The ELFish genes

ELF (#1-3/31, #60-62/365) [OOTP IV]

                 Cavern Elf      High Elf     Town Elf

SKILL:             8                 8                7

STAMINA:        6                 8                5

ATTACKS: 1

WEAPON:

Cavern Elf - Longbow or Spear

High Elf - Longbow or Sword

Town Elf - Dagger or Staff

ARMOUR: 

Cavern Elf - Leather Cuirass

High Elf - Chainmail Cuirass

Town Elf - None

DAMAGE MODIFIER: None

HABITAT: 

Cavern Elf - Caves, Dungeons

High Elf - Plains, Wilderness, Ruins, Towns

Town Elf - Towns, Ruins

NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 1-3

TYPE: Humanoid

REACTION: Neutral

INTELLIGENCE: High

Created from magical clay by the plant goddess Galana, ELVES are one of the more variable of the original five races of Titan, with numerous types differing both in appearance and habitat of choice. Black, Dark, Mountain and Wood Elves are described in Out of the Pit ( pp. 46-47), while Desert, Half-, Ice, Jungle, Sea and Wild Elves can be found in Beyond the Pit (pp. 48-51). Three further variants are presented below.

In the aftermath of the Grand Rebellion, when the forces of Prince Viridel Kerithrion abandoned their surface bolt-hole for the caverns deep beneath Titan, three types of Elves were spawned in these wars of kindred. The Dark Elves founded the city of Tiranduil Kelthas and have dwelt there ever since, as well as establishing colonies elsewhere. The Black Elves took one look at the Dark Elves' descent into demon-worshipping depravity and fled back to the surface, become nomadic traders and mercenaries. And last were the CAVERN ELVES, who fled deeper underground, to an isolated cave where they established their own settlement of Karvakon.

Karvakon became cut off from the rest of both the Down Below and the surface world probably around the time of the Splitting of the Lands, and the Cavern Elves lived strange isolated lives worshipping the forgotten deity Vacavon (now known to be an aspect of the underworld god Dhaktili). And so a millenia passed, until a revolutionary called Grondel summoned a planar-travelling adventurer, whose presence reminded the Elves that there was a world outside. Exploring the outer limits of the tunnels around Karvakon they discovered a new cave, opened by rockfall, leading to the rest of the Underearth!

 

Now, slowly and cautiously, the Cavern Elves are exploring the lands around them, and taking that knowledge back to Karvakon for the priests to compile in the great archives. Easily identifiable by their white skin, long white hair tied into top-knots, and black saucer-shaped eyes, these Elves, armed with spears and bows, wander the Underearth in small groups of 1-3 adventurers, observing all. They ignore the Dark Elves, for the secret records kept by the priests of Vacavon reminded them of the Darkside's treachery. But, weirdly, they have fallen in with the Brain Slayers, who are fascinated by these isolated Elves, their forgotten deity, and what other secrets they may have stashed away in their temples and libraries!

Also known as Elder Elves and Silver Elves, the HIGH ELVES are thought to represent the original form of Galana's true Elves of the One Forest; powerful warriors, wizards and sorcerers devoted to a lifetime's service in the cause of Good. Some deride them as messianic fanatics; doomed outcasts wandering the lands in search of injustices to avenge and wrongs to right. Others consider them the very emblem of heroic noble chivalry, mighty champions of Good who seek to destroy Evil and Chaos wherever they find it. Unlike other Elven races, it is thought that High Elves lack larger gatherings or settlements, and, similar to Minimites, traverse the lands of Titan alone or in small groups, stalking righteously from place to place. Some scholars claim they do have the odd hermitage here or there, where High Elves can gather, recuperate, exchange lore, enchant potent magicks, and gird themselves in their epic struggles against the badness inherent in the world. Regardless, they are rarely encountered but some legendary heroes are known, such as Sha-Solor the Sage of Gallantaria (see Heroes of Titan, p. 53) or Lady Illythin of the Steppes (see Heroes of Titan, p. 13).

Similar to some Dwarfs, though much more rarely, the occasional Elf settles down in a city or other settlement of those younger human upstarts, establishes a business, starts a family, and after many years, largely forgets their ties to whatever Elven homeland they once hailed from. Thus we have the TOWN ELF; originally hailing from the woods or mountains, or even, rarely, a more specialized locale, but who has since become completely integrated within their chosen human community. Such a Town Elf will usually be running a business in line with their talents - selling magical trinkets, teaching at a sorcerous college, acting as a local sage or loremaster - and wear robes and carry a staff or dagger. They may even have an elven sword or longbow as an heirloom, tucked away in a trunk somewhere in their dwelling. One such example is the candlemaker Galor Erethrim of Port Blacksand; others include Xundle Nightlamp of Kalagar (see Heroes of Titan, p. 43) and the noted wizard Astariel Ashenstar (see Heroes of Titan, p. 46). The Town Elf is usually the type of Elf manifested by the Ring of Warrior-Summoning (see Encyclopedia Arcana: Volume 1, p. 131).

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Cavern, High and Town Elves as ancestries for Heroes

These new types of Elves can be chosen as an ancestry type by players for their Heroes. This allows the following addition to made to the Hero's characteristics:

Cavern/High/Town Elf:         +1 to MAGIC

These Elves also have some Special Skills and Talents that are granted for free. These are as follows:

Special Skills:

Common Speech 4 (if Town Elf)

Elvish 4 (if Cavern or High Elf)

Common Speech 2 (if Cavern or High Elf)

Elvish 2 (if Town Elf)

Magic-Minor 1 (all Elves)

World or Flatland Lore 1 (if High Elf; player's choice as to which)

City Lore 1 (if Town Elf)

Underground Lore 1 (if Cavern Elf)

Talents:

Dark Seeing