Elf

A race of "fallen" faeries who have become mortal, though long-lived.

Basic Information

Genetics and Reproduction

Sexual reproduction; 12-month gestation within the female.

Growth Rate & Stages

• Infant (Tiny): 0-1 years
• Toddler (Tiny): 2-5 years
• Young child (Small): 6-13 years
• Older child (Small): 14-20 years
• Adolescent: 21-31 years
• Ponderling: 32-95 years
• Young adult: 96-200 years
• Middle-aged: 201-350 years
• Elderly: 351-500 years
• Venerable: 501+ years

Ponderlings are mature physically and mentally, but elven culture does not consider them adults, and carefully shelters them until they reach young adult status. It is unclear how necessary this cultural tradition really is, and what their ostensible emotional immaturity could lead to otherwise.
Venerable elves are often more energetic and healthy than venerable members of other races, right up until their final years when they "fade." They can last as long as 750 years before "fading."

Ecology and Habitats

Many elves seem naturally drawn to forest regions.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Many elves are vegetarians.

Additional Information

Facial characteristics

Elves are well-known for their remaining fey-like features: almond-shaped eyes, angular eyebrows, and pointed ears (only slightly longer, maybe by half an inch, than humans' ears).
Facial hair is a rarity for elves, even masculine elves.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

By far the largest population of elves in the world dwells in Shalestar, in Kybos in Liassang. Eladrin, other gray elves, and half-elves are all easy to find there, although the greatest segment of the population is still wood elves.
Two other noteworthy centers of elvenkind are the gray elf magocracy of Itha-Iglonn in Rakia, and the wood elven town (and surrounding nomadic tribes) of Kyvasha, deep in the Foltzhai of the Smigrin Empire.

Average Intelligence

10 Intelligence (wood elves), 10-11 Intelligence (gray elves).

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Elves are noted for their keen eyesight and hearing. Their eyesight is so sensitive that they can see in what humans would consider total darkness.

Civilization and Culture

Gender Ideals

Non-binary individuals are slightly more common among elves than among humans.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Elvish.

History

Faeries have probably visited the Prime Plane since the days of the Primeval Peace, as soon as wildlands full of flora and fauna began to appear.
It is really anyone's guess as to when the faeries who dwelt in Ferkathas for long periods of time began to be mortal elves, "fallen" from the immortality of their progenitors. They didn't tend to keep records of such a thing. General consensus is that this began sometime circa 5500 Mythic Age, during the Era of Titans. The split into wood elves and gray elves was probably not much later, only an elven generation (about 150 years) or two.
Certainly the elves had become a well-established people by 2513 M.A., when the Aboleth Resurgence began just after The Cataclysm. Their lands, mostly low in elevation, were hit hard by the invasion of human armies from the coasts. Most elves had to retreat to mountains or underground lands to survive. Some never returned from an underground lifestyle, and became the drow.

Genetic Descendants

• Drow

Lifespan

620 years

Average Height

4'9" - 5'6"

Average Weight

85-140 lb.

Average Physique

10 Strength, 10 Constitution; slender