Wood Elves of Mirkwood
“In a great hall with pillars hewn out of the living stone sat the Elvenking on a chair of carven wood.”
Lingering in the Twilight
The Elvenking of the Woodland Realm has ruled over his subjects from the times when Mirkwood was called Greenwood the Great. For centuries, travellers and wanderers have heard the eerie sound of their laughter echoing in every corner of the wood; today, the court of Thranduil is an underground fastness in the northernmost region of Mirkwood, a bastion protected by magic and held in arms against the Shadow that has fallen on the forest. Its denizens are ever-vigilant sentinels, members of a diminishing people that have suffered greatly in many wars. They have grown suspicious of trespassing foreigners and what they may bring. Now, however, the great victory at the Battle of Five Armies has somewhat eased the relationships between Elves, Dwarves and Men living in the area, and trade has increased after years of seclusion. The Elves of Northern Mirkwood are members of the Firstborn, the earliest denizens of Middle-earth. Also called Wood-elves, the followers of Thranduil the Elvenking are a reclusive folk. They may be less wise or ambitious than nobler Elves, but they have chosen to live a simpler life. Their attachment to all things natural lets them rejoice in leading hunts and holding feasts, even under the threat of what lurks in the dark of Mirkwood. It is this love for Middle-Earth and their hopes of reclaiming the entire forest from the Shadow that prevents them from abandoning their home and sailing to the uttermost West.Description
Elusive warriors devoted to the preservation of their hidden realm, Silvan Elves are a fair but hardy folk. Their experiences have made them suspicious of other peoples, but have not robbed them of the ability to delight in the simple pleasures of living. Even though their power is slowly waning, Elves are staunch fighters dedicated to resisting the encroaching darkness, either alone or side-by- side with trusted allies. As all those who belong to the Firstborn, they are not subject to illness or old age, and thus can dwell within the circles of the world until they choose to leave it, or are slain.Standard of Living
The Elves of Mirkwood are a folk at a war, and dedicate much of their wealth to their defence, ranking their culture as Martial. Bonus Equipment: A grey or green travelling cloak, travelling gear for the current season, a backpack or saddlebags, a belt dagger, boots, 3d6 silver pennies, and choose any two: A grey blanket, a wineskin, a short bow and a quiver of 20 arrows, a white jewel on a chain of silver, a hunting knife, a musical instrument.Mirkwood Elf Traits
Your Player-hero has certain traits deriving from your Elven ancestry.- Ability Score Increase – Your Dexterity score increases by 2 and your Wisdom score increases by 1.
- Adventuring Age – 100 to 500. Elves are invulnerable to age, and may become adventurers at any time after they reach adulthood (at about a century of age). Considering the level of ability of a starting hero, players should avoid choosing an excessively venerable age for their character.
- Size – Elves range from 5 to over 6 feet tall, with slender builds. Your size is Medium.
- Speed – Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
- Night Vision – Accustomed to twilight forests and the night sky, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light.
- The Eyes of Elves – You have proficiency in the Perception skill.
- Elvish Dreams – Your sleep is not like that of mortals. When you sleep, you can choose to send your mind into an “Elvish Dream” retaining full consciousness of your surroundings and you needn’t close your eyes. Four hours spent in such dreams acts on you as if you had rested an entire night.
- The Tools of War – You have proficiency with daggers, spears, broadswords, short swords, and short bows.
- A Whisper Through the Leaves - You have proficiency in the Stealth skill. You have advantage on Stealth skill checks whenever you are in a forest and can make Hide attempts even when only lightly obscured by foliage.
- Languages – You can speak the old language of your people, the Woodland tongue, along with the ability to speak, read, and write Sindarin. You can also speak the Common Tongue.
Founding Date
1050
Alternative Names
Wood Elves, Silvan Elves
Controlled Territories
Related Ethnicities
Mirkwoood Elf Names
For the most part, the Wood-elves bear names fashioned in the Grey-elven language. Male Names: Aerandir, Amras, Amroth, Aredhel, Caranthir, Denethor, Edrahil, Elladan, Erestor, Galdor, Galion, Guilin, Haldir, Legolas, Lindir, Orophin, Oropher, Thranduil. Female Names: Finduilas, Míriel, Nimrodel.Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
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