Elf

Stats

Ability Score Increase: Your Dexterity score increases by 2. Your constitution decreases by 1.
Size: Medium.
Speed: 30 feet.
Keen Senses: You have proficiency in Perception.
Fey Ancestry: You have advantage on saves against being charmed, and magic can't put you to sleep.
Trance: Elves meditate deeply, remaining semiconscious, for 4 hours a day in place of sleeping. You gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep.
Languages: You can speak, read, and write Common and Elvish.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Elves are a bipedal humanoid species that closely resemble humans. They are slim and lithe bodied with pointed ears and are typically hairless apart from eyebrows, eyelashes and hair on their head.
With their unearthly grace and fine, delicate features, elves appear hauntingly beautiful to humans and members of many other humanoid races. They are slightly shorter than humans on average, ranging from well under 5 feet tall to about 6 feet. Males and females are about the same height, and males are only marginally heavier than females. Elves have little in the way of sexual dimorphism so other species often struggle to distinguish between males and females.

Genetics and Reproduction

Due to their long lifespans Elves have much longer reproductive cycles than most other humanoids. The fertile window of child-bearing elves is very brief and only occurs once per year. Accidental pregnancy is very uncommon among elves for this reason.
Elven pregnancy typically lasts about 10 months.

Growth Rate & Stages

Elven newborns are considerably smaller than their human counterparts and much quieter. Elves also age much more slowly, reaching maturity at about 100 years old.

Ecology and Habitats

There are many sub-races of elves, each with their own environmental adaptations. However, all elves have sensitive senses of hearing and smell, so tend to live in calm, quiet environments.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Like humans, elves thrive on a diet of meat and vegetables, though elves have a more sensitive digestive system than humans and are therefore more vulnerable to poisons and allergies.

Biological Cycle

Elves go into a state of deep meditation for a few months each year.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Ideals and Values

Above all else, elves value wisdom and experience (for every 2500 years an elf has lived they gain +1 wisdom)
Most elven communities are run by a council of elders, who have been elected as the wisest and best suited to rule. Re-elections are held every 500 years and elders can be re-elected an unlimited number of times.

Family and Relationships

Elven parents are highly encouraged to wait until previous children are adults before having a new one. This is seen as allowing each child to have equal attention and preventing parents from becoming too overwhelmed. Disregarding this rule is highly frowned upon (akin to drinking and smoking while pregnant.)
Elves are able to produce hundreds of children over their long lifetimes so close familial relationships are uncommon. Instead, families function more as clans, each with a unique history and reputation. The further back a bloodline extends the more it is respected. Families of elders are highly regarded in Elf society, seen almost as royalty.

Facial characteristics

Elves tend to have sharp, angular features and very symmetrical features. They tend to have less variation in appearance than other humanoids so other species often struggle to tell them apart.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

As the oldest humanoid race, elves can be found across the world in many different environments.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Elves have keen senses which make them much more perceptive than most humanoid races. However their enhanced sense of sight, smell, hearing, touch and taste makes them vulnerable to over-stimulation. For this reason elves tend to avoid spending too much time in human settlements, which tend to be overwhelming for them.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Elves are considered children until they declare themselves adults, some time after the hundredth birthday, and before this period they are called by child names.
On declaring adulthood, an elf selects an adult name, although those who knew him or her as a youngster might continue to use the child name. Each elf’s adult name is a unique creation, though it might reflect the names of respected individuals or other family members. Little distinction exists between male names and female names; the groupings here reflect only general tendencies. In addition, every elf bears a family name, typically a combination of other Elvish words. Some elves traveling among humans translate their family names into Common, but others retain the Elvish version.
Child Names: Ara, Bryn, Del, Eryn, Faen, Innil, Lael, Mella, Naill, Naeris, Phann, Rael, Rinn, Sai, Syllin, Thia, Vall
Male Adult Names: Adran, Aelar, Aramil, Arannis, Aust, Beiro, Berrian, Carric, Enialis, Erdan, Erevan, Galinndan, Hadarai, Heian, Himo, Immeral, Ivellios, Laucian, Mindartis, Paelias, Peren, Quarion, Riardon, Rolen, Soveliss, Thamior, Tharivol, Theren, Varis
Female Adult Names: Adrie, Althaea, Anastrianna, Andraste, Antinua, Bethrynna, Birel, Caelynn, Drusilia, Enna, Felosial, Ielenia, Jelenneth, Keyleth, Leshanna, Lia, Meriele, Mialee, Naivara, Quelenna, Quillathe, Sariel, Shanairra, Shava, Silaqui, Theirastra, Thia, Vadania, Valanthe, Xanaphia
Family Names (Common Translations): Amakiir (Gemflower), Amastacia (Starflower), Galanodel (Moonwhisper), Holimion (Diamonddew), Ilphelkiir (Gemblossom), Liadon (Silverfrond), Meliamne (Oakenheel), Naïlo (Nightbreeze), Siannodel (Moonbrook), Xiloscient (Goldpetal)

Major Organizations

The Elders

Beauty Ideals

Like humans, smooth, clear skin, bright eyes and symmetrical features are considered attractive in elf society as they are signs of good health.
Unlike humans, beauty standards for elves are the same regardless of gender. Slender, athletic bodies are most admired and as elves don't typically have body hair, it is a trait that's seen as highly unattractive. For this reason human men (who typically have thicker hair than their female counterparts) are generally considered unattractive by elven standards.
Elven ears are also an important feature when it comes to attractiveness. The larger and more severely pointed an elf's ears are, the more attractive they're considered. In most elven cultures elves decorate their ears with piercings, tattoos and decorative paint to draw attention to them.

Gender Ideals

Gender is considered completely separate from biological sex in elven society and it is something that is chosen along with a name once they reach adulthood.

Courtship Ideals

Polyamory is a common practice in most elven cultures. Elves usually choose multiple partners with complimentary traits and skills.
Given that elves have such long lifespans, childbearing is fairly low priority in their society. For this reason, partners are usually chosen for companionship and family connections rather than suitability for parenting. When elves do decide to have children it is usually considered transactional rather than intimate and conception often occurs as part of an elaborate ceremony.
Elven courtship typically lasts about 50 years before it's considered a serious relationship.

by Mournful Wizard

Scientific Name

Homo Aurisubula

Lifespan

6000 years

Average Height

5 foot

Average Weight

100 to 145 pounds

Average Physique

Elves are slender and lithe bodied. They are very agile and flexible in comparison to humans and many other humanoid races.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Elves’ coloration encompasses the normal human range and also includes skin in shades of copper, bronze, purple and blue. Elven hair can be almost any colour and their eyes can be blue, green, brown, amber, gold, silver or violet.