Eylfārehl of the Great Forest
The most commonly encountered subrace of Eylfāe are the Anàhlāe Eylfārehl.
“No one in attendance could pronounce his name. The language was as old as the world, and when he died the words would fall silent forever. It was his way to begin with a small prayer offered to forgotten gods. He would look heavenward and wait for some sign. After a time a smile would come to his lips, and he would begin. He would tell us about when the world was young. He would tell us fantastic tales of those that lived at the beginning, and those he’d met and lost along the way. He would tell us about mountains that no longer stood, having crumbled into dust over time, and oceans where now stretch thirsting deserts.” – Lurállenàl Karédhennèras, Tale of my Grandfather’s Grandfather
Physiology
The Anàhlāe Eylfārehl are a sturdy and slender race, with an average height of 67″. Their skin is usually tan but gets darker and more coarse with age much like the bark of a tree. The hair of the Anàhlāe is generally green or brown, and their eyes are also green. Anàhlāe rarely weigh more than 150 pounds, averaging close to 135.
Among the Eylfāe, the Aqōlàhqbāe and Anàhlāe have the closest relation to their immediate environments. The Anàhlāe believe there exists a magical symbiosis between themselves and the forests. Many claim a kinship to the plants and fauna of their homes. Likewise, many claim to be able to speak to the trees, plants, and animals of their homelands. The relationship between Anàhlāe and the woodlands is most apparent when an Anàhlāryn is removed from the forests for an extended time. The displaced Anàhlāryn grows ill, and will eventually die in the following months. Some have told of isolated cases where a very strong Eylfāryn has not died, but permanently lost their “touch” with nature; a fate similar to death as these “lost Eylfāe” cease to exist at death, having no spirit remaining. In some cases, this is caused by dhrel lahandrahal, the “social ailment”. This social disease has been known to affect a few of the Anàhlāryr in each generation. Victims suffer few physical symptoms, but have been known to seek the company of others, and in extreme cases, outsiders. Should an Eylfāryn leave the forests’ embrace they suffer from withdrawal as healthy members of their race would. Such victims are shunned by their lederreh, and in some cases exiled. These Anàhlāe often grow despondent over time and if they are not readmitted, death likely follows. This process may take years, or may happen at an accelerated rate depending upon the individual.
Most of the Anàhlāe Eylfārehl are capable of concealing themselves in a wooded environment with great skill. There are reports of unmoving Anàhlāe Eylfārehl that can be seen disappearing into the background over time, until they become indistinguishable from the scenery.
At a later point in the lives of the Anàhlāe (i.e., five hundred years or more), elders find a tranquil place to sink their roots and begin a final metamorphosis into a tree-like state. Not all Anàhlāe become “trees”, some preferring to assume the form of other woody plants.
Psychology
Anàhlāe speak the common language of their area as well as their own tongue of Tirengôl. In addition, many can speak with woodland beasts.
Culture
The Anàhlāe Eylfārehl are very capable warriors but commonly choose more peaceful means to settle differences. When war becomes inevitable, the Anàhlāe Eylfārehl nearly always call upon the aid of the more warlike Nehkrul Neylfèrahl. In exchange for this service the Anàhlāe provide the Nehkrul with all manner of forest bounties.
The Anàhlāe Eylfārehl have been known to establish official friendships with non-Eylfāe rangers and druids, but are also the first to hunt these same Mortals down and destroy them if they overstep their duties, or make “unforgivable” mistakes. Anàhlāe Law sometimes is often opaque to outsiders. The general principle that “change erases all past troubles” is used often by the Anàhlāe when dispensing justice.
Anàhlāe organize themselves by tribes. The tribes, called lederreh, reside in defined regions. A “tribal region” is a ter lederreh. A “kingdom” of ter lederreh is a teregana, a word that can mean “forest”, “land”, “home”, or “spirit” depending on its context. Teregana are often comprised of many lederreh who organize themselves in a hierarchy of importance and favor to the Ormyrahd. According to the legends of the Anàhlāe, in the time of the “world forest” there was only one Ormyrahd. A separation occurred among the Anàhlāe, with lederreh choosing alliances supporting different kings. The cause of the split is “forgotten”, but is believed to have divided the strength of the Anàhlāe and given way to the Devastation that fragmented the “world forest”. The teregana are now divided by physical location. The borders of these regions are not be evident to non-Eylfāe scholars. Forests and woods separated by hundreds of miles may be considered part of the same forest if there are members in the group that remember them being connected in the past.
Most teregana are divided into several clans; each serving different purposes within a kingdom. There are musician, farming, magic, and warrior lederreh, among others. Each lederreh is led by a leader who in turn who serves the Ormyrahd.
Language
Anàhlāe speak the common language of their area as well as their own tongue of Tirengôl. In addition, many can speak with woodland beasts.
Magic
The Anàhlāe Eylfārehl embody the spirit of the Skein more than any other Eylfāe subrace. Their harmony with the nature and magics of Teréth End belie their claim of otherworldliness. This rapport with the life energies of the “prison-world” has been the source of some ill-will toward the Anàhlāe from other Eylfāe subraces. Some have hypothesized that were the Eylfāe to find a way to leave the World of Teréth End, the Anàhlāe would stay behind.
The Anàhlāe are a very magical race, though their magics are much more subtle and natural than those employed by the other Eylfāe subraces. Weavers among the Anàhlāe Eylfārehl seem to manipulate a limited set of magics. Anàhlāe magicians have shown extraordinary abilities with the Dekàli equivalents of: Barátrū, Krēádra, Mūátra, Orádra, Or Kàntrū, Sorádra, and Teréðrū. Eylfāri magicians do not associate with Yrūn sirkūlī.
Characters
Anàhlāe Eylfārehl are appropriate player characters.
Template
The basic template for Anàhlāe Eylfārehl characters is 107 CPs. This template includes:
Advantages
- Dexterity +1 (BASp15) 20
- Appearance: Attractive — (BASp21) 31
- Acute Senses: Vision +2 (BASp35) 4
- Acute Senses: Taste and Smell +3 (BASp35) 6
- Chameleon (Woodland) +3 (BASp41) 112
- Energy Reserve (Haladh) 10 (POWp119) 63
- Less Sleep 4 (BASp65) 12
- Mana Enhancer 1 (BASp68) 404
- Night Vision +3 (BASp71) 6
- Regeneration: Regular (Haladh) — (BASp80) 205
- Talent (Anàhlāe Eylfārehl)† — (BASp89) 5
- Unaging — (BASp95) 15
† BASp89 Talent (Anàhlāe Eylfārehl); Includes the skills: Area Knowledge (Specific Forest) (BASp176), Bow (BASp182) or Melee/Pole: Spear (BASp208), Climbing (BASp183), Naturalist (BASp211), and Tracking (BASp226)
1 BASp21 Appearance: Attractive; 4 pts (Base) +25% (Universal) -50% (Off-the-Shelf Looks) = 3 pts
2 BASp41 Chameleon; 15 pts (Base, 3 Levels) -20% (Accessibility, Only in Woodland) -10% (Costs 2 FP/Haladh, BASp111) = 11 pts
3 POWp119 Energy Reserve; 30 pts (Base, 10 Levels) -10% (Abilities Only) -70% (Special Recharge, Regeneration: Fatigue Only, POWp70) = 6 pts
4 BASp68 Mana Enhancer; 50 pts (Base) -20% (Costs 4 FP/Haladh, BASp111) = 40 pts
5 BASp80 Regeneration; 25 pts (Base, Regular) -20% (Accessibility, Only in Sunlight) -0% (Fatigue Only, POWp70) = 20 pts
Total = 148 CPs
Disadvantages
- Strength -1 (BASp14) -10
- Dependency: Common (Haladh) — (BASp130) -101
- Fanaticism (Nature) — (BASp136) -15
- Loner — (BASp142) -5
- Quirks (Elegant) — (BASp163) -1
1 BASp130 Dependency; -10 pts (Common) * 1 (Monthly) = 10 pts
Total = -41 CPs
Options
A selection from the following template options are appropriate.
Advantages
- Animal Empathy — (BASp40) 51
- Binding: Environmental +12 (BASp40) 312
- Brachiator — (BASp41) 5
- Damage Resistance† +2 (BASp56) 63
- Enhanced Move (Woodlands) +1 (BASp52) 124
- High Manual Dexterity +2 (BASp59) 10
- Magery 0 (BASp66) 5
- Power Investiture (Ancient Forest) +1 (BASp77) 10
- Racial Memory (Nalelehral)† — (BASp78) 40
- Reawakened† — (BASp80) 10
- Speak With Plants (Woodlands)† — (BASp87) 125
† These traits are reserved for elder Anàhlāe Eylfārehl
1 BASp40 Animal Empathy; 5 pts (Base) -5% (Costs 1 FP/Haladh, BASp111) = 5 pts
2 BASp40 Binding; 24 pts (Base, 12 Levels) -40% (Environmental) +50% (Area of Effect) +40% (Persistent) -20% (Costs 4 FP/Haladh, BASp111) = 31 pts
3 BASp56 Damage Resistance bundled with Supernatural Features (Wooden); 10 pts (Basic) -40% (Limited Defenses: Cutting) = 6 pts
4 BASp52 Enhanced Move: Ground; 20 pts (Base, 1 Level) -30% (Accessibility, Only in Woodlands) -10% (Costs 2 FP/Haladh, BASp111) = 12 pts
5 BASp87 Speak With Plants; 15 pts (Base) -10% (Accessibility, Only in Woodlands) -10% (Costs 2 FP/Haladh, BASp111) = 12 pts
Disadvantages
- Cannot Speak† — (BASp125) -15
- Fragile: Combustible† — (BASp136) -5
- No Legs: Sessile† — (BASp145) -501
- Non-Iconographic† — (BASp146) -10
- Phobias: Fire† — (BASp150) -5
- Restricted Diet: Very Common (Fertile Soil)† — (BASp151) -10
- Slow Healing† — (BASp155) -10
- Stress Atavism: Severe† — (BASp156) -20
- Supernatural Features (Wooden)† — (BASp157) -102
† These traits are reserved for elder Anàhlāe Eylfārehl
1 BASp145 No Legs: Sessile is the last talhral taken by an Anàhlāe character undergoing the metamorphosis to elder
2 BASp157 Supernatural Features (Wooden) bundled with Damage Resistance; -10 pts
Nomenclature: Anahlae Eylfarehl Dekàlic: Anàhlāe Eylfārehl (race), Anàhlāri (pertaining to), Anàhlāryn (individual), Anàhlāryr (people)