Elf

## The First To Walk

The First to Walk is a name the elves have gladly taken for their own, and though there were creatures of sorts before the coming of Elvenkind, they were the first of the kindled races to find themselves on the earth. Their history is one of long decay, their ancient greatness lost in an almost unimaginable chasm of time. Few relics of the elves’ glory now remain, but those that do are prized beyond worth.

The once magnificent race is now a shell of its former self; gone are the great Elf Princes of the early ages of the world. Most elves hide away in their deepwood redoubts, living in tribal isolation, slowly losing even what fraction of glory that they had.

A handful make their way in the human world, scraping by in whatever way they can. These city-dwellers are often feared and mistrusted, relegated to ghettos, and ostracized by the short-lived and superstitious humans. Every so often, though, an elf is born that seems an echo of the race's former greatness. Bright and tall, these "High-elves" seem almost immortal, though they too share the same lifespan as their kin. Most elves, however, have become wilder, almost feral, as if their ties to nature have begun to drag them back to kinship with the beasts of the world. Called "Wood-Elves" in the Imperial tongue, they are by far the most common of a very rare race.

Occasionally, a child will be born from a union between human and elf blood. These Forest-Born are treated with something of awe and fear in the human world. Their sterility and longevity often preclude them from many of the normal attachments that keep normal humans in one place.

## Racial Features

Here are the following changes to the standard D&D Elf and Half-Elf races:

***Dusksight***: Wood Elves and High Elves gain Low-Light Vision. They can see in dim light as if it was bright light to a distance of 120 ft. Half-Elves can see in dim light as if it were bright light to a distance of 60 ft. This replaces the Darkvision Racial Trait.

***Fey Blood***: Wood Elves know the Druidcraft Cantrip. At 3rd level, they can cast Animal Friendship as a first level spell once per day. When they reach 5th level, they can cast Animal Messenger as a second level spell once per day. Wisdom is your spellcasting Ability for these spells.

**Otherworldly Grace***:* High Elves have 1 *ki point*. When they spend it, it is unavailable until they finish a short or long rest. They must spend at least 30 minutes of the rest meditating to regain it. The *ki* point can be spent on one of the three following abilities:

* *Flurry of Blows* - Immediately after you take the attack action on your turn, you can make two *Unarmed Strikes* as a Bonus Action.
* *Patient Defense* - You may take the *Dodge* action as a bonus action.
* *Step of the Wind* - You may take the *Dash* or *Disengage* actions on your turn as a bonus action, and your jump distance is doubled for your turn.

This features does not stack with the Monk class's Ki feature, and replaces the High Elf Cantrip racial feature.

At 3rd level, this ki point may be spent as a reaction to Deflect Missiles, as per the Monk Ability. If the damage is reduced to 0, they may make a ranged attack with the missile, without spending an additional ki point.

At 5th level, High Elves gain 1 additional ki point. This second ki point does stack with the Monk class's Ki feature.

At 9th level, they can spend a Ki point to gain True Sight, as per the True Seeing spell, for 1 round.

**Dark Blood**: Half-Elves can choose the Blood Hunter Class.