Selunárima

The Selunárima are a strange people, even by elven standards. Born with a heightened affinity for specific magic, this sub-group of elven people are similar to their cousins, but distant enough to not be entirely like them. Many believe the Selunárima to be more fey than humanoid, and it is understandable given that many of the Selunárima possess powers of telepathy, as well as the ability to draw upon the powers of moonlight to create unique effects, including the usage of portals fashioned from secret magic, called Moon-Gates.

Peculiar and reclusive, the Selunárima were believed to be extinct, but after the efforts of their lost descendants to free their souls from a malevolent curse, an emergence of the Selunárima has begun once more, with many of diluted blood finding themselves physically transformed into the Selunárima once more.

### **Physical Description**

Their skin is pale, and their hair often in shades of white, silver, gray, or other colors reminiscent of a night sky. Their eyes are also often silver or blue, representing their lunar connections.

While many of the elven people are smart and agile, these Selunárima are more wise than smart, and though they aren't as frail as their cousins, their affinity for moonlight leaves them weaker during the day, as well as when the moon is shrouded from sight, such as due to an eclipse, a new moon, or a cloudy sky.

**Random Selunárima Starting Ages**

1 This category includes barbarians, oracles, rogues, and sorcerers.

2 This category includes bards, cavaliers, fighters, gunslingers, paladins, rangers, summoners, and witches.

3 This category includes alchemists, clerics, druids, inquisitors, magi, monks, and wizards.

**Table: Random Height and Weight**

 Female
(X – Y lbs.)

### **Society**

Most Selunárima live in the ruins of their former civilization, built into the mountainside of their homeland in Siacros. Preferring to fashion homes with a mixture of stone and wood, many of the Selunárima people dwell within homes fashioned from great trees, often with balconies or observatories that allow them to bask in the moonlight for ritual prayer, observation, study, quiet, and so forth. Their reliance on the moon and abundance of resources found both within the mountain and in the groves below means that they engage in little trade with outsiders.

Due to their elusive nature, the inheritors of the lost civilization have adopted much of their own behavioral traits, being more reclusive from the outside world, and generally avoidant of international engagement. The Selunárima are often well-trained in defensive maneuvers, and due to their special connection to the woodland spirits, they are more than capable of defending their ancient homes and the relics within, intercepting intruders at the borders of their realm and often attempting to either scare or deceive would-be treasure hunters and relic plunderers into believing there is nothing of value in the forests but death and the wilds.

##### **The Moon-Sisters**

The Moon-Sisters are the secretive leaders of the Selunárima people. They rarely come down from the sacred tower that lie at the mountain peak, and even few of the Selunárima know much about who they were before their appointed ascension. Said to be blessed seers that interpret the will of their goddesses, the Moon-Sisters generally do not interfere with day to day life, and only issue direct edicts and commands when there is great threat perceived to be coming towards the Selunárima. They live within the Moonlit Spire, a great tower of stone built upon a magical lake, which is said to capture the light of the stars within it's waters, obscuring the path and doorways into the Moonlit Spire from those uninvited.

##### **Shadows**

Shadows are the only elves besides the Moon-Sisters that reside within the Twilight Spire. They dwell in the Twilight Halls in the Spire's upper chambers, where they spend their days using magical vessels called **Star-Scryers**, peering through enchanted waters to observe and watch the borders of Neldorinlómë. They were given their name due to their ability to often project shadowy versions of themselves anywhere they are able to scry, allowing them to traverse the realm swiftly, and witness any invaders first-hand, as well as having limited capability to interact with these invaders, often to frighten them off.

##### **Umbral Wardens**

Umbral Wardens are highly trained spellcasters and warriors who protect long-forgotten relics and secrets, both in the groves of Neldorinlómë and the mountain itself, safeguarding Abyssal relics of power and other dangerous artifacts from the hands of easily corrupted or evil mortals, and their Abyssal masters. They employ shadow magic, enchanted invisible blades, threats, and memory-modifying magic, resorting to violence only as a last resort if they cannot effectively intimidate or scare off would-be threats.

##### Moondancers

A caste of elven magi known as Moondancers accompany many Selunárima who leave the mountain and surrounding groves, acting as assistants and bodyguards. Because the work of Selunárima archeologists and researchers often leads them to dangerous, unholy spaces with enemies who are far more supernatural than mortals, Moondancers favor mobility over all else and eschew armor in favor of more agile and magically-inclined protections and techniques.

##### Star Scholars

Star Scholars are sages and archaeologists specializing in Selunárima lore and relics, as well as in understanding and identifying Abyssal threats, manuscripts, and other dangerous relics and objects of power tethered to the demonic realm. Moondancers often guard them when they are exploring the ancient ruins or abandoned sites of such unholy practices.

##### **Lunar Envoys**

Lunar Envoys are the few diplomats employed by the Selunárima to maintain contact with the outside world. They often work to convince the neighboring kingdoms and their people that there is little to be found of their ancestral lands, emphasizing that everyone perished long ago, and what they chase are myths and legends, lost to time and with nothing of value.

While some Lunar Envoys appear less alien and aloof of their kin, it is uncertain if this is done to conceal their true nature, or if the Lunar Envoys genuinely are more appreciative of the less restrictive and secretive nature of living.

Many Lunar Envoys use magic to disguise their physical characteristics, passing themselves off as more generic elves.

##### **Dawnsparks**

Dawnsparks are a group of younger, progressive descendants who oppose the secretive practices of their past civilization, believing it was the isolation of their people that led to their doom. While the majority of the elves disagree with them, they slowly grow in numbers, many gathering in secret to discuss ways to change and be more inclusive and accepting of outsiders.

##### **Twilight's Shadow**

The Twilight's Shadow is a collective of spies, saboteurs, and assassins that work on behalf of the Selunárima to cleanse neighboring kingdoms and settlements of demonic influence and corruption, often targeting cults or supernatural threats born of the Abyss, as well as securing and protecting powerful and dangerous Abyssal relics in the Selunárima's hallowed vaults to keep such evil out of the hands of mortals.

### **Relations**

The Selunárima are reclusive and stand-offish, but it is often due to their innate distrust of short-lived races being easily seduced by power and corruption. They are more likely to trust dwarves and other similarly-lived races, favoring them as being wise and patient, while resenting those more short-lived, such as humans.

In particular, many Selunárima believe humans to be rash and impulsive, blaming them for much of the meddling the Abyss is able to do through mortal agents. Yet, this is seen as a failure of the race's ability to live longer and see the bigger picture, so many might take pity upon them and seek to help them, or counsel them towards better paths.

Selunárima view half-elves as favorable towards diplomatic relations with the outside world, but also worry their half-breed nature might tempt them to darkness, and steal them from the moon's light.

When it comes to being such as tieflings, half-orcs, orcs, and other more 'monstrous' races, the Selunárima believe such beings are to be distrusted or at best treated with caution, as often such creatures are prone towards darkness and violence, all too ready to invite the dangers of the Abyss into their hearts and minds, even unknowingly.

### **Alignment and Religion**

The Selunárima are judgmental and withdrawn, yet they value devotion and tradition. Most Selunárima are neutral good, believing that the wilds of nature and the guidance of their goddesses is needed to create a balance between the laws of civilization and the chaos of nature, forging a people who understand balance above all things, while bringing the light of the moon to the darkest hearts, minds, and corners of the world.

It is rare that a Selunárima falls to evil, as many who do are twisted by the Abyss, tainted and corrupted. To promote evil is to lost sight of all that the Lómëtarindi stand for, and as such, Selunárima who walk paths of evil are exiled and banished under penalty of death.

The Selunárima worship a variety of deities, often those connected to the moon, the night sky, and the stars. Among them are two entities of more intimate connection, the Lómëtarindi and The Green.

## Selunárima Racial Traits

**+2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, -2 Strength (1 RP)**: Selunárima are agile and wise, but their altered state of existence physically weakens them during cycles of darkness or daylight.

**Medium (0 RP):** Selunárima are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

**Normal Speed (0 RP):** Selunárima have a base speed of 30 feet.

**Twilight Sight (4 RP):** Selunárima can see perfectly in darkness of any kind, including that created by spells such as deeper darkness.

**Low-Light Vision (1 RP):** Selunárima can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.

**Elven Immunities (2 RP):** Selunárima are immune to magic sleep effects and get a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against enchantment spells and effects.

**Keen Senses** **(2 RP):** Selunárima receive a +2 racial bonus on Perception checks.

## **Alternate Racial Traits**

**Moonkissed**: Some Selunárima are mystically warded from birth against physical and magical dangers alike.  These Selunárima gain a +1 racial bonus on saving throws.

This replaces elven immunities and keen senses.

**Hopebound:** Selunárima who revere the light of the moon find themselves empowered in even the darkest of situations. These Selunárima gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against fear and despair effects. Also, once per day, after a natural roll of 1 on a d20 roll, members of this race may reroll and use the second result.

This replaces elven immunities and keen senses.

**Green-Favored:** Selunárima who have proven a stronger connection to The Green find themselves taking on natural characteristics of nature's stewards. These Selunárima gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against mind-affecting effects and poison.

This replaces elven immunities and keen senses.

**Nymph-Born:** Rarely, a Selunárima may be birthed from a fey creature such as a nymph. Those who are often find themselves more tethered to the world than most. Their type changes to Fey, though they do not change any subtypes.

This replaces keen senses.

**Gift of the Lómëtarindi:** Some Selunárima are born with the same psychic affinities that the Lómëtarindi were rumored to have in life, connecting with kith and kin on a deeper level mentally than most. Selunárima with this racial trait gain the ability to communicate telepathically with any creature within 60 feet with which they share a language. Selunárima with this racial trait sleep but they do not dream. As such, they have immunity to the dream and nightmare spells, as well as any other effect that relies on the target’s ability to dream. This does not give creatures the ability to respond to these telepathic messages, and the recipient must be willing.

This replaces elven immunities.