Elves

## Background

The Elves are an ancient people who can be found throughout Penastria, they vary wildly in their appearances but tend to be taller and slimmer than humans, they also possess angular features and tend to be inherently graceful. This grace is also present in their endeavours, with elven craftsmanship being defined by its beauty and elegance.

Most Elves also tend to have a great deal of respect towards their history, and record most of it in song although a great deal of it was lost after the collapse of their empire during the Age of Strife. This collapse is what led to the fracture of their race and the large variety of subraces that can be found throughout Penastria.

## Subraces

### Astral Elves

Astral Elves (Aeldari) are the rarest type of elves and the oldest, and in fact it is unknown if any of them still remain. They are said to be the first elves to have appeared on Penastria, and are said to be almost alien in their appearances possessing dark blue skin, deep blue eyes and light blue hair. They are believed to be immortal beings, with a strange perspective on time.

### High Elves

High Elves (Asurnas) are considered to be the closest to the aeldari when it comes to the purity of their bloodline. They tend to excel in their endeavours and their natural connection to the Weave, means that many of them become powerful wizards. They tend to have paler skin tones, blonde hair and eyes that are shades of blue.

### Wood Elves

Wood Elves (Silvanis) are those elves who hold a deep connection to nature and the Feywild, they are mostly found within the Great Forest of Atheluin, and their innate connection to nature leads to many of them becoming renowned travellers and guardians of nature. They tend to have darker skin tones, brown hair and eyes that are shades of green and gold.

### Dark Elves

Dark Elves (Drow) are those elves who followed Malkoras during his rebellion, because of this the drow are blamed for the fall of their ancient empire and are treated with a degree of hostility by their kin. They are mostly found within the volcanic wastes of Asshai, and the Underdark, their dynasty is one based on the slavery of the other indigenous races and because of this they have very few friends in Chultan. They tend to have grey skin, silvery eyes and white hair. There are two main types of drow, those who have sworn themselves to the Weaver in the hopes of being reborn as her shadar-kai; and those who seek the favour of their immortal god-king, Malkoras.

### Moon Elves

Moon Elves (Noctarnis) are those elves who had indentured themselves to Sarastra, came to be known as the Noctarnis, however, after the fall their descendants still possessed many of the blessings granted by Sarastra. The Noctarnis now wander the world, with many of them seeking to further the ends of their goddess. Their connection to the Lunar Court, leads to many of them having pale white skin and hair and black eyes.

### Sea Elves

Sea Elves (Idonas) are those elves who trace their lineage to the Aeldari who sailed the seas of Penastria, they suffered greatly during the Aeldari Empire's fall especially during the first Abyssal Incursion where they became the favoured prey of Dagon's demons. They tend to have deep blue skin, green hair and yellow eyes.

### Shadow Elves

Shadow Elves (Shadar-Kai) are the immortal agents of the Weaver, her esteemed champions, those drow who have earned the Spider Queen's esteem and have been rewarded a place by her side within her palace. They tend to possess appearances similar to drow, albeit with more shadowy aspects.

### Fey Elves

Fey Elves (Eladrin) are those elves that are exposed to the power of the Feywild so much so exhibit mutations and transform into eladrin. These are a rarity amongst their kind and many of the elves and firbolgs that revere the fey spirits see these beings as the apex of their kind. These transformed elves are then associated with one of the four seasons, a factor which is dependent on their character in the previous life and that influences their new personality as an Eladrin. It is said that the Eladrin see the world in a different light when compared to their brethren, focusing solely on the goal of their previous life after which they proceed to the Feywild where they live out their lives for the rest of eternity. They possess colourful appearances which are tied to their individual Faerie Court, with their hair and skin replaced by leaves and bark.

### Snow Elves

Snow Elves (Jotunnas) were a race of elves who inhabited the northern continent of Astoria, known for their pale white skin and similarly coloured hair. These elves were naturally adapted to surviving in the unforgiving tundras, and possessed the ability to use cryomancy; which many assume was a gift given to them by Lady Gretchenval. This particular subrace of elves was driven to extinction during the first Abyssal Incursion, and have therefore faded into myth.

## Crossbreeds

Born from the union between an elf and a human, half-elves are a part of both worlds and yet they belong to neither. Considered to be too flawed by elves and too perfect for humans, half-elves rarely belong, with most travelling the world trying to find a place where they can call home.

## Properties

### **Elf, Astral**

* **Average Lifespan.** Unknown.
* **Size.** Medium
* **Ability Score Increase.** Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Intelligence score increases by 1.
* **Speed.** Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
* **Darkvision***.* 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 colour in darkness, only shades of grey.
* **Keen Senses.** You have proficiency in the Perception skill.
* **Astral Fire.** You know one of the following cantrips of your choice: *dancing lights, light or sacred flame*. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for it.
* **Trance.** Elves don’t need to sleep regularly. 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 through years of practice. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep, however if done too regularly this trance state can have adverse effects.
* **Radiant Soul**. When you succeed on a death saving throw, you can choose to immediately regain a number of hit points equal to your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier. Once you use this trait, you must finish a long rest before you use it again.
* **Languages.** You can speak, read and write Common and one other language that you and your DM agree is appropriate for your character.

### Elf, High

* **Average Lifespan.** 950 to 1,000 years.
* **Size.** Medium
* **Ability Score Increase.** Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Intelligence score increases by 1.
* **Speed.** Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
* **Darkvision**. 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 colour in darkness, only shades of grey.
* **Keen Senses**. You have proficiency in the Perception skill.
* **Fey Ancestry.** You have advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the charmed condition on yourself.
* **Trance.** Elves don’t need to sleep regularly. 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 through years of practice. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep, however if done too regularly this trance state can have adverse effects.
* **Elf Weapon Training.** You have proficiency with the longsword, shortsword, shortbow, and longbow.
* **Cantrip.** You know one cantrip of your choice from the wizard spell list. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for it.
* **Languages.** You can speak, read and write Common and two other languages that you and your DM agree are appropriate for your character.

### Elf, Wood

* **Average Lifespan.** 300 to 400 years.
* **Size.** Medium
* **Ability Score Increase.** Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.
* **Speed.** Your base walking speed is 35 feet.
* **Darkvision**. 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 colour in darkness, only shades of grey.
* **Keen Senses**. You have proficiency in the Perception skill.
* **Fey Ancestry.** You have advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the charmed condition on yourself.
* **Trance.** Elves don’t need to sleep regularly. 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 through years of practice. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep, however if done too regularly this trance state can have adverse effects.
* **Elf Weapon Training.** You have proficiency with the longsword, shortsword, shortbow, and longbow.
* **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.
* **Languages.** You can speak, read and write Common and one other language that you and your DM agree is appropriate for your character.

### Elf, Dark

* **Average Lifespan.** 300 to 400 years.
* **Size.** Medium
* **Ability Score Increase.** Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Charisma score increases by 1.
* **Speed.** Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
* **Darkvision**. 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 colour in darkness, only shades of grey.
* **Keen Senses**. You have proficiency in the Perception skill.
* **Fey Ancestry.** You have advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the charmed condition on yourself.
* **Trance.** Elves don’t need to sleep regularly. 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 through years of practice. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep, however if done too regularly this trance state can have adverse effects.
* **Drow Weapon Training.** You have proficiency with rapiers, shortswords and hand crossbows.
* **Languages.** You can speak, read and write Common and one other language that you and your DM agree is appropriate for your character.
* **Sworn to Malkoras.** You know the *dancing lights* cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the *faerie fire* spell once with this trait. When you reach 5th level you can cast the *darkness* spell once with this trait. You can also cast either of those spells using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells. Once you cast these spells with this trait you must finish a long rest before casting them again this way.

OR

* **Sworn to the Weaver.** You know the *infestation* cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the *dissonant whispers* spell once with this trait. When you reach 5th level you can cast the *web* spell once with this trait. You can also cast either of those spells using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells. Once you cast these spells with this trait you must finish a long rest before casting them again this way.

### Elf, Moon

* **Average Lifespan.** 500 to 600 years.
* **Size.** Medium.
* **Ability Score Increase.** Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1.
* **Speed.** Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
* **Darkvision**. 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 colour in darkness, only shades of grey.
* **Keen Senses**. You have proficiency in the Perception skill.
* **Fey Ancestry.** You have advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the charmed condition on yourself.
* **Trance.** Elves don’t need to sleep regularly. 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 through years of practice. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep, however if done too regularly this trance state can have adverse effects.
* **Incisive Sense.** You have advantage on Intelligence (Investigation) and Wisdom (Insight) checks.
* **Blessing of the Lunar Queen.** You know the *light* cantrip. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast the *sleep* spell with this trait. Starting at 5th level, you can also cast the *invisibility* spell with it. Once you cast these spells with this trait, you can't cast that spell with it again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast either of those spells using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
* **Languages.** You can speak, read and write Common and one other language that you and your DM agree is appropriate for your character.

### Elf, Sea

* **Average Lifespan.** 400 to 500 years.
* **Size.** Medium.
* **Ability Score Increase.** Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Constitution score increases by 1.
* **Speed.** Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
* **Darkvision**. 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 colour in darkness, only shades of grey.
* **Keen Senses**. You have proficiency in the Perception skill.
* **Fey Ancestry.** You have advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the charmed condition on yourself.
* **Trance.** Elves don’t need to sleep regularly. 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 through years of practice. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep, however if done too regularly this trance state can have adverse effects.
* **Friend of the Sea.** Aquatic animals have an extraordinary affinity with your people. You can communicate simple ideas to any Beast that has a swimming speed. It can understand your words, though you have no special ability to understand it in return.
* **Child of the Sea.** You have a swimming speed of 30 feet, and you can breathe air and water.
* **Languages.** You can speak, read and write Common and two other languages that you and your DM agree are appropriate for your character.

### Elf, Shadow

* **Average Lifespan.** Unknown
* **Size.** Medium.
* **Ability Score Increase.** Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Constitution score increases by 1.
* **Speed.** Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
* ***Darkvision**.* 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 colour in darkness, only shades of grey.
* **Keen Senses**. You have proficiency in the Perception skill.
* **Fey Ancestry.** You have advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the charmed condition on yourself.
* **Trance.** Elves don’t need to sleep regularly. 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 through years of practice. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep, however if done too regularly this trance state can have adverse effects.
* **Necrotic Resistance.** You have resistance to necrotic damage.
* **Blessing of the Weaver.** As a bonus action, you can magically teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space you can see. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. Starting at 3rd level, you also gain resistance to all damage when you teleport using this trait. The resistance lasts until the start of your next turn. During that time, you appear ghostly and translucent.
* **Languages.** You can speak, read and write Common and one other language that you and your DM agree is appropriate for your character.

### Elf, Fey

* **Average Lifespan.** Unknown
* **Ability Score Increase.** Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Charisma score increases by 1.
* **Size.** Medium.
* **Speed.** Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
* **Darkvision**. 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 colour in darkness, only shades of grey.
* **Keen Senses**. You have proficiency in the Perception skill.
* **Fey Ancestry.** You have advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the charmed condition on yourself.
* **Trance.** Elves don’t need to sleep regularly. 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 through years of practice. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep, however if done too regularly this trance state can have adverse effects.
* **Fey Step.** As a bonus action, you can magically teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space you can see. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. When you reach 3rd level, your Fey Step gains an additional effect based on your element; if the effect requires a saving throw, the DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier:
	+ ***Autumn.*** Immediately after you use your Fey 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 the creatures.
	+ ***Winter.*** When you use your Fey Step, one creature of your choice that you can see within 5 feet of you before you teleport must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you until the end of your next turn.
	+ ***Spring.*** When you use your Fey 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.
	+ ***Summer.*** Immediately after you use your Fey Step, each creature of your choice that you can see within 5 feet of you takes fire damage equal to your proficiency bonus.
* **Languages.** You can speak, read and write Common and one other language that you and your DM agree is appropriate for your character.

### Elf, Snow

* **Average Lifespan.** 500 to 600 years.
* **Size.** Medium.
* **Ability Score Increase.** Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and one other ability score of your choice increases by 1.
* **Speed.** Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
* **Darkvision**. 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 colour in darkness, only shades of grey.
* **Keen Senses**. You have proficiency in the Perception skill.
* **Fey Ancestry.** You have advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the charmed condition on yourself.
* **Trance.** Elves don’t need to sleep regularly. 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 through years of practice. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep, however if done too regularly this trance state can have adverse effects.
* **As Cold as Ice.** You have resistance to cold damage. You're acclimated to high altitude, including elevations above 20,000 feet. You're also naturally adapted to cold climates, as described in chapter 5 of the *Dungeon Master's Guide*.
* **Snow Magic.** You know the *frostbite* cantrip. Starting at 3rd level, you can cast the *armour of agathys* spell with this trait. Starting at 5th level, you can also cast the *snilloc's snowball swarm* spell with it. Once you cast a spell with this trait, you can't cast that spell with it again until you finish a long rest. You can also cast either of those spells using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.
* **Languages.** You can speak, read and write Common and one other language that you and your DM agree is appropriate for your character.

### Half-Elf

* **Average Lifespan.** 180 to 200 years.
* **Size.** Medium.
* **Ability Score Increase.** Your Charisma score increases by 2, and two other ability scores of your choice increase by 1.
* **Speed.** Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
* **Darkvision.** Thanks to your elf blood, 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 colour in darkness, only shades of grey.
* **Fey Ancestry.** You have advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the charmed condition on yourself.
* **Skill Versatility.** You gain proficiency in two skills of your choice.
* **Languages.** You can speak, read and write Common and two other languages that you and your DM agree are appropriate for your character.