Disadvantages
Bloodlust (-10 pts)
Code of Honor (Elegance, -10 points)
Intolerance (all races, -10 points)
Fanaticism (Survival of the Elven Race, -15 points)
Racial Reputation -2 (as evil, merciless foes, -10 points)
Sense of Duty (Nature, -15 points)
Selfish (-10 points)
Odious Racial Habits -2 (Targets enemy noncomatants, especially females amd young, -10 points)
Raciall Learned Skills:
Bard at +2 (2 points)
Bow skill at DX (4 pts)
Fencing skill at DX level (2 pts)
Savoir-Faire +2 (1 point)
Stealth skill at DX level (2 pts)
Survival - Woodlands skill at IQ (2 points)
Traps skill at IQ (2 points)
Racial Bonus:
+3 to Climbing (4 pts)
Appearance
Dark elves are the evil brethren of the woodland and high elves. Their skin is a bluish-black, their hair white, and they share the pointed ears and sharp features of their elven brethren. Due to their life under the earth and dedication to evil goals, they have the ability to see perfectly in the dark.
In the distant past a great many high elves decided that rather than meekly accept what fate had in store for their race (the common high elf opinion is that the elven races will one day be surpassed and in time totally destroyed by either the humans or the orcs). The formal policy was to attempt to choose the humans as the successor race whom could be most influenced to adopt the elven ideas and customs.
The radical high elves chose instead a darker course, instead of seeking the goal that elven ideals and customs would survive the race, their thought was better to seek the total distruction of all non-elven races. After these felt strong enough and after gainning a great many converts, the radicals petitioned the High Elven King to adopt their manifesto. The Elf King Ellocke (the first and longest reigning Elven King) and his high council of twelve cast a massive curse upon the radicals that "May these Dark Elves become as dark of skin as they are of heart." It is said that the shock of their transformation caused the hair of the dark elves to turn white...as did King Ellocke's own hair upon learning that his wife whom he loved dearly, had become a dark elf herself. King Ellocke commanded that all the Dark Elves were to be expelled from the High Elven kingdom.
So Queen Faydar gathered together and led the Dark Elves into exile, establishing their culture and customs and seeking the destruction of all non-elven races....although many Dark Elves seek the destruction of all non-Dark Elves...while others hope to one day enslave their elven kinsmen.
The loss of his wife, a third of his subjects and the fights to come with elf fighting and sheding elf blood was too much for King Ellocke, he lost his mind and is said to have killed himself by his own hand while others say a Dark Elf assassin did the deed.
There has followed several thousand years of warfare between high and dark elves...the high elves being dedicated to opposing and defeating the dark elves and have aided and supported the humans against many a dark elf plot.
Dark Elves are perhaps the most ferocious of all the dark races, exbibiting all the speed, adility and intelligence of the elven race but with a dark intent. They kill without remorse. They lucky few that have survived a Dark Elf attack report that the Dark Elves delight in killing - even to the point of lovingly cradling their prey before they strike the final death blow.
Oddly enough, however, most Dark Elves have a true respect for the life they take. Life is a vital force even in death and they understand this importance. It does not stop the Dark Elves from killing, but they are known to be merciful in their work. Death by torture is rare for an Elf, even a Dark Elf.
It should be noted that Dark Elves will kill the females and young of their foes jusr or even more quickly than the combatants. The Dark Elves consider themselves in a racial war of exstinction and know that for evey female and child they kill today saves them from having to deal with untold numbers of their decendants tomarrow....
Dark Elves believe that their only true path to redemption is their undying faith in their racial cause and their undying desire to destroy all non-elven intelligent life. This does not mean that Dark Elves are so xenophobic that they would not work with members of other races...because they will if the other race is (usually unknowingly) carrying out Dark Elf objectives...the Dark Elves are happy to use pawns to meet their goals. They delight in bloodshed and love to see human-orcish wars since they consider these races as their largest and most dangerious foes...
Many Dark Elves are fencers and archers and quite a few follow the Swashbucking Code of Honor. The majority of Dark Elves will keep their agreements and their word unless it conflicts with their racial objectives.
Dark Elves are touchy about any real or imagined insult and they will address the matter as their personality dictates, some would challenage the offender to a formal duel, while other may attempt an assassination while a third might decide to bedevil the offender, causing him no end of troubles...
It should be noted that their are a few, a very few of the younger Dark Elves that have rejected their people's belief and have turn renagade. Such individuals when known are hunted down and killed...
