Elf (El-ph)
Long-lived creatures with a deep spiritual connection to the natural world, elves are viewed as one of the wisest of the races. An elf may be active in a community for centuries, but they sometimes exclude themselves for years to connect with nature or work to bring a project to perfection. Elves are scattered throughout the realms, with the Central Materan Elves simply referred to as “elves”, while others are often referred to with the name of their ethnicity.
Basic Information
Genetics and Reproduction
Elven pregnancies are long, lasting on average two and a half years, and thus elven birth rates are slow. Elven pregnancies' are often easy on the mother, with the longer gestation periods often compared to a psychic connection, but an elves weaker constitution means that they generally can only give birth once every five years.
Growth Rate & Stages
Elves age at an extremely slow pace for humanoids, typically reaching adulthood at 110 years of age, which to them is the equivalent of a 20 year old human.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Most elves seek a way of harmonious living with the natural world, and such lifestyles lean more towards sustainable eating habits. Thus many elves raise little in the way of livestock, as large-scale meat production is often wasteful, nor do they create large farming plantations. Most let plants and animals grow naturally, harvesting them in a way the disrupts nature as little as possible.
Biological Cycle
For most elves, their weaker constitutions means that they find the winter months more difficult, and they find the lack of sunlight and summer worth depressing. However, their immensely long lifespans mean that to them, season change in the blink of an eye, and many elves learn to appreciate the seasons in all of their forms.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Elven society differs greatly throughout the realms, but in all cases older elves always are held in much higher esteem then youths. They view experience as key, and one should learn not to cling to the youthful ideals of a younger race who will be long dead by the time the elf reaches middle age.
Facial characteristics
Elves have pointed ears, and often have lighter colored and long, wavy hair.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Elves of various different types are found scattered through all of the Nine Realms. Central Materan elves commonly dwell in the large forest nation known as Tar-Dorol
Average Intelligence
An elves longer lifespan means they have much more time to practice, hone their wits, and study a myriad of topics. This leads to even the lowest elves in a society to become well educated and learned in many things. Many elves take up the practice of magic, considering wizardry to be one of the noblest pursuits.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Elves can see in low-light conditions, and elves have a much greater range of senses the Humans, able to see and hear great distances.
Civilization and Culture
Major Organizations
The kingdom of Tor-Dorol in Central Matera is a massive forest ruled over by elves.
Beauty Ideals
Elves are a beautiful race, and thus extoll the virtues of physical beauty. Many elves, more youthful ones especially, find the lack of elven grace in other races as ugly, and Half-Elves often struggle to live up to the rigid standards of beauty set by their elven peers.
Gender Ideals
Elves have few gender ideals, finding strength and beauty in both genders.
Courtship Ideals
Elven courtship is passionate but fleeting, as many elves find it odd that the other races would commit what little time they have in their short lives to only one partner. Most elves are bisexual, as their tastes and preferences change and evolve over their long lifespans.
Relationship Ideals
Elves form strong but distant friendships, as it is not uncommon for an elf to go decades without seeing a close friend. Such long-range friendships are often difficult for other races to understand, and issues often come in friendships between an elf and non-elf. From the non-elf point of view, it seems like the elf might be ignoring their relationship, while the elf in question will find their non-elf friend becoming very clingily.
Average Technological Level
Elves prefer to rely on the bounty of the natural world, and often view the onset of technology as corruptive and dangerous. They are excellent woodworkers, able to carve masterful wooden weapons and works of art.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Elves speak Elven and the Common dialect for their realm. Most elves can also speak some of the following languages: Alkan, Celestial, Goblin, Gnome, Halfling, Orc, or Sylvan.
Common Dress Code
While individual dress varies form realm to realm, many elves prefer to wear clothing made either through the non-lethal harvesting of animal fur, or non-metal armor such as leather or hide. Elves find clothing made from metal and stone to be carry a ungainly weight to them. The exception to this is mithril, an metal that is lighter but stronger then steel and is one of the few things crafted in rare elven forges
Common Taboos
Actively harming nature its akin to a crime against elven people as a whole, and many elves take issue with various humans who are constantly expanding and uprooting nature to build new settlements.
Historical Figures
One of the members of the villainous Darkmoon Alliance that was responsible for bringing about the Sundering was an elven life-mage named Lanndrel.
Common Myths and Legends
A majority of elves worship Erá or another member of the elven pantheon, but can also be found venerating other nature gods, such as the Seasonal Lords.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
An elf's long lifespan often leads it to consider other races as rash and foolish, leading them to believe that elves are a superior race. They often acknowledge an individual on their skills and specialities, while still being dismissive of their race. Elves are fascinated by humans, who can seemingly accomplish many things in the blink of an eye. Despite this, elves are not very accepting of Half-Elves, who often fail to live up to their strict expectations. Elves get along well with nature based races, such as Gnomes and the Lyr-Kel, but can’t get along with more progessive races such as Dwarves and the tech races of Nenu-Lan. Most elves view all the Enthos races as disgusting.
Racial Table: Elf - Hit Dice: D8; Class Skills: Craft, Handle Animal, Heal, Perception, Profession; Skill Ranks Per Level: 2 + Intelligence modifier per level; Weapon Proficiency: Simple, plus longbows (including composite longbows), longswords, rapiers, shortbows, and any weapon with the world "elven" in its name; Armor Proficiency: Light
| Level | BAB | Fort | Reflex | Will | Abilities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +0 | +0 | +2 | +0 | Elven Immunities, Elven Magic, Keen Senses |
| 2nd | +1 | +0 | +3 | +0 | Elven Grace, Master of Senses |
| 3rd | +2 | +1 | +3 | +1 | Ancient Magic, Elven Attunement |
| 4th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +1 | Elven Beauty, +1 Dexterity, +1 Intelligence |
| 5th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +1 | Deadly Grace |
Random Starting Ages
| Adulthood | Intuitive1 | Self-Taught2 | Trained3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 110 years | +4d6 years (114 - 134) | +6d6 years (116 - 146) | +10d6 years (116 - 170) |
Random Height and Weight
| Gender | Base Height | Height Modifier | Base Weight | Weight Modifier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 5 ft. 4 in. | +2d8 in. (5 ft. 6 in. - 6 ft. 8 in.) | 110 lbs. | +(2d8x3 lbs.) (116 - 158 lbs.) |
| Female | 5 ft. 4 in. | +2d6 in. (5 ft. 6 in. - 6 ft. 4 in.) | 90 lbs. | +2(2d6x3 lbs.) (96 - 126 lbs.) |
Elf Aging Table
| Middle Age (-1 to Str, Dex, and Con, +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha) | Old (-2 to Str, Dex, and Con, +2 to Int, Wis, and Cha) | Venerable (-3 to Str, Dex, and Con, +3 to Int, Wis, and Cha) | Maximum Age (GM secretly decides maximum age) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 175 years | 263 years | 350 years | 350 + 4d% years (324 - 750 years) |
Random Elven Homelands
| % Rolled | Homeland | Trait Gained |
|---|---|---|
| 01-60 | Forest | Log Roller |
| 61-80 | Non-elven City or Metropolis | Forlorn |
| 81-95 | Non-elven Town or Village | Civilized |
| 96-00 | Unusual Homeland | (Roll on Unusual Homeland table) |
Random Elven Families
| % Rolled | Parental Status |
|---|---|
| 01-79 | Both your parents are alive |
| 80-87 | Only Father is alive |
| 88-95 | Only Mother is alive |
| 96-00 | Both your parents are dead |
| % Rolled | # of Siblings |
|---|---|
| 01-80 | 1d2 biological siblings |
| 81-85 | 1d4+1 biological siblings |
| 86-90 | 1d4+1 biological siblings; 1d3-1 of these siblings are half-elves, adopted from other races of your choice, or a mix of the two |
| 91-00 | No siblings |
Lifespan
354-750 years
Average Height
A male Elf averages between 5'6" and 6'8", while a female Elf stands between 5'4" and 6'4".
Average Weight
Male Elves weight between 116 - 158 lbs, while females weight between 96 - 120 lbs.
Average Physique
Elves have slender and thin bodies, well suited for quick and precise movements, but their forms are frail and physical labor quickly fatigues them.
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Elves often gain the coloration of their surroundings, with forest dwelling elves gaining shades of green in their skin, hair, and eyes, while those who dwell in a desert might take on more brown colors.
Related Organizations
Elf
Type
Humanoid (Elf)
Ability Score Modifier
+2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, -2 Constitution. Elves are nimble in body and mind, but their form is frail.
Size
medium
Speed
Elves have a base speed of 30 feet.
Language
An elf begins play speaking Common and Elven. Elves with a high intelligence score can pick from any of the following languages: Alka, Celestial, Goblin, Gnome, Halfling, Orc, and Sylvan.
- Materil: A Central Materan elf can be tied to any of the Materils, although the racial variants are tied to the Materil of their realm. Central Materan elves tend towards Windcallers or Earthbreakers.
- Low-light Vision: Elves can see twice as far as humans in low-light conditions.
- Elven Immunities: Elves are immune to magical sleep effects and gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against enchantment spells and effects. This bonus increase by 1 for every four hit dice the elf possesses beyond the 1st.
- Elven Magic: Elves receive a +2 racial bonus on caster level checks to overcome spell resistance. In addition, elves receive a +2 racial bonus on Spellcraft checks to identify the properties of magical items. This bonus increases by 1 for every two hit dice the elf possesses beyond the first.
- Keen Senses: Elves receive a +2 racial bonus on Perception checks. This bonus increases by 1 for every two hit dice the elf possesses beyond the 1st.
- Elven Grace: Starting at 2nd racial level, an elf gains Elven Battle Training as a bonus feat. The bonuses from this feat increases by 1 for every five hit dice the elf possesses beyond the 2nd.
- Master of Senses: Starting a 2nd racial level, an elf reduces the distance DC modifier for Perception checks to +1 per 20 feet. Additionally, while resting, the elf gains blindsense of 5 feet. This blindsense increases by 5 feet for every three hit dice the elf possesses beyond the 2nd.
- Ancient Magic (Su): Starting at 3rd racial level, 1/day as a swift action, an elf can call upon magic to do one of two effects. They can either treat their caster level as one level higher for a number of rounds equal to ½ their total hit dice, or grant a held weapon a +1 enhancement bonus (or increase an already existing enhancement bonus by +1) for a number of rounds equal to ½ their total hit dice. The weapon only gains this bonus while held by the elf, immediately losing it if it is dropped. The elf may use this ability an additional time each day for every five hit dice past the 3rd it possesses.
- Elven Attunement: Starting at 3rd racial level while resting in a place tied to their Materil, an elf heals double the normal rate, and may make another roll against an ongoing effect afflicting them (such as a disease) even if they have already failed for the day.
- Elven Beauty: Starting at 4th racial level, an elf gains a +1 racial bonus on all Charisma based skill checks for every four hit dice they possess. Additionally, they gain a +4 luck bonus on saving throws against any effect that would disfigure them, such as the brand spell or effects that cause Charisma damage.
- Deadly Grace: Starting at 5th racial level, the elf adds its Dexterity modifier to any damage rolls it makes with weapons that gain a bonus from Elven Grace. If the elf could already add their Dexterity modifier to those damage rolls, they instead add double their Dexterity modifier.
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