[DF] Arctic Elf Template

[DAT]

Hey Folks,
I am looking at having a DF game set in the far North, and it makes sense to have some Arctic Races, including Arctic Elves. So I need to come up with a template. I have lots of options when it comes to advantages that make sense, but two main ones are shown below. Any thoughts on which might be better in play? Or if a different option of advantages is suggested?
Thanks.
-Dan

Arctic Elf
20 points
Choice Professions: Scout, Thief, Wizard.
Marginal Professions: None.
Arctic elves dwell in the land of ice and snow, with the midnight sun, and where the cold winds blow (or something like that). They are reclusive and famed for …
While fine-featured, they aren’t exactly attractive. Maybe it’s the bluish skin and hair.
Attribute Modifiers: ST-1 [-10]; DX+1 [20].
Advantages: Magery 0 [5]; Option?.
Perks: Elven Gear [1].
Disadvantages: Loner (12) [-5]; Sense of Duty (Nature) [-15].
Features: Snow-white or blue-white skin and hair.

Option 1:
Acute Vision 1 [2];
Night Vision 5 [5];
Protected Vision (Snow Glare) [1];
Talent (Arctic Guardian) 1 [5];
Temperature Tolerance (Cold) [1];
Terrain Adaptation (Ice) [5];
Terrain Adaptation (Snow) [5];

Option 2:
Infravision [10];
Protected Vision (Snow Glare) [1];
Sure-Footed (Ice) [1];
Sure-Footed (Snow) [1];
Talent (Arctic Guardian) 1 [5];
Telescopic Vision 1 [5].
Temperature Tolerance (Cold) [1];

Option 3:
Some combination of advantages worth 24 points.

Arctic Guardian: You’re the product of eons of selective breeding
for the task of sneaking around in the snow, peppering litterers
with arrows. This Talent adds to Bow, Camouflage, Fast-
Draw (Arrow), Stealth, and Survival (Arctic). Only elves can
have it. Reaction bonus: polar bears, faeries, and seals. 5
points/level.

[Jinumon]

I don't think Arctic Elves should be Loners. Even with Temperature Tolerance and Elven Metabolism, most cultures historically have been highly communal in Arctic environs (Norse, Inuit, etc). Food, heat, and shelter are paramount, all of which are easier to come by in groups. The only exception might be food in times of scarcity, but hunting whales, sea lions, and walruses is typically a group activity. So is raiding. They'd probably need Reduced Consumption, more Temperature Tolerance, and perhaps a longer sleep cycle (Sleepy disadvantage) to realistically survive for long periods by themselves.

Jinumon

[evileeyore]

Originally Posted by DAT

...peppering litterers with arrows.

Are litter bugs so very common in the arctic?

Or is this just more Elven propaganda so no one goes searching for what they are really guarding up there (Imprisoned Elder Gods, Artifacts of Ultimate Power Overwhelming, All The Monies, etc)?

[Nymdok]

Originally Posted by Jinumon

I don't think Arctic Elves should be Loners. Even with Temperature Tolerance and Elven Metabolism, most cultures historically have been highly communal in Arctic environs (Norse, Inuit, etc). Food, heat, and shelter are paramount, all of which are easier to come by in groups. The only exception might be food in times of scarcity, but hunting whales, sea lions, and walruses is typically a group activity. So is raiding. They'd probably need Reduced Consumption, more Temperature Tolerance, and perhaps a longer sleep cycle (Sleepy disadvantage) to realistically survive for long periods by themselves.

Jinumon

Meh. I dunno. If they're good enough to reliably sustain themselves alone and the resources are there to be found, it seems legit enough to pass in DF.

Now I would like to know what the elves have gotten out of these Elf-kimo commandoes and why they got made. That would be interesting.


Whats that Birchvine? You dont LIKE the forrest? To warm for you here is it? Right, we've got just the assignment for you.....

Im sorry Greenvein, you know that to remain apart of this collective we all have to take our turn in the tree baking cookies. We all do it. That Cookie revenue is vital to our forrest conservation efforts as well as our Para-Milliatry Amazon Outreach Program. Whats that? You say you WONT? You say your not baking another thin mint tell Hell Freezes over? Right. I've got just the assignment for you my special little snowflake....

Barklimb you un repentant swine! How DARE you steal the Mape syrup and sell it to the dirty heathen Dwarves of Canukus. Exile is the verdict. You are to be banished to the frozen north. Nod if you tundra-stand me. Stop your blubbering.

Nymdok

[DAT]

Originally Posted by Jinumon

I don't think Arctic Elves should be Loners. Even with Temperature Tolerance and Elven Metabolism, most cultures historically have been highly communal in Arctic environs (Norse, Inuit, etc). Food, heat, and shelter are paramount, all of which are easier to come by in groups. The only exception might be food in times of scarcity, but hunting whales, sea lions, and walruses is typically a group activity. So is raiding. They'd probably need Reduced Consumption, more Temperature Tolerance, and perhaps a longer sleep cycle (Sleepy disadvantage) to realistically survive for long periods by themselves.

Jinumon

So rather than Loner [-5], I could go with either Shyness 1 [-5] (“We don’t get many strangers up here.”) or Chummy [-5] or just Congenial [-1].

I think I need to define where their 55 deg F starting temperature range is in conjunction with more Temperature Tolerance. I could put their range from +55 to 0 deg F or +40 to -15 deg F. Two levels of Temperature Tolerance (Cold) should suite fine then no (for average 10 HT: +55 to -20 deg F or +40 to -35 deg F)?

Sleepy is an interesting idea. Let them sleep through the long winter with a form of hibernation. They could be awake 24/7 through the 3 months of summer, approach ½ time in the fall and spring, and hibernate the 3 months of full winter for and equivalent of ½ time for [-8].

I don’t know about Reduced Consumption. If I even it out over the year like with sleepy, they would eat six meals a day in the summer, 3 meals a day in fall and spring, and 0 meals a day for winter. But if I go with Reduced Consumption 1 [2] and spread it out, they could eat three meals a day during summer and fall, 0 meals a day during winter, and 2 meals a day during spring. I like that.

Combining items gets the following, but still have a question on the advantage options:
Arctic Elf
20 points
Choice Professions: Scout, Thief, Wizard.
Marginal Professions: None.
Arctic elves dwell in the land of ice and snow, with the midnight sun, and where the cold winds blow (or something like that). They are reclusive and famed for …
While fine-featured, they aren’t exactly attractive. Maybe it’s the bluish skin and hair.
Attribute Modifiers: ST-1 [-10]; DX+1 [20].
Advantages: Magery 0 [5]; Reduced Consumption 1 [2]; Temperature Tolerance 2 (Cold – 40 to -15 – 2xHT deg F) [2]; Option ? .
Perks: Elven Gear [1].
Disadvantages: Congenial [-1]; Sense of Duty (Nature) [-15], Sleepy (1/2 time) [-8].
Features: Snow-white or blue-white skin and hair.

Option 1:
Acute Vision 2 [4];
Night Vision 5 [5];
Protected Vision (Snow Glare) [1];
Talent (Arctic Guardian) 1 [5];
Terrain Adaptation (Ice) [5];
Terrain Adaptation (Snow) [5];

Option 2:
Acute Vision 1 [2];
Infravision [10];
Protected Vision (Snow Glare) [1];
Sure-Footed (Ice) [1];
Sure-Footed (Snow) [1];
Talent (Arctic Guardian) 1 [5];
Telescopic Vision 1 [5].

Option 3:
Some combination of advantages worth 25 points.
- One idea is to somehow add Increased Move for running away from Polar Bears.

[DAT]

Originally Posted by evileeyore

Are litter bugs so very common in the arctic?)?

According to the Arctic Elves; oil drillers (Dwarfs and Gnomes), diamond miners (Dwarfs and Gnomes) and Seal hunters all leave messes.

Originally Posted by evileeyore

Or is this just more Elven propaganda so no one goes searching for what they are really guarding up there (Imprisoned Elder Gods, Artifacts of Ultimate Power Overwhelming, All The Monies, etc)?

Nothing of the kind, move along citizen, FNORD.

{The DF adventure I have in mind will have Elder influences and Artifacts. But this will be even farther North than the normal Arctic Elf stomping grounds. The thought is that they may be guides though,}

[DAT]

Originally Posted by Nymdok

Meh. I dunno. If they're good enough to reliably sustain themselves alone and the resources are there to be found, it seems legit enough to pass in DF.

Now I would like to know what the elves have gotten out of these Elf-kimo commandoes and why they got made. That would be interesting.


Whats that Birchvine? You dont LIKE the forrest? To warm for you here is it? Right, we've got just the assignment for you.....

Im sorry Greenvein, you know that to remain apart of this collective we all have to take our turn in the tree baking cookies. We all do it. That Cookie revenue is vital to our forrest conservation efforts as well as our Para-Milliatry Amazon Outreach Program. Whats that? You say you WONT? You say your not baking another thin mint tell Hell Freezes over? Right. I've got just the assignment for you my special little snowflake....

Barklimb you un repentant swine! How DARE you steal the Mape syrup and sell it to the dirty heathen Dwarves of Canukus. Exile is the verdict. You are to be banished to the frozen north. Nod if you tundra-stand me. Stop your blubbering.

Nymdok

When I stop laughing, I'll try to make a coherent post.

[Peter Knutsen]

Originally Posted by DAT

While fine-featured, they aren’t exactly attractive. Maybe it’s the bluish skin and hair.
Attribute Modifiers: ST-1 [-10]; DX+1 [20].
Advantages: Magery 0 [5]; Option?.
Perks: Elven Gear [1].
Disadvantages: Loner (12) [-5]; Sense of Duty (Nature) [-15].
Features: Snow-white or blue-white skin and hair.

Snow-white skin would be regarded as very attractive, whether in a woman or a man, in a genuinely medieval setting. Notice the word "fair" meaning both good-looking and light-coloured? That's no coincidence! Cultures vary in how crazy they are about blonde hair, but in a surprisingly wide variety of places, lighter skin is flat out better.

[Nymdok]

Originally Posted by Peter Knutsen

Snow-white skin would be regarded as very attractive, whether in a woman or a man, in a genuinely medieval setting. Notice the word "fair" meaning both good-looking and light-coloured? That's no coincidence! Cultures vary in how crazy they are about blonde hair, but in a surprisingly wide variety of places, lighter skin is flat out better.

In the context of DF I dont even really know what you mean about 'genuinely medieval'. Societies often also value rarity so its entirely possible that, among normally fair skinned elves, the darker colored ones would be regarded as more attractive.


Nymdok

Whose the Scout that wont cop out
When there's Displacer Beasts all about?
ArrowShaft.....
Damn Right...

[GoldenMonkey]

Originally Posted by evileeyore

Are litter bugs so very common in the arctic?

I was wondering the same thing. Is Big Oil a thing in DF?

Infravision seems the better bet because of the bonus to Tracking (which would be an appropriate addition to the Talent list of skills). Plus it would be helpful to spot burrows and dwellings against the icy backdrop.