Lithe and otherworldly; beautiful and eternal; such is an elf. The longest-lived of all humanoids, elves persist over generations and generations of their contemporaries, yet as a whole can be defined by a deep, pervasive, and infectious passion which refuses to dull with age.
If you have seen an elf, you know it is nigh impossible to mistake one for a human. Those folk who do make such a mistake have probably met a half-elf. Compared to humans elves are notably taller, bear elongated limbs and features, and always lack body and facial hair. Most iconic would be their sharply-angled eyes and pointed ears which are most usually over six inches long.
One might presume that due to an elf's lifespan, such people would tend to grow bored, much like elderly dragons tend to slumber longer and longer as their years wear on. But this is not the case; in fact elves who give themselves over to ennui are often treated as sickly and in need of vital aid. Just about every elf loves something more than anyone else could possibly love anything. For some this is a person, for others a hobby. Their subject may change throughout an elf's life, but their passion is omnipresent. And this is a thankful trait ingrained deep in instinct, for in many eras it falls to elves to act as custodian of some near-lost art or knowledge, something only they still hold interest in.
Sometimes, an elf's passion is in the raising of their children. Elves are unusual contrasted to other mortals; despite their immense lifespans and immaculate youthfulness, elves of both sexes are only fertile between the approximate ages of 300 and 400. Such a fact means that elven families are often small and carefully planned, and it is rather rare for an elf to know their own grandparent.
The origin of the elven species remains as unknown as any other. However, the species' closeness with the nearby world of Fey is notable. Some scholars posit that elves are the result of a long-ago pairing between humans and the true Fey species of eladrin, which serves to justify why humans and elves can interbreed. One unusual theory holds that both elves and eladrin are long-lost offspring of humans entirely.
This Fey inheritance is notable for elves, and may be a source of the innate magical abilities they wield. In addition to affinity for such things, elves also lack the need for sleep entirely, as other species do. Instead, elves enter a deep trance during which time they dream vividly while still being aware of their surroundings. While unable to sleep normally or even by magical effect, elves are not immune to being put unconscious by drugs. Some elves who have undergone such a thing have noted the distress of dreamless sleep.
Elven people can be categorized into a few races. Moon elves are those whose natural affinities put them more in tune with magic and the heavens. By appearance they have paler skin and are usually blonde. Heart elves are those who find their affinities in tune with nature or with people. Most often, heart elves have dark skin and dark hair, and eyes of amber. Dark elves - or drow - are those who long ago descended to the Underdark, and so gained an affinity for the dark and deep. A drow is easily spotted by their gray-purple skin and crystal-white hair.
Elves in the World
In Des Forabis elves are, to a certain degree, in decline. The continent was once home to two nations where moon elves gathered in great numbers and built immense and immaculate societies, which they shared with their shorter-lived siblings. However, centuries ago the kingdom of Vessoth was wracked by the arrival of
The Redshift Phenomenon; some escaped, but many did not. Around the same time, the land of Orokos was conquered by the Immortal King of Death Edelweis, who cut off contact with the outside world for good.
Due to these great losses, moon elves in Des Forabis are scattered and relatively few. Better off are their cousins, the heart elves, who today still foster a major population center in Welgagea Stronghold. At the edge of the Great Old Forest Er'us, the Stronghold glitters like glass and though reclusive, the Kings and Queens of Welgagea have always been friendly to their neighbors.
Drow are uncommon, being denizens of the Underdark. Most drow worship vile gods and live in a brutal underworld of treachery and xenophobia, for reasons long lost to time. When people on the surface world see drow, it is most often as raiders and villains, not as friends. One may hear rumors here and there that drow cities exist deep in the Great Old Forest Er'us, but this is most likely fanciful fiction, as living in the Old Forest is so treacherous as to be impossible.
Elf Player Characters
As an elf you are defined by your agelessness and your passion for life. You may be a young elf only a few decades old, only as experienced as any human, setting out into the world. Or you may be one who has refined their tastes and skills for a century or more, stepping forth to make adventure with the poise of a master already. Whatever your age, it should be true that you love something or someone - anything - deeply, and such a thing can often act as great motivation for elven heroes.
If you are a heart elf or moon elf, consider the age you'd set off on adventure, and for what reason it might be. As a species that can grow very old, it may be important for you to decide what you've been up to in the decades or centuries before your adventure begins.
If you are a heart elf, you may be from Welgagea Stronghold, or perhaps you are simply from one of the many diverse cities across the realm.
If you are a drow, consider your (or your parents') motivation for being away from your people and out in a world with a sun that spews harsh light. As a drow, you should be prepared to deal with the assumptions of people who only know drow as villains, whether or not you are one yourself.
Elf Traits
Ability Score Bonus. You gain a +2 to Dexterity.
Age. Elves are born similarly to humans, and until about 18 years of age, grow at roughly the same pace. After reaching adulthood, elves seemingly freeze in time, aging almost imperceptibly over the next 600 years or so. Around 650 years of age, an elf begins to noticeably grow old till their natural death at about 750 years.
Size. Your size is Medium. Elves tend to stand between 6 and 7 feet tall, but are much slimmer than humans, weighing about 120 pounds on average.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision. You have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Keen Senses. You have proficiency in the Perception skill.
Fey Ancestry. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can't put you to sleep.
Trance. Elves don't normally sleep. Instead, they meditate deeply, remaining semiconscious, for 4 hours a day. While meditating, you can dream vividly while still being vaguely aware of your surroundings. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep. If you meditate during a long rest, you finish the rest after only 4 hours. You otherwise obey all the rules for a long rest; only the duration is changed.
Drow Traits
Ability Score Bonus. You gain a +1 to Charisma.
Superior Darkvision. Replaces
Darkvision. You have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 120 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Sunlight Sensitivity. You have disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.
Drow Magic. You know the
dancing lights cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the
faerie fire spell once with this trait; you regain the ability to cast it when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level, you can also cast the
darkness spell once per day with this trait; you regain the ability to cast it when you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
Heart Elf Traits
Ability Score Bonus. You gain a +1 to Wisdom.
Fleet of Foot. Your base walking speed increases to 35 feet.
Mask of the Wild. You can attempt to hide even when you are only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, and other natural phenomena.
Moon Elf Traits
Ability Score Bonus. You gain a +1 to Intelligence.
Cantrip. You know one cantrip of your choice from the wizard spell list. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for it.
Extra Language. You can speak, read, and write one extra language of your choosing.
