The Shadow Elves Ready Read the Players' Guide First As We the Shadow Elves, Their Festivals and Spe- Are but a Legend
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Sample file iNtROOUCtlON Many folk think that the Shadow Elves ready read the Players' Guide first as we the shadow elves, their festivals and spe- are but a legend. They know better in suggested, you know this, of course. cial days, and the correct version of their Alfheim. The elves of that forested land Players who have read other Gazet- history. A lengthy section follows on Sha- were forced to ally with Darokin to put teers, and/or adventured in other lands mans and their Soul Crystals, which gives down shadow elf infiltration and a of the Known World, will be surprised by more details of the truth of the religious planned invasion just over three centuries what they read here. They may well have path which is so important to these peo- in the past. To an elf, that's not even half been told that shadow elves are Chaotic, ple. Following chapters lay out the geog- a lifetime. Humans ignore the whispered and this alignment is given for them in raphy of the shadow elf lands, including stories and rumors, but the elves know the "monster" entry of GAZ 5, The Elves their spectacular and eerie City of the better. Now their subterranean cousins of Alfheim. That just shows that even Stars. "Travel and Vigilance" explains are preparing for another invasion — and elves will promulgate untruths on occa- how to get around these extensive lands this time they may well be successful. sion. and gives a rundown of the powerful This is not to say that the Players' shadow elf army and military patrols HI7G CJazetteen Guide tells the whole truth and nothing which so jealously guard the secrets of but the truth. That is the purpose of this shadow elf life. "Flora and Fauna" de- This Gazetteer describes the land of the book, the DM's Guide. scribes some monsters, the skinwings Shadow Elves in the D&D® game's which are such important riding beasts Known World; its geography, peoples, USJNQ XTl7is Booklet for the elves, and rounds up some of the and history. In this package you'll find more harmless — but important and the following: This DM's Guide has many of the fea- sometimes bizarre — creatures which tures you will expect from a gazetteer if share the domain of the shadow elves. * this 64-page DM's Guide to the you have used one before. It has profiles shadow elf lands, including adventure Two lengthy chapters, "Among the for major non-player characters, maps for Shadows" and "Shadow Elves in Other outlines; cities and important locations, some new * a 32-page Players' Guide to the Lands," give profiles for many important monsters and spells and rules and much personalities among the shadow elves. shadow elves, including many new skills else. But there is something else you and rules for shadow elf shamans and full There are also some detailed rules here for should be aware of from the outset. handling the extreme auditory acuity and guidance on creating shadow elf player Much of the history and background characters; light-sensitivity of shadow elves which given in the Players' Guide is not entirely you may need for game play. These chap- * a full-color, fold-out map sheet accurate. Quite a bit of it is in fact funda- showing the shadow elf lands in full de- ters also suggest important revisions mentally wrong in very important ways. which can be introduced into previous tail and in relation to the major land- This is one thing that makes this an unu- marks of the surface lands above them; Gazetteers without disturbing game play. sual Gazetteer. Don't be worried about The ways of shadow elves are rarely what * a three-panel inside cover showing this. After all, other cultures have totally they seem. Shadow elves are to be found details of the City of the Stars, the major erroneous views about shadow elves (as a in all kinds of places where they are un- settlement of the shadow elves, and the 4-page pullout section "What Everyone suspected, often without the need for dis- Temple of Rafiel within it. Knows About Shadow Elves" in the mid- guise or active pretense. dle of this booklet shows). Why should it Of course, given that you will know so USINQ Ojis Qazetteen be surprising that shadow elves — includ- ing PC shadow elves — have some impor- many secrets by the end of reading all If you haven't used a Gazetteer before, tant misconceptions about themselves? this, you will need adventures and adven- you're going to enjoy this one. If you ture outlines to put your players to work have, you're going to enjoy it too, but The important point here is that you and get as much fun as possible out of you're going to find GAZ 13 significantly have all the correct information within this this rich gaming setting. \bu want them different from its predecessors in some book. It is revealed piece by piece until you out in the ever- dark tunnels and warrens, important ways. see the whole picture. The fate of the dodging skitterlings and darksnaps, In the Players' Guide there are several shadow elves is one of major importance to watching the elf-artisans moving tunnels major sections. The history of the shadow all races of the Known World. They have or soul mining; or maybe you want to elves is followed by a brief resume of their infiltrated far, far wider than almost anyone send them out spider hunting or pursu- lands and cities. After reading about a imagines. Who can say where their webs of ing the horrific Boneless, or head them day in the life of the shadow elves, the intrigue begin and end? %u will be a lot into a web of intrigue they do not even core of their beliefs and being — the Way better placed to know when you have fin- begin to suspect. Well, we wouldn't Sampleished reading this book. want to disappoinfilet you. There are adven- of Rafiel — is laid out for players to digest and understand. This ethos is the heart Within this Guide, a first section cov- ture outlines aplenty. We told you, you're and soul of a shadow elf. If you have al- ers Time and History — the calendar of going to enjoy this stuff. 14 VeRSeS Of ttjG R€fUQ€ Of StON€ Veuse of tfte VeRse of ttje Veuse of tlie KINQ Before the holocaust, I was Rafiel, and I Here build before me a city, and a great I will guide my shamans to choose from watched over my people. I gathered them temple, and within it offer up to me all among you a king, who will serve as long into the palm of my hand, and I guided good things, and I, Rafiel, will guide as I wish him to serve. Let all my people them to this refuge of stone. I, Rafiel, will you. •'- obey this king and I, Rafiel, will guide guide you. you. V€RS€ Of FOOt) aND of tl}€ Naivte of tf)Q CleaNliNess VeRse of tl7€ OH7CR Peoples Sl7at)ow Elves Let your food be pure and clean. Keep If any other peoples desire to live among I am Rafiel, and you are all my shadow. also yourselves pure and white before me, you, let a clan adopt them, and keep As I move, so you move. As I stand, so and let not your souls be spotted with them separate from you lest they offend you stand. As I live, so you live. Thus wrongdoing against me, and I, Rafiel, me, and I, Rafiel, will guide you. shall you be shadow elves, and I, Rafiel, will guide you. will guide you. Last VeRse, Xilje VeRse of Vense Of Days PROMISeO BOUNt? VeRse of ttye Refuge of I will teach my shamans the goodness and I am Rafiel. If all my children follow my StON€ , - '.,/• ;.,;.. badness of each day. Keep the good days way and the Way of the Shamans, then all Let all my children learn these words, the fast/, and the bad days ne fasti, and I, Ra- good things will come to them, for I, Ra- words that guide you and give you life. fiel, will guide you. fiel, will guide you. Daily honor these fourteen verses and I, Rafiel, will guide you. kl Vense of tfte Auivrp I will send fire against you, to strengthen Veuse of tl7G SliaMaN I you in my own forge. Let every man and I, Rafiel, mark with my own hand those woman among you see battle and I, Ra- whom I empower. Let all respect be ac- fiel, will guide you. corded these, my chosen servants. They it is who will have the power of life and death over you. Follow their teachings, and I, Rafiel, will guide you. VeRse of tlie Cnystals In the fullness of time I, Rafiel, will show my shamans the secrets of the crystals that have the power of life and death and life everlasting. Guard these crystals care- fully, and I, Rafiel, will guide you. Vense Of Biutli . •..,.-•• If any child be born among you that is not whole, let them be brought before me, and I, Rafiel, will guide their path. Vense of tl?e WaNbeneus Keep the strength of the shadow elves, and let none who is weak remain among you or followSample after you. Turn these to me, file and I, Rafiel, will guide their path. TIiM€ aND Histouy of tl?e Styabow Elves tune of the shadow elves.