Brom
2007-12-18, 11:48 PM
Good fluff below. Rather proud of it.
Blood Elves
The most chaotic, secretive, and warlike of the Elven kind, the Blood Elves are viewed by their contemporaries, the Death, Wood, and High Elves as being monstrosities and by many of the other races as barbarians. Yet the Blood Elves are neither – they are far too intelligent and cunning to be barbarians, and they know that haughty Elves call most people monsters. The Blood Elves are brilliant engineers, deadly warriors, masterful spellcasters, and some of the strangest beings on the planet of Sarthas. It is said that their bloodline is mixed with fiends and devils, and humans wouldn’t disagree, for between their spiteful personalities and their Blooded Powers, it is hard to argue the point.
Personality:
Blood Elves are spiteful, malicious, and cunning. They seek to undermine and achieve more than those they meet. Yet they are also intelligent – the only reason they have not made a go to conquer the world as the foolish Feral Orcs on the other side of the planet have is because they simply lack the numbers to. This won’t stop them from seeking violent encounters with those they meet when they can, although violence is tempered in a veneer of respectful acknowledgement.
Physical Description:
The Blood Elves are lithe, frightful creatures. They are about five feet tall, with silver, black, gray, or golden hair. They have deathly pale skin, which seems like a sheet of white to those who see them. Their eyes, however, are the most distinguishing feature. They have no pupils, irises, or cornea. Rather, they have a single, blood filled orb that they see out of through some method unknown to those who see them. Blood Elves have not been known to die of natural causes, nor do they seem to age; they reach the peak of their bodies’ life cycle….and stay there for what seems to be eternity. Records of books written three thousand years ago talking of a living Blood Elven warrior is not uncommon…those books show up shortly after a new one of that warrior killing thirty humans in the still of night is produced.
Relations:
Seen by the humans as barbaric and the Elves as monsters, Blood Elves rarely get any kindness towards them where-ever they go, but find gathering a fearful, respectful following none too difficult. Skilled combatants might challenge or shoo away a Blood Elf who they find offensive, but many fear combating a Blood Elf, even one they feel is weaker than them. Rumors abound about why Blood Elves call themselves Blood Elves; many revolve around the idea that they can telekinetically rip the blood from your eyes by meeting them with their own. There are small Blood Elven enclaves all over the world, though many find protestors and graffiti frequently at their gates.
Alignment:
Blood Elves are typically Chaotic Neutral; they have no fear for laws and no respect for good but do not necessarily see reason to commit evil so long as they get to have their blood running and someone else’s spilling. Despite their frightening and hate-received natures, many Paladin & Fighter organizations take in Blood Elves en masse, for a Blood Elven warrior fights with enthusiasm that is hard for even a Barbarian to disagree with…but they do it with a frightening skill.
Religion:
Blood Elves all share a single god that they give all their kills to; the Nightbringer, C’tan. Their god is depicted as a Blood Elf in flowing black robes with the hood cast down and long five foot tall stave ending in a 2 foot long & wide V shaped piece of metal that is as sharp as a razor. C’tan as a God is a Chaotic Evil god, despite the fact that Blood Elves in general are Chaotic Neutral. They have been known to become Chaotic Evil as they become more powerful – “Mishak trath– Abvul Mmishak trathic absulta.” Power corrupts – absolute power corrupts absolutely. A surprisingly greater number of Blood Elves, however, as they grow in power and do more combat, hang on to their combatively eager ways but tend to go through pains to make sure that they are fighting for the forces of good rather than the forces of evil in the world.
Blood Elven Lands:
Blood Elves typically live in swamps, bogs, or in deep, overgrown forests filled with nasty creatures. They hide in these areas, usually only in terrain wide and big enough to easily give enough space for the Blood Elves to inhabit the innermost layer without ever needing to go to the edge of their chosen home ground. They often fight battles at those grounds, where they can fight on their favored terrains without needing to endanger their homes. Many people venture to Blood Elven lands hoping to see what their city life is like, but very, very few come back out; when they do, it’s usually only with teleportation magic and usually only with poisoned darts sticking in their necks.
Language:
Blood Elven tongue is called Mistrass. It has no direct one word, or even three word translations in any other language. Rather, you can speak of it as a concept: to talk for the interests of your blood in mind and in hopes of seeing the blood of others on your hands. The Blood Elven word for Blood has been the subject of fascination and envy for racial scholars, for they have perfected the idea of what blood is; something you wish to keep in your body, for without blood you have no power, and no one wishes to live powerlessly, with conditions beyond them. The Blood Elven word for blood is M’rass. Blood Elves are one of the few races to refer to themselves as Blood Elves, which is a title given to them by humans. They have a name in their own language for Blood Elves, but they also enjoy the reminder of fear that the humans have for them that they garner by referring to themselves as Blood Elves in their own circles.
Blood Elven Bardic Traditions:
Blood Elves, despite their sneaky nature, are a very lyrical race that enjoys song. Their songs, however, are rather disturbing to those who are non-Blood-Elven, a fact their bards flaunt in war songs, like the one below:
In our darkness you know no sight,
Upon you now has fallen twilight,
Drop your blades, kiss the night,
Deny not that your heart feels fright,
In your heart, fear has come to ignite,
Sheath your sword, no use in being contrite,
A battle with us, far worse for you than any blight,
Your soul to rest if between us comes any kind of fight,
Your pathetic flesh could not withstand our swords’ bite,
You cannot see us; what is there left for you to smite?
Without your vision you have no might
Do you stand a chance? No, not quite.
Shoo, foolish paladin; break your vows, and take flight!
Blood Elven Combat:
Blood Elven combative techniques are taught and passed down throughout multiple generations. Unlike most kinds of Elves, Blood Elves reproduce as fast as humans, but in a search for perfection, they kill fifty percent of their offspring in attempting to keep their race pure and strong. Combative styles focus on speed, spreading fear, and destroying enemies as rapidly as possible.
Blood Elven Smithing:
Blood Elven smithing is considered in quality to be second only to Orcforge, and even that is considered inferior for armoring and arming lightly armored infantry who emphasize on stealth. While Orcish light armors are more durable and protective, they are also more rigid and lose many of the armor penalizations of a masterwork item. Blood Elves have stepped in the other direction, improving their masterwork to the point where even some of their medium armors are soundless, not interfering at all with the movements of the wearer. On top of that, Blood Elven medium armors and light armors have a very large amount of flexibility to allow for a dexterous user – which most Blood Elves are. Blood Elves have also mastered compacting weaponry, with weapons like the Flicksword, a short sword whose blade can telescope in and out of it’s handle, and the hand crossbow. They are also particularly famous for making glass-forge weapons, which break in the flesh of the victim and only in flesh, for some peculiar reason that they will not reveal. Blood Elven weapons are called Bloodsong weapons for the way they sing haunting, singular melodic notes as they slice through the air. Their telescoping/handheld/easily concealed variety is called ‘compaction’ weaponry. Their Elven masterwork variety is known as ‘Bloodtight’ armor, for being so well fitting that it tries to cling to your blood rather than your skin, and for the way you flow naturally in it, as your blood might.
Blood Elven Engineering:
Blood Elven building engineering is also famous; their buildings incorporate secret compartments, floorboards, false walls, ceiling entrances, and false doors with skill that is considered nearly magical. They are also good at applying chemicals to structures to enhance some feature or another of them; for example, covering wood in fire retardants, or applying acids to help shape stones while in the construction project.
Blood Elven Mages:
Blood Elves are obsessed with fascination, fear, and illusion magical effects. They love the spread of misdirection, and will toy with opponents for as long as they can. They will then destroy foes with a single, maximized, empowered, or quickened spell. Blood Elves can instinctively cast some of those kinds of magic, as well.
Adventurers:
Blood Elves travel to expand on their training and to put it to use, and also to collect and improve on the achievements of others. They also quest out of greed, out of a desire to take what others have, either by force or by trickery. Most every Blood Elf joins an organization that will shelter them and sponsor their work as soon as possible; free lance Blood Elves are met with a hateful reception…and a fearful reception for what they might possibly do.
Stat adjustments and whatnot below.
Game Rule Information:
• +2 Dexterity, -2 Constitution: Blood Elves are dexterous and nimble but have Elven fragility.
• Ventriloquism, Silent Image, Faerie Fire, Obscuring Mist 1/day: Blood Elves have racial magic which allows them to misdirect and confuse foes easily.
• +2 Hide & Move Silently: Blood Elves are skilled hunters and night sneaks.
• +2 Listen: Blood Elves have Elven hearing and ears.
• Darkvision 60 ft: Blood Elves have an ability to see in the dark that is superior to humans.
• +2 Spot & Search: Blood Elves are skilled at searching thoroughly.
• Blood as Power: 1/encounter, a Blood Elf may sap the life from his own blood to fuel some aspect of him with magical energies drawn from his innately magical lifeblood. By accepting a -4 to Constitution for 1 hour, the Blood Elf gains a +2 to one attribute of his choice. He cannot use this ability more than 1/hour, but can otherwise use it 1/encounter.
Blood Elves
The most chaotic, secretive, and warlike of the Elven kind, the Blood Elves are viewed by their contemporaries, the Death, Wood, and High Elves as being monstrosities and by many of the other races as barbarians. Yet the Blood Elves are neither – they are far too intelligent and cunning to be barbarians, and they know that haughty Elves call most people monsters. The Blood Elves are brilliant engineers, deadly warriors, masterful spellcasters, and some of the strangest beings on the planet of Sarthas. It is said that their bloodline is mixed with fiends and devils, and humans wouldn’t disagree, for between their spiteful personalities and their Blooded Powers, it is hard to argue the point.
Personality:
Blood Elves are spiteful, malicious, and cunning. They seek to undermine and achieve more than those they meet. Yet they are also intelligent – the only reason they have not made a go to conquer the world as the foolish Feral Orcs on the other side of the planet have is because they simply lack the numbers to. This won’t stop them from seeking violent encounters with those they meet when they can, although violence is tempered in a veneer of respectful acknowledgement.
Physical Description:
The Blood Elves are lithe, frightful creatures. They are about five feet tall, with silver, black, gray, or golden hair. They have deathly pale skin, which seems like a sheet of white to those who see them. Their eyes, however, are the most distinguishing feature. They have no pupils, irises, or cornea. Rather, they have a single, blood filled orb that they see out of through some method unknown to those who see them. Blood Elves have not been known to die of natural causes, nor do they seem to age; they reach the peak of their bodies’ life cycle….and stay there for what seems to be eternity. Records of books written three thousand years ago talking of a living Blood Elven warrior is not uncommon…those books show up shortly after a new one of that warrior killing thirty humans in the still of night is produced.
Relations:
Seen by the humans as barbaric and the Elves as monsters, Blood Elves rarely get any kindness towards them where-ever they go, but find gathering a fearful, respectful following none too difficult. Skilled combatants might challenge or shoo away a Blood Elf who they find offensive, but many fear combating a Blood Elf, even one they feel is weaker than them. Rumors abound about why Blood Elves call themselves Blood Elves; many revolve around the idea that they can telekinetically rip the blood from your eyes by meeting them with their own. There are small Blood Elven enclaves all over the world, though many find protestors and graffiti frequently at their gates.
Alignment:
Blood Elves are typically Chaotic Neutral; they have no fear for laws and no respect for good but do not necessarily see reason to commit evil so long as they get to have their blood running and someone else’s spilling. Despite their frightening and hate-received natures, many Paladin & Fighter organizations take in Blood Elves en masse, for a Blood Elven warrior fights with enthusiasm that is hard for even a Barbarian to disagree with…but they do it with a frightening skill.
Religion:
Blood Elves all share a single god that they give all their kills to; the Nightbringer, C’tan. Their god is depicted as a Blood Elf in flowing black robes with the hood cast down and long five foot tall stave ending in a 2 foot long & wide V shaped piece of metal that is as sharp as a razor. C’tan as a God is a Chaotic Evil god, despite the fact that Blood Elves in general are Chaotic Neutral. They have been known to become Chaotic Evil as they become more powerful – “Mishak trath– Abvul Mmishak trathic absulta.” Power corrupts – absolute power corrupts absolutely. A surprisingly greater number of Blood Elves, however, as they grow in power and do more combat, hang on to their combatively eager ways but tend to go through pains to make sure that they are fighting for the forces of good rather than the forces of evil in the world.
Blood Elven Lands:
Blood Elves typically live in swamps, bogs, or in deep, overgrown forests filled with nasty creatures. They hide in these areas, usually only in terrain wide and big enough to easily give enough space for the Blood Elves to inhabit the innermost layer without ever needing to go to the edge of their chosen home ground. They often fight battles at those grounds, where they can fight on their favored terrains without needing to endanger their homes. Many people venture to Blood Elven lands hoping to see what their city life is like, but very, very few come back out; when they do, it’s usually only with teleportation magic and usually only with poisoned darts sticking in their necks.
Language:
Blood Elven tongue is called Mistrass. It has no direct one word, or even three word translations in any other language. Rather, you can speak of it as a concept: to talk for the interests of your blood in mind and in hopes of seeing the blood of others on your hands. The Blood Elven word for Blood has been the subject of fascination and envy for racial scholars, for they have perfected the idea of what blood is; something you wish to keep in your body, for without blood you have no power, and no one wishes to live powerlessly, with conditions beyond them. The Blood Elven word for blood is M’rass. Blood Elves are one of the few races to refer to themselves as Blood Elves, which is a title given to them by humans. They have a name in their own language for Blood Elves, but they also enjoy the reminder of fear that the humans have for them that they garner by referring to themselves as Blood Elves in their own circles.
Blood Elven Bardic Traditions:
Blood Elves, despite their sneaky nature, are a very lyrical race that enjoys song. Their songs, however, are rather disturbing to those who are non-Blood-Elven, a fact their bards flaunt in war songs, like the one below:
In our darkness you know no sight,
Upon you now has fallen twilight,
Drop your blades, kiss the night,
Deny not that your heart feels fright,
In your heart, fear has come to ignite,
Sheath your sword, no use in being contrite,
A battle with us, far worse for you than any blight,
Your soul to rest if between us comes any kind of fight,
Your pathetic flesh could not withstand our swords’ bite,
You cannot see us; what is there left for you to smite?
Without your vision you have no might
Do you stand a chance? No, not quite.
Shoo, foolish paladin; break your vows, and take flight!
Blood Elven Combat:
Blood Elven combative techniques are taught and passed down throughout multiple generations. Unlike most kinds of Elves, Blood Elves reproduce as fast as humans, but in a search for perfection, they kill fifty percent of their offspring in attempting to keep their race pure and strong. Combative styles focus on speed, spreading fear, and destroying enemies as rapidly as possible.
Blood Elven Smithing:
Blood Elven smithing is considered in quality to be second only to Orcforge, and even that is considered inferior for armoring and arming lightly armored infantry who emphasize on stealth. While Orcish light armors are more durable and protective, they are also more rigid and lose many of the armor penalizations of a masterwork item. Blood Elves have stepped in the other direction, improving their masterwork to the point where even some of their medium armors are soundless, not interfering at all with the movements of the wearer. On top of that, Blood Elven medium armors and light armors have a very large amount of flexibility to allow for a dexterous user – which most Blood Elves are. Blood Elves have also mastered compacting weaponry, with weapons like the Flicksword, a short sword whose blade can telescope in and out of it’s handle, and the hand crossbow. They are also particularly famous for making glass-forge weapons, which break in the flesh of the victim and only in flesh, for some peculiar reason that they will not reveal. Blood Elven weapons are called Bloodsong weapons for the way they sing haunting, singular melodic notes as they slice through the air. Their telescoping/handheld/easily concealed variety is called ‘compaction’ weaponry. Their Elven masterwork variety is known as ‘Bloodtight’ armor, for being so well fitting that it tries to cling to your blood rather than your skin, and for the way you flow naturally in it, as your blood might.
Blood Elven Engineering:
Blood Elven building engineering is also famous; their buildings incorporate secret compartments, floorboards, false walls, ceiling entrances, and false doors with skill that is considered nearly magical. They are also good at applying chemicals to structures to enhance some feature or another of them; for example, covering wood in fire retardants, or applying acids to help shape stones while in the construction project.
Blood Elven Mages:
Blood Elves are obsessed with fascination, fear, and illusion magical effects. They love the spread of misdirection, and will toy with opponents for as long as they can. They will then destroy foes with a single, maximized, empowered, or quickened spell. Blood Elves can instinctively cast some of those kinds of magic, as well.
Adventurers:
Blood Elves travel to expand on their training and to put it to use, and also to collect and improve on the achievements of others. They also quest out of greed, out of a desire to take what others have, either by force or by trickery. Most every Blood Elf joins an organization that will shelter them and sponsor their work as soon as possible; free lance Blood Elves are met with a hateful reception…and a fearful reception for what they might possibly do.
Stat adjustments and whatnot below.
Game Rule Information:
• +2 Dexterity, -2 Constitution: Blood Elves are dexterous and nimble but have Elven fragility.
• Ventriloquism, Silent Image, Faerie Fire, Obscuring Mist 1/day: Blood Elves have racial magic which allows them to misdirect and confuse foes easily.
• +2 Hide & Move Silently: Blood Elves are skilled hunters and night sneaks.
• +2 Listen: Blood Elves have Elven hearing and ears.
• Darkvision 60 ft: Blood Elves have an ability to see in the dark that is superior to humans.
• +2 Spot & Search: Blood Elves are skilled at searching thoroughly.
• Blood as Power: 1/encounter, a Blood Elf may sap the life from his own blood to fuel some aspect of him with magical energies drawn from his innately magical lifeblood. By accepting a -4 to Constitution for 1 hour, the Blood Elf gains a +2 to one attribute of his choice. He cannot use this ability more than 1/hour, but can otherwise use it 1/encounter.