Relishing the taste of fresh mead and flavorful bread, Linnit’s long, slender legs swung happily off the sides of the worn barstool. His colorful, silken tunic shimmered in the lantern’s warm firelight, which seemed to be at odds with the tuft of misty blue hair that danced atop his head. Nimble, gray fingers plucked carefully at his food to make sure that any crumbs and spills were kept to a minimum.

Linnit’s smile was easy and disarming, for it was the grin of a person experiencing the simple joys of life for the first time. Although he had grown up not too far from this tavern, no one there had ever seen him there before today. He, on the other hand, already knew everyone’s names and stories, but had been cautioned by his mother to keep that information to himself. After all, he’d been coming here for decades.

As he finished counting the coins from his purse, Linnit’s eyes flicked to the side at something that only he could see. He broadened his smile and waved before handing the coins over to the man behind the bar.

“Thank you for the meal, Roark. It was, truly, the best I’ve ever had.”

“Thank yeh kindly, stranger. Safe travels,” said Roark with a nod as he began to clean.

Linnit chuckled as he slid his slender frame off the stool and onto the sticky floor to pick up his belongings. With a final smile, he made his way to the door.

Ethereans are, as their name would suggest, the unlikely settlers of the Border Ethereal. They grow up expe- riencing the Material Plane from a distance, viewing it through the gray and muffling barrier between the planes of existence. Most ethereans live in small com- munities spread throughout the Border Ethereal and find joy in poetry, art, and theater that offsets the drab and relative lifelessness of their home. While only a few monsters are able to threaten those on the Border Ethereal, etherean survival is only maintainable through their tenacity and shared sense of decency. For many ethereans, the relative safety of the Ethereal Plane outweighs the richer experiences of the Material, but for those that do manage to cross that planar threshold, there is simply no comparison.

Ethereans resemble elves with light gray skin, but their hair and eyes are distinctly different. Many ethereans’ eyes and hair are either purple or magenta, but it’s not unheard of for them to come in a full spectrum of col- ors—a curious result of living extensively on the Ethe- real Plane. Further, an etherean’s hair drifts and floats on its own, as if carried by an invisible current, before evaporating into nothing at its ends.

The Border Ethereal allows for a free range of move- ment in any direction, including through solid objects located on the Material Plane. As a result, privacy is ex- tremely coveted by those on the Ethereal Plane, who are constantly aware of the near-impossibility of complete safety from others. Over generations, etherean culture has grown to uphold and teach a powerful focus on common decency between them. This often translates to relatively lawful communities among ethereans, who expect that their safety and privacy will be respected in exchange for their own adherence.
However, whether it be the result of a possible fey ancestry or defiance of their strict social structure, most ethereans have a deep appreciation of harmless pranks and practical jokes. In general, as long as it’s in good fun, moments of levity like these are part of the fabric that keeps ethereans happy and entertained in an otherwise quiet and dull world.

Most ethereans are eager to make friends that aren’t other ethereans and eschew sweeping generalizations. Earnest and excitable, ethereans make for spectacular traveling companions for people who enjoy conversations and storytelling.

Ethereans typically take up adventuring when the routine of the Border Ethereal no longer interests them. Such ethereans often go searching for a means of travel into the Material Plane, but only some manage to find them. Those that do are thrust into a world suddenly bound by gravity and rife with danger, but also filled with opportunity and new experiences. Many ethereans will happily accept contracts to travel great distances or visit exotic realms, regardless of danger, in order to make the most of their life beyond the Border Ethereal.
Ethereans will often choose to spend their coin on brightly colored and ostentatious clothing, seemingly making up for the limited color palettes they may have experienced on the Border Ethereal. Others fall victim to new vices, but more often than not, strict etherean resourcefulness is enough to prevent all but the most vulnerable ethereans from becoming addicted to the pleasures of the Material Plane.

An etherean has a given name, a family name, and possibly a nickname. Etherean nicknames often sound purposefully silly, and are just as likely to be self-given as they are by friends or family.

Given Names: Antham, Cheyl, Corifir, Crena, Destva, Euranya, Genoven, Hanshen, Hosh, Irsht, Jeun, Kline, Krimme, Luddin, Osvo, Ozla, Pragil, Prinn, Quord, Tresht, Tryll, Ulram, Ura, Vass, Vertra

Family Names: Atvash, Brenniwick, Orelet, Ouly, Pientrafit, Promuna, Reffra, Wrenylin, Yrelift, Zucha

When creating your etherean character, use these traits as a guide, rather than a rule. A typical etherean is naturally charismatic, which is reflected in the Ability Score Increase trait, but yours may be quiet or reserved by comparison. In this case, increase one ability score of your choice by 2 and another by 1, or choose three different ability scores to increase by 1.
Similarly, your etherean may never have ascribed to the rigors of etherean society and has fully embraced their chaotic leanings. And, like all humanoids, size is hardly a defining factor: when you select this race, you can choose to be Small, instead of Medium.
Lastly, the suggested age trait is just that: a suggestion. In your world, the ethereans' fey ancestry may be more evident, resulting in a longer life span. Regardless, the life span of most player characters in fifth edition is about a century—presuming they don’t meet a violent end on an adventure.