Lunar Elves

He had been on watch for almost two hours, with absolutely nothing of note happening. He stared into the embers of the fire that had cooked their dinner earlier, listening to the snores of his companions among the silence of the forest.

A while later, as the very first hint of a less black sky appeared in the east, he leaned over and gently shook his companion. The gnome eventually stirred. "Anything happen?" she whispered, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "Nothing. Enjoy your watch," he said and reached for his blanket, eager to get at least a few hours of sleep before they set off in the morning.

Just as sleep was about to take him, his boot got a vigorous shake. "Hey, something's out there!" whispered the gnome. He sat up, forcing his tired body to obey. The gnome indicated towards the treeline. "I saw a flash of light." Peering into the forest where she indicated, he saw nothing for several seconds. Suddenly, a small flash illuminated the silhouette of trees, not a hundred yards away, before fading out. "There! Another one...", whispered the gnome. Over the next minute, they saw a dozen more flashes, slowly coming closer to their camp.

Their dwarf friend had finally stirred, and came to already holding his bearded axe. "What's making these lights?" the gnome whispered. "Moon elves! We must be close ter a grove." answered the dwarf. He dropped the axe and stepped forward with his hands raised in a gesture of peace. "Hail! We are simple travelers who mean no harm to you or your land!" he shouted in broken elvish.

His words echoed through the dark forest, and each second felt like a minute, before a female elven voice responded. "Very well, travelers. You may stay until first light, then you must leave." The dwarf's posture relaxed slightly, and he gave a bow to the unseen elves. A flurry of fireflies suddenly emerged from a nearby bush before coalescing into a crude image of an elf in front of the dwarf. The image gave a bow before the fireflies scattered and faded away into the night.

"Didn't know there were any aenitire around here," the dwarf whispered as he returned, while several more flashes moved away in the forest before the serene night was on them again. "I dinnae how many arrows were pointed our way just then. Better not think 'bout it too long." The dwarf was already back under his blanket. "Well, until first light then. Good night!"

The lunar elves, or aenitire in their own tongue, are a reclusive sub-species of elves. Their skin color ranges between pale pink and purple, and many have deep purple hair. Lunar elves live in small groves protected by illusory magic, high in the mountains or on secluded islands. In these societies, they value working on astronomical studies or exquisite craftsmanship (especially jewelry and glasswork). Their societies are usually more active during nighttime, with most resting when the sun is out.

Lunar elves usually favor archery or the magical arts in combat, with druidic magic being especially common.

Lunar Elf Traits

As a lunar elf, you have the following racial traits.

Creature Type

You are a Humanoid. You are also considered an elf for any prerequisite or effect that requires you to be an elf.

Age

Like their elven kin, lunar elves mature around age 30, and can live to 250 years and beyond.

Size

You are Medium.

Ability Score Increase

One of your ability scores increases by 2, and one other ability score of your choice increases by 1. Alternatively, you can increase three of your ability scores by 1.

Languages

You can speak, read and write Common and Elvish.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision

You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of grey.

Fey Ancestry

You have advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the Charmed condition on yourself.

Keen Senses

You have proficiency in the Perception skill.

Lunar Step

As a bonus action, you can magically teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space you can see. You can use this trait a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

A flash of dim light fills the area you left until the start of your next turn.

Illusory Acumen

You are well versed with the illusion magic that surrounds the hidden groves of the aenitire. You have advantage on any ability checks you make to discern if something is an illusion.

Additionally, you learn the Minor Illusion cantrip. When you reach 3rd level you also learn Veil of Glamour and once per long rest you can cast it for free at a level equal to your proficiency bonus with this trait. You can also cast the spell using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level. Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for both spells (choose when you select this race).

Trance

You don't need to sleep, and magic can't put you to sleep. You can finish a long rest in 4 hours if you spend those hours in a trancelike medititation, during which you retain consciousness.

Whenever you finish this trance, you can gain two proficiencies that you do not have, each one with a weapon or a tool of your choice. You acquire these proficiencies by drawing them from shared elven memory, and you retain them until you finish your next long rest.