Elves

Creatures of beauty and elegance, Elves are one of the oldest races on the mundane world. They originated and evolved in large forests and, much like humans, spread all around the known continents. They are responsible for creating many of the great civilizations that preceded the Empire of Dragons and largely responsible for its fall. This race birthed numerous great men – including one of the venerable Heroes, the Atom, Gahid; great and honorable is the history of elves.

Elves also possess a great affinity with the arcane energies of the world. They may be physically weaker than your average human, but that is more than compensated for with magic prowess; what would take a human mage years to grasp is mastered by an elf in a couple of seasons. Not only that, throughout the entirety of history, they are the only race that has shown the ability to use aptly named *'High Elven-Magic'*, a practice in which various mages synchronize their beings, momentarily fusing each other’s minds and existence into one sole entity capable of casting higher orders of magic. How the Elves obtained this abilities is unknown, with each culture having their own origin myths. However, the most widely accepted answer within elven societies is that the gods blessed their ancestors with these capabilities, choosing them as their challengers against the dragons, to rise above them as well as all the other races.

#### **Ability Score Increase**

Elves gain +2 Intelligence *or* +2 Wisdom score.

#### **Appearance**

Elves are hauntingly beautiful humanoids with long, sharp ears.

#### **Age**

Elves live for an average of 220 years, with their oldest members reaching up to 340 years.

#### **Size**

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

#### **Names**

Elves are considered children until they declare themselves adults, some time after the 60th birthday, and before this period they are called by child names. Upon declaring adulthood, an elf selects an adult name, although those who knew him or her as a youngster might continue to use the child name. Each elf’s adult name is a unique creation, though it might reflect the names of respected individuals or other family members. Little distinction exists between male names and female names; the groupings here reflect only general tendencies. In addition, every elf bears a family name, typically a combination of other Elvish words. Some elves traveling among humans translate their family names into Common, but others retain the Elvish version.

* ***Common Child Names -*** Ara, Bryn, Del, Eryn, Faen, Innil, Lael, Mella, Naill, Naeris, Phann, Rael, Rinn, Sai, Syllin, Thia, Vall.
* ***Common Adult Names:***
	+ ***Male*** - Adran, Aelar, Aramil, Arannis, Aust, Beiro, Berrian, Carric, Enialis, Erdan, Erevan, Galinndan, Hadarai, Heian, Himo, Immeral, Ivellios, Laedo, Laucian, Mindartis, Paelias, Peren, Quarion, Riardon, Rolen, Soveliss, Thamior, Tharivol, Theren, Varis.
	+ ***Female -*** Adrie, Althaea, Anastrianna, Andraste, Antinua, Bethrynna, Birel, Caelynn, Drusilia, Enna, Felosial, Ielenia, Jelenneth, Keyleth, Leshanna, Lia, Meriele, Mialee, Naivara, Quelenna, Quillathe, Sariel, Shanairra, Shava, Silaqui, Theirastra, Thia, Vadania, Valanthe, Xanaphia.

* **Common Family Names (with Common Translations):** Amakiir (Gemflower), Amastacia (Starflower), Galanodel (Moonwhisper), Holimion (Diamonddew), Ilphelkiir (Gemblossom), Liadon (Silverfrond), Meliamne (Oakenheel), Naïlo (Nightbreeze), Siannodel (Moonbrook), Xiloscient (Goldpetal).

#### **Languages**

You can speak, read and write Common and Elvish. Elvish is fluid, with subtle intonations and intricate grammar. Elven literature is rich and varied, and their songs and poems are famous among other races. Many bards learn their language so they can add Elvish ballads to their repertoires.

#### **Racial Abilities**

* **Meditative Trance.** Elves may learn an ability called *Meditative Trance*, increasing the speed in which they regenerate and regain magical energies. Instead of sleeping, the elf enters a deep meditative state, in which he is not aware of his surroundings – much like regular sleep – but receives visions of his life’s memories, and may even receive visions of his past’s ancestors. Some wiser and more powerful elves are even capable of receiving strange premonitions, or even be influenced by the surrounding energies, essentially forcing them into a state similar to that of dream divination.

## **Sub-races**

### **High Elves**

These are the most common type of Elves. They left their homes in the forest long ago to colonize new lands and were one of the main pillars keeping the rebellion afloat during the Great Punitive War. The history of these Elves is filled with war, the rise and fall of kingdoms – they were even the creators of the Empire of Koruthar, the greatest and most powerful Empire that the mortal world had ever seen after the fall of the Dragon Empire. With the fall of the Empire in what is now called “the Plague of Shadow”, the race nears extinction. The surviving High Elves scattered around the mortal wold, trough the various countries, with only a small number of civilizations to call their own. Their long and proud history, as well as their extensive lifespan, lead to a culture that honors tradition and ancestry above all else.

#### **Racial Abilities**

* **In-group Affinity.** You have Advantage on, and are proficient in, Charisma rolls against other High Elves for the purpose of bartering, buying and selling.
* **Arcane Affinity.** You learn one cantrip from the Mage spell list. Your Spellcasting Ability for this spell is Charisma.
* **Extra Language.** You can read, speak, and write one additional language of your choice.

### **Wood Elves**

These were the elves who kept themselves to a simple live in the forests and jungles, living in tribes deep within their grooves. They are a simple people who value communing with nature and compassion above all else.

#### **Appearance**

Wood Elves lack the haunting beauty their kin normally possess, instead being closer to their ancestral appearance, with longer faces, sharper eyes and high nose bridges. Their skin is also usually tanner than the High Elves’, likely due to being more exposed to the elements.

#### **Racial Abilities**

* **Precise.** Once per short rest, as a reaction to missing with an attack roll, you can re-roll and add your Dexterity modifier as a bonus to the second roll, even if you do so already.
* **Natural Affinity.** You learn one cantrip from the druid spell list. Your Spellcasting Ability for this spells is Wisdom.
* **Ancient Arts.** Whenever you have the opportunity to learn a spell due to leveling up on a class or specialization, you may instead choose a spell with the same level from the Druid spell list.
* **Natural Connection Trance.** While in your “Meditative Trance”, you may also receive visions from the will of the surrounding forest. You can also learn basic information of an area by communing with nearby plants. The plants communicate through smells, sound and colors, but can understand what you say normally.

### **Dresha Elves**

The Dresha live in the inhospitable lands of the Mirror World, a realm only touched by the light of a dark sun, where only the strong rule, and weakness is the greatest sin. To the authoritarian society of the Dresha, the concept of morality serves only the incompetent, and power is the only truth and virtue. They despise the Gods and all the other races, only worshipping Demons in their capacity to recognize greatness, and bestow great demonic gifts.

They were once high elves living under the Empire of Koruthar but managed to survive the Plague of Shadows using the powers of the Mirror World, and demonic knowledge gifted by Keyon, Demon Lord of Pride. With these tools, the Dresha resurrected a new Kingdom on the continent, but met a tragic defeat against the recently formed Ladian Empire, during the “War of the Shattered Mirrors”, which ended when the Empire broke the Dresha’s Dark Mirror, which trapped the elves in the Mirror World for all eternity, dooming the Dresha to a life of hardship and struggle.

The vast majority of Dresha possess dark, purple or dark blue skin, with white or purple hair and eyes. This difference in appearance, relative to the usual high elf, was caused by the ritual that the first true Dresha undertook in order to live within the Mirror World. The ritual consists of discarding your body in order to fully become your reflection, which resembles you but in an appearance devoid of color. This is done in order to be able to traverse the empty grey lands of the Mirror World that exist between the pockets of light and color caused by the reflections seen in the mortal world. This ritual also employed demonic sorcery on many occasions, in order to enhance the body of the elves, which grant them new powers and abilities, with the Dresha deeming themselves “the first of the great race who now owns the world”.

When the Ladian Empire broke the Dark Mirror, which safely preserved the real bodies of those who entered the Mirror World as to allow the elves to return to their original bodies, the Empire unknowingly destroyed the true form of these elfs, forcing them and all future generations into this new existence, becoming the Dresha that can be recognized today.

The Dresha are now mostly bound to the Mirror World but have since acquired some ways to transverse into the mortal world using various mirrors and reflections, being responsible for a great deal of crimes and kidnappings seen all around the continent of Koruthar. However, these occurrences are still relatively rare and not a source of concern for most of the populace in the continent, as most people live and die without ever seeing or falling victim to the Dresha.

#### **Ability Score Increase**

Dresha gain +1 Strength *or* +1 Constitution score.

#### **Racial Abilities**

* **Demonic Magic.** You know the Dancing Lights cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the *Faerie Fire* spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the *Darkness* spell onceand regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
* **Darkvision.** Accustomed to the dark 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.
* **Severed Ties.** The Dresha no longer posses the magical affinity of their kin and so do not have access to the *Meditative Trance* feature.