The Alfar and Elf Wood- PEACH

[AtlanteanTroll]

So, I like thing being more historically accurate, and my friends like more fantasy. So, Im trying to come up with an Elf that more closely resembles that or Norse and Germanic mythology.

This is what I have so far:

Beautiful human sized characters. Is a sort of Fey or Spirit. GET ALONG WITH DWARVES. Can breed with humans. “Like spirits, the elves were not bound by physical limitations and could pass through walls and doors in the manner of ghosts.” A bonus to the Heal Skill. “In folklore, the elber began to be described as mischievous pranksters that could cause disease to cattle and people, and bring bad dreams to sleepers.”

I know it isn't a lot, but Im working on incorporating it all together. PEACH appreciated (not enought to do so yet). Also, any tips for how to incorporate this stuff with a LA +0 would be appreciated.

EDIT: To clarify, these are suppose to correspond with Nordic/Old German/Old English elves. Which I beleive means anything past the 10th Centuary is out.

EDIT 2: As of now, here is the final product

Alfar (Elves)
• +2 Strength +2 Dexterity -2 Wisdom +2 Charisma.
• Medium: As a medium creatures, alfar have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Alfar base land speed is 30 feet.
• Darkvision out to 120 feet.
• +2 on Escape Artist, Heal, and Hide checks.
• Alfar are sickened when touching steel and take one and a half times as much damage when dealt damage by a weapon made of steel.
• Light Blindness: Abrupt exposure to bright light (such as sunlight or a daylight spell) blinds alfar for 1 round. On subsequent rounds, they are dazzled as long as they remain in the affected area.
• Immortal: Alfar do not age as other mortals do: they are effectively immortal and do not gain any penalties for aging. Upon gaining their first level, they can select two class skills, gaining a +4 racial bonus in those skills, representing the fact that they have likely trained in their given proffesion for centuries.
• Alfar treat all exotic weapons with “elven” in their title as martial weapons instead. Alfar are also immune to weapons made of Elf-wood.
• Automatic Languages: Common and Sylvan. Bonus Languages: Any
• Favored Class: Rogue. A multiclass alfar’s rogue class does not count when determining whether she takes an experience point penalty for multiclass.

Elf-wood

This rare magic wood is poisonous to all beings except for elves. To determine the price of an elf-wood item, use the original weight but add 10 gp per pound to the price of a masterwork version of that item.

When a non elf comes in contact with an item made of elf-wood he must make a DC 12 Fortitude save. If the check is made nothing happens, though for each time struck in a 25 hour period add 1 to the DC due to build up. If failed, the poison causes 1d4 Constitution damage.

Elf-wood has 10 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness of 5.

[Andion Isurand]

Something similar began just a bit ago...The Fair Folk (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=163207)

[Aran Banks]

So they can become incorporeal, bring disease and cause nightmares.

... yeah, that's gonna come with racial HD.

[Eldan]

Depending on which stories you listen to, they also have a host of weaknesses. They can't touch iron or silver. They can't pass a circle of salt. They can't enter a house with iron above the doorframe (most often a horseshoe, you still see that around here, though people don't realize the significance anymore). If they give a promise, they have to keep it to the letter. They can't stand near or under certain trees (which trees varies by descriptions, but rowan, ash and oak are named a few times). Pentagrams also can keep off elves.
They also demand regular sacrifices from humans, and are responsible for nightmares.
Depending on the legend, all elves are female.

[Morph Bark]

If you go by mythologically accurate, you will have to specify some exactly which myths you are holding yourself to, at least for yourself, since in many instances the line between elves, dwarves, goblins, trolls and fey is blurry.

[Eldan]

It's still not as bad as vampires.

Also, time period is important. Because the later you look, the smaller and cuter elves became.

[AtlanteanTroll]

Depending on which stories you listen to, they also have a host of weaknesses. They can't touch iron or silver. They can't pass a circle of salt. They can't enter a house with iron above the doorframe (most often a horseshoe, you still see that around here, though people don't realize the significance anymore). If they give a promise, they have to keep it to the letter. They can't stand near or under certain trees (which trees varies by descriptions, but rowan, ash and oak are named a few times). Pentagrams also can keep off elves.
They also demand regular sacrifices from humans, and are responsible for nightmares.
Depending on the legend, all elves are female.

Good give them a Vulnerability to Iron and because of it they cant use Iron.


If you go by mythologically accurate, you will have to specify some exactly which myths you are holding yourself to, at least for yourself, since in many instances the line between elves, dwarves, goblins, trolls and fey is blurry.


It's still not as bad as vampires.

Also, time period is important. Because the later you look, the smaller and cuter elves became.

=/

Both of you are correct.

I'm trying to go for the Nordic/Germanic/Old English elves. Which all seem rather similar.

@ Aran Banks: Yeah. I just want(ed) to avoid it if somehow possible.

[Set]

“Like spirits, the elves were not bound by physical limitations and could pass through walls and doors in the manner of ghosts.”

Perhaps this is hyperbole, and while the elves have a reputation for being able to get into and out of anywhere, it's more human exaggeration inspired by their racial bonus to stealth and escape artist-type checks, allowing them to slip into and out of places (and bonds) that a human thought was impossible to breach (or break).

Alternately, it's always possible to take racially-associated abilities and limit them to specific areas, situations or individuals. Dwarves are associated with crafting powerful magical items, like Thor's hammer, but that doesn't necessarily mean that any 1st level dwarf can whip up Mjolnir in an afternoon. Similarly, just because elves are said to be able to walk through walls, doesn't mean that any elf can walk through any wall at any time.


“In folklore, the elber began to be described as mischievous pranksters that could cause disease to cattle and people, and bring bad dreams to sleepers.”

An elven fondness for using poison (or even filth fever coated darts), or to poison people with fungal hallucinogens to perform these stunts could explain such legends just as well as a racial ability to cast contagion or nightmare.

There's always ways to be allow the legends to be true, while keeping a race from having some insane level adjustment by taking the most powerful possible option.

[AtlanteanTroll]

Perhaps this is hyperbole, and while the elves have a reputation for being able to get into and out of anywhere, it's more human exaggeration inspired by their racial bonus to stealth and escape artist-type checks, allowing them to slip into and out of places (and bonds) that a human thought was impossible to breach (or break).

Alternately, it's always possible to take racially-associated abilities and limit them to specific areas, situations or individuals. Dwarves are associated with crafting powerful magical items, like Thor's hammer, but that doesn't necessarily mean that any 1st level dwarf can whip up Mjolnir in an afternoon. Similarly, just because elves are said to be able to walk through walls, doesn't mean that any elf can walk through any wall at any time..

I like your point. Give them bonuses to Escape Artisit and Hide, then maybe some Racial Feat that lets them become more ghostly.


An elven fondness for using poison (or even filth fever coated darts), or to poison people with fungal hallucinogens to perform these stunts could explain such legends just as well as a racial ability to cast contagion or nightmare.

There's always ways to be allow the legends to be true, while keeping a race from having some insane level adjustment by taking the most powerful possible option.

Im ashamed I didn't think of this.

"Elf-shot (or elf-bolt or elf-arrow) is a word found in Scotland and Northern England, first attested in a manuscript of about the last quarter of the 16th century. Although first attested in the sense 'sharp pain caused by elves', it is later attested denoting Neolithic flint arrow-heads."

Perhaps they know of somesort of poisonous wood from which they make their arrows, since they can't use Iron.

:smallbiggrin:

[AtlanteanTroll]

Im thiking of something like this:

Álfar have a vulnerability to steel. An Álfar takes half again as much (+50%) damage as normal from a weapon made of steel.

but is that too much considering a bunch of people would use steel weapons?

Then again, Im trying to get LA 0 or +1 max out of this (dont know if it's actually possible).

And they'd also need to sleep.

[Eldan]

Handle it the same way as with fey? DR 1/cold iron isn't very powerful, but flavourful.

[AtlanteanTroll]

Handle it the same way as with fey? DR 1/cold iron isn't very powerful, but flavourful.

That might work, but it doesn't say that other weapons don't hurt them.

Or aybe I dont really understand DR :smallconfused:

[Aran Banks]

except just make it regular iron.

And also, "not able to handle" iron is different from "takes 1 point of extra damage when stabbed by iron".

I think this requires a racial paragon class. Say the base race gets +2 Cha, some stealthiness, and a ridiculous racial restriction or two (can't walk under doors with iron and can't stand under ash trees... or must keep promises and cannot enter circles of salt).

Then you give it a paragon class granting temporary incorporeality X/day, a flavorful use of contagion to spread a single disease, and something about invading minds...

There's great opportunity for this paragon class to open up to a huge variety of other classes: Sneaks, psionicists, and I can see the benefits for Cha-based casters too.

[AtlanteanTroll]

Depending on which stories you listen to, they also have a host of weaknesses. They can't touch iron or silver.

They cant handle it.

And yeah, this could easily work into a class. But how do they just develop ath ability to pass through walls come from being stealthy?

EDIT: BTW I know nothing about psiconics.

[Eldan]

Thing is, not making them able to handle iron at all is a huge penalty in a normal D&D game, so I would make that a fluff issue or just give them a mild penalty when doing it. Something like being sickened while touching it.

[AtlanteanTroll]

Thing is, not making them able to handle iron at all is a huge penalty in a normal D&D game, so I would make that a fluff issue or just give them a mild penalty when doing it. Something like being sickened while touching it.

That woud work. Should that stack somehow?

I think they should also get Poison Use like the Drow do. That could explain the diease and other fluff.

[Aran Banks]

Orrrrrrr... not being able to touch iron could be a racially exclusive flaw. If you want to take a flaw, you have to take one from the list of mythologically appropriate elf flaws. You can't take "murky-eyed" or "free spirit".

[AtlanteanTroll]

Orrrrrrr... not being able to touch iron could be a racially exclusive flaw. If you want to take a flaw, you have to take one from the list of mythologically appropriate elf flaws. You can't take "murky-eyed" or "free spirit".

I (my group) dont really play with Flaws. So that doesnt really work.

[Morph Bark]

They cant handle it.

And yeah, this could easily work into a class. But how do they just develop ath ability to pass through walls come from being stealthy?

EDIT: BTW I know nothing about psiconics.

Favoured class: Ninja?

[AtlanteanTroll]

Favoured class: Ninja?

I was thinking Rogue due my player's lack of resources, but if you got it, use it.

[Ajadea]

Perhaps something like a race with a bonus to Strength and Dex, 40 feet base land speed, insane age categories, +2 to Heal and Escape Artist checks, gaseous form as an SLA 1/day, and vulnerability to cold iron, as in they take 50% more damage from cold iron weapons and cannot use weapons made from cold iron?

[Origomar]

So they can become incorporeal, bring disease and cause nightmares.

... yeah, that's gonna come with racial HD.

hmmm bring disease and cause nightmares, what else could possibly do that..

i have a terrible mind.

[AtlanteanTroll]

Perhaps something like a race with a bonus to Strength and Dex, 40 feet base land speed, insane age categories, +2 to Heal and Escape Artist checks, gaseous form as an SLA 1/day, and vulnerability to cold iron, as in they take 50% more damage from cold iron weapons and cannot use weapons made from cold iron?

I was thinking Charisma. Dex might work, but hwy Strength?

And does Vulnerability to Cold Iron really that much of a trade off for the other stuff?


hmmm bring disease and cause nightmares, what else could possibly do that..

i have a terrible mind.

I wish I knew what you were talking about. I aparently have neglected my Monster Manual.

[Ajadea]

I thought I read somewhere that some fantasy renditions of fey were stronger than humans. But if you don't want that, that's fine. Vulnerability to cold iron, while not something that comes up often, is a rather big hinderance if your party is about to go off and fight fey.

[AtlanteanTroll]

Vulnerability to cold iron, while not something that comes up often, is a rather big hinderance if your party is about to go off and fight fey.

Yes, but Im still trying to make it a race before a monster. My players are reluctant to be human and have dislike for (playing) Dwarves (usually).

As stated previously. I just want to make this as close to LA 0 as possible. If I can do that by implementing as many weaknesses along with benifits as possible, thats how I'll do it.

:smallbiggrin:

[AtlanteanTroll]

OK. Still a have fluff and stuff. But yeah. Here's what I've got so far. I added it to the front post too.

ALFAR
• +2 Dexterity +2 Charisma -2 Wisdom.
• Medium: As a medium creatures, alfar have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Alfar base land speed is 30 feet.
• Low-Light Vision: An alfar can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, or similar conditions of poor illumination. Alfar retain the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
• +2 on Escape Artist, Heal, and Hide checks.
• Alfar are sickened when touching steel and take one and a half times as much damage when dealt damage by a weapon made of steel.
• Automatic Languages: Common and Sylvan. Bonus Languages: Any
• Favored Class: Rogue. A multiclass alfar’s rouge class does not count when determining whether she takes an experience point penalty for multiclass

[Trunt]

No dis intended, but it's rogue. Not rouge. ROGUE. That aside, looks great. There are a few things I've come across regarding Norse, and particularly Icelandic, elves. First of all, they are terrified of sunlight. It doesn't turn them to stone or walking tiki torches, but they are probably weakened by it (-x to ac or strength probably). Also, they are strong (in one story an elf women yanks a human out of bed so hard it breaks every bone in the human's leg.) They also can bring good luck or good fortunes to people they think are deserving (maybe a +1 to certain characters' abilities, etc.). In some stories they can create a magical bridle that allows them to ride human being, while in others elves possess magical shoes (improved speed, perhaps). While a rogue character would definitely benefit from a mythological elf, you might want to consider a class involving at least some magic.

[AtlanteanTroll]

No dis intended, but it's rogue. Not rouge. ROGUE. That aside, looks great. There are a few things I've come across regarding Norse, and particularly Icelandic, elves. First of all, they are terrified of sunlight. It doesn't turn them to stone or walking tiki torches, but they are probably weakened by it (-x to ac or strength probably). Also, they are strong (in one story an elf women yanks a human out of bed so hard it breaks every bone in the human's leg.) They also can bring good luck or good fortunes to people they think are deserving (maybe a +1 to certain characters' abilities, etc.). In some stories they can create a magical bridle that allows them to ride human being, while in others elves possess magical shoes (improved speed, perhaps). While a rogue character would definitely benefit from a mythological elf, you might want to consider a class involving at least some magic.

I. I-It's always been Rogue. [jedi mind trick]These are not the elves you are looking for.[/jedi mind trick]

Im not going to lie, my resources are limited. As for the sun thing, are any Underdark creatures harmed by the sun? Dwarves spend all their time underground (supposedly) and they don't get sun damage.

The stength thing could work, but +'s to Cha, Dex, and Str seems overpowered. I guess if you give them the sun weakness that would work. Would that work better as a AC, Con or Str penalty?

[Eldan]

Orcs and drow are both at least hindered by sunlight.

[AtlanteanTroll]

Orcs and drow are both at least hindered by sunlight.

So, slap the alfar with this:

Light Blindness: Abrupt exposure to bright light (such as sunlight or a daylight spell) blinds drow for 1 round. On subsequent rounds, they are dazzled as long as they remain in the affected area.

and switch out Low-Light for Darkvision?

Also, I was thinking about this, "Elf-shot (or elf-bolt or elf-arrow) is a word found in Scotland and Northern England, first attested in a manuscript of about the last quarter of the 16th century. Although first attested in the sense 'sharp pain caused by elves', it is later attested denoting Neolithic flint arrow-heads" and what Set said about the Elves using Poison.

Would it be a bad idea to have a material that's poison to most beings, but that Elves are imune to? I'd call if Elf-wood.

[Eldan]

Now, however, it seems to me they are actually getting too many weaknesses, except for their uneven attributes.

[AtlanteanTroll]

Now, however, it seems to me they are actually getting too many weaknesses, except for their uneven attributes.

Well, theirs still other benifits that could be added. The poison material they're imune to/casting Contagion once a day and a +2 to Str.

[AtlanteanTroll]

OK. So, some fluff is now needed, but I think I have what Im going to use.

Alfar
• +2 Strength +2 Dexterity -2 Wisdom +2 Charisma.
• Medium: As a medium creatures, alfar have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Alfar base land speed is 30 feet.
• Darkvision out to 120 feet.
• +2 on Escape Artist, Heal, and Hide checks.
• Alfar are sickened when touching steel and take one and a half times as much damage when dealt damage by a weapon made of steel.
• Light Blindness: Abrupt exposure to bright light (such as sunlight or a daylight spell) blinds alfar for 1 round. On subsequent rounds, they are dazzled as long as they remain in the affected area.
• Automatic Languages: Common and Sylvan. Bonus Languages: Any
• Favored Class: Rogue. A multiclass alfar’s rogue class does not count when determining whether she takes an experience point penalty for multiclass.

[AtlanteanTroll]

OK. So Eldan gave me permission to use his Immortal ability from his take on Elves. I just played with it a bit.

Alfar (Elves)
• +2 Strength +2 Dexterity -2 Wisdom +2 Charisma.
• Medium: As a medium creatures, alfar have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Alfar base land speed is 30 feet.
• Darkvision out to 120 feet.
• +2 on Escape Artist, Heal, and Hide checks.
• Alfar are sickened when touching steel and take one and a half times as much damage when dealt damage by a weapon made of steel.
• Light Blindness: Abrupt exposure to bright light (such as sunlight or a daylight spell) blinds alfar for 1 round. On subsequent rounds, they are dazzled as long as they remain in the affected area.
• Immortal: Alfar do not age as other mortals do: they are effectively immortal and do not gain any penalties for aging. Upon gaining their first level, they can select two class skills, gaining a +4 racial bonus in those skills, representing the fact that they have likely trained in their given proffesion for centuries.
• Alfar treat all exotic weapons with “elven” in their title as martial weapons instead. Alfar are also immune to weapons made of Elf-wood.
• Automatic Languages: Common and Sylvan. Bonus Languages: Any
• Favored Class: Rogue. A multiclass alfar’s rogue class does not count when determining whether she takes an experience point penalty for multiclass.

I think this is the final product. Any suggestions?

[AtlanteanTroll]

Bump for PEACH.

[AtlanteanTroll]

Obligitory Anime Bump.

So, Im thinking about doing another race (and monsters and junK0. Should I do it in this thread and just change the title to AtlanteanTroll's Take on Mythology or something?

[AtlanteanTroll]

So, Im thinking about doing another race (and monsters and junK0. Should I do it in this thread and just change the title to AtlanteanTroll's Take on Mythology or something?

This (again). And if I should, I'm thinking Dwarves would be next.

And bump (obviously).

[AtlanteanTroll]

So, Elf-Wood.

Elf-wood

This rare magic wood is poisonous to all beings except for elves. To determine the price of an elf-wood item, use the original weight but add 2 gp per pound to the price of a masterwork version of that item.

When a non elf comes in contact with an item made of elf-wood he must make a DC 12 Fortitude save. If the check is made nothing happens, though for each time struck in a 25 hour period add 1 to the DC due to build up. If failed, the poison causes 1d4 Constitution damage.

Elf-wood has 10 hit points per inch of thickness and hardness of 5.