Character 9 - Elf Ranger

You grew up in the region north of the Feywood that the Humans call the "Central Plains". There are a number of small enclaves of Elves on the plains, some of them have been here since before the Great Strife - when the lands were part of the great Feywood forest. But your family has not always lived here. They are among those that call themselves the Free Elves, not bounded by any Forest. You have inherited their curiosity and desire to experience all of the wonders of nature that the gods provided on Cartyrion.

You have a particular affinity for the many smaller creatures that inhabit the lands. As you grew up, you developed an affinity for the rabbits, weasels, ferrets, raccoons, and other wildlife that made homes in the plains or the many small copses of trees that dot the terrain. These creatures sense that you are not a threat to them and you are happiest when you are alone except for your furry, four-legged friends. At the insistence of your parents, you learned to use a longbow, and always carried one with you when you went on your "walks", but you have never been able to bring yourself to use it on an innocent animal in the plains or forest. The animals - even the bears of the forest and boars of the plains, never gave you reason to. Your parents and the other elves in your village of Elderwood were never surprised to see you wander in from the grasslands with a bird on your shoulder, or a groundhog lumbering along after you.

They were surprised, though, on the day you were followed home by a lone grey wolf. This creature had approached you while you were sitting beneath a tree at the edge of the Lonely Woods a few miles outside of town. It simply walked up to you and laid by your feet. It didn't appear to be injured, it just wanted to be your friend. That was two months ago and the creature hasn't really left your side since. You took this a a sign -- a sign that it was time for you to leave the village of your birth and follow the instinct to explore and experience the world that your heritage instilled in you. It was a fear of solitude that had kept you from leaving before, but now you had a friend - a traveling companion - to keep you company!

And so you set out. It seemed that your first stop should be to explore the Feywood to the south, perhaps to learn more about how the first Elves lived after Awakening on Cartyrion. And from there? Who knows! This is how you now find yourself sitting in the common room of the Bugbear's Head Inn, on a crude trade road connecting two human settlements deep in the heart of the Feywood.
Race
Elf
Heritage
Free
Background
Animal Whisperer
Class
Ranger

Trained Skills
Acrobatics, Athletics, Crafting, Medicine, Nature, Stealth, Survival, Plains Lore, Forest Lore

Armor
Leather
Melee Weapons
Fist, Short Sword, Dagger
Ranged Weapons
Longbow, Dagger

Animal Companion
Juvenile Wolf
Children

Physical Description

Elves are generally taller and more slender than humans with long features and sharply pointed ears. They appear and move more gracefully than a typical human (though this does not always translate into any sort of dexterity advantage). Their eyes are wide and almond-shaped with large, vibrant-colored pupils that make up the entire visible portion of the eye. These iris-less pupils give them an alien look, but allow all Elves to see sharply even in very little light. Elves naturally adapt to their environment and companions, taking on physical traits reflecting their surroundings. Typically, elves like you growing up in a forest such as the Feywood will take on a greenish tinge to hair and eye color, with tanned skin tones reminiscent of tree bark. Your preferences in clothing will also reflect the colors of your forest surroundings.

Elves reach physical adulthood around the age of 20, though they aren’t considered to be emotionally mature by other elves until closer to an age of 100. A typical elf can live to around 600 years old.

Other Characteristics

As an Elf...

Your extremely long lifespan affects your personality greatly. You will be careful about forming close attachments to people with much shorter lifespans since you are quite likely to outlive them by a significant amount. You may also select specialized or obscure telents to master simply because you have the time to do so. Others will tend to form initial opinions of you based solely on your appearance and your "elfness". Humans and halflings wlil admire your apparent grace and style; other races may scoff at your perceived frailty. All will assume you're naturally gifted with bow and arrow, whether or not you've ever touched one. Unfortunately, though, most of other races will mistake your reluctance to get too close personally as condescension or aloofness rather than an attempt to protect your own emotional health.

As a Free Elf...

The elves of your ancestral tree left the forests long ago in search of the many wonders of Cartyrion, and while your parents and immediate family may have settled down in a plain, or desert, or forest, or even city, a sense of wanderlust remains. Over time, an extraordinary sensitivity to life - or more specifically to the movement that usually denotes life - has developed, making you somewhat more aware of your surroundings than others might be.

As a Former Animal Whisperer...

You have always felt a connection to animals, and it was only a small leap to learn to train them. As you travel as a Ranger, you expect to continuously encounter different creatures, befriending them along the way.

As a Ranger...

During combat encounters, you can single out particular foes to hunt, making you better at defeating them. You target and brutalize your chosen foe with either a bow or melee weapons, while supporting your allies with your skills. During social encounters, when you speak, it’s with the voice of practical experience, especially involving wilderness exploration. While exploring, you guide your allies through the wilderness or follow tracks. You keep an eye out for trouble, constantly alert for danger even when it’s not overt. In between adventures, you craft weapons and snares in preparation for your next venture. If you prefer to get outside, you might go on hunts or scout nearby areas to better understand your environment.

You might, respect the raw power of nature and understand how to make the best of its bounty. You enjoy the thrill of the hunt. You will probably scout out ahead of the party, reconnoitering dangers before combat begins. Others probably, will call upon you to protect them from the wilds or the encroachment of civilization. They are not surprised if you are a quiet or taciturn loner. They may think there is something dangerous and wild about you.


Cover image: The Inn from the Bridge over Daphinia's Stream by RPGDinosaurBob (with Flowscape)

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