Yaarel
He Mage
[sblock=Elf]
Elves are a race born of magic. Magical energies that course thru the multiverse, gain consciousness in the spirit realm, in the Feywild, to emerge as the Elf. These spirits of fate live by magic, enjoy the fun and pleasure of magic, and seek out more magical skills and power.
Elves evolve by means of magic. Typically, elven parents who choose to give birth undergo a ritual to alter their child at birth, to further some strategic magic. The child of their child can inherit these traits as well. Sometimes the birth itself is natural and sometimes it is magical − such as mixing multiple parents to produce a single child, gestating in a ‘nest’, bringing a statue to life, or so on. The magical ritual that shapes the development of the elf child can be reversed as the elf child grows older, but this rarely happens. As an Elf family enters into a new environment, the group decides together how to use magic to willfully adapt to it.
Elves exhibit extreme diversity, as one family transfigures in ways that differ dramatically from an other family. Some families have immigrated from the spirit realm into the physical realm, clothing themselves in a material body, to live alongside humans.
Every elf adopts four levels of identity: individual, family, community, and culture.
Each elf is an individual with unique goals and achievements.
An elf is also a member of a family, sometimes called a ‘house’. The elf furthers the specific magical ambitions of that family. It is the pursuit of magic that keeps an elven family together. With a lifespan that passes thru centuries, the elven family normally includes the ancestors who founded it, living together with the generations and generations of their descendants. A family also includes lovers and others who are adopted into the family. Some family members might choose independence to found a new family with a new magical ambition.
A elven community comprises an alliance of families, sometimes called a ‘troop’. They might be the inhabitants of a city of splendor, a remote tree town, or a nomadic caravan. Its government is a ‘court’, comprising the heads of each family. The court of an elven community might be isolationist or might form alliances with courts of other communities, to institute a ‘royal court’ that includes the representatives from many communities. Elven courts are always a magocracy, where elves choose suitable representatives from among their most powerful wielders of magic. The presider of a great court often enjoys revered titles such as Songster or High Wizard, or honorary royal titles such as King or Queen. All courts assemble during annual sacred revelries, and during emergencies.
A culture comprises all of the communities who share similar customs and sensibilities. Sometimes a culture is called a ‘subrace’, but any physical distinctiveness results from the magical traditions and innovations. Different cultures cultivate different forms of magic. Examples. The ‘High Culture’ of the High Elf strives to master the arcane arts for physical combat, and reveres the Bladesinger whose wizardry forms a sword, and the Eldritch Knight whose spells enhance military prowess. The ‘Wood Culture’ of the Wood Elf strives to guard the animistic relationships among forest life, and reveres Druids and Rangers.
The identity of an elf is all four levels: an individual person, a family with a magical ambition, a community of families building a life together, and a wider culture of magical customs. An elf is never one without the other three.[/sblock]
Elf Traits.
Elves are magical energies becoming conscious beings. Some have materialized into the physical life of a body. Elven cultures evolve by choice by means of magic, and diverge as they pursue differing forms of magic.
Ability Score Increase. One ability score of your choice increases by +2. Even within the same elven culture, individuals can vary significantly. Some are superhumanly charming, some superhumanly knowledgeable, some superhumanly strong, and so on.
Choose Three Traits. Choose three traits from your elven culture. Note. Refer to the list of cultures below. The campaign setting determines which cultures are present. Your DM may create a new culture or modify a listed culture for the setting. You must meet the minimum scores that are typical for your culture. If your family includes members from more than one elven culture, consult with your DM to choose traits from more than one elven culture.
Choose Five Proficiencies. Choose five proficiencies from your elven culture. Typically, one of these choices is to become proficient with the Common language that humans speak.
Primary Language. You speak the language of your elven culture. Normally, this is Elven, but some cultures speak Sylvan or Common.
Age. Elves mature at the same rate as humans, and reach adulthood about age twenty. Elves remain eternally youthful adults. Fey elves are immortal spirits, native to the plane of Feywild. Those elves who immigrated to the material plane, thus clothed themselves in physical bodies, also took on mortality, albeit they can live over a millennium.
Size. The height of elves is about the same as humans, but can be shorter or taller.
Speed. Typically walking speed is 30.
[sblock=Sun Culture]
The Sun Elf cultivate lives of majesty and contemplation. Their artists master technical skill to manifest reveries of wonder. Their scholars of magic are peerless and illuminate the deepest mysteries of the multiverse. They are magic, and yearn to be one with all magic. Sun esthetics value impressive breathtaking forms that are simple in elegance, yet integrate places of subtle intricacy. The songs are solumn and meditative, while transmitting details of collective memories and magical intuitions.
To human eyes, the elves of the Sun tend to be stunningly goodlooking, heightened by stylish clothing and luxury. The mind-altering beauty often radiates, literally, with a numinous glow. Their sexuality is calm and dignifying, albeit intimate moments employ magic to explore and experiment.
Among friends, the elves are affectionate, often in the arm of the other. They speak with grace of wit and charm, warm and at ease while studying, teaching, and loving to discover and enjoy.
The Sun culture celebrates their drug of choice, the sweet complex liqueurs that they perfuse with enchantments. Their use is moderate and always social, often giving a toast with each sip in honor of an interesting point during a discussion. Once a year however, a revelry imposes a sacred duty to drink to oblivion. Truth is no finite thing. Even the highest intelligence cannot put it into words.
The Sun Elf inhabit cities of splendor, hidden from the rest of the multiverse. Originally, internecine wars among elves, motivated the isolationism. Today the policy safeguards their utopias from outside disturbances. Among themselves, they pursue their magics, arts, and sciences. Altho the Sun Elf were among the first Fey Elf to incarnate bodily into the Material Plane in ancient times, their reverence for both past and future sustains a living continuity with the Fey ways of their ancestors. Individuals seldom leave their wonderworking cities, except for expeditions to seek out new knowledge of magic, or to rebuild friendships with the elves of other cultures.
In times of conflict, the Sun Elf disfavor physical combat. If forced to fight, they prefer to wield magic to solve all problems, decisively, quickly and with dispatch.
Sun Culture
Intelligence score minimum 13.
Charisma score minimum 11.
Primary Ability. An ability score of your choice increases by +2.
Choose Three Traits.
• Other Ability. (An other ability score of your choice increases by +1.)
• Comeliness. (You are extremely goodlooking and know your impact; gain Proficiency expertise if your are proficient; cause humanoids in sight 10, disadvantage to saves against your Charm magic.)
• Born of Magic. (See magical auras 30; identify one aura, per round, Intelligence or Charisma Arcana against DC 15 + spell level.)
• Arcane Artisan. (Craft spellcasting focus, DC 20, requiring both Intelligence Arcana and Charisma Performance; when wielding a focus that you crafted, add Intelligence or Charisma to cantrip damage if any.)
• Misty Step. (Teleport 30, in sight, per rest, vanishing briefly into wind and forming out from it.)
• Elven Chain. (Mage Armor, reaction per rest, as stylish mithral chainmail.)
• Telepathy 100. (Communicate with one mind at a time, relating images, emotions, and speaking with any language.)
Choose Five Proficiencies.
• Elfshine. (Your beauty shines. Luminous dim aura 10, flourish, on or off; if on, Friends cantrip; if on, conjure or reshape apparel and hair styles, clean all, action, willing targets in aura.)
• Charm Resilience. (Charmed condition save advantage.)
• Tool: Mason, Alchemist, Smith, Calligrapher, Weaver, Brewer (liqueur), or Any.
• Skill using Intelligence: Arcana, Perception-Investigation, Medicine, or History.
• Skill using Charisma: Arcana, Persuasion-Insight, Intimidation, or Performance.
• Other Language: Sylvan, or Common.
Primary Language. Elven.
Alignment. Neutral Good. (You innovate ways to improve life for others. You are independent thinking and community centered.)
Revered Classes. Wizard, Lore Bard, Psion.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Moon Culture]
The Moon Elf are mystical, sociable, carousers. Wanderlust impels them to discover new friendships in new cultures. They crave fun. They are outgoing, honest and good hearted, and trustworthy despite being uncontrollable. Life is a revelry.
Moon Elf magic comes from within. Being Fey spirits clothed in bodily life, they are magic itself. And it is fun to experiment. They explore their own magical impulses to self-discover what they can do. Most pursue arcane arts informally, drawing inspiration from mages around them while innovating new ways to cast spells. A family transmits its arcane heritage by parents passing on their evolving magical nature to their future generations. Humans tend to characterize the Moon Elf as a Sorcerer with a Fey bloodline. But for a Moon Elf, magic is self-expression and personal relationships with the world around them.
The Moon Elf are urban nomads, who travel as families and individuals. The family tends to sojourn in a city for a season then caravan along trade routes to a new city, often forming a circuit, and networking with other Moon Elf families. Many families are merchants, buying in one place to sell to an other. From time to time, individuals break out on their own to pursue personal horizons. They visit old friends along the way, and keep contact magically with their family, to rejoin them later.
The elves of the Moon are polyamorous, sexually adventurous while loyal friends. Eventually one Moon Elf tends to pair bond with an other, while each lacks jealousy about the others friends. Such romantics enjoy the playful seduction as much as the consummation. While themselves beautiful and flirtatious, their attractions gravitate to inner beauty, cherishing individuals who are both fun and sincere. Often a nightly revelry has a couple stepping away for a private moment.
Most half elves descend from the Moon Elf.
Occasionally, a Moon Elf who pair bonds with a Human or an Elf from an other culture might settle down in the community of their mate.
The elves of the Moon are nocturnal. At sundown, they gather friends for a drinking party, and stage entertainments thru the night − spellcasting games, songs, music, gambling. Their songs are fun, simple, and passionate, and literally enchanting. Clothes are casual yet impossibly new and clean, plus accents of simple jewelry and perfume. Among their own kind, the frolic is in the dark, in honor of the moon that bathes their darkvision. Frequently, guests without darkvision are present, so the night shimmers with colorful lights in honor of them. As the twilight of dawn brightens, they look after each other and clean the place before sunup.
The daylight sees these elves withdrawn and industrious. With minimal conversation, they experiment to master magical techniques, paint, weave, make other magical crafts, run various errands, and trance a few hours before the next sundown.
More than one human has teased their Moon Elf friend about their daytime quietude being their ‘hangover’. Actually, the Moon Elf metabolizes alcohol rapidly with no residual side effects. Each mug is a fresh intoxication. They prefer a gentle buzz that allows them to stay functional. Their drug of choice is whatever the drug of choice happens to be in the culture that they are in today.
In times of conflict, the Moon Elf are capable mages and competent with weapons too. Many excel in archery and agile sword fighting. Nevertheless, they prefer stealth to avoid the conflict.
Moon Culture
Charisma score minimum 13
Dexterity score minimum 11
Primary Ability. An ability score of your choice increases by +2.
Choose Three Traits.
• Other Ability. (One other ability score of your choice increases by +1.)
• Comeliness. (You are extremely goodlooking and know your impact; gain Proficiency expertise if you are proficient; cause humanoids in sight 10, disadvantage to saves against your Charm magic.)
• Speed +10.
• Darkvision 60.
• Tolerance. (Calm Emotions, action per rest. End one frightened condition, action per rest.)
• Experimentalism. (Know a spell from any class, and treat it as your caster class; you can swap it while leveling.)
• Elven Chain. (Mage Armor, reaction per rest, as stylish mithral chainmail.)
• Misty Step. (Teleport 30, in sight, bonus per rest, forming briefly into and out from wind.)
• Gift of Tongues. (Understand and be understood by any spoken language.)
Choose Five Proficiencies.
• Trance. (Sleep Immunity; gain long rest from 4 hours light activity, per 24 hours.)
• Charm Resilience. (Charmed condition save advantage.) ... Choose twice: Charm Immunity.
• Any Cantrip. (Use your class casting ability or Charisma.)
• Sending. (Cast per long rest.)
• Elven Sword Fighting Style. (Apply finesse property to any longsword; you can use it as casting focus.)
• Weapon: Longbow, Shortbow, or Longsword.
• Tool: Navigator, Painter, Gambler, Weaver, Leatherworker, Tinkerer, or Brewer (adventurous).
• Skill: Perception-Investigation, Persuasion-Insight, Nature-Survival, Sleight of Hand, or Stealth.
• Other Language: Elven, or Any.
Primary Language. Common.
Alignment. Chaotic Good.
Revered Classes. Sorcerer, Bard, Ranger.
[/sblock]
[sblock=High Culture]
High Culture
Dexterity score minimum 13.
Intelligence score minimum 11.
Primary Ability. An ability score of your choice increases by +2.
Choose Three Traits.
• Other Ability (an other ability score of your choice increases by +1).
• Darkvision (60).
• Misty Step (teleport 30, in sight, bonus per rest, vanishing briefly into wind and forming out from it).
• Elven Chain (Mage Armor, reaction per rest, appearing as stylish mithral chainmail).
• Elven Accuracy (reroll d20 if your Dexterity/Intelligence attack has advantage).
Choose Five Proficiencies.
• Trance (Sleep Immunity; gain long rest from 4 hours light activity, per 24 hours).
• Wizard Cantrip.
• Elven Sword Fighting Style (apply finesse property to any longsword; can use it as casting focus).
• Weapon: Longsword, or Longbow.
• Tool: Alchemist, Smith, Weaver, Calligrapher, Brewer (honey mead).
• Skill: Arcana, Perception-Investigation, History, Athletics-Acrobatics, Sleight of Hand, or Stealth.
• Other Language: Common, Sylvan, or Any.
Primary Language. Elven.
Alignment. Chaotic Good.
Revered Classes. Bladesinger Wizard, Eldritch Knight Fighter, Trickster Rogue.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Fey Culture]
Fey Culture
Charisma score minimum 15
Intelligence score minimum 11
Wisdom score minimum 11
Primary Ability. An ability score of your choice increases by +2.
Choose Three Traits.
• Other Ability (an other ability score of your choice increases by +1).
• Faerie (use verbal component alone for any spell and focus; eschew gp cost, per long rest).
• Born of Magic (see magical auras 30; identify one per round, Charisma Arcana against DC 15 + spell level).
• Comeliness. (You are extremely goodlooking and know your impact; gain Proficiency expertise; cause humanoids in sight 10, disadvantage to saves against your Charm magic.)
• Elven Corona (Mage Armor, reaction per rest, appearing as a solar aura, sunlight, bright 30).
• Faze Spell (a spell cast cant affect you, reaction per rest, Charisma Arcana against DC 15 + spell level).
• Magic Resistance Reflex (Dex/Str save advantage against magic).
• Magic Resistance Cunning (Wis/Cha/Int save advantage against magic).
• Magic Resistance Fortitude (Con save advantage against magic).
• Captivation (Charm Person, per long rest, duration 24 hours).
• Misty Step (teleport 30, in sight, bonus per rest, vanishing briefly into wind and forming out from it).
• Telepathy 100 (communicate with one mind at a time, relate images, emotions, speak with any language).
Choose Five Proficiencies.
• Elfshine (Your beauty shines; luminous dim aura 10, flourish, on or off; if on, Friends cantrip; if on, conjure or reshape apparel and hair styles, clean all, action, willing targets in aura).
• Enchanting (after Friends, Charm, or similar effect, your target that you treated well stays friendly to you).
• Charm Resilience (charmed condition save advantage). ... Choose twice: Charm Immunity.
• Radiant Resistance. ... Choose twice: Radiant Immunity.
• Sunbeam (ray of sunlight, per turn, bright line 300, radius 10).
• Guidance (cantrip).
• Gracious Fate (Spare The Dying cantrip, close range 30).
• Tool: Weaver, Jeweler, Smith, Brewer (wine), or Any.
• Skill Using Charisma: Arcana, Persuasion-Insight, Intimidation, or Performance.
• Skill: Any.
• Other Language: Sylvan, or Common.
Primary Language. Elven.
Revered Classes. Bard, any magical class.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Wood Culture]
Wood Culture
Dexterity score minimum 13.
Wisdom score minimum 13.
Primary Ability. An ability score of your choices increases by +2.
Choose Three Traits.
• Other Ability (an other ability score of your choice increases by +1).
• Darkvision 60.
• Speed +10.
• Elven Accuracy (reroll d20 when Dexterity or Wisdom attack has advantage).
• Longstrider (per long rest); Pass Without Trace (per long rest).
• Sculpt Trees (reshape living trees in range 10, action per rest, fuse, split, move, sprout, grow, make fruit − trees remain living).
Choose Five Proficiencies.
• Trance (Sleep Immunity; each 24 hours, long rest from 4 hours light activity).
• Charm Resilience (charmed condition save advantage).
• Druid Cantrip.
• Mask of the Wild (in natural terrain, Hide in dim light or in partial obscurement).
• Plant Sight (see lifeforce of living plants, as if dim aura 10, appearing bright in darkvision).
• Weapon: Longbow, or Shortbow.
• Tool: Herbalist, Woodcarver, Leatherworker, Carpenter, Tinkerer, or Brewer (fruit wine).
• Skill: Perception-Investigation, Nature-Survival, Medicine, or Stealth.
• Other Language: Common.
Primary Language. Elven.
Revered Classes. Ranger, Druid.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Grugach Culture]
Grugach Culture
Strength score minimum 13
Dexterity score minimum 11
Constitution score minimum 11
Wisdom score minimum 11
Primary Ability. An ability score of your choice increases by +2.
Choose Three Traits.
• Other Ability (an other ability score of your choice increases by +1).
• Darkvision 60.
• Beast Mind (telepathy 100 with wild mammal, relate simple images, concept, emotion, or specific sound or smell, but no sentences beyond a word or two, and no discernable writing).
• Animal Friendship (wild mammal only, 100, action).
• Agile (Climb 30; Running Jump 5; prone to stand 5; Athletics-Acrobatics advantage).
Choose Five Proficiencies.
• Druid Cantrip.
• Weapon: Spear, or Net.
• Tool: Poisoner (sleep), Healer, Thief (pit, snare), Weaver, Woodcarver (stone tools), or Brewer (intoxicating herb).
• Skill: Animal Handling, Nature-Survival, Medicine, Athletics-Acrobatics, or Stealth.
• Other Language: Elven, or Common.
Primary Language. Sylvan.
Revered Classes. Barbarian, Ranger.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Aquatic Culture]
Aquatic Culture
Charisma score minimum 13
Wisdom score minimum 11
Constitution score minimum 11
Dexterity score minimum 11
Primary Ability. An ability score of your choice increases by +2.
Choose Three Traits.
• Other Ability (an other ability score of your choice increases by +1).
• Amphibious (breathe water and air; Swim 30).
• Water Breathing (spell, action per long rest, at Charisma number of targets, duration 24 hours, can dispel from any target as action).
• Darkvision 60.
• Faerie (can use verbal component only for any spell and focus; eschew gp cost, per long rest).
• Captivation (Charm Person, per long rest, duration 24 hours).
• Watery Aura (Mage Armor, reaction per rest, invisible force, but hair and body wet, dripping water, clothing if any is damp).
Choose Five Proficiencies.
• Elfshine (comely; dim aura 10; Friends, cantrip; conjure or reshape apparel and hair styles, clean, action, at willing targets in aura).
• Charm Resilience (charmed condition save advantage). ... Choose twice: Charm Immunity.
• Water Speak (communicate verbally and somatically with beast that have inborn swim speed, relate simple concepts and emotions).
• Orchestral Rapids (Shape Water, cantrip, cube 10, changing direction of flow of water has duration of 1 hour; in moving water current, including from cantrip, music Performance advantage).
• Weapon: Trident, Spear, Light Crossbow, or Net.
• Tool: Musician, Weaver (reed, seaweed), Leather (shark, eel), or Jeweler (pearl, amber, coral, gold).
• Skill using Charisma: Persuasion-Insight, Performance, Arcana, Animal Handling, or Survival.
• Skill: Athletics-Acrobatics.
• Other Language: Sylvan, Common, or Aquan.
Primary Language. Elven.
Revered Classes. Bard, Paladin, Sorcerer.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Avariel Culture]
Avariel Culture
Dexterity score minimum 15
Wisdom score minimum 13
Intelligence score minimum 11
Primary Ability. An ability score of your choice increases by +2.
Choose Three Traits.
• Other Ability (an other ability score of your choice increases by +1).
• Darkvision 60.
• Wings (reaction Feather Fall; action to gain Fly 60 until your next turn; Level 9, Fly speed 60).
• Eagle Eyes, Owl Eyes (sight Perception advantage).
• Glassteel (to choose this trait, you must be proficient with the tools of Glassblower, Smith, and Alchemist; forge glassteel, making iron, hard, lightweight, and transparent, at cost of steel; proficient with Glassteel Breastplate, light armor, AC 13 + Dexterity upto 5, no interference with flight).
Choose Five Proficiencies.
• Trance (Sleep Immunity; long rest from 4 hours light activity, per 24 hours).
• Charm Resilience (charmed condition save advantage).
• Weapon: Longbow, Rapier, or Net.
• Tool: Glassblower, Smith, Alchemist, Navigator, Healer, or Brewer (intoxicating tea, negates effects of high altitude).
• Skill: Perception-Investigation, Arcana-Religion, Athletics-Acrobatics, or Medicine.
• Other Language: Common, Auran, Sylvan, or Any.
Primary Language. Elven.
Revered Classes. Cleric of Philosophy, Monk.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Drow Culture]
Drow Culture
Dexterity score minimum 15
Intelligence score minimum 11
Wisdom score minimum 11
Charisma score minimum 11
Primary Ability. An ability score of your choice increases by +2.
Choose Three Traits.
• Other Ability (an other ability of your choice increases by +1).
• Superior Darkvision 120; Sunlight Sensitivity (disadvantage if you or your target is in sunlight).
• Darkness (per long rest); Faerie Fire (per long rest).
• Faze Spell (a spell cast cant affect you, reaction per rest, Arcana against DC 15 + spell level).
• Magic Resistance Reflex (Dexterity/Strength save advantage against magic).
• Magic Resistance Cunning (Wisdom/Charisma/Intelligence save advantage against magic).
• Magic Resistance Fortitude (Constitution save advantage against magic).
• Dispel Magic (per long rest).
• Detect Magic (as cantrip).
• Levitation (action per rest, concentration; while levitating, you can use Dexterity for Athletics checks).
Choose Five Proficiencies.
• Ambidexterity (each hand can do a flourish: draw or stow weapon, open door, etcetera).
• Dancing Lights (cantrip).
• Armor: Chain Shirt (AC 13 + maximum Dex 3).
• Weapon: Handbow, Shortsword, or Rapier.
• Tool: Weaver, Poisoner (sleep), Thief, Smith, Jeweler, Mason, Cartographer, or Brewer (hallucenagenic mushroom).
• Skill: Arcana, Stealth, Deception, Intimidation, Athletics-Acrobatics, or Sleight of Hand.
• Other Language: Drow Silent, Undercommon, Common, or Abyssal.
Primary Language: Elven.
Revered Classes. Trickster Rogue, Warlock; Cleric, Wizard
[/sblock]
[sblock=Shadar Kai Culture]
Shadar Kai Culture
Constitution score minimum 13
Dexterity score minimum 11
Wisdom score minimum 11
Charisma score minimum 11
Primary Ability. An ability score of your choice increases by +2.
Choose Three Traits.
• Other Ability (an other ability score of your choice increases by +1).
• Darkvision 60.
• Ghost Step (teleport 15, in sight, damage resistance until your next turn, bonus per rest).
• Will to Live (death save advantage; if Unconscious, then Incapacitated instead).
Choose Five Proficiencies.
• Trance (Sleep Immunity; long rest from 4 hours light activity, per 24 hours).
• Charm Resilience (charmed condition save advantage).
• Necrotic Resistance. ... Choose twice: Necrotic Immunity.
• Speak With Dead (action).
• Spare The Dying (cantrip).
• Chill Touch (cantrip).
• Thaumaturgy (cantrip).
• Skill: Stealth, Intimidation, Perception, or Arcana.
• Other Language: Common, or Any.
Primary Language. Elven.
Revered Classes. Shadow Sorcerer, Grave Cleric, Gloomstalker Ranger.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Sith Culture (Scottish Elf)]
The Sith Elf refers to a reallife folkbelief about elves in Scotland. It is separate from the D&D tradition, but is interesting in its own right, and I am curious about how to best stat this folkbelief in D&D.
Eventually, I hope to also include a writeup for the Fairy Elf, namely the reallife English folkbelief in southern England, described extensively in the plays of Shakespeare, and also a writeup for the Alfar Elf, namely the Norse folkbelief in Norway and Iceland, described tantalizingly but sufficiently in the Eddas and Sagas.
The main source of information about the Sith Elf comes from the Scottish Witch Trials in the early modern period, roughly before and after 1700. The records of the interrogations of suspected witches. They document an indigenous shaman-like tradition where the socalled ‘witch’ was part of a wider spiritual tradition that encounters a distinctive kind of nature spirit, sometimes called an ‘Elf’ or a ‘Sith’. Typically, these shamans had a life-transforming encounter with an Elf during a dream. This tradition is clearly cognate with concepts about the incubus, notably the incubus that fathered the bard Merlin in the Authurian Romances, along with related concepts about the nightmare and phantasmagoria among other cultures. The shaman encountered the Sith Elf in an overwhelming dream that is awe inspiring, positive, as well as sexual. Some of these dreams were terrifying, however. The shaman awakens with miraculous powers unlocked, such as the ability to heal, foresee the future, sense the presence of nature spirits, and so on. The spiritual tradition seems sometimes formal with specific well known descriptions and sometimes informal with unique individual experiences. The shaman appears to already posses these powers potentially, but the Elf-encounter helps actualize their use. There is somewhat a sense of innate psychic powers, sotospeak.
The name ‘Sith’ is identical to Irish ‘Sidhe’ and ‘Shee’, as in Banshee. Etymologically, ‘Sidhe’ literally means ‘of the mound’, Síde, from Gaelic ‘fairy mound’, Síd, a conspicuous small hill whose space is in a numinous liminal state that is both below ground and above ground simultaneously. But among the Scottish, the Sith concept merged with the Norse concept of Elf, and disassociates from mounds.
When Scots compared their ‘Elf’ with the English ‘Fairy’, the Scots felt their Elf is likewise a kind of Fairy, perhaps remembering that the word ‘Faierie’ originally means ‘magical’ and referring to any kind of magical being. But the Elf is the size of a fully adult human, unlike the English Fairy that is childlike, child size, and shrinkable. In the same way, angels can shrink to dance on the head of pin. Heh, the Sith Elf never shrinks. Yet it is entirely an immaterial spirit.
The Sith Elf is strictly a spirit, without any matter. It is described as analogous to a shadow that can have a sensible form yet without any substance. But as pure spiritual force, the Elf can manifest into the physical world, similar to the way a ghost can − and is superhumanly strong able to easily throw humans across rooms.
The Sith Elf is also superhumanly goodlooking, supernaturally sexy, charming, provoking allure, awe, and terror, and mentally captivating.
The Scottish Elf personifies magic and teaches magic.
These Elves live in a kingdom as opulent aristocrats, with magical amenadies, including magic-wielding faerie knights who sport shining armor while riding horseback. These fairy horses are animistic spirits inhabiting a spirit world called ‘Fairyland’.
An Elf Queen rules over them. (Note, a male Elf King presides over the Norse Elf, and Shakespeare similarly describes various kingdoms, with different monarchs, some male, some female.) This Elf Queen of the Sith is entirely sovereign. The Scots have a legal formula that says, if this Queen divorces her King, it is she who remains the sovereign monarch, while her ex-husband would lose the royal title. She has multiple lovers, thus many consorts in addition to her King.
In the context of witch trials, the Scottish documents are a bizarre blend of indigenous folkbelief and Christian speculative theology. Essentially, the Christians were forced to admit the Elves were sometimes good, thus contradicting the Christian paradigm of all spirits being either entirely good or entirely evil. At the same time, the shamans themselves believed the Elf could sometimes do evil, thus were distinct from angels, and more like Humans who could sometimes do good and sometimes do evil. The attempt to explain Elves within a Christian worldview resulted in bizarre theories among the Christian clergy. One interesting speculation was a tradition that Elves are angels who declared neutrality during the war between good and evil. However the Elf Queen herself was explained to be a feminine manifestation of the Devil himself, and entirely evil. Meanwhile the rest of the Elves were angels, with some individuals who tended to do good, while others to do evil, but all like humans able to do both. An earlier record from an Anglo-Saxon prayer book, probably from about year 900 in West Mercia in England, mentions an unusual feminine form of the word ælf, spelled in Latin as ‘aelfae’, being one of the names of the ‘satanas’, so there appears to be a known tradition that identifies the Elf Queen as the Devil. Nevertheless, the shamans whose practiced the indigenous tradition and encountered the Elf Queen, explicitly reject the devilish identificaton. So the demonization results from foreign theological speculations. The indigenous worldview sees the Elf Queen as normally good and helpful.
In sum, the realife Scottish folkbelief about the Sith Elf describes a nocturnal nature spirit, who personifies magic, and who inhabits an aristocratic kingdom within a spirit realm, called Fairyland. This spirit realm overlaps distinctive natural terrain features in the physical realm, including forests, rolling hills, and heaths. They seem ghostlike in the sense of having ethical free will, haunting particular locales, and manifesting physically from the spirit world into the material world − yet remaining immaterial. The Elves are superhumanly beautiful and charismatic, but also strong. Usually they do good and are helpful, but sometimes are malevolent. They visit humans nocturnally during wetdreams, and sometimes teach humans how to do magic.
In D&D terms. The Sith culture comprises a knightly kingdom of Elves who inhabit the Feywild, which they sometimes call Fairyland. They exhibit extreme Charisma and Strength. They are always magical, and even their strength and warcraft is made out of magic. So their fairy knights cannot be mundane Fighters. The concepts of ‘unlocking’ innate magic and being a ‘patron’ who teaches magic connote the D&D Warlock class with a Fey patron. Moreover, Warlock includes tropes of witch trials and forbidden lore, which also seems appropriate enough in the context of the Sith. The fairy knights work well as Warlocks with a Blade Pact (but perhaps with better mechanics analogous to the Hexblade in Xanathars Guide). Meanwhile, other Sith have other kinds Fey Warlock pacts. The Elf Queen is especially a Fey patron for Human Warlocks, but other Sith Elves are also patrons. All of the patrons are Sith who reach Epic tier, effectively above level 20.
Probably, the Sith Elf is best understood as Lawful Neutral. While unfair to indigenous Scottish folkbelief, the D&D context might find it interesting if the Elf Queen is a Lawful Evil Devil. In D&D terms this would be something like an Archdevil Succubus. At the same time, living within her Fey empire, would be Sith Elves who are Lawful Neutral, with individuals who can be either Lawful Good, Lawful Neutral, or Lawful Evil. On the other hand, D&D has already been there and done that, with Drow Evil Demon Elf Queen. Personally, I found the Shadar-kai Elf in the 5e Unearthed Arcana who submit to their Raven Queen to already be too similar to the Drow culture. I suppose I am getting bored with evil dominatrix women. But other peoples interests may differ. In any case, the Sith Elf is not purely Good. So Neutral seems more appropriate, in the same way that Humans are Neutral. Meanwhile, the technical legal description about the sovereignty of the Queen, along with general obedience to her and a sense of community obligations, suggests a Lawful society. The Sith Elf is Lawful Neutral, but generally constructive and positive, like the Neutral Human. At the same time individual Sith Elves can be characterized with diverse alignments, perhaps tending toward Lawful.
The Elf Queen as a more constructive example of a woman in a leadership position might be more timely anyway. Movies and shows about Elizabeth 1 (the queen of Shakespeare) and Mary Queen of Scots are useful inspiration for what this Scottish Elf Queen might be like.
For that matter, a Renaissance vibe as opposed to a Medieval vibe also seems appropriate, since much of the reallife accounts are early modern. With caution, Renaissance style fits in Medievalesque D&D.
But the knights are old-school in their chivalry, akin to the knights of King Arthur. So, moreso knightly swords and lessso rapiers. But the Renaissance invention of plate armor works. Heh, popular culture seems comfortable when King Aurthur dons anachronistic plate armor. This works for the Sith knights too, as Warlocks in plate armor. Mechanically, the plate armor synergizes with the high Strength. Flavorfully, I feel an archetypal vibe here with the witch knight, a Warlock in Plate. (Reminds me pop Mordred.)
The witch trials also mention the case of ‘Elf-Shot’, where a spiritual arrow from an Elf inflicts painful muscle spasms and even seizures from a ‘stroke’ (being struck).
A Feywild, Renaissance-style, Lawful Neutral, British imperial courtly, nation of Elf Warlocks − with knightly Warlocks in plate armor on horseback. That is kinda interesting.
Arguably, the Sith Elf associates with psychic powers thus psionics, but the association with the Warlock class is substantial, and distinctive enough.
The Sith can ‘manifest’ like a D&D Ghost can, into the Material plane. Where the Ghost manifests from the Ether into the Material, and visaversa, the Sith can manifest from the Fey (possibly via the Ether). Likewise, the Ghost can normally see across planes, the Sith can too, albeit the Fey-Materal veil. Human Warlocks who have Sith Patrons, can too. I need to think about how to make balanced mechanics to allow player characters to manifest into the Material from the Fey, and into the Fey from the Material. The general idea is what the Ghost can do − including its ‘Incorporeal Movement’ and ‘Ethereal Sight’ features, but in this case with respect to the Fey plane instead of the Ethereal plane (or perhaps in addition to it).
The Sith Elf can also choose the Find Familiar spell as an innate trait, because the Scottish source material mentions the Elf-friend shamans as sometimes having animal ‘familiars’ that have some kind of connection to the Fairyland. In D&D terms, these animals are Fey. The D&D spell Find Familiar seems to represent the folkbelief well enough. Relatedly, this ‘Faerie Beast’ trait also includes the Find Steed spell, for the fairy knight on horseback.
Sith Culture
Charisma score minimum 15
Strength score minimum 13
Primary Ability. An ability score of your choice increases by +2.
Choose Three Traits.
• Other Ability (an other ability score of your choice increases by +1).
• Faerie (can use verbal component only for any spell and focus; eschew gp cost, per long rest).
• Captivation (Charm Person, action per long rest, duration 24 hours).
• Superior Darkvision 120; Sunlight Sensitivity (disadvantage if you or target is in sunlight).
• Nocturnal Visitation (enter dream of sleeper; mind magic, psychic damage, mutually possible).
• Below Earth But Above Earth. (Create demiplane, cube 10, per rest, duration 1 hour. Its door is invisible and must lead into a mound or boulder above ground, or an opening into a cave, or else creates a cube 10 of dusty air and leads into it. From inside the cubic demiplane, the walls appear as the rock or soil, or if dusty air, they appear as translucent dust that allows partially obscured view of the surroundings outside the demiplane. Compare Rope Trick, but it has a door that can open and shut during the duration. You can cast it multiple times during a long rest. When you reach level 9, the door can shut and then open to the overlapping area of either the Feywild or Material plane.)
• Faze Spell (spell cast cant affect you, reaction per rest, Cha Arcana, DC 15 + spell level).
• Magic Resistance Cunning (Wisdom/Charisma/Intelligence save advantage against magic).
• Magic Resistance Reflex (Dexterity/Strength save advantage against magic).
• Magic Resistance Fortitude (Constitution save advantage against magic).
• Faerie Beast. (Know the spells, Find Familiar and Find Steed. You can cast each as a 1-hour ritual, and can treat as part of the spell list of your class. The animal is always a Fey creature.)
Choose Five Proficiencies.
• Elfshine (comely; in dim aura 10; Friends cantrip; conjure or reshape apparel and hair styles, clean, at willing targets in aura).
• Trance. (Sleep Immunity. Gain long rest from 4 hours light activity, per 24 hours.)
• Elfshot. (Cantrip. Your bow shoots imaginary arrows that inflict painful muscle spasms and ‘pins and needles’ as if a limb fell asleep. Charisma attack against AC, 1d8 psychic damage; if a criticle, additionally inflict disadvantage to attacks; if target reduced to 0 hp and fails death saves, instead of death, a seizure inflicts the incapacitated condition indefinitely, until you choose to remove it, action. If you remove it, a stone arrowhead appears nearby the formerly incapacitated target.)
• Gracious Fate. (Spare The Dying cantrip, close range 30.)
• Strength From Beyond (Strength ability check advantage, per rest, duration 1 round).
• Armor: Chain. Choose twice: Plate.
• Weapon: Longbow, or Longsword.
• Skill Using Charisma: Arcana, Persuasion-Insight, Intimidation, or Animal Handling.
• Skill: Athletics-Acrobatics.
• Other Language: Common, or Sylvan.
Primary Language. Elven.
Revered Classes. Fey Warlock, Ancients Paladin.[/sblock]
Elves are a race born of magic. Magical energies that course thru the multiverse, gain consciousness in the spirit realm, in the Feywild, to emerge as the Elf. These spirits of fate live by magic, enjoy the fun and pleasure of magic, and seek out more magical skills and power.
Elves evolve by means of magic. Typically, elven parents who choose to give birth undergo a ritual to alter their child at birth, to further some strategic magic. The child of their child can inherit these traits as well. Sometimes the birth itself is natural and sometimes it is magical − such as mixing multiple parents to produce a single child, gestating in a ‘nest’, bringing a statue to life, or so on. The magical ritual that shapes the development of the elf child can be reversed as the elf child grows older, but this rarely happens. As an Elf family enters into a new environment, the group decides together how to use magic to willfully adapt to it.
Elves exhibit extreme diversity, as one family transfigures in ways that differ dramatically from an other family. Some families have immigrated from the spirit realm into the physical realm, clothing themselves in a material body, to live alongside humans.
Every elf adopts four levels of identity: individual, family, community, and culture.
Each elf is an individual with unique goals and achievements.
An elf is also a member of a family, sometimes called a ‘house’. The elf furthers the specific magical ambitions of that family. It is the pursuit of magic that keeps an elven family together. With a lifespan that passes thru centuries, the elven family normally includes the ancestors who founded it, living together with the generations and generations of their descendants. A family also includes lovers and others who are adopted into the family. Some family members might choose independence to found a new family with a new magical ambition.
A elven community comprises an alliance of families, sometimes called a ‘troop’. They might be the inhabitants of a city of splendor, a remote tree town, or a nomadic caravan. Its government is a ‘court’, comprising the heads of each family. The court of an elven community might be isolationist or might form alliances with courts of other communities, to institute a ‘royal court’ that includes the representatives from many communities. Elven courts are always a magocracy, where elves choose suitable representatives from among their most powerful wielders of magic. The presider of a great court often enjoys revered titles such as Songster or High Wizard, or honorary royal titles such as King or Queen. All courts assemble during annual sacred revelries, and during emergencies.
A culture comprises all of the communities who share similar customs and sensibilities. Sometimes a culture is called a ‘subrace’, but any physical distinctiveness results from the magical traditions and innovations. Different cultures cultivate different forms of magic. Examples. The ‘High Culture’ of the High Elf strives to master the arcane arts for physical combat, and reveres the Bladesinger whose wizardry forms a sword, and the Eldritch Knight whose spells enhance military prowess. The ‘Wood Culture’ of the Wood Elf strives to guard the animistic relationships among forest life, and reveres Druids and Rangers.
The identity of an elf is all four levels: an individual person, a family with a magical ambition, a community of families building a life together, and a wider culture of magical customs. An elf is never one without the other three.[/sblock]
Elf Traits.
Elves are magical energies becoming conscious beings. Some have materialized into the physical life of a body. Elven cultures evolve by choice by means of magic, and diverge as they pursue differing forms of magic.
Ability Score Increase. One ability score of your choice increases by +2. Even within the same elven culture, individuals can vary significantly. Some are superhumanly charming, some superhumanly knowledgeable, some superhumanly strong, and so on.
Choose Three Traits. Choose three traits from your elven culture. Note. Refer to the list of cultures below. The campaign setting determines which cultures are present. Your DM may create a new culture or modify a listed culture for the setting. You must meet the minimum scores that are typical for your culture. If your family includes members from more than one elven culture, consult with your DM to choose traits from more than one elven culture.
Choose Five Proficiencies. Choose five proficiencies from your elven culture. Typically, one of these choices is to become proficient with the Common language that humans speak.
Primary Language. You speak the language of your elven culture. Normally, this is Elven, but some cultures speak Sylvan or Common.
Age. Elves mature at the same rate as humans, and reach adulthood about age twenty. Elves remain eternally youthful adults. Fey elves are immortal spirits, native to the plane of Feywild. Those elves who immigrated to the material plane, thus clothed themselves in physical bodies, also took on mortality, albeit they can live over a millennium.
Size. The height of elves is about the same as humans, but can be shorter or taller.
Speed. Typically walking speed is 30.
[sblock=Sun Culture]
The Sun Elf cultivate lives of majesty and contemplation. Their artists master technical skill to manifest reveries of wonder. Their scholars of magic are peerless and illuminate the deepest mysteries of the multiverse. They are magic, and yearn to be one with all magic. Sun esthetics value impressive breathtaking forms that are simple in elegance, yet integrate places of subtle intricacy. The songs are solumn and meditative, while transmitting details of collective memories and magical intuitions.
To human eyes, the elves of the Sun tend to be stunningly goodlooking, heightened by stylish clothing and luxury. The mind-altering beauty often radiates, literally, with a numinous glow. Their sexuality is calm and dignifying, albeit intimate moments employ magic to explore and experiment.
Among friends, the elves are affectionate, often in the arm of the other. They speak with grace of wit and charm, warm and at ease while studying, teaching, and loving to discover and enjoy.
The Sun culture celebrates their drug of choice, the sweet complex liqueurs that they perfuse with enchantments. Their use is moderate and always social, often giving a toast with each sip in honor of an interesting point during a discussion. Once a year however, a revelry imposes a sacred duty to drink to oblivion. Truth is no finite thing. Even the highest intelligence cannot put it into words.
The Sun Elf inhabit cities of splendor, hidden from the rest of the multiverse. Originally, internecine wars among elves, motivated the isolationism. Today the policy safeguards their utopias from outside disturbances. Among themselves, they pursue their magics, arts, and sciences. Altho the Sun Elf were among the first Fey Elf to incarnate bodily into the Material Plane in ancient times, their reverence for both past and future sustains a living continuity with the Fey ways of their ancestors. Individuals seldom leave their wonderworking cities, except for expeditions to seek out new knowledge of magic, or to rebuild friendships with the elves of other cultures.
In times of conflict, the Sun Elf disfavor physical combat. If forced to fight, they prefer to wield magic to solve all problems, decisively, quickly and with dispatch.
Sun Culture
Intelligence score minimum 13.
Charisma score minimum 11.
Primary Ability. An ability score of your choice increases by +2.
Choose Three Traits.
• Other Ability. (An other ability score of your choice increases by +1.)
• Comeliness. (You are extremely goodlooking and know your impact; gain Proficiency expertise if your are proficient; cause humanoids in sight 10, disadvantage to saves against your Charm magic.)
• Born of Magic. (See magical auras 30; identify one aura, per round, Intelligence or Charisma Arcana against DC 15 + spell level.)
• Arcane Artisan. (Craft spellcasting focus, DC 20, requiring both Intelligence Arcana and Charisma Performance; when wielding a focus that you crafted, add Intelligence or Charisma to cantrip damage if any.)
• Misty Step. (Teleport 30, in sight, per rest, vanishing briefly into wind and forming out from it.)
• Elven Chain. (Mage Armor, reaction per rest, as stylish mithral chainmail.)
• Telepathy 100. (Communicate with one mind at a time, relating images, emotions, and speaking with any language.)
Choose Five Proficiencies.
• Elfshine. (Your beauty shines. Luminous dim aura 10, flourish, on or off; if on, Friends cantrip; if on, conjure or reshape apparel and hair styles, clean all, action, willing targets in aura.)
• Charm Resilience. (Charmed condition save advantage.)
• Tool: Mason, Alchemist, Smith, Calligrapher, Weaver, Brewer (liqueur), or Any.
• Skill using Intelligence: Arcana, Perception-Investigation, Medicine, or History.
• Skill using Charisma: Arcana, Persuasion-Insight, Intimidation, or Performance.
• Other Language: Sylvan, or Common.
Primary Language. Elven.
Alignment. Neutral Good. (You innovate ways to improve life for others. You are independent thinking and community centered.)
Revered Classes. Wizard, Lore Bard, Psion.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Moon Culture]
The Moon Elf are mystical, sociable, carousers. Wanderlust impels them to discover new friendships in new cultures. They crave fun. They are outgoing, honest and good hearted, and trustworthy despite being uncontrollable. Life is a revelry.
Moon Elf magic comes from within. Being Fey spirits clothed in bodily life, they are magic itself. And it is fun to experiment. They explore their own magical impulses to self-discover what they can do. Most pursue arcane arts informally, drawing inspiration from mages around them while innovating new ways to cast spells. A family transmits its arcane heritage by parents passing on their evolving magical nature to their future generations. Humans tend to characterize the Moon Elf as a Sorcerer with a Fey bloodline. But for a Moon Elf, magic is self-expression and personal relationships with the world around them.
The Moon Elf are urban nomads, who travel as families and individuals. The family tends to sojourn in a city for a season then caravan along trade routes to a new city, often forming a circuit, and networking with other Moon Elf families. Many families are merchants, buying in one place to sell to an other. From time to time, individuals break out on their own to pursue personal horizons. They visit old friends along the way, and keep contact magically with their family, to rejoin them later.
The elves of the Moon are polyamorous, sexually adventurous while loyal friends. Eventually one Moon Elf tends to pair bond with an other, while each lacks jealousy about the others friends. Such romantics enjoy the playful seduction as much as the consummation. While themselves beautiful and flirtatious, their attractions gravitate to inner beauty, cherishing individuals who are both fun and sincere. Often a nightly revelry has a couple stepping away for a private moment.
Most half elves descend from the Moon Elf.
Occasionally, a Moon Elf who pair bonds with a Human or an Elf from an other culture might settle down in the community of their mate.
The elves of the Moon are nocturnal. At sundown, they gather friends for a drinking party, and stage entertainments thru the night − spellcasting games, songs, music, gambling. Their songs are fun, simple, and passionate, and literally enchanting. Clothes are casual yet impossibly new and clean, plus accents of simple jewelry and perfume. Among their own kind, the frolic is in the dark, in honor of the moon that bathes their darkvision. Frequently, guests without darkvision are present, so the night shimmers with colorful lights in honor of them. As the twilight of dawn brightens, they look after each other and clean the place before sunup.
The daylight sees these elves withdrawn and industrious. With minimal conversation, they experiment to master magical techniques, paint, weave, make other magical crafts, run various errands, and trance a few hours before the next sundown.
More than one human has teased their Moon Elf friend about their daytime quietude being their ‘hangover’. Actually, the Moon Elf metabolizes alcohol rapidly with no residual side effects. Each mug is a fresh intoxication. They prefer a gentle buzz that allows them to stay functional. Their drug of choice is whatever the drug of choice happens to be in the culture that they are in today.
In times of conflict, the Moon Elf are capable mages and competent with weapons too. Many excel in archery and agile sword fighting. Nevertheless, they prefer stealth to avoid the conflict.
Moon Culture
Charisma score minimum 13
Dexterity score minimum 11
Primary Ability. An ability score of your choice increases by +2.
Choose Three Traits.
• Other Ability. (One other ability score of your choice increases by +1.)
• Comeliness. (You are extremely goodlooking and know your impact; gain Proficiency expertise if you are proficient; cause humanoids in sight 10, disadvantage to saves against your Charm magic.)
• Speed +10.
• Darkvision 60.
• Tolerance. (Calm Emotions, action per rest. End one frightened condition, action per rest.)
• Experimentalism. (Know a spell from any class, and treat it as your caster class; you can swap it while leveling.)
• Elven Chain. (Mage Armor, reaction per rest, as stylish mithral chainmail.)
• Misty Step. (Teleport 30, in sight, bonus per rest, forming briefly into and out from wind.)
• Gift of Tongues. (Understand and be understood by any spoken language.)
Choose Five Proficiencies.
• Trance. (Sleep Immunity; gain long rest from 4 hours light activity, per 24 hours.)
• Charm Resilience. (Charmed condition save advantage.) ... Choose twice: Charm Immunity.
• Any Cantrip. (Use your class casting ability or Charisma.)
• Sending. (Cast per long rest.)
• Elven Sword Fighting Style. (Apply finesse property to any longsword; you can use it as casting focus.)
• Weapon: Longbow, Shortbow, or Longsword.
• Tool: Navigator, Painter, Gambler, Weaver, Leatherworker, Tinkerer, or Brewer (adventurous).
• Skill: Perception-Investigation, Persuasion-Insight, Nature-Survival, Sleight of Hand, or Stealth.
• Other Language: Elven, or Any.
Primary Language. Common.
Alignment. Chaotic Good.
Revered Classes. Sorcerer, Bard, Ranger.
[/sblock]
[sblock=High Culture]
High Culture
Dexterity score minimum 13.
Intelligence score minimum 11.
Primary Ability. An ability score of your choice increases by +2.
Choose Three Traits.
• Other Ability (an other ability score of your choice increases by +1).
• Darkvision (60).
• Misty Step (teleport 30, in sight, bonus per rest, vanishing briefly into wind and forming out from it).
• Elven Chain (Mage Armor, reaction per rest, appearing as stylish mithral chainmail).
• Elven Accuracy (reroll d20 if your Dexterity/Intelligence attack has advantage).
Choose Five Proficiencies.
• Trance (Sleep Immunity; gain long rest from 4 hours light activity, per 24 hours).
• Wizard Cantrip.
• Elven Sword Fighting Style (apply finesse property to any longsword; can use it as casting focus).
• Weapon: Longsword, or Longbow.
• Tool: Alchemist, Smith, Weaver, Calligrapher, Brewer (honey mead).
• Skill: Arcana, Perception-Investigation, History, Athletics-Acrobatics, Sleight of Hand, or Stealth.
• Other Language: Common, Sylvan, or Any.
Primary Language. Elven.
Alignment. Chaotic Good.
Revered Classes. Bladesinger Wizard, Eldritch Knight Fighter, Trickster Rogue.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Fey Culture]
Fey Culture
Charisma score minimum 15
Intelligence score minimum 11
Wisdom score minimum 11
Primary Ability. An ability score of your choice increases by +2.
Choose Three Traits.
• Other Ability (an other ability score of your choice increases by +1).
• Faerie (use verbal component alone for any spell and focus; eschew gp cost, per long rest).
• Born of Magic (see magical auras 30; identify one per round, Charisma Arcana against DC 15 + spell level).
• Comeliness. (You are extremely goodlooking and know your impact; gain Proficiency expertise; cause humanoids in sight 10, disadvantage to saves against your Charm magic.)
• Elven Corona (Mage Armor, reaction per rest, appearing as a solar aura, sunlight, bright 30).
• Faze Spell (a spell cast cant affect you, reaction per rest, Charisma Arcana against DC 15 + spell level).
• Magic Resistance Reflex (Dex/Str save advantage against magic).
• Magic Resistance Cunning (Wis/Cha/Int save advantage against magic).
• Magic Resistance Fortitude (Con save advantage against magic).
• Captivation (Charm Person, per long rest, duration 24 hours).
• Misty Step (teleport 30, in sight, bonus per rest, vanishing briefly into wind and forming out from it).
• Telepathy 100 (communicate with one mind at a time, relate images, emotions, speak with any language).
Choose Five Proficiencies.
• Elfshine (Your beauty shines; luminous dim aura 10, flourish, on or off; if on, Friends cantrip; if on, conjure or reshape apparel and hair styles, clean all, action, willing targets in aura).
• Enchanting (after Friends, Charm, or similar effect, your target that you treated well stays friendly to you).
• Charm Resilience (charmed condition save advantage). ... Choose twice: Charm Immunity.
• Radiant Resistance. ... Choose twice: Radiant Immunity.
• Sunbeam (ray of sunlight, per turn, bright line 300, radius 10).
• Guidance (cantrip).
• Gracious Fate (Spare The Dying cantrip, close range 30).
• Tool: Weaver, Jeweler, Smith, Brewer (wine), or Any.
• Skill Using Charisma: Arcana, Persuasion-Insight, Intimidation, or Performance.
• Skill: Any.
• Other Language: Sylvan, or Common.
Primary Language. Elven.
Revered Classes. Bard, any magical class.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Wood Culture]
Wood Culture
Dexterity score minimum 13.
Wisdom score minimum 13.
Primary Ability. An ability score of your choices increases by +2.
Choose Three Traits.
• Other Ability (an other ability score of your choice increases by +1).
• Darkvision 60.
• Speed +10.
• Elven Accuracy (reroll d20 when Dexterity or Wisdom attack has advantage).
• Longstrider (per long rest); Pass Without Trace (per long rest).
• Sculpt Trees (reshape living trees in range 10, action per rest, fuse, split, move, sprout, grow, make fruit − trees remain living).
Choose Five Proficiencies.
• Trance (Sleep Immunity; each 24 hours, long rest from 4 hours light activity).
• Charm Resilience (charmed condition save advantage).
• Druid Cantrip.
• Mask of the Wild (in natural terrain, Hide in dim light or in partial obscurement).
• Plant Sight (see lifeforce of living plants, as if dim aura 10, appearing bright in darkvision).
• Weapon: Longbow, or Shortbow.
• Tool: Herbalist, Woodcarver, Leatherworker, Carpenter, Tinkerer, or Brewer (fruit wine).
• Skill: Perception-Investigation, Nature-Survival, Medicine, or Stealth.
• Other Language: Common.
Primary Language. Elven.
Revered Classes. Ranger, Druid.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Grugach Culture]
Grugach Culture
Strength score minimum 13
Dexterity score minimum 11
Constitution score minimum 11
Wisdom score minimum 11
Primary Ability. An ability score of your choice increases by +2.
Choose Three Traits.
• Other Ability (an other ability score of your choice increases by +1).
• Darkvision 60.
• Beast Mind (telepathy 100 with wild mammal, relate simple images, concept, emotion, or specific sound or smell, but no sentences beyond a word or two, and no discernable writing).
• Animal Friendship (wild mammal only, 100, action).
• Agile (Climb 30; Running Jump 5; prone to stand 5; Athletics-Acrobatics advantage).
Choose Five Proficiencies.
• Druid Cantrip.
• Weapon: Spear, or Net.
• Tool: Poisoner (sleep), Healer, Thief (pit, snare), Weaver, Woodcarver (stone tools), or Brewer (intoxicating herb).
• Skill: Animal Handling, Nature-Survival, Medicine, Athletics-Acrobatics, or Stealth.
• Other Language: Elven, or Common.
Primary Language. Sylvan.
Revered Classes. Barbarian, Ranger.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Aquatic Culture]
Aquatic Culture
Charisma score minimum 13
Wisdom score minimum 11
Constitution score minimum 11
Dexterity score minimum 11
Primary Ability. An ability score of your choice increases by +2.
Choose Three Traits.
• Other Ability (an other ability score of your choice increases by +1).
• Amphibious (breathe water and air; Swim 30).
• Water Breathing (spell, action per long rest, at Charisma number of targets, duration 24 hours, can dispel from any target as action).
• Darkvision 60.
• Faerie (can use verbal component only for any spell and focus; eschew gp cost, per long rest).
• Captivation (Charm Person, per long rest, duration 24 hours).
• Watery Aura (Mage Armor, reaction per rest, invisible force, but hair and body wet, dripping water, clothing if any is damp).
Choose Five Proficiencies.
• Elfshine (comely; dim aura 10; Friends, cantrip; conjure or reshape apparel and hair styles, clean, action, at willing targets in aura).
• Charm Resilience (charmed condition save advantage). ... Choose twice: Charm Immunity.
• Water Speak (communicate verbally and somatically with beast that have inborn swim speed, relate simple concepts and emotions).
• Orchestral Rapids (Shape Water, cantrip, cube 10, changing direction of flow of water has duration of 1 hour; in moving water current, including from cantrip, music Performance advantage).
• Weapon: Trident, Spear, Light Crossbow, or Net.
• Tool: Musician, Weaver (reed, seaweed), Leather (shark, eel), or Jeweler (pearl, amber, coral, gold).
• Skill using Charisma: Persuasion-Insight, Performance, Arcana, Animal Handling, or Survival.
• Skill: Athletics-Acrobatics.
• Other Language: Sylvan, Common, or Aquan.
Primary Language. Elven.
Revered Classes. Bard, Paladin, Sorcerer.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Avariel Culture]
Avariel Culture
Dexterity score minimum 15
Wisdom score minimum 13
Intelligence score minimum 11
Primary Ability. An ability score of your choice increases by +2.
Choose Three Traits.
• Other Ability (an other ability score of your choice increases by +1).
• Darkvision 60.
• Wings (reaction Feather Fall; action to gain Fly 60 until your next turn; Level 9, Fly speed 60).
• Eagle Eyes, Owl Eyes (sight Perception advantage).
• Glassteel (to choose this trait, you must be proficient with the tools of Glassblower, Smith, and Alchemist; forge glassteel, making iron, hard, lightweight, and transparent, at cost of steel; proficient with Glassteel Breastplate, light armor, AC 13 + Dexterity upto 5, no interference with flight).
Choose Five Proficiencies.
• Trance (Sleep Immunity; long rest from 4 hours light activity, per 24 hours).
• Charm Resilience (charmed condition save advantage).
• Weapon: Longbow, Rapier, or Net.
• Tool: Glassblower, Smith, Alchemist, Navigator, Healer, or Brewer (intoxicating tea, negates effects of high altitude).
• Skill: Perception-Investigation, Arcana-Religion, Athletics-Acrobatics, or Medicine.
• Other Language: Common, Auran, Sylvan, or Any.
Primary Language. Elven.
Revered Classes. Cleric of Philosophy, Monk.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Drow Culture]
Drow Culture
Dexterity score minimum 15
Intelligence score minimum 11
Wisdom score minimum 11
Charisma score minimum 11
Primary Ability. An ability score of your choice increases by +2.
Choose Three Traits.
• Other Ability (an other ability of your choice increases by +1).
• Superior Darkvision 120; Sunlight Sensitivity (disadvantage if you or your target is in sunlight).
• Darkness (per long rest); Faerie Fire (per long rest).
• Faze Spell (a spell cast cant affect you, reaction per rest, Arcana against DC 15 + spell level).
• Magic Resistance Reflex (Dexterity/Strength save advantage against magic).
• Magic Resistance Cunning (Wisdom/Charisma/Intelligence save advantage against magic).
• Magic Resistance Fortitude (Constitution save advantage against magic).
• Dispel Magic (per long rest).
• Detect Magic (as cantrip).
• Levitation (action per rest, concentration; while levitating, you can use Dexterity for Athletics checks).
Choose Five Proficiencies.
• Ambidexterity (each hand can do a flourish: draw or stow weapon, open door, etcetera).
• Dancing Lights (cantrip).
• Armor: Chain Shirt (AC 13 + maximum Dex 3).
• Weapon: Handbow, Shortsword, or Rapier.
• Tool: Weaver, Poisoner (sleep), Thief, Smith, Jeweler, Mason, Cartographer, or Brewer (hallucenagenic mushroom).
• Skill: Arcana, Stealth, Deception, Intimidation, Athletics-Acrobatics, or Sleight of Hand.
• Other Language: Drow Silent, Undercommon, Common, or Abyssal.
Primary Language: Elven.
Revered Classes. Trickster Rogue, Warlock; Cleric, Wizard
[/sblock]
[sblock=Shadar Kai Culture]
Shadar Kai Culture
Constitution score minimum 13
Dexterity score minimum 11
Wisdom score minimum 11
Charisma score minimum 11
Primary Ability. An ability score of your choice increases by +2.
Choose Three Traits.
• Other Ability (an other ability score of your choice increases by +1).
• Darkvision 60.
• Ghost Step (teleport 15, in sight, damage resistance until your next turn, bonus per rest).
• Will to Live (death save advantage; if Unconscious, then Incapacitated instead).
Choose Five Proficiencies.
• Trance (Sleep Immunity; long rest from 4 hours light activity, per 24 hours).
• Charm Resilience (charmed condition save advantage).
• Necrotic Resistance. ... Choose twice: Necrotic Immunity.
• Speak With Dead (action).
• Spare The Dying (cantrip).
• Chill Touch (cantrip).
• Thaumaturgy (cantrip).
• Skill: Stealth, Intimidation, Perception, or Arcana.
• Other Language: Common, or Any.
Primary Language. Elven.
Revered Classes. Shadow Sorcerer, Grave Cleric, Gloomstalker Ranger.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Sith Culture (Scottish Elf)]
The Sith Elf refers to a reallife folkbelief about elves in Scotland. It is separate from the D&D tradition, but is interesting in its own right, and I am curious about how to best stat this folkbelief in D&D.
Eventually, I hope to also include a writeup for the Fairy Elf, namely the reallife English folkbelief in southern England, described extensively in the plays of Shakespeare, and also a writeup for the Alfar Elf, namely the Norse folkbelief in Norway and Iceland, described tantalizingly but sufficiently in the Eddas and Sagas.
The main source of information about the Sith Elf comes from the Scottish Witch Trials in the early modern period, roughly before and after 1700. The records of the interrogations of suspected witches. They document an indigenous shaman-like tradition where the socalled ‘witch’ was part of a wider spiritual tradition that encounters a distinctive kind of nature spirit, sometimes called an ‘Elf’ or a ‘Sith’. Typically, these shamans had a life-transforming encounter with an Elf during a dream. This tradition is clearly cognate with concepts about the incubus, notably the incubus that fathered the bard Merlin in the Authurian Romances, along with related concepts about the nightmare and phantasmagoria among other cultures. The shaman encountered the Sith Elf in an overwhelming dream that is awe inspiring, positive, as well as sexual. Some of these dreams were terrifying, however. The shaman awakens with miraculous powers unlocked, such as the ability to heal, foresee the future, sense the presence of nature spirits, and so on. The spiritual tradition seems sometimes formal with specific well known descriptions and sometimes informal with unique individual experiences. The shaman appears to already posses these powers potentially, but the Elf-encounter helps actualize their use. There is somewhat a sense of innate psychic powers, sotospeak.
The name ‘Sith’ is identical to Irish ‘Sidhe’ and ‘Shee’, as in Banshee. Etymologically, ‘Sidhe’ literally means ‘of the mound’, Síde, from Gaelic ‘fairy mound’, Síd, a conspicuous small hill whose space is in a numinous liminal state that is both below ground and above ground simultaneously. But among the Scottish, the Sith concept merged with the Norse concept of Elf, and disassociates from mounds.
When Scots compared their ‘Elf’ with the English ‘Fairy’, the Scots felt their Elf is likewise a kind of Fairy, perhaps remembering that the word ‘Faierie’ originally means ‘magical’ and referring to any kind of magical being. But the Elf is the size of a fully adult human, unlike the English Fairy that is childlike, child size, and shrinkable. In the same way, angels can shrink to dance on the head of pin. Heh, the Sith Elf never shrinks. Yet it is entirely an immaterial spirit.
The Sith Elf is strictly a spirit, without any matter. It is described as analogous to a shadow that can have a sensible form yet without any substance. But as pure spiritual force, the Elf can manifest into the physical world, similar to the way a ghost can − and is superhumanly strong able to easily throw humans across rooms.
The Sith Elf is also superhumanly goodlooking, supernaturally sexy, charming, provoking allure, awe, and terror, and mentally captivating.
The Scottish Elf personifies magic and teaches magic.
These Elves live in a kingdom as opulent aristocrats, with magical amenadies, including magic-wielding faerie knights who sport shining armor while riding horseback. These fairy horses are animistic spirits inhabiting a spirit world called ‘Fairyland’.
An Elf Queen rules over them. (Note, a male Elf King presides over the Norse Elf, and Shakespeare similarly describes various kingdoms, with different monarchs, some male, some female.) This Elf Queen of the Sith is entirely sovereign. The Scots have a legal formula that says, if this Queen divorces her King, it is she who remains the sovereign monarch, while her ex-husband would lose the royal title. She has multiple lovers, thus many consorts in addition to her King.
In the context of witch trials, the Scottish documents are a bizarre blend of indigenous folkbelief and Christian speculative theology. Essentially, the Christians were forced to admit the Elves were sometimes good, thus contradicting the Christian paradigm of all spirits being either entirely good or entirely evil. At the same time, the shamans themselves believed the Elf could sometimes do evil, thus were distinct from angels, and more like Humans who could sometimes do good and sometimes do evil. The attempt to explain Elves within a Christian worldview resulted in bizarre theories among the Christian clergy. One interesting speculation was a tradition that Elves are angels who declared neutrality during the war between good and evil. However the Elf Queen herself was explained to be a feminine manifestation of the Devil himself, and entirely evil. Meanwhile the rest of the Elves were angels, with some individuals who tended to do good, while others to do evil, but all like humans able to do both. An earlier record from an Anglo-Saxon prayer book, probably from about year 900 in West Mercia in England, mentions an unusual feminine form of the word ælf, spelled in Latin as ‘aelfae’, being one of the names of the ‘satanas’, so there appears to be a known tradition that identifies the Elf Queen as the Devil. Nevertheless, the shamans whose practiced the indigenous tradition and encountered the Elf Queen, explicitly reject the devilish identificaton. So the demonization results from foreign theological speculations. The indigenous worldview sees the Elf Queen as normally good and helpful.
In sum, the realife Scottish folkbelief about the Sith Elf describes a nocturnal nature spirit, who personifies magic, and who inhabits an aristocratic kingdom within a spirit realm, called Fairyland. This spirit realm overlaps distinctive natural terrain features in the physical realm, including forests, rolling hills, and heaths. They seem ghostlike in the sense of having ethical free will, haunting particular locales, and manifesting physically from the spirit world into the material world − yet remaining immaterial. The Elves are superhumanly beautiful and charismatic, but also strong. Usually they do good and are helpful, but sometimes are malevolent. They visit humans nocturnally during wetdreams, and sometimes teach humans how to do magic.
In D&D terms. The Sith culture comprises a knightly kingdom of Elves who inhabit the Feywild, which they sometimes call Fairyland. They exhibit extreme Charisma and Strength. They are always magical, and even their strength and warcraft is made out of magic. So their fairy knights cannot be mundane Fighters. The concepts of ‘unlocking’ innate magic and being a ‘patron’ who teaches magic connote the D&D Warlock class with a Fey patron. Moreover, Warlock includes tropes of witch trials and forbidden lore, which also seems appropriate enough in the context of the Sith. The fairy knights work well as Warlocks with a Blade Pact (but perhaps with better mechanics analogous to the Hexblade in Xanathars Guide). Meanwhile, other Sith have other kinds Fey Warlock pacts. The Elf Queen is especially a Fey patron for Human Warlocks, but other Sith Elves are also patrons. All of the patrons are Sith who reach Epic tier, effectively above level 20.
Probably, the Sith Elf is best understood as Lawful Neutral. While unfair to indigenous Scottish folkbelief, the D&D context might find it interesting if the Elf Queen is a Lawful Evil Devil. In D&D terms this would be something like an Archdevil Succubus. At the same time, living within her Fey empire, would be Sith Elves who are Lawful Neutral, with individuals who can be either Lawful Good, Lawful Neutral, or Lawful Evil. On the other hand, D&D has already been there and done that, with Drow Evil Demon Elf Queen. Personally, I found the Shadar-kai Elf in the 5e Unearthed Arcana who submit to their Raven Queen to already be too similar to the Drow culture. I suppose I am getting bored with evil dominatrix women. But other peoples interests may differ. In any case, the Sith Elf is not purely Good. So Neutral seems more appropriate, in the same way that Humans are Neutral. Meanwhile, the technical legal description about the sovereignty of the Queen, along with general obedience to her and a sense of community obligations, suggests a Lawful society. The Sith Elf is Lawful Neutral, but generally constructive and positive, like the Neutral Human. At the same time individual Sith Elves can be characterized with diverse alignments, perhaps tending toward Lawful.
The Elf Queen as a more constructive example of a woman in a leadership position might be more timely anyway. Movies and shows about Elizabeth 1 (the queen of Shakespeare) and Mary Queen of Scots are useful inspiration for what this Scottish Elf Queen might be like.
For that matter, a Renaissance vibe as opposed to a Medieval vibe also seems appropriate, since much of the reallife accounts are early modern. With caution, Renaissance style fits in Medievalesque D&D.
But the knights are old-school in their chivalry, akin to the knights of King Arthur. So, moreso knightly swords and lessso rapiers. But the Renaissance invention of plate armor works. Heh, popular culture seems comfortable when King Aurthur dons anachronistic plate armor. This works for the Sith knights too, as Warlocks in plate armor. Mechanically, the plate armor synergizes with the high Strength. Flavorfully, I feel an archetypal vibe here with the witch knight, a Warlock in Plate. (Reminds me pop Mordred.)
The witch trials also mention the case of ‘Elf-Shot’, where a spiritual arrow from an Elf inflicts painful muscle spasms and even seizures from a ‘stroke’ (being struck).
A Feywild, Renaissance-style, Lawful Neutral, British imperial courtly, nation of Elf Warlocks − with knightly Warlocks in plate armor on horseback. That is kinda interesting.
Arguably, the Sith Elf associates with psychic powers thus psionics, but the association with the Warlock class is substantial, and distinctive enough.
The Sith can ‘manifest’ like a D&D Ghost can, into the Material plane. Where the Ghost manifests from the Ether into the Material, and visaversa, the Sith can manifest from the Fey (possibly via the Ether). Likewise, the Ghost can normally see across planes, the Sith can too, albeit the Fey-Materal veil. Human Warlocks who have Sith Patrons, can too. I need to think about how to make balanced mechanics to allow player characters to manifest into the Material from the Fey, and into the Fey from the Material. The general idea is what the Ghost can do − including its ‘Incorporeal Movement’ and ‘Ethereal Sight’ features, but in this case with respect to the Fey plane instead of the Ethereal plane (or perhaps in addition to it).
The Sith Elf can also choose the Find Familiar spell as an innate trait, because the Scottish source material mentions the Elf-friend shamans as sometimes having animal ‘familiars’ that have some kind of connection to the Fairyland. In D&D terms, these animals are Fey. The D&D spell Find Familiar seems to represent the folkbelief well enough. Relatedly, this ‘Faerie Beast’ trait also includes the Find Steed spell, for the fairy knight on horseback.
Sith Culture
Charisma score minimum 15
Strength score minimum 13
Primary Ability. An ability score of your choice increases by +2.
Choose Three Traits.
• Other Ability (an other ability score of your choice increases by +1).
• Faerie (can use verbal component only for any spell and focus; eschew gp cost, per long rest).
• Captivation (Charm Person, action per long rest, duration 24 hours).
• Superior Darkvision 120; Sunlight Sensitivity (disadvantage if you or target is in sunlight).
• Nocturnal Visitation (enter dream of sleeper; mind magic, psychic damage, mutually possible).
• Below Earth But Above Earth. (Create demiplane, cube 10, per rest, duration 1 hour. Its door is invisible and must lead into a mound or boulder above ground, or an opening into a cave, or else creates a cube 10 of dusty air and leads into it. From inside the cubic demiplane, the walls appear as the rock or soil, or if dusty air, they appear as translucent dust that allows partially obscured view of the surroundings outside the demiplane. Compare Rope Trick, but it has a door that can open and shut during the duration. You can cast it multiple times during a long rest. When you reach level 9, the door can shut and then open to the overlapping area of either the Feywild or Material plane.)
• Faze Spell (spell cast cant affect you, reaction per rest, Cha Arcana, DC 15 + spell level).
• Magic Resistance Cunning (Wisdom/Charisma/Intelligence save advantage against magic).
• Magic Resistance Reflex (Dexterity/Strength save advantage against magic).
• Magic Resistance Fortitude (Constitution save advantage against magic).
• Faerie Beast. (Know the spells, Find Familiar and Find Steed. You can cast each as a 1-hour ritual, and can treat as part of the spell list of your class. The animal is always a Fey creature.)
Choose Five Proficiencies.
• Elfshine (comely; in dim aura 10; Friends cantrip; conjure or reshape apparel and hair styles, clean, at willing targets in aura).
• Trance. (Sleep Immunity. Gain long rest from 4 hours light activity, per 24 hours.)
• Elfshot. (Cantrip. Your bow shoots imaginary arrows that inflict painful muscle spasms and ‘pins and needles’ as if a limb fell asleep. Charisma attack against AC, 1d8 psychic damage; if a criticle, additionally inflict disadvantage to attacks; if target reduced to 0 hp and fails death saves, instead of death, a seizure inflicts the incapacitated condition indefinitely, until you choose to remove it, action. If you remove it, a stone arrowhead appears nearby the formerly incapacitated target.)
• Gracious Fate. (Spare The Dying cantrip, close range 30.)
• Strength From Beyond (Strength ability check advantage, per rest, duration 1 round).
• Armor: Chain. Choose twice: Plate.
• Weapon: Longbow, or Longsword.
• Skill Using Charisma: Arcana, Persuasion-Insight, Intimidation, or Animal Handling.
• Skill: Athletics-Acrobatics.
• Other Language: Common, or Sylvan.
Primary Language. Elven.
Revered Classes. Fey Warlock, Ancients Paladin.[/sblock]
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