Elves

Elves are a very diverse race, but they have in common a tall and slender build and long pointed ears, and generally grow to heights between 170 and 190 cm. They also all tend to live very long lives, up to 750 years. With the exception of eagle elves, they are not capable of growing facial hair.

Elves as a whole originated on the continent of Nionor since before the World's Blooming, and the majority of them live there to this day, though there are also major populations of elves (particularly of the raven and eagle subrace, as detailed below) in the cities of Valorith. Historically, elves were all one race thousands of years ago, until the gods split them into various subraces in the event known as the Schism.

Elves in Orthonia use the same racial traits as in the core rules.

Subraces
Since the Schism, each elven subrace developed its own separate culture, eventually forming into clans that refer to themselves as raven, owl, and eagle elves. These subraces may have different ability score modifiers and racial traits than the core elf race. The unique racial trait granted by the elf's subrace may be replaced by any ACT that replaces Elven Magic, though this does not alter the elf's subrace.

Raven Elves
Raven elves have skin colors ranging from slate gray to light silver, and commonly have black or dark brown hair. Raven elves are highly intelligent and are accustomed to a scholastocratic society, where the most educated have the most authority. Thus, nearly all raven elves have a deep desire to learn all that they can, and many raven elf adventurers started their careers in attempts to expand their knowledge. They have no particular alignment sway, and believe that any worldview is a valid avenue to greater knowledge.

Raven elves have the same racial traits as the core elf race.

Owl Elves
Owl elves have olive to copper skin colors, and have hair colors ranging from brown to blond. Owl elves are accustomed to a tribal culture in the jungles of Nionor, and from this all owl elves are innately able to survive in the wild. Many owl elves are naturally nomadic, and traveling with an adventuring party is almost second-nature to most of them. Most owl elves have a natural closeness to nature, which tends to make them more chaotic than lawful, though they always respect the structures and traditions of their own people.

Owl elves have the following racial traits:
 * Ability Score Racial Traits: Owl elves are adroit and perceptive, but avoid tasks that require brawn. They gain +2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, and -2 Strength. These racial traits replace the ability score racial traits of the core elf.
 * Shroud of the Woods: Owl elves gain a +2 racial bonus on Stealth checks and a +1 dodge bonus to AC when in a forest or jungle environment. This racial trait replaces Elven Magic.

Eagle Elves
Eagle elves have golden to amber skin colors, and most commonly have light brown hair, though many variations are possible. Unlike their brethren of other subraces, they are capable of growing facial hair and frequently sport impressive beards and sideburns. They lack innate the advanced mental prowess of their cousins, and instead pursue a society that advocates the physical ideal. Native to the harsh environment of northern Nionor, eagle elves often go on adventures to achieve peak condition and to test their might against the world. Though their societal structure encourages eagle elves to be more lawful than chaotic, they generally prefer to not deal with matters overly cerebral.

Eagle elves have the following subrace traits:
 * Ability Score Racial Traits: Eagle elves are agile and hardy, but their lifestyle doesn't give them the luxury of scholarly pursuit. They gain +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, and -2 Intelligence. These racial traits replace the ability score racial traits of the core elf.
 * Weapon Prowess: Eagle elves gain their choice of either Martial Weapon Proficiency or Exotic Weapon Proficiency as a bonus feat. This racial trait replaces Elven Magic.

Drow
Drow have skin colors ranging from charcoal-gray to violet, and almost always have black or gray hair. Drow have historically lived in the Underdark, a system of interconnected tunnels and caverns found in southern Nionor, and their bodies are well adapted to this lifestyle. Drow culture varies between two extremes: those who continue to live underground, who worship the evil demigoddess La'veni and are intolerant of all surface-dwelling races, and, less commonly, those who reject their subterranean origins and try to eke out a more tolerant living on the surface. Nonetheless these "surface drow" (who prefer to be referred to as "vulture elves", to further distance themselves from their devious subsurface brethren) have begun adapting to the harsh light of the sun once again. Subterranean drow are almost always evil, and surface drow are somewhat more likely to be chaotic than lawful.

Drow have same racial traits as in the core rules. PCs are not permitted to take the drow noble race variant. Surface drow should strongly consider taking the Surface Infiltrator ACT.