Homebrew Ancient Arcane Elf Species Details

"Near the dawn of early civilization, magic grew in abundance as the ancient Elves of myth harnessed the laws of the old magic. It was the time before the gods, before the age of man and the beginning of the oldest dragons. In life they used their magics to shape the world around them into a perfect paradise, a whole of every continent and island into one large landmass. Here they existed as unity, a utopia that expanded the planet in a peaceful empire of magic and order. Dragons and Elves lived as one body, sharing their knowledge, their wisdom and their power as happily as family. It was a time of peace and a power beyond any reckoning.

Then the dwarves came. From the ground they rose, becoming a group that nearly rivaled the population of the Arcane Elves. Enticed by their magics the Dwarves bowed down and worshipped the Elves as gods and it wasn’t long before the Elves themselves began to grow arrogant with their powers.

The elves used the Dwarves as servants, second rate citizens used solely to advance the needs of the unity. They suffered greatly under the now dark reign of the elves as their people were slowly worked to death, tortured with experimental magic, and forced to work in the mines of the mountains to capture rare crystals that furthered the Arcane Elves’ power. It wasn’t long before the dwarves, realizing that their species were slowly dying, took up arms to overthrow their Elven masters. Taking the gems they dug from the mines they too learned of a primal magic that they could use, pushing their bodies to their utmost physical prowess.

But it wasn’t enough, Legions of god-like Arcane warriors swept over the dwarves with their magical and arcane might. Assisted by the dragons, they overwhelmed and drove the Dwarves back into the mountain and the tunnels below, sealing them underground through arcane rituals of power. Thus the Elves’ corruption was complete. They grew careless of their magic and envious of one another. They fought amongst themselves for the right to rule, the power of the whole.

The dragons had retreated, their connection with the elves broken through the infighting. They took with them a large island with the magic they had learned from the elves and retreated to the other side of the planet, away from the war. It was nearly ten thousand years before the wars had stopped. The arcane Elves were a weak and broken people. In the fighting, many of the lower caste of sorcerers and wizards were lost, leaving only a few of their most prominent spell casters to guard the tunnels of the dwarves, in hopes of avoiding another invasion. They saw the horror they had reaped upon themselves with disgust. With their people dying and the dragons they had befriended gone, they turned to find a suitable replacement.

They knew that they could not recreate themselves anymore; they had lost that privilege during the war with the many magical diseases they had created, it was then they turned to create another race, a race that perhaps unlike the Dwarves would not rebel against them. Using some of the deeper magics they raised such a race from clay, breathing fire into its body they gave it a shape much similar to their own. Within days the beings opened their eyes, breathed the cold air, and stood upon their feet. Thus the first Humans were created.

Unfortunately the Elves had given too much of their habits to their creation. Driven by their lust for power the humans had done just what the Dwarves had done, they took the power of magic from the Elves and bred with surprising potency. Within fifty years they out numbered the elves ten to one. With outnumbering force, the early humans waged a bloody war of both magic and might against the Elves, driving them back into their citadel in the center of the content. There they lasted for nearly one hundred years, kept safe through their magical wards and defenses.

However, over the years their defenses slowly began to weaken; the toll of magic had drained almost half of the ancient elves’ remaining population’s immortality. As a result the affected died as the magical backlash consumed their bodies. The magical wards that had so long held their great citadel together were slowly fading, allowing surges of human warriors to break through and charge the main temple of the Ancient Elves, obliterating all opposing resistance.

In a desperate attempt to save their culture the remaining elders, the oldest of the Ancient Arcane Elves, flocked together and using their magic, gave up their immortality, their power, and their magic to the wisest and most powerful of their own. And Corellon Larethian rose past any mortal means of life; he achieved that of the greatest and most powerful, ascending into godhood.

The doors of the temple fell seconds later and an onslaught of humans raced into the chamber to find the elders dead and a glowing being standing in the center of an altar. Charging forward they had hoped that their numbers would crush the being before them, but the new god struck them aside with one hand. Corellon rose from the ground and hovered over his city and with his new found powers expelled the humans from his sight.

He looked down at the ruins of his people, few survived, and it was then that he shed tears that fell upon the ground. He could not raise his people up anymore, fearing that they would once more cause the damage that happened over millennia, and thus he created a race without the powers of his own and called them the first Woodland Elves, they were not immortal, they had no connection to the deepest magic and they would never be like the humans that his race created. It was then that Corellon separated the magical binds that connected the content together and let his once proud citadel float away with the remains of his people as its own island. Thus ending the age of the Ancient Arcane Elves, or so it’s believed."

Elves are a magical people of otherworldly grace, living in the world but not entirely part of it. They live in places of ethereal beauty, in the midst of ancient forests or in silvery spires glittering with faerie light, where soft music drifts through the air and gentle fragrances waft on the breeze. Elves love nature and magic, art and artistry, music and poetry, and the good things of the world.

Slender and Graceful

With their unearthly grace and fine features, elves appear hauntingly beautiful to humans and members of many other races. They are slightly shorter than humans on average, ranging from well under 5 feet tall to just over 6 feet. They are more slender than humans, weighing only 100 to 145 pounds. Males and females are about the same height, and males are only marginally heavier than females.

Elves’ coloration encompasses the normal human range and also includes skin in shades of copper, bronze, and almost bluish-white, hair of green or blue, and eyes like pools of liquid gold or silver. Elves have no facial and little body hair. They favor elegant clothing in bright colors, and they enjoy simple yet lovely jewelry.

A Timeless Perspective

Ancient Arcane Elves are Imortal, giving them a broad perspective on events that might trouble the shorter-lived races more deeply. They are more often amused than excited, and more likely to be curious than greedy. They tend to remain aloof and unfazed by petty happenstance. When pursuing a goal, however, whether adventuring on a mission or learning a new skill or art, elves can be focused and relentless. They are slow to make friends and enemies, and even slower to forget them. They reply to petty insults with disdain and to serious insults with vengeance.

Like the branches of a young tree, elves are flexible in the face of danger. They trust in diplomacy and compromise to resolve differences before they escalate to violence. They have been known to retreat from intrusions into their woodland homes, confident that they can simply wait the invaders out. But when the need arises, elves reveal a stern martial side, demonstrating skill with sword, bow, and strategy.

Hidden Villiages

Ancient Arcane Elves live in isolated and magically hidden villages, littered on islands and inland great lakes. Few remaining older Ancient Arcane Elves live in the Citadel of their old empire floating somewhere on the ocean. The name of this city was lost over the thousands of years as humans forgot after the elves' disappearence.These powerful mages and warriors, steeped in the old magics, plot revenge and hope of a magical way to produce offspring to recreate what they believe to be their superior race.

Exploration and Adventure

Elves take up adventuring out of wanderlust. Since they are so long-lived, they can enjoy centuries of exploration and discovery. They dislike the pace of human society, which is regimented from day to day but constantly changing over decades, so they find careers that let them travel freely and set their own pace. Elves also enjoy exercising their martial prowess or gaining greater magical power, and adventuring allows them to do so. Some might join with rebels fighting against oppression, and others might become champions of moral causes.

HAUGHTY BUT GRACIOUS

Although they can be haughty, elves are generally gracious even to those who fall short of their high expectations—which is most non-elves. Still, they can find good in just about anyone.

Dwarves. “Dwarves are dull, clumsy oafs. But what they lack in humor, sophistication, and manners, they make up in valor. And I must admit, their best smiths produce art that approaches elven quality.”

Halflings. “Halflings are people of simple pleasures, and that is not a quality to scorn. They’re good folk, they care for each other and tend their gardens, and they have proven themselves tougher than they seem when the need arises.”

Humans. “All that haste, their ambition and drive to accomplish something before their brief lives pass away—human endeavors seem so futile sometimes. But then you look at what they have accomplished, and you have to appreciate their achievements. If only they could slow down and learn some refinement.”

Elf Names

Elves are considered children until they declare themselves adults, some time after the hundredth birthday, and before this period they are called by child names.

On 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.

Child Names: Ara, Bryn, Del, Eryn, Faen, Innil, Lael, Mella, Naill, Naeris, Phann, Rael, Rinn, Sai, Syllin, Thia, Vall

Male Adult Names: Adran, Aelar, Aramil, Arannis, Aust, Beiro, Berrian, Carric, Enialis, Erdan, Erevan, Galinndan, Hadarai, Heian, Himo, Immeral, Ivellios, Laucian, Mindartis, Paelias, Peren, Quarion, Riardon, Rolen, Soveliss, Thamior, Tharivol, Theren, Varis

Female Adult Names: 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

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

Subrace

None

Ancient Arcane Elf Traits

Your elf character has a variety of natural abilities, the result of thousands of years of elven refinement.

Ability Score Increase

Your Dexterity score increases by 2. Your Charisma score increases by 2. Your Strength score decreases by 1. Your Constitution score decreases by 1. 

Age

Although elves reach physical maturity at about the same age as humans, the elven understanding of adulthood goes beyond physical growth to encompass worldly experience. An elf typically claims adulthood and an adult name around the age of 4000 and are immortal.

Size

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

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision

Accustomed to twilit forests and the night 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.

Keen Senses

You have proficiency in the Perception skill.

Fey Ancestry

You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep.

 

Trance

Elves don’t need to sleep. Instead, they meditate deeply, remaining semiconscious, for 4 hours a day. (The Common word for such meditation is “trance.”) 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.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Ancient Elvish, Draconic, 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.

Ancient Elven cannot be taught to any non-ancient Elf and if it is attempted the words magically fade from the person's memory.