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. Most of the time they trust in diplomacy and compromise to resolve differences before they escalate to violence. They have been known to retreat from intrusions into their home ranges, 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 Realms

Most elves dwell in small villages hidden from the eyes of outsiders. 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.

Basic Information

Genetics and Reproduction

Elves reproduce sexually, generally producing one child per pregnancy, though twinning can rarely occur (1 in 2500 pregnancies). When twinning does occur, 95% of the time it is the result of dual fertilization of multiple ova. The other 5% of twinned pregnancies are "identical" twins.

Growth Rate & Stages

Elves mature physically within 18 - 22 years, much the same as humans. Elves live between seven and eight centuries.

Ecology and Habitats

Elves are adapted to survive in all ecological niches found on Alzhonar. They are most often encountered in forest environments, but this is a matter of preference, not adaptation.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Elves possess enhanced aural and visual acuity. In particular, they are able to see more effectively in dim and low light conditions than do humans and some other humanoids.

Civilization and Culture

Common Myths and Legends

Nu Qorellyanun - epic poem in the Sylvan language that describes a mythic fight between Corellon Larethian and Gruumsh, in which blood spilled form Corellon coalesces into the first Eladrin.

Genetic Descendants

• Eastern Wild Elves
• Half-Elf
• High Elf
• Sea Elves

Scientific Name

Homo bey

Lifespan

750 Years

Related Organizations

• Sheyynadh Dynasty

Related Myths

• The Elves Arise

Elf Traits

Ability Score Increase

Your Dexterity score increases by 2.

Size

Elves range from under 5 to over 6 feet and have slender builds. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision

Accustomed to twilight forests and the night sky, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet as if it were bright light, and darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Trance

Elves do not need to sleep. Instead they meditate deeply, remaining semiconscious, for 4 hours a day. While meditating, you can dream after a fashion; such dreams are actually mental exercises that have become reflexive after years of practice. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep.

Language

You can read, speak, and write Common (Itarosan) and Elvish (you must choose a dialect).