Авариэль

Автор: Colin Chapman

Источники: The Complete Book of Elves, On Wings of Eagles - The Avariel (article in Dragon), An Elven Lexicon (article in Dragon magazine), Player's Handbook (2nd edition), Player's Handbook (3rd edition), Monstrous Manual (2nd edition), Monster Manual (3rd edition), Monsters of Faerun, Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (3rd edition), Elves of Evermeet, Deities - FRCS web enchancement.

---

Самая редкая из подрас эльфов, авариэль - или крылатые эльфы, ведут затворническую жизнь, поэтому чужаки их видят редко. Их так мало и они так хорошо скрываются, что их считают практически легендой - многие и многие полагают, что рассказы о крылатых эльфах - это всего лишь мифы и фантазии.

Черты характера

Авариэль - гордый народ, обычно они не снисходят до суетной жизни обычного мира, если только мир не вмешивается в их дела. Из всех эльфов авариэль самые неулыбчивые и могут даже проявлять жестокость, если обстоятельства того требуют, но, точно так же, как все остальные представители эльфийской расы, ценят красоту, творчество и природу. Однако главная радость их жизни заключена в способности летать. Даже если авариэль не парят в небесах, а стоят на твердой земле, по их отсутствующему взгляду видно, что они мечтают о чем-то своем. Их любовь к бескрайнему небу может сравниться только с отвращением, которое они питают к закрытым пространствам. Авариэль страдают сильной клаустрофобией.

Avariel are a proud people, aloof to the affairs of the world, save when such concerns impact upon their own lives. Of all the elven races, the avariel are the most serious-minded, and can even be ruthless when necessity dictates, but are just as appreciative of beauty, creativity, and the natural world, but their greatest joy by far, is that of flight. Even when not soaring through the heavens, they can be seen with a far-off look in their eyes. Their love of the unbounded sky is matched only by their discomfort of enclosed spaces, and the avariel suffer from crippling claustrophobia.

Внешнее описание

Авариэль грациозны и величавы, по росту не уступают большинству людей, хотя они кажутся еще более тонкокостными, чем их земные сородичи-эльфы. У них скорее рубленые, заостренные черты лица, а глаза еще больше, чем у других эльфов. Глаза авариэль обычно золотые, лазурные, изумрудные или насыщенно-карие. Полые кости позволяют им летать, но такие кости очень хрупкие, за исключением грудной клетки и плечей, несущих мощные орлиные крылья. Оперение авариэль обычно чистейшего белого цвета, но встречаются иногда черные и серые пятна, их волосы белые, черные или, реже, золотые или серебряные. Как и у других эльфов, у авариэль нет волос на лице и теле. Они предпочитают простую, просторную одежду, которая не мешает крыльям, обычно бледных цветов: белого, серого или серебряного. У авариэль самый короткий век из всех эльфов: они достигают зрелости к 50 годам и редко преодолевают трехсотлетнюю черту. Как и другие эльфы, авариэль не спят, но впадают в медитативный транс на 4 часа в день.

Взаимоотношения

Несмотря на свою отчужденность и равнодушие, которые приводят в изумление даже их родичей эльфов, авариэль редко бывают такими высокомерными или заносчивыми, какими принято считать всех эльфов. Хотя ко всем созданиям, неспособным летать, они относятся со снисходительной жалостью. Они редко общаются с другими расами, исключение составляют соседи из близлежащих эльфийских поселений - с ними авариэль общаются очень сердечно, но никогда долго. Наибольшей жалости, по мнению авариэль, заслуживают их сородичи, утратившие способность летать - такое может случиться в результате несчастного случая, ран, болезней или травмы, полученной во время родов. Однако сами авариэль не выносят, когда их жалеют. Бескрылые или просто неспособные летать, они покидают свой народ и селятся отдельно, или же в отчаянии кончают жизнь самоубийством.

Despite an aloofness that can astound even other elves, avariel rarely exhibit the haughtiness and arrogance many have come to associate with elvenkind, though they pity all races lacking the ability to fly. They have little to do with other races, only maintaining cordial, but brief, contact with other elven settlements within range of their homes. They reserve their greatest pity for those avariel who are incapable of flight, whether due to accident, injury, illness, or misfortunate birth. Unaccepting of pity themselves, such wingless or flightless avariel seek lives elsewhere, or end their own lives in despair.

Alignment

Like other elves, the avariel value freedom, and lean towards the gentler aspects of chaos, and although not quite as deeply respectful of all life as their ground-dwelling kin, are still good more often than not.

Avariel Lands

Avariel settlements are rare, located in secluded and inaccessible mountains, their many towers carved into the rock faces and plateaus, resplendent with many windows, perches, and balconies. Their societies are commonly composed entirely of avariel dedicated to one of two paths of life: the path of the warrior, or the path of the aesthete, though a rare few settlements compose members of both paths. The warriors are not all combatants, as might be inferred, though many are, but all follow the philosophy of action, of doing. Aesthetes are the thinkers, those inclined to study, magic, art, music, and philosophy. There is no animosity between followers of the different paths, both of whom have long lineages, and they each support and respect the other to the best of their abilities. Avariel seldom trade with outsiders other than other elves, obtaining from them the rare metal implements that they themselves do not use. Avariel craftsmanship utilizes glass, crystal, obsidian, and stone almost exclusively, even in the construction of weapons, and gems and semiprecious stones are used for currency. Those rare avariel encountered beyond their mountain dwellings are usually those seeking escape from pity due to their inability to fly, or the rare avariel gripped by an overpowering wanderlust.

Religion

The avariel are a deeply religious people, but they owe their greatest loyalty, not to Corellon Larethian, but Aerdrie Faenya, the winged elven goddess of the air, the weather, and avians. Although their true origins are a mystery, the avariel hold that it is her intervention that enables them to survive, and that they are her favored children. Some avariel even belief that they were the original elven race, though many more of their sages speculate that Aerdrie Faenya's hand melded them with their beloved giant eagles.

Language

The avariel speak the same lilting and fluid language as other elves, and some have even devised an intricate sign language based upon this tongue. Some avariel consider it a source of pride to learn and speak Auran, the language of all avian creatures, and a rare few learn a scattering of the languages utilized by those races dwelling in proximity to them.

Names

Avariel pick their own names upon reaching the age of majority, though closefriends may continue to use the avariel's "child name". Family names are of vital import to the avariel, whose lineages stretch back untold centuries, devoted to the path which they have chosen.

Male Names: Aerontar, Daedamai, Peregrane, Raptiir, Sperenshay, and Talasphir.

Female Names: Aerie, Cassae, Esthaenie, Icaria, Lethri, and Nahlrie.

Family Names: Adongala ("Peacewhisper"), Driiquar ("Airdance"), Elandinai ("Arrowbreeze"), Kiirquarlani ("Gemsoul"), Silathdiir ("Mountainstone"), and Xilokerym ("Petalsword").

Adventurers

Avariel take up adventuring only if gripped by uncontrollable wanderlust, or seeking a life elsewhere as a result of exile, self-imposed or otherwise. Followers of the warrior path make up by far the majority of those avariel gripped by wanderlust.

AVARIEL RACIAL TRAITS

· +4 Dexterity, -4 Constitution: Avariel are extremely light and graceful but their hollow bones make them painfully frail.

· Medium-size: As Medium-size creatures, avariel have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.

· Avariel base speed is 25 feet. They can fly at a speed of 45 feet (average). Avariel cannot fly when wearing Medium or Heavy armor. Custom fitting for armor purchased outside of avariel settlements has a cost equal to half the value of the armor itself.

· Low-light Vision: Avariel can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. They retain the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.

· Proficient with either longsword or rapier; proficient with bolas and lasso. Avariel find that the muscles they use to fly, oppose those used to fire ordinary bows.

· +4 racial bonus to Spot checks; +2 racial bonus to Listen and Search checks. An avariel's vision is akin to that of a giant eagle, able to discern details on objects up to a mile away.

· Avariel may take the Flyby Attack feat (see page 11 of the Monster Manual) as a General feat; this is not a free bonus feat.

· Claustrophobia: whenever an avariel finds herself enclosed in a small area for any significant length of time, she must make a Will save (DC 13) or become panicked (-2 morale penalty on all actions; can become aggressive). Saves are made every day. The panic subsides when the character is brought out into the open air.

· Avariel find their wings an impediment to motion when on the ground, suffering a -2 attack penalty and -2 AC penalty as a result. These penalties can be negated if the avariel takes the Ground Combat feat (see below).

· Automatic Languages: Common and elven. Bonus Languages: Auran, Avariel Sign, Draconic, Dwarven, Giant, Goblin, Orc. Avariel commonly know the languages of their enemies and allies, as well as Draconic, the language commonly found in ancient tomes of secret knowledge. They have developed a form of silent communication somewhat similar to the drow sign language.

· Favored Class: Avariel of the warriors' way have Fighter as their favored class. Avariel of the aesthetes' way have Wizard as their favored class. A multiclass avariel's fighter/wizard class does not count when determining whether she suffers an XP penalty for multiclassing.

· Level Adjustment: +1. Although no more powerful or weak than most other elven subraces, the avariel's ability to fly is an extremely useful ability.

RANDOM STARTING AGE

Race: Avariel Adulthood: 50 years Barbarian/Rogue/Sorcerer: +4d6 Bard/Fighter/Paladin/Ranger: +6d6 Cleric/Druid/Monk/Wizard: +10d6

AGING EFFECTS Race: Avariel Middle Age: 140 years Old: 195 years Venerable: 250 years Maximum Age: +4d20 years

RANDOM HEIGHT AND WEIGHT Avariel, man Base Height: 4'10", Height Modifier +2d10, Base Weight 70 lb., Weight Modifier x (1d6) lb. Avariel, woman Base Height: 4'5", Height Modifier +2d10, Base Weight 65 lb., Weight Modifier x (1d6) lb.

NEW FEATS GROUND COMBAT [GENERAL, AVARIEL ONLY] The avariel trains to fight effectively of the ground. Prerequisites: Base Attack Bonus +2 Benefit: Due to specialized training, the avariel is able to compensate for theencumbering effects of her wings when engaging in ground-based combat, negating the usual avariel penalties for doing so. Normal: Avariel suffer a -2 penalty to attacks and AC when fighting on the ground.

IN THE REALMS The avariel are known to have retreated from Faerun long before the other elven races,and although a few small communities may remain, hidden with the clouded peaks of the continent's mountains, the only known settlement can be found on Mount Sundabar, located in the range just north of the city of the same name, deep within the Silver Marches.

AVARIEL CHARACTER REGION Region: Elf, avariel Automatic Languages: Elven Bonus Languages: Auran, Avariel Sign, Chondathan, Dwarven, Giant, Illuskan, Orc Regional Feats: Education, Flyby Attack, Mind Over Body, Strong Soul Equipment: (A) Longsword* or rapier*, (B) Studded leather*, 3 potions of cure light wounds, (C) Scrolls of resist elements and shatter

AVARIEL GLASS WEAPONS Avariel are the undisputed masters of glasswork, using glass, crystal and obsidian to produce weapons, utensils, and even the studs on their leather armor. Even the most basic of avariel glass items is stronger than comparable glass items found anywhere else (Hardness 7, 10 HP/inch of thickness), and their masterwork items are every bit as strong as steel. Powerful avariel magicians make extensive use of the glassteel spell in fortifying their communities, and providing exemplary weapons for the defenders of their settlements.

   Glassteel
   Transmutation
   Level: Sor/Wiz 8
   Components: V, S, M
   Casting Time: 1 action.
   Range: Touch
   Target: 10 lbs. of glass or crystal/level
   Duration: Permanent
   Saving Throw: None
   Spell Resistance: None
   The glassteel spell turns normal, nonmagical crystal or glass into a transparent substance that has the tensile strength and unbreakability of actual steel (Hardness 10, 30 HP/inch of thickness). Only a relatively small volume of material can be affected (a maximum weight of 10 pounds per level of experience of the spellcaster ), and it must form one whole object.
   Arcane Material Component: A small piece of glass and a small piece of steel.

   ELF, AVARIEL
   Medium-Size Humanoid (Elf)
   Hit Dice: 1d8-2 (2 hp)
   Initiative: +2 (Dex)
   Speed: 25 ft.. 45 ft. (average)
   AC: 15 (+2 Dex, +2 studded leather)
   Attacks: Longsword +1 melee; or bolas +3 ranged
   Damage: Longsword 1d8; or bolas 1d4 plus grapple
   Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.
   Special Qualities: Avariel traits
   Saves: Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +0
   Abilities: Str 10, Dex 15, Con 6, Int 11, Wis 11, Cha 11
   Skills: Listen +3, Search +3, Spot +3
   Feats: Flyby Attack
   Climate/Terrain: Temperate mountains
   Organization: Company (2-4), or squad (11-20 plus 2 3rd-level sergeants and 1 leader of 3rd-6th level)
   Challenge Rating: ½
   Treasure: Standard
   Alignment: Usually chaotic good
   Advancement: By character class
   Most avariel encountered outside their homes are warriors; the information in the statistics block is for one of 1st level (see page 39 in the Dungeon Master's Guide for more about the warrior class).