Origin of Umbril Elves
Elves are said to come from another plane, similar to the other “magic” races like the Dwarves. While this plane may be merely another world, or even dimension, none remember enough to recall. What is commonly believed by humans is that the Elves entered their world through one of many gates and portals created following the wastelands, and the crystals are the sole remnants of those many gates.
The Elves themselves often refer to their home as the Higher Lands, or the Highlands, and praise it in such reverence that any listening humans would think they spoke of heaven itself. Besides this, in the 300 years since their appearance from the gates, many differing groups of elves have made themselves known. While initially similar, most have different cultures, places of habitation, and appearances, and some even with illicit disdain for their kin. All however have a common interest in returning to their homelands, a fabled place, at the very least on their death.
From what few documents remain from the initial settlers, the High Elves were frequent to war with their dark skinned counterparts, being the Umbra, Dark and Sand Elves. While the Sand Elves of the world do their best to amend any past wrongs, reformed by the gods from the corruption, the Dark Elves shelter themselves away to one day regain their rightful place in the world, perhaps at the destruction of all high elves. Some Dark elves have even been known to modify themselves with abandoned tech in the hopes of besting their magic-aligned cousins, and others fall into the abyss, seeking strange dark magics from any god to act as patron.
Few enjoy singing, art, and other scholarly pursuits as much as the Elven people do, yet also respect and revere nature, hunting, art in mind and body. They are said to be the first race to master the art of magic, and as a result, incorporate magic, elegance and art into every aspect of their lives. An elf will often lived within an enclosed society of their own kind, more than they would mix with races of shorter lifespans. Many say this is due to other races feeling too hurried, or that an elf is most likely to outlive those around them, and thus often feel incredible pain when making short-term friends with humans, halflings, or other races who are shortlived in comparison to their long lifespan.
Elves prefer to always fight with elegance, not matter how outwardly rugged some of their kind may seem or even appear. This shows in their warriors who are often more graceful and strategic over using outright brute strength. When Elves build, their style often blends with and complements the nature around them. They prefer natural and heavenly tones in architecture, depending on what kind of Elf, and often based on their upbringing and subrace.
Because of this Elves know Elvish as their main language with Common as a Second Language
Appearance of Elves
Humanoid in appearance, elves stand a bit shorter than humans, but with thinner and more lithe figures. They sport pointed and elongated ears, and often wear their hair styled and long. Their outward appearances can vary between subraces, but generally most have light or fair skin, Wood elves being more tanned, and Dark and Sand elves with dark skin tones. They do not physically age past maturity, and many appear in their prime until their death day.
This means that Elves reach maturity at 110 years (6 Elven years equates to 1 human year), and can live to be 500-1000 years old.
Subraces:
Elves are commonly separated by the following subraces: High, Moon, Wood, Dark, Auril, Sand. Each different Subrace has specific aesthetic attributes that marks which they fall into. The one thing they share is their height. Elven Heights generally range from 4’6”-5’5”.
There are also subraces of Elves which are considered Advanced Races. These are the Umbra.
Examples of Acceptable Elven Traits
- High Elves - High elves are considered the most well-known type of elf and it's understood by most of the elven race that they'd evolved from High Elves in some manner.
- Eye Color: Yellow, Amber, Blue, Silver, and Green
- Skin Color: Lean more on the pale side, although some have a slight tan.
- Hair Color: Blonde and Red are the most common, although some have White hair
- Moon Elves - The moon elves were the first race of elves to be derived from High elves, originally comprised of a group of high-elves who turned toward the night and powers of the moon. (Their name was adapted from the common nickname of high elves, being sun elves, and representing the light and the sun.)
- Eye Color: Silver, Purple, Blue, and generally Cool Toned Colors
- Their sclera (whites of the eyes) are usually white but a few individuals with corrupted bloodlines can have dark sclera.
- Skin Color: Light gray, bluish, or purple-toned
- Hair Color: Black, gray, or white
- Eye Color: Silver, Purple, Blue, and generally Cool Toned Colors
- Wood Elves - Commonly associated with the forests, wood elves are much more rugged and human-like of all the elves
- Eye Color: Blue, Green, Brown, Hazel, Grey
- Skin Color: Varies depending on genetics
- Hair Color: Black, Brown, Red, Blonde
- Dark Elves - Dark elves are offshoots of the moon-elves, having embraced dark magics, rituals, and the darker aspect of the previous people.
- Eye Color: Red, amber, or purple
- The sclera (whites of the eyes) are black
- Skin Color: Light gray, bluish, or purple-toned
- Hair Color: Black, gray, or white
- Eye Color: Red, amber, or purple
- Auril Elves - Also known as snow-elves. Auril elves are resistant to cold and often inhabit snowy or frozen regions
- Eye Color: Silver, gray, pale blue, blue, purple, and rarely red.
- Skin Color: Pale or white-tinted, often looking pallid.
- Hair Color: Pure white or white with a tint of color
- Sand Elves - Sand elves are the adapted results of wood-elves and dark elves living in deserts.
- Eye Color: Yellow, brown, gray, or near-black colored
- Can inherit some colors such as red and purple from their parents (should they possess them).
- Skin Color: Dark toned in earth colors, such as browns, dark tans, etc.
- Hair Color: Brown, black, gray, and on occasion some individuals may have dark red hair
- Eye Color: Yellow, brown, gray, or near-black colored
Race Skills and Weaknesses
Skills:
- Free-Spirit: An elf is innately immune to charms that would sway their decisions.
- Bonus: A elf is not affected by enchantment spells.
- Trance: Elves do not sleep. They Meditate for 4 hours a day - though it is commonly called a 'Trance'. Trances often have dreams that are more or less 'mental exercises' played throughout them. Elves are more perceptive during their trance, in regards to other races that must sleep.
- Bonus: An elf can detect movement or noise around them, even when trancing, thus its hard to sneak up on a 'sleeping' elf. They get a +5 to detection of sneaking individuals or a +10 when approached by non-sneaking individuals.
- Low-Light vision: Elves can see amidst lower light than that of Humans. What is usually dim lighting can be considered normal to them.
- Heightened Hearing: Elves are more perceptive to sound, thanks to their ears. Elves receive a passive bonus to listen checks.
- Bonus: +2 listen checks for quite noises, such as footsteps, whispers, +4 for loud noises, such as distant shouts, weapon collision, or forced entry.
Weaknesses:
- Frail- Most elves find their thin frames both a blessing and a curse, as while they may be naturally lightfooted and stealthy, most can hardly take many direct hits before they crumple
- -2 to starting health.
- Soft Heart- Originally elves taught magic and healing, not combat, and even though their descendants fall to war and fighting, many elves feel compelled to still aid others, even their enemies. It's not uncommon for an elf to seek to help anyone, even strangers or prisoners.
Helpful Elven Information for Character Creation
Names:
Elves are considered children until they declare themselves adults, some time after the hundredth birthday, and during this period they are called by "child names." On declaring adulthood, an elf also 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. In addition, every elf bears a family name, typically a combination of other Elven words. Some elves traveling among humans translate their family names into Common, while others use the Elven version.
Religion:
Elves are an elder race, compared to most, as a result they often worship gods of Art, Music, Magic, and Life itself. However they also found themselves drawn to what they consider their Elder Gods, beings of which they speak about from their home plane. They also find themselves drawn to the magic abilities of the Greater Dragons, and it’s not uncommon for them to side with the dragon each races feels “aligns” to their beliefs and goals.
The following are the most common elven gods that many speak of and revere:
- Iolas - God of light, home, and elves.
- Qiro - God of wealth, trade, and alcohol.
- Fenrin - God of the wilds and the hunt.
- Lysanthir - God of stealth and subterfuge.
- Ayluin - God of the Elven Dead.
- Marikoth - God of Sand Elves and storms.
- Amara - Goddess of magic and wisdom.
- Sheera - Goddess of life, love and birth.
- Naevyn - Goddess of animals and plants.
- Saena - Goddess of battle.
Elves are usually seen as outsiders to most races, no one particularly hates them, save for the Dark Elves and Umbra. They have a bit of an uneasy relation with Dwarves and Orcs, but this is primarily due to the latter being more prone to inelegant endeavors and being rather brutish in nature, if not entirely stubborn and unyielding in conversations of any topic. Elves often get along rather well with Halflings, Faun, Gnomes, and other inherently good folk. With humans, elves are friendly if not pitying of the peoples, as their lives are unfortunately cut short so quickly, and with it they tend to see countless friends and companions pass. They know that humans are a race prone to make many mistakes, being with such short lifespans, and that they often lack the wisdom that many elves possess because of their lengthy ones. Due to this the elves take it upon themselves to try and educate humans and impart their knowledge unto them. Of the Elves propensity for mingling with other races, humans are often the first chosen, and as such, there is a significant number of half-elf children. These half-breeds are usually welcomed into elven society, but not all may be treated kindly.