ELVES (Sidhelien)

The elves of Cerilia are a graceful but reclusive race, intensely suspicious of all outsiders. Humans speak of their unpredictability and their capacity for mindless violence. Those that know them well value them for their poetry, dance, song, and magical arts. Elves rarely leave their homelands, instead preferring to explore that which lie within the elven woods.

Personality

The elven heart is unfathomable to outsiders. They are moved to wild delight, dark melancholy, or burning rage with only the slightest cause. More than anything else, elves are unpredictable, doing what pleases them from moment to moment. Elves are haughty and treat outsiders with coldness or condescension. To their sworn friends they are loyal unto death, and they will remember their enemies until the end of time.

Physical Description

Cerilian elves are creatures of faerie dust and starlight, gifted with immortality and powers of mind and body beyond those of humankind. Elves stand as tall or taller than humans, but are far more slender and graceful. Males average 5 ½ to 6 feet in height, but weight only 120 to 140 pounds. Females are generally a few inches shorter and weight around 100 to 120 pounds. They tend to have fair skin and straight dark hair, with deep green or blue eyes. Elven features are exquisitely fine and they have no facial or body hair. Elves possess an unearthly beauty, and their perfect voices can hold a mortal spellbound. Elves do not sleep as mortals do; instead they enter a dreamlike trance for a few hours each day. They never get sick, but certain magical afflictions can still hurt them.

Relations

Early in Cerilia's history, the elves contested human settlement of the sub-continent's vast forests, and a strong current of ill will toward the human nations still runs strong in the elven woods. Few elven realms have any official contact with human kingdoms, and those that do only engage in some modest trade. Dwarves and elves have little need for contact and has lived side-by-side for millennia without much interaction. Elves hate goblins, gnolls and orogs with a passion, and will not suffer them to live if found within elven lands. They recognize the plight of the halflings and treat them with overbearing kindness.

Alignment

Elves may be of any non-lawful alignment; it's not in their nature to place the values of society above the freedom of the individual. Most elves are chaotic, and many are neutral - chaotic neutral is the elven racial alignment. Evil elves are the ones with the greatest capacity for hatred and destruction, while good elves generally advocate more peaceful relations with the rest of the world.

Classes

Many elves are fighters, either as their primary occupation, or taken up over the years to help defend the elven homeland. Sorcery is also very common among elves, as their blood is innately connected to the mystical forces in nature. Wizards are more rare, and only blooded elves ever take up wizardry. Elven rangers are few in number but are among the most skilled in all of Cerilia. Elven druids nurture and protect the elven woods, but are rarely seen by outsiders. Bards travel through the elven lands, spreading news and tales of heroic deeds. Rogues are uncommon, a those that are generally follow a path different from ordinary rogues.

Elves do not believe in gods and have no clerics or priests. Neither do they practice lesser magic - magicians are unknown among the Sidhelien. Cerilian elves are much too civilized to become barbarians on a regular basis, but rumors have it that several enclaves of elves have lost their way and now live like mad beasts.

Elven Lands

Elves live in Cerilia's remaining deep forests. Once they controlled most of the continent, but today their realms are but shadows of the great Elven Court of old. Elven rulers vary from court to court, depending on the values of the elves of that nation. Some are benevolent and wise, others are violent and rash, while yet others are filled with hate and loathing for the lesser races. An elven wood can be a most perilous place for human travelers, but even more so for goblins and other dark creatures.

Religion

Cerilian elves do not worship gods as other races do. Instead they have an ancient and complex connection with nature and the mystic forces of the land. Each and every elf can instinctually sense the state of land and its magical flows.

Language

Elves speak Sidhelien as their racial language. Because of their long lives, the elven language remains relatively unchanged; no dialects of any kind are known to exist. Many elves speak the various languages of humankind and the dark tongues of goblins are especially common - it pays to know ones enemies. Sidhelien is notoriously difficult to learn, often requiring years to master the basics.

Names

When an elf comes of age, it is customary for her to chose an adult name for herself. Those that knew her as a youngster may or may not continue to call her by her child name.

An elf's adult name is a unique creation, innately linked to her nature. It often reflects the names of those she admires or others in her family. Sometimes past deeds or special characteristics help shape the name. Non-elves often find elven names quite similar, and often believe that several elves may share a name. The truth is that human ears cannot discern the subtle differences in pronunciation. Family names are combinations of regular elven words, and are often translatable into other languages. Some elves chose to use the translated form when dealing with humans.

Male Names

Allanlaigh, Barreight, Bruibevann, Braedonnal, Brynwbhie, Connal, Conannelaght, Caelcormac, Ceincorinn, Cormac, Corvwyn, Daegandal, Darochinn, Delwynndwn, Derwyndal, Devlyn, Eagandigh, Eamonnal, Finn, Gannelganwn, Garradh, Glyngrean, Lachlan, Lynn, Merwyndin, Niall, Rannoch, Rhuobe, Rhys, Riordan, Seabharinn, Siele, Sliebheinn, Talerdigh, Tuall, Wynehclan

Female Names

Ailein, Alleina, Ardenna, Ashleight, Audreeana, Breeana, Brigyte, Briona, Bronwyn, Caitlannagh, Camrynnyd, Caileight, Dannagh, Deirdre, Duana, Erinn, Fiona, Finnegwyn, Glynna, Gwenyth, Gwyneth, Gwenneigr, Leeana, Llewellyn, Mawrmaval, Meaghan, Meabhe, Niobhe, Nysneirdre, Rhiannin, Rhondal, Sinead, Siobhan, Tuanala.

Family Names

Aleach (Starflower), Amalachloden (Gemflower), Galanohel (Moonwhisper), Holomilach (Diamonddew), Liadonel (Silverford), Meliamene (Oakenheel), Naibohan (Nightbreeze), Siannodenel (Moonbrook), Thimanonell (Gemblossom), Wilosbhent (Goldpetal).

Adventurers

Elves take up adventuring out of wanderlust. Many young elves are overcome by an irresistible urge to travel the world beyond the elven forests. Most remain apart from the human world, moving from one place to another, always observing but rarely making contact with the folk they meet. Elves must also be vary, for many humans are distrustful of elves, indeed many would call it an great deed if they slew an elf.

Elven Racial Traits

*+2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, +2 Charisma, -2 Strength, -2 Constitution: Elves are agile in both mind and body, but are frail and weak when compared to humans.
*Medium-size Fey (Elf): No modifiers.
*Base Speed: 30 feet.
*Ageless (Ex): Elves do not suffer the ravages of time and are thus immune to aging effects and attacks. They are also immune to normal disease, but not to magical afflictions like lycanthropy or mummy rot.
*Fleet Footed (Ex): Elves move quickly and gracefully when not encumbered. Elves add 10 to their speed when not wearing heavy armor.
*Keen Senses (Ex): +2 racial bonus on Listen, Search, and Spot checks. Listen, Search, and Spot are always class skills.
*Nightvision (Ex): Elves can see by starlight as well as humans see by daylight. Elves cannot see in total darkness.
*Sleepless (Ex): Immunity to magical sleep spells and effects and a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against enchantment spells and effects. Elves never need sleep, but become weary and must rest and meditate for 3-4 hours each day.
*Trackless Step (Su): A Cerilian elf leaves no trail in natural surroundings and cannot be tracked. An elf can travel over heavy snow, soft sand, or a treacherous mountainside as easily as a human walks across a smooth floor. Their speed is not reduced even under severe conditions.
*Woodland Stride (Su): A Cerilian elf may move through any natural terrain without suffering any damage or other impairment. Elves also have a +2 racial bonus on Hide, Move Silent, and Wilderness Lore checks in natural surroundings. Enchanted or magically manipulated areas still affect elves normally and their racial bonus checks is canceled. Hide, Move Silent, and Wilderness Lore are always class skills.
*Alignment Restrictions: Any nonlawful.
*Class Restrictions: Any except cleric.
*Level Adjustment +3: Elves are immortal and enchanted, having magical abilities others races can only dream about. NOTE: I have humans as ECL +1, so the effective ECL for elves is +2.