The Wood Elves
"When in the lands of the wood elf, you are always being watched" - Dromen Sagearrow
A Fallen Empire Reborn
Originating from the Taul forests in southern Melrhine, wood elf culture developed in a harsh and unforgiving environment where deadly predators and savage humans stalked their every movement. But, after many generations of living in small hunter-gatherer clans the wood elves banded together to not only survive in this treacherous land, but to conquer it as well. Lead under one banner (the infamous house of rangers: House Sagearrow), the unified wood elf people conquered their foes and established a firm hold over the forests, creating a vast and powerful empire within the Taul forests. But their mighty empire would eventually fall to ruin when the wood elves accepted a deal with the mysterious alien race known as The Erebis. At first, the two races basked in their power as an even stronger unified empire, but the Erebis saw weakness in the Sagearrow king and used this opportunity to exploit it and overthrew the wood elves in a bloody and massive conflict known the Erebisian War. In the end, both races fought each other brutally for centuries, neither side giving in or letting up, until both races were nearly extinct due to the Erebis releasing large swaths of demons from the Infernal Realms in a desperate and final attack. Most of the Taul jungles were bathed in blood by countless unchecked demons and forced most of its denizens to flee the forests. Only a small population of wood elves were able to flee the war alive, sailing off to find a new home.
Today, wood elves have lived for generations on a small archipelago of islands known as the Hir'athi Isles, located in the northwestern Arlak Seas. Within this new island nation the wood elves attempt to rebuild an empire they once had in their old home, where they were the apex hunters of the land. But on Hir'athi, the wood elves are not the only ones who call these islands home: an indigenous population of trolls thrive within the many islands of the archipelago, and the two races fight bitterly for control of the land and resources.
Today, wood elves have lived for generations on a small archipelago of islands known as the Hir'athi Isles, located in the northwestern Arlak Seas. Within this new island nation the wood elves attempt to rebuild an empire they once had in their old home, where they were the apex hunters of the land. But on Hir'athi, the wood elves are not the only ones who call these islands home: an indigenous population of trolls thrive within the many islands of the archipelago, and the two races fight bitterly for control of the land and resources.
Only the Strong Can Survive
Wood elves often share their god's principles in their attitudes and philosophies: a weak hunter does not deserve the kill, nor does a weak animal deserve to escape. Nature is balanced perfectly by one simple rule: only the strong can survive. This rule is especially true in the harsh jungles the wood elves originally hailed from. These elves are often seen as harsh and almost cruel for some of their actions, but when considering their philosophies and deity, they are not necessarily cruel, but attempting to cast fair judgement. In the eyes of nature, letting the weak flourish only harms more creatures in the end. Although while most wood elves do act strictly in this nature, many and most are surprisingly benevolent to those they defend. A wood elf will do everything and anything in their power to protect their loved ones; to them there is no greater honor than to give their life in the protection of those they care deeply about.
Physical Traits
- Age - Most wood elves live to be around 600 to 650 years old
- Speed - Faster than most races, wood elf walking speed is 35 feet.
- Size - Wood elves are roughly around 5 feet 10 inches tall. Men and women are usually around the same height with women only slightly shorter by a couple inches. Wood elves, like all elves, have narrow body frames with slim, yet dexterous figures. Their size is medium.
- Complexion - Most wood elves have a lighter hue of skin color, although a tanner copper complexion is also common. They have gaunt faces with defined cheekbones, and pointed chins. Hair colors range greatly in wood elves mostly depending on the lineage and house they descend from, hair color are typically: dark brown, silver, red, black, or varying shades of blond.
- Eye Color - Like all elves, all wood elves have the same glowing eye color, for them it is bright green.
D&D Race Stats - Wood Elf
- +2 Dexterity, +1 Wisdom
- Elven Heritage - (See the Elves Page for more details)
- Ranger Training - Gain proficiency in longbows, shortbows, longswords, shortswords and daggers.
- Fleet Footed - Your base walking speed increases by 5 feet (base total 35).
- Mask of the Wild - You can attempt to hide even when you are only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, and other natural phenomena.
- Druidcraft - Whispering to the spirits of nature, you create one of the following effects within range: (See the Spells Page for more details)
- You create a tiny, harmless sensory effect that predicts what the weather will be at your location for the next 24 hours. The effect might manifest as a golden orb for clear skies, a cloud for rain, falling snowflakes for snow, and so on. This effect persists for 1 round.
- You instantly make a flower blossom, a seed pod open, or a leaf bud bloom.
- You create an instantaneous, harmless sensory effect, such as falling leaves, a puff of wind, the sound of a small animal, or the faint odor of a skunk. The effect must fit in a 5-foot cube.
- You instantly light or snuff out a candle, torch, or a small campfire.
- Languages - Wood elves can speak, read and write in Common and Taulic (elven dialect and accent).