The current campaign has no less than three different elf characters in it, so the time has come to roll up my sleeves and give elves some thought.
There are many ways to taxonomize the various flavors of elf: habitat, social caste, skin color/morality (uh oh), but for Krevborna I wanted to lean into the fantastical a little–so instead of elves choosing habitat that suits them, I wanted to play with the idea that the land itself changes the elves who live there, and that a “type” of elven existence may not be a permanent or fixed state.
I also wanted to do away with the notion of there being a single “bad” type of elf by both distributing “drow-ish” traits among several kinds of Krevborna elf (also known as the aelvani) and by letting the potential for any elf be gray-to-evil be obvious.
The Aelvani
All creatures are influenced by their environments, but none more so than the elves. The aelvani retain the infinitely changeable nature of their fey ancestors, but it manifests as a peculiar propensity for taking on the native character of the places where they live. As such, the elves found in Krevborna can be grouped into basic types depending on where they’ve chosen to reside.
An elf who moves from one environment to live in another may find themselves altering into a different kind of elf with time—but this is certainly not a given. The amount of time it takes for an aelvani’s demeanor, ways of thinking, and their physical body to alter themselves to match their new home is extremely individual. For some, it may happen quickly. For others who hold on to a fixed sense of identity, it may not happen at all.
The following types of aelvani are the most common in Krevborna, but other categories of elf certainly exist in the wider Mortal World. (All stats for Savage Worlds, since that's the system we're using in our campaign.)
Bog Elves
Bog elves live in desolate swamps and alongside isolated cranberry bogs. Even among other aelvani, they have a dark reputation for duplicity and viciousness. Their druids also pursue horrid necromantic magics that allow them to bind lost spirits to wicker men to make ambulatory servants.
Bog elves have sickly green skin, with hair that ranges from wine red to the light color of candy floss.
• Bloodthirsty (-2): Bog elves never take prisoners unless under the direct supervision of a superior. Their viciousness causes enemies to respond in kind, often costs vital information, and creates constant enemies.
• Bog Dweller (1): Bog elves can hold their breath for 15 minutes before checking for drowning.
• Deceptive (2): Bog elves may make foe resist with Smarts or Spirit when making a Smarts or Spirit-based Test.
• Haughty (-1): The thin-skinned bog elves subtract 2 when resisting Taunt attacks
• Immune Poison and Disease (2): Bog elves are immune to poison and disease.
• Outsider (-1): Bog elves subtract 2 from Persuasion rolls made to influence those who aren’t of their own kind.
• Ruthless (-1): Bog elves will do anything to accomplish their goals, stopping short of true harm to anyone except those who directly oppose them.
• Survivalists (2): Bog elves start with a d6 in the Stealth skill and d4 in the Survival skill. Their maximums of those skills increases to d12+1.
Cave Elves
The cave elves are descended from aelvani who fled the wars between the elves and mankind for the safety of their subterranean domains. Because of their retreat from the world, other aelvani sometimes disparagingly refer to them as “coward elves.”
Cave elves are generally gray skinned, with mossy green hair and bright eyes adapted to the darkness of the world’s deep places.
• Erudite (2): Descended from aelvani scholars, cave elves start with a d6 in Smarts instead of a d4. This increases maximum Smarts to d12+1.
• Low Light Vision (1): Cave elves ignore penalties for Dim and Dark Illumination.
• Outsider (-1): Cave elves subtract 2 from Persuasion rolls made to influence those who aren’t pomenysh.
• Recreant Glamour (2): The magical glamour of the cave elves add +2 to Stealth rolls in any environment (+4 if completely motionless).
• Timid (-2): Cave elves subtract 2 from Fear checks and when resisting Intimidation.
Forest Elves
The most numerous of the aelvani, forest elves live deep within Krevborna’s oldest woods. They are isolationist by nature, and fervently defend their secret enclaves.
Forest elves are usually tall, have a bar-like texture to their skin, and sport wild hair the color of autumnal leaves.
• Agile (2): Forest elves start with a d6 in Agility instead of a d4. This increases maximum Agility to d12+1.
• All Thumbs (-1): Forest elves have an inherent dislike of mechanical objects in traditional fantasy settings, giving them a −2 penalty when using mechanical devices. If they roll a Critical Failure while using such a device, it’s broken.
• Outsider (-1): Forest elves subtract 2 from Persuasion rolls made to influence those who aren’t pomenysh.
• Ruthless (-1): Forest elves will do anything to accomplish their goals, stopping short of true harm to anyone except those who directly oppose them.
• Woodskilled (3): Forest elves start with a d6 in Notice and Stealth, and a d4 in Shooting. The maximum for those skills increases to d12+1.
Snow Elves
During the aelvani diaspora, the people who would become the snow elves ventured into the frozen north to find the strength necessary to protect themselves from the scourge of mankind. They found the might they sought, but in the process became as cold and cruel as the environment they now call home.
Snow elves invariably have white skin and pale hair. Their eyes, however, range widely—from the color of rime to a vivid violet.
• Arrogant (-2): Winning isn’t enough for a snow elf. They want to dominate their opponents and prove there’s no one better. Arrogant individuals look for the greatest threat in battle, hacking their way through lesser minions only because they’re in the way.
• Born to the Cold (1): Snow elves receive a +4 bonus to resist cold. Damage from cold is also reduced by 4.
• Environmental Weakness (-1): Snow elves suffer a –4 penalty to resist heat. The penalty also acts as a bonus to damage.
• Outsider (-1): Snow elves are distrusted by most residents of Krevborna. They subtract 2 from Persuasion rolls made to influence those who aren’t pomenysh.
• Low Light Vision (1): Snow elf eyes amplify light. They ignore penalties for Dim and Dark Illumination.
• Tough (2): Snow elves are toughened by the harsh clime in which they live. They start with a d6 in Vigor instead of a d4. This increases maximum Vigor to d12+1.
• Warlike (2): Snow elves start with a d6 in either the Fighting or Shooting skills due to their culture's emphasis on martial training.
Spire Elves
The spire elves are the aelvani who have been changed by the time in the pomenysh city of Aeldentree. In the eyes of their “wilder” kin, they have become decadent and estranged from the world, though they still maintain a powerful connection to the magic of the fey—most notably through their powers of personal glamour.
Spire elves tend to be frail and beautiful. Many of their number are tall, possessing blonde or red hair, high cheekbones, and a certain undeniable allure.
• Aelvani Melancholy (-2): Due to their pronounced sadness over the fate of their people, spire elves have a -1 penalty to Spirit rolls.
• Attractive (2): Spire elves add +1 to Performance and Persuasion rolls if the target is attracted to their general type (gender, sex, species, etc.).
• Fey Glamour (4): The innate magic of the spire elves gives them a +2 bonus to Persuasion and Intimidation rolls.
• Frail (-1): Spire elves have a -1 penalty to their Toughness.
• Thin Blooded (-1): Spire elves are particularly susceptible to fatigue. They subtract 2 from Vigor rolls made to resist Fatigue
Town Elves
Town elves are those who have chosen to live side by side with mankind, residing in human-dominated villages, towns, and cities. More militant aelvani regard town elves as traitors to their people.
Though they often retain a few markers of their elven heritage, such as pointed ears and willowy forms, the act in much the same way as their neighbors and often find that their lives shorten to a more human-like span.
• Adaptable (2): Town elves begin play with any Novice Edge of their choosing. They must meet its Requirements as usual.
Sidebar: The Diminishing
Alevani can have incredibly long lifespans, but when an aelvani falls in love with someone not of their ancestry they may experience a phenomenon known as “the Diminishing.” An elf subject to the Diminishing finds that their lifespan shortens to match the natural time allotted to the ancestry of their beloved.
Additionally, elves who live in proximity to a loved one not of their ancestry sometimes take on physical traits associated with their partner’s ancestry. For example, an aelvani who lives with her cambion lover may eventually have horns or a tail of her own!
The Diminishing is the subject of many romantic ballads, but as with all things related to matters of the heart the reality is almost always far more tragic than it appears in art.