Fantasy Ireland Adventure: Keeper Hill-Otherworld Elf Warrior

KEEPER HILL

A Fantasy Core and D&D 5^th Edition Fantasy Ireland Adventure

© Jerry Harris 2016

Published here as Open Game Content.

(This link will take you to the Fantasy Core Playtest Rules.)

Fantasy Ireland Index

Keeper Hill Index

KEEPER HILL BONUS MATERIAL

The Otherworld Elf Warrior

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Spell Level Limit
1st	+1	+0	+2	+2	1
2nd	+2	+0	+3	+3	2
3rd	+3	+1	+3	+3	3
4th	+4	+1	+4	+4	4
5th	+5	+1	+4	+4	5
6th	+6	+2	+5	+5	6
7th	+7	+2	+5	+5	7
8th	+8	+2	+6	+6	8
9th	+9	+3	+6	+6	9
10th	+10	+3	+7	+7	10

Description: Don’t let their delicate fey looks and willowy form fool you.  A troop of low-level Elf Warriors slinging magic and wielding magic weapons should make any potential foe think twice.  Mid-level warriors are a force by themselves.  A high-level Elf warrior?  Almost too frightening to contemplate.  They are unnaturally brave because of their pride and capabilities.

Hit Die: d6.

Prime Ability: Int, Dex, and Wis.

Subprime Abilities: Str and Con.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Elves are proficient with light one-handed melee weapons (short sword, rapier, mace, etc), any ranged weapon (except longbow and heavy crossbows), and with light armor, but not shields.  Magical Elven chain mail, Elven longswords, and Elven longbows are the preferred, as they have no ability qualifications.

Standard Gear: +1 Elvish Longsword, +1 Elvish Longbow, +1 Elvish Chain Mail, pack, 3 days rations, waterskin, 2 useful items.

Crack Shot: Elvish Warriors add ½ level to their bow damage. An Elf Warrior may make a successful bow attack into a melee fight without making a Called Shot.

Mounted Archery: A mounted Elf Warrior may make a ranged bow attack with their full BAB.  Elvish cavalry may be mounted on fine horses and Unicorns (if chaste maidens) and there is a flying corps mounted on hippogriffs and Pegasus. 

Detection: An Elf Warrior may detect ambushes and traps adding (Int + Wis bonuses)/2 + ½ level to the attempt. This does not apply to trapped items.

Find: (Int + Wis bonuses)/2 + ½ level to the attempt. Secret Doors and hidden items.

Stealth: An Elf Warrior may sneak and hide adding (Dex + Int bonuses)/2 + ½ level to attempts.

Track: An Elf Warrior adds (Int + Wis bonuses)/2 + ½ level to the attempt.

First Aid: An Elf Warrior may apply first aid to heal the wounded.

Infravision: All Elves have the ability to see in the dark.

Immunities: All Elves are immune to sleep, charm, and paralysis effects. They may also move freely between the Otherworld and the mortal world, without suffering any adverse effects.

Elvish Spells

Elves may cast most spells on the Wizard list, all of the spells on the Druid list, and can cast the Gypsy Curse spell (from the NPC draft doc).  Elves will not cast Forbidden spells that Summon Monsters or have anything to do with the undead.  They can cast Ceremony spells as a Wizard, but will never use a sacrificial victim or blood activate them.  10^th Level spells are the Epic Level spells mentioned with the Witch class (from the NPC draft doc), such as various magically created natural disasters.  They are more plot devices than game mechanics.  For the Elves, these spells are the equivalent of WMD’s.  They are for deterrence, rather than whimsical, everyday use.  Further, use of such spells seriously depletes their already deteriorating magical realm.

An Elf Warrior will typically know all of the given spells of the highest level they can cast.  Upon gaining new level, an Elf Warrior goes into an extensive apprenticeship to learn that level’s spells. 

Spellcasting

Elves may cast any spell they know by making a Spellcheck: Int bonus + ½ level vs. DC 12 + Spell Level. (Cantrips are DC 10.)  With 3 cumulative failures in a turn/encounter, all magic use is suspended pending 1 turn of rest. The Spell Level Limit is the highest spell level that they can cast.  A spellcaster must roll to activate a spell, even if their Spell Check is greater than the spell’s DC.  A Natural 1 is a Botch, meaning all spellcasting is immediately suspended until the caster has had 1 turn of rest.  A Saving Throw against a spell has a DC of 12 + ½ caster level.

Spellcasting Beyond 10^th Level

10^th level Elves may spend 10 XP to gain a +1 to their Spellchecks, up to +5 total for their level bonus.  Their total level bonus can be up to +15.  As if this class isn’t already total overkill. 

Magic Item Crafting

A 5^th level Master Elvish Craftsman is able to create magic weapons, magic items, and magic armor.  The time would vary, but figure about a week per item.  Elves will not sell their magical goods to anyone, but could give them to those that have been designated “Elf Friends,” those who have done a great service to the Elves.  They are not above “gifting” or even selling cursed magical items (especially ones that break upon first use in combat) to people they have a grudge against.  Elvish magic items often automatically break or work in detrimental ways when handled by Formorians.

The Otherworld

The Fey Realms are magically hidden from the outside mortal world.  They range in size from a large tree, or a grove, or a glen (usually a single fey or small clan), or entire forest cities, underwater cities, or even entire islands.  These realms are all connected, but only a Fey could travel between them.

Still, the Fey will whimsically or purposefully open their portals to enter the mortal world; a midsummer night's party or a warband seeking vengeance.  Mortals are occasionally invited inside for any probable reason.  Interlopers are shoo'ed away.  Invaders are destroyed without mercy.  The magical world is likewise potentially deadly to mortals.  They may stay no longer than a week, before being unable to leave.  Disintegration upon setting foot back in the mortal world is the normal price.

Elvish Physiology

Living in the magic-infused Otherworld has made the Elves immortal.  This adaption has made them unable to tolerate living in the real (or mundane) world.  The young can only visit for no longer than a day.  Older Elves cannot endure direct sunlight and can only visit at night.  The elders cannot leave the Otherworld at all.

Elves are male and female and could theoretically reproduce biologically.  Unfortunately, their environment has also rendered them almost sterile.  An Elvish baby is so rare as to defy any common metaphor for the event.  They can reproduce with humans, producing Half-Elf Changelings, but their offspring are fully mortal and only produce human grandchildren.     

Racial Relations

Elves have a haughty disdain for everybody.  When you’re as old and powerful as they are (were), it’s hard not to look down at everyone else.  Though they’ve fought wars versus Dwarves and Humans, they bear them no racial animosity.  They are not so pleasant to the Formorians due to the presence of their own kind (Drow) amongst them. 

Elves view their current, sad state as one that was more self-inflicted than forced upon them.  Individual Elves can fall in love with humans and form deep friendships with those of other races, but they know it will be fleeting as they are immortal.  Elves do hate, however.  They will seek revenge on individuals who have wronged them in the slightest fashion.

Elves are amused by the short lives and memories of humanity.  While the Elves remember the old wars well, most humans only know the stories and those as myths.  The appearance of a full Elf in a human community produces awe and adulation rather than fear and alarm.

[God help me.  I must have been chugging cold medicine when I wrote this.  This class is for NPC use only!  DO NOT even think about letting Players roll up one of these game-breakers, “Just for fun.”]