VARIANT ORIGIN FOR ELVES

This is a very brief introduction to an alternative origin for elves in a fantasy setting. Instead of their traditionally being the oldest race, what if they were the youngest?

First came the gods, then the sons and daughters of the gods—the dryads, nereids, oreads, and others. These were the nymphs and spirits of the trees, lakes, rivers, and mountains, who dwelt within and watched over their domains.

Then came men.

As was their wont, the nature spirits often took lovers from among the race of men. Their children became the elves. They combine the traits of their nature spirit mothers (inherent magical talents and long life) with those of men (hardiness, strength, durability, and adaptiveness). This makes them as strong as men, but far more agile, fair in face and form, with a natural aptitude for magic. Elves appear much like men, but with hints of their semi-divine heritage—skin and hair of a strange tint for example. They normally live among men, but some feel the call of the wild and flee the dwellings of mankind and live among the nymphs.

Ecology: This character sheet represents a first-generation human-nature spirit/nymph mating. The elf’s divine parentage is readily evident and makes the elf stronger, faster, more durable, and longer-lived than any regular human. Thus, they are often great artisans, mages, scholars, warriors, and the like, and usually go down into history, legend, and myth as great heroes.

Elves who remain among humans and take human spouses will have also children with inherent magical abilities. However, these children will usually be of lesser power than their parent (i.e. a STR, DEX, CON, and INT of 11, only 15 points of Powers and Spells, Life Support of only 200 years Longevity, and so on). Conversely, an elf who leaves human society and returns to the world of the nature spirits and nymphs can have children of greater power (but not as a powerful as a pure-blooded nature spirit of nymph.)

Personality/Motivation: Typical sentient humanoid motivations. Elves have a reputation for being somewhat distant (or detached) from normal humans, a result of their divine heritage, which often makes them more aware of the natural world than the human one. Those elves who are overcome by their longing for the world of their divine parents will leave human society, those who are less “touched” remain.

Powers/Tactics: Elves use the full range of tactics available to sentient humanoids. They possess inherent magical powers relating to their parentage as well as a natural aptitude for magic and spell casting. Their inherent powers vary widely—an elf who’s parent was a wood spirit will probably have Animal Handler (birds and mammals of the woods), Concealment (Self Only and only in the woods), Stealth (woods only). An elf who’s parent was a water spirit will have extra meters of Swimming and if not the ability to outright breathe water, then the ability to hold his breath far longer than any normal human.

Appearance: Elves appear as a blending of human and nymph. They tend to be slender in build and handsome/beautiful in face and features, with attractive physiques. The hair of an elf depends on his exact parentage, as does his skin. Elves who’s mothers were nereids (for example) often have pale blue or greenish skin with blue or greenish hair. An elf born of a dryad will have hair the color of leaves and skin the color of bark, and so on.

Variant Origin Elf Template Hero Designer File