Fianyarr Race: Elf

This is an extreme display of emotion for an elf.
(Dragon Age 2)

Campaign World: Fianyarr.

Nicknames: Pointy Ears, The Heartless, The Fair Folk.

Origins: Before the sundering of the bridge between this world and the Heavens, there were those of the First who made their homes in the forests and the jungles of this world.  Such places were dangerous and required careful deliberation from those who walked through the trees and even the First lost a few of their number to otherworldly beings who made their home in that place.  When the First found themselves trapped here, those that would become the Elves found it necessary to swallow their grief and move forward in order to survive. 

Demeanor: Elves have a resolute determination to survive the jungles and forests (which also accounts for the longevity of some - not all - members of this race) which is what has made so many others find them callous and cold. They feel as keenly as all the major races but often find it hard to allow themselves to show such vulnerability.  Elf hair and skin are similar to that of a humans but for the clan marks which each elf bears which may cause thick strands of hair to be of a different colour or which might create a pattern across their skin.  No one recalls what these patterns truly mean though many have created their own metaphorical significance to meet the needs of their own tribes.

Rumors: Elves are thought incapable of forming attachments to others and its thought that they only defend each other out of mutual benefits.  Due to this, some of the more mercenary settlements try to approach individual elves to betray the group with promises of cash or future alliances with that individual elf.  While elves can be as treacherous as anyone else, the difficulty most people have with reading their emotions means they often pick the wrong elf to offer the deal.  This somehow has only served to further entrench the idea that elves are treacherous sociopaths when those individual elves go straight to their communities to explain what they have been offered.

In other places, elves are regarded as people who have seen too much.  In claustrophobic jungles and tight forests, its hard to see what might be coming for you and those settlements that border or lurk within the confines of such a place are far more sympathetic to the way the elves conduct themselves.  Strong alliances are maintained and romances often flower as the elves are attracted to the emotional vulnerability apparent in the other races - with a desire that perhaps such a spouse might help ease the pains that elves hold tight within themselves.

Racial Abilities

Attribute Bonus: +1 to either Composure or Stamina.

Weakness: Due to your inherited desire to avoid showing vulnerability, you take a -2 penalty to any attempts to convince another of your emotional state, such as to convince someone that you truly love them.

Cold-blooded
Due to the difficult conditions of life in a forest, elves have learned to keep themselves to themselves as well as coming to better cope with poisons and toxins which are so common among the flora and fauna.  The character gains a +1 bonus to Composure to resist mundane emotional manipulation and +2 for Stamina checks when attempting to resist poisons (Changeling Coldscale Kith: Winter Masques page 67).

Careful Quickness
Elves have learned to be quick when it really matters and thus can spend a point of Glamour to add their Wyrd to either their Speed or their Initiative for the scene (Changeling Airtouched Kith: core book page 109).

Keen Senses - Ears
An elf's ears are better shaped for picking up on sound and they therefore gain a +2 to all attempts to listen to something.  They can also spend a point of Glamour to increase their ability to listen to a truly astonishing degree for a turn.  Think about what a dog or a cat can hear and roll accordingly.  (Changeling Cleareyes Kith: Winter Masques page 67).

Runnerswift
Sometimes when an elf runs, they really need to run.  This is reflected in their slim runner's build and the +2 bonus they have to their Speed.  They made spend a point of glamour to double their speed for a single round (Changeling Runnerswift Kith: Changeling the Lost 102).

Racially Restricted Merit
(****) Long of Days: Some elves have an extended lifespan due to their desire to survive.  Those that do age at half speed from whenever they took this merit.  Normally an elf ages at the same rate as the other races.  This merit only ever takes affect at pubery (or later).  An elf with this ability also gets Common Sense for free but only to do with life threatening events or issues.