Fallen
Like their Elf cousins The Fallen were once Avariel who ruled from their floating cities over Aerith. Unlike the Elves, however, these once Avariel were cast down violently from their lofty perch. The wings brutally shorn from their backs, their cities crashed to the ground, and the spark of divinity ripped from their souls. This race of dark Elves had much taken from them and they plot their revenge against the cruel world they are forced to dwell in.
The Fallen are physically very similar to Elves with a few notable exceptions. Their skin is ashen grey or jet black, their hair is stark white, almost universally, and their eyes burn red with hatred. Where the Elves have smooth skin The Fallen have rougher skin. As the Elves, they are lithe of form, though some tend to grow a bit bigger depending on their surroundings. They age the same as Elves, typically reaching about seven hundred years but they have also been known to reach over a millennium in age.
Ambitious, vengeful, and self-serving, the Fallen are filled with hatred and jealousy. They can also be very determined and patient. Their hatred does not limit itself to Elves but to all of Aerith. They are constantly reminded of what they have lost and they use that to fuel themselves forward. The curse of the Fallen is something that they love to share with the other races that defied them. The people of Aerith, when bred with a Fallen may display unique and terrible traits, resulting in the different types of Tieflings that populate the earth.
If The Fallen agree to something it is only with their own self-interests in mind. They do not give favours freely and they believe the strong will survive. They are not adverse to enslaving people or ransoming important captives for their own gain. Even amongst their own kind they have learned to not take anything at face value.
The Fallen are ruled by a series of Royal houses, each competing with each other for supremacy of their city. Ultimately, each city is ruled by a high priest of Flane, dubbed the Voice of Flane. There is no higher station in the hierarchy of The Fallen and there are currently only three Voices of Flane - The Wish, The Desire, and the Will. The Voices of Flane make the final decisions in the city they rule in, and enjoy the comforts of their position very well. They have an honoured staff below them that makes sure their will is done.
Beneath the Voice of Flane is the Council of Ebon, made up of a representative of each Royal Household. They all do their best to outwit each other and gain favour with the Voice but they run the council surprisingly well consider the jockeying for position that occurs. Each Royal Councilor has a retinue that serves their master in all things.
Further along the social ladder are the sons, daughters, and cousins of the Royal Councilor and they make up the bulk of the family. They have ambitions of their own but are rarely seen to fruition before chance or misfortune has changed the landscape.
Middle class, poor, and slaves all fall below this rung and make up the rest of The Fallen structure. These have little or no power and just struggle to survive the depredations of their leaders.
The Fallen have no allies and make enemies of all races. They plot and hide in secret and any interaction with them on the surface is usually hostile. The Elves of Aerith hold a special place of hatred for The Fallen and many of their plots centre around destroying their fairer cousins. If any Fallen were to encounter an Avariel they would shy away from any interaction but plot incessantly to destroy them from secret. The Fallen are not afraid of much but they are still afraid of any Avariel.
Additional Information
Civilization and Culture
Major Language Groups and Dialects
The Fallen speak common and Fallen. Fallen is similar to Elvish or Celestial, though more rough and sharp. Fallen uses Elvish script
Culture and Cultural Heritage
Worship: Flane
Racial Features
Ability Score Increase: Increase your Dexterity score by 2. Increase your Charisma score by 1
Speed: Your base walking speed is 30 ft
Superior Darkvision: You gain Darkvision out to 120 ft
Sunlight Sensitivity: You have disadvantage on attack rolls and Wisdom (perception) checks that rely on sight when you or the target are in direct sunlight
Keen Senses: You gain proficiency with perception
Fey Ancestry: You have advantage on saving throws against magic and can’t be magically put to sleep
Trance: The Fallen don’t need to sleep, instead, they meditate deeply, remaining semiconscious, for 4 hours a day. (The Common word for such meditation is “trance.”) While meditating, nightmarish visions fill your dreams, serving as a constant reminder of their curse. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a Human does from 8 hours of sleep Fallen Magic: You know the dancing lights cantrip. When you reach 3rd level you can cast the faerie fire spell once a day. When you reach 5th level you can cast darkness once a day. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells
Fallen Weapon Training: You gain proficiency with rapiers, short swords, and hand crossbows
Languages: The Fallen speak Common and Fallen. Fallen is similar to Elvish or Celestial, though more rough and sharp. Fallen uses Elvish script. If a creature speaks Elvish or Celestial they can attempt to translate Fallen speech or writing. Also a creature that can speak Fallen can attempt to translate Elvish or Celestial speech or writing. When attempting to translate you must make an Intelligence check, the DM will set the DC depending on how simple or complicated the translation is.
The Fallen Curse
At the end of the Civil War that pitted Avariel brother against Avariel brother, the followers of Flane were defeated by Zayphos and his allies. As punishment for their hubris, Zayphos inflicted a dreadful curse on all Fallen and their descendants, to the end of time. Their wings stripped from their bodies painfully, and the Celestial spark of the Avariel ripped from their core, the once-proud Avariel fell to Aerith. Their skin turned ashen-grey, and their eyes became blood-red. The once peaceful Avariel trance that brought rest and rejuvenation turned to nightmares and horrible visions. Forever reminded of their failure and the wrongs done to them, the curse of Zayphos has made the Fallen bitter and cruel. Every year the curse reasserts itself through a painful experience all Fallen must bear. Flane, in his misery and contempt for Zayphos sought to inflict suffering to others and devised a way to transmit this curse to those not of strictly Fallen heritage. He would show the world the cruelty and iniquity of the curse Zayphos laid on his people. Only once the world was covered in Fallen would Flane have his ultimate revenge. All the Founder Races of Aerith, and the newly formed Elves would be subject to the Fallen curse. Most recently the Dragonkin have been able to become affected, but those are rare cases and the effects are limited.
Genetic Descendants
Lifespan
Fallen typically claim adulthood and an adult name around the age of 100 and can live to be 750 years old
Average Physique
Similar to their Elvish brethren, Fallen range from under 5 feet to over six feet, with slender bodies. Your size is medium
Geographic Distribution
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