ELF
In Dungeons & Dragons, the Elf is an iconic, long-lived humanoid race deeply connected to magic, nature, and the Feywild. Known natively as the Tel-quessir, elves possess exceptional senses, graceful agility, and a unique meditative state known as Reverie or Trance instead of traditional sleep.
Cronologia
Biografia
Elves—known in their own tongues as the Tel-quessir, meaning 'the people'—are a long-lived humanoid race renowned for their physical grace, athletic slenderness, and inherent mastery of magic. Standing between 4'7" and 6'0" tall, true elves possess distinct pointed ears, keen senses, and lack body hair save for eyebrows, eyelashes, and scalp hair.
Their hair and skin complexions range widely across subraces, from copper, bronze, and pale tones to vibrant blue, green, and silver hues. They inhabit diverse homelands, including Prime Material worlds, the Feywild, and the celestial plane of Arvandor.
Blessed with long lifespans of 750 years or more, elves navigate the world with patience, emotional detachment, and an enduring appreciation for music, dance, and personal freedom. Though shorter-lived races sometimes mistake their relaxed demeanor for flippancy, elves form fierce bonds of loyalty when threats arise against their allies or homelands. Elven society strongly emphasizes individual liberty, gender equality, and loose noble governance acknowledged by monarchies such as the Elven Court in Evermeet.
Storia
According to elven mythology, the Tel-quessir originated from the divine blood spilled by their patron creator deity, Corellon Larethian, during ancient planar battles against gods such as Gruumsh and Lolth. The first elves emerged from Corellon's divine essence and were bound to an ongoing cycle of reincarnation.
During their youth, elves experience visions of their soul's past lives while resting in a meditative state before Corellon. Over millennia, these original beings split into distinct lineages across planes and environments.
Subraces emerged across the cosmos, including the aristocratic High Elves (Sun and Moon Elves), nature-attuned Wood and Wild Elves, aquatic Sea Elves, avian Avariel, Feywild Eladrin, and Shadowfell Shadar-kai. A tragic schism occurred when the Dark Elves followed the corrupted Spider Queen Lolth into exile, becoming the Underdark-dwelling Drow and initiating a bitter, enduring conflict with surface elven races.
I PEZZI DI ELF
Evoluzione
Since debuting in Gary Gygax and Jeff Perren's 1971 *Chainmail* fantasy supplement as flexible troops using longbows and spells, the Elf has undergone continuous evolution across rule editions. In 1974's Original D&D and the subsequent Basic D&D systems (B/X and BECMI), the elf operated as a standalone 'Race-as-Class' combining Fighter and Magic-User capabilities capped at level 10. Advanced D&D (AD&D 1st Edition, 1977–1978) separated race from class, introducing multiclassing alongside subraces like High, Wood, Aquatic, and Drow in the *Monster Manual*.
AD&D 2nd Edition (1989) expanded options with *The Complete Book of Elves* (1992) and setting variations like *Spelljammer*'s Star Elves and *Dark Sun*'s Athasian Elves. Third Edition (2000–2003) standardized High Elves as the base race, adding racial level adjustments and prestige classes like the Arcane Archer. Fourth Edition (2008) split the race into woodland Elves and Feywild Eladrin, before Fifth Edition (2014) reunified High Elf, Wood Elf, and Drow subraces. In the 2024 Revised *Player's Handbook*, the elf was re-designated as a 'Species' with selectable Lineages, removing Drow light sensitivity and updating Trance mechanics. Future expansions like *Melf's Guide to Greyhawk* (2026) continue to develop elven lore.
Da Collezione
As one of Dungeons & Dragons' most recognizable player races, elves are central to tabletop merchandise, gaming miniatures, and high-end fantasy collectibles.
Key canonical elven figures—such as Drizzt Do'Urden, archmage Melf Brightflame, and *Baldur's Gate 3* characters like Astarion—anchor major commercial lines, including Wizards of the Coast's *D&D Icons* initiative. Collectors actively seek out official miniatures, artwork, and licensed publications that showcase the iconic Tel-quessir across various D&D campaign settings.
The 2024 Revised Edition of D&D updated Elves from a 'Race' designation to a 'Species' featuring distinct Lineages.
