Yundra

Sometimes called the Silent Elves, the Yundra were rarely seen outside their homes in the deep and hidden places of Encara. They lived beneath mountains and under the intertwined roots of vast jungles, in realms where sunlight never reached and shadows reigned eternal. Their connection to the magic of Encara lay in the currents of decay, regeneration, and the transitions between life and death—forces they revered as the true engines of nature.

After countless generations spent in darkness, the Yundra are born visually blind, their eyes vestigial and pale, like pearls. Yet, their other senses have evolved to extraordinary heights. With keen hearing, an acute sense of smell, and a tactile awareness unparalleled by any other race, the Yundra navigate the world with a grace that belies their blindness. To them, the rustle of a leaf or the faintest tremor beneath their feet paints a vivid picture of their surroundings. Their adaptation, however, comes at a cost. Their skin, pallid as the moon's surface, is acutely sensitive to sunlight; prolonged exposure can cause painful burns. For this reason, few in the old world ever saw a Yundra elf without the protective wrappings they donned when venturing to the surface.

Few Yundra made the journey to Thaedros. This was not because they were impossible to reach—though locating a Yundra Faashir in the black depths of the underground was no trivial feat—but because their bond to Encara was perhaps the most intimate of all the elven peoples. Worshippers of the vast mycelium networks that permeated every corner of their world, many believed they could not survive away from the living matrix of fungi that had nurtured them for eons.

Still, some did step through the worldgates, driven by necessity or curiosity. Shortly after the diaspora, they all but disappeared from sight once again. A few Yundra remain in Enethir, but most have sought the entrances to Thaedros' underworld, combing mountains for caves and jungles for places where they might burrow beneath the roots. Whether they have fared better than their kin is a question few can answer. The Yundra speak little of their lives to outsiders, but from what little they do share, it seems they have found a measure of solace. There is no living matter that the Mycelium rejects, and in this strange new world, the Yundra have reconnected with the forces they revere.

The Yundra's philosophy, shaped by millennia in the shadowed depths, is one of quiet acceptance and cosmic pragmatism. To them, life and death are not opposites but partners in an endless dance. Everything dies, everything decays, and everything is reborn through the Mycelium's embrace. This belief fosters a strange duality in their culture: a quiet nihilism tempered by an enlightened detachment. The Yundra do not fear death or destruction, for to them, these are not endings but transformations. Their reverence for decay is not morbid—it is reverent, rooted in the understanding that even in rot, there is life.

Racial Traits

Special Abilities

Fey Ancestry You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic cannot put you to sleep.

Trance Instead of sleeping, you enter a deep meditation for 4 hours, gaining the same benefits as an 8-hour rest.

Blind but Aware You lack sight but compensate with heightened perception. You have blindsight to a range of 60 feet and can accurately perceive the world around you through sound, scent, and touch. However, you are completely blind beyond this radius and automatically fail ability checks that rely on sight beyond your blindsight range.

Sunlight Sensitivity Your skin is highly sensitive to sunlight. While in direct sunlight, you have disadvantage on attack rolls and Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell, as the overwhelming brightness disrupts your other senses.

Mycelial Connection You are attuned to the great fungal networks that weave through the earth. You have advantage on checks to track creatures underground and can sense the presence of living creatures within 30 feet through their connection to the land.

Basic Traits

Speed Your base walking speed is 35 feet (30 feet + 5 feet elven bonus).

Languages You can speak, read, and write Common and Elvish.

Backgrounds

Whisper of the Depths

You were raised in the quiet blackness beneath Encara, where the world whispered to you through stone and root. Even in Thaedros, the depths call to you, and you have learned to listen.

• Skill Proficiencies: Stealth, Survival
• Tool Proficiencies: Mason's Tools, Herbalism Kit
• Languages: Undercommon
• Feature: Echo Sense - In complete darkness, you can determine the location of creatures within 30 feet by subtle shifts in air pressure and sound, even those attempting to move silently.
• Ability Score Increases: +2 Wisdom, +1 Dexterity

Mycelium Devotee

You were raised in reverence of the cycles of decay and rebirth, learning to commune with the unseen forces that guide the natural world. Your knowledge of fungi, decomposition, and hidden ecosystems gives you insight into life beyond the veil of death.

• Skill Proficiencies: Nature, Medicine
• Tool Proficiencies: Alchemist's Supplies, Poisoner's Kit
• Languages: One of your choice (Sylvan recommended)
• Feature: Fungal Communion - You can ritually commune with mycelial networks in an area, gaining brief insights about past events or disturbances within the land over the last 24 hours.
• Ability Score Increases: +2 Wisdom, +1 Constitution

Pale Sage

You are one of the few Yundra who have chosen to remain above ground, bringing the wisdom of the dark places into the light. Though sunlight is harsh, your insight into unseen patterns and forgotten lore makes you a valuable advisor and scholar.

• Skill Proficiencies: History, Arcana
• Tool Proficiencies: Calligrapher's Supplies, Navigator's Tools
• Languages: One of your choice
• Feature: Voice of the Forgotten - You have advantage on checks to decipher ancient languages, codes, or forgotten writings, as your people have spent eons studying the lost knowledge of Encara.
• Ability Score Increases: +2 Intelligence, +1 Wisdom