Elves

From time immemorial, the elves have existed here in the world. They are a lithe, quick and graceful people, who are beautiful to the eyes of men. Elves possess an innate ability to charm other intelligent beings. Magical abilities come easily to an elf, and over the course of their extremely long lifetimes they collect all those that they find useful. Elves are an intelligent race and they use their long live span to pursue perfection in all things and activities. As centuries wears on and there are fewer and fewer new experiences to be had, an elf begins to age rapidly. It is during this time that an elf prepares to cross to the next life. They spend long hours alone, meditating and reflecting, trying to link spiritually with the Feywild where their ancient ancestors came from. When the time has come, the individual will seek out a place of solitude, where they call open a portal and cross into the Fey dimension. This is a vital component of the elf reincarnation cycle. For if an elf dies in the real world, his spirit migrates to the Feywild where it awaits rebirth, but elf children are born only at rate that older elves pass into the Feywild of their own power. Without the relocating of elves to the Feywild, the elf race will slowly die off. Norm Size: 1700 years 5 55 Weight: 110-140 lbs Lifespan: 1100

Elf warriors are fast and mobile. They are athletic enough to launch themselves high into the air (6-8) but since the lack the raw muscle power to utilize heavy slashing or smashing weapons, elves prefer thin piercing weapons. Like samurai, an elf seeks perfection of form in all their crafts, especially combat skills. They are master bowmen, able to adjust for long range shots with ease and to rapid shoot without aiming at medium and short range targets. Elves are known to carry several different arrow forms at a time. Broad razor sharp heads for inflicting maximum damage to flesh, tight hard armor piercing heads to punch through, reverse crescent blades to cut lines, blunted arrows for less lethal or damaging shots, and cage tipped arrows to carry hot coals for signaling and to start fires. Elf warriors favor thin piercing blades, often used in combination with an off hand weapon. Rapier and main gauche, rapier and buckler, or a pair of single edged short swords is what most elf warriors carry for close hand-to-hand combat. Spears are also a popular choice with elf infantry, as well as javelins to soften up enemy formations. Daggers and knives of all sizes and shapes, hidden in secret spots all over the body will round out and elf warriors favored weapons. Elf battle tactics are built on the speed and maneuverability of the individual elf warrior. Quick precise strikes launched at specific target areas are the bread and butter of the elf warrior. In order to facilitate this style, elf armor is light and does not restrict the wearer. The elf philosophy is to twist and

dodge to avoid incoming attacks, rather than wear armor to absorb the blow. Hardened leather with overlaid metal or the thin elf mail is the norm. Elf society is a model of civility and community focus. Over tens of thousands of years, elf society has evolved from an individualistic focus to a societal one. What is best for the community is best for the elf. Personal acquisition of wealth and material goods is not a goal of the elves. Concurrently, most elves live a simple and frugal lifestyle (like a monk) which leads to great surpluses in foods and craft goods. Communities will accumulate money and wealth, which they use for trading and purchasing those supplies that the elves can not or do not get for themselves. Each elf community will have a ranking noble who leads the community (and reports to the elf King or Queen), but civic policies are debated and discussed in open forums where any member of the community can be heard. Male and female elves are truly equal in this society. Marriage is less a love driven union than a political affair or familial arraignment. Elves are open and friendly, by nature and nurture they will focus on the positive in others while overlooking the negatives. This trait can make elves seem nave to other races. A combination of the elf view on property and the easy way they make relationships influence elves personal relationships. The elf lifestyle would be considered hedonistic by most of the world, since an elf freely forms both casual and intimate relationships with either sex. Jealousy is almost non-existent in the elf world. That being said, everyone is expected to fulfill their role in elf society and do what is expected of them. An elves diet is mostly agricultural, with soy and cereals as the base, augmented by a large variety of fruits & vegetables, olives and fish and fowl. Large game is rare and usually reserved for special occasions or lean times in the long winter months. Elves are superior wine makers, making a wide variety of wines from weak daily drinking types to potent festival only varieties. Elf magic is powerful in effect, but subtle in form. Eons ago, the elves formed strong bonds with nature and all natural things, and they use this bond to work their magic. They sing songs as they work encouraging nature to perform beyond what would occur naturally. They ask the fields to grow lush and full, metal to be especially strong, trees to grow into specific shapes, etc. The elf songs are sung in all walks of life, and they work their magic into all things they do. Those elves who decide to dedicate their lives to the pursuit of magic follow a different path than their brethren.