Elves were the fey-touched cousins of humankind. They were slender and graceful by nature, exhibiting a beauty reflected in the ethereal environments with which they sought to surround themselves.

The life of an elf would last well up to twice that of a human, giving them a perspective on the passage of time broader and more complex than that of humans. The petty affairs of other races were inconsequential to the typical elf, who preferred to pursue adventure or self-improvement most of the time. The pace of elves' relationships with others was unhurried; they were often slow to friendship, but also to enmity, and even slower to forget their friends or enemies.

The wide range in individual elves' appearances can be attributed to the changeable nature of the Feywild. Elves tended to be slightly more slender than the typical human, and ranged in height between 5½ and 6½ feet.

As elves aged, they would start to be influenced greatly by both their environment and by their emotions. For example, wood elves' skin would become wrinkled and bark-like, and their hands would come to resemble bundles of gnarled twigs, in their old age.

It is thought that elves were descended from the Yeula who lived where the veil between the prime material plane and the Feywild was at its thinnest, able to travel between the planes at will, and spending a great deal of their existence living on the other side. Centuries of exposure to the Feywild's influence would have altered their biology and culture in a number of subtle ways.

Many varieties of elf arose from their ancient fey-touched ancestors, under the influence of higher beings, or simply through adaptions to suit their environments: Drow were at home in the Underdark, deep below the surface; sea and wood elves could be found around the coasts and forests of Auriin, respectively; the Usminai lived in small, remote tribes in the deserts of Canolze; and high elves inhabited the western island chain of Dovrok.

A map of Auriin depicting the distribution of Elf subraces across the continent. [view enlarged]

Drow

Drow were one of the oldest elven subraces, having splintered off in a spiritual schism between those who rejected the changeable nature of the fey, and those who embraced it. The former fled the Feywild to Auriin, where they took refuge in the Underdark, whose gloomy depths began to mould the race of drow.

Drow Traits

See Player's Handbook, p.24

High Elves

High elves were natives of Dovrok, though many prominent high elf families established themselves all over Auriin. They were courteous but faintly aloof, typically carrying with them an air of superiority derived from their belief that they were the "original" elves of the material plane.

High Elf Traits

See Player's Handbook, p.23

Sea Elves

The elves of the Eimrough Isles and the shallows surrounding the archipelago were commonly known as sea elves. They had an affinity for the ocean, able to breathe water and move through it with ease and grace.

Their hidden ocean communities were unreachable to most outsiders, but sea elves' amphibious nature allowed them to integrate themselves into land-faring societies if they wished.

Sea Elf Traits

See Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes, p.62

Sieni

Main Article: Sieni

The Sieni were a crepuscular subrace of elves who lived throughout the fungal jungles of Kharn. Considered by many to be abjectly evil, the Sieni were masters of necromantic and druidic magic, and considered death and decay to be sacred.

Their flesh ranged from a sickly puce to pallid blue-grey, with large, unsettling pores or gills in places. They did not grow hair, though some allowed the native fungi to fruit from their skin, resulting in hair or antler-like growths.

Sieni Traits

Foul Symbiote. You know the infestation cantrip (XGE, pg. 158). When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the false life (PHB, pg. 239) spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the wither and bloom (SCC, pg. 38) spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Casting these spells with this trait doesn't require material components. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

Weed Walk. You can move across difficult terrain made of plants or fungi without expending extra movement.

Usminai

Main Article: Usminai

The Usminai, or Scorched Elves, inhabited the harsh desert of Canolze - their distinctive blush, satin skin providing them protection from the sun's rays.

The elves of Canolze were practitioners of blood magic, often performing ritual sacrifices and other ceremonies that prompted many outsiders to label them as sickening or savage.

Usminai Traits

Usminai Training. You have proficiency with the scimitar, flail, shortbow, whip and net.

Fleet of Foot. Your base walking speed increases to 35 feet.

Desert Born. You have resistance to radiant damage. You also have advantage on Constitution saving throws against exhaustion from extreme heat or dehydration.

Wood Elves

Wood elves were the furthest detached from their fey ancestry of all the elf races. They were typically calm and level-headed, though they exhibited fierce compassion for all living beings.

Wood elf settlements were often concealed within the forests of Auriin, and were lead by small village councils who met every few years to ensure the wellbeing of their communities.

Wood Elf Traits

See Player's Handbook, p.24