Elves, Primal, Valshock (3.5e Race)
Primal Elves
Personality
Instead of elves being stoic, proud and beautiful, in Valshock, they are more wild and strange. This makes them more fay, more animalistic and more in touch with nature.
They are the apex predator in the forest, whereas humans are a race that went omnivorous and developed agriculture. These elves do not grow or gather – they hunt and kill. They have rows of needle sharp teeth of an adapted carnivore and small claws where we have finger nails that help them both capture pray and climb trees. Instead of hair they have thin spines that vary in length and coloration. Their eyes are an ominous yellow, and glow in the dark.
When they move, they do it with a grace of a born predator. They move slowly, with a premeditated intent and deadly focus, and then pounce with blinding speed. When they leap between trees they are almost a blur to the human eye. Their mannerism is alien and unsettling.
Their language is sharp, guttural and disturbing to listen to. Humans are actually quite perturbed by their presence. They are the bogymen of children’s stories, they are what goes bump in the night. Creatures of pure nightmare.
Granted, they are not bestial. They are as smart as humans are. They use tools, make clothes and have a culture of their own. But they are predators first and foremost. They are extremely territorial and they dominate and subdue everything in their realm. They react very violently when challenged on their own turf, always needing to re-assert their dominant, apex predator status.
Being of a predatory predisposition, they are highly territorial, meaning they dislike intruders into their ancient forests. Some believe they are hiding some great secret deep within the trees, and the rumors could be true. It is more likely, however, that they are just acting on a type of predatory instinct. It has been discovered, though, that Elves have a deep connection with their forests and this could also be a possibility of why they are so territorial. It has been revealed that just as other Sylvan creatures are at one with the forest and all it's glory, so are the elves connected as well.
Relations
Relations with most races:They consider humans, and pretty much every other race, a prey species, and treat them as such. Their society is similar to that of pack predators – like wolves they work in close knit tribes that live and hunt together, led by an alpha female. They have a matriarchical society with the women being dominant, and physically stronger and larger than men.
They inspire humans in particular with fear and fill them with disgust but also with morbid fascination. There is a lot of bad blood between the two races. They are ruthless, violent and frightening but they are not monsters – they are closer and more familiar than other races. An elf who hides his teeth, squints his eyes and lays his spines down flat can almost pass for a short, wiry, twitchy human. But then the eyes open, the teeth are bared and the spines shoot up.
Relations with Sylvan Races:
Alignment
Primal Elves are usually on the Chaotic Neutral side but there has been elves known to deviate from this. They usually fall back to their predatory instincts which leads them to think of themselves and their tribe above all. They are known to flip through emotions in a heart beat and are always on the hunt... even when it seems they're calm and collected.
Language
Primal Elves speak Common, Sylvan and can learn Elven, which other races usually can not.
Common Racial Traits
- +2 Dexterity, −2 Charisma Primal Elves are graceful but are often a terrifying presence to other races... not to mention their mood swings. An elf's grace makes her naturally better at stealth and archery.
- Humanoid (Elf)
- Medium Size
- 30ft
- A Primal Elf can shoot their spines once per day. This deals 2d6 damage to ANYONE within a 10 ft radius.
- Immunity to magic sleep effects.
- Low-light Vision: An elf can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. She retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
- Weapon Proficiency: Elves receive Weapon Proficiency feats for the longbow (including composite longbow), and shortbow (including composite shortbow) as bonus feats. Elves esteem the arts of archery, so all elves are familiar with these weapons.
- +2 racial bonus on Listen, Search, hide, survival, and Spot checks. An elf who merely passes within 5 feet of a secret or concealed door is entitled to a Search check to notice it as if she were actively looking for it. An elf's senses are so keen that she practically has a sixth sense about hidden portals.
- Automatic Languages: Common, Sylvan Bonus Languages: Elven
- Favored Class: Ranger
- Level Adjustment: +0
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