Species Name: Uldra

In ancient Scandinavian mythology Uldra was a fairy who was half-seen through the rainbow of mist and spray above a waterfall.

Uldras are small fey that dwell in the arctic wilderness, living at peace with the natural world. In particular, uldras are quite fond of the wild animals of the world, and see themselves as the guardians and protectors of such creatures, especially in cases where civilization encroaches. Although they generally prefer to avoid conflict, they are quick to rise in the defence of local wildlife.

Type: Micro Humanoid

Physical Traits: Uldras are short and thin, their limbs are long and each of their hands possessing three long fingers and a thumb. Their toes are also long and thin, with long sharp toenails. They tend to walk or run on the balls of their feet or their toes. Uldra skin is generally pale blue or even snow white. Hair colour is typically some darker shade of blue or black, frosting to grey or light blue in advanced age. Their ears are large, but their nose, mouth, and chin are fairly small, giving their faces an expressive but undeniably alien look. The most startling feature about the Uldra's visage, though, is its eyes; large and colourful, and can be nearly any colour (and often have two or three hues). Combinations of green, gold, and red are the most common. In the dark, their eyes seem to glow with a soft light.

Height: 3'-4' feet

Weight: 30-40lbs

Abilities: Uldras can see in the dark up to 120 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and Uldras can function just fine with no light at all. They can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. He retains the ability to distinguish colour and detail under these conditions.

Uldras are completely at home in freezing environments, and they suffer no harm from being in a cold environment. They take half damage from cold attacks.

As a free action they can infuse their hands with cold energy. While their hands are frosty, their unarmed attacks do an additional +1 point of cold damage.

Mobility: Legs

Sensory Organs: Visual

Communication: Vocal

Reproduction: Sexual

INT: 3D6, WIS: 3D6 +1, STR: 2D6 +4, DEX: 3D6, CON: 3D6 +2, CHA: 3D6, MR: 2D6, HPs: CON +D4, AC: 5

Orbit/Climate: See Earth

Feeding Habits: Omnivore

Lifespan: 700 years

Technology: 2

Culture: Standard. Diversified mix of kind and evil people. Uldras are exceptionally emotional creatures, and their reactions to new situations are always powerful and expressive. An Uldra can be laughing with joy one moment, screaming with rage in the next, and then be calm and serene a moment later. To an Uldra, these ever-changing mood swings are natural and logical, but they often project a feeling of insanity to more civilized people. Nothing brings joy to an Uldra's heart more than watching, playing with, or helping wild animals. They find domesticated animals to be depressing and enraging, and often stage midnight raids on villages to "rescue" cows, dogs, and other domesticated animals by kidnapping them and helping them to return to their wild roots. Uldras have a strong dislike of cities and civilization in general, and many of them take it upon themselves to harass and annoy travellers and other obviously city-bred folk they encounter.

Uldras prefer the company of other fey but since they tend to live closer to civilized lands than most fey, contact with the humanoid races is common. They find the most in common with Gnomes, and most actively enjoy the company of Gnomes and visit Gnome villages to trade goods, stories, or friendship. They get along well enough with Elves and Halflings, but as a general rule they don't seek them out. Brutal races, such as Orcs and Goblinoids, are often thought of as little more than monsters by Uldras, and they try to avoid contact with these creatures. The majority of conflicts in Uldra society happen with Humans and Dwarves. These races have embraced technology more than the others, and their habits of expanding violently into the natural world or mining it for its riches enrages and depresses the average Uldra. As a result, most Uldras view Humans and Dwarves with bitter suspicion at best.

Uldras dwell in icy dungeons or any hospitable land in tundra regions. Unlike humanoid races, Uldras have little interest in building cities. They dwell in natural caves, hollow trees, dense thickets, or icy glacial tunnels or spires, finding comfort and shelter as they can. They tend to live in small groups of three to six family units, with about six Uldras per family. Their lives are nomadic, and their society anarchic. Leadership, when necessary, is usually assumed by the loudest or strongest, and even then only lasts for a short time. Nothing breaks up Uldra families faster than oppressive direction by a single overbearing authority figure. Uldras are ferociously territorial, and usually react violently to any attempt to cultivate or alter natural regions by civilized races. They are less antagonistic toward explorers, wanderers, travellers, and adventurers, although if such creatures penetrate too deeply into lands held sacred by Uldras they are often the target of ambushes. They have developed a great love for all things in nature, in particular, Uldras have a strong love and empathy for wild animals. Uldra society consists of clans very similar to those of Dwarves and Gnomes. The typical Uldric lair is always an underground complex, mined by the Uldras through ice or solid rock. Uldras enjoy eating, drinking, and telling stories around campfires with new friends. Uldras love precious metals, gems, mining and gemcutting. Though not especially well known for it, they are also good woodworkers. Uldras are highly courageous, and never forget their friends or foes, immortalizing them in story and song.

Once in a great while, a group of Uldras become seized with a powerful form of wanderlust, an irresistible urge to seek out new realms of nature beyond the tundras and glaciers and taigas of their ancestors. These Uldras travel for many months, often years, following an almost terrifying obsession to find a new location to settle. These sudden urges to wander are known to Uldras as homecomings, for upon arriving at the location that they have been mysteriously drawn to, Uldras have a strong sense of belonging and ease. It's generally thought by Uldras that a homecoming affects a particular family when a part of the natural world is endangered in some way, and this spiritual call for aid is answered when a new Uldra family arrives to take the needy region under its care. Uldras usually settle in arctic regions after following a homecoming, but it's not unheard of for Uldra homecomings to draw them to temperate or even tropical regions.

Uldras are typically armoured with leather armour and shield, and some may carry rings of protection +1 or other devices. Uldras are usually armed with longswords and shortbows, but sometimes carry other weapons such as light crossbows, spears, axes, picks, maces, and hammers.

An Uldra usually becomes an adventurer in order to travel the world and seek out new natural realms to explore and experience. Often, an Uldra with the urge to see the world joins with a group of like-minded adventurers (usually those with druids, barbarians, and rangers) for protection.

Government: None

All Uldra gain all the following free;

Cold Body - Uldras are completely at home in freezing environments, and they suffer no harm from being in a cold environment. They take half damage from cold attacks.

Night Vision - Uldras can see in the dark up to 120 feet but in black and white only. They can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. He retains the ability to distinguish colour and detail under these conditions.