"There are only two kinds of people in the world: The elves, and those who wish they were."
Elves used to be a single race, created by an elven goddess near the beginning of time, but they were long ago bio-engineered by a group of wizards that took the "base" elven form and re-worked it into dozens of varieties. They ended up a little frail, and every wizard wanted something different, so they also ended up split into dozens of different variates. Those wizards are since long gone, but in modern times there are still more kinds of elf than most people care to keep track of. They usually live in relatively untouched natural settings, with homes and other buildings constructed among the still-living trees. Because of their long lives, most elves are very patient and averse to excessive dangers, to the point where it's considered entirely reasonable in elf society to retreat from confrontation and come back days or even years later, when circumstances can be more favorable. They don't let concepts like "permanent homes" or "pride" to get in the way of survival.
Elves are slightly taller and slightly lighter than humans tend to be. Elves don't get tanned when they get too much sun, but instead an elf's skin usually takes on the color of the local tree bark (somewhere from white to brown to grey). If an elf moves to a new region for long enough their skin will slowly shift over a period of several years until it matches the new local fauna. Elves generally have hair the color of local flowers and plants, which will shift color over time like their skin does when they move. Elven hair is usually styled longer than with other races, though adult elven men can't grow beards until much later in life, if ever. An elf is considered to be an adult when they turn 108 years old, but elves can rarely grow facial hair below the age of 500 or so (if they can at all). Elves, like dragons, never seem to die of old age.
- Size: Medium
- Type: Humanoid (Elf)
- Movement: 30ft
- Vision: Low-light Vision
- Ability Modifiers: -2 Constitution, and +2 to any other stat. Elves are varied, but always a little frail.
- Elvish Metabolism (Ex): Elves never sleep and are immune to Sleep effects. Elves must still perform a 4 hour daily trance to stay coherent and rested, but they take no Listen check penalty while resting in this way.
- Faerie Brain (Ex): Elves get +2 on saves against Enchantment effects.
- Grand Elven Traditions (Ex): Elves are always proficient with swords and bows.
- Keen Senses (Ex): +2 racial bonus to Spot, and Listen checks. They are get +2 on Search checks, and they are entitled to a search check as if actively searching simply by passing within 5ft of a secret door.
- Elfcraft (Ex): Elves get +2 on Craft checks with wooden items.
- Automatic Languages: Common and Elven
- Suggested Bonus Language: Draconic, Dwarven, Gnoll, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, and Sylvan