Elf (Excerpts of Elvhenan)

Elves are a race comprised of beautiful, ethereal immortals who lived in harmony with nature, but were unchanging in their ways. They existed in a world without the Veil and called the Fade the "sky". Elvhen sought both to explore the stillest roots of the Fade and to master the unchanging material world, delicate and stubborn when subjected to magic. Some of them manifested outside the Fade and began to build cities on the Earth– thus creating the sprawling Empire of Elvhenan. Elves maintained close relationships with the spirits, though, who acted as keepers of knowledge and teachers as they conquered the surface of Thedas.

There are a few variants of elves which populate Elvhenan. Below, you will discover what innate talents and features they possess.

### Keen Senses

You have proficiency in the Perception skill.

### Darkvision

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

## Elvhenborn (City Elf)

Though the first of the Elvhen were born from spirits, most elves are Elvhenborn– born from other elves– and make up the majority of the population of Elvhenan. With an innate connection to the Fade, magic is as natural as breathing for most elves, and even those who are not particularly gifted or studious in the Arcane find themselves using magic on a regular basis, often without a thought. Though these elves may still suffer death through battle and conflict, their relative immortality granted through the Fade offers them strength in wisdom.

### Speed and Size

Your base walking speed is 30 feet. Your size is Medium.

### Lifespan

Elvhenborn are immortal, but not impervious to fatal wounds, and will die if slain.

### Sharp Mind

You automatically have proficiency in Arcana.

### Innate Magic

You have access to two cantrips of your choice from the Arcanist, Bard, Druid, Priest, Sorcerer, or Warlock spell list. In addition, choose one 1st-level spell to learn from that same list. You can cast the spell once at its lowest level, and you must finish a long rest before you can cast it again.

### Languages

You can speak, read, and write in Elvhen.

## Adahl'Elvhen (Wood Elf)

Though the majority of Elvhen live in cities, there are cloisters of elves who have remained in the forests for generations– and Nature has changed them. Much more in touch with the solid earth than their Elvhenborn counterparts, these elves prefer to stay closer to the ground rather than in the sky and the Fade. Many villages of Adahl'Elvhen exist, but remain hidden from most, preferring to stay out of the politics of Elvhenan and live peacefully with nature. Most of the Evanuris pay no mind to these elves, as they stay to themselves and pose no threat to the Empire.

### Adahl'Elvhen Origins

Adahl'Elvhen specific origins include: WIP

### Speed and Size

Your base walking speed is 35 feet. Your size is Medium.

### Lifespan

Adahl'Elvhen are immortal, but not impervious to fatal wounds, and will die if slain.

### Naturalist

You automatically have proficiency in Nature.

### Mask of the Wild

You can attempt to hide even when you are only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, and other natural phenomena.

## Dreamless

A very small number of elves are born Dreamless– born without the innate ability to connect with the Fade, use magic, or dream. Because of their inability to connect with the Fade, this also means that Dreamless have short lifespans in comparison to the Elvhen’s immortality. Rare as it is, this birth defect is heavily looked down upon, to the point that an Elvhen family might disown or even kill a child born Dreamless. For those of the Dreamless that do survive, most are outcasts, living in slums and resorting to crime, or are slaves, and seen as the lowest of servants used to do menial and laborous tasks. Despite being given the short stick in a world dominated by magic, Dreamless are often the most resilient of elves, and the most resourceful.

### Speed and Size

Your base walking speed is 30 feet. Your size is Medium.

### Lifespan

Dreamless tend to have a lifespan of about 600 years pre-veil, and 100 years post-veil.

### Ability Score Increase

Two different ability scores of your choice increase by +2.

### Skilled

You gain proficiency in one skill of your choice.

### Resilience

You gain one non-magical feat of your choice.

### Languages

You can speak, read, and write in Elvhen.

## Elgarvhen (Spiritual Construct)

Once but the embodiment of a single idea, emotion, or virtue, Elgarvhen are spirits who have taken– or been given– corporeal form, becoming elves. With bodies made from the earth, and their soul willed into its new body, Elgarvhen are often very naive or single-minded for the first few centuries of their Elvhen life. Even after maturity, these beings are still often ruled by their initial virtue, taking on both the good and bad qualities, the pure and the perverse. Because of a spirit’s direct connection to the fade, Elgarvhen are revered in Elvhen society, and often become people of importance or stature. The creation of an Elgarvhen requires a powerful ritual, and is usually done by the guidance of an elite elf, or a member of the Evanuris.

### Speed and Size

Your base walking speed is 30 feet. Your size is Medium.

### Lifespan

Elgarvhen are immortal, but not impervious to fatal wounds, and will die if slain. If killed, there is a chance the Elgarvhen’s spirit will revert to its purest form, and continue to exist in the Fade.

### Ability Score Increase

The ability score corresponding with your spirit’s virtue increases by +2. Please consult The Spirit List to determine which ability is improved.

### Cross-Faded

Your very spirit once resided in the Fade. You automatically gain proficiency in History.

### Fade Step

As a bonus action, you can use your spiritual knowledge of the Fade to magically teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space you can see. Once you use this trait, you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest. When you reach 3rd level, your Fade Step gains an additional effect based on your virtue’s ability score; if the effect requires a saving throw, the DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your virtue’s ability score modifier. The effects are as follows:

**Strength:** Immediately after you use your Fade Step, all creatures within 5 feet of you must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone.

**Dexterity:** Immediately after you use your Fade Step, all creatures have disadvantage on attacks made against you for one round.

**Constitution:** Immediately after you use your Fade Step, up to 2 creatures of your choice that you can see within 10 feet of you gain temporary hit points equal to your level.

**Intelligence:** Immediately after you use your Fade Step, two creatures of your choice that you can see within 30 feet of you must succeed an intelligence saving throw or be stunned until the end of your next turn.

**Wisdom:** When you use your Fade Step, you can touch one willing creature within 5 feet of you. That creature then teleports instead of you, appearing in an unoccupied space of your choice that you can see within 30 feet of you.

**Charisma:** Immediately after you use your Fade Step, up to two creatures of your choice that you can see within 10 feet of you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by you for 1 minute, or until you or your companions deal any damage to it.

### Languages

You can speak, read, and write in Elvhen.