Elf, Kagonesti

Truly Children of the Wood, the Kagonesti, of all the different varieties of elves, are the most at home in the deep wilderness. Their lifestyle has changed little in four thousand years of elven civilization.

Physical Appearance

Kagonesti look the least like the stereotypical elf. They tend to be shorter in stature but more muscular than other elves. Their skin is usually a rich brown—darker than their more civilized cousins—ranging from the hue of honeystained oak to the deep bronze of weathered mahogany. Their hair is often darker than other elves’ as well, with shades from the silky red-black of ironwood to the sandy tan of pine. Some Kagonesti have been known to have silvery white hair, starkly contrasting with their darker complexion. Many women wear their hair in a long single braid, a fashion popularized by Kerianseray. Their eyes are almost always the brown of hazel nuts. Their faces tend to be more weathered than other elves, a consequence of spending so many years in the elements. Despite this, even the most rugged and weather-beaten Kagonesti face appears the very picture of perfection compared to most humans.
Kagonesti frequently decorate themselves with body art. They love designs inspired by life in their native forests, and they often fuse geometric patterns with smooth organic shapes. The geometric shapes are usually surrounded by stylized vines, leaves, or indistinct long flowing strokes suggesting life; this symbolizes to them that artificial constructs, whether manufactured buildings or cultures and societies, can never truly escape their natural roots. Sometimes these designs are applied temporarily using natural dyes and inks. Other times, they are permanent tattoos. They serve purposes ranging from simple vanity to deep spiritual expression. Most who receive body art favor the forearms, the back, and the face, but the entire body is a potential canvas for a skilled Kagonesti tattoo artist.
Typical Kagonesti clothing consists of sturdy buckskin or other leather, but it is far from primitive. Kagonesti tanners often embroider intricate patterns into the material, usually a combination of geometric designs surrounded by smooth, organic lines inspired by the natural world, similar to the designs used in Kagonesti body art. An elaborately embroidered sleeveless leather tunic is very common among Kagonesti, often adorned with heavy fringe and closed by a leather belt either tied or clasped with a silver buckle. Both sexes typically wear leather or linen leggings and supple deerskin boots. In colder months, they might add a long sleeved shirt of linen or silk under the tunic and don fur-lined oilskin cloaks to keep warm and dry. Kagonesti often add feathers and jewelry made from silver and semiprecious stones; some believe these to be talismans, warding off danger. Sturdy leather bracelets or laced bracers are nearly ubiquitous among the archery-loving Kagonesti.
When dressing for comfort rather than ruggedness, Kagonesti usually wear loose, airy blouses and trousers of linen and silk. Kagonesti men and women wear similar loose-fitting tops and frequently go barefoot. When attending joyful communal celebrations, some Kagonesti women will wear colorfully dyed and embroidered skirts rather than leggings.

Psychology

In many ways, Kagonesti are the variety of elf most similar to humans psychologically. Kagonesti tend to be impulsive, quicker to act on their emotions than their more circumspect kin; many Qualinesti and Silvanesti find them little better than humans in this regard. The Kagonesti are less likely to take the long view—sometimes to their benefit, other times not. Given the chance, a Kagonesti might kill an enemy soldier occupying his forest, where as a Qualinesti or Silvanesti might first ponder the political and military consequences. Wounding a Kagonesti’s pride is a very dangerous thing for anyone to do, especially an outsider.
Stubbornness is another trait shared by most Kagonesti. It’s said by some that there are only two creatures more obstinate—a drunken dwarf and a sober Orc. Individual Kagonesti with this trait sometimes find themselves in over their heads.
Kagonesti often have a more pragmatic moral outlook than the Qualinesti and Silvanesti. Sometimes willing to let the ends justify the means, Kagonesti are less likely than other elves to have a problem with committing violence against their enemies. Many of the elves’ human allies, who sometimes bristle at the Qualinesti’s unwillingness to bend their principles to get the job done, find kindred spirits in the Kagonesti.
An intensely spiritual outlook on life is very common among the Kagonesti. Living so close to their forests, they don’t see nature as a gift from the gods; rather, they believe it is a manifestation of the gods themselves. Animistic beliefs have blended with respect for the gods manifested as the natural world. As such, Kagonesti have a sense of relationship to Dhunia—it is simultaneously their mother, their brother, and their ward.
Nearly every Kagonesti on Dhunia can be described as suspicious. For thousands of years, this was simply the natural xenophobia of a primitive people fending for themselves. In recent decades, however, enemies ranging from the servants of the Dark Queen to titanic dragons and their own flesh and blood have conquered them, slaughtered them, and enslaved them. In the minds of most Kagonesti, suspicion of outsiders is not a flaw to be overcome but a necessary tool of survival.

Social Structure

Kagonesti tend to live in small, isolated communities scattered across the continent. As such, they have no institutions that supersede the importance of the family. They believe their families are the only people the Kagonesti can truly count on to stand with them and defend them to the bitter end.
Kagonesti families generally prefer to live together in groups called clans. The clans take on nature-inspired names such as White Osprey (the clan of Kerianseray the famed Lioness). Often, Kagonesti clan communities are small; rarely do more than one hundred elves live in the same village. Clans are led by elders who also carry the title Pathfinder. The title is used somewhat loosely; clan elders as well as the chief elder bear it.

Family Life

Marriage practices vary among the Kagonesti. A few Kagonesti communities practice arranged marriages, with clan elders sealing alliances by marrying off their children to each other. Others reject the practice. Whether a clan does this is often related to how remote it is; the more remote, the less likely a young Kagonesti is to meet someone she is unrelated to, and the more likely she will find administrative assistance acceptable. Kagonesti marry for life; traditionally, no Kagonesti community will recognize remarriage, even after a spouse’s death. However, given the long lifespan of the Kagonesti, widows and widowers sometimes take permanent but informal companions or lovers. This is generally accepted by the community. Most recognize that the lifespan of an elf is a long time to be lonely.
Families and clans come together and form close bonds when their children marry. The Kagonesti marriage ritual itself is attended by only the bride, groom, their parents, and the officiant—usually a clan elder or a druid, priest, or some other person recognized as holy by both families. The parents or even the bride and groom themselves can officiate when necessary. The bride and groom each draw a few drops of blood, blending it to symbolize their bond. With words such as “by blood and water, soil and sky, leaf and limb,” the couple swears their unending love. The brief private ceremony is followed by a boisterous public celebration featuring a great deal of feasting and drinking.
The family and clan welcome new children with a ceremony common among Kagonesti, Qualinesti, and Silvanesti: the Life-Gift. This ceremony, traditionally performed as soon as the child’s mother had recovered enough to participate, is an outdoor ritual cleansing of the child, at which time the child’s parents declare her name. Often, the Goddes of Earth (Povatak), the Unknown Sheperd (Stvari), or Sentry (Velican) is invoked to bless the child. The parents and community elders ask the spirits of the locale of the child’s birth to watch over her and nurture her growth.
As the child nears adulthood, a rite of majority is performed. Usually upon reaching the age of sixty or seventy, the child is asked to prepare a demonstration of skills useful to the community. Demonstrations of archery, survival skills, craftwork, artistic talent, healing arts, martial prowess, and lore-keeping are common. While not a test in the sense that one who fails will be cast out, those who do not put forth at least a good effort in this rite lose the respect of the clan. The newly adult Kagonesti takes on a new name related to her skills, often suggested by the witnesses of her rite of majority.
Kagonesti funeral rites share the general elven aversion to below-ground burial. In the ancient form of the ritual, the corpse is typically washed, wrapped in linen, and taken to the bank of the River of Death, the Bleakfen River. The corpse is blessed; the gods are invoked; and the local spirits are asked to guide the deceased on to the next world. The corpse is let go into the river; if it sinks to the riverbed or eventually goes out to sea, it’s believed the spirit of the deceased is free. There is an island near the river’s mouth thought to be inhabited by ghosts, banshees, and other horrible creatures; if the corpse washes ashore on this island, it’s believed the spirit will dwell there with the dead. Outside of Southern Ereb, Kagonesti approximate this ritual as best they can. For instance, in dry lands like Khur, the corpse is instead taken into the wilderness and reverently left for the desert animals; the spirit is believed to be free if no remains of the corpse can be found in three days’ time.

Names

Kagonesti are given a name at the ceremony of their Life-Gift. These names are usually evocative of nature; the Kagonesti Elven words for Greenleaf, Nighthawk, Whitestag, and the like are common infant boys’ names, while Ashwood, Running Brook, and Star-Eyes are acceptable little girls’ names.
During their rite of majority, Kagonesti will take on a new name, each related somehow to the individual’s life at the time. Some Kagonesti will further change their names as the circumstances of their lives change. They do not take on surnames or family names, instead referring to themselves as being of a certain clan (Kerianseray of White Osprey, for instance). Kagonesti love nicknames, and each can expect to have many applied to her throughout her life.

Everyday Activity

Whether fighting in their ancestral forests, searching for a new sanctuary, or in exile in some strange and hostile Alkebulan city, life for a Kagonesti is a constant struggle for survival. Everywhere they go, they are unwelcome, even among their own Qualinesti and Silvanesti kin. The forests of Southern Ereb and Qualinesti have become as unforgiving as the deserts of Khur and the Plains of Dust.
They spend their time hunting and fishing, gathering wild fruit when it’s in season, crafting most items they need, and trading for what little they can’t make themselves. In short, they endure lives of austerity. The Kagonesti are the elves who can most easily adjusted to new situation.

Arts and Industry

Wilder elves have no true industry. However, the Kagonesti spend a great deal of time crafting handmade items of practical value. Almost every Kagonesti child is taught the basic building skills of a woodland hunter, with bowmaking and fletching practiced daily by thousands of Kagonesti young and old—out of tradition and out of necessity. The Kagonesti have raised these two crafts to an art form; a handmade Kagonesti longbow and quiver of arrows will fetch a very high price in human lands. Kagonesti tanners and leather artists are quite skilled, and their leather garments are both rugged and beautiful. The artwork found in their clothing and jewelry is usually inspired by the forms and shapes of the plants and animals of their traditional lands; vines, leaves, and stylized animal shapes adorn their clothing and hammered silver jewelry. Sculptors create talismans and fetishes out of turquoise, wood, and silver; many Kagonesti favor bears, wolves, and dragons.
Kagonesti music is often unaccompanied vocals. Haunting chants preserve their oral history, while more melodic fare evokes subjects both comedic and tragic. Kagonesti will also sometimes play wooden pipes and whistles, handmade drums, and a two-stringed lute called the shuurtob. Dance almost always accompanies instrumental music in Kagonesti villages.
Magical Practices Few, if any, Kagonesti practice arcane magic. A few have taken the Test of High Sorcery over the centuries, but the academic work necessary to begin that life is usually not practical for a young Kagonesti.
More common, but still rare, is the practice of divine magic. The Goddess of Earth and the Unknown Shepard both bless Kagonesti druids. Additionally, some Kagonesti have learned the arts of mysticism, most believing their magical ability is a manifestation of the spirits around them. Divine magic, with its healing and providential abilities, may well be the art that can pull the Kagonesti back from disaster.

Religion

In general, Kagonesti revere the gods of earth and fire. Sentry (Velican) and the Unknown Shepherd (Stvari) are traditionally thought of as patrons of the Kagonesti. Devotees of the Unknown Shepherd in particular believe firmly in reincarnation and live their lives fully expecting to return after death. The Teacher (Valjida) has followers among more contemplative Kagonesti. The Goddess of Earth (Povatak) also has a strong hand in Kagonesti beliefs. Her cult is growing among Kagonesti, as druids devoted to the Goddess begin to encourage the people to embrace their predatory instincts and retake their rightful place in the order of nature as Children of the Wood, driving the invaders out once and for all.
The gods of darkness take an interest in the Kagonesti when this predatory instinct crosses the line into vengeance and bloodlust. The Bloody Commander (Buntovnik) rejoices when Kagonesti let enraged desperation rule their emotions. Cults of the Fist have begun to appear in Kagonesti communities as they yearn for lands of their own. While Kagonesti grudgingly respect the gods of darkness, any Kagonesti found to actively revere Buntovnik, or any of the dark pantheon, is cast out of the community as a dark elf—one banished from his people.
Most Kagonesti who are granted divine power by the gods are druids or rangers. Due to the isolation of most of their communities, Kagonesti generally don’t have the opportunity to join a Holy Order. Kagonesti paladins are even more rare than clerics; no known examples exist.
Kagonesti faith in any of the gods tends to be a shamanistic faith. To the Kagonesti, the gods aren’t entities separate from nature—they are nature. They see the Goddess of Earth when they look at a mighty oak. They see the Unknown Shepherd when they look at a trout-filled mountain stream. They warmth of Sentry's vision around campfires. They see the wrath of the Buntovnik when the grizzly attacks a village without provocation.
In addition to respect for the gods, a great deal of animism colors Kagonesti beliefs. Most believe strongly that the world is full of spirits, and every animal, tree, creek, river, spring, every rock, hill, and mountain has a spirit of its own. Ordinary Kagonesti are as likely to offer a prayer to the local spirits to aid them in their tasks as they are to pray to the gods. Many humans often assume animism of this sort might lead a people to disdain hunting and consuming meat. Quite to the contrary, Kagonesti revere the hunt. They believe every mortal creature has its rightful place in life’s grand circle, and as some are fated to be predators, others are fated to be prey; the Kagonesti embrace their role as predator.

Folklore

Kagonesti folklore is dominated by tales of the heroics of Kagonos Pathfinder, the legendary first patriarch of the Kagonesti people. Tales are told of Kagonos battling the mighty Quithas Griffontamer, who is variously depicted as a vicious and evil general serving the hated Silvanos or as a sympathetic foil for the great Kagonos, highlighting the tragic aspects of elf forced to struggle against elf. In almost every one of these tales, Kagonos is defending Grandfather Ram, who is actually a silver dragon called Darlantan. In return for saving his life, Darlantan gives Kagonos the Ram’s Horn of the Elderwild, symbolizing the friendship between metallic dragons and Kagonesti.
Further tales of Kagonos involve his adventures fighting the Orcs in the First Dragon War. Most of the stories are of a daring raid to liberate an artifact called the Blue Dragonstone from Barc Darrontale, lord of the Orcs. This artifact drove the blue dragons away from the armies of Silvanos, saving the combined elven armies from destruction. Tellings of this tale usually end with the true birth of the Kagonesti nation; after the war was won, Silvanos invited Kagonos and his people to join them as House Servitor. Kagonos, recognizing this would essentially condemn his people to an eternity of servitude, refused and led his people to the forests to live as wild elves. In some versions of the tale, Kagonos was advised to take this course by his dragon friend Darlantan, who lay dying of wounds sustained in the fighting.
Other folk heroes include various freedom fighters who struggled for Kagonesti independence during the Kinslayer War, such as Rannieth the woodland huntress and first consort of Anórien. Ashtaway, hero of the Dragon Wars, is another favorite Kagonesti folktale protagonist.
Superstition is a common theme in Kagonesti folktales. Kagonesti believe in omens, signs, and premonitions, and their folktales are filled with them. Kagonesti also have a firm belief in the existence of evil spirits and malevolent forces from beyond the grave. They take this seriously and generally will not approach the Lake of Death and the ruins of Qualinost; many believe it is an abode of the damned.
Kagonesti creation myths largely mirror the other elvish cultureal beliefs. Kagonesti believe the great god Pyre(Spaljivan) created the elves before any other mortal race. They believe that, after Pyre gave them life, the Goddess of Earth, Unknown Shepherd, and Sentry gave them the forest in which to live. They believe that, at the time of their creation, all elves lived as the Kagonesti strive to—in harmony with the natural world, rather than struggling against it.
Additionally, Kagonesti folklore assumes the nearly ubiquitous existence of spirits in the world. All living things—animals or plants—as well as important inanimate objects, such as rivers and mountains, have their own spirits. Legends of ordinary Kagonesti encountering and interacting with these spirits are part of their heavily animistic spirituality.

Language

While all elves speak a language called Elven, in reality it’s not quite as simple as that. Each elven nation has its own distinct dialect, all evolved from a now-dead protolanguage scholars call Nestari. This language is now only understood by a handful of elven scholars and some Speakers, but it has given rise to the dialects of Elven spoken today. The various Elven dialects are similar enough that speakers of different dialects can understand each other without a great deal of difficulty, but the accent is often very strong, especially between Kagonesti and Silvanesti.
The Kagonesti dialect of Elven is the least formal of the Elven languages. Rules of grammar and syntax are far more relaxed than in Silvanesti Elven. For instance, context and vocal inflection often determine plurality, intensity, and verb tense rather than affixations or derivations. Gestures and hand signals have also worked their way into the language, accompanying the spoken word as ways to alter the semantics of what’s being said verbally.
Early wilder elves heavily borrowed vocabulary from the Sylvan languages of the fey folk with whom they shared their wilderness homes. Many of these Sylvan words have survived in various forms over the millennia, and a Sylvan speaker will recognize many words a Kagonesti elf says, even if he doesn’t grasp the entire meaning. Sylvan terms that have been “Elvenized” are often words used to capture very subtle semantic differences in natural phenomena. A spring which feeds a cold stream is referred to as a suwara. A spring emptying into a muddy pond is a subatga. A spring with undrinkable or poisoned water is a suduza.
They also have incorporated whistles and chirps inspired by woodland birds into their speech. While stalking prey in the forest, Kagonesti hunters and scouts frequently call to each other with whistles and hand signals. Scouts throughout Kagonesti culture have adopted a common code for these signals. “Prey” is a shrill heeeooo, heee-ooo. “Ready your bow” is a lower pitched chika-tee. Dozens of these signals have been devised, all based on bird calls. They are often accompanied by silent hand signals; simple pointing indicates direction, while other gestures represent distance. These whistles and gestures have worked their way into the everyday dialect as slang used by Kagonesti scouts and warriors.
The Kagonesti do not have a native written language. Those who do learn to write in their dialect borrow Qualinesti or Silvanesti script.
Like almost every language, Kagonesti Elven has its share of old sayings and figures of speech. “Domma yzindah ene koynek,” literally “hiding behind your grandmother’s skirt,” is a common dismissal of a coward. “Kithpah goray” literally means “spirits protect us/me” and is one of the most common Kagonesti expressions of both relief and exasperation.

Racial Relations

Kagonesti are a highly suspicious people. This should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with their history.
The Kagonesti have never gotten along very well with the Qualinesti or Silvanesti. Their very founding was a rebellion against an attempt to subjugate their culture. Since then, other elves have viewed the Kagonesti as uncouth barbarians, and the Kagonesti have been all too happy to return the enmity. Since the Qualinesti and Silvanesti kin tried enslaving them under the pretense of civilizing them, tension between the Kagonesti and other elves has risen to near hatred. This unbridled hatred has been mitigated before. Many Kagonesti have been exiled alongside their cousins, requiring them to trust one another and work together.
Along with the rest of the elves, the Kagonesti blame humans for the Rupture. However, the Kagonesti already had ample reason to hate humans; whether to harvest fuel for their forges, clear land for their farms, or make room for their cities, humans seem to bring deforestation with them wherever they go. Over the years, many violent and bitter encounters between the relentless, adaptable humans and stubborn, desperate Kagonesti have convinced both races that it’s probably best if they stay out of each others’ ways.
Dwarves have had a rocky relationship with the Kagonesti, but they have shown they can work together when circumstances force it. Dwarven aid in the evacuation of Qualinost during an ancient war further cemented the grudging respect the Kagonesti have for the resourceful dwarves. On the other hand, dwarves’ industriousness offends many Kagonesti sensibilities. Smoke from their forges fouls the sky. Minerals better left underground seep from their mines, infecting the water.
Many Kagonesti can’t help but like halflings. While they find the frivolous natures of halflings irritating, they admire the little folk’s indomitable refusal to give in to despair. Their childlike taunting of foes far beyond their ability to defeat has inspired many Kagonesti freedom fighters.
Kagonesti find gnomes to be utterly unfathomable and go to great lengths to avoid the little tinkers.
Orcs and minotaurs are blood enemies of the Kagonesti. Orcs have been foes for millennia, with war between the races going back to Kagonos himself. Minotaurs have earned a place with the Orcs, for while Kagonesti relations with the Silvanesti are tense, the invaders of elven lands present a common enemy far more hateful.
Kagonesti have an excellent relationship with the fey creatures of the forest—the dryads, fairies, pixies, and other mysterious residents of the wilderness. Both sides know the other truly respects the wild places of Dhunia, and they support each other in their preservation efforts.
From the days of Darlantan the Silver, who befriended Kagonos in the First Dragon War, metallic dragons have had a special relationship with the Kagonesti. Legend has it that Darlantan presented Kagonos with the Ram’s Horn of the Elderwild, a spiraled pair of ram’s horns. One side is the elven horn, the other the draconic horn. The draconic horn, when blown, can be heard by all silver dragons across Ereb; the elven horn—held by the silver dragons, according to legend—can be heard by all wilder elves across Ereb. The draconic half of the Ram’s Horn is rumored to still be in existence.
Kagonesti do not fight like soldiers; they are hunters, and they use their predator instincts when at war. The bow is their favorite weapon, and they have a well-deserved reputation as snipers without equal. Shortbows and longbows are equally favored, longbows for raw power and shortbows for ease of use in confined spaces. Kagonesti are masters of the ambush and can make life a terror for occupying forces. Their lack of experience with organized militaries makes them ill-suited to serve as regular frontline troops in a large army, but as scouts and skirmishers, they are without peer.

Kagonesti as Characters

The Kagonesti are a great race to choose for players looking to play the laconic lone wolf archetype. By the same token, their stubborn loyalty to their families and their community makes them extremely strong team members once they take a party of adventurers under their protection. Kagonesti impulsiveness might suggest a tendency toward chaotic alignments over lawful, and their pragmatism might nudge them toward neutrality as opposed to good. Of course, these aspects illustrate tendencies, not absolutes; individual Kagonesti are as varied as most other races.

Adventuring Kagonesti

They may take up adventuring for many reasons: a vengeance quest, becoming hired muscle, restlessness or a desire to see more of the world, or any of a hundred more motives.

Character Development

Kagonesti tend toward physically-oriented classes, with feats and skills reflecting their connection to the natural world.
Barbarian: With their tendency toward chaos over law, Kagonesti are well suited to this class. Kagonesti excel as individual warriors, and barbarian is the ultimate individual warrior; additionally, the bonus to Survival complements the barbarian skill list very well. Consider the barbarian class if you would like your Kagonesti warrior to be impulsive and ruled by her emotions.
Bard, Sorcerer: The Kagonesti never developed a tradition of ambient arcane spellcasting. There may have been a few who took up sorcery, but they are the exception. True bards are just as rare, as most lore-keepers among them are druids.
Cleric: Currently, Kagonesti clerics are extremely rare; in fact, some say there are none at all. This was not always the case, as the Goddess of Earth, the Unknown Shepherd, and others have blessed Kagonesti clerics in the past.
Druid: Kagonesti divine spellcasting has largely rested on druidic traditions. In the past, The Goddess of Earth, the Unknown Shepherd, Nestandi (Ravneza), the Teacher, and Sentry have called forth Kagonesti druids, and there is some indication that druidic practice is once again taking root among the Kagonesti people. Kagonesti druids have also served as the primary lore-keepers of the people. The Kagonesti focus on wilderness adventuring suits this class very well; consider the druid class if you would like your Kagonesti to have a true spiritual connection with the land he defends and the people who live on it.
Fighter: The pure combat prowess of the fighter appeals to many Kagonesti characters. However, most who select this path also multiclass with ranger, so their wilderness skills do not atrophy.
Monk, Wizard: Kagonesti culture is not structured to support either wizards or monks. The disciplined study necessary to pursue either career is simply not available within Kagonesti society. A Kagonesti taking levels of either class was probably raised among other peoples outside Kagonesti lands.
Paladin: Kagonesti have rarely been called to be paladins. However, when a god, such as Nestandi or the Unknown Shepherd, chooses a Kagonesti to serve as an instrument of his or her might, he does not usually fit the typical knight-in-shining-armor image of the paladin.
Ranger: Ranger is a natural choice for a Kagonesti. The ranger can represent the ultimate hunter, a woodland warrior without peer. This is an excellent class to consider no matter what your character concept; as the Kagonesti’s favored class, it complements almost any other class choice very well, representing the woodland stealth, awareness, and fighting skills taught to almost every Kagonesti child. Hunting animals, such as birds of prey or wolves, are the most common choices for animal companions.
Rogue: Rogue is a surprisingly good option for a Kagonesti. While few are pure rogues, with their lack of wilderness skills, some Kagonesti rangers will take a few levels of rogue for even more skill ranks and increased deadliness in an ambush. Consider this class if you wish to increase your Kagonesti’s total skill base and sneak attack effectiveness.