Homebrew Bauraean Elf Species Details

Elves, elf from the arch. eyalf, are the Dyad of water containing air, they honor Moon-Queen and Star-King, and their resources are the very soil, the earth ground by and holding Moon-Queen's water, the gems and jewels which are like stars on earth and fruits which hold water element within them as sweet juice and grains that flow in the wind of Star-King. They are connected to birds and fish.

Generally, elves are the smallest of people. They stand slightly taller than Dwarves but are slender of build, skinny by human standards, and, uniquely, female Elves are taller than males. However, some Elves can range from shorter than Dwarves to taller than men depending on their lineage and character. There is little difference between appearance and social roles between male and female elves, androgyny and fluid gender identification is part of who they are as a people and their nature as children of Moon-Queen and Star-King and with the essence of wave and wind.

Their skin is smooth and usually pale, sometimes even translucent, and resembles porcelain though it is not unknown for a more water-spirited elf to may have pale blue or green skin.Their eyes are large and either rounded like a animals, or almond-shaped - the lucky few who have such unique eyes seen as especially exotic even to other elves - and are any light or dark shade of blue, green, or purple, sometimes even black. Elven hair is thin but they can have large amounts of it, typically growing it long, and it is usually sleek with a sheen of perpetual wetness, and can be any color though the hues are usually very pale or very dark versus a medium shade. Some say if you look closely you can see their hair moving as if in the wind or by wave. Their voices are as beautiful as the rest of them, and when an elf of any kind wishes to impart their power into their voice, it becomes like the crashing of the waves. Their appearance is often both pleasing and eerie, much as fish and reptiles can be striking in a beautiful or frightening way. Elves more than any other reflect their temperament and personality in their appearance. 

The diet of the elves is simple but flavorful. They eat many foods raw, including fish. Though vegetarianism is not a cultural more, many do adopt it. Like dwarves, they are not known to keep animals a livestock, only cooking and eating what they hunt. When they do cook, they usually boil or steam it rather than cooking over an open fire, often wrapping their food in leaves or herb bundles to maintain the moisture and nutrients within the food. They are proponents of the properties of water plants and use seaweed in many dishes. Their favorite food of all seems to be fruits. Elves are also fond of wine and other fruit-originated alcohols of which they are incomparable. They above all other races eat flowers, often as garnishes for other foods, and use them and other herbs for teas. They make traditional grape wine but are perhaps better known for their berry wines and are fond of herbal teas.

Elves are first and foremost known as artists and mystics, applying their knack for producing beauty to crafts practical, artistic, and mystical, really to any pursuit of work and play. Tied to soil and dirt, elves of course are masters of pottery and ceramics and are fond of small and large scale sculpture and also the gems and jewels of Star-king. The general style of all elvish decorative arts is characterized by highly-stylized, flowing curvilinear forms that mimic the movement of water and representations of the phases of the moon in circles and crescents. The flowing motifs, formed by dynamic, undulating, and rippling lines in a syncopated rhythm, can be found throughout elvish architecture, crafts, and fashion. The elvish philosophy of the arts is an approach to their entire lives according to which they should work on making art part of everyday life. 

Passages from an elvish treatise on art and life state that 'art is not simply an ornament, but the outward expression of the seeking of perfection' and that 'whether it be in the foundation of the humblest camp or the grandest estate always there should be an aim to achieve beauty' and finally that 'the love and production of beauty are the measure of the true value of the individual and community'.

 

Outside of their artistic talents, perhaps elves' greatest skill in industry is in working with plants. They never farm as humans do, but they are excellent managers of naturally growing plants and are proficient gatherers, knowing just when and how to harvest to optimize the natural capacity to continue production, especially fruits and vegetables. Elven herbalists and apothecaries are sought out by all people for their various remedies.

The fashion of elves appears to be just that, worn more for its sense of style and art than to cover or protect them. As beings of water, and connected to the Cool quality, it seems the elements do not affect them as much as other races, especially cold and wetness. In warm weather they will cover up more to protect their skin from the sun's rays. Elvish clothing is as a rule made of thin cloth and typically sheer. They wear many layers of sheer cloth in combinations of tight and flowing forms. The color of their cloth follows that of the their skin and hair, but usually in contrast - if they are pale of color their clothes are deep and dark, if dark in coloring their clothes are pale. Most elves when among other races start their outfit with hose that comes up past their waist to just below their chest made of the thinnest and softest material available where they live, silk if available or fine linen. To this basic hose they may add a tight vest or open shirt - they rarely cover their chest entirely - drape various lengths of sheer cloth as wraps, togas or cloaks; or wear a mantle with our without a hood. The ends of their cloth at wrist, ankle, collar or any edge is often scalloped in wavy or pointy patterns. The overall effect of their clothing often looks like waves swirling about or being wind-blown and following them. Elves do have a fondness for adornment. Many elves wear one or more belts with a common fashion being a band that covers from their waist to their chest. The may wear ceramic bracelets all the way up their arms and wrap ribbons around their body and head. As with their general artistic style, the patterns of their adornment is flowing and rounded, and rarely repeats or is symmetrical to mimic the flowing nature of water and wave.

They are skilled at using clay and mud not only for pottery but also to make buildings. They use many different materials such as woven branches or adobe bricks as the foundation, but almost as a rule finish the surface in stucco or clay with flowing natural designs. The buildings stay away from square shapes as much as possible. Elves are known to keep the company of swans and hounds; sometimes even more wild beasts like wolves and wildcats. The elves have never liked domesticating animals to use as mounts, they almost exclusively ask the permission of deer to let them ride when faster travel than their foot speed is needed but will ride a wild horse, or when among humans one of their domesticated horses.

 

Elves have always had only one name which is both a personal and family name of a sort. They are usually two word names like Greenleaf. Every elf inherits the second of the two words from the parent of the same gender. Male elves always have a name related to Star-king and his domains, while females are named for Moon-queen and hers. Elves seemed to have an intuitive and prophetic ability to name their children such that their names are descriptions of not only their appearance (hair, skin, or eye color for example) but also their personality, nature, or calling.

Despite their charms, elves are fierce warriors when battle is necessary and when wronged against, they will hunt down and defeat any man or people that defies them or breaks their word. When elves go to battle it is said they are preceded by the sound of waves crashing on the shore. They ride on horses or deer to war. Though they are commonly associated with bows, and are unmatched archers who read and use the wind in their shots, elves prefer fighting up close where they can sense the ebb and flow of the battle and energy of each side. They practice a unique form of martial arts with graceful and flowing movements that looks more like dancing using their cloaks, shawls, or even just ribbons, as means of distraction and defense. They use the lengths of cloth to wrap an opponent's limb for tripping or pulling, wrapping around a weapon to disarm, passing over the opponent’s eyes to blind them, or to camouflage their next maneuver. They arm themselves with weapons made of light, flexible wood like bamboo and willow and all their blades are curved or leaf shaped of a ceramic that only they knew how to make that is as strong or stronger than even any dwarven metal and never dulled.

Bauraean Elf Traits

Your elf character has a variety of natural abilities inherited from their patrons Moon and Star.

Elven Martial Proficiency

You have proficiency with Finesse weapons including: dagger, dart, rapier, scimitar, shortsword, and whip and short and long bows.

Ability Score Increase

Your Dexterity score increases by 2, your Charisma by one, and choose Intelligence (Star/Air) or Wisdom (Moon/Water) 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 100 and can live to be 750 years old.

Alignment

Elves love freedom, variety, and self-expression, so they lean strongly toward the gentler aspects of chaos. They value and protect others’ freedom as well as their own, and they are more often good than not. The drow are an exception; their exile into the Underdark has made them vicious and dangerous. Drow are more often evil than not.

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 35 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.

Stargaze

Blessed with the vision of Star-King, you have proficiency in the Perception skill.

Moon-Eyed

Beguiling and bewitching yourself, with the eyes of Moon-Queen, you are resistant to such attempts against you. You have advantage on saves against all Enchantment spells.

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 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.