- Elves are cautious fighters and always use their strengths to advantage if possible. One of their greatest strengths is the ability to pass through natural surroundings, woods, or forests, silently and almost invisibly. By moving quietly and blending into vegetation for cover, elves will often surprise a person or party (opponents have a surprise modifier of -4). As long as they are not attacking, the elves hiding in the forest can only be spotted by someone or something with the ability to see invisible objects. The military value of this skill is immense, and elven armies will always send scouts to spy on the enemy, since such spies are rarely caught-or even seen." - 2nd Edition Monstrous Manual
Elves are slightly shorter, and much slighter of frame, than humans. Elven males average 5’0” in height and 112 lb in weight. Elven females average 4’8” in height and 92lb in weight. On the whole, dwarves and elves tend to be of similar weights, but are about a foot apart in height. Each pair of parents typically raises 2-3 children over the course of their lifetime, although families with 5+ kids are not unheard of.
There are no high elves, grey elves, dark elves, or wood elves, but a single Elven Species. However Aquatic elves do exist however as a different species. Those called "Dark Elves" are exiles from Elven Society, and not a species of their own. Elven skin-tones vary based on the climate and their ancestry.
Elves view all the other races as unfortunate creatures who don't live long enough to truly understand or appreciate the world. Other races are short tempered, crass, destructive, and short sighted. Elves rarely make their home outside their own lands, and even more rarely let non-elves settle in amongst them. Visitors are kept to the borders, but treated with kindness.
Their long-lived nature makes the common elf a formidable opponent. The elven lands are famed for the their rangers who guard their borders. A handful of elven rangers can defend against many times their numbers.
Elves are excellent craftsmen, but their weapons and armor are never sold to outsiders, lest they fall into the hands of enemies. They may be gifted to someone the elves wish to honor. Elven weapons are light and swift (½ weight and +1 to hit), while elven chain mail (AC bonus of 6, 20lb) is renowned across the land for its strength and weight.
Elves reach maturity at around age 100.
The oldest elf seen in Arcadia was Luna, who was alive at the time of the Breaking of Arcadia 1500 years ago.
Origins[]
The elven species were largely created by Astair. Where they were created is unknown, but it is known the elves travelled from the Feywild to arrive in The World. The Feywild connects to various Elven Woods across the world, such as I' Yaara Oryn in Solum, and Sylvas in Arcadia. There are also known elven woods in Bravo, Caldonia, Edheltol. These elven woods became the homelands of the Elves in The World.
2e Racial Info[]
From 2e Player's Handbook:
- +1 on attacks with long or short bows.
- +1 on attacks with long or short swords.
- Racial Ability Requirements: Str 3/18, Dex 6/18, Con 7/18, Int 8/18, Wis 3/18, Cha 3/18, Per 3/18
- Class Restrictions: A player character elf can be a cleric (to level 12), fighter (to level 12), wizard (to level 15), thief (to level 12), or ranger (to level 15. In addition, an elf can choose to be a multi-class fighter/mage, fighter/thief, or ranger. In addition, an elf can choose to be a multi-class fighter/mage, fighter/thief, fighter/mage/thief, or mage/thief.
- Resistance: Elven characters have 90% resistance to sleep and all charm-related spells. This is in addition to the normal saving throw allowed against a charm spell.
- Ambusher: An elf can gain a bonus to surprise opponents, but only if the elf is not in metal armor. Even then, the elf must either be alone, or with a party comprised only of elves or halflings (also not in metal armor), or 90 feet or more away from his party (the group of characters he is with) to gain this bonus. If they fulfil these conditions, they moves so silently that opponents suffer a -4 penalty to their surprise die rolls. If the elf must open a door or screen to attack, this penalty is reduced to -2.
- Finding Secret doors: Secret doors (those constructed so as to be hard to notice) and concealed doors (those hidden from sight by screens, curtains, or the like) are difficult to hide from elves. Merely passing within 10 feet of a concealed door gives an elven character a one-in-six chance (roll a 1 on 1d6) to notice it. If actively searching for such doors, elven characters have a one-in-three chance (roll a 1 or 2 on 1d6) to find a secret door and a one-in-two chance (roll a 1, 2, or 3 on 1d6) to discover a concealed portal.
Player Characters[]
Elven Cultures[]
Sylvas[]
The homeland of the elves in Arcadia. Refugee elves from Caldonia and The Talens fled to Sylvas as well.
Historically Sylvas once covered much of Arcadia, but with the arrival of Humans to the land, the forests have been reduced to their current borders.
The Talens[]
The Talens
The Talens, prior to the Breaking of Arcadia, were home to a civilization of Elves that were cousins of the elves of Caldonia.
The Talons in this era were not a series of islands but a larger island.
Following the Breaking of Arcadia, the landmass sunk below the sea so only the tops of the mountains remain. These Elves are considered all but extinct.
In 1510, Malakai met one of the survivors of the Talens Elves who recounted the events that destroyed her land.
Caldonia[]
Caldonia was home to a sizeable Elven population before the immigration by the humans 2000 years ago. History records a war over the native Elves and the new Human Kingdom over territory. Many elves fled the conflict.
With the freezing of Caldonia with the Breaking of Arcadia, the Caldonian Elves are considered by all experts to be extinct.
Bravo[]
The elves of the jungles of Bravo appear physically deformed to the elves of Arcadia. Being both shorter and having more floppy ears.
Since the Breaking of Arcadia teraformed Bravo into the jungle island it is now, the Elves of Bravo have tried to maintain and recreate their old ways of living.
Ethos[]
Off the coast of Ethos in the ocean live a group of aquatic elves. Not much is known about them, but apparently they have been guarding a magical trident for a very long time. The aquatic elves are able to turn into mermaids and dolphins.
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