Elves on the southern part of the continent of Loerth tend toward the short stature of other elves, with the porcelain features and inability to grow facial hair. They live to be roughly 2,000 years old. They generally prefer the solitude of the forest, but some elves long for the company of others. The latter generally gravitate towards the towns to live and study magic.
Loerth elves have a rather remarkable power inherent to their race, however. Elves have a natural magical ability. They learn spells much quicker than other races, and learn harder spells easier. An elf will tend to get frustrated with a human, for example, who couldn't master Polymorph Other. This ability allows them to master more higher level spells as their levels grow.
This ability is not all positive, of course. Their arrogance in this ability gets them into trouble. Any time they use a scroll or a charge from a magical item (a staff of lightening for example), they feel they are "cheating". They don't feel they are learning as much as if they chose to use a spell instead.
Most elves have the desire to study magic in some form. Elven fighters, for example, also have a working knowledge of magic. Elves will generally prefer to be mages, druids, clerics, or bards. Those who choose fighter or rogue generally multiclass their characters.
Half elves, on the other hand, gain the desire to learn magic, but none of the inherent ability. Their Elven parent will generally be willing to teach them magic, however, as long as they learn quickly and well. Half elves who fail a spell or have trouble learning them, will generally be shunned or sent to live in town with their human parent. They gain none of the advantages of their Elven blood, but they still gravitate towards magic, choosing mage, druid, cleric, or bard. They do not always multiclass fighter or rogue, however, for many become frustrated with their perceived "handicap" and shun magic completely.
This manifests in game terms with the ability to take 1 bonus spell per day for each level you can already cast. This does NOT afford you spells in levels you cannot yet cast.
However, once you hit 5th level you can add 1 bonus spell that is 1 level higher than the highest level you are able to cast. (example: A 5th level Wizard can take 1 4th level spell even though a typical wizard of that level doesn't have that ability yet)
Add +2 to all saves against magic. You can also omit any necessary success rolls for spell preparation for any 1st, 2nd, or 3rd level spell.
In game terms, the penalty for using a scroll or charge from a magical item is a 30% xp penalty overall for that gaming session, as the elf feels that he or she did not "learn" as much as they could have otherwise. In other words, if the party gained 2,000 xp, the elf gained only 1400. (30% of 2,000 is 600 and 2,000 minus 600 is 1400). This only applies if they actually USE the scroll or charge, not if they simply carry it. If they simply attack normally with the Staff of Lightening, for example, they incur no penalty. If they are simply carrying three scrolls in their backpack, they also incur no penalty.
You will find an example by following the link above to Joran. Joran is an NPC mage. He is also a full blooded Loerth Elf.
BACKSTORY
Loerth Elves were led from their home in the forest which they now call the Deserted Home 3,000 years ago by their leaders. Those leaders are now revered as the Ancient Ones. They were led into the tree which is a secret any and all elves will guard with their lives, even the disaffected and wandering ones.
They tell ancient stories of knights defeating dragons with lances enchanted by elven mages before they were led into the tree. These spells, if they exist at all, died with the Ancient Ones. These songs and stories also tell of spells and enchantments called the Whispered Spells, spells so powerful or dangerous that they dare not be written or even uttered to loudly.
Their afterlife consists of the Realm of The Ancients where all who pass through go. There is a myth of a "Mirror to the Realm" somewhere near the Deserted Home.
