Roses and Reprisals - Allen's Eldreth Veluuthra campaign

The tall blueleaf, duskwood, and weirwood trees that compose the remnants of this ancient forest lie between the Dessarin and Delimbiyr river valleys. The interior of Ardeep Forest is filled with ridges and breakneck gullies cloaked in thick vines and shrubbery. Wild boars roam through the mists that pervade the forest, and ruins lie hidden beneath forest loam and stands of faintly glowing mushrooms. Named Faraway Forest for its distance from Evermeet, this wood has stood forlorn and nearly empty since the departure of Ardeep’s native moon elves..\n\n''History:'' At various points in history, the Realm of the Deepening Moon was a vassal of the elven empires of Aryvandaar, Shantel Othreier, and Illefarn. Circa -1,100 DR, Illefarn fragmented into three realms: Ardeep, Iliyanbruen, and Rilithar. At its height, Ardeep encompassed the lands between the Sword Mountains and the lower Delimbiyr Vale.\n\nThe rulers of Ardeep were known as laranlors (masculine) and laranlas (feminine), elven terms meaning regal lord and regal lady, respectively, and used to denote the king or queen of an elven vassal realm or minor kingdom. Laranla Fildaerae "the Night Flame" died in the Year of Ashen Faces (-395 DR) and was succeeded by her grandniece, Imdalace. When Laranla Imdalace disappeared in the Year of the Slaked Blade (4 DR), rulership of Ardeep passed to her kinswoman Embrae Aloevan. Laranla Aloevan became a Chosen of Mystra and Sehanine in the Year of Frostfires (292 DR). Shortly thereafter, in the Year of Promise (308 DR), she descended into madness and death, consumed by the silver fire of Mystra.\n\nAloevan's successor, Laranlor Ruardh Lightshiver, forged the Alliance of Illefarn with the shield dwarves of Dardath (now the Forlorn Hills) in the Year of the Cantobele Stalking (342 DR). In the Year of Trials Arcane (523 DR), this combined region became Phalorm, the Realm of Three Crowns. Ruardh ruled as the elf king of Phalorm until the Year of Melding (557 DR), when he fell against a horde of hobgoblins at the Battle of Blunted Fangs, near the site of present-day Dragonspear Castle. His successor, King Ellatharion, ruled until the Year of the Immured Imp (604 DR), when he vanished along with a contingent of elves and halflings last seen pursuing an orc horde into the High Forest. The last elf king of Phalorm (and hence Ardeep), Lathlaeril "Leafspear," died in the Year of the Jester's Smile (612 DR) at the Battle of Firetears, which was fought south of modern-day Triboar against the orcs of the illithid-led Everhorde. Sickened by the endless warring, most of Ardeep's moon elves abandoned Phalorm in the Year of the Lamia's Kiss (615 DR) and took ship to Evermeet.\n\nThe elven realm of Ardeep was refounded in the Year of the Curse (882 DR), when the area was resettled by moon elves from Eaerlann who had fled the demons erupting from Ascalhorn. The Alliance of Illefarn was briefly reborn as well, but the Eaerlanni elves quickly withdrew because of rising anti-human sentiment. The moon elves dwelt in quiet fellowship beneath the boughs until the Year of the Moonfall (1344 DR), when the last of the moon elves heeded the call of the Retreat and departed for Evermeet.

Adoven - [[Sun Elf]] Dread Necromancer\nBitterclaw - [[Tressym]] Warmage\nLandrin - [[Wood Elf]] Fighter/Ranger/Swashbuckler\nWvyn Rye - [[Moon Elf]] Swordsage

The village of Daggerford lies along the Shining River along the Sword Coast, about 150 miles south of [[Waterdeep]]. It is a walled town with a population of approximately 900, with a number of outlying hamlets, farms and estates bringing the population to over 2000. The town is strategically placed along the High Road and fortified by the local duke's dwarven-crafted castle. It is primarily a farming community, but a desire to grow and be seen as an alternative to the northern city Waterdeep has caused the town to actively seek craftsmen and artisans.\n\n''History:'' The town takes its name from a 400-year-old legend about a boy who fended off a tribe of lizardmen with only a dagger. The first community was built along the shores of the river at that spot.\n\nAfter the Fallen Kingdom of the elves retreated to Evermeet, the Kingdom of Man controlled the region and Daggerford's environs included all territory bordered on the north by Floshin, on the west by the Lizardmarsh, on the south by Dragonspear Castle, and on the east by the Misty Forest, although that territory is far reduced today. After the Kingdom of Man was ended by dynastic feuding, the people of Daggerford built a town proper near the shores of Delimbiyr, the Shining River. Eventually, the town and castle were walled in.\n\n''Government:'' Until fifty years ago, Daggerford was controlled by a Duke. A town charter was granted by Duke Conan, and the Council of Guilds now controls the town. Attempting to imitate Waterdeep, the guildmasters wear masks of secrecy when conducting official government business, but their identities are public knowledge.\n\nThe current Duke of the region is Pwyll Greatshout (sometimes called Pwyll Daggerford).

[[News]]\n[[Eldreth Veluuthra]]

Deep within the eastern wood, somewhere along the Heartblood river lies the Dire Wood, a small grove of unkillable, black trees, apparently no greater than four miles in circumference.\n\nAlso known as the Enchanted Wood, this intensely magical area may actually be an access point to an alternate Prime Material Plane. Whatever the truth may be, the Dire Wood is much larger inside than out. The intense arcane effect of the wood has created a strange land of magic and mystery. Weather here bears no resemblance to the outer world and is itself highly magical.\n\nCreatures long extinct elsewhere are found here in abundance (but die upon leaving). Magical sites appear at random, then disappear without a trace. Somewhere within the Dire Wood are the lost ruins of Karse, an outpost of the latter days of the ancient Netheril.

//"They are a blight upon the land, brothers and sisters. Little better than an infestation of vermin in dire need of a housecleaning. Long have we watched from our ancient homelands, but no longer. We vow wherever human civilization threatens the interests of our kin, we shall work to slow or halt human encroachment—by any means necessary. Only when the rivers run red with their blood will the earth be clean, and then—finally—Corellon's light shall bless us all! For we are the Eldreth Veluuthra!"//\n\n“Eldreth Veluuthra” means “Victorious Blade of the People,” but like the names of many fringe political groups, the grandiose title doesn’t accurately reflect either the success enjoyed by the organization or its reputation among its own people. While the members of the organization have enjoyed numerous successes in their chosen crusade, even they must confess that their efforts have not resulted in anything even remotely resembling a comprehensive setback for the humans as a race.\n\nMeanwhile, other elves who know of the Eldreth Veluuthra rarely admit to it. To most, the group is an embarrassment at best, and a topic to be avoided if at all possible. It is perhaps ironic that fanaticism is a personality trait many elves would associate more readily with humans than with their own race, but this fact is apparently lost on the Victorious Blade. The organization’s motivation is hatred, and its goal is simple—wipe out as many humans as possible. Its methods are equally simplistic, since most of the Eldreth Veluuthra’s operations are focused on the elimination of humanity.\n\nOf course, they do not think themselves evil. If anything, they think of themselves as the caretakers of all that is good in the world. They are constantly surrounded by evil enemies who would like nothing better than to remove the last vestiges of elfdom from the face of Faerûn. If only the other elves would wake up and see their peril, the threat might be averted. Unfortunately, far too many of their kin have been deceived by humanity over the centuries, and it therefore falls upon the Eldreth Veluuthra to save those not aware of the dangers.\n\nThe bulk of membership is somewhat paradoxical. It is primarily made up of disenfranchised moon elf youths and old sun elves of aristocratic lineage. However, they take to any of the Fair Folk as members, as long as their hearts are true. They are also inclined to work with many of their sylvan brothers and sisters of the forest, some, but not all, are pixies, hysbils, petals, centaurs, natural lycanthropes, ghostwise halflings, and even a select few magical beasts have found strong enough connections to merit membership into the Eldreth Veluuthra.\n\nAny profession is welcomed by the Eldreth Veluuthra, though those skilled at subterfuge and espionage are the most sought after. There are no clerics in their ranks, for they venerate the Seldarine, who refuse to grant them spells. However, they have learned to tap directly into the spirit of the forests and have druids and rangers with divine spells.\n\n//''Known Members:''//\nSaeval Calaundra\n\n

//"Dense with nothingness... unprepared wanderers can travel for days without finding a friendly face, or even an unfriendly face."//\n\nIn far older days, when the High Forest spanned much of the land from the River Dessarin to the Graypeaks, numerous elven and dwarven realms rose to prominence. Dwarven kingdoms grew mighty by working metal and stone, while elves nurtured great civilizations. For many ages these realms flourished, enduring repeated invasions by orcs, wars among the elves, and incursions from the Underdark. Ultimately, however, all of these civilizations were doomed to fall. A single act of fiendish summoning that took place nearly five hundred years ago led to a demonic conflagration that devoured the elven kingdoms of the High Forest and neighboring Ammarindar, leaving the North forever changed. The High Forest and its mountains reverted to a savage and lush wilderness in which lost wonders from these bygone civilizations lie concealed.\n\nThe High Forest is littered with the ruins of the three elven civilizations that succeeded ancient [[Aryvandaar]]. Here in the deep woods, far removed from the more famous ruins of [[Cormanthyr]], lie the age-old remains of great woodland societies that once dwelled under the trees. The graceful architecture of these forgotten elven cities is still amazingly well preserved. Delicate spires, beautiful towers, and ancient temples offer fantastic places for adventurers, antiquarians, and treasure seekers to explore. The magic of the [[mythals]] that protect these places has diminished greatly with the elves’ departure from the High Forest, but these ancient defenses still embody considerable power.\n\nThe last chapter in the history of the High Forest elves began nearly ten thousand years ago, when some sun elves returned to the forest and founded the nation of [[Siluvanede]] amid the ruins of Aryvandaar. The moon elves who arrived soon after founded the hidden kingdom of [[Sharrven]] in the woodland areas to the south. The last and mightiest of the elven realms that rose in the High Forest was [[Eaerlann]], a powerful kingdom of moon elves and wood elves that was said to rival the legendary Cormanthyr in spirit and lore.

''Changes/Modifications''\n//''Skills:''//\nAlternate Diplomacy rules from http://www.giantitp.com/Func0010.html.\n//Open Lock:// Open Lock is no longer a skill, and is merged into Disable Device.\n//Expanded Aid Another//, Complete Adventurer pg 96 (DC 20 +3, DC 30 +4, etc). Requires 8+ ranks or 5+ BAB.\n//Tumbling:// This is now an opposed roll, d20+tumble vs. d20+opponent's BAB or tumble. However, if the defender uses their tumble skill to counter and fails, they provokes ~AoOs from your allies (but not you). Additional enemies still get a +2 on their rolls, and an additional +10 on their roll if you attempt to go through their square. Why: Its easier to tumble past a mage then a fighter or rogue, its easier to tumble past a kobold then a dragon. This does not cancel the movement, the movement merely provokes Aoos instead.\n//Casting/Manifesting Defensively:// Casting defensively using the Concentration skill has a DC of the threatening character's base attack bonus + the spell level +11, similar to that of dispel magic. So a wizard casting invisibility standing next to an ogre must make a check based on the ogre's BAB plus 2 for the 2nd-level spell, (11 + 3 BAB + 2 for spell level, vs. the wizards d20+concentration). This mechanic often makes this check harder, except when fighting very weak opponents (BAB 4 or less). When threatened by multiple opponents, use the highest base attack bonus of the group.\n//''Feats:''//\n//Dodge:// Dodge now grants a +1 dodge bonus against all enemies, and another +1 dodge bonus against a single target of your choice. Dodge bonuses stack.\n//Improved Toughness:// Can be substituted for Toughness.\n//Combat Expertise:// If you use a shield other then a buckler, you can gain an additional +2 AC when using Combat Expertise.\n//Ki Blast:// This feat may be taken by monks of 6th level as a bonus feat without meeting the prereqs. Furthermore, it does 3d6+Wis mod+half your monk levels, and you may choose to use your Wis mod instead of Dex mod to hit, whichever is higher.\n//Slashing Flurry:// You take a -2 on all attacks (as per rapid shot). As a standard action you get two attacks at -2 and -7.\n//''Classes:''//\n//Sorcerers:// Gain the Eschew Materials feat as a bonus feat at first level, OR a Heritage feat. (~PHB2 Alternate highly recommended) Furthermore, they can switch out spells at every level, rather than every new spell level, and they gain 4+int skill points per level instead of 2+int.\n//Dragon Shamans:// Receive the Dragonblood subtype.\n//Knights:// You do not have to start the turn in their threatened area to be subject to the difficult terrain. You cannot 5' out of their difficult terrain.\n//Book of Nine Swords:// Martially-focused races with racial HD can count their racial HD towards initiator level at ½\nModified Soulknife: http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=310984\nModified Marshal (of the Sublime Way) http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=752414\nPsionic variants (Rogue, Assassin, others from Mind's Eye : http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/arch/psi )\n//NPC Class:// Gleaners (agricultural/druidic) http://www.giantitp.com/articles/gk7uKJeF296jRcx1NJw.html\n//NPC Class:// Psychic Adept http://www.athas.org/articles/psychicadept.php\n//Hexblade://\n* Good Fortitude save\n* Curse ability usable 1 + the hexblade's Cha modifier per day\n* Curse ability usable as a swift action\n* Curse ability does not count as used if the target makes his saving throw\n* Ability to cast in light or medium armor and while carrying a light shield or buckler\n* At 6th level, the hexblade can cast one hexblade spell per day as a swift action, as long as its original casting time is a standard action or faster. He gains an additional use of this power at levels 8, 11, 14, and 18.\n''Paragon Classes''\nParagon classes can be found in Unearthed Arcana or on www.d20srd.org\n\n''Fighter subcategories'': When you chose your first level of fighter, you may choose a subcategory and gain two additional class skills for all levels of Fighter, and 1 extra skill point that can only be used on one of the two (x4 at 1st).\n//Watchman: Spot, Listen\nGuerrilla: Hide, Move Silently\nGladiator: Bluff, Tumble\nKnight: Diplomacy, Knowledge (Nobility)\nMarine: Balance, Profession (Sailor)\nWanderer: Survival, Knowledge (Geography)\nOfficer: Perform (Weapon Drill), Knowledge (History)\nMercenary: Sense Motive, Appraise\nCaste Warrior: Martial Lore, Concentration\nEtc.//\nSide Note: This does mean a human fighter could have three extra class skills. Combined with a 20 int, a human fighter could have 9 skill points a level and max ranks in tumble, hide, and move silently!\n\n''General Psionic Errata:''\nAny ability that augments with a +1 to DC costs 2 pp, not 1, as per Complete Psionic's fix.\nI will be constantly reviewing popular opinion on various psionic powers, so stay tuned.\n

Lathander is the Morninglord, God of Spring, Dawn, Birth, Renewal, Creativity, Youth, Vitality, ~Self-Perfection and Athletics.\n\nLathander favours those who dispel the undead and aid others. He blesses those who plant new life.\n\nMany followers of Lathander work in various creative arts, such as music, painting, entertaining, and the creation of works of fine art. Lathander is also the god called upon to bless birth and fertility related ceremonies. Lathander's dogma is filled with stories of optimism and perseverance. It is important to feel good about an upcoming event or else it will naturally go awry through negative thinking. However, it is this same ideal of optimism and youthful exuberance that makes Lathander a somewhat short-sighted deity.\n\n''SECTS''\n''Heresy of Faith''\nThis is the orthodox, principle faith of Lathander and whose edicts and dogma are widely followed and associated with being the "true" faith.\nThe Faithful have access to the Good, Nobility, Protection, Renewal, Strength, and Sun cleric domains.\n\n''Order of Aster''\nThe Order of Aster is lead by the High Dawnknight Tlinthar Regheriad from the Spires of Morning in Waterdeep.\n\n''Risen Sun Heresy''\nThe Brotherhood of the Glorious Sun has long existed within the church of Lathander, tolerated by other followers of the Morninglord and preaching that Lathander is the reincarnated form of Amaunator. Heretics of the Risen Sun take the Brotherhood's beliefs one step further into heresy, by preaching that the time of Lathander's transformation is nigh and Amaunator is about to return.\n\nThe leader of the Brotherhood of the Glorious Sun, Sunlord Daelegoth Orndeir, has embraced the Risen Sun heresy and now seeks to make it the orthodox sect of the church of Lathander. Daelegoth has already begun a drive to recruit converts to the faith of Amaunator through preaching and performing miracles.\n\nRisen Sun heretics have access to the Fire, Law, Nobility, Renewal, Sun, and Time cleric domains.\n\n''Sun Soul Heresy''\nThe Order of the Sun Soul is a monastic brotherhood with ties to the churches of Lathander, Selune, and Sune, alothough the ties to Lathander are by far the strongest. Sun Soul monks trace their history back to another Amaunatori order, the Brotherhood of the Sun.\n\n''~Three-Faced Sun Heresy''\nHeretics of the ~Three-Faced Sun believe that the Sun is a tripartite overdiety, with aspects of Dawn, High Noon, and Dusk. Like a spinning prism viewed from the side, only two (and sometimes just one) of these three can be viewed at any given time. According to this Heresy, in ancient times Amaunator presided over the High Noon and Jergal held Dusk. When Amaunator faded, Lathander grew with Dawn, and later Myrkul took the aspect of Dusk. Since the Time of Troubles, Lathander has been in sole possession, but many believe this heralds the rise of Amaunator.\nOthers believe Lathander will claim the portfolio of High Noon, and another diety will rise to take Dawn.\n\n~Three-Faced heretics have access to the Death, Law, Renewal, Sun, and Time cleric domains. They must be Lawful Neutral.\n\n''Second Dawn Heresy''\nEven more obscure than the three-faced sun heresy, this group strives to create another Dawn Cataclysm (the last happening in early 700 DR). To create the Dawn Cataclysm, they must break the cycle of the Sun, as in the ~Three-Faced Sun Heresy. They must make Dawn, Noon, and Dusk all appear simultaneously, and with, what they hope, disastrous, yet ultimately beneficial results.\n\nSecond Dawn heretics have access to the Death, Law, Planning, Time, and Undeath cleric domains. They must be Lawful and non-Good.\n\n

In ancient times, Lossarwyn was one of the most powerful elf druids of [[Cormanthyr]]. As humans began to encroach upon the forests, he was one of the strongest voices for war against them. But when the elves of Cormanthor signed the Dalelands Pact, he despaired for the future of the wild places. He saw humanity as a disease to be eradicated, and gradually came to realize that humans have remarkable resilience against nearly every hardship–except disease. Thus began his long downfall as he sought a plague that would destroy humankind once and for all.\n\nHe began to travel from land to land, going wherever there was rumor of plague, using his vast knowledge of alchemy and healing to cure the sick. For those he saved, he seemed a gift from heaven and won wide renown for his medical expertise. What he couldn’t heal through natural means was cured through the divine intervention of the cadre of priests who followed him like disciples. They came from many faiths and many lands to join this strange elf druid who seemed to have forsaken his forests to help mankind. For all his fame, Lossarwyn seemed to resent each success, yet his dark moods and relentless spirit only attracted more followers. Some whispered that all was not as it seemed with the great physician, that at times he disappeared for days or weeks. Others said his renown was ill-deserved, since his most difficult patients tended to disappear.\n\nHis mission to eradicate humanity continued, despite all the human lives he had saved. Lossarwyn was searching for a plague that had no cure. Whenever he came across a disease that seemed especially virulent, he would whisk away its victim for a detailed study, research that often ended the life of the one he had ostensibly come to heal. Many diseases seemed promising, but most had the drawback of difficulty of transmission. It seemed that magical assistance was needed, which led Lossarwyn to study necromancy, thus renouncing the deepest strictures of his faith.\n\nAgain Lossarwyn fled, seeking refuge in the High Forest, but his enemies soon caught up with him at the Dire Wood. His druid powers made him a formidable opponent even against the combined might of the Twisted Rune, so rather than fight him, the spellcasters trapped him with a powerful maze spell. He is able to roam the Dire Wood at will, but cannot find his way out.\n\nRecently, agents of the [[Eldreth Veluuthra]] heard rumors of Lossarwyn, one of their most ancient and revered heroes, and they sought him out in the Dire Wood. Although they have not yet managed to establish a formal alliance with the druid lich, he did agree to train several members in exchange for their aid in freeing him from the Dire Wood. The addition of Lossarwyn to the Eldreth Veluuthra would significantly increase the organization’s power and prestige, and although he has not yet been freed from his leafy prison, he remains an extremely important figure in the organization’s future plans.

[img[Bloodythornssmall.gif]]\n[[Campaign Journal]]\n[[Eldreth Veluuthra]]\n[[House Rules]]\n[[Maps]]\n[[Characters]]\n[[Related Links]]\n[[Types of Evil]]

Also known as Silver Elf\nThe most common of the elven subraces on Faerûn are the moon elves. They have fair skin, sometimes tinged with blue, and hair of silver-white, black, or blue; humanlike colors are somewhat rare. Their eyes are blue or green, with gold flecks.\n\nMoon elves are more impulsive than the other elves, and dislike remaining in one place for any significant amount of time. Most moon elves are happiest when traveling, especially across the expanses of untrodden wilderness that still survive in Faerûn.\n\nThis is probably the single greatest reason why they are so much more friendly and accommodating to other races than many other elves: They do not isolate themselves from the human lands behind impervious defenses. Moon elves have watched humankind for much longer than their sun or wood elf kin, and they know that non-elves aren’t as foolish and unimportant as most other elves think. They feel that engaging promising human realms such as Silverymoon and instilling elven values and culture in these young lands is a better way for the elven race to survive and thrive than hiding away and avoiding all contact with ambitious, grasping humans.

Added [[Ardeep Forest]], [[Waterdeep]], [[Tressym]], [[Daggerford]], and [[Eldreth Veluuthra]].

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http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=10532069&postcount=1\nhttp://www.raflar.com/waterdeep/index.php\nhttp://www.geocities.com/rtrmdnd/daggerford.html\nhttp://www.candlekeep.com/\nhttp://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterdeep_(city)

Allen's Eldreth Veluuthra campaign

Roses and Reprisals

Also known as Gold Elf\nThe majority of Faerûn’s sun elves live on [[Evermeet]], having abandoned what remained of their ancient realms during the centuries following the falls of Illefarn and [[Cormanthyr]]. They are only now returning to the mainland to reestablish their presence there. The sun elves are famed for their command of both arcane and divine magic, which exceeds that of any other living race. Works of elven high magic thousands of years old still survive in the hidden refuges of the sun elves.\n\nSun elves are responsible for the majority of the great elven cities of legend, although other elven subraces aided the construction of many of these cities. Myth Drannor is perhaps their most famous creation, although probably not their most magnificent. Sun elf realms are the stuff legends are made of, an integral part of the history of Faerûn for thousands of years. The sun elves certainly know this, for they distance themselves from non-elf races and often won’t let such “lesser beings” into their lands.\n\nSun elves have bronze skin, hair of golden blond, copper, or black, and eyes of green or gold. They favor contemplation, lore, and study over the quick games and light-hearted songs of other elves, but seem to embody the unearthly beauty, grace, and presence of the elven folk.\n\nOf all the elven subraces, sun elves are the most arrogant and haughty—even more so than the avariels, whose haughtiness is rooted in pity for the landbound races. Sun elves believe that they are the true elven race, the builders and the leaders of the elven realms, and that the other elven subraces fail to live up to the solemnity and dignity of their ancient stock.

Tarskah (April), Year of Lightening Storms: 1374

[>img[tressym.gif]]''Description''\nTressym vary in the hues and fur-lengths of their coats as much as normal (wingless) cats do. Most resemble a short-haired gray, tabby, or black cat, with two batlike wings at their well-muscled shoulders. Tressym wings have feathers. The leathery membranous wings are divided into arc-segments by hollow bones, rather like the elongated fingers of a bat divide up its wings, but the leathery membrane is covered in feathers. Their tails end with a fluffy ball of long fur and feathers.\n\n''Ecology''\nThese cute, mischievous little terrors are semiwild and thought to be the result of some long-past wizardly experimentation.\nThey are known to live 20 years or more it they do not meet with misadventure, and are free to take shelter from, or fly away from, the worst winter weather. Tressym mate as often as normal cats and do not mate for life. They sometimes mate with normal cats, with whom they are fertile, but only 10% of such young will be tressym; the rest will be wingless. Tressym are quite intelligent and have been known to form strong friendships (and hatreds) with creatures of other races, such as humans and elves. Tressym have even been known to sacrifice themselves for those they love.\n\nA few mages have sought these creatures as familiars. As familiars, tressym combine the sensory advantages of a cat and an owl, and have additional benefits: they are intelligent enough to carry and manipulate complex and delicate items (to an extent-they don't have opposable thumbs); they can observe and report events diligently; they can concentrate on a task at hand even when hormones or instincts provide strong distractions; and they can communicate to their masters the identifications of poisons - even harmful gases not intended as an attack. Tressym cannot confer or transmit any immunities against poison to another creature.\n\nTressym tend to get along with others of their kind when they meet, but they rarely lair or hunt together. They also peacefully ignore bats, griffons, and the like, but are the deadly foes of stirges and manticores (against whom they will gather with other tressym to fight). Some tressym enjoy teasing dogs, but usually not to the point where the animal could be truly endangered.

Turlang is a mighty, ancient Treant who controls a large swath of the northern [[High Forest]] with an army of lesser treants. He has become fixated on destroying the baatezu and tieflings he has contained in a long, slow siege. He takes his fight against the Hellgate Keep fiends personally and as an affront to all he has created, while forgetting other problems -- mainly the pillaging orcs streaming off the Spine of the World mountains.\n\nTurlang governs a lush, dimly lit forested realm. The air in its everpresent tree-gloom glows blue. This weird light comes from amorphous, mindless and slowly ambulatory luminescent forest floor fungi, and from glowing moss trailing from the branches of dying trees. The treants carefully plant and tend seedlings of all desired sorts of trees (everything nonparasitic that’s native to the High Forest). Turlang sees to it that rare species are widely dispersed in forest ravines, so that no one disaster or intruder attack can obliterate them.

These are the acceptable philosophies of Evil allowed in the game:\n''Tradition/There Is No Evil''\nOne potential cause for evil is simply following the norms and standards of your ancestors and society. Evil is defined by society, not by the inherent laws of gods or nature. What might be considered the darkest taboo in one place might be a perfectly acceptable practice somewhere else. For example, slavery is illegal in many parts of Faerûn but is fairly common in Thay, where even a good person might keep a slave or two simply because it is a societal norm. In some regions, the use of narcotics and hallucinogenic drugs is strongly discouraged, while in others it is an integral part of the daily spiritual lives of the people. If you are harmed and you lash out in retaliation, your actions might be seen to be as evil as the crime you are avenging. But in border regions and lawless areas where a person has to rely on his own devices, personal acts of revenge are the norm and are considered no more evil than an act of selfdefense. Evil can often be defined not by an individual’s acts or personal philosophy, but by the culture in which he is acting at the time.\nCharacters might use this philosophy to justify their actions, and they could very well be correct, depending on their individual circumstances. A half-orc from the Spine of the World or a drow character from the Underdark might have a much more liberal interpretation of what constitutes evil compared to someone from Silverymoon or Cormyr.\n\n''I Am Not Evil''\nSome people recognize that evil exists in the world, but they do not in any way think of themselves as evil, no matter how depraved their actions might be. They also tend to venerate Good deities. A character with this philosophy must still be assigned his correct alignment, no matter what he thinks of himself, for the same reasons as characters who believe in the Tradition/There Is No Evil philosophy. Either the player or the DM should assign alignment according to the preponderance of the character’s actions. If he occasionally does good things but most often resorts to evil ends to justify his evil means, he should be given an evil alignment, no matter what his objections. Most members of the [[Eldreth Veluuthra]] are this type of evil.\n\n''The Ends Justify the Means''\nThis path follows a slippery slope. The character seeks some greater good, perhaps the overthrow of a heinous villain or the establishment of a good church or organization in the face of adversity; nothing will stop her from achieving this goal, even if she must do evil to accomplish it.\n\n''Evil Choice''\nFor some reason, the character has chosen to act in an evil manner, one that he admits is evil and for which he feels no remorse. His reasons might be selfish, he might be bent on revenge by any means possible, or he might be driven to complete a task or achieve a goal, and will let nothing stand in his way. On the other hand, he could simply be equally capable of acts of extreme good or extreme evil, neither of which move him emotionally or spiritually, and in which he is incapable of seeing any contradiction. Characters of this bent find it easy to conceal their alignment and move about in polite society.\n\n''Driven to Evil''\nA character could be driven to evil in several ways. His life or circumstances might have been so harsh that he had to commit evil acts just to survive. He might be seeking retribution for some unimaginable wrong done to him or those he loved. He might be fighting fire with fire, so to speak, driven to evil just to keep a worse evil at bay.\nUnlike the character who doesn’t accept that he is evil, this type of character often doesn’t see himself as truly evil—but he doesn’t deny that what he has done in the past could be taken that way. Often, he has some grandiose intention to make up for what he has done; of course, by that time it might be too late for him to change his ways.

''Waterdeep (Metropolis, Magical):'' AL all; Spending limit 100,000 gp; Assets 663,300,000 gp (3,316,500,000 in summer months); Population 132,661 within the city limits (×5 in summer months); Races mixed (humans 64%, shield dwarves 10%, elves [mostly moon elves] 10%, lightfoot halflings 5%, half-elves 5%, gnomes [all kinds] 3%, half-orcs 2%, others 1%).\n\nWaterdeep, also known as the City of Splendors is one of the largest and busiest cities—and most important political powers—on the continent, and is run by a group of (mostly) anonymous Masked Lords of Waterdeep. Waterdeep is a human city, although other races also take residence therein.\n\nSince the Year of the Worm (1356 DR), Waterdeep has been invaded by two armies (Myrkul’s Legion and the Army of Iakhovas), fought three wars beyond its walls, and had magically induced climatological changes devastate its agricultural environs twice. At the same time, Waterdeep’s trusted leaders have grown old or turned to other projects. Folk such as Durnan, Mirt, and Piergeiron are now far beyond their hale and hearty youth, and the Lady Mage of Waterdeep Laeral Silverhand is focused on personal projects since the passing of the mighty Blackstaff.\n\nWith its treasuries nearly drained, its populace exhausted, and severe droughts still ravaging the North, the City of Splendors has acquired a dark patina of despair and penury unseen since the misrule of the Guildmasters. Undoubtedly Waterdeep will rise again, filling its coffers with trade wealth and proudly serving as the Gateway to the North, but for now at least, the City of (faded) Splendors is as vulnerable as it has ever been...

Also known as Green Elf\nThe wild elves of Faerûn are insular and savage, and as a result are rarely seen outside their forest homes. In ages past the wild elves (or green elves, as they were more commonly known) raised great kingdoms in the forests and fielded armies to defend their homes, but with the march of time they have abandoned the trappings of civilization, becoming a furtive, reclusive race. The wild elves were always close to nature, even more so than other elves, but they have forgotten many of the high arts and lore of their people, choosing stealth and survival over building and book learning.\n\nWild elves are stocky and strongly built for elves. Their skin tends to be dark brown, and their hair ranges from black to light brown, lightening to silvery white with age. They are quiet around anyone except their own kind, and quickly become hostile in these uncomfortable situations.\n\nThey make friends slowly, and most non-elves simply don’t have the lifespans required to gain the trust of a tribe of green elves. They excel in combat and often revel in its chaos and primal fury. Little can match the fury of an enraged tribe of green elves.

Also known as Copper Elf or Sylvan Elf\nThe wood elves are among the most numerous of Faerûn’s elven people, a young and confident folk who hold the old elven forest homelands in strength. Heirs to the second generation of elven nations, the wood elves see their realms as the natural successors to lands such as [[Eaerlann]] and [[Cormanthyr]]. Where the old empires expanded with strength and pride, the realms of the wood elves hope to grow with compassion and humility. The wood elves do not view their homelands as a land apart from Faerûn; they understand better than their kindred that for better or worse, their fates are bound up with the fates of the humans, dwarves, and halflings around them.\n\nThese people have coppery skin tinged with green, and brown, green, or hazel eyes. Hair is usually brown or black, occasionally blond or copperyred. Wood elves prefer to dress in simple clothing, similar to the moon elves but not quite so colorful. They favor a simple cut to tunic or dress, set off by common embroidery in natural designs.\n\nWood elves are calm, serene, and difficult to surprise. Their patience is legendary. They are at one with the world of nature, and are not comfortable in areas of heavy civilization. They have lost the urge to build and replace nature with walls and palaces; even the cities built by their elven kin seem to be foolish to the wood elves. They have come to believe that buildings of stone are transitory in nature, and that in time, the forest returns to overgrow the greatest of cities. Other races interpret this attitude as fatalistic or condescending, and as a result wood elves find it hard to understand anyone who isn’t a wood elf.