Difference between revisions of "Vidari"

Revision as of 16:41, 23 November 2007

After the Great War of Gods, Alrayna wept for a full year. From her tears sprouted the massive forests Ardeste and Gartania and there she gave life to the elves. They were created a beautiful and captivating race with keen senses and a sensitive spirit, taught the science of magic from the dragons, and were gifted with art and love from the goddess. They live for many human lifetimes, often hundreds or sometimes thousands of years.

Appearance

Elves are as majestic and beatiful as they are graceful and agile. They have long, pointed ears usually 5 to 7 inches in length. Most wear long, silky hair, have fair to pale skin, and have captivating eyes found in blues, violets, and greens. They generally don't differ in height or weight from Men, but their dexterous bodies make them appear more lithe.

An average elf is usually adorned in robes or gowns made of silk or fine linens, their dress typically matching the color of the seasons. Adventurers typically wear lavish cloaks over tunics or light armor. Many wear rings, circlets, or necklaces made of fine metals and gems. Few wear earrings as they claim it interferes with their keen hearing.

Personality

Elves are sometimes aloof, but more often it is the human perception of their difference in culture. They are passionate and enjoy life and laughter; many seek out all kinds of experiences and knowledge. Elves are mostly kind and polite, but deliver swift anger when warranted.

Habitat

The elves live in great numbers in their homelands, the island nation of Ardeste and the forest nation of Gartania. Infrequently will elves be found living among humans, but there are some elves who live in solitude in forests or wilderness.

Elven cities are built from natural materials: predominantly wood and stone, but occasionally metal. They are always lush with greenery and life, with gardens and groves very common. Their homes are warm and inviting. Human visitors to the elven cities always describe them as feeling slightly otherworldly or ethereal, a truly spiritual place.

Society

Elves live an orderly life. They have a ruling council of elders that makes political decisions and a noble court that enforces law. Very few elves lack the common moral conviction, but it does occur. Most importantly, elves celebrate art, song, and magic.

Elves mate for life and revere new birth. Of all the other races, humans are only capable of reproducing with elves, but human-elf marriages and children are uncommon considering their vastly different lifespans.

Occasionally, they wage battle with the Dark Elves, who they believe were created as a mockery of themselves.

Adventurers

Elven adventurers feel the wanderlust to experience the world. They typically pass human settlements unseen, either at night or under cover of forest. They sometimes ally with humans and half-elves, but stereotypically find dwarves stubborn and vulgar. They usually are indifferent to halflings. Elves love archery, swordplay, and magic, and it is not uncommon to find an adventurer that practices one or more of these.

Max Caps

• Endurance 8
• Personality 8
• Presence 12
• Agility 12

Powers

• Elven Cunning. Elves have powerful vision and hearing, receiving a +3 to Spot and Listen checks. Their range for these senses is twice that of a human and can see clearly in all but pitch black. They also possess a supernatural intuition about looming danger, getting a "bad feeling" when events could go sour.
• Magic Sensitivity. Elves are innately sensitive to magic and mana. An elf can touch an object and determine if it is infused with magic or covered by a spell. They can also locate sources of mana with a "you're getting warmer" feeling.