Elves

Basic Information

Anatomy

Slender and graceful builds.

Biological Traits

Elves are only considered as adult once they reach a 100 years of age.

There are four main subraces of elves, namely: Eladrin (rare), High Elves (rare and endangered), Wood Elves (uncommon), and Dark Elves (also known as Drow - never seen above the surface).

Eladrin

These are Elves have distinctly long ears and their colouring reflects the Fey court they belong to. Instead of hair, these elves seem almost plant-like and have leaf-like growths on their heads. The colour of which reflects the seasonal court the Eladrin belongs to. It is possible (and common) for an Eladrin to change from one season to another as their allegiances shift. Their colourings are as follows:

• Winter - Blue and white

• Autumn - Red and orange

• Spring - Green and yellow

• Summer - Green and brown

High Elves

There are two distinct kinds of High Elves: Sun Elves and Moon Elves.

• Sun Elf skin colour ranges from porcelain white to bronze and black. Their eyes are often on the yellow end of the spectrum. Their hair can be golden blonde, copper, or deep black.

• Moon Elf skin colour ranges from pale blue to dark blue (the latter often mistaken for Drow, leading to discrimination). Their eyes range from light blue to entirely black. Their hair colour errs on the darker side of the spectrum. There is a misconception that Moon Elves are sensitive to sunlight.

Wood Elves

The Wood Elves often reflect their natural surroundings. They have coppery or yellowish skin, often with green tinges. Their hair tends towards browns and blacks. Their eyes range from green to brown.

Dark Elves (Drow)

Drow have dark skin ranging from obsidian black to midnight blue or purple. Their hair is usually white, silver, or platinum (a feature that distinguishes them from Moon Elves). They have pale eyes that range between white and silver.

Genetics and Reproduction

Not all elves can have children. The elves believe that there are a finite number of elfish souls. To exceed this number is to risk bringing a 'Hollow' (a vessel for the Raven Queen) into this world. However, with reduced numbers after the Invasion, elves have been reluctant to have children and seem determined to let their own species die out.

Different races of elves tend not to interbreed, seeing it as taboo or impure. Like all humanoid races, they are genetically compatible and can interbreed with humans, dwarves, etc., but again this is frowned upon and the resulting offspring is shunned or exiled.

Ecology and Habitats

Elves of old are known for building cities that defy the laws of reality. Some float, some sink, others blend into the forests.

Dietary Needs and Habits

While they are omnivorous, most elves choose to be vegetarian (and they don't miss an opportunity to tell you about it).

Additional Information

Facial characteristics

Pointed ears. Elves are incapable of growing facial hair.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Elves younger than 100 years have special child names. These are usually short and simple. Once they reach 100, elders of a particular elf hold a sacred Ceremony (called the Naming). Not only does an elf take on their adult name, they also receive a memory from their ancestors.

Beauty Ideals

Elves put great stock in beauty. What this beauty is is highly dependent on sub-race. High Elves prize good hygiene and personal grooming. Wood Elves and Eladrin see beauty in nature, thus dirt and symbiotic plant growth are seen as beautiful. Drow, on the other hand, see beauty in physical strength and viciousness.

Gender Ideals

Neither male or female is favoured for (what humans believe to be) typical gender roles. Elves also have no conventions concerning sexual orientation - in fact, due to their longevity, an elf often changes their preference every decade or so. There are no restrictions for which gender can lead or rule.
The exception here are the Drow. This is a strictly matriarchal society. Only females are allowed to hold property or title. Males cannot inherit and are often used as slaves (if they ran out of other races to subjugate) or underlings.

Culture and Cultural Heritage

The Elves believe in a kind of reincarnation. Instead of the soul of an individual returning in the form of a descendant, the memories of a community are amalgamated and carried by an individual.

Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals

• Naming - When a name is chosen and a memory is inherited.

• Remembering - When an elf dies of old age and their memories are preserved.

Common Taboos

Intermarriage or interbreeding with other races and sub-races is seen as taboo. In ancient times, such transgressions were punished by death.

History

Elves came into being when Gruumsh spilt the blood of Corellon into the Feywild. The blood that fell on the crystal mountains became the Sun and Moon elves (the High Elves), that which fell on the plants and beasts became the Eladrin and Wood Elves respectively.

Eladrin

These are Elves native to the magical realm known as the Feywild. Unlike the other, more common elves, Eladrin mystical and mysterious. They have distinctly long ears and their colouring reflects the Fey court they belong to. This also effects their attitude as reflected by the season. These are as follows: "Autumn is the season of peace and goodwill, when summer’s harvest is shared with all; Winter is the season of contemplation and dolor, when the vibrant energy of the world slumbers; Spring is the season of cheerfulness and celebration, marked by merriment as winter’s sorrow passes; and, Summer is the season of boldness and aggression, a time of unfettered energy" (Wizards of the Coast, 2018). For more on Eladrin as a playable race, read this article on D&D Beyond.

Autumn Eladrin by Wizards of the Coast

High Elves

The original inhabitants of Chardovia. They were technologically and magically advanced and built great structures. Their Empire was said to have existed for 4 000 years and no High Elf will ever forget this. Not only are there some elves who are old enough to remember the time of the Invasion, but there are also those who remember the golden age of the elves thanks to their ancestral memories.

Octavia - Pathfinder Kingmaker by Owlcat Games

Wood Elves

Sometimes referred to as Wild Elves, Wood Elves often live in places that others believe untamed. They are at home in nature and their ancient cities are part of the trees themselves. Wood Elves survived the Invasion as many of the royal houses refused to come to the aid of their High Elf cousins - a fact that High Elves will never forget. Wood Elves are highly adaptable, as such they easily integrate into the societies of other races.

Venom in Her Veins by Raymond Swanland

Drow

Not much is known about the Dark Elves other than they are often encountered in the Underdark. Some say that they have been cursed to avoid the warmth of the sun, but their arachnid goddess, Lolth.

Drow - Forgotten Realms by 000Fesbra000

Common Myths and Legends

Elves were created from the blood of their deity, Corellon. This is a source of pride and shame for Elves, for this legend proclaims them both semi-divine and mistakes.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

While most elves believe themselves superior, they know the value of diplomacy. They value cooperation and alliances. It is difficult to gain the trust of a High Elf, but if you do, you cannot find a more loyal friend. Wood Elves, however, are as unpredictable as the natural world they revere. They will not consciously betray a friend, but this might happen if a friend's motive clashes with the preservation of nature. Drow are not to be trusted.

Marwyn, the Nurturer by Chris Rahn

Origin/Ancestry

Created from the blood of Corellon

Lifespan

600

Conservation Status

After the invasion, High Elves became endangered.

Average Height

5 - 6 ft.

Related Ethnicities

• High Elf
• Wood Elf

Dungeons & Dragons

Go to dndBeyond for the official Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition Elf stats and info.

Elf

Ability Score Increase +2 Dex

Size Medium

Speed 30ft

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Elf

Elves are a magical people of otherworldly grace, living in the world but not entirely part of it. They live in places of ethereal beauty, in the midst of ancient forests or in silvery spires glittering with faerie light, where soft music drifts through the air and gentle fragrances waft on the breeze. Elves love nature and magic, art and artistry, music and poetry, and the good things of the world.

Slender and Graceful

With their unearthly grace and fine features, elves appear hauntingly beautiful to humans and members of many other races. They are slightly shorter than humans on average, ranging from well under 5 feet tall to just over 6 feet. They are more slender than humans, weighing only 100 to 145 pounds. Males and females are about the same height, and males are only marginally heavier than females.
Elves’ coloration encompasses the normal human range and also includes skin in shades of copper, bronze, and almost bluish-white, hair of green or blue, and eyes like pools of liquid gold or silver. Elves have no facial and little body hair. They favor elegant clothing in bright colors, and they enjoy simple yet lovely jewelry.

A Timeless Perspective

Elves can live well over 700 years, giving them a broad perspective on events that might trouble the shorter-lived races more deeply. They are more often amused than excited, and more likely to be curious than greedy. They tend to remain aloof and unfazed by petty happenstance. When pursuing a goal, however, whether adventuring on a mission or learning a new skill or art, elves can be focused and relentless. They are slow to make friends and enemies, and even slower to forget them. They reply to petty insults with disdain and to serious insults with vengeance.
Like the branches of a young tree, elves are flexible in the face of danger. They trust in diplomacy and compromise to resolve differences before they escalate to violence. They have been known to retreat from intrusions into their woodland homes, confident that they can simply wait the invaders out. But when the need arises, elves reveal a stern martial side, demonstrating skill with sword, bow, and strategy.

Hidden Woodland Realms

Most elves dwell in small forest villages hidden among the trees. Elves hunt game, gather food, and grow vegetables, and their skill and magic allow them to support themselves without the need for clearing and plowing land. They are talented artisans, crafting finely worked clothes and art objects. Their contact with outsiders is usually limited, though a few elves make a good living by trading crafted items for metals (which they have no interest in mining).
Elves encountered outside their own lands are commonly traveling minstrels, artists, or sages. Human nobles compete for the services of elf instructors to teach swordplay or magic to their children.

Exploration and Adventure

Elves take up adventuring out of wanderlust. Since they are so long-lived, they can enjoy centuries of exploration and discovery. They dislike the pace of human society, which is regimented from day to day but constantly changing over decades, so they find careers that let them travel freely and set their own pace. Elves also enjoy exercising their martial prowess or gaining greater magical power, and adventuring allows them to do so. Some might join with rebels fighting against oppression, and others might become champions of moral causes.

Elf Names

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)

Subrace

Ancient divides among the elven people resulted in multiple subraces: High Elf, Wood Elf, Dark Elves (Drow), Eladrin, Sea Elf, and Shadar-kai. Choose one of these subraces presented or one from another source. In some worlds, these subraces are divided still further (such as the sun elves and moon elves of the Forgotten Realms), so if you wish, you can choose a narrower subrace.

Languages. Common and Elvish