Aelf

Species Name: Aelf, Aelfar, Aelfolk, Elf

An Elf is a creature of Germanic mythology. The elves were originally thought of as a race of minor nature and fertility gods who are often pictured as youthful seeming men and women of great beauty living in forests and underground places and caves or in wells and springs. They have been portrayed to be long lived or immortal and as beings of magical powers. Following J. R. R. Tolkien's influential The Lord of the Rings, wherein a wise, immortal people named Elves have a significant role, elves became staple characters of modern fantasy. Post Tolkien fantasy elves tend to be more beautiful and wiser than humans, with sharper senses and perceptions. They are also said to be much more gifted in magic and stronger mentally but not physically. Often elves do not possess facial or body hair and are consequently perceived to be androgynous. A hallmark of fantasy elves is also their long and pointed ears.

Type: Humanoid

Physical Traits: Pointed ears

Height: 6 ft

Weight: 150 lbs

Abilities: Nightvision up to 90 metres

Mobility: Legs

Sensory Organs: Visual

Communication: Vocal

Reproduction: Sexual

INT: 3D6, WIS: 3D6, STR: 3D6, DEX: 4D6, CON: 3D6 -3, CHA: 4D6, MR: 3D6, HPs: CON +D8

Orbit/Climate: See Earth

Feeding Habits: Omnivore

Lifespan: 3000 years

Technology: 2

Culture: Standard. Diversified mix of kind and evil people.

The Elves' curiosity about life makes it only natural that they expanded their holdings to such an extent. They wish to be sure of their world, and they cannot understand it if they cannot experience it. If an Elf accurately reports her experiences, other Elves can understand that world intuitively. Yet Elves are notorious for their desire to see things for themselves. Even when a place has been experienced and reported, many Elves will still have a wish to see the place. Along the journey, they are likely to view each passing locale with great interest, stopping to explore anything that catches their interest. For this reason, the Elf race as a whole is likely to have heard of any given location on any of the worlds they inhabit.

These Elves have few cares or worries, and their lives are often characterized by idyllic splendour. While they face problems from rampaging humanoids or the encroachment of humans, they seem to live free of the cares that so often plague other Elves. Because they live so closely in harmony with nature, they have little trouble finding sustenance in the areas near their homes. Game proliferates near high Elf communities, and the earth is fertile for them. However, should the high Elves roam farther afield, they often discover a different matter entirely. A band of Elves on the march must sometimes rely upon the generosity of others.

Elves are renowned for their grace and mastery of magic and weapons such as the sword and bow. Becoming physically mature by the age of 25 and emotionally mature at around 125, they are also famously long-lived, capable of living more than half a millennium and remaining physically youthful. They rarely die due to the wear of age. Possessed of innate beauty and easy gracefulness, they are viewed as both wondrous and haughty by other races; however their natural detachment is seen by some as introversion or xenophobia.

Government: Council

Population: 7,000,000

 


Elf Types:

Ljósálfar
The Ljósálfar or First Elves are at once the most noble and most reclusive of the Elves. They act much like human knights supercilious and condescending, full of their own importance. They think nothing of speaking their minds, are often haughty, disdaining contact with most others, including other Elves. Taller and more slender than the other Elves they typically have silver hair and amber eyes. While not exactly bigoted toward other races they do believe in the purity of the Elven line. They are the least tolerant of other races and they take pains to ensure that they remain secluded from all sometimes even other Elves. Only the mightiest mages of other races are allowed within their mountain citadels, and these are greeted with suspicion. The High Elves are not rabid in their dislike of the shorter lived races, but they do fear the corruption that the other races can bring to the Elves.

Because of their reverence for the sanctity of Elven blood Ljósálfar have striven to maintain their original ideals. They consider themselves to be the purest form of all Elves. These Elves feel that they are the true Elves and that others are somehow lesser versions. Their entire existence is based on developing and discovering new knowledge, and they therefore spend less time on the pleasurable pursuits that occupy other Elves' lives. Their mages are without peer in the Elven world. Even mages of greater power from other races speak of the knowledge of the High Elves with no small measure of fascination. Their long lifespans ensure that they are among the most knowledgeable mages on any world, though not necessarily the most powerful. It is a guarantee that almost any Ljósálfar work can hold the strongest magicks and enchantments. The very qualities of the manufacture work subtle charms into the item, making it more receptive to whatever potent magic a mage might use to enhance it. They have produced most of the magical items attributed to Elvenkind and are particularly devoted to the creation of tomes and scrolls. High Elves often have the most extensive libraries of anyone in the world. Any community of more than 50 years will have a communal library rivalling those of any major city or wizard. Such libraries are open to all Elves who wish to better themselves and increase their knowledge. Since they value the constant expansion of their stores of books, many spend their lives in research (either magical or scientific), writing learned treatises. Ljósálfar society is among the most rigidly defined in any world. They are ruled by a hereditary monarch either male or female, who can be succeeded by any of the other members of the House Royal. This is subject to approval by a majority of the House Noble. The ruler must have all decisions ratified by such a majority.

Alvefolket
Alvefolket are descended from the same stock as the other Elves but prefer a simpler life. Their music is that of wind through leaves, the howl of wolves, and the cries of birds. Their art in the form of tattoos is inspired by the ever changing cycle of seasons. Alvefolket clothing is much less gaudy than one would normally expect from an Elf. The focus of their clothing is to allow the wearer to blend with the woods easily. A typical outfit is dark brown and green, or tan and russet in fall. Winter finds them wearing white leather so that they can hide in snow. They live with their hearts, not their minds as do the Ljósálfar. Logic plays little part in their lives, for logic cannot save one from the charging boar or the falling tree. Intuition and strength are all that counts in the forest.

The most commonly seen of all Elves the Alvefolket are also the most open and friendly. They have no compunction about travelling in the world outside their lands, and they do so much more often than other Elves. They know the value of friendship and alliance with the other good races of the world. However they are not always easily befriended. Many are cautious about trusting the shorter lived races, quite a few learned to distrust humans and dwarves in their younger days. 

Their villages are peaceful places for the Elves all look out for one another. They have a royal bloodline of sorts but few Elves pay it much heed. They do not respect someone purely on the basis of birth. They live in a constant relationship with nature, never taking more than they need and giving back ever more. They replenish the forests and the plains constantly, ensuring that there will always be nature within their world. Alvefolket also pride themselves on being the keepers of much lore that has been forgotten to others.

Svartálfar

Svartálfar were once part of the Elven races until they were corrupted by tampering with Diabolical magic. Now they live in mainly subterranean or other dark areas. Despite all this some of them do have a sense of honour and duty. They have become the masters and mistresses of dark grottoes, and any intelligent creature shuns them. In their quest for more power over life they inevitably began dealing with the forces that would one day corrupt them. Their Elven brethren dismayed at the initial change in their formerly peaceful kinsmen sought to reason with them. The Svartálfar seeing this effort as aggression responded by slaying emissaries and invading Elven cities. Convinced of their evil the other Elves banded together to drive them from the land. No one not of Svartálfar heritage knows exactly how far their underground holdings extend. It is well known that they have a certain grasp on interdimensional magic, for they use it to travel long distances. They hate the light, and they have extensively researched ways to travel while avoiding the sun, which is anathema to them

Svartálfar are extremely intelligent, charismatic and dexterous but share surface elves' comparative frailty and slight frames. Females tend to be bigger and stronger than males. Svartálfar are characterized by white or silver hair and obsidian black skin. Their eyes are red (or rarely gray, violet, or yellow) in darkness and green in normal light.

Their society is primarily matriarchal, males are considered inferior to females are never allowed to rule. Svartálfar society is based upon violence, murder, cunning, and the philosophy that only the strong survive. Hence most plot endlessly to murder or otherwise incapacitate their rivals using deceit and betrayal. Those in higher positions are constantly wary of assassins and the like. One of the quirks of this constant infighting is the relatively short lifespan of the average Svartálfar. While being just as long lived as their surface cousins, you are very unlikely to meet an elderly one. Consequently, they are the only race of Elves that matches the fertility of lesser races such as humans. Their society as a whole is seemingly nonviable. The only reason they do not murder themselves to extinction is by the will of Kali working primarily through her clergy. Kali does not tolerate any Elf that threaten to bring down her society and the clergy make certain that perpetrators cease their destructive actions by either threatening or killing them, depending on her mood and how likely it is to be a successful deterrent.

Most hate surface elves but will wage war with almost any surface race and other subterranean races for spoils and territory.

 


Creating an Elf character

Step 1: Age
Determine your character's age. If older than 100 you need to determine which years you have been present in.
01-20 100 xD10 years
21-40 100 x2D10 years
41-60 100 x4D10 years
61-75 100 x6D10 years
76-90 100 x8D10 years
91-00 100 x10D10 years
Next decide what you have been doing. Were you involved in any famous historical incidents? In the present day where does your character live or is he a wanderer, moving around continuously?
Step 2: Attributes
Roll attributes as normal but DEX and CHA +D6, while CON is 3D6 -3. Mana = INT + WIS x3. Mana is recovered at a rate of 10 per hour if remain active (but not using magic) and 20 per hour if asleep. Mana can however be permanently traded for HPs at a rate of 1 for 1.

Hit points = CON +8, +8 per level.

Step 3: Skills

Choose skills in the normal manner according to the character's class. Then for every 100 years alive select 1 additional skill.

Step 4: Abilities

All Elves gain all the following free;

Night Vision - The character can see in absolute darkness at a distance equal to his normal sight.

Resist Sleep and Charm - Elves can resist these forms of influence with a +1 save per 5 WIS.

Additionally Elves start with 35 Points to spend on any of the following abilities. As they earns more experience they may buy or rebuy more abilities.
Ability Cost Notes
Animal Empathy 5 Elves can establish telepathic communication with any normal or giant animal within line of sight if he does nothing else in the round. The animal must have a minimum INT of 1. This has the following benefits:
He can communicate to the creature that he desires its friendship. If the offer is sincere (and the animal will be able to sense if it isn't), the creature can be calmed and will not attack or flee unless it is attacked.

Further he can then recruit this animal as an ally. Once he does so he permanently psionically links with the animal turning it into a familiar. At any point he may see through the familiar's eyes, smell through its nose, hear with its ears, taste with its mouth or link with any of its other senses (including supernatural ones). The two are always in constant telepathic contact.

Increased Thac0 5 +1 Thac0 with ranged weapons at levels 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17 and 19.
Natural Mana 10 +10 Mana at levels 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20.
Natural Chameleon 5 Using this ability the Elf can blend into and render himself nearly invisible in wooded areas, fields of tall grass, clumps of bushes, or any other wilderness area with dark or shaded terrain. When hiding he can conceal himself from attackers and eavesdrop on his enemies. He can hide near a well travelled road and secretly observe passersby, or conceal himself near an enemy campsite waiting for an opportune moment to steal their supplies. 

He may also move with a minimum of sound, almost as if he's walking on air. Even creatures with the sharpest ears are no more likely to detect his presence than they are to hear a feather drop. The ability works equally well in icy mountains, heavily wooded forests, or any other type of wilderness terrain. This goes well beyond the stealth skill raising it to a supernatural level and preventing any non magical detection. Lasts for WIS x1 round.
Nature Heal 5 An Elf may select a particular type of terrain as his specialty area for healing. Whenever in this terrain the Elf can heal at phenomenal rates. He must concentrate for 1 minute uninterrupted to perform the following healing; restore 1 HP per INT, +1 per level per 10 minutes; reduce the damage and duration of drugs, toxins and poisons by 4% per INT, +1% per level and gives +1 to save per 4 INT; negate all pain for 1 minute per INT, +1 minute per level; or stabilize his condition (stops bleeding, binds wounds, etc.) for 15 minutes per level.

He may choose an additional terrain at level 5. Terrain types include; Jungle, Desert, Tundra, Mountain, Forest or Ocean. Each time this ability is rebought the Elf may choose a new terrain.
Nature Survival 5 Due to an Elf's extensive experience and training in jungles and forests they gain +1 to any physical, combat and survival rolls made while within that environment. He may choose an additional terrain at level 5. Terrain types include; Jungle, Desert, Tundra, Mountain, Forest or Ocean. Svartálfar instead start with Underground survival. Each time this ability is rebought he may either take an additional +1 with their terrain OR choose a new terrain.
Reduced Sleep 10 The Elf needs one hour less normal sleep per 5 CON.
Sense Hidden 5 The Elf gains +1 per 5 INT to detect a hidden object, door, person, etc.
Willpower Bonus 10 +1 Willpower save at levels 1, 4, 8, 12, 14, 16 and 20.
Witch Sight 5 The character can see the true image of any person or object regardless of any form of concealment, disguise, illusion or invisibility. This also includes the ability to detect whether it is magical, and whether it is harmful or helpful.
Step 5: Classes

Any, Blade Dancer is the only exclusive Elf class.

 

Heroes Earth
In 2,500,000 BC the crew of the 'Visitor' arrived via a chronal wormhole. The Visitor's crew were continuously attacked by the Celestial Alliance over a period of months. Though ultimately victorious they are forced to crash on Earth in the Paleolithic continent, its leaking engines mutate the ecology. The surviving crew members resigned themselves to settling on this new world and eventually became known as Elves. In 100,000 BC they stumbled on to the Harmonic city of Atlantis and were welcomed with open arms. By 90,000 BC Atlantean Elven experiments with insects and animals led to the creation of the Felinar and Mantis races. In 70,000 BC a final invasion of Atlantis by the Lizard Men although unsuccessful ultimately led to it sinking into the ocean. A number of surviving Atlantean Elves who had been trapped on the outside relocated to northern Europe but in light of the rapidly approaching ice age these Elves found their new homeland harsh and severe, and had to revert to barbarism in order to survive. 1351 AD was the last time any of the Elven races were seen. But they did not die out.

Post Holocaust Era:

In 1351 AD after suffering thousands of losses due to the Infernal created Black Death the various Elven families united to go into hiding in the other dimensional Florascape.

 

 

Earth Races