Most people regard the legends of thimble elves -- named for their tiny size -- as little more than fable, but if you pull open the right tree trunk, uncover the right boulder-hollow, or check in the right cobbler's cupboard, you might find these elusive tiny elves. Members of this very rare subrace of elves are incredibly small -- around the same size as a pixie or sprite, but lacking the wings of a proper fairy.

These miniature elves usually form powerful alliances with sprites, dryads, and other fey that can keep their wilderness homes safe and hidden from predators both bestial and humanoid. Some clans stay hidden in the homes of other races, living off the food in the house in exchange for doing work such as cobbling, cleaning, or sewing in the dead of night. Though the home's owners almost never find the thimble elves, they may be aware of the “little folk” doing their chores in secret.

Thimble elves resemble wood elves except for their diminutive size. They are surprisingly strong and swift for their size, with scurrying and jumping abilities like those of an insect. Some clans of thimble elves even have traits resembling those of tiny beasts, such as bug's antenna, a squirrel's tail, or lizard skin.

In most of the worlds in which they appear, thimble elves are similar to other tiny fey such as pixies, sprites, and quicklings, having been influenced long ago by the energies of the Feywild they inhabited. Once the Feywild had shaped them into much smaller forms, many of these elves fled to the relative safety of the Material Plane, where they still live in secluded villages. Other worlds feature thimble elves that were once elves of a more common variety before being warped and altered by a powerful curse or fey magic.

As a thimble elf, you have been raised in a community that stands ready to defend itself from relatively massive predators at any moment, or more commonly, to flee in an organized and quiet fashion.

Thimble Elf Traits

Buglike Agility

You have a climbing speed of 20 feet, and your jumping distance is doubled.

Hidden Craftsman

You have proficiency in the Stealth skill and with one artisan's tools of your choice.

Nimble Escape

You can take the Disengage or Hide action as a bonus action on each of your turns.

Reduced Size and Speed

You are the size of a squirrel or rat, standing anywhere from 6 to 10 inches tall. Your size is Tiny, and your base walking speed is reduced to 25 feet.

Puny Body

As a tiny humanoid, you cannot wield weapons that have the heavy property, you have disadvantage on Strength checks, and if you hit with a weapon attack, you halve any bludgeoning damage, piercing damage, and slashing damage dealt by the attack.

Underfoot

The spaces of creatures that are larger than you are not difficult terrain for you, but you still can't move through a creature's space unless it is at least two sizes larger or smaller than you.