Species Name: Tundranesti, Frost Elf, Aelf, Aelfar, Aelfolk, Elf

This rarest subrace of ELves originated on Cthon, a frigid world of ice, mountain, and glacier from the Shattered Reality Dimension. The Elveses would probably still exist in blissful isolation, had not Takhisis come across their world in her travels and decided they would make good slaves. Consequently, many were captured and taken to different worlds. During the failed invasion of earth the warriors sent there rebelled and escaped, later aiding the Earthlings against their former masters.  They have taken to Earth's arctic areas while they try to determine what to do with their lives. While their population is probably larger than any of the former, their homes in the glacial wastelands are remote enough for any but the most dedicated scholars and the elves' few neighbours to be clueless about this fabled race. When the Elven races first split, a group of Elves, broke off and travelled North into the frozen lands. As the Elven races grew more distinct over the years, these nomadic tribes of Elves also grew and changed. As the race grew separate from the other Elves the Frost Elves began to focus on survivability and combat. Being Elven in nature, they still possess an innate magical ability . These nomadic warrior tribes can now be found throughout the arctic and antarctic lands, and every once in a great while, the call of the adventurer lures a Frost Elf to travel into the rest of the world, seeking fortune and adventure.

Type: Humanoid

Physical Traits: Frost elves have light brown or tan skin, white or pale blond hair, and silver eyes. While very thin, frost elves are extremely wiry and tough individuals. Their eyes are typically blue, grey or silver. They never grow facial hair. Unlike other elves, frost elves aren't particularly beautiful: their facial features are rough and grim, their small eyes deep in their skulls, their jaws more human in shape.

Height: 6-7 ft

Weight: 150 lbs

Abilities: Nightvision up to 90 metres, but can also see through heavy weather conditions such as falling snow, rain or mist. Standard Elven characteristics of resistance to sleep and charm spells. +2 on their saving throws against any form of cold attack or condition and can survive temperatures down to -28 C. They also gain +1 to hit with any spear or javelin. Finally they have no difficulty with terrain caused by snow or ice.

Mobility: Legs

Sensory Organs: Visual

Communication: Vocal

Reproduction: Sexual

INT: 3D6, WIS: 3D6, STR: 3D6, DEX: 4D6, CON: 3D6 +2, CHA: 3D6, MR: 3D6, HPs: CON +D10

Orbit/Climate: See Earth

Feeding Habits: Omnivore

Lifespan: 2750 years

Technology: 2

Culture: Standard. Diversified mix of kind and evil people. Frost elves are organized into tribes, generally the size of a dozen to two-score elves. These tribes are ruled by a chieftain, the First, who may also be referred to as Eldest if he's the tribe's spiritual leader at the same time. Oftentimes these two are different positions, though. Apart from that, there is very little in the form of social hierarchy among the elves. The tribe is essentially an egalitarian structure, and no difference is made between male and female. Children are raised and cared for collectively, though there is understandably a stronger bond between child and parent. The transition from childhood to maturity happens when the child kills his or her first prey on a hunt. Traditionally, eating the heart of one's first kill is an important ritual that almost all tribes still practice. In Frost Elf society, everyone plays a part. Children are taught from an early age how to fight and survive, as well as learn a useful skill to benefit the tribe (Smith, cook, armourcraft, hunter, carpentry, etc.). At age 14 each Frost Elf is tasked with choosing a weapon, which they help forge, this weapon is then their dedicated weapon they train exclusively with while fighting. After forging their weapon, the youth are included in hunting parties, and taught their trade skills of choice, which they practice for many years. At around age 70-80, the Elves are ready to enter adulthood, and must pass a trial in order to be considered an adult by the tribe. The Elders of the tribe constructed a small shrine at the top of a precarious mountain in the arctic, and within the shrine they placed a multitude of small, metal tokens. The participant of the trial is led to a starting point, given one days worth of rations, and armed only with the clothes on their back, their weapon, and a bedroll, they must make the four day trek to this mountain's peak, retrieve a token, and bring it back to the tribe. Upon a successful return, the token is presented to the Elders, and during a ceremony inducting the participant into adulthood.

Upon reaching adulthood, a frost elf gains the right to challenge the chieftain for tribe leadership. The tribe shaman will study omens and speak to gods. If the signs are favourable the challenge must be accepted. While it's no rule, often a newly-ascended chieftain will get to keep his or her position for at least a decade or two, because losing too many of the tribe's best warriors in a short period of time would compromise the success of the whole tribe.
Considering their habitat doesn't particularly facilitate farming, the frost elves are primarily hunters and gatherers. In fact, it is the basis of their culture and the primary activity of their day. Unlike other elves, they have no respect for the arts, songs or stories. The only trace of culture remaining in frost elven society is the host of religious practices and rituals they so revere. Frost elves rarely wander out of their freezing homelands. Those who do are either tribeless outcasts or on some sort of a quest for their tribe. The latter return home as soon as the task is complete, but the former can have any number of motives for adventuring. Every frost elf is taught the basic skills of survival so that they might benefit the tribe. That's why they all have at least some levels in ranger, fighter, barbarian or druid. Those who wander out into the world or pursue a career in the clergy may take on other classes.

Even if they are naturally resistant to cold, frost elves still wear warm furs and leathers to cover their legs and torso, though they usually leave their arms bare for better mobility in combat. The exception to this are the clergy of Auril who, due to a divine boon, don't seem to be affected by natural cold at all and often wear light leather clothing so as to display the power of their faith. The elves wield crude weapons made of bone, wood and stone, designed for hunting: bows, spears, knives, light axes and clubs. Many tribes do have a small assortment of steel weapons, taken from those unfortunate travellers who intruded upon their territory. Very rarely do they trade with other races for weapons.

Dwelling in tight-knit, families or clans of 3-30 members, frost elves live in small villages consisting of 2-10 dome-shaped huts of woven trees, covered with furs and skins and packed on the outside with snow. Such villages house members of one clan only and lie generally near the centre of that clan's territory. Territories average two square kilometres in size for each member of a clan's village. Communities numbering more than 30 undergo a branching off, wherein two or more family groups pack their belongings in early spring and set out in search of new territory. This prevents overpopulation and starvation in a rugged environment that offers no bountiful harvests for large communities. Such branching off is now a rare event. Frost elves have no ability to work metal-no small surprise as they use but dislike fire-and disdain all metal armour. They prefer to wear leather, skins, or their own special garb. Frost elves are renowned for their ability to manufacture a strong and beautiful type of armour from the hide of the white dragon. Due to their carefully guarded secrets for curing and treating, this armour grants AC 4 while hindering movement no more than elven chain. Frost-elven clans, while not at all interdependent, will not hesitate to aid one another in repelling invaders or raiding high-altitude settlements. Clans often come together in spring and fall for various festivals and religious holidays. A frost elf will never turn another of his kind away empty-handed, although the proud frost elf only rarely admits the need of another's assistance.

Frost-elven religion centres around their secluded druidic shrines. These holy places, tucked in the wildest and most remote nooks and crannies of the mountains, house elven druids of the highest levels. The shrines are reportedly places of great power, and each is headed by a druid of no less than 11th level, assisted by one 8th-level "assistant," three 7th-level "attendants," four 5th-level "caretakers," and a host of 2-20 lesser druids and servants. Druidic spells cast from these areas are reported to be of double strength and duration. It is also rumoured that the shrines gain this special power by being located in areas of "elemental weakness"-a misgiven name, for these houses of worship are centred on fissures between the Prime Material plane and one or more of the various elemental and paraelemental planes, particularly those of Earth, Air, and Ice. The elven druids of the shrines, dwelling as they have in such close proximity to the elements over the ages, have developed heightened powers in summoning and controlling elementals and ara-elementals while near their shrines or homes. This talent applies only to NPC frost elves, because it is a skill gained individually and requires decades (at least) of study and association.
The shrines are considered by all frost elves to be extremely holy areas and will be aggressively defended.

Frost Elves tend to be warm and comforting, willing to offer all they have to complete strangers. They are a selfless, humble people, trusting of others and in turn earning others' trust. Their only biases are towards monster races that have plagued them for centuries, such as goblins, orcs, and trolls. Frost Elves are not, however, to be taken lightly. Once angered, the Frost Elves are capable of calling forth powerful divine magics, and have been known to decimate their enemy without losing a single life of their own. They often trade with Dwarves, offering them many basic goods and succulent meats in exchange for their precious metals and gems, making Dwarves and Frost Elves very close friends. However, Frost Elves tend to be very hateful of Orcs, Goblins, Trolls, and other "lesser" beings.

Government: Council

All Elves gain all the following free;

Cold Resistance - The character gains a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against cold damage and cold effects. He can also exist comfortably in conditions down to –28°C without having to make a CON save.

Enhanced Vision - The character can see in absolute darkness at a distance equal to his normal sight. And can also see through heavy weather conditions such as falling snow, rain or mist.