Species Name: Veorfolnir, Avariel, Sky Elf, Winged Elf
The winged Elves, or Avariel, are a rare race of reclusive Elves who dwell high in mountains or forests, away from other civilizations. They appear even more delicate than their land bound brethren; their facial features are even more chiselled and angular. Their most stunning characteristic, however, is their beautiful, soft wings. Although their wings are generally white, Avariel have been seen with wings whose colours range to black. The wings are their pride and joy, and an Avariel who has lost his wings is intensely pitied by the others. Since Elves do not generally accept the pity of others, a wingless Avariel often leaves the community to find a life elsewhere.
Type: Humanoid
Physical Traits: Avariel eyes tend to be a little larger than most Elves’, although they are the same colours that most grey Elves and high Elves possess. Their hair is most often white or black, but there have been numerous exceptions. The Avariel's eyes are rather large and more expressive than those of other Elves, and they tend to be brilliant shades of blue or green. A few Avariel have scintillating violet eyes as pure as amethysts. Avariel stand 5'9" tall on average, with thin, graceful limbs and angular facial features. The Avariel have a tendency to adopt a far-off look in their eyes when their immediate attention is not required. They can fly at a speed of 55 kph with a ceiling of 8 kms.
Height: 5'8-6'6 ft with a wingspan of 12-16 ft
Weight: 90-120 lbs
Abilities: Nightvision up to 90 metres, normal vision is double range
Mobility: Legs and wings
Sensory Organs: Visual
Communication: Vocal
Reproduction: Sexual
NT: 3D6, WIS: 3D6, STR: 3D6, DEX: 4D6, CON: 3D6 -3, CHA: 4D6, MR: 3D6, HPs: CON +D8
Orbit/Climate: See Earth
Feeding Habits: Omnivore
Lifespan: 180 years
Technology: 2
Culture: Standard. Diversified mix of kind and evil people. In some areas, Avariel are known as “Al Karak Elam”, and non-elf races have built mythologies around them. Occasionally certain mischievous Avariel have contacted humans, pretending to be agents of a higher power. The older Avariel object because it leads humans to search for them, but this ban has not yet stopped any of the younger winged Elves. However, as the Avariel become more common, instances of this activity have lessened dramatically. As among other Elves, the Avariel have adapted to their environments. There is no exclusion based on gender; females often hold as many, if not more, positions of power within an Avariel community. Two types of Avariel society are especially common, no matter what the environment. Both draw on aspects of the Elven heritage to the exclusion of others. However, the two types of society are never found far from one another, so that they may more easily communicate. They are very much at home in the outdoors, and they appear out of place indoors or underground. Avariel clothing is most reminiscent of togas, for other types of clothing often snag on their wings. Togas and their like wrap easily around the Avariel’s body and wings.
Many of the Avariel have bred themselves for combat. Much of this Avariel society is based on a warrior code of honour, seeking greater glory for themselves and their allies. Their lives are geared to war and battle, and they answer to their war chiefs. These Avariel are the most feared by the humanoid nations, for they are a deadly foe. They have little of the respect of landbound Elves for the lives of others; instead they live for the fight and for the destruction of their opponents. They are a proud, hearty group, and form eternal friendships with those who earn their trust. Though they care little for the lives of their enemies, they try to live theirs to the fullest. The other half of Avariel society knows little of war. These Avariel focus mainly on the arts and the intellectual aspects of life. Where the other Avariel make much of war and warrior ritual, these Avariel rely on their brains and diplomatic ability. They are a population of artists and philosophers, creating for the sheer joy of creation. The relations between the two halves of Avariel community are perfectly harmonious, and they stay in constant communication. Both respect the other greatly, often trading their youths in cultural exchange programs. Since their children are often curious about the other aspect of their culture, they are given the chance to participate in that feature for a time, leading to a well-balanced elf. Strangely, after experiencing the other side of life for a few decades, most Avariel are eager to return to their original homes and lead the lives to which they were born. Of course, there are more than just these two Avariel societies; these are just the most common. There are others that have a more equal footing between the aspects of their society, others that are better balanced. However, none of these seems to have flourished so well as the warrior/thinker combination. These two have somehow achieved a harmony that makes their civilizations greater than others. The creative and destructive impulses, when paired, make the Avariel a formidable opponent.
To those not bred to aerial combat, the Avariel are a confusing opponent.
While most humanoids tend to think two-dimensionally in combat, the Avariel
think in a third dimension, which they utilize to devastating effect.
They have incredible eyesight. Not only do they have the standard Elven
infravision, when flying or outdoors they can focus their vision to notice
details at over a mile away or those obscured by underlying forest. They use
this perception to maximum advantage and thus are excellent scouts.
From a distance, Avariel in flight appear as large birds. Thus, while opponents
may notice their silhouettes, they usually disregard them. This has more than
once resulted in the nearly total elimination of enemy forces. Since the Avariel
are efficient hunters, they ruthlessly stalk those who have escaped the
battlefield, more often than not finding and destroying those who would report
their presence.
In combat, Avariel prefer to use light weapons, for heavier ones inhibit their
flight. The lasso, bola, and sword are their weapons of choice, and they
gain a +1 to hit when using these weapons.
The weapons carried by Avariel are usually of glass or obsidian, as the open
forges used by other races to shape metal can singe their wingfeathers. Avariel
use closed furnaces to shape glass into workable, durable weapons. Avariel glassmiths are master crafters. Any metal weapons that the
Avariel have are the
result of trade with other races or other Elves. Glass weapons designed by
Avariel may occasionally break in combat. (On a natural roll of 20, roll D6;
the weapon shatters on a roll of 1-3).
No one knows whether the Avariel are a natural offshoot of the Elven race or the result of powerful magics. Some claim the Avariel are the original Elves and that the other Elves have fallen from ths high state. Most, however, maintain that the Avariel are the result of magic that combined Elves with their beloved giant eagles. The Avariel keep in contact with other Elves, but the winged Elves tend to be somewhat above the affairs of the world. Nothing concerns them overmuch, unless it impinges upon them. They usually try to avoid contact with other races, despite the fact that some Avariel insist on seeing the world. Avariel do not lay eggs, contrary to popular speculation. Like birds, they have hollow bones, making them more fragile than the typical elf. Without hollow bones, they could not fly. Even so, flying causes some discomfort because it is strenuous exercise to keep so much weight aloft. However, the pain is a minor inconvenience, for the sheer joy of flying is so intoxicating. Each hour of flight, the Avariel must make a successful Constitution check. Those who fail cannot fly for at least half an hour for every two hours of flight prior to the check.
Government: Council
Population: 505,000