Shadow Elf 4 (12)

Early Access

Elves who faded from the surface to escape the justice of their fey cousins for crimes uncounted are sometimes called shadow elves, dark elves, or simply trow. It’s widely assumed that shadow elves fled to new realms deep below the ground; the routes that lead to their true abodes are mostly subterranean and include many grand underground keeps. However, the heart of the shadow elf kingdom lies in the colorless dimension of Shadow itself, where all things exist as a dim reflection of the real world.

Sometimes shadow elves appear in the surface world, spilling from dark tunnels or from the shadows themselves. They raid for plunder, fresh slaves, and sacrifices. The sacrifices are made to their godqueen, a monstrously sized black widow spider that schemes in darkness.

When a shadow elf returns to the world of light, it can choose to appear as a silhouette only: a slender humanoid outline lurking as if at the bottom of a well.

In a modern, sci-fi, or superhero setting, shadow elves may be extraterrestrials or interdimensional invaders.

Motive: Inflicting pain, serving the shadow elf godqueen

Environment: Almost anywhere dimly lit, singly or in groups of up to four

Health: 15

Damage Inflicted: Moderate wound

Armor: 1

Movement: Short

Modifications: Stealth and perception as level 6; dodge as level 6 due to shadowy nature

Combat: A shadow elf attacks with a short blade, knife, or crossbow firing quarrels of steel-hard shadow.

A shadow elf can see in dim light and absolute darkness as if it were daylight. In bright light, a shadow elf loses their modifications to stealth, perception, and dodge and is likely to retreat.

Some shadow elves can cast one or more magical spells, such as the following. Each spell requires an action to cast.

• Armor: The elf’s Armor increases by +2 for ten minutes.
• Blindness: One foe within long range must make a Might defense roll or have their eyes turn black, blinding them until they use a non-rest recovery.
• Enchant Weapon: Increases the elf’s weapon damage to a major wound for an hour.
• Flight: The elf can fly a long distance each round for ten minutes.
• Poison Weapon: The elf’s weapon is magically poisoned for an hour, inflicting a minor wound (ignores armor) on a foe it damages, plus an additional minor wound (ignores armor) each round until the character makes a Might defense roll.
• Shadow Web: Three adjacent creatures within long range must make dodge rolls or be held by a magical web, preventing physical actions until they break free with a successful Might task.

Interaction: Shadow elves may negotiate and even ally with other creatures for a time. But they do so only until the best opportunity for a betrayal presents itself.

Use: Shadow elves have overrun an outlying keep, and even in broad daylight, the castle is shrouded in darkness and webs of shadow. The treasures said to lie in the keep’s coffers may already be in the hands of the dark fey.

Loot: A shadow elf carries currency equivalent to an expensive item, in addition to weapons, light armor, and a manifest cypher or two. Shadow elf leaders may carry an artifact.

GM Intrusion: The shadow elf casts a spell that charms a character on a failed Intellect defense roll, forcing them to fight against the elf’s foes. The character can attempt a new Intellect defense roll each round to end the spell, which ends automatically after a minute.