Ancient Elf
The Ancient Elf race is the race from which today's high elves, dark elves, wood elves, and half elves descend. What is described in this section are the ancient elfin forefathers. The three full-elf subspecies can be considered to have the traits described here as a baseline which is overwritten by any specifics described in their section.
When creating an elfin character, you should also pick one of the three subraces. In Pathfinder 2E, the subraces can be loosely tied to the elf heritages as described on page 39 of the Player's Handbook. High elves should take either the arctic or seer elf heritages. Dark elves should take either the cavern or the whisper elf heritages. Wood elves should take either the woodland or the whisper elf heritages.
All three subraces of elves removed themselves from Chaia during the days of the Dragon Kings, though each subrace did so in a different manner. Because of that, elves were widely considered to be mythical by those living in the Age of Heroes and the Age of Brick, with the exception of the Dukes of Ulrancano, who were speculated to be humans who'd been changed by draconic magic and possibly the source of the legend of the elves. That all changed in 422, a little over 400 years before the start of the story in 862, when the elves reemerged from their various hiding places onto a continent that had changed dramatically since the time when they walked its surface.
Elves combine otherworldly grace, sharp intellect, and mysterious charm in a way that is practically magnetic to members of other ancestries. They are often voraciously intellectual, though their studies delve into a level of detail that most shorter-lived peoples find excessive or inefficient. Valuing kindness and beauty, elves ever strive to improve their manners, appearance, and culture.
Elves are often rather private people, steeped in the secrets of their groves and kinship groups. They’re slow to build friendships outside their kinsfolk, but for a specific reason: they subtly and deeply attune to their environment and their companions. There’s a physical element to this attunement, but it isn’t only superficial. Elves who spend their lives among shorter-lived peoples often develop a skewed perception of their own mortality and tend to become morose after watching generation after generation of companions age and die. These elves are called the Forlorn.
Basic Information
Biological Traits
While generally taller than humans, elves possess a fragile grace, accentuated by long features and sharply pointed ears. Their eyes are wide and almond-shaped, featuring large and vibrant-colored pupils that make up the entire visible portion of the eye. These pupils give them an alien look and allow them to see sharply even in very little light.
Elves gradually adapt to their environment and their companions, and they often take on physical traits reflecting their surroundings. An elf who has dwelled in primeval forests for centuries, for example, might exhibit verdant hair and gnarled fingers, while one who’s lived in a desert might have golden pupils and skin. Elven fashion, like the elves themselves, tends to reflect their surroundings. Elves living in the forests and other wilderness locales wear clothing that plays off the terrain and flora of their homes, while those who live in cities tend to wear the latest fashions.
It is this gradual adaptation that caused the elfin race to splinter so distinctly into Dark Elf, High Elf, and Wood Elf substrates.
Elves reach physical adulthood around the age of 20, though they aren’t considered to be fully emotionally mature by other elves until closer to the passing of their first century, once they’ve experienced more, held several occupations, and outlived a generation of shorter-lived people. A typical elf can live to around 600 years old.
Civilization and Culture
Culture and Cultural Heritage
Elven culture is deep, rich, and on the decline. Their society peaked millennia ago, long before they fled the world to escape the Dragon Kings. They’ve since returned, split into three new races, but rebuilding is no easy task. Their inborn patience and intellectual curiosity make elves excellent sages, philosophers, and wizards, and their societies are built upon their inherent sense of wonder and knowledge. Elven architecture displays their deep appreciation of beauty, and elven cities are wondrous works of art.
Elves hold deeply seated ideals of individualism, allowing each elf to explore multiple occupations before alighting on a particular pursuit or passion that suits her best. Elves bear notorious grudges against rivals, which the elves call ilduliel, but these antagonistic relationships can sometimes blossom into friendships over time.
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