Homebrew Elven Satyr Species Details

Elven Satyr are a magical people of otherworldly grace, living in the world but not entirely part of it. They live in places of ethereal beauty, in the midst of ancient forests or in silvery spires glittering with fae lights, where soft music drifts through the air and gentle fragrances waft on the breeze. Elven Satyr loves nature and magic, art and artistry, music and poetry, and the good things of the world.

Slender and Graceful

With their unearthly grace and fine features, elven satyr appear hauntingly beautiful to humans and members of many other races; however with their combined features they are a mostly polyamorous race. They are slightly shorter than humans on average, ranging from well under 5 feet tall to just over 6 feet. They are more slender than humans, weighing only 100 to 145 pounds. Males and females are about the same height, and males are only marginally heavier than females.

Elves’ coloration encompasses the normal human range and also includes skin in shades of copper, bronze, and almost bluish-white, hair of green or blue, and eyes like pools of liquid gold or silver. Elven Satyr has little body hair. They favor elegant clothing in bright colors, and they enjoy simple yet lovely jewelry made with the chaos of seven moons.

A Timeless Perspective

Elven Satyr can live well over 300 years, giving them a broad perspective on events that might trouble the shorter-lived races more deeply. They are more often amused than excited, and more likely to be curious than greedy. They tend to remain aloof and unfazed by petty happenstance. When pursuing a goal, however, whether adventuring on a mission or learning a new skill or art, elves can be focused and relentless. They are slow to make friends and enemies, and even slower to forget them. They reply to petty insults with pranks and to serious insults with Violence.

Like the branches of a young tree, elven satyr are flexible in the face of danger. They trust in diplomacy and compromised freedoms to resolve differences before they escalate to violence. They have been known to retreat from intrusions into their woodland homes, confident that they can simply wait the invaders out. But when the need arises, elven satyr reveals a stern, martially chaotic side, demonstrating skill with sword, bow, and strategy.

Hidden Woodland Realms

Most elven satyr dwell in small forest villages hidden among the trees. Elven satyr hunt game, gather food, and grow vegetables, and their skill and magic allow them to support themselves without the need for clearing and plowing land. They are talented artisans, crafting finely worked clothes and art objects. Their contact with outsiders is usually limited, though a few elven satyr make a good living by trading crafted items for metals (which they have no interest in mining).

Elven satyr encountered outside their own lands are commonly traveling minstrels, artists, or sages. Human nobles compete for the services of elven satyr instructors to teach swordplay or magic to their children.

Exploration and Adventure

Elven satyr takes up adventuring out of wanderlust. Since they are so long-lived, they can enjoy centuries of exploration and discovery. They dislike the pace of human society, which is regimented from day to day but constantly changing over decades, so they find careers that let them travel freely and set their own pace. Elves also enjoy exercising their martial prowess or gaining greater magical power, and adventuring allows them to do so. Some might join with rebels fighting against oppression, and others might become champions of moral causes.

HAUGHTY BUT GRACIOUS

Although they can be haughty, elven satyr are generally gracious even to those who fall short of their high expectations—which is most non-elves. Still, they can find good in just about anyone.

Dwarves. “Dwarves are dull, clumsy oafs. But what they lack in humor, sophistication, and manners, they make up in valor and alcohol. And I must admit, their best smiths produce art that approaches elven quality.”

Halflings. “Halflings are people of simple pleasures, and that is not a quality to scorn. They’re good folk, they care for each other and tend their gardens, and they have proven themselves tougher than they seem when the need arises.”

Humans. “All that haste, their ambition and drive to accomplish something before their brief lives pass away—human endeavors seem so futile sometimes. But then you look at what they have accomplished, and you have to appreciate their achievements. If only they could slow down and learn some refinement.”

Elven Satyr Names

Elven satyr are considered children until they declare themselves adults, some time after the seventy fifth birthday, and before this period they are called by child names.

On declaring adulthood, an elven satyr selects an adult name, although those who knew him or her as a youngster might continue to use the child name. Each elven satyr’s adult name is a unique creation, though it might reflect the names of respected individuals or other family members. Little distinction exists between male names and female names; the groupings here reflect only general tendencies. In addition, every elf bears a family name, typically a combination of other Elvish or Sylvish words. Some elves traveling among humans translate their family names into Common, but others retain the Sylvish or Elvish version.

Subrace

Ancient divides among the elven people resulted in three main subraces: high elves, wood elves, and dark elves, who are commonly called drow. Choose one of the two subraces presented below or one from another source. In some worlds, these subraces are divided still further (such as the sun elves and moon elves of the Forgotten Realms), so if you wish, you can choose a narrower subrace. However throughout time a further race of elves has developed of which they are one with Satyr.

THE DARKNESS OF THE DROW

Were it not for one renowned exception, the race of drow would be universally reviled. To most, they are a race of demon-worshiping marauders dwelling in the subterranean depths of the Underdark, emerging only on the blackest nights to pillage and slaughter the surface dwellers they despise. Their society is depraved and preoccupied with the favor of Lolth, their spider-goddess, who sanctions murder and the extermination of entire families as noble houses vie for position.

Yet one drow, at least, broke the mold. In the world of the Forgotten Realms, Drizzt Do’Urden, ranger of the North, has proven his quality as a good-hearted defender of the weak and innocent. Rejecting his heritage and adrift in a world that looks upon him with terror and loathing, Drizzt is a model for those few drow who follow in his footsteps, trying to find a life apart from the evil society of their Underdark homes.

Drow grow up believing that surface-dwelling races are inferior, worthless except as slaves. Drow who develop a conscience or find it necessary to cooperate with members of other races find it hard to overcome that prejudice, especially when they are so often on the receiving end of hatred.

Due to Satyr Drow being related to Drow they are treated with prejudice and disdain as they are believed to be thieves and murderers.

 

Elven Satyr Traits

Your Elven Satyr character has a variety of natural abilities, the result of thousands of years of elven and satyr refinement.

Ram

You can use your head and horns to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d4 + your Strength modifier.

Reveler

You have proficiency in the Performance and Persuasion skills, and you have proficiency with one musical instrument of your choice.

Ability Score Increase

Your charisma score increases by 2, and you Dexterity score increases by 3.

Age

Although Elven satyrs reach physical maturity at about the same age as humans, their understanding of adulthood goes beyond physical growth to encompass worldly and emotional experiences. An Elven Satyr will typically claim adulthood and an adult name at around 20 while living to almost 200 years.

Alignment

Elven Satyr love freedom, variety, self-expression, and delight in a life free of the mantle of law. They gravitate towards a chaotic good nature while still leaning to the gentler side of chaos. They value and protect others' freedoms as well as their own, and they are more often good then not with some devious streaks here and there. The Elven Drow Satyr are an exception; their relatives exile into the Underdark has made them vicious and dangerous to befriend or interact with. Elven Drow Satyr are more often Chaotic Evil than not.

Size

Elven Satyrs range from under 5 feet to over 6 feet tall in height, with generally slender builds. Your size is medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 35 feet.

Darkvision

Accustomed to twilit 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. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Keen Senses

You have proficiency in the Perception skill.

Child of the Fey

Due to being born with the fey blood as well as the blood of an elf you have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can not put you to sleep.

Trance

Due to elven blood you 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, you can dream after a fashion; such dreams are actually mental exercises that have become reflexive through years of practice. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common, Elvish, and Sylvan. Elvish and Sylvan are fluid, with subtle intonations and intricate grammar. Elven and Sylvan literatures are rich and varied, although while Sylvan songs are not well known amongst other races Elvish is and is extremely popular as such. Many bards will learn Elvish so they can add Elvish ballads to their repertoires. However a far fewer number of bards will take the time to learn sylvan as to impress fey creatures with special melody's.