Category:Elves

Elves
Elven lore and story date back to the very dawn of the world. Elves are one of the oldest living races in the world of crystalis. Modern elves are seclusive, wild creatures that stick to themselves and their kin. Rare is it that a member of any other race would be accepted into their small circle of allies. Elves themselves rarely have a need to venture outside of their homelands located deep within the Lost Wilds.

Personality
Elves are a proud, tribal people who have complex honor systems that run deep within their culture. So important is name and grace that elven kin have been known to slay their own children if that self same child had broken the rules of their house. Though in modern times, elven kin can not afford to enact such harsh punishments due to their own dwindling numbers.

There are elves, however that venture outside of their homeland in order to join the world of humanity. These elves are mostly outcasts whom have broken a sacred law or brought dishonor to their name. A handful of elves willing abandon their kin to seek refuge in lest hostile worlds, though one might be able to count the number of these elves on two hands. Those who do though, find solace in the variation of other races. More often than not, these elves roam the world in search of a place they can finally call home

Religion
Elven religion has distinct similarities to the religion practiced by humans. Though the elves has different names for their gods, many of these gods have equivalents in the Anatolian pantheon. Elves practice what many civilized races would call barbaric practices. They often perform sacrifices to their gods. It is rumored that the elves practiced sacrifice on not just animals, but people as well, Though this rumor has never been confirmed nor denied. Elves are known to have a extremely ritualistic practice. Their rituals often last for days and can consist of very intricate ceremonies that include dancing, ritual magicks, invocations, and ritualized contest of skill.

At the heart of their religion is a being known as a heirophant. This heirophant acts as a direct connection to the gods and is responsible for determining their will. It is unclear if the heirophant are an order of elves, just one elf, or if each sect of elven people have their own heirophant. Either way, it is clear that this heirophant is the head of the elven religion.

Physiology
Elves are tall, lanky humanoids. Their eyes are always black and their hair colors consist of white, light blondes, and pale blues. On average the height of a elf is about 6 '10" with many elves growing as tall as 7'6'' . Males and females are typically very similar. The main difference is that female elves have slightly rounder faces as well as breast. Most elven men are very slender and fair, but as they age, many male elves grow to be rougher and more broad. Elven skin colors are the same as humans with lighter skin colors being dominant, but still having the occasional black or dark brown. Elves are immortal in the sense that once they hit their mature age, the age no further. They can still be slain by traditional means, but elves are not susceptible to old age. It is also worth mentioning that elven birth is rare. A female elf that bears more than one child in her lifetime is fairly uncommon.

Culture
As mentioned previously, Elves has a deep running honor system that is sacred within their community. This system includes many rites of passage that young elves have to endure to be considered an adult as well as many tests of skill that each elf is required to participate in several times throughout their lives. Thieves in elven culture are not tolerated. Once this act was met with capital punishment, but due to dwindling numbers, is now only met with severe lashings and imprisonment.

Elves are a stationary people who rarely wonder from their homeland. Their cities are often hidden in deep valleys or in thick growth forests. One might even walk past an elven city and never really recognize the buildings or outpost within. Elves are content with letting foreigners pass through their territory, but if their cities are disturbed or their land damaged, the transgressors are met with swift, deadly punishment with no mercy. It is rare, but occasionally elf kin will see passers on their way out of their territory so that no harm comes to them. Though other, more traditional sects might abduct trespassers into their cities. These abducts never make the journey home.

Game Mechanics
Elves are quick, clever pack hunters that will slay larger foes using coordinated assaults. They often hunt and fight in small bands that will tackle foes much more powerful than any individual elf.

Medium: Elves are medium humanoids and as such gain no bonuses

Speed: Elves have a land speed of 30 ft.

Quick wit, quick blade: Elves use their wit and precision to out maneuver and out flank foes. As such they begin play with a +2 in Dexterity and a +2 in intelligence.

Perfect Hunter: Elves spend their lives hunting foe much larger than themselves. As such they have learned to better seek out and ambush their foes. Elves gain a +2 to perception and a+2 to stealth.

Silent Stalker. Elves mush be quick and silent. Due to lives spent practicing these techniques, elves begin play with the Run feat as well as the ability to remain in stealth when running, though at a -10 to the stealth roll.

Precision over brawn: Elves use precise strikes rather than hard blows in order to tackle thier foes. As an elf, you start play with the Weapon Finesse feat.

Banned class: Barbarian. Elves feel sorrow, shame, joy, and exctasy, but rage and anger are not emotions a elf would readily feel. To add to this, elves generally use swift, precise strikes to take down their enemy rather than foce. As such, the barbarian class is banned for eves.

Favored classes

Ranger: Whenever an Elven ranger crits with a weapon with "Elven" in the title, they made add a +1/3 to the damage of that blow

Druid: Add +1/4 to all attack rolls made with natural weapons while in wild shape.

Rogue: You may add a +1/2 to all stealth checks made in natural environments (forest, caves, etc)