Race Preview: Elf

Most elves possess a strong sense of immediacy, and rarely have enough patience to work through any but the simplest plans. As such, they have an almost manic energy once they decide on a course, and almost nothing can dissuade them from their chosen path. They feel everything absolutely, whether it be hatred, love, fear, or mercy, and bored elves willfully seek out something - anything - to do. The only people spared an elf's capriciousness are other elves, as the greatest crime of their people is to kill another. While they do not necessarily care much for each other, even the basest elven life is worth more than anyone else's.

Elves are almost the equal in height to humans, being anywhere from just under five feet to nearly six feet tall, but weigh as little 80 to 120 pounds. Elves usually have red or black eyes and hair from dark brown to bright gold. Anyone getting even a glance at a nearby elf also realizes that the tale of elves with pointed ears is but a myth caused by unknowingly looking upon an elf's horns from a distance. Some elven spies have filed down these horns to hide among humans, but it is a painful experience. The most surprising feature of an elf is only visible up close and in proper lighting. Elven skin is actually a series of fine, white scales, giving the elf an almost ghostly pallor.

Even the most compassionate elves still wears the traditional bone mail armors of their people. While they can understand that this disturbs others, elves view it as a practicality, since the dead no longer have need of the material.

Elves in the world of the Accordlands live short lives of precisely 30 years. At the end of that time, they die like flowers before winter, unable to do anything to extend this season. Some elves, however, refuse to accept this swift flame, and spend their short time searching for the immortality that they feel was denied them by nature, finding it instead through the study of magic and the practice of various vices. They reach maturity around age 7, and live thereafter in a sort of long-term golden youth, not showing any signs of aging until they are 27. This short life span is the eternal bane of the elven race, and has spawned more use of magic and dissection of arcane and sorcerous arts than any other source.

Elves gravitate heavily toward the Myreth and Taraniel forests, though this latter forest has fallen under Deverenian domination since the native Rowan abandoned it and the other Elves turned their attentions westward. The Elves live in diffuse settlements within these woods, with only the rarest being home to more than fifty at a time. Each such township sports a mixture of houses, though one is always most prominent. These settlements vary widely in appearance, from sprawling arboreal platforms to massive mausoleums.

Due to a terrible incident long ago, Elves can no longer worship a god directly. Instead, each elf chooses an aspect of himself to embrace, most commonly blood, bone, flesh, or spirit. The elf attempts to strengthen that part of himself, both symbolically and in actuality, and such piety has occasionally brought about its own, unique form of immortality.

Young elves frequently become adventurers, whether out of a sense of duty to their people, avoidance of boredom, or question for ever-elusive immortality. Elves in mixed parties are subject to relatively little prejudice, as many simply assume that such an elf clearly needs no further proof of their own freedom from bias.

Standard Elven Racial Traits

• +2 Dexterity, -2 Constitution: Though elves have quick, agile bodies, their bodies are frail.
• Low-light Vision: Elves can see twice as far as normal humans in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. They retain the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
• Bonemail Proficiency: Elves are automatically proficient with all forms of bonemail armor.
• Automatic Languages: Common and Elven. Bonus Languages: Deverenian, Draconic, Kabal, and Nothrog. Elves rarely have dealings with outsiders, but several make the effort to know their allies and enemies better.
• Favored class: Necromancer.