Dana

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Revision as of 23:54, 1 August 2008

This article is about the elf race. For the ELF guild, see Erisian Liberation Front.

Elves

The elvish race has a long and glorious history, stretching back into the mists of time farther than any other known earthly race, except perhaps for their bitter enemies, the slaan. Elves are tall, graceful beings, noted for their agility and for the longevity which brings them lifespans stretching over a millenium and a half. The rise, decline, and fall of the mighty Altrian Empire would have fit within the span of a single elf's lifetime -- provided that elf did not perish in the foul machinations that brought about that realm's demise or in its final, fiery destruction. Elves are not known for strength and hardiness of body, though their strong mental and magical talents seem to most adequate compensation. Their sensitive eyes are capable of a degree of nightvision, and perhaps an elf's most distinctive feature is the high points on his ears. Like many fey folks, elves display a certain vulnerability to weapons forged of iron, though this certainly does not bar them from their use.

Elves are generally forest-dwellers by preference, though different individuals and groups make their homes in any number of terrains. The beautiful tree-cities of such realms as Lothlorien and Jaakurrah are the result of elves' talent for creating dwelling-space in harmony with nature, though the latter is inhabited by many peoples. The apparent elven preference in both lifestyle and philosophy tends toward lightheartedness and a will for experience of beauty.

Do not mistake elves for a folk unwilling to fight, however; they display strong talents with the bow and sword, and many great wars have been waged by elven nations, from the continual battles against orcs and their kin to the wars against the dwarves for which many of each race still bear the other ill-will to the tragic Kinslayer War, fought between the elven island civilization of Nibenay and a coalition of other elf states. The latter war drove the Nibenay elves deep into the earth, where they would one day become the people called the drow.

Elves speak a beautiful, lyrical language called Sperethiel, which they share with their aquatic cousins, the quessae; the drow language, Zadjalin, has drifted so far from ancient Sperethiel as to make speakers of the two mutually incomprehensible.

 /------------------------------- The Elf Race -------------------------------\
 | Attributes                Strength                 20 to  80               |
 |                           Intelligence             80 to 105               |
 |                           Constitution             20 to  70               |
 |                           Dexterity                80 to 100               |
 |                           Willpower                80 to 105               |
 |                           Charisma                 80 to 100               |
 |                           Perception               70 to 100               |
 |                           Size                     60 to  80               |
 | Typical Sexes                                      Male                    |
 |                                                    Female                  |
 | Languages                 Native                   Sperethiel              |
 | Innate Skills             Magick resistance        5                       |
 |                           Entropy resistance       5                       |
 | Specialty Access          Magick resistance and    available: degree IV,   |
 |                           Entropy resistance       required: degree I      |
 | Resistances               Temporal                 near-total resistance   |
 | Traits                    Assimilativity           -1                      |
 |                           Night vision             1                       |
 |                           Sentience                Anthropic               |
 |                           Speech pattern           Proper                  |
 | Cultures and Homelands    Akalish Wildling         Akalahai                |
 |                           Almerian Wildling        Almeria                 |
 |                           Freeholder               Freehold                |
 |                           Hanoman                  Hanoma                  |
 |                           Jhanite                  Jhan                    |
 |                           Losthavener              Losthaven               |
 |                           Lowlander                Halfmoon Bay            |
 |                                                    Sanctuary               |
 |                           Noldor                   Liathyr                 |
 |                           Northlander Wildling     the Northlands          |
 |                           Seelie                   Arborlon                |
 |                           Shakarian                Shakari                 |
 |                           Tenochlani Wildling      Tenochlan               |
 |                           Vanyar                   Valathyr                |
 | Physical Characteristics  Anatomy                  Anthropoid              |
 |                           Natural Weaponry         Ordinary                |
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