Elf Details - Race as Class

Elvenkind - The Immortal Fae

Amidst a world suffused with arcane turbulence and cosmic undercurrents, a race of ethereal beings emerges, mirroring the intricate culture found within ancient tales - the Elves. These enigmatic individuals embody a dual essence, reflecting the complexities and contradictions that define their society - in this world and the Fae.

Cloaked in the opulent splendor of their otherworldly realm, these beings hold true to the duality that resonates throughout their culture. Proficient in both the arts of warfare and mysticism, Elves exist as a fusion of fierce combatants and contemplative spellcasters. Yet, their mastery of such power comes at a profound cost—similar to the dark agreements formed by legends of old.

Fighter? or Mage?

In the heat of battle, an Elf transforms into a ferocious Warrior, channeling the untamed energy that lies beneath the fabric of reality. Their thoughts shift to encompass tactics, strategy, and the intoxicating adrenaline of combat. This mindset draws upon a connection to the raw, primal forces that serve as the foundation of existence—an affinity for the clash of steel, the cacophony of conflict, and the ceaseless pursuit of triumph.

On the other hand, assuming the mantle of a Mage is a delicate ritual, a communion with cosmic forces that transcends mere spellcasting. Their consciousness enters a state of meditative trance, akin to the esoteric practices recounted in ancient legends. During this state, an Elf becomes the embodiment of detached intellect, weaving spells with the certainty born from glimpsing the intricate tapestry of reality itself. This mindset harmonizes the gap between arcane knowledge and enigmatic truths.

The remarkable capacity of the Elves to reconcile such divergent facets of their existence aligns with the ethos that underscores their culture. Elves are able to experience these dual aspects fully, but separately, consciously dividing them into spells or swordplay. In either mode, the Elf is able to harness both magic and steel, though to varying degrees.

Description

Elves are slender, graceful creatures, shaped and proportioned much like humans, with delicate features and narrow, leaf-shaped ears. Elves have five fingers and a thumb on each hand, and their legs are jointed like the haunches of a deer, so their legs look "backwards." They are 4' 5" to 5' 2" feet tall and weigh about 100 - 120 pounds. They can be dangerous opponents, able to fight with any weapon and use magic spells as well, but prefer to spend their time feasting and frolicking in wooded glades. They rarely visit the cities of men. Elves are fascinated by magic and never grow tired of collecting spells and magic items, especially if the items are beautifully crafted.

While Elves are effectively immortal, they can be killed, or die through accident or misadventure. They cannot be Resurrected, however, as the Fae have no soul (as humans know it).

The prime requisites for an elf are Strength and Intelligence. If an elf has a score of 13 or greater in both Strength and Intelligence, the character will gain a 5% bonus on earned experience points. If

the elf's Strength is 13 or greater and his or her Intelligence is 16 or greater, that character will earn a 10% bonus on earned experience.

RESTRICTIONS: Elfs use six-sided dice (d6) to determine their hit points. They may advance to a maximum of 10th level of experience. Elfs have the advantage of being both fighters and magic-users. In either mode, an Elf may use shields, wear any type of armor (of Elfen manufacture), and fight with any kind of weapon. In Magic User mode, an Elf may cast spells like a magic-user, and use the Elf spell list. An Elf may not wear iron armor of any kind, at any time. A character must have an intelligence of 9 or greater to be an elf. An Elf must go through many decades of training and education before they are able to master their natures and be able to switch back and forth. An Elf character will start as at least 120 years old.

Elves can act as Fighting Men or Magic-Users and freely switch classes whenever they choose, from adventure to adventure, but not during a single day. An Elf must meditate for d3+4 days in order to "switch" from Warrior-mind to Mage-mind.

Due to their Fae nature, mundane horses are spooked and skittish around Elves, and certainly will not let them ride! Elves often utilize mounts of other species, such as specially bred Riding Elk. At higher levels (5th or higher) Elves may seek out and attempt to entice other, more exotic species, such as giant Foxes, Lizards, or the giant Stabala Spider. It is rumored the Elf Queen has a company of warriors that fly into battle on giant Dragonflies.

EXPERIENCE POINTS: Elf characters use the Experience Level charts for both Fighters and Magic Users, keeping a separate tally for each state of being. It is possible for an Elf to be 3rd-level in Fighter mode and 1st-level in Magic User mode, or vice-versa.

ALIGNMENT: An Elf character will pay a price for their exceptional capabilities. The boundaries between their dual personas must remain distinct, leading each state to hold distinct personalities. This can result in an Elf character having two different alignments, though one must always be Chaotic.

SPECIAL ABILITIES: Elves have infravision (heat-sensing sight) and can see 60 feet in the dark. When looking for secret or hidden doors, elves are able to find them one-third of the time (a roll of 1 or 2 on Id6). Elves cannot be paralyzed by the attacks of ghouls. Elves in a natural, outdoor environment with bare feet can Move Silently.

• An Elf in Fighting Man mode may employ any weapon and uses the Fighter attack tables, with a +1 to hit
• An Elf in the Magic User mode may employ any weapon and uses the Cleric attack tables.
• An Elf Magic User's weapon always counts as a +1 Magical Weapon for purposes of striking creatures with special defenses.
• At 2nd level (Fighter) an Elf's weapon counts as a Silver Weapon for purposes of striking creatures with special defenses.
• At 4th level (Fighter) any weapon used by an Elf counts as a +1 Magical Weapon for purposes of striking creatures with special defenses.
• At 6th (Fighter) level any weapon used by an Elf counts as a +3 Magical Weapon for purposes of striking creatures with special defenses.
• At 9th (Fighter) level any weapon used by an Elf can hit a creature with special defenses such as Astral, Ethereal, or Out-of-Phase.

SPELL CASTING: Elves, like other magic users, depend on knowledge of complex rituals which are recorded in gigantic and weighty tomes or transcribed onto more portable scrolls. These coded texts require a Read Magic spell for any but their author to decipher. Though Elves do not sleep, as humans or other mundane creatures do, they will need to meditate in a peaceful setting for eight hours in order to memorize their spells.

An Elf may use small magics in either mode, called Cantrips. These small bursts of magic do not cause any damage to others or to objects, nor do they have a large impact on most things. Examples include warming a cup of tea, sparking a fire in kindling, creating a small puff of smoke, and so on. A list of sample Cantrips is provided after the elf Spell list. An Elf character may create Cantrips of their own, with time and cleverness.

Due to their Fae nature, an Elf is always able to Read Magic as though under the spell.

Elf Magic users must study and memorize the exact spells recorded in the weighty volumes of their magic books in order to use them. After casting a spell, the knowledge fades and it cannot be used again until the magic-user returns to his or her magic books for renewed study. It is possible to memorize more than one use of the same spell, provided the caster has enough spell slots.

Elf Spell List

Cantrips

This is not an exhaustive list. The Elf character and the DM may work together to create new and unique cantrips. Cantrips do not need to be studied or memorized and can be used any number of times.

• Puff of Smoke (big enough to hide a bird or small animal, not a person)
• Sleight of Hand (transfer a small object from one’s hand to a pocket/or vice-versa)
• Heat transfer (enough to light a candle, lantern or torch, warm water for tea, or cool water)
• Clean & Dry/Soil (remove or add soil or liquid from/to skin/clothing)
• Wraith-light (creating a glowing orb in the palm of one’s hand, illuminating a 5’ radius.
• Proclaim (Your voice is amplified to double its normal volume.)
• Tangle/Untangle
• Tie/Untie
• Gather/Scatter

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