(SHark World) Elven Village

[trentonjoe]

HEre is take one:

The island of Sh’ te’av

This small island is home to a small Arctic elf village. The island itself is nearly circular with a diameter of 10 miles. The island is a frozen waste with the only vegetation being the elven “bush forest” near the middle. The elven village is along the southern coast. It consists of 20 families of elves totaling 160 in population.

Each family has a “job” and is a vital component of survival. Most of the families (12) are fisherman and hunters. These elves are trained in fishing and hunting of seal, whale, caribou, and other smaller game. These traditionally use spears, harpoons, nets, and bows. They are also trained in the use of small watercraft, which they use to “island hop” which allows them to hunt caribou because there are, not any on the island of Sh’te’av.

The second most prominent profession is craftsmen (craftselves?). These families make the kayaks, non-metal weapons and tools, and other wood products. The elves often use recycled driftwood when they cannot get fresh wood for tools and weapons. Five families do this. A few of the elves in this field have minor sorcerer powers that aid in the daily work.

One family of artisans is trained in the creation of snow metal. This process is expensive and difficult but creates a condensed snow that is as hard as iron. Often times it will take a master smith 6 months to create just one snow metal tool or weapon.

The most respected families on the island are the protectors. These elves are trained in the art of war; both with blade and spell. Many of these elves are rangers and carry snow metal weapons. These elves are on constant surveillance of their island from outside attack. The two most common threats are the sahugin and yeti.

Roughly once a year, a sahugin raiding party storms the island. Many of the elves retreat inland and try to outrun the sea devils. The protectors (often with help of available hunters and other able bodied elves) lead the defense of the village. Fire magic and conjuring spells are often employed so as to limit the loss of elven life.

More frequently the protectors deal with marauding yeti and merrow. These two races live on other smaller islands that surround Sh’te’av. They commonly try to kill or kidnap villagers, steal food, or defile the “bush forest” of the elves.

The last and smallest of the families are the snow druids of the island. Each child born into this family shows a natural gift in the art of earth magic and an unswerving faith in Gildas. These elves’ primary job is to nurture the “bush forest” of the island. The “bush forest” of the island is an 8-acre plot in the middle of island that sustains the islands only vegetation. The plot mainly has evergreen bushes but there is are a few pine trees and one oak. The druids tend and protect this land with an unbelievable loyalty. The trimming of this forest produces the only original wood for the island.

Game Mechanics:

Arctic Elves form a Hunter Family get the following for free:

+2 on knowledge (boating) skill
Free Weapon Proficiency with Net and Harpoon
Favored Class: Warrior

Arctic Elves form a Craftsman Family get the following for free:

+2 on Profession (carpentry and boat making)
Favored Class: Expert

Arctic Elves form a Protector Family get the following for free:

+2 Wilderness lore
Snow Metal spear, short sword, or dagger
Favored Class: Ranger

Arctic Elves form a Druid Family get the following for free:

Spell Casting Prodigy Feat form FRCS (Druid only)
Favored Class: Druid

 

[Crothian]

Looks good.

 

[Crothian]

You might want to go into more detail on who they trade with, what they have to trade, and what they trade for. What's the weather like, and the seasons? Do they worship any one of the five gods over the others? Do they still worship one of the dead gods hoping that they can eventually bring it back?

 

[trentonjoe]

I'll add trade, weather, religion, and the good 'ol rumor section.

 

[Crothian]

I'll add trade, weather, religion, and the good 'ol rumor section.

That's cool. It's just suggestions to help flesh out the details. Thanks.

 

[trentonjoe]

TRADE

Trade:

The Elves of Sh’ te’av are mostly self-sufficient but do trade with other people. While they are certainly not dependent they are connected with other peoples. Most of the trading is done with four groups of people: sea elves, the main artic elf kingdom, close by human islands, and the boat people.

Sea Elves:

Roughly once a month sea elf traders come to Sh’ te’av. They offer coral, shark teeth, metal objects from shipwrecks, kelp, seaweed, and other “under sea” items. They expect in return fresh wood, caribou meat, and silver. The two races are polite to each other but do not consider themselves political or defensive allies.

The Main Artic Elf kingdom:

Twice a year (usually the beginning and end of summer) elves of Sh’ te’av take a trading expedition to the Artic elf Kingdom. The first trip usually sends foodstuffs left over from the winter and brings back commodities such as: paper, finished metal products, and other “luxury” items. The second trip usually is the opposite. The Sh’ te’av elves try to trade for extra food to last them through the winter months.

It is important to note that the village of Sh’ te’av is technically a part of the Arctic Elf Empire. However, because of the extreme distance to the “mainland” (roughly 60 miles NW) they do not actively participate in politics.

Also important is the fact that this is the only group that this group of artic elves will trade their snow weapons with. Often, a warrior will commission the Snowforger family of Sh’ te’av to create a weapon for them on the first trip and receive it on the second.

Human Islands:

There are two human villages close to Sh’ te’av. One is the Whalebone tribe and the other is the Wave Raiders.

The Whalebone island is about 10 miles north of Sh’ te’av. These people are expert whalers and trade whale products (blubber, meat, skin, bone, etc) in exchange for other food and simple products. The trading is sporadic because of unpredictability of hunting whales. Communication is frequent, however, and often these to two islands warn each other about sahugin or yeti attacks.

The Wave Raider’s island is 12 miles Southeast of Sh’ te’av. These humans are explores/raiders. They have the most knowledge and best maps of the Northern Sea. As excellent sailors, they explore the numerous uninhabited islands of the area. They are not opposed to intimidating or attacking smaller, weaker inhabited islands they find. They often trade their spoils with the elves of Sh’ te’av once a month or so.
The elves of Sh’ te’av do not consider these people methods ideal or count them as friends but they do need the items they bring and the information of sahugin that they gain through traveling.

Boat People:

Lastly, the arctic elves of Sh’ te’av sometimes trade with the boat people. The boat people are any group that brave the rough North Sea. They often bring exotic items in exchange for foodstuffs or water. The boat people are frequently human but dwarves, gnomes, and goblinoids are not unheard of.

 

[las]

That looks good. Keep up with the good work.

 

[trentonjoe]

Weather

THis is not my strenght. Please correct any obvious scientific mistakes.

Weather

The climate of Sh’ te’av is sub-artic. The winter is long, around 5 months, and the temperature is usually between –20 and 20 degrees Farenheight (how do you spell that word?). The ground is frozen during this time. Icebergs are uncommon but usually appear one or twice a year.
The summer months (about four) have temperatures that approach 60 degrees. This is the most active trading and hunting time. The days are long and much work is done.
The spring and fall are transition periods. They are short, about a month and a half each. These seasons are often stormy. Heavy rain and snow, high seas and winds, and unfavorable sea weather dominate this time. Woe is the arctic elf that is in Kayak when a fast moving storm hits!

 

[trentonjoe]

Religion

Religion

The vast majority of the elves of Sh’ te’av worship, Gildas, the elf mother. She means different things to others but to these elves she is the protector of the island and supplier of life. The Druids of the bush forest are devout; some would say fanatical, worshippers.

The rangers of the island often worship Solandor (yanked this from Powers and Pantheons, help with spelling is appreciated), the long dead elven god of Rangers. They believe him alive and well because Gildas grants their spells in his name and image.

There is a small contingent of elves that worship Shivas, the ice-elf goddess. These are mostly younger elves that seek exploration and adventure. This is not frowned on in society but does come into conflict with some of the older druids on occasion.

The last, and by far the smallest, group secret worship Veltras the god of treachery. The only two worshipers are old elves that feel betrayed by the ancient destruction of the planet. These two worshippers are: the patriarch of the family Icepoon, a hunting family, and the second matriarch of the Smoothpine family, a carpenter family. These two secretly try to cheat traders, poison the younger children with a distrust of the Kingdom of Arctic elves, and portray the ancient druids as out of touch with current life.

 

[trentonjoe]

Rumors

Rumors:

-Underneath the bush forest is an ancient mithral vein. The druids sometimes demand ridiculous prices for the silver they find when trading with the old kingdom.

-There is a secret trader that the Snowforger family trades with. During the worst storms of the Fall a one man kayak will set sail and comeback days later at night with a large bag.

-Old lady Smoothpine will give children toys if they go to the bush forest when they are not supposed to.

-Years ago the Wave Raider tribe was an ancient kingdom of slavers. They tried to enslave the arctic elves but were destroyed. The small tribe is all that is left.

-If icebergs appear three days in a row on the south side of Sh’ te’av sahugin are spying on us.

-There is a dark and malevolent force behind the yeti and merrow attacks.

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