Elves

A Fading Species; Magical Descendants of More Magical Ancestors

Introduction

The Elves are the oldest intelligent species within Cavum. Created by the minor Gods, the Elves have a rich history, much of which has been forgotten by even themselves. They are a mysterious people, rarely showing their face and preferring their own company. Despite their anti-social nature, Elves are fiercely loyal to those they like, and hold an unwavering disdain for those who wrong them.

Elves are the only species in Cavum that is directly able to control Aurum, an ability that they were given by the minor Gods. During the time of the Ancient Elves, they used this ability to power their cities, cast powerful magic, and even create new life. However, this incredible power was stolen away from them after the Great Disappearance, a near immediate collapse of Elven civilization that wiped out nearly the entire species. The Elves that survived where forever tainted, and lost much of their ability to control Aurum. Those few that survived desperately sought to find ways to cling to their power, and their descendants still try to do the same today.

The Ancient Elves

The Ancient Elves were the among the first sentient species created by the Minor Gods. Made by sculpting pure Aurum, the Ancient Elves where nearly as powerful as their creators. Whilst not being able to directly touch Aurum, they were able to control and manipulate it. This ability made them incredibly powerful magic users, capable of legendary feats. The Ancient Elves were also immortal beings, though they were unable to reproduce. The civilization of the Ancient Elves flourished for many centuries. During that time they created grand structures, incredibly powerful magical items, and a number of new species, including Halflings, Orcs, and Gnomes. However the civilization of the Ancient Elves was not to last.

The Great Disappearance

Legend tells of an extinction event called the Great Disappearance, which destroyed the Ancient Elven Civilization and almost wiped out the Elven species. Only a few of the Ancient Elves survived, however they were forever tainted by the Great Disappearance. The survivors of the Great Disappearance went on to split into the Elven Lineages.

Elf Statblock

Elf

One of the very first sentient races created by the Minor Gods, Elves have a long history and many rich cultural practices. The Elven species is split into four major lineages, High Elf, Wood Elf, Drow, and Ancient Elves. Each has their own unique species traits and lore.

ability score increase: Increase one ability score by 2 and another one by 1, or increase three different ability scores by 1

age: 750

Size: Medium

speed: 30 ft

Languages: You know Common and Elvish

race features:

Darkvision

You have Darkvision with a range of 60 feet.

Elven Lineage

Due to Elves deep connection with Aurum and Magic, as well as Elven societies emphasis on magical learning, every lineage of elves gets magical cantrip as well as other benefits. Starting at 3rd level and again at 5th level, you also gain the ability to cast a Spell with this trait. Once you cast the Spell with this trait, you can’t cast that Spell with it again until you finish a Long Rest; however, you can cast the Spell using any Spell Slots you have of the appropriate level. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for the Spells you cast with this trait (choose the ability when you select the lineage).

Fey Ancestory

You have Advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the Charmed Condition on yourself.

Keen Senses

You have Proficiency in the Perception Skill.

Trance

You don’t need to sleep, and magic can’t put you to sleep. You can finish a Long Rest in 4 hours if you spend those hours in a trancelike meditation, during which you retain consciousness.

The Elven Lineages

After the great disappearance the Elven species split into 3 different lineages, with with their own unique cultural identity and ways of practicing magic. Unlike their ancestors, these Elves were not immortal beings. Whilst they initially had long lifespans in the thousands of years, their children were not as long lived, and likewise, their children's children lived even shorter lives. The potency of their magic also steadily decreased. Each of the Elven races has dealt with this change in their own unique ways.

The High Elves

The High Elves are the closest to the Ancient Elves in magical ability and culture, however they are still far from the level of their Ancient Ancestors. The High Elves are a lineage constantly battling extinction, trying to once again reach the heights their ancestors once knew. Their communities, called Clades, are strictly regulated around magical ability. When a High Elf begins life they are immediately forced into intense magical study. For a period of 50 years a High Elf must devote themselves to this study, lest they're excommunicated from their Clade. If a High Elf fails to prove their magical abilities at the age of 50, during a rigorous Magical examination performed in front of the High Elf Council, they are also excommunicated. Those who do pass the magical examination are allowed to enter into the Clade, where the most magically adept are paired with another magically adept High Elf of the opposite sex. These two High Elves are tasked with bearing a child, and after that child is born, teaching them in the ways of magic. The parents must also continue to improve their own magical skills, as every 100 years they are retested on their magical abilities. Because of this High Elves are incredibly studious, but also incredibly difficult on themselves.

Aside from valuing magic, High Elves also deeply value community. For many High Elves, this community is their Clade. To a High Elf, the Clade is a family unit. Elven cities are often only inhabited by 10 to 15 High Elves, and as such the city is treated like one large household. High Elves eat together, often teach their children together, and practice magic together. This is true for any High Elf settlement. Even the largest Elven cities house around 50 High Elves, 10 of whom belong to the High Council. This style of small community living is reminisce of Ancient Elven culture, however it has become more and more of an unfortunate necessity as the High Elf population continues to steadily dwindle.

The purity of a High Elf's blood is an incredibly important factor to a High Elf's life. While many High Elves have magical potential, a High Elf of purer blood will have far more latent magical potential, and sometimes latent magical abilities. These High Elves are elevated in the Clade, quickly becoming members of the High Council and being given other pure blooded partners with whom they are to raise High Elf children. On the other hand, if a High Elf has very "impure" blood, they will be excommunicated from the Clade and forced to fend for themselves.

Whilst Elves aren't known for getting along with other species, out of all the Elves, High Elves hold the most prejudice. They think of all other races, including the other Elven ones, as inferiors, holding themselves as the closest race to perfection. This is taught to them at an incredibly young age, and reinforced to them throughout their lives. The only superior person to a High Elf is their elders, an Elf of "purer blood", and any other High Elf who is better at magic than them.

Playing a High Elf

If you what to play as a High Elf, there are a few things to consider. First and foremost, magic should be of incredible importance to them. Most High Elves are Wizards, because High Elf society forces them onto that path from an early age. The purest blooded High Elves will likely be sorcerers, getting many magical benefits without the extra dedication of hard study. However, an excommunicated High Elf may not pursue these paths, and instead become a wandering Ranger or use their immense technical knowledge of Magic to become an Artificer. Other important things to consider when playing a High Elf is their attitude towards the other races, how important their Clade is to them, and the constant study that they've undergone their entire lives.

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High Elf Statblock:

High Elf

The mostly magically adept of all the Elven Lineages, the High Elves are the lineage most closely related to the Ancient Elves, though they still lack much of their ancient ancestors glory. From the moment High Elves are born they are thrust into a rigerous routine of magical practice. Whether they succeed as a magic user determines their place within High Elf society, those who fail to live up to High Elf standards being excommunicated from it entirely.

ability score increase: Increase one ability score by 2 and another one by 1, or increase three different ability scores by 1

age: ~750 years

Size: Medium

speed: 30 feet

Languages: You know Common and Elvish

race features:

Elven Lineage Feature

You know the Prestidigitation cantrip. Whenever you finish a Long Rest, you can replace that cantrip with a different cantrip available to your class's Spell List. If your class does not possess a spell list, choose a spell list or cantrip most relevent to your character. At 3rd level you learn the Detect Magic spell and at 5th level you learn Misty Step.

Knowledge of Magic

You have advantage on Arcana checks

Magically Trained

After you make a magic related attack roll or ability check, you can choose to add 1d4 to your rolls total. This can be done a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest.

The Wood Elves

Some Wood Elves live deep within the Great Forest of Silavi, others make their homes in the tangled roots of the Knoll. Either way, a Wood Elf only settles where nature abounds. Having lost their ability to directly control Aurum in the Great Disappearance, the Wood Elves have found ways to extract Aurum for the natural world around them. Wood Elves gain not only their magic but also their sustinence through attunement to the natural world, drawing their power from the Aurum absorbed by the living things around them. Most Wood Elves use plants or animals as their source of magical fuel, but there have been tales of some Wood Elves using other humanoid creatures as "Magical power banks".

Wood Elves and Humans harbor a great hatred for each other. Whilst the Wood Elves were never fond of Humans, 100 years ago the bloody Silavi War was fought between the two species, a short 5 year war ending in a stalemate. This conflict was deemed just by the Mark of Cavum, as neither side went against the decrees of the Mark. The conflict, a result of economic overreach and rapid retaliation, worsened the relationship between the species nearly beyond repair. Whilst many Humans have moved on from the conflict, many Wood Elves remember it like it was yesterday, and detest any Human they come in contact with. It should be mentioned that not all Wood Elves are like this. Some Wood Elves who have no issues with humans, especially those who come into contact with Humans often.

As one of the species most deeply connected to nature, Wood Elves are not surprised by it's brutal nature. On the contrary, they are deeply aware of it, and are raised to embrace it. Wood Elves believe that all things are intrinsically apart of The Natural Living and Dying of Things, and that anything that upsets this order is something to be quickly disposed of. As such, Wood Elves carry a deep disgust towards anything undead, or anything that destroys that which is part of the natural order of life and death. Because of their attitude towards death, Wood Elves are not ones to grieve over the death of others, and rarely host funerals for the deceased, instead leaving their corpses to return to nature.

Playing a Wood Elf

If you want to play as a Wood Elf, there are a few things you should consider. Firstly, Wood Elves have a deep connection with Nature. It gives them their magical abilities and it's where they make their homes. Wood Elves believe in the natural living and dying of all things, and as such do not react strongly to death, lest it be of a suitably unnatural. If something is desecrating the natural order of living and dying, Wood Elves feel it is their duty to destroy it. Wood Elves also do not gain sustience like the species or Elven Lineages. Much like a vampire, they extract Aurum from other living things which they use to feed and empower themselves. Other important things to consider are the Wood Elves attitudes towards Humans, and how a specific Wood Elf channels their magical abilities.

Wood Elf Statblock

Wood Elf

Never found far from nature, Wood Elves get their magical abilities from natural life itself. By draining Aurum from other living things, usually plants or animals, but sometimes other humanoids, the Wood Elves can replenish their magical abilities. Above all things, Wood Elves believe in the natural Cycle of Life and Death, and deeply despise anything that goes against it.

ability score increase: Increase one ability score by 2 and another one by 1, or increase three different ability scores by 1

age: ~750 years

Size: Medium

speed: 35 feet

Languages: You know Common and Elvish

race features:

Elven Lineage Feature

Your Speed increases to 35 feet. You also know the Druidcraft cantrip.
At 3rd level you learn the Longstrider spell and at 5th level you learn Pass Without a Trace.

Aurum Feeder

Wood Elves don't need natural sustenance to survive, instead feeding off the Aurum of living things. This feeding sucks the Aurum out of the living thing, damaging them and possibly killing them. When a Wood Elf feeds off another's Aurum, it either acts as a days rations (if done during a long rest), or restores some of the Wood Elves hit points.
If performed during a long rest the living thing the Wood Elf is feeding on (Any plant or living creature with access to Aurum's Light), loses 4 hit points. Often times plants will simply decay. If a Wood Elf decides to pull Aurum from multiple different creatures, the total loss of hit points is split evenly amongst each creature. If the total number of creatures is uneven, for example the Wood Elf feeds off 3 creatures' Aurum, each creature has to make a Constitution Saving Throw and the lowest score receives the extra hit point loss. A creature can also willingly accept this extra hitpoint loss. You may also choose to consume only Half-Rations, in which case a creature only loses 2 hit points.
If performed during combat the Wood Elf must be within 5ft of the designated target, and must be able to touch their bare skin (or other natural part of their body). When making an attack roll you add your Constitution modifier as well as your proficiency bonus to attack and damage rolls. On a successful hit you do 1d4 necrotic damage and choose one of the following effects:

You regain hit points equal to the necrotic damage dealt

You gain a bonus to the next ability check or attack roll you make; the bonus equals the necrotic damage dealt

Feeding during combat counts as a day's half-rations if you do 2 or more hit points of damage and a full days rations if you do 4 or more hit points of damage.
You can feed off another creatures Aurum a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. If you feed off another creatures' Aurum during a long rest you use up one of your uses that you gained.

An Ancient Elf controlling an Orb of Aurum. Whilst many say that the Ancient Elves have long since gone extinct, there are tales of Ancient Elves wandering aimlessly throughout the levels of Cavum, cursed with a magical amnesia.

Quick Reference Guide:

Quickbuild Information:

Creature Type: Humanoid

Average Lifespan: ~750 years

Size: Medium

Height: 6 ft

Skin tone:

High Elves: White, Tan

Wood Elves: White, Pale Green

Hair color:

High Elves: Blonde, Brunette

Wood Elves: Brunette, Red, Black