Homebrew Elves (Underland) Species Details

𝓔𝓵𝓿𝓮𝓼 𝓸𝓯 𝓤𝓷𝓭𝓮𝓻𝓵𝓪𝓷𝓭

Elegant • Strange • Magically Attuned • Wanderers

“Never trust an elf who tells you they have forgotten something. They remember everything.”

𝓘𝓷𝓽𝓻𝓸𝓭𝓾𝓬𝓽𝓸𝓻𝔂 𝓟𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓰𝓻𝓪𝓹𝓱

Underland Elves are ancient, beautiful, and just unsettling enough to make people wonder whether they were ever truly meant to belong to this world.

Unlike the graceful woodland elves of old stories, the elves of Underland carry something stranger within their blood. Their ancestors were touched by the Old Magic, a primordial force that existed long before the kingdoms of the Deck were established. That magic still lingers within them, allowing elves to sense the strange energies that seep through Underland.

Many elves become wanderers, scholars, artists, spellcasters, courtiers, merchants, or adventurers, drawn toward places where magic has gathered. Some claim they can hear whispers in enchanted objects. Others insist that certain doors hum when an elf walks past them.

Their beauty is unmistakable, but it is rarely ordinary.

Some possess porcelain-like skin, luminous eyes, naturally metallic hair, or intricate markings that shimmer when magic is nearby. Others decorate themselves with elaborate clockwork jewelry, enchanted ribbons, tiny keys, or pieces of strange machinery.

To the people of Underland, elves are often regarded with equal parts admiration and suspicion.

They are beautiful.

They are old.

And they always seem to know something they aren't telling you.

𝓟𝓱𝔂𝓼𝓲𝓬𝓪𝓵 𝓓𝓮𝓼𝓬𝓻𝓲𝓹𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷

Underland Elves retain the slender, graceful forms associated with their kind, but their appearance can vary wildly from one individual to another.

𝓐𝓹𝓹𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓷𝓬𝓮

Most elves stand between 5 and 6½ feet tall, with slender or athletic builds.

Their skin can range from ordinary human tones to unusual shades such as:

• Porcelain white
• Silver
• Pale blue
• Lavender
• Ash gray
• Warm bronze
• Deep violet
• Soft green

Some elves possess skin that appears almost translucent in certain light.

Their eyes are perhaps their most distinctive feature. Common colors include violet, silver, gold, emerald, crimson, and deep blue. Some elves have eyes that glow faintly in darkness or become brighter when they encounter magic.

𝓗𝓪𝓲𝓻

Elven hair is often unusually striking.

Common colors include:

• Black
• White
• Silver
• Pale gold
• Blue
• Violet
• Rose
• Copper

Some elves possess naturally metallic hair, with individual strands resembling fine silver wire, gold thread, or polished copper.

𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓤𝓷𝓼𝓮𝓽𝓽𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓑𝓮𝓪𝓾𝓽𝔂

Underland elves often possess one feature that makes them unmistakably otherworldly.

A character might have:

• Eyes with no visible pupils
• A faint glow beneath their skin
• Metallic freckles
• Clockwork-like patterns across their body
• Naturally pointed teeth
• Long, delicate fingers
• Hair that moves without wind
• A reflection that behaves strangely
• A faint magical scent
• A heartbeat that is unusually quiet
• Ears decorated with naturally occurring markings
• Shadows that move a fraction of a second too late

These traits are harmless, but they can make elves appear unsettling to other peoples.

𝓐𝓰𝓲𝓷𝓰

Elves mature physically at roughly the same rate as humans during childhood but enter adulthood later.

Most Underland Elves are considered adults around 100 years old.

They can live for several centuries, with some exceptionally ancient elves reaching 700 years or more.

Age does not always appear on an elf's face. An elf who is several hundred years old may look no older than someone in their thirties.

𝓐𝓽𝓽𝓲𝓽𝓾𝓭𝓮𝓼 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓟𝓱𝓲𝓵𝓸𝓼𝓸𝓹𝓱𝓲𝓮𝓼

Elves tend to view Underland differently from younger races.

They remember things.

Sometimes, they remember things that everyone else has forgotten.

𝓜𝓮𝓶𝓸𝓻𝔂

Elves place tremendous importance on memory.

A promise made to an elf may be remembered for centuries.

An insult may be remembered just as long.

Many elven families maintain elaborate records of their ancestors, important events, magical discoveries, and old bargains.

𝓒𝓾𝓻𝓲𝓸𝓼𝓲𝓽𝔂

Elves are naturally curious about strange things.

A locked door may intrigue them more than an open one.

A broken magical device may become an afternoon project.

A mysterious stranger may become the subject of weeks of investigation.

Their curiosity frequently leads them into places they probably should not be.

𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓞𝓵𝓭 𝓜𝓪𝓰𝓲𝓬

Many elves believe that magic is not simply something a person uses.

It is something that exists around them.

They describe magic as having moods, currents, echoes, and memories.

Some elves believe the Old Magic is still alive.

Others believe it is simply waiting for someone to wake it.

𝓒𝓾𝓵𝓽𝓾𝓻𝓮

Elven culture is diverse, but most communities value knowledge, craftsmanship, beauty, storytelling, and magic.

𝓐𝓻𝓽

Elves often combine ancient traditions with Underland's strange technology.

Common forms of elven art include:

• Enchanted paintings
• Clockwork sculptures
• Magical music boxes
• Living gardens
• Illusionary performances
• Jewelry containing tiny moving mechanisms
• Books whose pages rearrange themselves

𝓑𝓮𝓪𝓾𝓽𝔂

Beauty is considered a form of expression rather than a measure of worth.

An elf might spend decades perfecting a particular hairstyle, piece of jewelry, spell, song, or piece of machinery.

Some elves believe the most beautiful things are those that are slightly imperfect.

𝓑𝓪𝓻𝓰𝓪𝓲𝓷𝓼

Elves are particularly careful with promises.

A casual statement can sometimes be interpreted as a promise if spoken with enough intent.

Because of this, elves often choose their words carefully.

𝓡𝓮𝓵𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷𝓼 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓚𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓭𝓸𝓶𝓼

Elves can be found throughout Underland rather than belonging exclusively to one kingdom.

𝓒𝓻𝓲𝓶𝓼

Many elves appreciate Crims' emphasis on freedom and community.

Some serve as scholars, advisers, artisans, or wandering magical practitioners.

𝓢𝓪𝓵𝓪𝔃𝓮𝓷

Elves tend to be cautious around Salazen.

The kingdom's strict control over knowledge and magic conflicts with the elven belief that knowledge should be discovered and preserved.

𝓠𝓾𝓸𝓻𝓪

Quora attracts many elven scholars.

Its emphasis on education, proper conduct, and peaceful debate makes it a natural home for elves interested in history, philosophy, and magic.

𝓢𝓽𝔂𝓵𝓪𝓻𝓪

Some elves serve within Stylara's military or work as magical specialists.

Others find the kingdom's martial culture fascinating, particularly the combination of strategy, discipline, and magical technology.

𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓖𝓪𝓻𝓭𝓮𝓷𝓼

Elves often feel an unusual connection to the Gardens.

Many believe the plants there recognize their Old Magic.

Some elven families maintain ancient gardens that have been tended for generations.

𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓞𝓵𝓭 𝓜𝓪𝓰𝓲𝓬

No elf can completely explain what the Old Magic is.

Some believe it predates the kingdoms.

Others believe it existed before Underland itself.

Whatever its origin, traces of it remain within elven blood.

This connection can manifest in strange ways.

An elf may:

• Sense nearby magic
• Recognize ancient enchantments instinctively
• Experience dreams about places they have never visited
• Hear whispers from enchanted objects
• Cause magical objects to react to their presence
• Remember fragments of events they never personally witnessed

Not every elf experiences these phenomena.

Those who do often become scholars, adventurers, mystics, or people who deliberately avoid magic altogether.

𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓑𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓴𝓲𝓷𝓰

The Breaking affected elven communities particularly severely.

Their sensitivity to magic allowed many elves to sense the coming disturbance before it became visible to everyone else.

Some fled.

Some tried to warn the kingdoms.

Some attempted to study the phenomenon.

Others disappeared.

After the Ink Master's escape from the Library of UM, many elves began experiencing strange magical symptoms.

Some reported hearing whispers from books.

Others developed black stains beneath their skin.

A few discovered that their reflections had begun behaving differently.

Whether these changes are caused by the Ink, the Old Magic, or something much older remains unknown.

𝓐𝓭𝓿𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓾𝓻𝓮𝓻𝓼

An Underland Elf might leave home because they:

• Want to discover the source of the Old Magic
• Are searching for a lost family member
• Were exiled from an elven community
• Have discovered something connected to the Breaking
• Are studying the Ink
• Want to recover an ancient artifact
• Heard a mysterious voice calling them
• Are searching for a place that appears in their dreams
• Made a bargain they now regret
• Simply became bored after several centuries of ordinary life

Some elves adventure because they are searching for answers.

Others adventure because they know exactly what the answer is and are terrified of finding it.

𝓡𝓪𝓬𝓲𝓪𝓵 𝓣𝓻𝓪𝓲𝓽𝓼

𝓔𝓵𝓿𝓮𝓷 𝓐𝓰𝓲𝓵𝓲𝓽𝔂

Your walking speed is 30 feet.

𝓓𝓪𝓻𝓴𝓿𝓲𝓼𝓲𝓸𝓷

Accustomed to the strange lights and deep shadows of Underland, 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.

𝓞𝓵𝓭 𝓜𝓪𝓰𝓲𝓬

You have proficiency in Arcana.

Additionally, you can sense the presence of active magic within 30 feet of you. This does not tell you what spell, item, or magical effect is present, only that magic exists nearby.

𝓕𝓮𝔂 𝓐𝓷𝓬𝓮𝓼𝓽𝓻𝔂

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

𝓤𝓷𝓭𝓮𝓻𝓵𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓡𝓮𝓯𝓵𝓮𝔁𝓮𝓼

You have proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice:

Insight, Investigation, Perception, or History.

𝓞𝓵𝓭 𝓜𝓪𝓰𝓲𝓬 𝓕𝓵𝓪𝓻𝓮

When you fail a saving throw against a spell or magical effect, you can briefly draw upon the Old Magic to reroll the saving throw.

You must use the new roll.

Once you use this trait, you cannot use it again until you finish a Long Rest.

𝓝𝓪𝓶𝓮𝓼

Elven names tend to sound musical, ancient, or unusual to the other peoples of Underland.

Some families preserve names that have existed for hundreds of generations, while others deliberately create new names.

𝓜𝓪𝓼𝓬𝓾𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓮 𝓝𝓪𝓶𝓮𝓼

Aelar, Caelen, Eryndor, Faelar, Lorien, Maelis, Naeris, Oryn, Sylvar, Thalion, Vaelis, Zephren

𝓕𝓮𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓮 𝓝𝓪𝓶𝓮𝓼

Aelira, Elowen, Elaria, Isolde, Lirael, Maevra, Nysera, Orielle, Seraphine, Sylvara, Vaelith, Yvaine

𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓼𝓮𝔁 𝓝𝓪𝓶𝓮𝓼

Aeris, Cael, Elian, Evren, Lumen, Neris, Ori, Raven, Sable, Solen, Vesper, Wren

𝓕𝓪𝓶𝓲𝓵𝔂 𝓝𝓪𝓶𝓮𝓼

Vaelthorne, Moonmere, Silverglass, Evernight, Starweave, Duskmere, Thornveil, Ashvale, Blackbriar, Brightwater, Dreamspire, Hollowmere

𝓣𝓲𝓽𝓵𝓮𝓼

Some elves earn titles instead of traditional surnames.

Examples include:

The Silver-Tongued
The Clockmaker
The Dreamer
The Unremembered
The Ink-Touched
The Last of Their House
The Moonlit
The Keeper of Keys
The Unseeing
The One Who Remembers

 

Elves (Underland) Traits

Elves possess an innate sensitivity to magic, heightened senses, and an otherworldly grace inherited from the Old Magic. Their connection to Underland's strange energies allows them to perceive and interact with magic in ways other species cannot.