THE WOOD ELVES

Advantages
DX +2 (20 pts)
IQ +1 (10 pts)

Animal Empathy (10 pts)
Magery (15 pts)
Fearlessness +2 (4 pts)
Silence x1 (5 pts)
Combat Reflexes (15 pts)
Speak with Animals (15 pts)
Unaging (15 pts)

Disadvantages
Sense of Duty (nature) (-15 pts)
Intolerance (Orcs) (-5 pts)
Bloodlust (-10 pts)
Code of Honor (Wood Elf Customs) (-10 pts)

Raciall Learned Skills
Bow skill at DX (4 pts), Fencing skill at DX level (2 pts), Stealth skill at DX level (2 pts), Survival - Woodlands skill at IQ (2 points) Traps skill at IQ (2 points) and a racial bonus of +3 to Climbing (4 pts).

It costs 85 points to play a Wood Elf.

Appearance

The Wood Elves are, physically, very similar to the other Races of Elves, being only a little shorter (1 inch less than a human with same ST) and lighter (ten pounds less than the equivalent for his height). Their hair and eyes may posses a wide variety of colors that are not usually found in the other Elf races. Their hair may be black, brown, or blond, with some really uncommon colors or combination of colors, like mixed blue-green or red. Their eyes are normally of light colors: blue, green or hazel, but dark brown eyes and even black are not too uncommon. Their skin is white and often deeply tanned (not as pale as the High Elves). Most of them posses extremely straight hair, that they wear long, commonly to mid-back length, or even longer. Some wood elf maids have hair that hangs down to their ankles and it is not at all unusual for wood elf maids to have waist length hair. Hair styles for males and females alike commonly are tied up in a ponytail, braided on the sides or down the back. Fancy braiding is quite common on formal occasions.

Psychology

Wood Elves usually hide deep in the forests and prefer to not deal directly with other races as they have gotten tired of watching while other races destroy nature. To them, the fight is inevitable and there's no specific way to solve the problems of the world. This way, the Wood Elves began to develop a more offensive attitude than usual for Elves.

The Wood Elf warriors are probably the best in all history of the elves. Coming to the conclusion that they must give their attention to more direct ways of fighting evil, they have developed their combat techniques for centuries, and taking advantage of everything nature could give them. Wood Elf cities in the forest often are more like fortresses and the few that enter without authorization never returned alive.

The Wood Elves are great hunters and spies. They can move silently, and if they don't want to be seen, they usually won't. But, Wood Elves have lost the sense of style that every Elf once had. Even if they still look graceful, they don't have all the "fashion sense" they once had. They are still magic in nature, and every one knows a little bit of magic. They have used this knowledge to increase their chances of winning a fight, learning mostly elemental spells and have developed very creative uses for the Plant and Animal Colleges of Magic.

The art and the music of the Wood Elves have also suffered several wounds. The Wood Elves still play beautiful songs, but perhaps not as beautiful as they once were. And if one pays careful attention to the lyric of those songs, one will notice the songs are often sad and melancholy and about war, and death and hope.

Ecology

Wood Elves have assumed their role, as nature protectors like never before, and are willing to use force they may need to do so without regret. They keep themselves in the deepest parts of the forest and have come closer to its animals and plants. Over time, they have learned to live in perfect harmony with nature with many Wood Elf Rangers developing the ability to communicate with the plants and animals of their home.

Members of the Wood Elf community rarely commit crimes, and treachery is rare and considered by far the worst crime.

Wood Elves rarely live more than 500 years as often they end up dying protecting nature or their homes or kin. While they respect life greatly as do all Elves, they are more willing to sacrifice themselves in a just cause without fear or regret.

Culture

Wood Elf culture is simple and their actions are mainly for survival. The young are trained early to fight and survive. There is no social discrimination between male and female. A talented individual of either sex may hold any social or military position.

Normally there will be only one Wood Elf City in a forest with it’s own King. Wood Elf cities tend to be small, usually in the 10,000 – 30,000 population range, although smaller permanent towns and villages are not too uncommon. It is extremely rare for a Wood Elf town to be much larger. Normally Wood Elf towns and cities are tree houses in old growth forests with platforms and ramps and rope bridges connecting the houses and shops. It is possible to pass underneath a Wood Elf City without ever seeing it in the trees above your head.

Most Wood Elves gather in small bands of 100 to 200 members, where the best warrior is usually the leader. Few Wood Elf tribes use any other kind of hierarchy. The leader is usually titled Prince or Princess and tribe members are free to leave the tribe or form another tribe if they disagree strongly with their leader. The tribe must be safe and in no danger though. Such bands or tribes of Wood Elves are hunter gathers and often have a hunting range rather than a permanent or semi- permanent camp. It is common for Wood Elves to maintain base camps in empty caves or a few tree huts on their hunting grounds as well as some sort of defensible strong hold.

Wood Elves are not particularly good in crafting, construction or any activity of this sort, as much of their time is spent developing combat weapons and styles. Wood Elves are really good with the bow and the sword. They usually wear leather armor, because they preferring Fencing to Sword bashing. They are stealthy Wood Elves also do nice riders, since their friendship with animals can make them get the collaboration of most creatures, even magical ones. Wood Elf Maid Unicorn Light Cavalry is legendary…as is the Stag Light Cavalry.

Politics

Even if they are not the most numerous races, Wood Elves as a race have one of the best chances of surviving. Its population grows very slowly, but given time they might recover the glory that the Elven people once had. It is common for Wood Elf bands to settle wherever there is wild forests and good hunting. They do not consider the Humans to be their successors. But they do not have anything against humanity. It has proved itself useful in the fight against evil, some times. Wood Elves are prepared to fight evil especially in defense of nature or their homes.

The Wood Elves are generally content to ignore others as long as they respect nature and do not intrude upon Wood Elf Territory. Hunters and trappers who hunt and trap to survive might be tolerated on their borders, but those who hunt and trap for sport or profit killing and killing and killing would find themselves in serious trouble. Same for lumberjacks, those who came and took only what they needed might be tolerated, but anyone trying to clear-cut would find themselves at war with the Wood Elves. Wood Elves generally prefer to ignore other races. Those who make a habit of invading Wood Elf lands or destroying nature (such as Orcs) should (and DO) fear them. Such a person or creature would be lucky to barely survive an encounter with a wood elf tribe.

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