Astral Elf
For more information on all races, see: Ancestries & Races
Astral elves are dreamers carved from stardust and silence—mystics whose very souls hum with arcane potential. With eyes that mirror the universe and minds sharpened by obsessive pursuits, they walk the world not as conquerors but as seekers. They are Phaendar's chosen, and often devote their lives to the relentless pursuit of knowledge, the mastery of magic, and the search for meaning. Shunning kingdoms and crowns, they instead build sanctuaries of wisdom and rule through intellect and spellcraft, their sovereign city-state of Praetor glowing like a lone star in the night.
Physical Description
Astral elves possess an otherworldly elegance that sets them apart even from their terrestrial elven kin. Their physiques are lithe and graceful, sharing a similar build with moon elves—slender and fine-boned. While they possess the pointed ears and elegant features common to all elves, their skin tones are human-like, trending toward the pale, occupying a midpoint between the ivory hues of moon elves and the warmer, sun-touched tones of sun elves. What sets them apart, however, is the faint, ever-present shimmer of their skin—like grains of sand catching sunlight or snowflakes twinkling in the dawn. This subtle glimmer gives them an almost surreal aura, especially in dim or magical light. Their eyes are unmistakable: deep black sclera dotted with tiny, white star-like specks. The irises themselves shimmer in vivid colors—crimson, sapphire, amethyst, emerald—reminiscent of galaxies, nebulas, or magical auroras. White and black hair are by far the most common, often styled more functionally than decoratively, though arcane accessories or enchanted strands woven with glowing filaments are not uncommon among spellcasters. Their choice of clothing culturally leans toward the refined and functional—robes inscribed with subtle glyphs, constellation motifs, or threadwork that glows faintly in the dark. Jewelry made of starmetal, crystal, or magical glass often serves as arcane focuses or status symbols.
More-so than other elves, the bond astral elves share with the cosmos is biological. Each astral elf enters the world under one of the fourteen zodiacs—stars that pass through dominance during different times of the year. This cosmic alignment leaves an indelible mark on their soul, granting them innate spell-like abilities reflective of their star sign’s nature. These manifestations occur naturally and universally among their kind, with each child displaying minor arcane phenomena within days or weeks of birth. Astral scholars believe this phenomenon is due to an increased presence of stardust within their blood. This stardust reacts to celestial alignments, subtly altering the child's magical aura in utero and binding them to a specific star.
Culture
Astral elf culture is deeply shaped by a widespread tendency toward focused intellectual fixation—what many describe as an innate drive to master specific subjects or disciplines with intense, often lifelong dedication. Whether it is a school of magic, a branch of astronomy, a historical epoch, or some other trade, astral elves are prone to developing what others might view as narrow obsessions, devoting countless hours to study, practice, and refinement. This hyper-focus is seen as a virtue in their society, however this trait often comes at a social cost: astral elves are frequently indifferent or unaware of emotional nuance in others. They may struggle with empathy, tone, or the unspoken subtleties of social interaction, resulting in reputations as aloof, blunt, or oddly detached. Among themselves, this is largely accepted as a cultural norm, but it can cause friction when interacting with other peoples less accustomed to such single-minded, emotionally opaque behavior.
Faith & Religion
Among astral elves, religion is not centered on ritual worship or divine petitioning, but on pursuit, principle, and reverence through action. Faith in Phaendar is woven seamlessly into their culture, not as a dogmatic system but as a philosophical framework that informs their values, institutions, and even personal identity. His teachings are not commandments but ideals: to seek knowledge, to travel both physically and intellectually, and to share wisdom generously. As such, the faithful are expected not to pray, but to study; not to worship in temples, but to expand the frontiers of understanding. Religious devotion among astral elves is expressed through scholarship, arcane mastery, and celestial observation. The line between mage and priest is often nonexistent. Arcane academies serve as places of both magical training and religious instruction, and a well-defended theory on the nature of magic may carry as much weight as a sacred text. Devotion is shown in contributions to magical research, in guiding others toward discovery, and in charting the heavens to better understand the ever-changing dance of the stars. Stargazing is a meditative practice, and many astral elves track their lives and fates by the constellations—especially the star sign under which they were born, believed to shape their magical essence.Central to the practice of the faith is the Court of Stars, which functions as both a religious authority and arcane institution. It maintains astronomical records, preserves the philosophical and magical canon of Phaendar’s teachings, and publishes the Stella Libri, a living text updated each year with astronomical charts, magical discourse, and instructional materials. While technically open to all, the Court's leadership and most prominent scholars are overwhelmingly elven—something that has drawn criticism from outsiders, though few astral elves see this as a failing.
Astral elf society honors intellectual merit and magical achievement as the highest forms of piety. Birthright or bloodline hold little religious weight; instead, it is one’s contributions to the arcane and to the betterment of others that reflect divine favor. Even civic institutions are infused with theological underpinnings—laws are treated as a form of reasoned order, arcane violations as spiritual transgressions. In this way, the astral elves do not merely serve Phaendar—they live his values, shaping a society where magic, inquiry, and exploration are both cultural cornerstones and sacred obligations.
Society
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Naming Traditions
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Government & Law
Though they possess no nation of their own, astral elves lay claim to a singular bastion of sovereignty: the city-state of Praetor, a marvel of arcane ingenuity nestled high within the mountains of the Solari Imperium. Home to the largest population of astral elves in the world, Praetor serves as their cultural and political heart, and most astral elves—whether residing within or abroad—adhere, at least loosely, to its magocratic laws and traditions. Astral elves who live beyond the borders of Praetor, however, often display a remarkable adaptability, seamlessly integrating into the customs and legal systems of whatever society they inhabit. Lacking a strong national identity or territorial ambition, these astral elves are far less concerned with who rules the land than with whether their personal pursuits—be they arcane, philosophical, or scholarly—can flourish. For them, the surrounding culture is often little more than a backdrop to their individual quests for knowledge and meaning. As long as they are free to study, experiment, and expand their understanding, astral elves tend to be content, quietly weaving themselves into the fabric of foreign communities while remaining somewhat aloof, always oriented more toward the clouds than the soil beneath their feet.Commerce & Trade
TEXTSettlements & Architecture
Astral elves living beyond Praetor rarely seek to recreate its grandeur. Instead, they adapt to local cultures and environments, while maintaining a few distinct stylistic signatures. These include a preference for open, airy interiors, tall narrow structures, and materials that catch or reflect light, such as glass, polished stone, or silvered wood. When possible, they position their dwellings to have clear views of the sky—particularly the night sky—and will often incorporate rooftop terraces, domed ceilings, or skylights. Their homes and buildings frequently feature celestial motifs, such as constellations etched into woodwork or inlaid floors resembling star charts. Many astral elves install subtle magical enhancements—floating lanterns, temperature-regulating enchantments, or acoustic wards to maintain peace and focus.Rather than forming insular enclaves, astral elves tend to settle as individuals or small families among other cultures. Their architecture blends with the dominant aesthetic of the region, though refined by their own preferences for clarity, symmetry, and subtle magic. Where sun elves may build with opulence, moon elves with mysticism, and wood elves with nature, astral elves construct with logic, symbolism, and function in mind. Even in remote villages or bustling cities, an astral elf’s home can often be identified by its library-like interior and a marked absence of clutter. Regardless of where they reside, they recreate in miniature the principles of Praetor: beauty through knowledge, reverence through design, and magic woven into the bones of the space itself.
Magic Traditions
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Moon Elves
Astral elves and moon elves share a deep cultural affinity, rooted in a philosophical orientation toward introspection and mystery. Both peoples tend to be contemplative, curious, and attuned to the greater workings of the world around them—qualities that foster a sense of quiet camaraderie. To many moon elves, astral elves feel like kindred spirits: distant cousins who chose a more radical path, trading the quiet serenity of the night for the vast unknown of the firmament. Astral elves, in turn, often regard moon elves with a gentle fondness. While they may see their lunar kin as somewhat passive or romantically inclined toward the esoteric, they also respect their deep emotional intuition—qualities that astral elves themselves often lack. There is little political friction between the two, as astral elves rarely challenge the moon elves’ lifestyle or purpose, and both cultures tend to prize personal freedom and magical exploration over rigid governance.Sun Elves
Astral elves and sun elves share ancient kinship and deep respect for magic and tradition, but their worldviews differ significantly. Sun elves, proud of their legacy and hierarchy, often view astral elves as brilliant but eccentric—gifted mystics whose obsessions have made them inscrutable. Conversely, astral elves regard sun elves as overly authoritarian and needlessly conservative, too concerned with control and tradition to embrace innovation. Despite these tensions, mutual necessity and religious belief have fostered a fragile coexistence. The city-state of Praetor exists within sun elf territory only by the Imperium’s ongoing permission, and while this arrangement affords the astral elves autonomy, it is a reminder of their political vulnerability. Some sun elves see Praetor as a tolerated anomaly; others respect it as a vital hub of arcane advancement. Astral elves, for their part, often bristle under sun elf scrutiny but recognize the value of their Imperium’s stability and protection.Wood Elves
Astral elves and wood elves often regard each other with mutual incomprehension. To wood elves—who value instinct, tradition, and a deep, intuitive bond with the natural world—the astral elves can seem cold, aloof, and overly cerebral. The wood elf emphasis on simplicity, directness, and emotional authenticity stands in stark contrast to the astral elf tendency toward abstraction, detachment, and intellectual obsession. Many wood elves quietly view astral elves as having strayed too far from the roots of elvenkind, forsaking the harmony of the land for a life adrift among the stars and theories. Astral elves, for their part, often see wood elves as provincial, even charmingly primitive. They may appreciate wood elves’ martial skill and spiritual depth, but struggle to grasp their disinterest in study or inquiry. To an astral elf, a life spent in the woods communing with trees may seem not only unambitious, but tragically limited in scope. Despite this cultural dissonance, there is rarely outright hostility. Both groups recognize the other as elven, and neither typically seeks to impose its values on the other.Adventurers
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Racial Traits
General Information
Maturity
Childhood: 0 - 25 years
Young Adulthood: 25 - 100 years
Mature Adulthood: 100 - 600 years
Elderhood: 600 - 800 years
Average Lifespan
750 years
Average Height
5 ft. 8 in. – 6 ft. 4 in.
Average Weight
120 – 190 lbs.
Pathfinder 1e
Astral Elf - Pathfinder 1e Stat Block
Pathfinder 2e
Elf - Pathfinder 2e Stat Block
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