Ilth'anvae

Referred to as Dusk Elves by commonfolk, Ilth'anvae are created by fleshwarp experiments from Drow hidden in the upper vaults of Orv. While the typical fleshwarped Drow would become a Drider, the Alchemists who create the Ilth’anvae use forbidden, horrendous methods to create more intelligent but less violent and hulking thralls to do their bidding. The Ilth'anvae are some of the few sapient and civilized creatures from the Darklands’ depths and part of the even smaller group of fleshwarped creatures who maintain any semblance of sanity. The Ilth'anvae are usually viewed by surface dwellers as either menaces or fabled monsters, with their arachnid, alien forms and skittering movements making them a feared folktale. Rarer still are the noble, Drider-like Ser'anvae, or Shade Elves, whose immense bodies invoke terror into even the citizens they dwell over. Despite the legends and stigma around the Dusk Elves, most of them are not Evil and their Droven heritage rarely shows in their personalities.

### Physical Description

The Ilth'anvae are humanoid, bipedal Elves whose appearance is a rather large departure from their creators. While they retain the dark skin, monochromatic hair, and long, pointed ears of the typical Drow, that is where most of the similarities end. Their figures are long and spindly, making them significantly taller than most races. Their arms end with four-fingered claws and the two extra pairs of appendages that come from their back are the same way. Their legs are digitigrade and their feet are three-toed, with one large one in the back. Their natural litheness and claws allow for quick climbing along walls and ceilings. Their faces are covered with a set of six, lightly-glowing eyes that allow for a great amount of visibility in the darkness they live in, usually of colours typical of Drow. Their mouths are a strange pair of fang-like mandibles that allow them and them only to speak their unique language of clicks and hisses. Despite these odd mouths, Ilth’anvae are fully capable of speaking languages outside of their own.

#### Ageing

As a byproduct of their fleshwarped nature, Ilth'anvae were created and bred to age faster but live for a shorter amount of time compared to other Elves. Due to this, Ilth'anvae have a lifespan and ageing process quite similar to that of Humans. As such, Ilth'anvae rarely live past the age of 150.

### Society

The Ilth'anvae live in societies somewhat similar to their Droven progenitors, with noble families appointing a representative to vote on matters in their tribe’s oligarchic council. However, unlike the Drow, there are no political or religious differences between the sexes, allowing a Matron or a Patron to be the leader of a family. Additionally, slavery is completely outlawed and the Elves are willing to peacefully coexist with any other groups who wish to do the same. While the Ser'anvae are of a higher class than their brethren, the Ilth'anvae are in no means oppressed, at least in most communities, and are given the right to vote on matters proposed by the Shade Elves. Most Ilth’anvae do their best to flee Orv and live in abandoned settlements or isolated regions far from other creatures. Some even leave the Darklands entirely and live in surface caves, though still avoid other races due to prejudice from them.

#### Names

Ilth'anvae are unique amongst Elves even in terms of names, with their naming convention being somewhat similar to that of Hebrew cultures on Earth. Typical male names include Gaven, Khoshekh, Shevakh, Zariz, Kavod, Keshef, Keter, and Zakif while typical female names include Tehila, Afela, Kehut, Ahava, Reshet, Be’ata, Even, and Nazelet. The surname of an Ilth'anvae is matronymic, being based on that of their mother. The first and last names are separated by either the word ben, meaning "son of", or bat, meaning "daughter of". An example of this would be Gideon ben Manoah, meaning Gideon, son of Manoah. While some tribes have their own naming conventions that may be patronymic or even abandoning this system altogether exist, this tradition is the most common one amongst Ilth'anvae.

### Relations

Relations with other races, both within the Darklands and of the surface world, are usually shaky at best. Most outside communities view the Ilth'anvae as abominations and monsters who live amongst other savages. Despite this, the Dusk Elves hold no ties to Demons or Aberrations, outside of the few who decide to dabble in such fields. While xenophobia is uncommon amongst Dusk Elves, they are just as, if not more, paranoid than the Drow and try to avoid contact with new groups if they have little information on them.

### Alignment and Religion

Unlike their Droven ancestors, Ilth'anvae typically are not Evil, usually straying towards Neutrality or, somewhat uncommonly, Goodness. Though there are outliers as with every race, the Dusk Elves typically have less Evil members than other races. Unfortunately this does not apply to all of them and occasionally an Ilth'anvae will end up becoming the monster outsiders see them for. Ilth'anvae, like their Elven ancestors, lean towards Chaos. The Ilth'anvae worship a Pantheon of Gods adapted from their old faith, having abandoned the Evil Droven Gods. Most of their Gods were demigods or heroes of their people who they believe ascended to divinity. The primary God of the Dusk Elves is Sehv’aranine, Goddess of Shadow, Spiders, Death, and Stars. Dusk Elves who fall to Evil desires usually either follow Zanria Ga’marel, God of Isolation, Outcasts, and Tragedy, one of the Droven Gods, or even the Rough Beast itself.

### Adventurers

An Ilth'anvae might leave the Darklands for any number of reasons. While Dusk Elves rarely go to the surface world, though those that do typically are in search of knowledge of magic and their ancestors or simply to travel throughout the world, breaking away from traditions of staying away from surface dwellers. Though some may hide their appearance to avoid prejudice, there are some communities that accept them and many Dusk Elves end up becoming mercenaries. Others may be part of groups seeking a new home far from their former owners and creators, sometimes settling tribes near entrances to Nar-Voth.

## Creating an Ilth'anvae

One of the key components to making an Ilth'anvae is taking into account how alien they are. They are quite different from the races of the surface world, carrying over a mixture of tribalistic Drow traditions and their own, which is not even taking into account their appearance. Being so far underground and the product of controlled mutations has created an incredibly unique race with their own views on the world, a language only they can speak, and a pantheon of mortals who they believe went through apotheosis to become Gods.

### Standard Racial Traits

#### Ability Score Modifiers

Ilth'anvae are very lithe and have powerful spirits, though they are physically weak. They gain +2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma, and -2 Strength.

#### Type

Ilth'anvae are Monstrous Humanoids with the Elf subtype.

#### Size

Ilth'anvae are Medium creatures and thus receive no bonuses or penalties due to their size.

#### Speed

Ilth'anvae have a base speed of 30 feet and a climbing speed of 30 feet.

#### Expert Climber

Ilth’anvae have a climbing speed of 30 feet. Additionally, they can cling to cave walls and even ceilings as long as the surface has hand- and footholds. In effect, Ilth’anvae are treated as being constantly under the effects of a non-magical spider climb spell, save that they cannot cling to smooth surfaces. This trait doubles the normal +8 racial bonus on Climb checks normally granted to creatures with a climb speed (to a total +16 bonus).

#### Extra Arms

Ilth’anvae have two sets of weak arms that can be used to carry objects. They cannot wield weapons with these extra arms, but they can retrieve small, stowed objects carried on their persons as a swift action.

#### Skill Bonus

Ilth'anvae gain a +1 racial bonus on Perception and Stealth checks.

#### Enhanced Darkvision

Ilth'anvae can see perfectly in the dark for up to 120 feet.

#### Light Blindness

Abrupt exposure to bright light blinds Ilth’anvae for 1 round; on subsequent rounds, they are dazzled as long as they remain in the affected area.

#### Abomination

Ilth’anvae are vilified by most members of other races due to their heritage and appearance. They have a -2 penalty to Diplomacy checks with members of other races and -6 to Disguise checks when disguising themselves as members of other races.

#### Languages

Ilth'anvae begin play speaking Undercommon and Sheolian. Ilth'anvae with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Abyssal, Aklo, Common, Deepspeech, Draconic, Drow Sign Language, Elven, Gnome, or Goblin.

### Alternate Ilth'anvae Racial Traits

#### Bestial Sprinter

Some Ilth'anvae have lower bodies that are more bestial than normal due to failed fleshwarping or simple mutation. Whether their feet resemble those of a clawed predator or their legs are more similar to those of Ser’anvae, Ilth'anvae with this trait gain a 10-foot racial bonus to their speed when using the charge, run, or withdraw actions. This racial trait replaces Skill Bonus.

#### Humanoid Form

Though all Ilth’anvae are products of fleshwarping, some were changed less than their brethren, leading to them looking more like regular than Drow with but a few key spider-like traits. Humanoid Form replaces Extra Arms and Abomination.

#### Light Dweller

Some Ilth’anvae dwell close to the surface lands or simply live in brighter areas of the Darklands, allowing them to see twice as far as Humans in conditions of dim light. This racial trait replaces the Enhanced Darkvision and Light Blindness racial traits.

#### Natural Liar

Seduction and trickery can be used as tools to misdirect outsiders to the true nature of Dusk Elves. Ilth'anvae with this racial trait may choose either Bluff or Diplomacy as a class skill, and gain a +1 bonus on such skill checks. This racial trait replaces Skill Bonus.

#### Underworld Guide

Those who brave the lightless tunnels below the world’s surface learn to identify the dangerous phenomena that characterize the Darklands. Characters with this trait gain a +2 bonus on initiative checks, and on saves against traps and hazards when underground. Ilth'anvae can take this trait in place of Skill Bonus.

#### Voice in the Darkness

Prerequisite: Charisma 13+. Characters who practice coercion and intimidation in the Darklands learn to do so in dim light or no light at all. As long as they are in dim light or darker conditions, characters with this trait gain a +2 bonus on Intimidate and Stealth checks. Ilth'anvae can take this trait in place of Skill Bonus.

### Favoured Class Options

* Alchemist: Add +10 minutes to the duration of the alchemist’s mutagens.
* Arcanist: When casting arcanist enchantment spells, add +1/3 to the effective caster level, but only for the purpose of determining duration.
* Fighter: Choose the disarm or reposition combat maneuver. Add +1/3 to the Fighter’s CMB when attempting this maneuver (maximum bonus of +4).
* Ranger: Add DR 1/magic to the ranger’s animal companion. Each additional time the ranger selects this benefit, the DR/magic increases +½ (maximum DR 10/magic). If the ranger ever replaces his animal companion, the new companion gains this DR.
* Rogue: Add a +1/2 bonus on Bluff checks to feint and pass secret messages
* Slayer: Increase the studied target bonus on Perception and Survival checks by ¼. When the slayer gains the stalker class feature, the slayer also gains this increase to the studied target bonus on Stealth checks
* Sorcerer: Add +½ point of damage to any illusion spells of the shadow subschool cast by the sorcerer.
* Witch: Add +5 feet to the witch’s familiar’s darkvision (to a maximum of +30 feet). If the familiar does not have darkvision, the familiar gains darkvision 5 feet. If the witch ever replaces her familiar, the new familiar gains this bonus to its darkvision distance.
* Wizard: Select one arcane school power at 1st level that is normally usable a number of times per day equal to 3 + the wizard’s Intelligence modifier. The wizard adds +1/2 to the number of uses per day of that arcane school power.