The elf is a humanoid
race in the ''
Dungeons & Dragons
''Dungeons & Dragons'' (commonly abbreviated as ''D&D'' or ''DnD'') is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) originally created and designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by TSR (company)#Tactical ...
''
fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical elements, often including Fictional universe, imaginary places and Legendary creature, creatures.
The genre's roots lie in oral traditions, ...
role-playing game
A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, or abbreviated as RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of player character, characters in a fictional Setting (narrative), setting. Players take responsibility for acting out ...
, one of the primary races available for
player character
A player character (also known as a playable character or PC) is a fictional Character (arts), character in a video game or tabletop role-playing game whose actions are controlled by a player rather than the rules of the game. The characters tha ...
s, and play a central role in the narratives of many setting worlds of the game.
Elves are described as renowned for their grace and mastery of magic
and weapons such as the
bow and
sword
A sword is an edged and bladed weapons, edged, bladed weapon intended for manual cutting or thrusting. Its blade, longer than a knife or dagger, is attached to a hilt and can be straight or curved. A thrusting sword tends to have a straighter ...
. Becoming physically mature by the age of 25 and emotionally mature at around 125,
[ Williams, Skip. '' Races of the Wild''. ]Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast LLC (WotC or Wizards) is an American game Publishing, publisher, most of which are based on fantasy and List of science fiction themes, science-fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail game stores. In 1999, toy ...
, 2005. they are also famously long-lived, capable of living more than half a millennium and remaining physically youthful. Possessed of innate beauty and easy gracefulness, they are viewed as both wondrous and haughty by other races in-universe; however, their natural detachment is seen by some as
introversion
Extraversion and introversion are a central trait dimension in human personality theory. The terms were introduced into psychology by Carl Jung, though both the popular understanding and current psychological usage are not the same as Jung's o ...
or
xenophobia
Xenophobia (from (), 'strange, foreign, or alien', and (), 'fear') is the fear or dislike of anything that is perceived as being foreign or strange. It is an expression that is based on the perception that a conflict exists between an in-gr ...
.
They were usually portrayed as antagonistic towards
dwarves.
There are numerous different subraces and subcultures of elves,
including aquatic elves, dark elves (
drow
The drow ( or ) or dark elves are a dark-skinned and white-haired subrace of Elf (Dungeons & Dragons), elves connected to the Subterranea (geography), subterranean Underdark in the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy roleplaying game. The drow have t ...
), deep elves (rockseer), grey elves, high elves, moon elves, snow elves, sun elves, valley elves, wild elves (''
grugach''), wood elves and winged elves (''
avariel''). The offspring of humans and elves are known as "
half-elves" among humans and in sourcebooks, and as "half-humans" among elves.
Creative influences
Gary Gygax
Ernest Gary Gygax ( ; July 27, 1938 – March 4, 2008) was an American game designer and author best known for co-creating the pioneering tabletop role-playing game ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') with Dave Arneson.
In the 1960s, Gygax creat ...
claimed ''Dungeons & Dragons'' elves draw very little from
Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (, 3 January 1892 – 2 September 1973) was an English writer and philologist. He was the author of the high fantasy works ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings''.
From 1925 to 1945, Tolkien was the Rawlinson ...
's version of the
elf
An elf (: elves) is a type of humanoid supernatural being in Germanic peoples, Germanic folklore. Elves appear especially in Norse mythology, North Germanic mythology, being mentioned in the Icelandic ''Poetic Edda'' and the ''Prose Edda'' ...
. However, academic Philip J. Clements sees certain aspects as directly traceable to Tolkien's portrayal.
Similarly, academic Philippe Bornet in "Religions in play: games, rituals, and virtual worlds" said that elves in the game are based on Tolkien's version of the elf.
Michael J. Tresca, in the book ''The Evolution of Fantasy Role-Playing Games'' (2014), stated the elven sub-types in ''Dungeons & Dragons'' can be traced to
divided lines of Tolkien's elves –
Noldor
In the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Noldor (also spelled Ñoldor, meaning ''those with knowledge'' in his constructed language Quenya) are a kindred of Elves who migrate west to the blessed realm of Valinor from the continent of Middle-earth ...
become high elves, Tawarwaith become wood elves and
Sindar become grey elves in the game.
Publication history
Original ''Dungeons & Dragons''
The elf first appeared as a
player character
A player character (also known as a playable character or PC) is a fictional Character (arts), character in a video game or tabletop role-playing game whose actions are controlled by a player rather than the rules of the game. The characters tha ...
race in the
original 1974 edition of ''Dungeons & Dragons''.
The aquatic elf was introduced in the 1975 ''
Blackmoor'' supplement. Elves in ''Dungeons & Dragons'' are immune to paralysis as a holdover from a game balance adjustment in ''
Chainmail
Mail (sometimes spelled maille and, since the 18th century, colloquially referred to as chain mail, chainmail or chain-mail) is a type of armour consisting of small metal rings linked together in a pattern to form a mesh. It was in common milita ...
''.
Players with elf characters could choose either the "fighting-man" or "magic-user"
class
Class, Classes, or The Class may refer to:
Common uses not otherwise categorized
* Class (biology), a taxonomic rank
* Class (knowledge representation), a collection of individuals or objects
* Class (philosophy), an analytical concept used d ...
to start with; multiclassing was allowed, however, elf characters could only take a max of four levels in fighter and eight levels in magic-user.
Tresca described the Tolkien style of elf as "a burden for game designers" as they were seemingly "more capable than humans".
Tresca commented that "Gygax worked hard to curb their power, by giving the race a weak constitution and putting limitations on how high they could level. These limitations would not be removed until the third edition of ''Dungeons & Dragons''".
''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' 1st edition
The elf appeared as a
player character
A player character (also known as a playable character or PC) is a fictional Character (arts), character in a video game or tabletop role-playing game whose actions are controlled by a player rather than the rules of the game. The characters tha ...
race in the original ''
Player's Handbook
The ''Player's Handbook'' (spelled ''Players Handbook'' in first edition ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' (''AD&D'')) is the name given to one of the core rulebooks in every edition of the fantasy role-playing game ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') ...
'' (1978).
The elf also appeared in the original ''
Monster Manual
The ''Monster Manual'' (''MM'') is the primary bestiary sourcebook for monsters in the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy role-playing game, first published in 1977 by TSR. The ''Monster Manual'' was the first hardcover ''D&D'' book and ...
'' (1977), with subraces including High Elf, Gray Elf (some of whom are also called Faerie), Dark Elf (also called Drow), Wood Elf (also called Sylvan), and Aquatic Elf. The
grugach,
valley elf, and
cooshee (an elven dog) first appeared in ''Dragon'' issue #67 (November 1982) in "Featured Creatures", an ongoing series of articles where
Gary Gygax
Ernest Gary Gygax ( ; July 27, 1938 – March 4, 2008) was an American game designer and author best known for co-creating the pioneering tabletop role-playing game ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') with Dave Arneson.
In the 1960s, Gygax creat ...
released information on official creatures before their release in the upcoming ''
Monster Manual II''. The grugach, valley elf, and cooshee then appeared in the original ''Monster Manual II'' (1983). A number of elven subraces were presented as character races in the original ''
Unearthed Arcana
''Unearthed Arcana'' (abbreviated UA) is the title shared by two hardback books published for different Editions of Dungeons & Dragons, editions of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. Both were designed as supplements to the co ...
'' (1985).
Basic ''Dungeons & Dragons''
The elf appeared as a character race in the ''
Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set
The ''Dungeons & Dragons Basic Set'' is a set of rulebooks for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy role-playing game. First published in 1977, it saw a handful of revisions and reprintings. The first edition was written by J. Eric Holme ...
'' (1977). In subsequent revisions, in order to streamline the game, the non-humans (including the elf) were presented as distinct classes. The elf class is often seen as a blend of the fighter and magic-user classes.
The Shadow elf appears as a character race in GAZ13 ''
The Shadow Elves'' published by TSR in 1990 as a 64-page booklet and a 32-page booklet.
''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' 2nd edition
The high elf appeared as a character race in the second edition ''
Player's Handbook
The ''Player's Handbook'' (spelled ''Players Handbook'' in first edition ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' (''AD&D'')) is the name given to one of the core rulebooks in every edition of the fantasy role-playing game ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') ...
'' (1989). The high elf also appeared in the ''
Monstrous Compendium Volume One'' (1989). Several elven races were detailed as player character races in ''
The Complete Book of Elves'' (1992). Supplements focused on elves in specific
campaign setting
A campaign setting is a setting for a tabletop role-playing game or wargame campaign. Most campaign settings are fictional worlds; however, some are historical or contemporary real-world locations. A '' campaign'' is a series of individual adve ...
s include ''Comanthor: Empire of the Elves'', ''Elves of Evermeet'' and ''Elves of Athas''.
''Dungeons & Dragons'' 3rd edition
The elf appeared as a character race in the third edition ''
Player's Handbook
The ''Player's Handbook'' (spelled ''Players Handbook'' in first edition ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' (''AD&D'')) is the name given to one of the core rulebooks in every edition of the fantasy role-playing game ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') ...
'' (2000), and in the 3.5 revised ''
Player's Handbook
The ''Player's Handbook'' (spelled ''Players Handbook'' in first edition ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' (''AD&D'')) is the name given to one of the core rulebooks in every edition of the fantasy role-playing game ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') ...
''. Elves were detailed for the
Forgotten Realms
''Forgotten Realms'' is a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setti ...
setting in ''
Races of Faerûn'' (2003). Elves were one of the races detailed in ''
Races of the Wild'' (2005).
''Dungeons & Dragons'' 4th edition
The elf appeared as a character race and as one of three in a family of elven races — the sylvans, the drows, and the eladrins — in the fourth edition ''
Player's Handbook
The ''Player's Handbook'' (spelled ''Players Handbook'' in first edition ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' (''AD&D'')) is the name given to one of the core rulebooks in every edition of the fantasy role-playing game ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') ...
'' (2008). This version of the elf returns in the ''Essentials'' rulebook ''
Heroes of the Fallen Lands'' (2010). The elf appears in the fourth edition ''
Monster Manual
The ''Monster Manual'' (''MM'') is the primary bestiary sourcebook for monsters in the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy role-playing game, first published in 1977 by TSR. The ''Monster Manual'' was the first hardcover ''D&D'' book and ...
'' (2008).
Tresca explained that this edition allowed elves and humans to be equal in height and "deemphasized their low constitution, a balancing attribute created for earlier editions".
Tresca opined that the introduction of eladrin "restored elves in ''Dungeons & Dragons'' to the mysterious, sometimes dangerous, and altogether powerful status they enjoyed in
Middle-earth
Middle-earth is the Setting (narrative), setting of much of the English writer J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy. The term is equivalent to the ''Midgard, Miðgarðr'' of Norse mythology and ''Middangeard'' in Old English works, including ''Beowulf'' ...
".
''Dungeons & Dragons'' 5th edition
The elf was included as a player race in the 5th edition ''
Player's Handbook
The ''Player's Handbook'' (spelled ''Players Handbook'' in first edition ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' (''AD&D'')) is the name given to one of the core rulebooks in every edition of the fantasy role-playing game ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') ...
'' (2014). Three subraces were introduced with it: the high elf, the wood elf, and the
drow
The drow ( or ) or dark elves are a dark-skinned and white-haired subrace of Elf (Dungeons & Dragons), elves connected to the Subterranea (geography), subterranean Underdark in the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy roleplaying game. The drow have t ...
(dark elf). The ''Player's Handbook'' connects the high elves to the gray elves and valley elves of the Greyhawk setting, the Silvanesti and Qualinesti of the Dragonlance setting, and the sun elves and moon elves of the Forgotten Realms setting. They also connect the wood elves to the wild elves (
grugach) of Greyhawk and the Kagonesti of Dragonlance.
The 5th edition ''
Dungeon Master's Guide
The ''Dungeon Master's Guide'' (''DMG'' or ''DM's Guide''; in some printings, the ''Dungeon Masters Guide'' or ''Dungeon Master Guide'') is a book of rules for the fantasy role-playing game ''Dungeons & Dragons''. The ''Dungeon Master's Guide'' co ...
'' (2014) also presented the
eladrin (which appeared in 4th edition as a separate but related race) as an elf subrace, using them as an example for creating a new character subrace. The eladrin later appeared as
Unearthed Arcana
''Unearthed Arcana'' (abbreviated UA) is the title shared by two hardback books published for different Editions of Dungeons & Dragons, editions of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. Both were designed as supplements to the co ...
playtest content in "Race Options: Eladrin and Gith" (2017). Avariel, grugach, sea elves, and shadar-kai were presented as playtest options in "Elf Subraces" (2017). Eladrin,
shadar-kai, and sea elves were then featured as playable subraces for elves in the supplement ''
Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes'' (2018). Those three subraces were then revised in ''
Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse'' (2022).
In December 2022, Wizards of the Coast announced that the word "race" would no longer be used to refer to a character's biological traits and instead would be replaced with the word "species"; this change went into effect with the December ''
One D&D'' playtest release. The ''
Player's Handbook
The ''Player's Handbook'' (spelled ''Players Handbook'' in first edition ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' (''AD&D'')) is the name given to one of the core rulebooks in every edition of the fantasy role-playing game ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') ...
'' (2024), as part of the
2024 revision to the 5th Edition ruleset, updated the elf as a player species choice. The elf now has lineage options for drow, high elf, and wood elf.
Connor Lindsay of ''
Screen Rant
''Screen Rant'' is an entertainment website that offers news in the fields of television, films, video games, and comic books. It is owned by Valnet, parent of publications including Comic Book Resources, Collider, MovieWeb and XDA Developers.
...
'' explained that mechanically the updated elf is focused "more on the species' innate magical connections" and grants each lineage "a selection of spells they can cast as they level up" along with each lineage receiving "its own passive features".
Lindsay noted that elves "retain a lot of their old features, keeping Trance, darkvision proficiency, and Fey Ancestry, and get a wider selection for their extra proficiency".
Fictional characteristics
Spirit vs soul
In early editions of ''Dungeons & Dragons'', elves had spirits instead of
soul
The soul is the purported Mind–body dualism, immaterial aspect or essence of a Outline of life forms, living being. It is typically believed to be Immortality, immortal and to exist apart from the material world. The three main theories that ...
s which impacted some
game mechanics In tabletop games and video games, game mechanics define how a game works for players. Game mechanics are the rules or ludemes that govern and guide player actions, as well as the game's response to them. A rule is an instruction on how to play, whi ...
such as various resurrection spells. This distinction was dropped in the 3rd Edition.
Christian Hoffer of ''
ComicBook.com'' commented that "while there are lots of theories about the technical reasons (many believe that D&D co-creator Gary Gygax was not a fan of non-human characters, and thus placed the restriction on them when writing up ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons,)'' the only 'official' explanation appears in ''
Deities & Demigods
''Deities & Demigods'' (abbreviated ''DDG''), alternatively known as ''Legends & Lore'' (abbreviated ''L&L'' or ''LL''), is a reference book for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game (D&D). The book provides descriptions and game ...
,'' a D&D supplement released in 1980.
..The major difference between a soul and a spirit is that souls live one life on the
Material Plane and then spend eternity in whatever plane their chosen deity resides, while spirits are eventually reincarnated back into the Material Plane".
Religion
In several
campaign setting
A campaign setting is a setting for a tabletop role-playing game or wargame campaign. Most campaign settings are fictional worlds; however, some are historical or contemporary real-world locations. A '' campaign'' is a series of individual adve ...
s, elves have their own
pantheon often known as the Seldarine; this pantheon usually consists of the leader
Corellon Larethian, as well as Aerdrie Faenya, Deep Sashelas, Erevan Ilesere, Fenmarel Mestarine, Hanali Celanil, Labelas Enoreth, Rillifane Rallathil, Sehanine Moonbow, and Solonor Thelandira. Other elven gods may be present in different campaign settings.
Half-elves
Half-elves are the offspring of
humans
Humans (''Homo sapiens'') or modern humans are the most common and widespread species of primate, and the last surviving species of the genus ''Homo''. They are Hominidae, great apes characterized by their Prehistory of nakedness and clothing ...
and elves. They look like elves to humans and like humans to elves. Half-Elves have curiosity and ambitions like humans but they have sense for magic and love for nature like their elven parents. Their skin is paler than human skin and they are taller and bigger than elves. Half-Elves have long ears like elves. They live about 180 years.
The half-elf appeared as a
player character
A player character (also known as a playable character or PC) is a fictional Character (arts), character in a video game or tabletop role-playing game whose actions are controlled by a player rather than the rules of the game. The characters tha ...
race in the original ''
Player's Handbook
The ''Player's Handbook'' (spelled ''Players Handbook'' in first edition ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' (''AD&D'')) is the name given to one of the core rulebooks in every edition of the fantasy role-playing game ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') ...
'' (1978).
Other types of elves
Subraces of elves include
Dark Elves and Deep elves.
[ Sargent, Carl (1995). '' Night Below''. TSR.]
Drow
Grey Elves
These elves are the most noble of elves, yet also the most arrogant. They are of higher intellectual capabilities than other elves, but, despite the fact that they are taller than high elves, they are physically weaker. They live in isolated mountain strongholds, and rarely allow access to outsiders. They have silver hair and amber eyes, or gold hair and violet eyes, and wear clothes of white, silver, yellow and gold, and usually wear regally colored cloaks.
Shadow Elves
These elves are an isolated race of elves that survived a cataclysm and adapted to live in caves in Mystara. The shadow elves are even paler than normal elves, with white hair and very clear eyes, usually a sparkling blue or gray color. The shadow elves are somewhat smaller and thinner than their surface cousins, standing about five feet tall and weighing about 100 pounds. Their ears are larger than those of wood elves, giving the shadow elves a sort of "walking radar" underground. Shadow elves have high-pitched voices—almost squeaky to human ears.
High Elves
High elves are the original eladrin and the original elves that came Abeir-Toril from the Feywild (dark, sun, moon, green, lythari and star elves), and most commonly encountered by other races, and the most open and friendly of their kind. They travel to other lands more than other elves. They are generally dark-haired and green-eyed, with very pale complexions the color of new cream. They simply do not tan, no matter how much time they spend under Oerth's sun. High elves prefer to wear light pastels, blues and greens and violets, and often dwell in homes built into living wood, high in the trees.
In 4th edition the
Eladrin are the High elves.
Painted Elves
This subrace resides in painted deserts and petrified forests, preferring a druidic lifestyle.
Rockseer Elves or Deep Elves
"Rockseer elves are the rarest of all elvenkind. They are far taller than most of their kin, with a few reaching almost to eight feet in height. An average weight for a Rockseer is between 120 and 140 pounds, with little gender difference. Rockseers are very pale skinned, and they have no body hair. Head hair is extraordinarily fine, always worn long, with the appearance and texture of exquisitely fine silk. The hair is silver, and eye color is a pale, almost ice-blue. They are androgynous in appearance, making it difficult for outsiders to tell males and females apart.
"Rockseers have been separated from the rest of elvenkind since mythic times. Their own history tells that they were cowards at the great battle of Corellon Larethian and Lolth, fleeing the combat and taking refuge far below ground. They have no knowledge of surface elves. They know of the Drow and hate them, avoiding them whenever possible. They are extremely seclusive and shun the company of all other races, including the
Svirfneblin. The only exception to this are
pech, with whom Rockseers sometimes form friendships."
The deep elves are found in 1996's ''
Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Three'', but originated in the ''
Night Below'' boxed set campaign published in 1995. In a subplot of ''Night Below'', the
player characters
A player character (also known as a playable character or PC) is a fictional character in a video game or tabletop role-playing game whose actions are controlled by a player rather than the rules of the game. The characters that are not control ...
can reintroduce the exiled Rockseers to the rest of elvenkind and reconcile them with their god, Corellon Larethian.
Campaign settings
Greyhawk
The elves of Greyhawk include the standard aquatic, dark (Drow), grey, high, and wood (sylvan) elves described in the core rule books of various editions of the game.
Additional elven types created for this setting include the snow elves,
valley elves,
and wild (
grugach) elves.
Dragonlance
The depiction of the elves in ''Dragonlance'' fiction is strongly influenced by
Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (, 3 January 1892 – 2 September 1973) was an English writer and philologist. He was the author of the high fantasy works ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings''.
From 1925 to 1945, Tolkien was the Rawlinson ...
's
elves
An elf (: elves) is a type of humanoid supernatural being in Germanic folklore. Elves appear especially in North Germanic mythology, being mentioned in the Icelandic ''Poetic Edda'' and the ''Prose Edda''.
In medieval Germanic-speakin ...
. One of the major character types in the setting, they are presented as aloof and isolationist as a group, but also as caretakers of the natural world.
Like in other settings, they are split into several peoples, again echoing the splits among Tolkien's elves:
Silvanesti and Qualinesti,
two races of high elves estranged from each other; the Kagonesti or Wild Elves; and two races of sea elves: the Dimernesti or Shoal Elves, which inhabit the coastal areas and the Dargonesti or Deep Elves.
Forgotten Realms
The various elven subraces are more prominent in the ''
Forgotten Realms
''Forgotten Realms'' is a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setti ...
'' campaign setting, and
Faerûn
Faerûn ( ) is a fictional continent and the primary setting of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' world of ''Forgotten Realms''. It is described in detail in several editions of the ''Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting'' (first published in 1987 by TSR, I ...
boasts several major subraces.
They differ physically from typical ''Dungeons & Dragons'' elves in that they are as tall as humans (5′9″ on average), or even taller. The exception are the Drow, who are of standard ''D&D'' elven height. In Faerûn, surface elves call themselves Tel-Quessir which means "The People" in the elven language. In 4th edition, most of the elven subraces were classified into three broad families: drow, eladrin, or elves. In the 5th edition, these families were re-classified into four, with three being detailed in the primary campaign books: drow, high elves, and wood elves, with eladrin as their own lineage of elves whose ancestors never emigrated from the Faerie world to the Material world of Toril.
The history of the elven race as portrayed in this setting is marked by great empires and a gradual decline and retreat from the mainland Faerûn. The elves first came to
Abeir-Toril from the plane of Faerie more than twenty-five millennia ago. The first wave of elves to arrive were the green elves, lythari, and avariel. The second wave included the dark elves, who arrived in the jungles of southern Faerûn, and the sun and moon elves, who arrived in the north. Not long after, the aquatic elves arrived in the Great Sea. After the second wave of elven immigrants arrived, the Time of Dragons ended and the period known as the First Flowering of the Fair Folk began. The elves settled into five major civilizations along the west and south of Faerûn during this period. Along the
Sword Coast, the sun elves established Aryvandaar and Shantel Othreier, and the green elves established Illefarn, Miyeritar (along with the dark elves), and Keltormir. To the south, in present-day
Vilhon Reach, the green elves also created the nations of Thearnytaar, Eiellûr, and Syòpiir. In the forests that once covered the
Shaar, the moon elves established Orishaar, and the dark elves established Ilythiir and Miyeritar (along with the green elves). All of these realms were gradually destroyed as a result of the Crown Wars, which made way for other elven realms.
Their once expansive realms have shrunk back in territory and prestige due to the influence and expansion of the younger races, particularly humans. They remain influential, however; much of the shape of Faerûn is influenced by conflict between the various subraces of the elves.
The elven subraces of Faerûn include the following:
;Aquatic Elves or Sea Elves (''Alu-Tel'Quessir''): Aquatic elves are also known as sea elves. They live beneath the waves
of Faerûn and can breathe water as easily as their cousins on land breathe air. They can also breathe air but for a very short period of time.
; or Winged Elves (''Aril-Tel'Quessir''): The avariel are very rare in Faerûn, since they have been hunted nearly to extinction by various
dragons
A dragon is a magical legendary creature that appears in the folklore of multiple cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in Western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depict ...
. Avariel remain in any number in only one place—the Aerie of the Snow Eagles, a secluded mountain home in the north. Avariel maintain good relationships with
aarakocra, and those in the Aerie of the Snow Eagles have recently reestablished contact with their cousins in Evermeet. The avariel make their homes in open areas, and take immense joy in flying. They absolutely abhor and detest being inside, underground, or otherwise restricted from the open sky. The avariel are known for their fierce
clerical
Clerical may refer to:
* Pertaining to the clergy
* Pertaining to a clerical worker
* Clerical script, a style of Chinese calligraphy
* Clerical People's Party
See also
* Cleric (disambiguation)
* Clerk (disambiguation)
{{disambiguation ...
tradition, as devout worshippers of the
Seldarine sky goddess
Aerdrie Faenya.
;
Drow
The drow ( or ) or dark elves are a dark-skinned and white-haired subrace of Elf (Dungeons & Dragons), elves connected to the Subterranea (geography), subterranean Underdark in the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy roleplaying game. The drow have t ...
: Once known only as dark elves, one of their greatest kingdoms was Illythiir. They were transformed into drow and banished to the
Underdark
The Underdark is a fictional setting which has appeared in '' Dungeons & Dragons'' role-playing campaigns and ''Dungeons & Dragons''-based fiction books, including the Legend of Drizzt series by R. A. Salvatore. It is described as a vast subter ...
when their matron goddess
Lolth
The drow ( or ) or dark elves are a dark-skinned and white-haired subrace of elves connected to the subterranean Underdark in the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy roleplaying game. The drow have traditionally been portrayed as generally evil and c ...
broke from the primary elven pantheon. Of all the elves they are the only ones portrayed as inherently evil and hate their cousins with an undying passion. They are smaller than their cousins, both shorter and thinner. In addition, their skin resembles polished obsidian, and their hair is snow-white or silver. Their eyes are almost inevitably red, gleaming with the hatred for their surface dwelling cousins. In 4th edition, the drow are a separate race rather than an elf subrace.
;Dark Elves (''Ssri-Tel'Quessir''): Recently returned into the fold of the true elven race. These former Drow now live on the surface in the city of hope. They have brown skin and black hair and have been cleansed of all drow traits. They are protected once again by
Corellon Larethian.
;Lythari (''Ly-Tel'Quessir''): The lythari are a subrace of elves who can transform into wolves. Unlike most werewolves, they can transform at will and keep their minds while in wolf form. Because the lythari have changed so far from their elven roots, most Faerûnian scholars now consider them a separate race from elves. Lythari are devoted to Selune and their Ancestor Endymion, Father of the race and follower of Selune.
;Moon Elves or Silver Elves (''Teu-Tel'Quessir''): The moon elves are the most common of all the elves in Faerûn and are also known as silver elves. They typically have fair skin and hair that runs in hues from silver-white to black or blue. While human style hair colors are rare, eye color can be remarkably similar, with colors ranging from blue to green. The majority of the half-elves in Faerûn come from parings between humans and moon elves. In 4th edition, moon elves are
eladrin.
;Star Elves or Mithral Elves (''Ruar-Tel'Quessir''): This subrace left the forests of Yuirwood for an extraplanar realm known as
Sildëyuir. They have recently considered returning due to increasing threats by the alien nilshai.
;Sun Elves or Gold Elves (''Ar-Tel'Quessir''): Sun elves are primarily found upon the island of Evermeet and because of this, they are less common across the rest of Faerûn. With bronze colored skin; gold, black, or green eyes; and gold, blond, black, or (rarely) red hair, they are also called gold elves. Sun elves are less physically fit, but more intellectually advanced,
than their counterparts. Sun elves are the primary practitioners of elven High Magic, and are among the greatest magic-users of Toril, both arcane and divine. In 4th edition, sun elves are
eladrin.
;Wild Elves or Green Elves (''Sy-Tel'Quessir''): The most reclusive of all the elves, the wild elves pride themselves on their isolation and skill at keeping hidden. Their skin tends to be brown and they have similar colored hair which lightens with age. In 4th edition, wild elves are simply called elves, distinguishing them from the eladrin.
;Wood Elves, Copper Elves, or Sylvan Elves (''Or-Tel'Quessir''): Wood elves are a reclusive subrace, preferring to live in such areas as the
High Forest. They place more emphasis on strength than learning. Wood elves are considered by other elven subraces (particularly the austere sun elves) to be boisterous and hedonistic. They have a zest for life and pleasure. According to ''
Races of Faerûn'' (which was published in March 2003 and only mentions aquatic elves, avariel, drow, lythari, moon elves, sun elves, wood elves, and wild elves), wood elves are the only elven subrace that is native to Toril. They slowly formed for centuries from some of the other elven subraces after the last Crown War. They see their realms as the natural successors to past nations such as Eaerlann and
Cormanthyr. In 4th edition, wood elves are simply called elves, distinguishing them from the eladrin.
;Vil Adanrath: Lythari that have been separated and live in the Endless Wastes.
Eberron
Once the slaves of the giants of
Xen'drik, the elves of
Eberron
Eberron is a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') role-playing game. The game is set primarily on the continent of Khorvaire following a vast destructive war. Eberron is designed to accommodate traditional ''D&D'' elements an ...
are said to have immigrated over time to the continents of
Aerenal and
Khorvaire
Eberron is a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') role-playing game. The game is set primarily on the continent of Khorvaire following a vast destructive war. Eberron is designed to accommodate traditional ''D&D'' elements an ...
, establishing nations and distinct cultures on both. Most notable are the elves of Aerenal, whose culture revolves around the veneration of the
Undying Court.
Dark Sun
In the post-apocalyptic setting of Athas, elves are nomadic desert runners rather than the more common image of forest-dwellers.
Athasian elves are portrayed as hostile nomads, marked by savage dispositions and a deep distrust of outsiders.
An Athasian elf stands 6½–7½ feet tall. They are slender, lean, and generally in terrific physical condition. Their features are deeply etched into their weather-toughened faces, and their skin is made rough by the windblown sands and baking sun of the wilderness. The dunes and steppes of
Athas are home to thousands of tribes of nomadic elves. While each tribe is very different culturally, the elves within them remain a race of long-limbed sprinters given to theft, raiding, and warfare.
The 2nd edition product ''
Mind Lords of the Last Sea
''Mind Lords of the Last Sea'' is an fantasy role-playing game supplement published by TSR in 1996 for the Dark Sun campaign setting using the rules system of the 2nd edition of the ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons''..
Description
''Mind Lords of th ...
'' introduced a new offshoot of Dark Sun elf. The people of Saragar call them "ghost elves" for their fair complexions, light blonde hair and pale blue eyes. Ghost elves are elitist and xenophobic, and live almost exclusively in the city of Sylvandretta. To maintain a pure bloodline, they have inbred for millennia, resulting in their lighter appearance and halving their lifespan compared to other Athasian elves.
Birthright
The elves of Cerilia are known as the ''sidhelien'' and control various realms on the continent. While the
Birthright Campaign Setting
''Birthright Campaign Setting'' is an accessory for the 2nd edition of the ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game, published in 1995. This product introduced the Birthright campaign setting.
Contents
The ''Birthright Campaign ...
makes a clear difference in the rules between five Cerilian human cultures, such a distinction is not made for the elves. However, the elven realms have different attitudes towards their neighbours and other Cerilian inhabitants. Those ruled by Rhuobhe Manslayer, also called the Elf, are encouraged to hate humans, sometimes participating in the Gheallie Sidhe, the Hunt of the Elves, which set out to slaughter humans. Other realms set up magical barriers on their borders to prevent unwanted visitors.
The 2nd edition setting allows player characters to be elves or half-elves as adventurers but also as
regent
In a monarchy, a regent () is a person appointed to govern a state because the actual monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge their powers and duties, or the throne is vacant and a new monarch has not yet been dete ...
s, giving them control of provinces, law holdings, guilds and magical sources. While humans have to be infused with a divine bloodline in order to cast true magic, the elves already have a connection to the land and can utilise the magical power of the land's mebhaighl without being blooded. However, the elven societies do not trust any deities, especially not those followed by humans, so there are no elven priests or temples.
The world of Aebyrnis (of which Cerilia is a continent) was once joined with the Shadow World. On this plane of shadows and illusions, now exists the Seelie who are more faerie-like than the sidhelien. The Cerilian lore hints that since the two worlds split, for every Cerilian sidhe, there is a corresponding member of the Seelie or Unseelie Courts.
Spelljammer
The elves are the largest political and military presence in space; at the time of the original ''
Spelljammer: AD&D Adventures in Space'' boxed set, the elves had just completed a remarkably successful extermination of interstellar orcs and goblins throughout the known universe.
5th Edition introduced Astral Elves who are now native to the Astral Sea.
Reception
Gus Wezerek, for ''
FiveThirtyEight
''FiveThirtyEight'', also rendered as ''538'', was an American website that focused on opinion poll analysis, politics, economics, and sports blogging in the United States.
The website, which took its name from the number of electors in the U ...
,'' reported that of the 5th Edition "class and race combinations per 100,000 characters that players created on
D&D Beyond
D&D Beyond (DDB) is the official digital toolset and game companion for ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fifth edition. DDB hosts online versions of the official ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fifth edition books, including rulebooks, adventures, and other supple ...
from" August 15 to September 15, 2017, elves were the second most created at 16,443 total, preceded by humans (25,248) and followed by half-elves (10,454). The three most popular class combinations with the elf were
ranger (3,076),
wizard (2,744) and
rogue (2,257). Wezerek commented that some "races dovetail nicely with particular classes. The wood elf gets a bonus to dexterity as well as proficiency in longbows, perfect for the ranger class".
In 2019,
classics scholar C. W. Marshall positively remarked on the "wide diversity of genetically unique groups" of elves found in the game, "which can energize fans".
References
Further reading
*
Baker, Keith. ''
Eberron Campaign Setting
''Eberron Campaign Setting'' is a hardcover accessory for the 3.5 edition of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game.
Contents
The ''Eberron Campaign Setting'' book introduces Eberron, and provides the core campaign setting, incl ...
''.
Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast LLC (WotC or Wizards) is an American game Publishing, publisher, most of which are based on fantasy and List of science fiction themes, science-fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail game stores. In 1999, toy ...
, 2004. .
*
Cordell, Bruce,
Jennifer Clarke-Wilkes, and
JD Wiker. ''
Sandstorm
A dust storm, also called a sandstorm, is a meteorological phenomenon common in arid and semi-arid regions. Dust storms arise when a gust front or other strong wind blows loose sand and dirt from a dry surface. Fine particles are transported b ...
'' (
Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast LLC (WotC or Wizards) is an American game Publishing, publisher, most of which are based on fantasy and List of science fiction themes, science-fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail game stores. In 1999, toy ...
, 2005).
* Perry, Chris. "The
Seldarine Revisited", ''
Dragon Magazine'' #236, pages 13–17.
*
Reynolds, Sean K, et al. ''
Races of Faerûn''. Wizards of the Coast, 2003. .
*
Sargent, Carl. ''
Night Below: An Underdark Campaign'' (
TSR, 1995).
* Turley, Kieran. "Ghost Elves: Elves of the Ethereal", ''Dragon'' #313 (
Paizo Publishing
Paizo Inc. (; originally Paizo Publishing) is an American role-playing game publishing company based in Redmond, Washington, best known for the tabletop role-playing games '' Pathfinder'' and '' Starfinder''. The company's name is derived from ...
), 2003.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Elf (Dungeons and Dragons)
Dungeons & Dragons creatures from folklore and mythology
Dungeons & Dragons humanoids
Dungeons & Dragons monsters
Fictional elements introduced in 1974
Fictional elves