The last week, I've spent the majority of my time with Kul'gobsula, trying to write down a rough overview of all topics, so that I can finish the basic work this weekend. After that I'll take about one month to read my manuscript and to adjust it better to my vision.
The good news are that I decided to do it bigger and better than I had planned, for there are so nasty rumours about wizard dropping WoG in the near future for good. Someone must show them that there are fans left! ;)
The bad news are that, to be honest, I think that I won't finish the job before december - I want to do good stuff both in my hobby works as in my university career
and so I must focus on my literary studies after these 6 week vacations.The Abyss Elves or "Dragch Anthoren" (deep dwellers) are the descendants from the Grey Elves that fell victim to Vecna's curse, but were not instantly killed by it.
Deformed physically and mentally, they were overthrown by the Baran 1800 years ago and thrown from the mines' highest cliffs into darkest abysses. However, some of those Olven survived in the dark caverns and found a remedy or some kind of resistance against the plague.
In the eternal darkness of what the other inhabitants from Kul'gobsula call the Abyss, the "Dragch' Balan", the fallen Olven survived, feeding from subterranean insects, worms, licking the surface of mineral stones for salty water.
They made simple tools out of bones and stones and degenerated rapidly into a stone age civilisation, something no elven race had ever experienced before
Today most of the Dragch Anthoren live in a small settlement of about 400 people surrounding a small subterranean lake, where they cultivate fungi and other plants that don't need light to dwell.
They don't have light, are even afraid of it and have developed an extraordinary physical appearance to survive in the vast darkness of this underdark.
Some years ago, Baran explorers found this settlement and made a proposal to the clan leaders: Food and tools were traded for peace and the permission to exploit the Abyss Elf subterranean hunting grounds.
To the dark elves' surprise, the Abyss Elves accepted without any hesitation and have proven to be worthy allies since then.
Personality: Abyss Elves are commonly friendly to outsiders, being a reclusive but warm-hearted people. They are stunned at medieval technology, having less more than stone age culture around them.
Nonetheless, their are self-confident and uncaring happy people enjoying their live inspite of their hostile environment.
Physical Description: A normal Dragch Anthoren lives about 300 years; besides that, few can be said about the Abyss Elves' physical description, as they flee every form of light and hide their dead in secret places far from the Baran sight.
However, they are believed to have a skin that is slightly darker than that of their Olven forefathers, maybe a result of Vecna's disease.
Their hair they have greased with some underdark insect milk is usually white or of a soft blue tone.
Most of the Abyss Elves have giant hands or feet, also believed to be one of Vecna's "benedictions".
An average Abyss Elf is about only 5 feet tall and weighs about 60 pounds.
Clothing - if it is available - is simply some animal animal fur or some tunic of cheap wool bought from Baran traders.
In sum, those descendants of the slender, tall Olven seem much more an offshot of the Gnome or Dwarven race than of noble elven blood.
Relations with other Races: The Dragch Anthoren show friendly behaviour tow ards any humanoid the Baran allow to enter the Abyss.
With the Baran, the Abyss Elves have established a stable friendship, knowing of the benefits such a relation would bring them. However, some still remember the tales from their ancestry dwelling on the surface and feel secret anger which one day may result to causer major troubles.
Alignment: Abyss Elves descend from the paladins of good, the old elves. However, the centuries in absolute darkness, have made some of them wicked and full of melancholy. Players can consider every alignment as possible.
Homeland: The vastes of the Dragch' Balan are where most of the Abyss Elves can be found, living in small enclaves as hunters and fungi farmers. on the palace of the former biggest Abyss elven settlement, the Baran are constructing the city of Ilind Nelgeth, inviting the Abyss Elves to live in it among them. For the benefits of modern culture and Baran magic, many Dragch Anthoren accept that offer.
Religion: Few is known about the religion of the Abyss Elves. Most of them seem to worship Corellon, but among them are no clerics. Some also worship the demidragon Dragonus, ancient ruler of the Gem of the World and prophet of the Olven.
The Abyss Elves use strange and secret rituals to bury their dead. If a person is lost in the vaste caverns and stone halls of the Abyss, the entire family goes out for his search, not to rescue him, but to bury his corpse.
Language: The Abyss Elves use a language that strongly resembles the common Elven tongue. It may be in great part ancient Olven.
Male Names: Bix, Co'ellon, Hamundi, Mirnu, Norfa, Oran
Female Names: Arbya, Daluu, Inve, Qyol, Ta, Uloe
Causes for Adventuring: Although Abyss Elves are unlikely to leave their home in the underdarks of Kul'gobsula, some of them usually get hired by the Baran dwelling on the upper levels. They serve the masters of the Lonely Mountains as fighters and explorers in their expeditions to the underground caverns. Most of those Dragch Anthoren mercenaries are what outsiders would call Barbarians.
Racial Modifications:
STR +1, DEX +2, CON +1, INT -2, WIS 0, CHA -2.
Favoured Class: Barbarian
Base land speed: 40 feet
Low Light Vision triple as good as humans
Weapon Proficiency: Club
+ 1 Climbing, + 1 Spot
Automatic Languages: Dragch Anthoren, Baran
Forbidden to bear metal armour or metal weapons
Forbidden Character Classes: Cleric, Wizard, Sorcerer
For every 5 minutes a Abyss elves is exposed to light of the sun or of any artificial source, he loses 2 HP and has to draw against Blindness.
This preview is, of course, not the final version of the document. I had not the time to rewrite the chapter in better English and I am conscient that many details are still missing.
I hope you like it and keep your hunger for the final sourcebook
Kul'gobsula - Prison of Ice.
You may feel free to post here suggestions or critics, if you want!
Fearghal
Is it that everyone notices that I am no native speaker...?;) My native language is German.
Nice holidays!