves also... High elves generally lived in cities (like tolkien) and were haughty and arrogant toward everyone they had pale skin, light colored hair and eyes. Wood elves were darker skinned and darker eyed and lives in the forests. They were more aloof and once you proved to be their friend, they fiercely defended you like family. Their dark elves were more like Duergar in that they weren't matriarchal, but they did live below ground (generally life dwarves in caves or mountain tunnels). Their reason was a war also, one that forced those that "rebelled" against the elven empire to take shelter elsewhere.
It may be bit cliché, but I think as long as you find some way to differenciate them from other "archetypes" of elves and make them your own, it could work for you.
For example, I have a sub-race of "elves" in one of the world I made that lived in a normally unhospitable desert, making their skin darker than other elves. Over the millenia, they adapted to live there and even thrive, relying heavily on trade with humans and other species for much of their lifestyle. They are not "evil", just resentful at "regular" elves for how they were treated centuries past and as such stay away from settlements with a large percentage of elves in the population. They are known for the quality of their steel (it is rare most places in the world and employ slaves and criminals in getting the ore from the ground.
The magical power they have is similar in style and effect with other races and they ride large lizards in combat, some up to thirty feet long from tip to tail. They typicall wear light colors and are fiercely protective of anything in their territory, often killing outsiders (if they try to take something belonging to them) or simply forcing them out of their land after a period of working in the mines for punishment for trespassing.
They live in tents when out on patrol or following migratory patterns but have two permanent communities in suitable canyons (with a source of water); their homes recessed into the sides of the canyon walls, or built from adobe and all available space is used for planting.
It may be bit cliché, but I think as long as you find some way to differenciate them from other "archetypes" of elves and make them your own, it could work for you.
For example, I have a sub-race of "elves" in one of the world I made that lived in a normally unhospitable desert, making their skin darker than other elves. Over the millenia, they adapted to live there and even thrive, relying heavily on trade with humans and other species for much of their lifestyle. They are not "evil", just resentful at "regular" elves for how they were treated centuries past and as such stay away from settlements with a large percentage of elves in the population. They are known for the quality of their steel (it is rare most places in the world and employ slaves and criminals in getting the ore from the ground.
The magical power they have is similar in style and effect with other races and they ride large lizards in combat, some up to thirty feet long from tip to tail. They typicall wear light colors and are fiercely protective of anything in their territory, often killing outsiders (if they try to take something belonging to them) or simply forcing them out of their land after a period of working in the mines for punishment for trespassing.
They live in tents when out on patrol or following migratory patterns but have two permanent communities in suitable canyons (with a source of water); their homes recessed into the sides of the canyon walls, or built from adobe and all available space is used for planting.