Faerilven

The faerilven, or fair elves, are the mysterious and magical woodland beings of story and legend. They dwell throughout the lands of the Shadowend, protecting their ancient strongholds through powerful enchantments and illusions.

Light elves are loosely divided into two subcultures, the noble elves and the sylvan elves. The ilvenkin are comfortable in both modes, and individuals move freely between the pomp and elegance of the noble lifestyle and the relaxed ways of the forest runners. All of the faerilven, however, answer to the Ceârliun, the court of the highest and noblest ilvenkin.

Relations: The fair elves get along well with gnomes. Ceaseless conflicts with over land with humans has exasperated them, but they still find humans worthwhile comrades and allies. They seldom come into contact with the dweorhin. They dislike fuah, believing them to combine the worst traits of goblins and humans.

Alignment: The faerilven are usually good and chaotic.

Faerilven Lands: The fair elves can be found in nearly every woodland in the lands of the Shadowend. With the fall of Illendia, the fair elves of Shadowend abandoned dreams of a single kingdom, chosing instead small communities in forests around the region. Elven settlements are located in Driathorn Forest and the Forest of Eoghin. Elves dwell in Wythin Wood, but like the other inhabitants of that realm, they are reclusive and rarely seen. The strongest elven presences are in the Shadowend Forest and the overgrown remains of the realm of Illendia. Cuirinciroin, the Winding Halls; Tíandahfrau, the Towers of Frost; and Aithelighin, the Rainbowed Pavilions, are the best known faerilven settlements in the Shadowend Forest.

Racial Abilities:

• +1 Dexterity, -1 Strength. Faerilven are agile, but not strong.
• Immortality: Elves are immortal. Barring violent or magical death, elves do not age and do not suffer the affects of aging. The starting age given in the Player's Handbook is appropriate only for "newborn" elves; they cease to age after this point. Elves can still die from starvation, thirst, drowning, or suffocation.
• To cope with the effects of immortality, elves periodicly engage in Retreats, during which they seek solitude and contemplation. During the Retreat (which can last up to a hundred years), the elf’s memories and experiences become embodied in a crystalline pendant or bracelet. The elf then entrusts that crystal, and any relics from his past life, to a Keeper of Life. Thereafter, the elf has only the dimmest recollections of his past life and experiences, similar to deja vu, and is for all intents and purposes a 1st-level character. An elf’s fundamental personality and alignment do not change as a result of Retreat, but character class may.
• Elves suffer from, but do not die of, nonmagical diseases. If an elf contracts a nonmagical disease, they suffer all the normal symptoms and effects. Upon reaching the point of death from a disease, an elf instead enters a deathlike coma for 1d4 months, after which they awaken. If the coma resulted from ability score loss, the elf emerges from the coma with 1 point in that score, and regains 1 point per month of complete rest.
• Medium-size: As Medium-size creatures, elves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Elven base speed is 30 feet.
• Low-light vision: Elves can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar lighting conditions of poor illumination. They retain the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
• +2 bonus on Listen, Search, and Spot checks. An elf who merely passes within 5 feet of a secret or concealed door is entitled to a Search check to notice it as if she were actively looking for the door. An elf’s senses are so keen that she practicly has a sixth sense about hidden portals.
• Immunity to magic sleep spells and effects, and a +2 racial saving throw bonus against Enchantment spells or effects.
• Weapon Proficiency: Faerilven receive Weapon Group (Elven Weapons) as a bonus feat.
• Automatic Languages: Common, Elven. Bonus Languages: Amerite, Draconic, Gnoll, Gnome, Goblin, Keldruith, Orc, Riven-tongue, Sylvan, Wiernaug.

Open Game License